Related Nutrition & Fitness Calculators
What is Carb Cycling?
Carb Cycling is an advanced dietary approach that involves planned increases and decreases in carbohydrate intake. The core idea is to match your carbohydrate consumption to your energy needs. On days you have intense workouts, you eat more carbs to fuel your performance and replenish glycogen stores. On rest days or low-intensity days, you eat fewer carbs to encourage your body to burn fat for fuel.
This strategy aims to provide the benefits of both low-carb and high-carb diets: the fat loss and improved insulin sensitivity of a low-carb diet, combined with the muscle growth and performance benefits of a high-carb diet.
How to Use the Carb Cycling Calculator
- Enter Your Details: Input your age, gender, height, and weight. Choose your activity level, from sedentary to very active.
- Select Your Goal: Choose whether your primary goal is to lose fat, maintain your weight, or build muscle. This will adjust your total calorie intake.
- Calculate Your Plan: The calculator will generate a detailed daily macro plan for both your High-Carb days (typically for training days) and Low-Carb days (for rest days).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I schedule my high-carb and low-carb days?
A common approach is to align your high-carb days with your most demanding training sessions (e.g., heavy leg day, intense HIIT). Your low-carb days should fall on your rest days or days with light activity like walking or stretching. A sample week could be: 2 high-carb days, 5 low-carb days.
What kind of carbs should I eat on high-carb days?
While carb cycling allows for more carbohydrates, quality still matters. Focus on complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats, and whole grains. These provide sustained energy. Simple carbs from fruits are also great, especially around your workouts.