Carb cycling is used to adjust your carbohydrate intake during a period of time.
You can use it to lose fat or maintaining physical performance.
Protein intake is usually similar every day but fat and carbohydrate intake vary based on your goals.
Common Cycles
Common carb cycles periods are based on three main time periods
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
And three main carb intake periods
Low
Moderate
High
Calorie intake and calorie deficit are the two important pieces in a diet to lose fat.
To lose fat you need to eat less than what your body burns on a period of time.
Carb cycling requires more measuring and planning.
If you do carb cycling and you have a calorie deficit and a correct protein intake, then you will …show more content…
lose fat.
Carb cycling can be confusing at the beginning but with some practice, you will not have issues.
What a Carb Cycle Really Does?
What it really does is to ensure not to overload your body with carbohydrates you do not need.
In other words, carb cycling tries to give you the exact glucose for your body.
Above all, it ensures to provide carbohydrates for intense training sessions and competitions.
In fact, carb cycling helps your training and competing performance.
It gives you enough glucose to refill your body glycogen.
Besides, carb cycling maximizes dietary benefits giving you a specific dietary plan in the hardest times of your training cycle.
How Many Carbohydrates Per Day?
Carb cyclingHigh carb day means more carbohydrates and less fat and low carb day means less carbohydrates and more fat.
Carb cycling increases the benefits of carbohydrates in your dietary plan, especially if you are about to have a competition.
Increasing muscle glycogen and glycogen replenishment are the key factors in carb cycling.
Having adequate glycogen levels is beneficial for muscle gain and physical performance in athletes.
Many people, especially athletes, enjoy carb cycling because of the flexibility.
Your athletic performance and recovery post competition improves with carb cycling.
And carbohydrates around your workout help to recovery.
Carb Cycling
Benefits
Carbohydrate intake can widely vary from person to person.
The carbohydrates intake depends on fiscal activity, muscle mass, tolerance and personal goals.
Carb cycle target is to increase and maintain your muscle glycogen.
Muscle glycogen gives an advantage to you.
Muscle glycogen helps physical performance by giving you more energy to use in higher physical activities.
As a general rule, the higher and stronger your physical wear the higher your carbohydrates intake.
What Type of Carbohydrates is Good for Carb Cycling?
Carb cyclingThere is no bad carbohydrates, just bad moments to eat them.
Some carbohydrates should be avoided before your physical activity.
Other carbohydrates should be avoided during your physical activity and some others after your physical activity.
All depends on the intensity of the physical activity and on your personal goals.
But carb cycling is not an excuse to treat yourself with cotton candy and chocolates.
There are plenty of tasty healthy carbohydrates sources, full of nutrients and beneficial for your performance.
Here you have some recommended carbohydrates sources with examples:
Grains (whole and processed): Rice, oats, quinoa, corn.
Tubers: Potato, sweet potato.
Fruits: Orange, pineapple, mango, melon, watermelon.
Legumes: kidney beans, black beans, green beans, soybeans, peas.
Milk: Preferred low fat with no added sugar.
Whey Protein: Concentrate has more carbohydrates, Isolate has less carbohydrates.
Hydrating serum: hypertonic, hypotonic, isotonic.
All these options vary in nutrients, fiber content, water content, antioxidant content, glycemic load, digesting time, taste and practicality.
You need to consider all their characteristic in your dietary plan.
Remember
When it comes to carbohydrates balance is the key.
If you enjoy your diet you have more chances of success.
Carb cycling is an excellent tool to increase your performance and reach your goals.
Ensure your correct nutrient intake.
Remember to keep an adequate calorie deficit if you are looking to lose fat.
Keep tune! Next time I will be discussing diets low in sugars but not in carbs.