Why Starch and Fruit Carb Cycling? These two types of carbohydrates have a greater effect on your systems, and can aid in fat and sugar storage. Adding a starch and fruit cycle to your nutrition regimen, can sometimes aid in speeding up the weight loss process.
If you have established sound nutritional habits on a daily basis (examples: eating breakfast, protein at each meal, 5-10 servings green and brightly colored vegetables a day, etc.), then adding this strategy may be one to consider for an extra kick to your weight loss journey.
The concept is quite easy. Consume a higher amount of fruit and starch carbs on training days and consume a lower amount of carbs on low intensity training days and non-training days. This style of cycling has been recommended for years by many top nutrition programs, trainers, and educational entities in personal fitness and nutrition. The importance of cycling your starches and fruits on training days will have two very potent properties which both come from their effect on the hormone insulin. They can be anabolic in nature helping you build lean muscle mass, and it will prevent your body from storing them as body fat. So on training days we want to take advantage of carbs in helping us build lean muscle mass. On non-training days we want to lessen the chances of storing body fat.
So, what can you consider a training day? A training day is a day that you have an intense workout scheduled (i.e. weight training and/or another form of exercise that will exceed an hour). It's not a day where you did some light aerobic work, went for a walk or played a round of golf. It is a day you will get your sweat on and be training in your recommended heart rate zone. On a training day you can allow yourself a higher intake of carbs preferably ingesting that higher intake around your workout window: pre-, during and post-. It's a day where you can allow yourself some starchy carbs and more fruit than usual. If carbs are up on these days you want to keep fat intake down and protein intake up. Therefore, using the percentages of 40-45% Carbs, 30-35% Proteins, and 30% Fats of your total calories will help you hit your goals.
On non-training days, try to limit your intake of carbs from starches and fruit. Your primary source of carbs on these days is vegetables. Though you can consume fruit, it should lower than that of a training day. Protein intake should be maintained or slightly increased on this day to allow for obtaining your nutrients for recovery, and hitting your caloric intake goals for the day. The recommend percentages for this day would be 35-40% Proteins, 35-40% Carbs, and 30-35% Fats. Again, carbs should mostly come from vegetables.
Remember grains, starches, and fruit carbs need to be earned. Those you want to burn off through exercise. If you are following this cycle you want to have four - five days a week that are higher intensity training days when starting out. This will give you more days of the lower starch and fruits to kick start you. As you become leaner you can make your week more even with the intense workouts and lower starch/fruit days.
Of course it is always suggested that you seek out a professional nutritionist, dietician or physician prior to starting any new program to see that it will work with you and your well-being.
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