Carbing up. Deficit, maintenance, surplus?

G

Geo

Active member
Trusted Member
When you’re carbing up at the end of a diet to peak for a day. Do you look to be out of deficit? Or do you change your deficit diet into more of the calories coming from carbs?

say I’m in a deficit of 500 cals, from maintenance. Should I aim to add that 500 back in with carbs, go higher into a surplus?

Any help would be appreciated. 👌
 
Bro I’m way too hungry to have that thought in my head. You’re not wrong either. 🤣
 
If your as depleted as you say
And have been strict wirh the diet

Sodium and fats will fill you the fuck up

Your body will fill up amazingly
 
FitTrader said:
If your as depleted as you say
And have been strict wirh the diet

Sodium and fats will fill you the fuck up

Your body will fill up amazingly
Click to expand...
I did a little trial run today, with carbs. I’ll see how it takes tomorrow and Monday. I am quite lean. Judging by your profile pic, not quite that lean, but not far off. My lower abs aren’t as tight.
 
FitTrader said:
If your as depleted as you say
And have been strict wirh the diet

Sodium and fats will fill you the fuck up

Your body will fill up amazingly
Click to expand...
I know guessing BF% is difficult. I’m thinking 8.5-9% 🤷🏻‍♂️
 

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I’ve been on a strict low calorie no sugar diet for a long time and what I have noticed is when I overeat for one day (not sugars but an excess of 500-800 calories, I feel and see the difference the next day. My metabolism is a lot slower now and I’m not on gear except for hgh. But when I continue with my strict diet the following two days, everything goes back to normal. In fact, I lose more weight (fat) the following 4-5 days. If you’re going to carb up, I suggest you keep the calories around the same. I do not plan on eating more than 30-50g of carbs for a very long time, so I’m just speaking from a fat fuck’s perspective. Good job on your diet and training. I’m a good 20 lbs away from that and I can’t wait until I can start eating for muscle.
 
I dont know about peaking for a show per say but i am definitely a refeed/cheatmeal specialist lol.
I eat in a deficit for all my meals except around workouts.
I have 2 refeeds/cheats per week.
I like to play around with the macros and sources to see the different results as if i was prepping for a show. Just for fun.

Now the part your asking about. I do best in terms of hardness and fullness from a clean refeed of about 200-250 carbs (patatoes or rice) with lean protien that digests easy like shredded chicken or protien powder, maybe 50g protien max. The lower i keep the fats, the cleaner i look within the next 8 hours. The amount of carbs you need to max your glycogen stores and fill out without spilling over and getting bloated like shit is different person to person. You also need to make sure your digestion is flowing nicely. Taking metamucil prior to your cheat/refeed will help. And then at some point after the refeed you hit your workout for max pump, fullness and hardness.
 
DeeKnows said:
I dont know about peaking for a show per say but i am definitely a refeed/cheatmeal specialist lol.
I eat in a deficit for all my meals except around workouts.
I have 2 refeeds/cheats per week.
I like to play around with the macros and sources to see the different results as if i was prepping for a show. Just for fun.

Now the part your asking about. I do best in terms of hardness and fullness from a clean refeed of about 200-250 carbs (patatoes or rice) with lean protien that digests easy like shredded chicken or protien powder, maybe 50g protien max. The lower i keep the fats, the cleaner i look within the next 8 hours. The amount of carbs you need to max your glycogen stores and fill out without spilling over and getting bloated like shit is different person to person. You also need to make sure your digestion is flowing nicely. Taking metamucil prior to your cheat/refeed will help. And then at some point after the refeed you hit your workout for max pump, fullness and hardness.
Click to expand...
Good idea man. I can’t imagine going from eating super clean, to completely overboard is where I should aim. I may try and just add back in my diet deficit calories with some more carbs and some extra natural peanut butter. I really like NPB I find its value is quite high in my diet. Great craving crusher. Probably throw in a few pop tarts and sugary cereal - low milk. I find those things go a long way with me, and pop tarts have a decent amount of sodium as well.
 
I think also, just judging by today, sure I’m a little more “full” after a good dose of carbs that was a bit over deficit all macros combined. I think I’ll need to add fat in as well, as at this point in the diet I’m both low carb and low fat. So I’ll have to make sure to take in a bit extra fat as well. Donuts are good for both the sugar and fat hit. Maybe I’ll have a few.
 
