Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » How to lose weight quickly » What is carb cycling and why some athletes use it – Business Insider India

When it comes to dieting and carbohydrates, everyone seems to have an opinion.

While some diets, like the keto diet, seek to cut nearly all carbs from your diet, there are other options worth exploring.

If you're considering carb cycling, here's what you should know first.

Advertisement

The idea behind carb cycling is straightforward: You plan on eating more carbs on active days when your body can best utilize them as energy. Meanwhile, scaling back carbs on days when you're less active makes it so your body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs.

There are two forms of energy reserves for your body:

Alternating carb intake days, then, allows your body to better manage these energy reserves.

When you restrict carb intake, that means less excess glucose is stored in your fat cells. Instead of using glycogen, the body turns to burning fat, instead.

Given its flexibility, carb cycling is considered by some to be not as restrictive as other low-carb diet plans like the ketogenic diet and Atkins diet. Generally speaking, there are two main groups that could benefit from this eating plan:

A 2010 study in the Journal of Sports Medicine found that the amount of carbohydrates a person eats after an intensive workout can help replenish glycogen in the body. When there is a lack of glycogen on active days, athletes feel it as a state commonly called "hitting the wall."

For example, strategic high-carb days are designed to pair with highly active periods, like high intensity interval training days. The primary goal is to give the body ample fuel for the strenuous exercise in the form of glycogen. It also ensures your body gets enough carbs to refuel after the workout, which means better muscle recovery.

An example five-day carb cycling program might have you eating around 100 to 125 grams of carbohydrates for three consecutive low-carb days, then consume 175 to 275 grams for two high-carb days, when they're more physically active.

For perspective, the FDA recommends that someone on a 2,000 calorie diet should consume about 300 grams of carbohydrates daily. But many factors influence a carb cycling plan, including workout intensity, a food's glycemic index, nutrition composition, and quantity.

Those who want to cut back on carbs while still having the leeway to indulge sometimes might be attracted to the idea of carb cycling. The thinking is that their carb intake will "even out," says Liz Weinandy, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Studies on the effects of carb cycling have mostly been theoretical, Weinandy says, since the concept is still relatively new. It might be that carb cycling can help with weight loss in the long run but even when people do lose weight cycling carbs, it's possible that simply reducing calorie intake is playing a role, too.

Weinandy says some people do have an easier time losing weight on low-carb diets. "But it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best or the healthiest approach for them," she adds.

Weinandy says she sometimes hears from patients that in order to cut down on carbs, they've cut out eating fruit, which misses the point.

It's important to note that once you switch to simple carbs for complex ones, it becomes harder to overeat, which helps your bottom line.

If you're a serious athlete or a moderately active person, carb cycling may help with weight loss, enhanced training, and better recovery. But like other restrictive eating plans, it requires planning and due diligence.

One incredibly useful tool: Write down everything you eat. According to Weinandy, that's a research-supported way to get in touch with your habits, especially mindless snacking you might not even realize you're doing, and understand what foods (and restrictions) work best for your body.

Read the original:
What is carb cycling and why some athletes use it - Business Insider India

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » How to lose weight quickly » What is carb cycling and why some athletes use it – Business Insider India