Carbs Pre-Workout while cutting?

[solomon-chan]

I train first thing in the morning, mostly on an empty stomach with a preworkout and / or eca and other supps. I do a bro split focusing on a singular muscle groups, high intensity and to failure.
I’ve been wondering if I should introduce a carbs source either pre or intra, but I obviously don’t want to negate the effects of an eca/clen or even yohimbine.

Curious to see what others do and or would recommend?

 

[rodefeeh]

If you are taking yohimbine pre-workout, then definitely don't do carbs until post-workout since the fat burning effects of yohimbine only work in the absence of insulin. If you are not taking yohimbine, I'd say eat carbs pre-workout as opposed to other times of the day since they will be utilized efficiently. I don't know enough about eca/clen to comment about them. Happy cutting!

 

[BCseacow83]

Are you taking the stims for energy or fat loss?

Are you more concerned with performance and muscle gains during your workouts or fat loss?

How long are you sessions?

Are you gassing out without the carbs?

Have you done it with carbs for a week and then without for a week? Was there any difference? If so what?.......you have your answer.

 

[solomon-chan]

Excellent, thank you both for the perspective. Looks like for my current goals I need to push through this cut for targeted weight loss and then can consider adding carbs around workout time when I lean bulk.

 

[Dustin07]

When I'm cutting I cut my carbs down very much, mostly to preWO. When I'm reversing, I basically have carbs all day. Although Layne has been showing fantastic results lately getting people stage ready on high carb diets.

 

[TheMrMuscle]

Personally I prefer to keep all my carbs in the peri-workout window (pre, intra and post) when i cut. That way i feel i maintain the best performance and recovery possible.

 

[Resolve10]

Personally I prefer to keep all my carbs in the peri-workout window (pre, intra and post) when i cut. That way i feel i maintain the best performance and recovery possible.

Ya I definitely keep a lot around my workouts, I eat too many to only have them periworkout though.

It really depends OP. I usually recommend and prefer keeping them around training, especially getting some in around your session if you are training hard. I don't worry about "burning fat" during my session, overall diet and caloric deficit will do that over time, I try to make sure to just fuel the best sessions possible to keep training intensity and recovery as high as possible.

 

[GreenMachineX]

When I'm cutting I cut my carbs down very much, mostly to preWO. When I'm reversing, I basically have carbs all day. Although Layne has been showing fantastic results lately getting people stage ready on high carb diets.

How low is their fat intake then?

 

[Dustin07]

How low is their fat intake then?

he had a very specific post about clients that broke down their macros but I'm not finding it right now.
I did find where he was averaging about 300g of carbs a day for a year and dropped some 25-30lbs on a cut

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100044538181901/search/?q=carbs

 

[Resolve10]

How low is their fat intake then?

I don't follow Layne much anymore so I can't speak to his specifics, but many of the evidence based recommendations tend to float around .5-.6g per kg of bodyweight for lower limits of fat (until extreme lower body fat levels come into play).

It isn't for everyone and it definitely isn't always "fun" to eat so few fats, but for many (myself included) I tend to retain much better gym performance with an approach like this and it works quite well (keeping carbs 3-4g per kg of bodyweight is kind of my minimum, I don't have serious enough goals to keep pushing past that most of the time).

 

[Dustin07]

(until extreme lower body fat levels come into play).

It isn't for everyone and it definitely isn't always "fun" to eat so few fats, but for many (myself included)

I find when my fat levels are too low I have very sore joints, seem more prone to injury risk, and get the weirdest cravings (like mayo on my rice, or just looking at a stick of butter it looks like a candy bar from God). on the flip side, I find low carbs of course effect my mental acuity as well as the gym performance... Historically I have always cut by lowering carbs but the idea of being able to eat higher carbs on a cut is pretty appealing.

 

[solomon-chan]

Funny enough, this morning’s chest workout felt like I had zero strength. I’ve always worked out for the longest time in fasted states, so I want to try something different.

I’m moving my workout to the afternoon so I can really push the bulk of my carbs in a couple of meals before hitting the gym. I eat about 150g of carbs a day give or take, so I’ll keep this intake the same and adjust if needed. I’ll do my cardio sessions cardio fasted

 

[Dustin07]

you're crazy man, I refuse to lift fasted. I'll do some cardio but no way am I lifting lol

 

[solomon-chan]

you're crazy man, I refuse to lift fasted. I'll do some cardio but no way am I lifting lol

Lol honestly it probably just became habit between sports workouts and being a Fatboy. I lost a bunch of weight at one point and thought that fasted was the way to go for maximizing that.

Now I don't care really, I train harder and want to just throw weight around. I'm still cutting to get leaner, but I'm not as aggressive or as impatient about it

 

[Dustin07]

I'm definitely in favor of fasting for sure. I think it has a million benefits, I just prefer to eat before I lift

 

[LeanEngineer]

you're crazy man, I refuse to lift fasted. I'll do some cardio but no way am I lifting lol

Agreed. Doing cardio is one thing but lifting I would pass out if fasted