Carb Cycling for Body Composition: When It’s Worth It
TL;DR: Eat more carbs on training days, fewer on rest days. Useful for cuts or recomps, but total calories matter most.
Carb cycling can support performance on hard training days while keeping weekly calories in check for cuts or recomp.
Simple template
- Training days: Higher carbs, moderate protein, lower fat.
- Rest days: Lower carbs, higher protein, moderate fat.
- Weekly deficit still rules fat loss; cycling just shifts fuel to hard sessions.
When to use
- Cutting with heavy lifting; need energy on big sessions.
- Recomp phases where performance matters.
How to start
- Set protein 0.8–1 g/lb; keep fiber adequate.
- Add 30–60g carbs pre/intra/post on training days; pull same calories from fat on rest days.