How to Use the Carb Cycling Calorie Calculator
Carb cycling raises carbs and calories on training days and lowers them on rest days, aiming to support workout performance while still managing total weekly calorie intake. Enter your maintenance calories (TDEE) and how many days a week you train, and this calculator works out the calories and carb grams for each day type.
On training days, this calculator adds about 10% above TDEE and allocates half of that as carbs to support glycogen replenishment. On rest days, it subtracts about 10% from TDEE and drops carbs to roughly 20% of calories, shifting the balance toward protein and fat. Protein intake is typically kept consistent across both training and rest days.
This is an approximation based on common carb-cycling ratios, and your ideal split may need adjusting based on your metabolism, training intensity, and goal — whether that's fat loss, maintenance, or a lean bulk. If fat loss is the goal, aim for a weekly average below your TDEE by adjusting the balance of training to rest days, and track your weight for about two weeks after starting to fine-tune the numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a TDEE calculator, or track your weight and average intake for 2-3 weeks to estimate it. The more accurate your TDEE, the more accurate this calculator's splits will be.
Training days raise carbs to support performance and glycogen recovery, while rest days lower carbs to help manage total weekly calories and insulin sensitivity. Protein intake is usually kept steady on both types of days.