Carbohydrate Cycling

CARB CYCLING.

At the most basic level, carbohydrates are ‘sugar’. This may sound confusing, but the end result of eating either a bowl of rice or a spoon of sugar are the same – glucose. When both are processed in the body, the final result is the same – they’re both broken into glucose, which is the body’s best source of energy.

The only energy source for the brain & nervous system is glucose, unlike the muscular & skeletal systems. Also, carbohydrates (glucose) are the body’s most immediate energy source & have a 30-50% faster rate of breakdown compared to fat. Anaerobic exercise relies exclusively on carbohydrates through glycosis. Carbohydrates also have a protein sparing effect, which keeps the body from breaking down protein for energy.

Essentially, carbohydrates come in two forms, simple & complex. Simple carbs are mono & disaccharides or “sugars”. Fructose, the naturally occurring sugar in fruit, sulcrose (table sugar), & lactose (the naturally occurring sugar in dairy products) are some examples of simple forms. Complex carbs are things like rice, potatoes, pasta & bread. These carbohydrates are polysaccharides or “starch”. They contain long chains of more than 3,000 glucose molecules linked together.

Regardless of the form (except for fibre), the body converts carbohydrates into energy, - glucose. The main difference between simple & complex carbs is the amount of time it takes the body to convert them into glucose. Complex carbs tend to give a more gradual & sustained energy release. Simple carbs give an immediate energy release usually accompanied by a sharp decline in energy as well. For this reason, it would be best to have more complex carbohydrates earlier in the day to provide a more prolonged energy supply. Have simple carbs after your workouts & exercise sessions for quick glycogen replenishment. Remember to keep in mind the glycemic index & load of the food sources.

One thing to realize is that once the carbohydrates you have eaten have been converted to glucose, what is not used to fuel body functions & replenish muscle glycogen is shuttled into fat stores. Usused carbohydrates will make you fat! Your main goal with carbohydrates is to provide enough energy to fuel body functions& muscle activity each day - & ‘no more’. Therefore the variable is carbohydrates, if protein & fat intake remain the same each day.

The Carb- Cycling Process.

Carbohydrate cycling is a diet strategy that many fitness competitors & bodybuilders use in order to prepare for a show. This tactic can also be used by anyone wanting to shed bodyfat. When your intake of carbohydrate is low, your body is forced to use stored bodyfat for energy. Also, when your body has been given plenty of carbs, it uses them rather than fat as the energy source.

The body does require a certain amount of carbohydrates to carry out basic processes – such as brain function & the nervous system. I wouldn’t recommend going much lower than 120 grams of carbohydrates per day for this reason. If your diet is too low in carbohydrates, your workouts & training are going to suffer. Anaerobic activity is fueled by carbohydrates. Also, you can fall into a state of ‘ketosis.’

Ketosis is a state of carbohydrate deprivation & should be avoided. Ketone bodies are the product of incomplete burning of fats. When these are present in the blood, your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates available in order to properly metabolize bodyfat. In other words, you need carbs to burn bodyfat! The body can use ketone bodies instead of glycogen for energy production, but they are no where near as efficient in fueling exercise.

When you are in a state of ketosis, you become irritable, sluggish & may become dehydrated. Without carbohydrates available in the body, your body breaks down protein for additional energy ( a catabolic state). Your body will actually metabolize muscle tissue for energy at about the same rate as fat if you don’t have enough protein intake. Your hard earned muscle will be metabolized. – This is obviously counterproductive for someone trying to build or maintain lean muscle mass.

The correct way to carb cycle is to make sure you are taking an adequate amount of protein & not limiting your carbohydrates to the point of ketosis. Ketosis can be monitored for by using ketosis strips. These strips can be found at many pharmacies & chemists & contain a special chemical that will change colour in the presence of ketones in the urine. The container will have a scale on the label, with blocks of colour to compare to the strip. You check for ketosis by passing the strip through your urine. The ketosis strip will turn a certain colour after about 15-20 seconds.

