To shed flab, Chennaiites get on ‘carb’ cycling route

CHENNAI: Since 2019, when he embarked on his weight lifting journey, Abhishek Bharadwaj has been religiously following carb cycling, a process where one alternates between high and low carb intake days.
Bharadwaj’s food intake is closely monitored by his nutritionist and fitness trainer. “I send pictures of my meals and also assess the calorie intake for my nutritionist to keep a track of them.My training also depends on each day’s meals,” says the 23-year-old process engineer from Perambur.
Carb cycling, a diet regime, has been growing in popularity among city dwellers. While the diet is designed for athletes like Bharadwaj, it is being implemented by many to lose weight, say dieticians.
“For instance, the individual might have three days of low carb meals, followed by two days of moderate carb intake and end the week with two days of high carbs,” says Arees Reeja John, consultant dietitian with Cavinkare, Kotturpuram. “For non-athletes, it can be used as a plateau breaker when someone is stuck at a particular weight,” says Arees.
Bharadwaj, for instance, replaces rice with cauliflower and pasta with zucchini. There are recipes too trending on social media for riced broccoli and zoodles, lettuce wraps and mushroom patties. “You have a ton of options,” says Bharadwaj.
John stresses the importance of professional guidance before being influenced by social media, where carb cycling has been trending. “This form of diet, when guided by a health expert, does not compromise on fuel intake,” says John, adding that a balanced meal however has to be a person’s first choice. “Having zoodles or riced cauliflower cannot be an alternative for cereals. Carb cycling involves counting carbs with other macronutrients. When your body needs carbs it needs carbs.”
According to Mahalakshmi Shankar, a Saligramam-based strength and conditioning coach, and sports nutritionist, while carb cycling is a common among performance athletes, it is not advisable for physically inactive individuals.
“High amount of physical activity and exercise is essential for someone who is carb cycling. It can be adapted to the requirement of the individual, as it can help in maintaining muscle level and can sometimes contribute to a reduction in body fat percentage,” says Shankar.
But, says Shankar, for someone who has a regular routine, such as a 9 to 5 desk job, there would be no major changes in energy expenditure. “In that case, changing the fuel intake on a daily basis is not needed,” she says.
“When a client requires correction of water losses, boost up of metabolism or management of weight and energy, I maintain a record of their carb cycle,” says clinical nutritionist Sherene G, who also follows low carb or ‘no carb’ intake days once in few weeks to detoxify and cleanse her body. “However, I would always promote a complete Indian balanced meal with roti, rice, dal, and veggies.”