carb cycling question during contest prep... AND other questions, please help :)

[AJ]

When carb cycling, is the general idea to do most of the days low carb then 1 day high carb? So 2 or 3 days of low carb, then go to a higher carb day.

On the low carbs how much would an increase of protein need to be?

A lot of people have been telling me to change my diet around now that I'm 6 weeks out to help w/ more fat loss/water loss that I'm still holding. These are my stats right now...

135 lbs around 7% bf.
Upper body is right where it needs to be, shoulders great, tri's cut, chest striated, abs and obliques are in just holding water, but lower body is lacking right now. Holding all my fat in my upper glutes and outside and back of my hamstrings.

Cardio has been 7 days, 45 mins each. Usually burn around 550-600 calories each session. Just started adding in a 2nd session of cardio 4 times per week at 30 mins each time.

Foods...
Protein 175g per day.
Carbs rotate between 140-150 and on low carb days to around 95-100.
Fat has been low bc of protein choices and is only 5 grams? lol. Its hard to get anymore in!

Calories range from l500-1100, depending on the day. I feel ok, no problems with energy right now.

Food choices have been pretty much same but switched a little daily depending on carbs.
Chicken, egg whites, rice, sometimes 1 package of grits, plain/salt free rice cakes, Isopure shakes (zero carb).
Still using spray butter (fat free, no calories - great stuff! just high in sodium) Ms. Dash (sodium free) for seasoning, coffee, and sweet-n-low.
Supplements, 100 Primo every 7 days. 25mg WV ED which was just started. along w/ ECA which is being rotated every couple days. Oh, and Nolvadex 20mgs per day.

let me know any of your suggestions... ANY are totally appreciated. I've got less than 5 weeks to get everything together, ughhhhh!

Thanks.
A.

[Willie]

the way you cycle your carbs varies from person to person, kinda like other aspects of pre-contest prep. What I do is a 6-7 day rotation such as:
day 1- 250g
day 2- 125
day 3- 125
day 4- 100
day 5- 75
day 6- 75
day 7- 350-400
repeat

Closer I get to show, the lower the goes. But, really you gotta experiment a litttle to finds what works with you.
BTW, I'd increase your protein and fat intake.

"Free up your mind"

[helga]

Hey AJ I was told to get off all protein sups, like bars (of Course) and even the Isopure zero carb drinks. I was told they will make me hold water and make me too smooth. Ya know it is interesting how you and I are both doing so well with our upper bodies but still holding in our lower extremities so much. I realize a big part of it is becuse we are female... but dang it we are trying to beat those odds with the juice.... I don't know about you but it sure makes me mad. It is coming off.... I WILL get it off. It is such a darned small amount now that IT SHOULD leave..... oh well.... if you want someone to vent to by all means please email me and we can cry (with our deep roid voices) together hehehehehe......

[gopro]

HI AJ /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif AS Willie mentioned,carb cycling varies from person to person.The foods you are eating are good.Cardio amounts are good.Here are a few suggestions.....1)Train your glutes in one way or another every day!High rep squats,leg presses,lunges(all varieties),step-ups onto a high box,butt blaster,butt kickbacks on a low cable,etc.It doesn't have to be a full workout each day,but don't give your ass a break!2)I don't know the type of cardio that you do,however,I highly recommend incline treadmill walking(at least level 10) for hitting the butt.3)Every 3rd day,drop your carbs to about 50 g,while raising your protein an equal amount.I have had great success with this method.
I hope this helps,let me know!

symmetry over size

[DROCK]

Girl, what did I tell ya...my..my..my..ohh you didnt tell me about the ECA what's that anyways..
DROCK /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[archive_Iron God]

AJ,

If your 6 weeks out and 135 at LEGIT 7% you should close to or right on the money, for a women that is VERY ripped.

My advice to you is forget about the BF % its worthless when getting ready for a show especially the calipers. Just go by how you look.

Do you normally hold excess (water, fat) in your sides and hams?

1500 cals at 6 weeks out is very low for a girl your size.

Do you have access to a sauna? Are your abbs totally out? They should look a flat from the carb depletion but should be very visible.

CArb loading and depleting is VERY hit or miss ,Fitness Chick posted Pre cycle diet from week 4 to week 0, you could use that as a reference.

