There are several types of diets used around the world to facilitate rapid weight loss or mass gain depending on your goal. Unfortunately, finding a diet that works for you over the long term can be difficult. To help you reach your ideal weight without depriving yourself, discover the cyclical diet.
THE CYCLIC DIET: Explanations
The cyclic diet is a diet that consists of varying the level of carbohydrates consumed according to the day of the week and training periods. As the name implies, it is the management of an individual's carbohydrate intake in cycles. So you can have a certain amount of carbohydrates on some days, decrease it the next day and increase it the day after. However, this is not the only thing you should eat. You should also include other foods that contain fat and proteins. Each of them will have an important role in maintaining a balanced diet.
When you are looking for bulk up or to lose fatIf you have a lot of weight training sessions, you will need a lot of energy, especially on leg day. These will require a lot of energy, especially on leg day. But not only, to be practiced and to give fast results and especially to have this energy, carbohydrates are your best allies. Unlike most diets that generally leave you hungry by removing them, this one takes into account the effort you put in and allows you to eat healthy while continuing to progress in bodybuilding.
This diet has many benefits when used properly and by the right people. It will allow you to consume a large amount on the most intense days. This will help you in the process of building muscle with each of your workouts. Also, bringing in so many extra calories, through certain foods in your nutrition will help you maintain a good metabolism.
Who is the cyclic diet for?
In order to know for whom the cycle diet is specifically intended, it is important to specify the people for whom it is not intended. This method is not recommended for people with a high fat content. The latter should preferably adopt a more radical and complex approach by using a coach to be better guided. This means that if your body fat is, for example, 25%, cycling carbohydrates is not the solution that will help you shed pounds. You need to lower your overall caloric intake and especially your carbohydrate intake. Only when your new eating habits have allowed you to shed most of the weight you need to lose, will you be able to start cycling certain carbohydrate-rich foods like starches. To do this, you will need to reach a fairly low body fat level.
Why use the Cyclic Diet?
This method is also used when we stagnate. If you haven't lost weight for a while, or if the last few pounds have been hard to shed, adopting this kind of diet can shock the body and be effective in reaching your goal.
This diet is for men and women who are physically active. Even if you are not, you will need to be active on a regular basis before you can consider a cyclical diet. Since this diet is shaped in relation to your workouts. It is preferable to have a body fat percentage between 12% and 15% for men. For women, a slightly higher rate would not be a problem. This diet will allow you to lose a maximum amount of fat while maintaining an optimal amount of muscle mass.
With carb cycling, you can always give it your all when you are in the gym. It is perfectly suited for people who only have a little weight to lose and those who want to get leaner quickly or as said above in period of stagnation. This method can help you get rid of that last extra pound and get the body you've always wanted.
How does the cyclical diet work?
The cycle diet works in a fairly simple way. You will need to start by calculating your calorie and macro intake. Set your carbohydrate intake according to the days of the week and your training.
For this to work, you will have to change your eating habits and plan your meals in advance. These days are classified into 3 categories.
High carb days
First you have the high carb days or simply the High Carb days. These are days when you plan to do an intense session. It does not apply to all your sessions either. These are usually your training and leg workout days or a weak spot where the session is likely to be very intense. High carb days are the days of the most important sessions. It is advisable to have 1 to 3 high days per week. During these days, all your meals should contain carbohydrates. You may be able to have those chocolate squares that you have been avoiding for months, but in moderation as they contain fat and we are only looking to increase carbohydrates, so opt for sources of carbohydrates with a lower fat content. glycemic index low and medium (basmati rice, sweet potatoes, wholemeal pasta, quinoa, oatmeal, rice cream...)
The other days
The second category is medium carbohydrate days. These are the days you work out. But these sessions are considered less important to your fat loss goal. On these days, cardio will be your ally. Consume your normal protein quota (between 2 to 2.5 g/kg of body weight) and increase your fat slightly but not too much to give your body a chance to tap into your fat stores. You will need to decrease your carbohydrate intake compared to the high day. You can have a maximum of 3 average carbohydrate days per week.
Finally, the last category is low carb days. These are days when you do not plan to train. You can also consider a low carbohydrate day to be one in which your training is very low intensity. Your meals should be healthy and associated with a macronutrient distribution of approximately 45 % of protein, 35% of fat and 20 % of carbohydrates for optimal body function.
The cyclic diet while practicing bodybuilding
The first thing to do to understand how the cyclic diet works in bodybuilding is to know your basal metabolic rate. The basal metabolic rate of an individual is the amount of energy that his body uses every day at rest when he does not perform any particular activity. It is in fact the number of calories per day used by the body for its own internal functioning necessary for survival. This basal metabolic rate is active even when you are asleep and is a function of your age, height and gender. It is possible to know your own metabolism thanks to the Harris-Benedict formulas. For men, it is equal to "66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age)". For women, it is equal to "655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.7 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age)". For more on the subject, here is a full article:
How to calculate your basal metabolic rate?
This diet is also based on your activity level. In fact, your activity level also has an impact on your daily metabolism. The more intense your physical activity, the more calories you will burn. So you need to combine your basal metabolic rate with your exercise to find your total daily calorie expenditure. To do this, you need to combine your basal metabolic rate with an activity index. This index is a function of how active you are. Sedentary people have an index of 1. This number changes by 0.2 each time the activity level is increased a little. It is 1.6 for moderate athletes and reaches a limit of 2 for those who practice extreme sports like bodybuilders who train twice a day for example.
Need to know your macros?
Carbohydrate cycling and CALORIES in video
How to lose weight faster with the cyclic diet in bodybuilding? How to calculate your calories and macros? In this video I talk about the cyclic diet. How to cycle your carbs to optimize your weight training diet? How to distribute your macros (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins) and calories to eat better and dry faster and lose weight faster without stagnation.
I also reveal my tip to continue to enjoy yourself while continuing to lose weight and feel better in your body.
Conclusion
The cyclic diet is more suitable and effective for bodybuilders who want to lose weight and is a healthy way to lose fat. It requires determination but allows you to have quick results that will last a long time. If your diet does not allow you to have all the macronutrients useful for this diet, integrate food supplements for greater efficiency. If you feel hungry between meals, consider having a healthy snack.
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