Crib Sheet on Carbohydrate Cycling

Posted November 27, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Shannon Clark

Section: Her Fitness, Training Programs, Her Health, Her Nutrition

Carbohydrate cycling is used by athletes with specific training goals and advising from experts. Use this info to inform yourself - but see a medical practitioner before you make any major lifestyle changes.

One of the more popular diet methods out there for athletes looking to improve performance is carbohydrate cycling. Not only does it help to ensure that your leptin levels (a hormone that regulates body fat and calorie intake) do not change drastically, but it helps keep energy levels up as well.

The body prefers to work off carbohydrates during exercise. While it can run effectively on fat if you work at a lower intensity, as soon as you try and perform high intensity work you will find yourself becoming fatigued, because your body needs glucose to rev up its engine for harder workouts. 

As such, if you are on a very low carbohydrate diet and are trying to perform a good level of intense exercise, you will run into problems.

Furthermore, many tend to notice that unless they take their carbohydrates down to ketogenic levels (