If you don’t enjoy being in a long-distance relationship with pasta, here’s good news. Where a low-carb diet keeps you in a permanent state of deprivation, carb cycling allows you to eat what you like — within limits, of course, let’s not get crazy — and still drop the kilos, without losing muscle. It’s a schedule that keeps your metabolism revved on days when you’re burning calories and humming with lean protein and veggies on others. Here are the rules of carb club. Plan your week to match your fitness goals. For the best weight-loss results, for instance, do two high-carb days, followed with five low-carb days. Carb cycling speeds up your metabolism and gives you enough energy to manage high-intensity workouts. Make sure your high-carb days are also your most active. There’s no room for starvation here. The diet lets you fit in three meals and two small snacks every day. Remember to dip into all five food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, meat/legumes and dairy). Since the plan doesn’t overemphasise proteins, it’s perfect for vegetarians too. The diet prescribes you balance carbs with foods that have a low glycaemic index, like apples, mushrooms and yogurt — they release energy slowly and help you stay active through the day. With inputs from nutritionist Samreedhi Goel.
