Thanks for the info. Right now im struggling with the same 3-4 pounds. Been at this weight for about 5-6 weeks...I just keep losing and gaining the same weight. I don't understand why it wont stay off.

How frequently do you cycle?

Love your stuff/results. Carb cycling is amazing. I just found this website and saw your post in 2004 about trying 2-3 high days in a row. How did that work for you?

As far as bodybuilding, we carb cycle about 12 weeks out to get below 10% body fat and it works perfect! It's also a good way to control blood sugar and be healthy!!

I usually do 3 low days of about 50g carbs (make sure i get complex carbs in the morning) then just chicken/eggs/fish/veggies/nuts for my other meals. On my high day I just add in more oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and get to about 400g. I have never really went high for more than one day so I was just curious.

Since our diets are pretty strict as is, we also cheat for one meal a week "anything I want" so that is also kind of like a high day...

PS: Keep up the good work. Many people think that too many high days is bad, but actually it keeps you mentally sane, boosts your metabolism, so the next 3 days your metabolism is high, but your on low.... you burn more fat. + Your body will never get used to the same thing!!! It's awesome. Thanks!!!

I have just started doing this as I stalled out on Atkins, for the second time, at the same weight. I get discouraged and then start gaining. So far I am feeling better.

I find this carb cycling idea interesting. I am not following any specific diet plan. I have just cut out bread, pasta, grains etc and try to keep my carbs as low as i can and strictly below 100.

What i noticed is that eating only when hungry I seem to exhibit a similar cycling pattern. Some days I eat as much as 2300 cal some as low at 1700. And my carbs vary between 15 and 85 usually. although my cycles are much shorter than a week.

My suspicious is that your body just expects this kind of cycling naturally. That seems to be what my tummy is telling me to do. Where as being on Akins induction, might entail eating almost exactly 20g carbs every day.

Just my thoughts.

Interesting thread. I wish everyone hadn't quit posting to it.

The major negative thing I think about for me, is how easy it would be to go too crazy on the off days. Though the OP was very careful and it worked for her. A lot of the newer threads seem to be from younger members, I seriously doubt I could eat sugar or wheat and not see consequences. Well, I know there would be problems....

Anyone still doing this with good results?

I discovered this by accident too. Actually the only way I've found to break a stall is to actually GAIN a few pounds!!! And then it seems to loosen things up and I can loose about 10 pounds below the previous stall. I'm up right now but ready to roll on DOWN!!!

You are so right! I am starting all over again. I hope my body cooperates. :0/

I did carb cycling for awhile and it worked for awhile.

Adorablema, I agree about gaining a few pounds to get things moving in a downward direction again...which usually happens with alternate day fasting. This technique resulted in my most successful weight loss and maintenance ever. I love it. Do a search for JUDDD if you are interested in alternate day fasting (really just alternate day calorie restriction).

I have tried this cycle thing great so far I was stalled at 221 and 2 days on this carb down cycle I am at 218

is refeed cheat day and carb cycling the same?

does this apply by a stall or just when in training (with weights)?

sorry for the stupid questions^^

This is an old thread, and over the years on this forum, I have seen very few practice carb cheat days to lose weight. It is mainly used in the world of body building to build muscle while cutting fat. A newer version of it is CarbNite, but like ParisMama, I would not consider any version of carb cheating days for weight loss. It is a slippery slope back into the junk food aisles. http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=458045

Here are 10 more basic stall tips to consider first:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=460202
Are you really eating low carb or have the carbs crept up?
Nix all alcohol.
Try Intermittent Fasting, 16 hour fast, 8 hour eating window, NO snacking in between two larger meals.
And others....

Hey Janet,

Thanks for the links...

I agree, upping carbs and dabbling at higher levels could be extremely dangerous for some, maybe even most. However, IF, as the original poster (Anita?) states, the "upped carbs and cals" come from more veg, higher starch veg, some low glycemic fruit and nuts, and those things ONLY- do you think there is potential for individuals who are truly "stalled"? Curious what you think.

