Overthinking Carbs on Cut

[Tboy47]

Basically when I cut, I cut out to much carbs let’s say eat a lot of veggies lean meat and fats but what ends up happening is I end up losing muscle it seems like and body fat at the same time, I don’t want that to happen obviously because I started lifting again this winter after four years off( I was surfing competitively) so last summer I was 8% body fat and after my bulk I gained 25 pounds and was 12% body fat now I’m cutting and down to 10% or so in a month of cutting so I was asking for some advice like I know I should be eating more carbs but i feel so guilty when I do and I think the best time would be before and after workouts ? And maybe carb heavy one day a week? I’m kind of overthinking it but I really want to get down lower then 8 % but try to keep all the muscle I gained it’s been bothering me because I can tell my body needs more carbs I just don’t know what kind and when to incorporate them

 

[ValiantThor08]

Basically when I cut, I cut out to much carbs let’s say eat a lot of veggies lean meat and fats but what ends up happening is I end up losing muscle it seems like and body fat at the same time, I don’t want that to happen obviously because I started lifting again this winter after four years off( I was surfing competitively) so last summer I was 8% body fat and after my bulk I gained 25 pounds and was 12% body fat now I’m cutting and down to 10% or so in a month of cutting so I was asking for some advice like I know I should be eating more carbs but i feel so guilty when I do and I think the best time would be before and after workouts ? And maybe carb heavy one day a week? I’m kind of overthinking it but I really want to get down lower then 8 % but try to keep all the muscle I gained it’s been bothering me because I can tell my body needs more carbs I just don’t know what kind and when to incorporate them

Carbs post workout. Enough to restore muscle glycogen. No carbs pre workout needed, it would just fill the liver, as your muscle will not deplete glycogen without you physically exerting it. It's fine if post workout you have a meal with 2 to 300g of carbs.

 

[Tboy47]

What about cardio ? I do 45 minutes stair master two to three times a week after I lift but I also surf and depending on the waves it could be almost every day of the week or no days lol

 

[ValiantThor08]

What about cardio ? I do 45 minutes stair master two to three times a week after I lift but I also surf and depending on the waves it could be almost every day of the week or no days lol

When doing cardio, if you have all this energy, and then it feels like hitting a wall, chances are you have depleted glycogen. If you feel like you lost muscle last time, you may not of been consuming enough protein.

 

[LeanEngineer]

When doing cardio, if you have all this energy, and then it feels like hitting a wall, chances are you have depleted glycogen. If you feel like you lost muscle last time, you may not of been consuming enough protein.

This. Definitely make sure you are getting in your macros and enough calories based on you activity level and stats.

 

[jrock645]

It’s easy to think you’re losing muscle but it might just be you look flat because lack of carbs = no muscle glycogen and not pumped up with water. Just my experience.