In the 80s, dieters ate low-fat. Today, we’re cutting out carbs. But is the secret science behind getting skinny eliminating a macronutrient?
Common sense says no. After all, the term “macronutrient” means “a type of food required in large amounts in the diet.”
Slashing carbs completely out of your diet will not help you lose weight. Sure—low-carb diets can be useful in the short term to help you lose weight, improve blood sugar levels, and lower blood pressure.
But continuous and extreme carb restriction in the long term has been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other health complications. Plus, it’s unsustainable for long-term weight loss.
If you’re confused about carbs (the conversation is quite controversial today) I’m here to clear the air. There’s a way to leverage the short-term benefits of low-carb diets without harming your health. It’s a dietary dance called carb cycling.
What is Carb Cycling?
Carb cycling is an eating schedule that alternates back and forth between low-carb days and regular-carb days. It’s healthier and more practical over time than sticking with low-carb diets for the long term, allowing you to eat the perfect amount of carbs for your body and adjust your intake day-to-day or to your liking.
Carb cycling allows you to intentionally alternate your carb intake throughout the week. This method gives your body limited breaks from carbs, encouraging your body to burn fat as fuel and increase weight loss.
Normal carb days satiate your body’s nutritional needs and keep your body from incurring damage from dieting. On these days, your body can refuel its muscle glycogen stores. You’ll feel stronger and more energized during workouts.
Here’s an example:
Cathy wants to try carb cycling. Based on her own body and goals, she finds her personal macronutrient goals.
She’s a realistic woman. She knows that when she eats lower amounts of carbs, her energy is low that day, which affects how hard she’s able to workout. She also knows that on the weekends, she wants to enjoy higher-carb meals with the family.
Cathy picks her gym days. She likes to workout on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. She decides, then, that Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday are regular carb days. On Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, she’ll eat fewer carbs.
See how this flexible method can fit into your life? Next, let’s get specific and learn exactly how to cycle your carbs.
How To Start Carb Cycling
Personally, I use carb cycling to maintain my weight. It’s what I teach all my clients in my 7-week LEAN program.
Here’re the ground rules to get you started.
Set Your Own Schedule
In my LEAN program, my clients have the option to do 2-4 low carb days a week to gain the most from carb cycling. Like the example of Cathy above, think over your personal schedule.
Keep in mind the days you’re most likely to eat out or want to have a more relaxed menu. Note which days you have heavier workouts—these days are best for your regular carb days. The remaining can be your low-carb days.
Meet the Right Macros
Next, dial in and find the exact numbers of calories and macronutrients you need for healthy weight loss. Everyone is different, and getting these numbers accurate to your body and goals could make or break your progress.
I advise my clients to consume 50 net carbs or less on low-carb days. Most people’s regular-carb days will land somewhere between 150 and 240 net carbs.
Be Picky About Your Carbs
A key to long-term health and fitness is finding the right carbs, not avoiding them altogether. Healthy carbs are essential to keeping your body full of vibrant energy. They can reduce bloating, help us sleep better, and boost our mood. Carbs include gut-healthy fiber, and they’re an important source of critical nutrients, like calcium, iron, and B vitamins. Some carbs even reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Stick with complex carbs as much as possible to boost your health and control your weight. Load up on veggies, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Skip the refined sugars, flours, processed foods, and soft drinks.
Pair Your Carbs with Protein
Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, so eating protein along with your carbs can slow down digestion in your stomach and absorption in your intestines. This means your blood sugar won’t spike and you’ll feel full for much longer.
Dodge High-Carb Days
Avoid cycling between low and high-carb days. High consumption of carbohydrates is a problem impacting our country’s health. There’s no health or weight loss benefit to eating high carbs regularly. Stick with low-carb and regular-carb days for successful weight loss, more energy, and better overall health.
Carb Cycling Isn’t for Everyone
Let’s make something clear: Carb cycling is not necessary for weight loss or maintenance. After 20 years in the industry of weight loss, I can confidently tell you that you can have a regular carb day every day of the week and keep moving forward in your fitness goals.
Successful, long-term weight loss is all about finding the strategies and methods that fit into your life. What works for your sister might not work for you. When you can create a healthy lifestyle that you love, that’s when weight drops off and stays off.
The Real Problem Behind Weight Gain
Four decades ago, we feared fat. Today, we fear carbs. But it’s not healthy for our bodies to skip an entire macronutrient, which is why cutting carbs completely can lead to irresistible cravings. While you may want to cut carbs for a time or limit them, avoiding an entire macronutrient like carbs (which includes much of the highly nutritious produce we eat) is unsustainable and unhealthy.
Has the pendulum swung too far? The average American eats 400-500 grams of carbs each day. That’s problematic. But cutting a macronutrient too low will force our body to crave it ravenously. One week, we cut carbs out, the next week, we’re binging on carbs.
At the root of the issue, we don’t find a carb problem. We find an overindulgence problem, and carbs are one of the easiest macronutrients to overeat. With carb cycling—alternating between low and regular carb days—you can find a healthy balance that leads to sustainable weight loss. Want to learn more about healthy macronutrient management for weight loss? Download my free guide here.
