What is carb cycling?
Carb cycling is a dietary approach in which you alternate your carbohydrate intake on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
People can use it to lose fat, maintain physical performance while dieting, or overcome a weight loss plateau.
Some people adjust their carb intake from day to day, while others may take longer periods of low, medium and high carb intake.
In short, carb cycling aims to time carb intake when it provides maximum benefit and eliminate carbs when they are not needed. A trusted source
You can program your carbohydrate intake based on a variety of factors such as:
Body Composition Goals: Some people cut carbs during a diet and then add them back during a "muscle building" or performance phase.
Training and rest days: One popular approach is to have higher carb intake on training days and lower carb intake on rest days.
Scheduled Feeding: Another popular approach is to have 1 day or several days of very high carbohydrate intake as "feeding" during a long-term diet.
Special Events or Competitions: Athletes often "carb load" before a race, and many bodybuilders do the same before a bodybuilding show or photo shoot.
Type of training: Individuals will adjust their carbohydrate intake depending on the intensity and duration of the particular training session. The longer or more intense the training, the more carbohydrates they consume and vice versa.
Body Fat Levels: Many individuals will cycle their carbs based on body fat levels. The leaner, the more high carb days or blocks they include.
A typical weekly carb cycling diet might include 2 high carb days, 2 moderate carb days, and 3 low carb days.
Protein intake is usually similar from day to day, while fat intake varies with carbohydrate intake.
A high carb day is usually low fat, while low carb days are high fat days.
Carb cycling is an advanced diet strategy that requires more manipulation and programming than a typical diet. To get it right, it's helpful to consult with a registered dietitian.
The Science Behind Carb Cycling
Carb cycling is a relatively new dietary approach.
The science is primarily based on the biological mechanisms behind carbohydrate manipulation.
Few controlled studies have directly examined carbohydrate cycling diets. Trusted Source Trusted Source
Carb cycling is an attempt to adapt to your body's need for calories or glucose. For example, it provides carbohydrates during training or on days of intense training.
High-carb days also help your body replenish muscle glycogen stores, which can improve performance and reduce muscle breakdown. A trusted source
Strategic high-carb periods may also improve the function of the weight- and appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. A trusted source
Low-carb days are said to switch your body to a predominantly fat-based energy system, which can improve metabolic flexibility and your body's ability to burn fat for fuel over the long term.
Another big part of the carbohydrate cycle is the manipulation of insulin
Low-carb and carb-targeted days during training can improve insulin sensitivity, a critical indicator of health.
In theory, this approach can support the benefits that carbohydrates provide.
Although the mechanisms behind carbohydrate cycling support its use, it is still advisable to be cautious about this approach due to the lack of direct research. Many more clinical trials with human participants are needed to determine whether carb cycling is safe and effective.
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