Carb cycling for runners

Carb-Cycling For RunnersThe Alternative To Carb Diets

Losing or maintaining weight is the runners top most concern

But , losing weight and running your best aren’t easy to do in conjunction.

Runner priority list

http://runnersconnect.net/running-nutrition/



Runners Primary Goal •Losing weight•Optimal performance

Weight Loss Principle •Calorie deficit•For runners – this method will derail performances

Solution •Carb-cycling•Methodology that utilizes no carb, low carb, and high carb days


The most critical factor in weight loss is incurring a calorie deficit.

To achieve this, control the quality of the foods you consume; specifically, limiting your intake of simple carbohydrates

Here low-carb diets are effective. But this won’t work for runners

since they must consume adequate calories and fuel with complex carbohydrates to train hard and recover quickly from difficult workouts

Principle of weight loss




What’s the solution if you’re a runner who wants to balance training hard and running well with losing weight?

Look for bodybuilders for an answer.

By modifying the time-tested bodybuilding strategy of carb-cycling to the specific metabolic and training demands of runners, it’s possible to attain that delicate balance.

How to acheive it?




Carb-cycling is a process of alternating between lower carbohydrate, lower calorie days and higher carbohydrate, higher calorie days.

To better understand why carb-cycling works it’s important that you understand the role carbohydrates in weight loss.

What is carb-cycling




Limiting carbohydrate intake lowers insulin levels which accelerates the release of fatty acids and increases fat burning

Carbohydrates and insulin also stimulate the recovery process by driving critical nutrients, including protein, to damaged muscles.

Therefore, it is critical athletes include carbohydrates in their diet; specifically, before and after workouts

Role of carbs and insulin




Runners can breakdown the carb-cycle process to coincide with the energy demands of distance running.

Employ a carb-cycling methodology that utilizes no carb, low carb, and high carb days that correspond with specific training days.

This approach will enable a runner to specifically target days when carbohydrates and calories are needed for performance and recovery while still allowing for the calorie and carbohydrate deficit needed to lose weight.

How to implement




These will be the rest or cross training days of your training schedule

You’ll target a caloric deficit of about 400 to 600 calories on your low carbohydrate day.

No carbohydrate, low calorie days




Low carbohydrate days are your average training day and are the main driver of carb-cycling for running

These days allow you to maintain the energy reserves to run well while giving your muscles fuel for recovery.

Low carbohydrate, moderate calorie days




High carbohydrate days will be your hardest workout days and long run days.

The basic idea is to continue to eat a lot of veggies and add to that unlimited fruit, unlimited natural unprocessed carbohydrates, and if necessary, a small amount of processed carbohydrates.

High carbohydrate, high calorie days




If you’re struggling to lose weight while maintaining a rigorous training schedule, give carb-cycling a try.

It requires work and planning, but the end results will speak for themselves.

Best weight loss plan for runners




Carb cycling for runners

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