How many carbs do you eat when cutting?

[Sam Bollands]

I'm currently just under 6 weeks out from my first bodybuilding competition and have been cutting for 4-5weeks I've seen good progress and am quite happy with condition I'm in and time left to dial it in. However I always like to make sure I'm doing things properly and not messing up with my diet.

I eat every 2-2.5hours from morning to bed eating 8 meals with constant protein intake and mixing carb intake around when I need it and post training to spike insulin, I don't weigh my food out usually because I've figured out what works for me. But somebody asked how many carbs I eat a day so for I figured out that on my low carb day I'm eating 250-300g of carbs and 350-400g on my high carb day. I weight 92kg at around 7-8% body fat does this sound like an appropriate amount of carbs to be eating?


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[hsmann87]

It varies from person to person mate but that amount of carbs is very good! The more you can eat the better whilst still losing bodyfat - keeps you stronger and fuller which enables you to retain more muscle.

I take in 300-350g during the week on training days. 275g on non-training days and about 600g on a refeed day once a week although I want to experiment with 400g on two refeed days as opposed to 600g in one whak. The reason for that being is that my body may appreciate two days of a small increase as opposed to one day of huge increase. Might work, might not but worth a try!

 

[Hilly]

I started on 450 n worked down to sub 100

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[hsmann87]

I started on 450 n worked down to sub 100

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what was protein and fat like when carbs were <100? Just thinking of <100 carbs makes me hungry!

 

[Sam Bollands]

I started on 450 n worked down to sub 100

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Yeah I was thinking of progressively dropping carbs the closer I got to comp, how far out did you drop down to 100g carbs?


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[Gifford chilford]

I was cutting there for a few months low carbs, and it caught up with me, lost too much muscle and strength, now i plan to get about 300g in and still cut

 

[Pscarb]

there is no one number that can be used for all or that can be used time and time again, i drop mine down to approx 100g when i am within a few weeks of a show.....

some don't drop them low enough as they get hungry or lose a pump, imo when yur dieting for a show you just do what it takes to get shredded if that means hunger than so be it....

 

[Hilly]

what was protein and fat like when carbs were <100? Just thinking of <100 carbs makes me hungry!

Curently 260p, 30f. Circa 1800 cals

 

[Hilly]

Yeah I was thinking of progressively dropping carbs the closer I got to comp, how far out did you drop down to 100g carbs?


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Only last 10 days

 

[CS86]

what was protein and fat like when carbs were <100? Just thinking of <100 carbs makes me hungry!

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Lol take it youve never tried keto then?

 

[hsmann87]

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Lol take it youve never tried keto then?

I have! My first "cut" ever. Did it for 12 weeks and lost a LOT of bodyfat but a good deal of muscle also, not to mention feeling awful all the time. That was back in 2010. And then in 2012 I went as low as 100g carbs and that was to my detriment also.

Protein was quite high then at 250-300g also which I have since learnt is excessive.

Now my protein is down to 200g max and hence carbs can be kept high. Fats between 30-50g. Mainly around the 35-40g mark though.

I'd be lying if I said im not hungry a lot of the time but on the whole I feel better and look a LOT better and am still nice and strong. That's what ive found works for me anyway. IMO people drop calories too low when trying to lose fat; its unnecessary. But then again horses for courses; everyone responds different. Some can drop fat on high carbs, some can only get super shredded on poverty macros.

 

[Con]

I prefer higher fat and low carb.
I have about 100 per day from the get go on a diet all around training this includes green vegetables.
There will be higher days thrown in there but overall I prefer lower carb.

 

[ds72145]

currently on 220g per day but have brought that down from 5-600 and will require dropping again in coming weeks i imagine be nice if not but have to wing it as to how body is responding - do still have a higher carb day on weekend but nothing outrageous have curbed it slightly as progress was slowing somewhat - would rather bring in some more cardio beofre cutting food again then see where we are at ..

Pscarb con and hilly may be on what seems low to some but on the other hand look at the condition these people are bringing to the table have to make the sacrifcies to be awesome

 

[Nail]

On this cut I've averaged around 150-200 a day with a refeed day once a week which is usually 500+ I don't count on the refeed day. I'm nowhere near finished yet but I won't go much lower to be honest.


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[Ashley Morris]

This is my diet at the minute:


Meal 1/Pre workout – 6:30am Calories Carbs Fats Protein
1 Medium Banana 105 26.9 0 1.2
2 Boiled eggs 144 0.4 4.8 6.3
Meal 2– 10:30am
50g Oats 182 30.2 4.1 5.5
1tbsp peanut butter 94 3.1 8 4
1tbsp Honey 60 17 0 0
200g Chicken Fillet 282 0 6.2 55.2
1 Sweet potato 103 23.6 0.2 2.3
Meal 3 – 13:00pm
50g Oats 182 30.2 4.1 5.5
Skimmed milk 10 1.4 0 0.8
28g Nuts 166 6.1 14.1 6.7
1tbsp peanut butter 94 3.1 8 4
Meal 4 – 15:30pm
1 Medium Banana 105 26.9 0 1.2
28g Nuts 166 6.1 14.1 6.7
2 Boiled eggs 144 0.4 4.8 6.3
Meal 5 – 6:00pm
200g Chicken Fillet 282 0 6.2 55.2
100g Tuna Steak 150 0.1 0.2 37
250g basmati rice 384 74.6 4.6 7.8
TOTAL 2653 250.1 79.4 205.7

If needed I will ad a sixth meal in the evening.

Anyone got any input as to wether im too high on carbs/too low on protein?

just started this diet this week imk currently starting a 5x5 routine as follows:

(Cardio on 'off days')

Monday
Hyperextensions 3x10 (one minute breaks)
Barbell military press 5x5
Weighted pull-ups 5x5
Barbell squat 5x5
Romanian deadlift 5x5
Barbell curl 2x5
Close-grip bench press 2x5
Calf raise 3x12

Wednesday
Hyperextensions 3x10 (one minute breaks)
Bench press 5x5
Barbell bent-over row 5x5
Power clean 5x3
Barbell deadlift 5x5
Dumbbell curl 2x5
Weighted dip 2x5
Calf Raise 3x12

Friday
Hyperextensions 3x10 (one minute breaks)
Dumbbell clean and press 5x5
Weighted pull-up 5x5
Barbell squat 5x5
Dumbbell lunge 5x5
Barbell curl 2x5
Close-grip bench press 2x5
Calf raise 3x12

Im currently standing at around
18/19% BF (Higher than i thought)
28yo
6'0"

The diet itself will be jiggled around every now and again e.g swapping potato for greens

Look forward to your suggestions.