Skipping Carb Up

[SFons81]

From my research I understand that carb up is part of the CKD diet and replenishes glycogen levels. My question is if I were to just do a general Keto diet (under 20g carbs) for a few weeks and skip the carb up what kind of impact will this have on my workouts/muscle retention and will skipping a carb up actually hinder fat loss? If anyone here has done a keto diet without carb up for a 3-4 week period of time I'd love to hear what your results were.

FYI I weight train for about 45 minutes then do 30 minutes of cardio 3 days a week/spin class for 60 minutes on the other 3 days and have one off day - just to give an idea of my activity level. I'd like to maintain this level of activity throughout this diet as well.

[WaltrSobchak]

I started keto on the 8th and went two weeks til my first carb up which was today. Two things I noticed:

1)Friday and Saturday my workouts were definitely a little lacking. I was more worn down then I was on Monday and Tuesday of this week for sure.
2)Carb up felt great. Probably like 70/30 clean to dirty. It was a welcome change from being restricted all week and it gives you a chance to replenish. I think we all need a day where we can relax a bit and not be so stringent since we have to be so strict during the week.

So in my opinion carb up days are necessary. Thats for me of course, everyone is different. I really miss my morning cereal and my fruit so its nice to know once a week I can eat all that stuff and not sweat it at all.

as far as fat loss whichis my main goal as well I think carb up can only help it. Switching it up on the body can only help imo, but others more knowledgeable may know more

[queloque]

It will hinder workouts more so than fat loss. After all the carb-ups are for feeding your glycogen stores to have strength for your workouts.

So it all depends upon what your focus is. If it is weight loss you should be ok, just know consistent low calories can slow your metabolic rate so carb-ups help in that arena as well.

[Atavis]

Carb up = restore leptin and metabolism. It also restores muscle glycogen so you keep up exercise performance. If it goes well, you even get an anabolic supercompensation effect which means more muscle.

Why would you want to skip that?

[foxbody351w]

It will hinder workouts more so than fat loss. After all the carb-ups are for feeding your glycogen stores to have strength for your workouts.

So it all depends upon what your focus is. If it is weight loss you should be ok, just know consistent low calories can slow your metabolic rate so carb-ups help in that arena as well.

IMO I strongly believe carbups are necessary.

Longest I went without carbing up was 1 month, at which point I was so drained, physically and emotionally, that I binged and completely went overboard on the carbup, which if I had just done one at the 2 week mark I am certain wouldnt have happened. My strength was so low in the gym I couldnt even get a pump, my weights were dropping like crazy, and at the end of the month I had even skipped some cardio sessions because I was so drained.

A carbup doesnt have to be 100% strict and "clean", you CAN have some of the foods you are craving, as long as you fit them into the proper carbup ratio.

IF YOU FOLLOW THE CARBUP BY THE RULES IT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL IN YOUR FAT LOSS AND/OR MUSCLE GAIN GOALS.

[redheadlaw7]

I think it really depends on the OPs weight and gender...and most importantly their goals. There are low carbers out there that never do a carbup becaus they want to los as much fat as fast as possible. Carbing up really is something that is only necessary for weightlifting in my opinion. Even when it comes down to doing HIIT, it's harder to do on little to no carbs but it can be done. So my answer is...it depends!