Carb Cycling and Bodyfat Loss
What purpose does carb cycling serve?
When I first started weight-training and then cutting for my first show, I read a lot about carb cycling, but I didn't "get it". I was confused as to how it worked, what to do, and why it was important. The trainer I had at the time didn't believe in carb cycling, but I'd heard about it from so many different people. I knew there had to be something to it. Since then I've included carb cycling in my prep, and it really does help. Everyone is different. I am not saying that it's right or it's wrong. I usually only do it for a week (3 days low carbs and then build back up), but it's just enough to shock my body's system.
The below is typical for a bodybuilder. However for a female it's going to be different.
If you are interested and this is new to you, I'd first start tracking your food using a calorie-tracking website (ie www.Livestrong.com) to see where your carbs are at. You'll get the breakdown for carbs, fats, protein, sodium, etc. too which is extremely beneficial. It's empowering to know how the foods you are taking into your body breakdown rather than guessing.
Then, if you do choose to cycle carbs, the below will hopefully help you get a jump start. A friend recently asked me if I carb cycle during the off season too. Up to now I've only included in my contest prep. However, if you regularly eat the same thing day after day, a short period of carb cycling might just be the change your body needs to get the metabolism revved up again.
from Muscle & Fitness:
"Carb cycling, or moving from a lower-carbohydrate intake to higher carbs, is a technique bodybuilders use to strip away bodyfat. Generally, a bodybuilder will eat 100-125 grams of carbs a day for 3-4 days followed by 400-500 grams on the fifth day. Then he’ll return to low-carb days and repeat the process. This technique seems to keep the metabolism elevated while a constant lower-carb intake can actually cause the metabolism to slow. Another approach is simply to cut your carb portions in half for 3-4 days, then go back to eating a higher carb intake on the fifth day. After that, return to the modified lower-carb intake for another 3-4 days and repeat.
The key is to keep your body guessing, as opposed to letting it get accustomed to one particular nutrient intake day after day. Just as you need to change things up in the gym for continued gains in strength and size and to avoid plateaus, you mustn’t let your body get too comfortable with the foods you eat. This is also why the occasional cheat day is considered productive for bodybuilders on strict diets - it’s all about shocking the system to elicit a positive response."
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