Now that you know who can benefit from carb cycling, it's time to learn how to carb cycle.
- High- and low-carb days: Typically, higher carb days occur around times when you're the most active. On days where you're physically active, you should add starchy carbs like beans, potatoes, and rice (about 8-12 cupped handfuls) to your regular diet. On days with minimal physical activity, your diet should consists of mostly protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and minimal carbs (approximately about two to four cupped handfuls).
- Post-workout and anytime: Another method is to consume a majority of your carbs after physical activity (post-workout) and limiting your carb intake at other meals (anytime). The anytime meal should consist of protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables. This guide will help you figure out portion sizes.
When carb cycling, there's no need to weigh your food or track your caloric intake; you should know how many calories you need in a day to function at your best. Essentially, all you need to do is increase your carb intake on days where you're expending more energy and decrease your carb intake on days where your energy expenditure is low.