Carbohydrate Cycling as a Tool for Managing Body Composition in the Pre-Contest Phase

Avdieieva Valentyna

Citation: Avdieieva Valentyna, "Carbohydrate Cycling as a Tool for Managing Body Composition in the Pre-Contest Phase", Universal Library of Innovative Research and Studies, Volume 02, Issue 04.

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

The study synthesizes evidence on carbohydrate cycling as a programmable lever for pre-contest physique preparation. The analysis integrates findings on glycogen manipulation, microcycle planning, intermittent energy restriction, and peak-week execution to delineate when low- and high-carbohydrate days preserve muscle size, enable high training volumes, and produce stage-ready morphology. The review consolidates reported loading windows (˜36–48 hours), intake bands compatible with supercompensation, and safety considerations regarding fluids and electrolytes. The work distinguishes scheduling effects from claims of metabolic “advantage,” emphasizing that net energy balance governs fat loss while carbohydrate availability governs performance and appearance. The objective is to derive an operational template linking training tasks, glycogen trajectories, and loading cadence. Methods include comparative analysis of recent trials, case evidence, and narrative/quantitative syntheses, with cross-checking across endurance-derived glycogen data and physique-specific sources. The conclusions outline a decision framework for mesocycle and peak-week planning and specify boundary conditions for carbohydrate restriction and refeeding. The paper will assist coaches, competitive athletes, and applied sport nutritionists.


Keywords: Carbohydrate Cycling, Peak Week, Glycogen Supercompensation, Physique Athletes, Intermittent Energy Restriction, Refeeds, Diet Breaks, Nutrient Timing, Body Composition, Pre-Contest Preparation.

Download doi https://doi.org/10.70315/uloap.ulirs.2025.0204004