The Downside Of Carb-Cycling
Better Nutrition|January 2019

The plain truth about this questionable practice

Kat James
The Downside Of Carb-Cycling

Readers have asked about a dietary concept that fat-burner enthusiasts refer to as “carb cycling”—occasionally or periodically reintroducing carbs into their diets. Achieving ketosis or leptin sensitivity (two states where the body is burning ketones, a byproduct of burning fat as one’s primary fuel) involves lots of individualization and trial and error. But the idea of planning weekly carb eating “cycles” is—at least from my decades of personal and observational experience— akin to a self-imposed slippery slope that people consistently regret.

Of course, if you never achieve a fat-burning state to begin with, carb-cycling is painless, because you’re not switching the body’s primary fuel, which always involves a degree of discomfort. But, for true insulin- and leptin-optimized fat-burners, fat is their body’s primary fuel. The minute a fat-burner starts eating dozens of carbs (and it takes much fewer carbs than most think to throw you out of a fat-burner state, especially if you’re metabolically challenged), the body will default immediately to the fat-storing, sugar-burning quagmire that many of us worked so hard to escape. That first spike in blood sugar signals the brain that you’re suddenly experiencing starvation as a default mechanism of cutting off sensitivity to the hormone leptin in the hypothalamus.

Denne historien er fra January 2019-utgaven av Better Nutrition.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra January 2019-utgaven av Better Nutrition.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BETTER NUTRITIONSe alt
Strike A Healing Chord
Better Nutrition

Strike A Healing Chord

Soothe your mind, body, and spirit with three simple sound therapy techniques for self-care.

time-read
7 mins  |
January 2022
Laura's Gourmet Granola
Better Nutrition

Laura's Gourmet Granola

If you’re tired of granola that’s more candy than health food, chef and entrepreneur Laura Briscoe’s offerings are just what you’ve been looking for.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
News Bites
Better Nutrition

News Bites

Caffeine, Peanuts, CoQ10, and Iron Deficiency.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
The Overlooked Keys to a Healthy Gallbladder
Better Nutrition

The Overlooked Keys to a Healthy Gallbladder

Keep your bile thin and free-flowing by focusing on supportive foods, supplements, and physical activity.

time-read
6 mins  |
January 2022
Go Nutty This Year
Better Nutrition

Go Nutty This Year

This über-healthy alternative to traditional lattes features homemadewalnut “mylk,” along with antioxidant-rich green tea and berries.

time-read
5 mins  |
January 2022
The Three Stages of Infection
Better Nutrition

The Three Stages of Infection

What you need before, during and after an illness, and why you need different fixes for each stage.

time-read
6 mins  |
January 2022
Better Nutrition

Taming the Flames

How to beat back chronic inflammation and protect yourself from related disease.

time-read
6 mins  |
January 2022
Deconstructing the Flexitarian Diet
Better Nutrition

Deconstructing the Flexitarian Diet

How being a part-time vegan can make you healthier.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
Brain Regain
Better Nutrition

Brain Regain

How one senior used a leptin-focused diet (high-fat, no carbs) to recover from a cognitive injury, reconnect with his family, and reclaim his health.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2022
Healthy Aging— Head To Toe
Better Nutrition

Healthy Aging— Head To Toe

Science-backed supplements to protect all your parts.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2021