The goal of the practice is to give your body the right amount of fuel it needs on particular days
By Katie Breazeale, MS, RD, LD
Carb cycling is when you plan the amount of carbohydrates you consume based on your training and daily demands. The practice is beneficial for supplying your body with adequate fuel for daily tasks, work demands, and workout needs.
Carbs are your primary fuel source. They’re in food forms such as sugar, starches, and fiber. Once consumed, your body stores carbs in your liver (100g), muscles (400g), and blood glucose (4g). Depending on your muscle mass, you may have higher or lower amounts stored in your body.
How to Carb Cycle
Typically, there will be what’s called high-carb and low-carb days. A high-carb day would have 50-60 per cent of your calories come from carbs, and a low-carb day would have 25-45 per cent of your calories from carbs. The goal is to not cut off your source of fuel and have you drop to the point of experiencing fatigue and brain fog.
To determine your high and low-carb days, plan for days that are high intensity or long duration to be high-carb days. One challenge to this plan is you never know what the day will bring, what kind of call, or how many you will be pulled away to. The best strategy is to plan your initial day with a baseline and go up to a high day depending on your work. On days when you’re home, plan for low-carb cycle days.
Your protein intake will be lower on high-carb days, and higher on lower-carb days. For example, if your baseline protein is 80g, your low-carb day might be closer to 100-110g of protein that day.
Calories, protein, and carbs are based on individual needs. A 6-foot male is going to require more nutrients than a female who stands 5-foot-2. Another factor to consider is individual training schedules.
Putting it All Together
- Look at your workout plan. Where do you have rest days in your plan?
- For high-carb days, shoot for 55 per cent of your calories to come from carbs, with 25 per cent from protein, and 20 per cent from fat.
- For lower-carb days, aim for 30 per cent carbs, 40 per cent protein, and 30 per cent fat.
- Adjust as needed. If you notice prolonged muscle soreness, rapid weight loss, or limited gains with workouts, increase your daily protein.
Challenges to Carb Cycling
Carb cycling presents two key challenges: Avoiding overconsumption, and determining your optimal carb intake. Consuming too few carbs can hinder performance and recovery, while consuming too much can cause weight gain and hinder weight loss.
The key is tracking your carb intake. Without it, it can be impossible to monitor the amount you consume effectively. Consider downloading an app like Lose It or My Fitness Pal that will calculate the macros for you.
