What is Carb Cycling?
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight then you’ve probably heard someone talk about the evils of carbs and how they are single-handedly responsible for making America obese. Well, the way a typical person consumes carbs, this is true to an extent. While there are plenty of people out there who would like to demonize carbs in all forms, science is clear on the matter: we need some carbs for our bodies to function optimally. So why the fuss over carbs and their role in weight loss or weight gain?
Processed carbs like those found in sugary foods, white breads and sodas, offer no nutritional value...so they are considered “empty calories.” To be fair, these foods certainly do play a part in America’s obesity epidemic. “Empty carbs” don’t fill you up and make it far easier for you to overeat. They provide your body with little to no nutrition while leaving you craving more. This naturally leads to over-consumption, weight gain, and causes hormone imbalances.
However, not all carbs are created equally. Complex carbs, like those found in fruits and veggies, are necessary for brain function, energy levels and good moods. So, saying no to all things carb-related is probably not your best plan of action. That’s why carb cycling is such an effective strategy for weight loss.
Carb cycling is exactly what it sounds like: a cycle of carbohydrate intake. When utilizing this strategy, you rotate your days between higher carb days and low carb days.
Why should you consider carb cycling?
When you cut out carbs completely, your energy levels will bottom out, you will experience brain fog and you will find yourself unable to complete challenging workouts. In addition, people who restrict carbs often don’t eat enough. This will ultimately lower your metabolic rate and make it harder for your body to burn fat effectively.
Plus...we all love carbs, don’t we? Living a carb free life can be incredibly challenging for most people. While many are able to make the change for a period of time, they find it difficult to sustain that type of lifestyle.
However, there are benefits to having some low carb days during your week. When you cut back on carbs, your glycogen levels quickly become depleted. Since glycogen is the first thing your body burns for energy, it will have to reach into its fat stores because there won’t be any glycogen available. 1-2 days per week of eating low carb with some HIIT workouts will do
wonders for your body in terms of fat burning.
If you have too many low carb days, you will find it incredibly hard to complete a challenging strength training workout. These are important for building muscle that will rev up your metabolism. So, having a few days per week where your carbs are less restricted is ideal, specifically on strength training days.
Higher carb days increase your thyroid output and help you control hunger. Higher carb days are also important for lean muscle gain and prevent muscle breakdown. When you cycle your higher carb days with your low carb days, you will see fat loss, lean muscle gain, increased energy levels, and improvements to your overall body composition. You will also see improved insulin levels which will teach your body to store less fat.
Carb cycling isn’t quite as difficult as it seems and is best paired with strategic workouts for optimal fat burning. Low carb days can be challenging at first, but once you find some go to meals, you will find them to be a lot easier than they seemed. Higher carb days are easy to fill up with all kinds of delicious fruits and veggies to keep you energized and thinking clearly.
Carbs are not the enemy my friend. In fact they play an important role in helping you look and feel your absolute best. They keep your body running optimally and keep you feeling alert and energized throughout the day. If you would like more information about carb-cycling check out this video on carb cycling and hormone regulation!
Talk to you soon,
Kim
P.S. If you are interested in learning more about how to implement this nutritional strategy,
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