A Guide to Carb Cycling – The Best Way to Become Metabolically Flexible
If there’s one thing we want to be in life, it is metabolically flexible. The best way to gain this ability is to practice carb cycling. Just one problem, what do any of these phrases mean?
What is carb cycling? What does it mean to be metabolically flexible? How do you even go about doing any of this? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know today! Learn how just simple changes in your meal plan can help you gain amazing physical and mental benefits. Find out how to become metabolically flexible and why you would even want to become this in the first place.
What is Being Metabolically Flexible
By definition, we as human beings should be able to function on two different energy sources. We should be able to use glucose, or sugar, from our meals to fuel our movement, minds, and bodies. We should also be able to use fats since fat is one of the ways energy is stored by the body. Fat isn’t stored just for fun or aesthetics, it is supposed to be used by the body when it needs energy.
Many of us today are metabolically incompetent, meaning that we are not metabolically flexible. This means we are too accustomed to simply using one energy source. This can happen in a high carbohydrate diet. The body becomes excessively used to using glucose from carbohydrates as energy. It can also occur in a low carbohydrate diet or keto diet. If the body becomes too used to using fat, then it will have a harder time using glucose and vice versa. If you only use glucose as energy, then the body doesn’t know how to use fat as energy.
Symptoms of Metabolic Incompetence
We should be able to use both fat and glucose as energy. This is what it means to be metabolically flexible. When we cannot, it means we are metabolically incompetent. Some symptoms of this may be that we feel hungry all the time. Maybe we need to snack often. If you cannot go five, six, or seven hours without eating, then your body may solely be relying on sugar. You may feel shaky, headache, or jittery if you do not get some snacks in.
On the other hand, if you concentrate on a keto diet, you may not be able to adequately use sugar, glucose, or carbohydrates from meals. If you eat a high-carbohydrate meal and have been using a keto diet for a long time, then your body may not respond properly to this influx of glucose. It is important for us to be metabolically flexible and readily able to use different sources of fuel.
Two Energy Sources
The two sources of fuel, as stated previously, are sugar, or glucose, and fat. When our body is unable to use all of the glucose it has acquired from carbohydrate-filled meals, that glucose is converted into fat and stored. When we stop eating from dinner to breakfast the next day, our bodies should still be able to function properly by relying on our reserved energy in the form of fat.
Being able to switch seamlessly and effortlessly between two energy sources will allow us to move through life with more ease. We will not feel the need to snack, we won’t get a headache from accidentally skipping breakfast, and we will be better able to cope with different types of meals, whether those meals are high in fat, high in carbohydrates, or moderate in both.
What is Carb Cycling
So, all of this leads back to carb cycling as a way to become more metabolically flexible. Carb cycling is eating in such a way that you have days that are high in carbohydrates and days that are lower in carbohydrates. There are many different ways to carb cycle, as can be seen below. Many of the benefits of carb cycling remain the same though.
Benefits
Carb cycling has mental and physical benefits. If you practice carb cycling, you will have a better insulin response. This means that on days when you do eat carbohydrates, insulin will be properly used by the body to lower blood sugar and move glucose where it needs to be. Aside from that, you will be better able to burn fat and be healthier metabolically. Carb cycling also has a positive impact on cholesterol and can decrease your triglycerides, or sugar in the blood. There is also a positive effect on hormones such as thyroid hormone and leptin.
Some other benefits of carb cycling are all mental. On highly restrictive diets such as keto, you may start to miss things like potatoes, rice, or bread. Personally, when I did keto for 2 years, all I could think about was ways to mimic pizza. It was only when I started to make my own bread and give myself permission to enjoy pizza again that I felt better mentally. Highly restrictive diets can take a toll on the mind. Allowing yourself the freedom to enjoy some of your favorite foods can really help you feel at peace with your health journey. Fitness is all about balance, and allowing us to find a carb cycling pattern that works for us and our lifestyle is key.
Ways to Carb Cycle
Enough to chat, there are many ways to carb cycle. Look below for some of the most common ways to carb cycle and try them out for yourself. Know that you can alter them in any way you want to fit your own lifestyle and needs. Don’t make a big deal about having to move days around or skipping low-carb days. Find something that works for you.
For Muscle Gain: 2 Low Carb, 5 High Carb Days
In general, if you’re trying to gain muscle, then you need a lot of fuel. This means having five high-carb days a week and two low-carb days. For muscle gain, the most important thing is protein. No matter what day it is, whether it is a high or low-carb day, make sure you’re getting a huge amount of protein in. For more information on how to know the amount of protein you need, check out this article here.
For Fat Loss: 5 Low Carb Days, 2 High Carb Days
If we have a little bit of excess fat that we want to get rid of, then this type of carb cycling may be for you. For increased fat loss, try out five low-carb days a week and two high-carb days. Low-carb days force the body to use its own energy as fuel. On these days, the body will rely on its own fat reserves. This is very beneficial as you can use the low-carb days as a way to retune your body for fat burning. Always make sure that you are eating healthy fats such as avocado, coconut oil, and nuts on these days. Protein is still one of the most important parts of our diet, so make sure you are eating enough protein and vegetables as well.
For Maintenance: Alternate Day
Some people may choose to practice alternate-day carb cycling. Just like the name implies, this is simply moving from high to low-carb days one after the other. This can be used for maintenance and just ensuring that the body remains metabolically flexible.
What to Eat While Carb Cylcing
Here’s a quick overview of what you should eat on certain days. If it is a high carbohydrate day, you still want to consume a large amount of protein, around 2 g per kilogram of body weight. You also want to eat a lot of healthy fats. If you’re eating animal products, make sure they are grass-fed, free-range, and without any preservatives, additives, or antibiotics. The carbohydrates on these high-carb days should be a bit more complex since they are higher in energy. Complex carbs include grains, legumes, rice, potatoes, and other root vegetables.
For a low-carb day, also prioritize protein and healthy fats. Try to skip out on things that are high in carbohydrates like rice, bread, potatoes, legumes, and other starchy foods. Instead, load your plate with protein, healthy fats, and vegetables like spinach, lettuce, kale, and others that are not starchy or root vegetables. Avoid fruit like apples and oranges, since they are very high in sugar, and avoid fruit juices, sodas, and other high sugar.
The Takeaway
Being metabolically flexible is a necessity in life. It ensures that your body can use different forms of energy. This can help you in any given scenario. It can help keep your energy levels stable throughout the day, reduces your need to constantly snack, and gives you freedom to move through life with more ease. Carb cycling is a great way to teach your body to be metabolically flexible. Try out all the different ways and find one that suits your lifestyle.
Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutritious food, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. The small daily habits you cultivate become the basis for overall wellness. Don’t forget about microbiota health too! Gut microbiota affects the entire body, from the skin to muscles, to immune and mental health! Get all the resources you need about microbiota health for free here!
