I've dropped around 14lbs over the course of the last 8 weeks while still consuming around 300-400g of carbohydrate per day. I'm not taking any form of supplement. My protein intake is high, but nowhere near as high as most people i rub shoulders with. I'm looking at around 120g - 140g per day. I weigh around 80kg. There hasn't been any noticeable muscle loss. Sometimes i feel flatter, but that's normally a sign that i need to up my carbohydrate intake for a day or so. In any case, measurements are still the same 8 weeks down the line, except my waist is much smaller, and i look in far better condition.
Overall, It's more important to assess to type of carbohydrate consumed and the serving amounts/serving time, rather than the overall intake.
My carbohydrates have typically been low GI - Wholemeal foods, fruit etc... and my biggest serving sizes have come first thing on a morning, and obviously post workout.
Post workout gives you a window of opportunity to restore the glycogen lost during a workout. A full workout can deplete around half of your body's glycogen stores (if full to beign with). So even when trying to lose weight, it's important to refuel during this period. If you don't, over time protein will be broken down (granted this happens during exercise anyway) and gluconeogenisis will occur. Obviously this is catabolic and goes against most people's goals (to lose fat, retain muscle).
Post workout for me usually begins at around 9pm and lasts until midnight. Late night carbohydrate consumption doesn't seem to have had much negative effect on my fat loss. That's normally enough time for me to consume around 120g of carbohydrate. Again, it's required for me to be able to train effectively the following day.
A problem some people may have on a low carbohydrate diet is a dependancy on too much protein. I train alongside people who take in anywhere from 300g - 400g per day when cutting. It's daft. Protein cannot be stored in the body in the same way as carbohydrate and fat. Simply consuming a whey protein shake post workout isn't an effective way to recover from a session. The fact that your body is crying out for carbohydrate post workout, will actually force glucoenogenisis to occur. This unfortunately means that a great deal of your 40g whey protein shake won't give you the benefit you may believe it should. This is especially apparent with Whey as it is digested so quickly. That amount of amino acids entering a cells nitrogen pool at the same time isn't as beneficial as a lesser but more constant amount. So whey and casein, shortly after a carbohydrate serving would be the way to go.
I've gone off on a tangent here. But my point is, carbohydrates are often seen as the 6 packs arch nemisis and this should never be the case. I understand people will have still had great results with low carbohydrate diets and that's great, as everyone reacts differently. I'm just sharing my experiences and sharing what's worked for me.
For the record, my routine is as follows....
Monday - Arms, 40-minute xtrainer cardio
Tuesday - Football (soccer)
Wednesday - Chest, 40-minute x trainer cardio
Thursday - Quads, 40 x-trainer minute cardio
Friday - Back, 40 minute x-trainer cardio
Saturday - Hamstrings, 40-x trainer minute cardio
Sunday - Shoulders, 40 x-trainer minute cardio
The key for me has just been consistency really, with my diet and my training. You need that little bit of luck which allows to have a good 10 week run at things aswell. Sometimes somehting can happen which can knock you out of your rythmn. Like Christmas for example :biggthumpup:
But yeah, consistency is key for me. And having something to aim for helps a great deal.
