Carb Cycling 101

If you can't decide whether to follow a low or high carb diet, why not combine the two together? Believe it or not, this edit approach is known as carb cycling. Whether you have goals to build muscle or lose fat, carb cycling is an efficient way to help you reach your goals and stay consistent. 

What is carb cycling?

Carb cycling consists of eating a higher amount carbohydrates on some days throughout the week and fewer to no carbs on others. Strategically altering no-carb, low-carb and high-carb days will positively influence powerful fat burning and muscle building hormones. On days working out the hardest such as leg days, you want to be consuming the most carbs, while on days where you are sitting around should be your low-carb days.

Why does it work?

When you are on a strict diet plan it can take a toll on both your physical and mental well being. With carb cycling you are only in a caloric deficit for some of days throughout the week,allowing the body to lose fat without losing muscle. By adding carbohydrates/calories on high carb days you are tricking the body and speeding up the metabolism.

High carb days:

-allow for insulin response in your muscle cells, causing them to grow

-replenish glycogen storage that fuel your muscles

-make you feel energized for the day

Low Carb Days

-trigger fat loss by tricking your body to burn fat for fuel

-keep your body feeling more receptive to insulin, improving your body's muscle building response.

Most people follow a carb cycle consisting of three low carb days and two high carb days. This allows for the body to fuel on up on the high days, while also replenishing glycogen on the low carb ones.

Below is an example of a carb cycling week: