Athletes need to optimize their diet so they can be at their best. When it comes to running, fueling your body with an appropriate diet can help you keep up your energy for long sessions. One of the best diets for runners is a carbohydrate-cycling approach. A carb-cycling diet provides your body with ample fuel to perform on days you train while putting you in fat-burning mode on your days off.
Carb-Cycling
Carb-cycling is the concept of tailoring your daily carb intake to match your expected activity level. There are high-, medium- and low-carb days, with your high-carb days assigned to the days in whichy you expect to perform the most grueling training sessions. Through this approach, you can provide your body with enough glycogen to fuel your endurance-training sessions while keeping intake low on off-days, minimizing the likelihood of unwanted fat gain.
Following a Carb-Cycling Approach
You might need to custom tailor this schedule if you train more than four days per week, but in general, you should have two high-carb days, two medium-carb days and two low-carb days each week. On high-carb days, you can eat anywhere up to 1 g of carbs per pound of body weight. If you weigh 110 lbs., you can consume 110 g carbs for the day. On medium-carb days, you can eat up to 0.5 g of carbs per pound of body weight. On low-carb days, you should consume no more than 30 to 40 g of carbs.
Assign your high-carb days to the training days in which you need performance the most--your longest, most intense workouts. Medium-carb days are for your normal workouts during the week. Low-carb days are for days when you don't work out or when you only perform low-intensity cardiovascular work, such as brisk walking.
Carb Choices
Carb selection matters when following a carb-cycling approach. You will see optimal results by consuming carbs from the following groups: fresh fruit, vegetables, oats, sweet potatoes and whole grains. These are low-glycemic index carbs that take longer to digest, thus providing your body with a constant influx of nutrients. Keep your consumption of sugary carbs, processed foods and white flour items to a minimum because these can play games with your blood sugar and energy levels, leading to a greater probability of fat gain.
Rounding Out the Diet
Round out your diet with an ample supply of lean protein and healthy, unsaturated fats. Quality lean protein sources include seafood, chicken, turkey and low-fat cuts of beef. Quality fats include fish oil, coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, avocados, almonds, cashews, walnuts and peanuts. When your carb intake is higher, your intake of proteins and fats should decrease correspondingly. Likewise, on low-carb days, make sure you provide your body with plenty of protein and fat to facilitate recovery.
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