Carb Cycling Calculator

Plan your high, moderate, and low carb days based on your bodyweight, training schedule, and fitness goal

Enter your body weight in pounds (lbs)

How many days per week you do intense training

Select your primary fitness objective

Understanding Carb Cycling

Carb cycling is a dietary strategy that alternates between high, moderate, and low carbohydrate intake days throughout the week. Rather than keeping carbs fixed every day, you strategically match your carbohydrate consumption to your activity level and energy demands. On intense training days you eat more carbs to fuel workouts and accelerate recovery, while on rest days you reduce carbs to promote fat oxidation and improve insulin sensitivity. This approach combines the performance benefits of carbohydrates with the metabolic advantages of lower-carb eating.

The science behind carb cycling centers on how your body uses fuel. During high-intensity exercise, your muscles rely primarily on glycogen -- stored carbohydrate -- for energy. Consuming 2 to 2.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight on training days ensures glycogen stores are fully replenished, supporting stronger workouts and faster recovery. On rest days, dropping to around 0.5 grams per pound shifts your metabolism toward burning fat for fuel, a process enhanced by improved insulin sensitivity that comes from periodic carb restriction.

Carb cycling is particularly effective for body recomposition -- building muscle while losing fat simultaneously. By providing ample carbs when your body needs them most (around workouts) and reducing them when energy demands are lower, you create an environment where muscle protein synthesis is supported on training days while fat loss is encouraged on rest days. This is why many competitive athletes, physique competitors, and coaches favor carb cycling over rigid dieting approaches that keep macros static every day.

To implement carb cycling successfully, consistency with your training schedule is essential. Map your high carb days to your hardest training sessions, use moderate carb days for lighter workouts or active recovery, and save low carb days for complete rest. Protein should remain consistently high every day (around 1 gram per pound of bodyweight) to protect muscle tissue, while fat fills the remaining calorie gap. Track your results over 4 to 6 weeks and adjust carb amounts up or down based on your energy, performance, and body composition changes.

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter your body weight in pounds in the weight field. This is used to calculate carb targets based on grams per pound of bodyweight.
  2. Select how many days per week you do intense training from the dropdown. This determines how your week is split between high, moderate, and low carb days.
  3. Choose your primary goal: Fat Loss for maximum fat burning, Performance for balanced energy and recovery, or Muscle Gain for maximum growth support.
  4. Click the Calculate Carb Cycle button to generate your personalized plan with daily carb targets, a visual weekly calendar, and full macro breakdowns.
  5. Review the weekly calendar to see which days are high, moderate, or low carb, then check the macro breakdown cards for complete protein, carbs, fat, and calorie targets for each day type.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is carb cycling and how does it work?

Carb cycling is a nutrition strategy where you vary your carbohydrate intake day by day based on your activity level. On intense training days, you eat more carbs (2-2.5g per pound bodyweight) to fuel workouts and replenish glycogen. On rest days, you eat fewer carbs (around 0.5g per pound) to encourage fat burning and improve insulin sensitivity. This approach lets you enjoy the performance benefits of carbs when you need them while maintaining metabolic flexibility on off days.

How many high carb days should I have per week?

The number of high carb days should match your most intense training sessions. If you train hard 3 days per week, you would typically have 2-3 high carb days aligned with those sessions. The calculator automatically maps your training frequency to an optimal split of high, moderate, and low carb days. A common starting point is 2 high, 2 moderate, and 3 low carb days per week, adjusted based on your training volume.

Should protein and fat change on different carb days?

Protein should remain consistently high every day -- around 1 gram per pound of bodyweight -- to support muscle preservation and recovery regardless of your carb intake. Fat intake, however, is inversely adjusted: on high carb days, fat is reduced to keep total calories in check, while on low carb days, fat is increased to provide adequate energy and support hormone production. This seesaw between carbs and fat is a core principle of effective carb cycling.

Can carb cycling help with fat loss?

Yes, carb cycling is an effective strategy for fat loss. The low carb days create periods where your body preferentially burns fat for fuel, while the high carb days prevent metabolic slowdown that often occurs with sustained low-carb dieting. Research suggests that periodic higher carb intake helps maintain thyroid hormone levels and leptin production, both of which decline during extended calorie restriction. This makes carb cycling more sustainable than constant low-carb diets for many people.

When should I eat my carbs on high carb days?

On high carb days, prioritize carbs around your workouts for maximum benefit. Consume a portion 1-2 hours before training for energy and the largest portion within 2 hours after training to replenish glycogen stores and support recovery. Distribute remaining carbs across your other meals. On low carb days, focus your limited carbs around your most active period or first meal to manage energy levels throughout the day.

Is carb cycling suitable for beginners?

Carb cycling can work for beginners, but it requires more planning than a fixed macro approach. If you are new to tracking nutrition, start with consistent daily macros for 4-8 weeks to build the habit of meal planning and tracking. Once you are comfortable, transition to carb cycling by starting with just two carb levels (high and low) before adding a moderate day. The calculator simplifies the planning process by giving you exact targets for each day type.

How long should I follow a carb cycling plan before seeing results?

Most people begin noticing changes in energy and workout performance within 1-2 weeks of starting carb cycling. Visible body composition changes typically become apparent after 4-6 weeks of consistent adherence. Weight may fluctuate more day to day than with a fixed diet because carbohydrates cause water retention -- expect to weigh more on the morning after a high carb day. Track your weekly average weight and take progress photos every 2 weeks for the most accurate assessment of results.

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