Low- Carb, High-Carb, Zero-Carb; carbohydrates have been the subject of conversation among those trying to lose weight. Despite carbohydrates being the staple of the traditional American diet, so many programs advise seriously reducing or eliminating them to lose weight. While this approach will certainly help individuals lose weight, it comes at a cost.
Carbohydrates serve as the body's primary energy source, reducing them for long periods of time can result in low energy and, often, a reduction in muscle mass. It's no wonder people who attempt long term low carb diets end up crashing hard and rebounding with weight gain! The good news is that through a carb-cycling for weight loss approach we can leverage carbohydrates to maximize metabolism, reduce body fat, and preserve muscle mass; all while retaining energy levels!
The Carb-Cycling for Weight-Loss approach helps increase your metabolism and maximize fat burning by keeping your body guessing as to what sort of fuel it's going to burn for energy. On higher-carb days you feed your body healthy complex carbohydrates that stoke the body's furnace and prepare it for maximum fat burning. On lower carb days the fueled metabolism begins to look for carbohydrates for energy and when they are not readily available the body turns to fat! Using this approach tricks your body into becoming a lean mean fat burning machine!
While there are different methods to carb-cycling for weight loss, a typical approach is to cycle between a day or two of low-to-moderate carbs and a day of higher carbs, and repeat. Something important to keep in mind is that low carbs does not mean no carbs. For carb cycling to work, we need to be eating carbs. We just need to be mindful of the type of carbs we consume. On low carb days the carbohydrates come from vegetables, but on higher carb days you may add grains. For the plan to be successful, you would reduce or eliminate the simple (usually white) carbohydrates in favor of their complex cousins.
In addition to accelerated fat loss, Carb-Cycling for Weight Loss gives dieters the freedom to eat a wider variety of foods than a traditional low or no carb diet allows. If you are craving a slice of toast with your eggs, you don't have to fight the craving for long, just eat it on one of your higher carb days. In most plans you will cycle to high-carb 2 to 3 days per week giving you plenty of opportunity to satisfy cravings. In addition, many programs include a "cheat day" allowing you to indulge in your favorite less-than-healthy foods.
If you are looking to lose weight quickly without giving up your love for bread, carb-cycling may be the best choice for you. I have personally lost over 50lbs following the carb-cycling for weight loss approach. My clients are losing 3-4lbs per week without starving themselves or eliminating every food they desire.