I admit, this is the first "Tips n Stalls" thread I read and it does sound interesting to me. Scary, but interesting.

Jammie

Sorry, but have to fall back on the "we are all snowflakes" answer to that. The only way to know if it would work for YOU, is to try it. Keep track of foods carefully, weigh yourself, and after a month two you will know if it works or not for weight loss. If someone wants to add a food to the Duke clinic plan (similar to Atkins ’72), this is the usual advice, and depending on your next weigh-in, a joint decision is made to continue with the extra food or not.

There are many in the Paleo world who would say more fiber carbs are better for women, better for everyone's gut flora, e.g. Dr Sarah Ballantyne, Laura Schoenfeld, etc. I was doing (must get back to it ) an IF protocol that increased vegetables and fiber but the weight loss was due to lower calories from the fasting part of it.

Ps. The free women's weight on-line summit is still on-going and Sarah Ballantyne hasn't been posted yet...join that and listen to her, she will likely get into this issue. http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=462990

OK, I'm new to this concept, and I admit, I'm not going to read all 76 pages of this thread.

I've been low carb since 2000 and I put on a few pounds some months ago and couldn't get it off.

I'm on permanent induction, so I lowered my calories (to about 1400), stepped up my exercise (brisk walking almost 4 miles per day - up from 3), and did close to zero carb days (never more than 20, typically less than 10). So I decided that as I age, my body just wanted to be bigger than my brain wanted it to be (Who is the boss here anyway? <grin>)

Then I took a week's vacation in Prague. When on vacation, I don't stick to plan, and I OD'd on the carbs there. Hotel had a great breakfast buffet and I porked out on lunchmeat with white bread, granola, and other no-nos - as that what was on the bar. (I can't eat egg yolks as they aggrivate bursitis). I figured I could eat enough to skip lunch and get more sightseeing in. Plus little roadside snacks were tempting at times and dinner deserts I can't taste at home. Result: Came back with an additional 6 pounds. Ouch.

To my surprise, within the first two weeks back, I lost that 6 an additional 4. All of a sudden I was lighter than when I left! Pretty good. I asked about that on another thread and was referred here.

Well, I hover around my goal of 185, lately more a little higher than lower, but it would be nice to lose another 5 or so pounds so that I have no belly at all instead of just a small one.

But reading the first few pages of posts on this thread, following the links, and googling myself only makes me more and more confused about the concept.

What confuses me is how many high carb days followed by how many low carb days.

I've read 1 high carb day followed by 6 low ones. (I think the 1 high carb day is out, as my birthday is why I gained the few pounds and stalled up there)

I've read 3 days high carb followed by low carb until the next stall

I've read a week of high carb followed by a few weeks of low ones.

I've read measuring blood glucose (something I'm not going to do)

And quite a few other variations.

So my question is this:

What is the average, most normal way to treat this?

Some additional info about me that might help:

I'm from a low metabolism family (I'm the only one under 300 and that takes permanent induction), I walk almost 4 miles per day briskly, I'm in my upper 60s, and I've been low carb since 2000. I lost 50 pounds from when I discovered low carb, but would like to lose a few more if possible.

I don't want to mess things up by gaining a few more I can't lose, so that's why I'm asking you all what the best way to start is.

Thanks,
Bob-a-rama

I've seen "most average" in the middle. Like 3 days low carb and then 1 high.

With carb cycling you let your glycogen deplete during low carb and then refill it during high carb. So how many days between depends on your individual rate of glycogen depletion.

With your familial low metabolism, that sounds like more days between carbs. However with daily cardio that sounds like few days between carbs.

What is your heart rate as you walk briskly every day, and how long does it take you?

Reason I ask is, that affects how much glucose you burn through every day, and that affects how many days you would go between high carb days. It depends on your musculature, your exercise, and your metabolism.

I would guess that over the years you have kept your weight down, you have been slowly catabolizing LBM to fuel that level of cardio daily. So adding carbs would help you continue the exercise without losing more muscle. And you could reverse that little belly trend.