Carb cycling can be used by athletes and regular people alike, combining the benefits of low-carb and high-carb meal plans.
What is carb cycling?
Carbohydrate, or carb, cycling, is the process of varying your carbohydrate intake on different days of the week, depending on your daily activity level. Carb cycling is often used by people trying to lose weight so they can maintain performance in their chosen sport, but this is not necessarily always the case. Some people carb cycle for other reasons, like reducing insulin sensitivity.
What Is A Carb Cycling Plan
A carb cycling plan takes the carb cycling concept and applies it to your workout routine. To put it simply, you consume a low amount of carbs on your rest/non-training days (under 30% of total macros as carbs). On workout/cardio days you will eat a medium amount of carbs (30-40%). If you are an athlete, you will eat high carbs on your sports day (40-60% carbs).
If you are not an athlete you may wish to remove medium carb days and only have high and low, especially if you are not trying to eat in a calorie deficit. If you are in a deficit, it may be best to remove the high-carb option instead.
What are the benefits to a carb cycling plan?
I'm glad you asked! Here's a list of some of the best benefits:
Improved Fat Loss: By alternating between low and high-carb days, carb cycling may help regulate insulin levels and encourage the body to burn fat for fuel during low-carb days.
Muscle Preservation: On high-carb days, you provide your muscles with the glycogen they need for energy, potentially preserving muscle mass during periods of calorie restriction.
Enhanced Athletic Performance: High-carb days can replenish glycogen stores, providing more energy for intense workouts and improving overall athletic performance.
Metabolic Flexibility: Carb cycling may help the body become more metabolically flexible, allowing it to efficiently switch between burning carbohydrates and fats for energy.
Hormonal Balance: Carb cycling might influence hormones like insulin and leptin, which play roles in metabolism and appetite regulation.
Sustainable Approach: For some individuals, carb cycling can be more psychologically sustainable than consistently following a very low-carb or very high-carb diet.
Adherence to Dietary Goals: Carb cycling can be a flexible approach that allows individuals to tailor their carbohydrate intake based on their specific goals, such as fat loss, muscle gain, or athletic performance.
Blood Sugar Management: For those with insulin sensitivity issues, carb cycling may help manage blood sugar levels by moderating carbohydrate intake.
Customization: Carb cycling can be customized to individual needs, adjusting the frequency and magnitude of carb intake based on activity levels, training intensity, and personal preferences.
Improved Energy Levels: Some people report better energy levels and mood stability with carb cycling, as the approach can provide a balance between energy availability and fat utilization.
Summary
In conclusion, a carb cycling plan is a great way to reap the benefits of low-carb insulin sensitivity, fat burning and more, while maintaining the performance benefit that comes from using carbs as a primary energy source. Carb cycling is also useful for non-athletes and may help regular people see quicker fat loss without the lethargy that comes with low-carb diets.
Why not give carb cycling a go in your next mesocycle and see if it can help you?
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