Experience Please, Carbs and Exercise?
 

I joined a gym and have been working with a trainer for the past 3 days. I used to go to the gym all the time (4 years ago!) and I LOOOOVVVVEEEE it!

But with lo-carb. I'm a little befuddled on what to do.

My body doesn't like going under 20 carbs a day. At 20 I stall and at 10 or under I GAIN, honest to God. I've found that 25-30 is perfect, 40 and I stall again.

Anyhoo. Now that I'm adding in cardio and weight lifting, do I need to up my carb intake? It only makes sense right? Especially if my body gets so pissed off for going under 20?

But how much I wonder? The thing is that I've still got a LOT of fat to lose, and at the same time will be gaining muscle, so for a while I really won't be able to depend on the scale for what is happening, and taking measurments are good, but one has to wait a while to see changes.

I guess I'm afraid of waiting a month and never seeing myself shrink because I'm not eating enough carbs, OR eating to many and having the same problem.

I considered upping by increments of 5, but still, I wouldn't be able to tell because the scale is going to be unrealiable for a while.

Do all have a formula for this??

I've been doing 40 minutes weight lifting and 30 cardio.

What is your body telling you? When I was working out hard (weights and HIIT) my body asked me for a little more that normal, both in calories and carbs. For me, sunflower seeds or almonds did the trick.
Are you craving more carbs? If not, don't eat more carbs. If so, try adding in 5 or 10 more on days you workout. If you feel better, and stay energetic - you've nailed it. Listening to your body on workout days will help you figure this out.

Are you just craving more food? That is normal. You should eat a bit more on days you workout, if you're hungrier. It takes fuel to build muscle. If it's just 'hungry' you're feeling, try adding in another egg, or similar protein, and see how you feel.

Congrats on working out! And on the loss!

I've never heard of a formula. I think it is more individual than that. I will say that I began working out (again) after not doing so for the first 3 months or so of Atkins. I felt a little funky the first time - a bit dizzy and disoriented - but only that once. I did not raise my carbs at all (I want to be able to access fat for endurance), but I drink a protein shake (ugh) or eat cheese (yum) after my workouts to provide my body with a quick source of protein for muscle repair. I suggest you try it, and see what your body tells you.

A good book for weight training on Low Carb is the TNT workout by Jeff Volek (co author of many LC books) and a guy who writes for Men's Health Mag (which seems to have a LC slant). The book recommends an LC diet with several variations (more protein and/or more carbs) depending on what your personal goals are - losing weight, gaining muscle, etc. The used copies at Amazon can be had for a couple of dollars.

Thank You both for excellent advice! :)

I really HAVE been more hungry, but I've been craving protein, which I normally never do. All I usually want are veggies and fat and sometimes forget about protein. But for the past couple of days I've been on a protein run :D Chicken, cheese, salami, beef. And lol, tomatoes.

Usually when I've gone too low in carbs I know the next day because I'll have trouble making it up the stairs at work, my legs will just not have POWER, but lol, right now I'm so sore I can't tell if my carbs are too low.

I think I'll do just as you suggested and up it 5 or so on workoud days, which will be 6 days a week, I'm a junkie for that high!

And thank you so much for the book suggestion, Amazon rocks! :)

How did upping your carbs work out?