Carb Cycling

Happy Monday! In my last post I mentioned carb cycling so I figured I'd try to explain what it is.  It's still a little confusing to me but this is how I do it.  I've been focusing on weight training for the past few months since I hurt my hip from running.  I really want to gain more muscle!  It's important to adjust your diet according to your training for that day.  Carbohydrates are the easiest for the body to break down into energy, but fat is the most efficient form of energy.  So, if you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will use and burn fat for energy instead.  The only thing about reducing your carbohydrate intake is that you may experience low levels of energy at first, but your body will get used to it!
Low carb foods include all meats, eggs/egg whites, nut butters and nuts, cheese, plain greek yogurt, green vegetables (non-starchy), low-sugar fruits, olive oil, unsweetened almond or rice milk, and most protein powders
Foods to avoid: potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, crackers, fruits like apples and bananas, and sweets...pretty much anything processed
In order to get energy, you have to increase the amount of healthy fats you eat.  This includes higher fat meats, nut and nut butters, olive oil, etc.
So on a low activity or rest day, you decrease the amount of carbs you eat, and increase the amount of healthy fats you eat, while trying to keep your total calorie intake fairly low.  Aim to get all your carbs from green vegetables.  On a medium training day, you can increase your carb and calorie intake a little.  On a high training day, eat less fat, more carbs, and make sure you are getting your protein from lean sources.  You can calculate exactly how much you should be eating using this guide:

MEN

High day

Carbs: 2-3 grams per pound of body weight
Protein: 1-1.25 grams per pound of body weight
Fat: as little as possible

Low and moderate days

Carbs: 0.5-1.5 grams per pound of body weight
Protein: 1.25-1.5 grams per pound of body weight
Fat: 0.15-0.35 grams per pound of body weight

WOMEN

High Day

Carbs: 0.9-1.0 grams per pound of body weight
Protein: 0.75 grams per pound of body weight
Fat: as little as possible

Low and moderate days

Carbs: 0.2-0.5 grams per pound of body weight
Protein: 0.9-1.0 grams per pound of body weight
Fat: 0.1-0.2 grams per pound of body weight

(Source: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_nutrition/a_beginners_guide_to_carb_cycling)

This website also explains it really well:
http://breakingmuscle.com/nutrition/calorie-and-carb-cycling-breaking-through-your-diet-plateau

Carb cycling isn't for everyone.  If you have a lot of weight to lose, or you don't really do intense workouts, you don't need to worry about it.  A steady, low carb diet does work to lose weight, although it's hard to stick with.  I'm kind of having trouble with carb cycling because now that classes have started (and I literally have class all day with awkward breaks) it's hard to bring the right foods with me to class.  But I know a lot of people who get results with it! :)