Explaining Carb Cycling

Carb cycling is a very effective fat loss nutritional strategy which I feel carries multiple benefits and is definitely one of the more intelligent ways to fuel the body for positive body recomposition. There are multiple ways to carb cycle and it will come down to what you as an individual needs ultimately, however the main reasons behind carb cycling and why it's so effective remains much the same. 

Before I go any further let me explain briefly what carb cycling is. It's a specific dietary formation which you follow across the week where your carb intake will differ on specific days. Some days will be "low" other days will be "moderate" and some "high." In terms of what is low, moderate or high to you will be completely relative to your weight, body fat levels, activity levels and carb tolerance. 

Here are some  the key reasons why carb cycling works for you.

Metabolic Overdrive 

To maximize fat loss and continue that progress you must focus on keeping your metabolic rate strong. When you move into a calorie deficit and remain there for long periods of time you're far more prone to seeing a reduction in metabolic activity. 

As a result, fat loss slows down. You have to remember your body doesn't want to get very lean, it wants to be efficient. 

In order to keep your metabolism firing it makes sense to cycle your carbs because while you're able to create that energy deficit and improve insulin sensitivity by managing your carb intake, on the high days you're restimulating your metabolism. 

As this happens your metabolism goes into overdrive and will help burn more calories. 

Muscle Fullness 

When you're dieting you will find that you're more prone to losing some muscle fullness especially if your carb intake is limited because your glycogen levels can become depleted. When you carb cycle you're constantly topping up those levels, periodically which potentially helps sustain your glycogen reserves. 

Sustaining muscle fullness and overall size is crucial to a successful transformation because A) you look better and B) it helps maintain a stronger metabolic rate. 

Optimized Performance 

Carbohydrates are crucial to optimising performance in the gym which ultimately leads to more productive workouts. By cycling your carbs even when on a energy restricted diet you're far more likely to sustain better performance levels across the week which potentially means you're able to stimulate more muscle and burn more fat. 

Enjoyment

Most people enjoy their carbs especially during a diet, which is why carb cycling is also great because it creates windows of opportunity to enjoy your carbs in higher volumes when the time is right. Creating a sense of enjoyment and having something to look forward to on a diet definitely makes thing easier to follow.

Neil Hill

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