Often referred to as one of the most effective fat loss diets, the carbohydrate rotation diet is gaining more and more popularity among bodybuilders. It's time to look at the pros and cons of this meal plan, and find out who is eligible for it and who is not.
Philosophy
Carbohydrates affect the body in different ways. When you reduce their consumption, fat begins to be burned with greater intensity. But your metabolic rate—the number of calories your body burns each day—also declines. However, drastically changing the amount of carbs you eat helps increase your metabolic rate. Do not give up carbohydrates completely or almost completely. Instead, change the amount of them in your diet from day to day. So you will feel better than on a carbohydrate-free diet. And this approach for a long time will allow you to burn more fat.
What can you eat
The carbohydrate rotation diet allows almost any food from the standard diet of a bodybuilder - depending on the day of the week. Such a diet includes high-protein foods - meat, eggs, protein shakes, cheese, vegetables and fruits, as well as - on certain days - foods high in carbohydrates, down to low-fat healthy sweets. What not to eat Foods that combine a large amount of fats and carbohydrates are not allowed. The carbohydrate rotation diet allows you to eat foods high in either carbohydrates or fats, but only separately.
Pros and cons
Many bodybuilders follow the same meal plan every day. The ability of the body to break down carbohydrates allows you to make the diet more varied. High-carb days will help your muscles get enough energy to grow, thereby reducing fat. Minuses? This diet does not actually have them. Carb rotation is rightfully considered one of the best plans for maintaining muscle mass while burning fat.
How to stick to it
In addition to sticking to your daily meal plan, it's important to understand how many carbs you should be consuming each day of the week because your menu will vary significantly from day to day. Good sources of slow-digesting carbohydrates are sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, and any grain bread.
Fast-burning carbohydrates come from sugar, honey, and white bread. You can even have desserts like cake if the day is low in fat. This plan is designed for a bodybuilder who typically eats about 300 grams of carbohydrates per day during the mass gain period. You can adjust these numbers up or down depending on your body weight and metabolic rate. Approximate diet ration:
Monday. 150 g of slow-burn carbohydrates in the morning and simple carbohydrates during training. Divide them into equal portions. In addition to vegetables, avoid carbohydrates for dinner.
Tuesday. The same as on Monday.
Wednesday. The same as on Monday.
Thursday. 400-500 g of carbohydrates (a fairly large amount) during the day. Limit your fat intake as much as possible on high-carb days.
Friday. The same as on Monday.
Saturday. The same as on Monday.
Sunday. 300 g of carbohydrates. It is better to eat them at one meal than throughout the day. A good option for an offending dish is a serving of low-fat pasta made from durum wheat.