Carb Cycling: The Secret To Sustainable Fat Loss?

Curious about carb cycling? You’re in the right place.

In this article we’re going to delve into all things carb cycling. We’ll tell you what it is, how to do it, how many carbs you should aim for, provide carb cycling strategies and delve into that all important question many women have about whether or not this is the secret to sustainable fat loss.

Carb Cycling Contents

What Is Carb Cycling

Benefits Of Carb Cycling

How To Cycle Carbs

How Many Carbs To Aim For

Carb Cycling Strategies

Carb Cycling For Fat Loss

Nourishing Carbs

Summary

What Is Carb Cycling?

Carb cycling is a dieting method that strategically cycles when to eat carbs and when not to.

The objective is to rotate your carb intake so that carbs are consumed at optimum times. This is simply a matter of consuming carbs when needed and avoiding them when they are not needed.

Carb intake can be alternated by day, week, month or phase.

Benefits Of Carb Cycling

Carb cycling helps to maintain optimum energy at times when you need it the most. For example, an athlete preparing for an intense training session or competition.

It also helps to optimise body composition and support sustainable fat loss. Besides, some carbs are essential for fuelling your muscle building workout plans.

This method isn’t for everyone, and there are plenty of other ways to approach your diet, whether you want to achieve a fat loss goal, or not. Carb cycling is just one method you can use to lose body fat and maintain your desired body weight / body composition.

How To Cycle Carbs

In Phases

Carb cycling in phases is common amongst bodybuilders or lifters with an aesthetic goal. In this instance; carbs are heavily reduced in the cutting phase and reintroduced in the maintenance and bulking phase.

See: Bulking and Cutting for Women

You may also be interested to learn more about reverse dieting. This is a common method used after the cutting phase.

Depending On Workout Schedule

Carb cycling dependent on workout schedule is another common approach.

For example; you would increase carb intake on your training days (with carbs eaten soon after the workout). And then limit carbs on non-training days.

Planned Carb Loading

Planned carb loading for individuals who generally eat low carb would occur either in preparation for an upcoming physical event/competition, or, it could just be a scheduled re-feed after a prolonged phase of dieting.

Carb Cycling By Days

Another simplified approach to carb cycling will be by the day. For example; you may have 2 high carb days, 2 moderate carb days and 3 low carb days across the week.

How Many Carbs To Aim For

Ultimately your carb intake when carb cycling will be unique to you.

As a rule of thumb…

On your lower carb days your intake should sit between 10g-30g of carbs and a moderate day of carbs should be between 30g-100g. And a high carb day up to 200g of carbs

See our Macro Calculator.

Carb Cycling Strategies

To give you an idea, here are two carb cycling examples:

Example 1

Monday – Heavy lifting – High carb

Tuesday – Heavy lifting – High carb

Wednesday – Cardio – Moderate carb

Thursday – Rest – Low carb

Friday – Lighter lifting – Low carb

Saturday – Heavy lifting – High carb

Sunday – Rest – Low carb

Example 2

Week 1-4 – Low carb - Week 5 – High carb

Week 6-9 – Low carb - Week 10 – High carb

Carb Cycling For Fat Loss

Done right for you, carb cycling has the potential to support long term fat loss. But so will all approaches to fat loss.

The optimum ingredients are a calorie deficit over an extended period of time. This can easily be achieved using the carb cycling method, especially if you use this method in and around your workouts.

Nourishing Carbs

You probably already know that all calories are not equal, and the same applies to carbs while carb cycling.

As a rule of thumb; processed and junk food carbs should be avoided. This is just good sense in general, sure ‘everything in moderation’ is fine, but if you’re serious about your long term health and diet goals, processed and junk foods should feature rarely in your diet.

recommended carbs for your high carb days:

Oats

Rice

Cous cous

Quinoa

Bulgar wheat

Buck wheat

Rye bread

Brown rice

Corn

Vegetables (including starchy carbs – e.g; sweet potatoes/white potatoes)

Beans & pulses

Fresh whole fruit

Carb Cycling Summary

Ultimately, what you’re aiming for is to consume most of your carbs at the optimum time for you and pull back on your carb intake when you don’t need so many to fuel you.

The approach you take to carb cycling is entirely your choice, give it a go and see if it’s something you can work with to achieve your goals.