Would you eat eight large baked potatoes a day?

THE DIET: Carb cycling

IN A NUTSHELL: A carbohydrate rollercoaster designed to burn fat and boost performance.
THE MH EDIT: Hold the tedious arithmetic and use carb cycling on one workout day a week only.

The thinking behind this diet is to alternate high- and low-carb days. “On high days, you need about 500 grams,” says Kate Percy, author of Go-Faster Food. That’s a lot – we’re talking eight large baked potatoes. On low days, meanwhile, you eat a tenth of that and, according to the theory, your body turns to its stored fat for the fuel it needs.

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It’s a fine theory, but so is relativity – and this is about as complicated. “Go too crazy on high-carb days and you risk destabilizing your insulin levels and gaining fat,” says Percy. “You may feel irritable on non-carb days, too.”

The answer: carb-load one workout day a week, sandwiched between two days that are lower in carbs. So today, go at the pasta like a freshly dumped Bridget Jones, hit the gym hard, and prime your body to burn more fat tomorrow.

The carb cycling edit

Breakfast: Porridge with berries and a banana.
Why? Shock your body with high carbs for a metabolic lift.

Pre-gym: Chicken, veggies, mozzarella and 250g of quinoa.
Why? Quinoa give you glycogen, but won’t spike your insulin levels.

Post-gym: Tin of tuna, wholegrain pasta and an apple.
Why? Low-GI pasta will help your recovery after working out.

Dinner: Chilli con carne with two sweet potatoes.
Why? Sweet potatoes provide manganese, which reduces fat storage from carbs.

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