What Is Carb Cycling and Can It Help You Lose Weight?
What Is Carb Cycling and Can It Help You Lose Weight?
What Is Carb Cycling?
Carb cycling is an eating pattern that modifies your carb intake according to your activity levels. Research shows that carbohydrates are the best fuel source for energy when doing intense exercise. With carb cycling, you vary your carbohydrate intake throughout the week, alternating between high-carb intake days and low-carb intake days.
How Does Carb Cycling Work?
On high-carb days, you consume more carbs on higher-intensity training days, and fewer carbs on low-intensity or no-training days. This ensures that you have the fuel you need when you need it most. For example, on a high-carb day, a 150-pound person may want to consume 2.5 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight, which would be 450 grams of carbohydrates. On low-carb days, this may be reduced by about 50 percent, or 225 grams of carbs.
Does Carb Cycling Work for Weight Loss?
Although it’s possible that some people could lose weight on a carb cycling diet, this eating plan wasn’t designed for weight loss. Endurance athletes typically use carb cycling to fuel their bodies with more carbs on harder training days or before a competition. Then they eat fewer carbs on low-intensity or recovery days. Carb cycling is not recommended, nor would it typically have benefits, for the casual exerciser.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Carb Cycling?
Pros:
- You’ll have the energy you need for tough workouts
- Complex carbohydrates can provide many different benefits, including vitamins, nutrients, and fiber
Cons:
- You probably won’t lose weight by carb cycling
- Carb cycling requires knowing your workout schedule in advance
- It’s not a sustainable or healthy diet for the average person
What to Eat and What to Avoid While Carb Cycling
Focus on complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, oatmeal, and potatoes with skin (baked or roasted). Limit simple carbohydrates, such as candy, pastries, excessive amounts of juice or soda, and potato chips.
The Wrap-Up
Carb cycling is not a long-term weight loss solution, and it’s not a healthy diet for the average person. It’s intended to keep the fuel sources consistent with the body’s demands, which is not something the average person needs to consider in their day-to-day diet. Before starting carb cycling, please talk to your physician or dietitian.
FAQs
Q: What is carb cycling?
A: Carb cycling is an eating pattern that modifies your carb intake according to your activity levels.
Q: How does carb cycling work?
A: On high-carb days, you consume more carbs on higher-intensity training days, and fewer carbs on low-intensity or no-training days.
Q: Does carb cycling work for weight loss?
A: No, carb cycling was not designed for weight loss. It’s intended for endurance athletes to fuel their bodies for intense exercise.
Q: What are the pros and cons of carb cycling?
A: The pros include having the energy you need for tough workouts and complex carbohydrates providing many different benefits. The cons include not losing weight, requiring knowledge of your workout schedule, and not being a sustainable or healthy diet for the average person.
Q: What should I eat while carb cycling?
A: Focus on complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, oatmeal, and potatoes with skin (baked or roasted). Limit simple carbohydrates, such as candy, pastries, excessive amounts of juice or soda, and potato chips.
Q: Is carb cycling a healthy diet for the average person?
A: No, carb cycling is not a healthy diet for the average person. It’s intended for endurance athletes and is not a sustainable or healthy diet for the average person.
