Example Of A Carb Cycling Diet

Carbohydrates form the basis of a healthy diet, providing an excellent source of nutrients and antioxidants. Recommendations on dietary intake can allow you to take advantage of cycling carbs in your diet. You may choose to increase carb intake for performance. You can also modify your carb intake for the best health value. If you are diabetic, discuss your diet with your doctor or dietician because of possible impacts on your blood sugar.

Carbohydrate Intake

The "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010" recommends that your carb intake fall between 45 to 65 percent of your total caloric intake. The high percentage is due to the fact that carbs provide one of the primary sources of energy next to fats. Energy is required by all cells to carry out the most basic of life processes. Adequate intake therefore is essential. The range also gives you some flexibility for a diet that is right for your lifestyle and activity level.

Carb-Loading Diet

Some individuals may find a carb-loading diet to cycle carbohydrates beneficial prior to participating in an endurance event that may last longer than 90 minutes. The 90-minute threshold is about the time you would deplete sugar reserves in your muscles to keep exercising. By working with your body's physiology, you may increase these reserves. MayoClinic.com recommends beginning your carb-cycling diet about one week before the event. You can begin by limiting carbs to 50 to 55 percent of your caloric intake. Then, three or four days prior, you can up your carbs to 70 percent while cutting back on your training. The effect is to build stored sugar stores for added fuel during your event.

Low Carb Diets

Low-carbohydrate diets like Atkins, South Beach and others lead you through a process of carbohydrate cycling to accelerate weight loss. The Atkins diet make the most dramatic changes by encouraging a reduction in carbs to 20 g during its induction phase. Recommended carb intake is between 225 and 325 g for a person consuming 2,000 calories a day. The diet then guides you through a process of slowly adding carbs to determine the amount of carbs you should eat to prevent weight loss due to storage of excess carbohydrates. Other low-carb diets follow a similar path, many emphasizing elimination of empty carbs from sugary snacks and beverages.

Guidelines

MayoClinic.com cautions that a carb-loading diet may not be an ideal choice for all individuals, especially those who are diabetic due to changes in blood sugar from carb intake. Weight gain is also a risk. Likewise, low-carb diets may leave you feeling fatigued from the lack of fuel provided by carbohydrates. You may also be at risk of nutritional deficiencies due to the limited food options some of these diets offer. A healthier option may be to focus on nutrient-dense carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grains to meet your body's need for carbohydrates. Your doctor can provide additional information on making healthy diet choices.