Geo said:
I know guessing BF% is difficult. I’m thinking 8.5-9% 🤷🏻‍♂️
Click to expand...
Buy a caliper off of Amazon. Then look online for a caliper measurement protocol and you will get more accurate. That is how I did it numerous years ago when I got down to 10%. Every week I would take measurement to track my progress.

Now please don’t be upset by this, and do not get disheartened, but you are likely not sub 10%.

You and I right now are pretty much the same body fat.

Not saying that isn’t great, most of the world isn’t even that lean. Normal people think I’m lean when I say I’m fat, but then need to explain that I’m bodybuilder fat, not normal person fat, lol.

How you can tell when you are sub 10 is when you see defined obliques and intercostals. (The intercostals are muscles on your ribs)

Yes water can obscure things but it is only so much unless you are extremely water logged.

If you want to take a break from the dieting, that’s ok, just don’t go nuts, then in another week diet again.

And yes, you will think you are flat and small while dieting. Keep going, ignore that, once you truly get lean it’s so worth it. Yes it’s a bit frustrating, and I have given up lots in the last few years, but don’t be me and keep going. Also once you get leaner, shave off the fur, lol.

Reminds me of a time about 7 years ago (I was very lean then), when I was having sex with my wife, she was laying on the bed, I was standing off the edge, I could see myself in the mirror, as I was doing my thing, my abs started to pump up, and I could see the definition getting better, veins were bulging out, it was amazing, my wife noticed and asked me if I needed time alone with myself, lol. (Btw, I was running tren at the time, so in my mind I looked even better, and anyone who has used tren knows we fall in love with ourselves, lol. You don’t need tren to get that lean btw)
 
Geo said:
I think also, just judging by today, sure I’m a little more “full” after a good dose of carbs that was a bit over deficit all macros combined. I think I’ll need to add fat in as well, as at this point in the diet I’m both low carb and low fat. So I’ll have to make sure to take in a bit extra fat as well. Donuts are good for both the sugar and fat hit. Maybe I’ll have a few.
Click to expand...
I would eat a big fatty ribeye (use Montreal steak spice or some other salty coating) instead of a donut. Don’t break your diet, you’ll lose some will power and my fall off the wagon.
 
Sorbate said:
Buy a caliper off of Amazon. Then look online for a caliper measurement protocol and you will get more accurate. That is how I did it numerous years ago when I got down to 10%. Every week I would take measurement to track my progress.

Now please don’t be upset by this, and do not get disheartened, but you are likely not sub 10%.

You and I right now are pretty much the same body fat.

Not saying that isn’t great, most of the world isn’t even that lean. Normal people think I’m lean when I say I’m fat, but then need to explain that I’m bodybuilder fat, not normal person fat, lol.

How you can tell when you are sub 10 is when you see defined obliques and intercostals. (The intercostals are muscles on your ribs)

Yes water can obscure things but it is only so much unless you are extremely water logged.

If you want to take a break from the dieting, that’s ok, just don’t go nuts, then in another week diet again.

And yes, you will think you are flat and small while dieting. Keep going, ignore that, once you truly get lean it’s so worth it. Yes it’s a bit frustrating, and I have given up lots in the last few years, but don’t be me and keep going. Also once you get leaner, shave off the fur, lol.

Reminds me of a time about 7 years ago (I was very lean then), when I was having sex with my wife, she was laying on the bed, I was standing off the edge, I could see myself in the mirror, as I was doing my thing, my abs started to pump up, and I could see the definition getting better, veins were bulging out, it was amazing, my wife noticed and asked me if I needed time alone with myself, lol. (Btw, I was running tren at the time, so in my mind I looked even better, and anyone who has used tren knows we fall in love with ourselves, lol. You don’t need tren to get that lean btw)
Click to expand...
Hey bro, no offence at all, you’re probably right. Body fat level isn’t my focus, I’m much more happy that my blood pressure is stellar and my RHR is low 50s in the morning. I’m in the best shape of my life, and in great health. I use one amp of sustanon 250 every two weeks. No fat burn support through any chemical. I’m really lean, but I feel - and a few friends in the know who’ve seen me, have said the same in terms of what I’m carrying looking to be more water and less tissue, but who knows, and really I don’t care. I’ve been dieting on and off for a year, hit it and maintain it, repeat. It’s all good over here. After this last bit of dieting I’m going to maintain again until after summer is over, and we’ll see from there. Lots of other goals I’m working on and have plans for. They’ll all be more likely to be achieved now that I’ve lost and kept off all this weight. 42 next month. These are the good times.
 
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I’ll post the finished product whenever I get there. Hahaha someday. Sooner than later though. 😉
 
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