Do I really need a Carb-reload day?

[pintoca]

I started lifting some 4 months ago, together with my diet, in order to shed a large amount of weight.

Before I started I read Venuto's BFFM (as I didn't know nuthin about training) and with the info in it I slapped together a diet and training plan.

Some of you might have read the post on the diet, if you haven't is something like:

5 days Low Carb : 45% Prot, 25% carbs, 30% Fat. This is more or less 230gr prot, 128gr carbs, 68 gr fat. Total of about 2000 cals

2 days High Carb: 35% prot, 50% carb, 15% fat. Again, something like 217 gr prot, 310 gr carbs, 41 gr fat. Total of about 2500 cals

I am right now about 220lbs, 30 yr male. BF is currently at 28% (I hate the number, but it was much worse)

So far so good. It worked like a charm. "Problem" is that along the way I continued to read other sources and discovered about the Post Work Out shake (which is really not mentioned by Venuto, so I can only assume he doesn't use it)... and I added a PWO shake to my plan (right after lifting) consisting of 50 gr Whey, 25gr Dextrose and 25gr Maltodextrine... All these carbs are taken into consideration for my daily intake.

Now my question: Since I am using a PWO shake with 50 gr simple carbs EVERY DAY, do I really need those 2x310gr carbs days??? Problem is that I am starting to hate the fact that after every carb-load day it takes me 2 or 3 days to get rid of all the water weight and I suspect my Glycogen stores are being kept at level with the shake (I continue to lift heavier every week).

I'm planning on keeping the high-calorie days (to avoid starvation mode) but using the same ratios as the other days... so no more 300 gr carbs...

Does this all make sense, or the High-carb days are something I really need?

Karma for your educated opinions...

 

[mrzap]

I don't think I agree with 2 days of high carb. I did fine with one day of high carb on a similar diet. After I started to get used to the diet I would only do that 1 day carbup biweekly. Everyone is different, but pretty much if you notice your workouts start to suck or you plateu its usually sign you need a carbup.

 

[pintoca]

so 1 carb-up per week... didn't think of that... I was afraid that so many days in a row below maintenance will trigger starvation... guess will need to try.

Since my calories are not THAT low, it might not be a problem and then I could leave the carb-up for, say, Sundays or something like that.

K to you.

 

[Makavelli]

so 1 carb-up per week... didn't think of that... I was afraid that so many days in a row below maintenance will trigger starvation... guess will need to try.

Since my calories are not THAT low, it might not be a problem and then I could leave the carb-up for, say, Sundays or something like that.

K to you.

On the diets that I design for BB's I'll have them carb up once every 6-10 days. Depending on the person's metabolism. You need to carb up. 300 g of carbs after depleting isn't going to make you spill over. You can take in about 10 g of carbs per kg of lean body mass for the high carb days and be fine if done properly.

 

[pintoca]

On the diets that I design for BB's I'll have them carb up once every 6-10 days. Depending on the person's metabolism. You need to carb up. 300 g of carbs after depleting isn't going to make you spill over. You can take in about 10 g of carbs per kg of lean body mass for the high carb days and be fine if done properly.

Thanks for that. K to you. I have now decided to do a car every Sunday with 300 gr Carbs (basically what I was doing before 2 times a week).

From that point on, I will see it I can move it to once every 10 days... Depending how I am feeling... This is my first week and I already noticed last night (Fridays are leg days) that I missed my carb-up on Thursdays... my workout last night sucked big time... So I am reshuffling my workouts (it was due alaready anyhow) and legs will now follow on Monday, after the re-feed on Sunday.

 

[JustJacked]

I would carb up every 5 days. you dont want to go too long without restocking your glycogen stores. too long on low carbs will make you feel weak and youll start to feel depleted. carbs are really important for building and maintaining muscle mass. everybodys different, so the best way to find out what works for you would be thru trial and error.