What Is Carb Cycling (And Should You Try It)?

What Is Carb Cycling? Carb cycling is altering your carb intake based on your varying nutrition and fueling needs. Generally, this means eating more intense training days and fewer carbs on lighter training days. Who Should Try Carb Cycling? Endurance athletes and active people on low-carb diets. Lowering your carb intake before your main training season can help your body to better utilize carbs when you do reintroduce them. Does Carb Cycling Work? Edwina Clark, R.D. How to Try Carb Cycling First, you'll need to track your macros using an app or food journal. Next, you'll need to figure out how many grams of carbs to eat each day. As a general guideline, consume 60% of calories from complex carbs on high-carb days. On low-carb days, switch some of the carbs out for healthy fats. Final Carb Cycling Tips 1. Fiber 2. Eat quality carbs matter (whole grains!) 3. Consult an expert to achieve the best results