[helga]

Hey AJ....My competition is this Saturday. I am excited in many ways but bummed too...I am having a hard time concentrating like I need to I got laid off of my job on Sept.12th...they were gonna do it the disaster day but figured it would be in poor taste...like the next day was better. Anyway..............I saw the show promoter Sunday. He gave me my week carb/water depletion diet. All this time I have been freaking out about excess glut fat...well it is water (even though I harbor this feeling it is fat /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif~)I had started losing too much weight/size at first, but not the water. I went back to eating steak and peanut butter (there IS a GOD) and gained back up, but not body fat. However I have lost overall so far a good 10#'s in just water and I do still have more to lose. I am carbing down right now so I have NO energy and I am light headed and very dizzy if I move too fast. Today was my last leg workout and I almost fainted doing squats. I am drinking soduim free water and only eating fresh chicken breasts that I have cooked myself with no sodium anywhere, and broccoli, green beans and zucchini. I was told to forget about calorie counting which is good cause I have been taking in around 2100 per day. I was also told not to worry about my BF% even though mine is approximately 6.5% it is hard to gage when it gets really low with the calipers. I have been told by everyone involved to go by what I look like and to listen to my body and then adjust advise accordingly. I really do not want to take a diuretic, but if I still have more water than I like by Tuesday night I will try a half of a Taraxatone and drop my potassium which I have been booting up anyway. I also started to get in the sauna everyday. All the people that are working with me have said even with the water I have now I still look ready. Of course it doesn't help the nerves and the fact that so far there are 9 women in the Masters and all of 'em are five years younger than me and seasoned....oh well in for a penny in for a pound. As of Friday I weighed 111#'s. There are going to be two weight classes, so at least I won't have to up against the thirty-five year old 156#, 5% BF woman...yeah! I know I am rambling but at this point I need to.......... :0

[AJ]

Helga... Wow, I thought you had another week like I did? Mine isnt til the 29th, thank God! You've really dropped a lot of weight, I can't believe it. Mine is going down also... It fluctuates between 129-132. Different everyday. I just cut out a lot of my sodium on saturday (2 weeks out) so now its boiled chicken every meal along w/ a potato. Fun foods! I've got another 10 lbs I could really drop w/ water but not sure how close I'll come to that? We'll see over this last week and a half. I'm doing 45 mins of cardio twice per day and still lifting 2 days on/1 off. My last leg day will be this wednesday, 10 days out. Then on the Wed. before the show I'll do a light, full body, touch-type workout, just to get the muscles going and prepare for the carb up on Thurs. and Friday.

You're taking in a lot more calories than what I'm taking in... Big time. I'm 188g protein, 25-30 carbs, and about 11g fat. Thats just a little over 1000. Not much. I feel weak, but not HORRIBLE yet. I'm drinking 2 gallons of water a day so it keeps me pretty full.

What foods are you going to use for your carb up? How is your prejudging and night show routines coming along? Do you feel prepared? Have you used any other type of diuretic, whether it be herbal as in dandelion root or anything during this time? If so, did you get good results? Keep me posted. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Thanks!
AJ

[helga]

Here is my carb up: Wednesday return carb levels to where they were pre carb down...which was pretty low any way....I get to add in a red potato AND luxery of all luxeries I get a ½ cup of brown rice with my evening chicken breast...wooohoooo......... This is also suppose to be my last day to workout..if that is what you wanna call what I have been doing! I am so weak! Thursday at noon I get to add 3 oz. of sweet potatoes to my noon meal (chicken breast) After lunch I begin my water depletion, water is restricted to no more than 32 ozs. Frdiday I can only drink water when really thirsty for a maximum of 16 ozs. BUT I get a ½ cup brown rice AND 4oz. of sweet potaoes...yummmmm. Saturday for breakfast I get a bowl of oatmeal with 1 teaspoon of sodium free all fruit (Ichose black cherry flavour)with a 3oz chicken breast, repeated every two hours. Before I go on stage I get a whopping (yes, this is sarcasm) 1 teaspoon of the all fruit 20 minutes before going on. I stopped doing hardly any cardio cause I was losing too much too fast. I have a really high/fast metabolism. My gluts will not look like I want them to...but hey this is my first time out...wait till June when I do the Lone Star...they will be right where I want them, and I will do Novice in that show as well as Womens Masters. I'm ssaving for the winny now...hee.....hee........

[retropump]

Just thought I'd share my comp experiences with the gals. I lose around 10lbs of water in the last few days before a competition. Sometimes my leg cuts don't come out at all until the morning of the show. Remember this is as much a mind game as a physical sport. Like, you go to bed Friday night thinking "I can't possibly get up on stage looking like this", and you wake up Saturday morning looking fantastic. Have faith and good luck both of ya.