FLAIR nutrition
The secret of carb cycling
Karen Domingos is a Brazilian fitness model and athlete who has been in the fitness industry for 13 years. Her upbeat attitude reflects on her work, home and family life, and her passion extends to motivating women who want to fulfill their goals and inspires them through her own achievements.
Want to know what carb cycling is, how it works, and if it can help you lose weight faster than traditional dieting? Read on and find out
By Karen Domingos
Carb cycling is a method of dieting that involves planned increases and decreases in carbohydrate intake
There are many carb cycling protocols out there, but most suggest alternating between at least two of three types of days:
High-carb days
High-carb days typically call for 2 to 2.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. They are usually your highest calorie days.
Low-carb days
Low-carb days typically call for about 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. They are usually your second-highest calorie days.
No-carb days
No-carb days typically call for less than 30 grams of carbohydrate. They are usually your lowest calorie days.
• On one side, they’ re conducive to muscle growth by fueling our workouts and creating a more anabolic environment in our bodies.
• On the other side, they’ re conducive to fat storage by spiking insulin levels, which“ feeds” our body fat with precious glucose for it to store.
The carb cycling can deliver most or all of carbs’ muscle-building benefits with little or none of its fat gain drawbacks.
It accomplishes this rather staggering feat by using higher-calorie high-carb days to do several things:
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