I’ve found the best way to do this is to follow a plan that consists of three low-carb days & one high-carb day. You continue to cycle the days until you reach your desired goal. The high-carb days are important for a few reasons. Firstly, it throws your metabolism off & tricks your body into thinking it has come off the diet. If you continue to have low-carb days, your body will eventually adapt to this & slow its metabolism down to compensate for the lower caloric intake. This is known as’ homeostasis’, - your body trying to maintain a balance. Having a high-carb day ‘fools’ the body. But, after a longer period of time, your body will adapt to the three low-carb days & one high-carb day as well.

Another reason to have high-carb days is to replenish glycogen stores. Glycogen is the body’s storage form of carbohydrates found in the liver & muscles. Since glycogen is combined together with water, the extra volume in the muscle cells causes the muscles to appear larger. Muscles deprived of glycogen are small & flat whereas muscles full of glycogen are big & full. I’m sure most people would prefer the latter!

The final reason to have high-carb days comes from a health standpoint. After following a strict low-carb diet for three days in a row, you can become mentally & physically drained. For this reason, you should give your body a break from the routine every fourth day. After the high-carb day, you will again feel full of energy, more alert & ready to go into the next three days.

After doing the carb cycling for 4-6 weeks, you should reevaluate what progress you have made. If you’re getting close to your desired bodyfat, you may want to cut back to two low-carb days & one high-carb day. This will prevent your body from adapting & slowing down its metabolism. You could even cycle low, moderate & high carbohydrate days to ‘throw’ your body off. When you have reached your desired bodyfat level, you can alternate low-carb & high-carb days, or even have ‘moderate’ carb days all week long. The best measure of progress is how you look in the mirror & how you are feeling. The scales, tape measure & bodyfat percentage can only say so much.

I have outlined a sample low & high carb day that can be used. The high-carb day also incorporates higher glycemic index carb sources. If you get hungry in the middle of the night on the low-carb days, I’d recommend having a scoop of protein to keep you going until the morning. When it comes to fat loss, carbohydrates are the variable. After you have reached your desired goal, you can follow more general guidelines that will become a part of your everyday lifestyle.

LOW-CARB DAY.

Meal 1: 5 egg whites, 2 yolks. 4oz. turkey burger, 8 strawberries or a pear.

Meal 2: 6oz. chicken breast, half cup of oatmeal.

Meal 3: (Post-workout) 2 scoops of whey protein, half tbsp lecithin granules.

Meal 4: 6oz. chicken breast, 2-3 cups of mixed green salad, 1tbsp olive oil & vinegar.

Meal 5: 6oz. chicken breast, 1 cup of broccoli or green beans.

Meal 6: 4oz. turkey burger, 5 egg whites, 1 cup of vegetables for the omelet.

Meal 7: 1-2 scoops of casein protein, 1 tbsp flaxseed oil.

HIGH-CARB DAY.

Meal 1: 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, half cup of raisins.

Meal 2: 6oz. chicken breast, 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 banana.

Meal 3: (post-workout) 2 scoops of whey protein, half tbsp lecithin granules.

Meal 4: 6oz. chicken breast, 1 cup of brown rice, 1 cup of broccoli or green beans.

Meal 5: 6oz. chicken breast,6oz. baked potato, 1 cup of mixed green salad, 1 tbsp olive oil & vinegar.

Meal 6: 4oz. turkey burger, 5 egg whites, 1 apple or pear.

Meal 7: 1-2 scoops of casein protein, 1 tbsp flaxseed oil.

WEEKLY CARB-CYCLING PLAN SAMPLE.

Sunday: Low

Monday: Moderate

Tuesday: Low

Wednesday: High

Thursday: Low

Friday: Low

Saturday: High

When used correctly, I believe that carb-cyling can be a very effective way of losing bodyfat while preserving your muscle mass.