Diet Tricks: How to Carb Cycle Effectively

Trying to shed some weight so you can impress your date before summer commences?  There are a million and half methods of weight loss promoted online and on TV, from simple calorie cutters to dangerous surgeries.  Through all my ups and downs, I’ve discovered one method that allows you to cut inches off your waist without starving yourself.  It does take a bit of work and self-control but the results are worth it.

What is Carbohydrate Cycling?

Carbohydrate Cycling may sound confusing at first, but once you get the grasp of it, this effective diet is pretty simple to follow and will leave you satisfied.  It works off on three day cycle between high carbs, low carbs, and no carbs.

The carbohydrate cycle helps burn fat by depleting your glycogen stores so that your body metabolizes adipose tissue (AKA fat) instead of sugars.  When done correctly, you can effectively lose fat without sacrificing muscle or strength.

Step 1: High Carb Days

Like any good diet program, you should be eating six small meals per day, one every other hour.  Your daily protein intake should be between 1 and 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.

For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, divide that by 6 (200/6) which equals 33.  Each meal should contain at least 33 grams of protein, which in turn should come from lean sources like chicken, turkey, seafood, lean cuts of beef.  Fat intake should be between 30-50 grams per day.  You will be getting about 10 grams per day from your protein sources.  The rest should come from Fish Oil, Flaxseed Oil, and/or Olive Oil.  Other good sources of fat include cottage cheese, eggs, meat, and mayonnaise.

Now, onto the fun part.  You can eat as many carbs as you like for four of the six meals on your high carb day.  However you must choose healthy complex carbs like brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans, vegetables, and oats.  For one of your meals you can have whole wheat pasta or bread.  With all six meals, eat a small serving of fruit.

Step 2: Low Carb Days

Your low carb days should follow the same guidelines pertaining to proteins and fats.  However, you should limit your carbs to 1 gram per pound of body weight.  Eat carbs only for three meals of the day.  For example if you weigh 200 pounds, you will eat 66 grams of carbs for three of your meals on a low carb day.  You should also eat a small serving of fruit with each meal.

Step 3: No Carb Days

On zero carb days, your entire diet should consist of protein and fats.  The only carbs allowed are green leafy vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, kale, and spinach.  You can also have celery, squash, and onions.

Obviously, the no carb days will be the most difficult, but psychologically this diet is often easier than other more restrictive diets, because you only have to wait one day until you can indulge.  Remember that in every day of the carb cycle diet, you can eat as many green leafy vegetables as you wish which should satisfy your carb cravings on the ‘no-carb’ days.

Once you get into the routine, you will realize that carb cycling is much more satisfying than most other diets and you’ll get tremendous results as well.