Introduction
For anyone trying to lose weight, the word "carbs" is akin to blasphemy. Carb is the age-old enemy. Carbs are the evil nemesis of WeightWatchers everywhere. Carbs mean calories and weight loss requires cutting calories.
It has been the traditional belief that foods packed with carbs will cause you to pack on the pounds. Even healthy carbs like starchy vegetables and whole grains are high in carbs, so many classic diets restrict them as well. The result is that we have become to believe that carbs are bad for us. Not only do they hinder weight loss, but they are downright unhealthy.
Well, science has recently turned that belief upside down by telling us that carbs may be your best ally in the battle to lose weight. Leveraging carbs to help us lose weight is called carb cycling. it is a method whereby eating carbs can lead to weight loss rather than weight gain!
Carb cycling is done through a weekly eating plan with a few basic rules to stick to. Other than that, you have a full run of what you eat. Your meal plans can consist of all your favorite healthy foods, including carbs. You even have cheat days to indulge in your less healthy favorite foods to satisfy your cravings!
Why Is The 7-Day Plan Different?
Many of us struggle with our weight and strive to be fit and healthy. We've all experimented with different diets and eating regimens. We’ve tried diets that promised amazing weight loss, in X number of days. We've tried diets that promised we'd never feel hungry or sluggish. We’ve tried diets that you could eat everything and lose weight – only to find that "everything" meant in half spoonfuls.
We have been let down repeatedly. We either fall off the wagon and binge like crazy or get too discouraged to continue. Most, if not all traditional diets simply do not work for us.
What makes the carb cycling plan different? First, it makes a lot of sense because it addresses our metabolism rathert han our stomach. After all, it’s our metabolism that burns calories and melts off those pounds.
Secondly, although it has been recently hailed as a breakthrough in the field of healthy eating and weight loss, it has been popular among athletes for decades, especially those doing high resistance training. Many of them rely on carb cycling to build lean muscle and boost their energy levels.
Thirdly, a carb recycling plan is not as restrictive as other diets. It's therefore easy to follow.
Fourthly, the plan is used only to achieve shorter-term weight-loss goals, after which you must stop. However, you can use elements of it to develop lifelong healthy eating habits to stay fit and healthy for the rest of your life.
This is a very simple guide for the layman who wants to try the 7-day carb cycling plan. We will not go into the deeper technicalities of how carb recycling works, the different hormones it triggers nor discuss complex measurements.
It will explain how and why carb cycling works, and what you need to do to put together your 7-day carb cycling plan. The results will speak for themselves.
So, if you are considering giving the carb cycling plan a try, this book will help you get started.
Here, I must insert the traditional disclaimer. If you suffer from any chronic illness or are taking any sort of medication, do consult your doctor before embarking on this plan.
Chapter 1 - How Carb Cycling Works
Remember how those old railway trains used to run?
Workers had to stand in front of a huge coal furnace, shoveling in huge quantities of coal. If the furnace was regularly fueled, the train would keep running at full speed. If the coal input slowed down, the train would lose speed. If the furnace was not regularly fed with coal, the train would come to a standstill.
Our body's metabolism is very similar to this process.
Carbs are the main food group that "fuels" our metabolism so that it burns calories and gives us energy. Carbs are also very filling. Therefore, diets that cut out or strictly limit carb intake make us feel tired and sluggish. They also make us irritable, hungry and more likely to binge.
With the 7-day carb cycling plan, a person consumes carbs to boost metabolism. The plan causes the body to use crab-rich foods to function at the optimal peak, burning fat and building muscle. The result is weight loss with less flab. It's that simple! This is what makes carb cycling unique and revolutionary.
But there's a catch. This doesn't mean going overboard with the carbs and eat tons of them day in, day out. The catch is that you follow a 7-day plan where you eat more carbs on certain days and less or no carbs on other days.
This allows your body to optimally "cycle" your carb intake so that you lose weight and build muscle mass.
The theory behind this is that on the days when your carb intake is low and fat intake is higher, your body is forced to burn fat for energy. This is what causes weight loss. The purpose of the High carb days is to keep your metabolism fueled and functioning peak level, providing you with energy.
What Is The 7-day Plan?
The weekly plan alternates high carb days with low carb days to keep your metabolism in a regular cycle of fat burning.
On high carb days, you can increase your carb intake while decreasing your fat intake. On low carb days, you can choose to eat small quantities of carbs or eliminate them altogether, while increasing fat and protein intake.
Athletes and people who exercise regularly often choose to synchronize their high carb days with practice or workouts when their energy levels are high. You may want to consider this for certain days when you are particularly active.
A typical 7-day plan looks like this:
Monday: High carb intake Tuesday: Low carb intake Wednesday: High carb intake.
Thursday: Low carb intake.
Friday: High carb intake.
Saturday: High carb day – or the option of rewarding yourself. You can indulge (moderately) in your favorite foods. This is also called "cheat day". Sunday: Low carb day.
Versions of the 7-day plan There are several versions of the plan where two or more high carb days will be followed by low carb days or some variation of this. Some examples are:
Alternative plan 1:
Day 1: High carbs Day 2: Low carbs Day 3: Zero carbs Day 4: Low carbs Day 5: High carbs Day 6: Low carbs Day 7: Zero carbs
Alternative plan 2:
Day 1: High carbs Day 2: Low carbs Day 3:
Zero carbs Day 4: Low carbs Day 5: High carbs Day 6: Low carbs
Day 7: Zero carbs There are a variety of other versions as well, such as 4 high carb days followed by three low carb days. However, as a beginner, you will want to start with the simple alternate day plan.
You can switch to a different cycle when you get the hang of it and feel you are ready. Or, you can stick to the basic plan throughout your journey until you have achieved your weight loss goal.
If you find that carb cycling works for you, you may want to delve deeper into these other plans. In this case, you will want to consult an expert. They will help you customize a plan that suits your weight goals, gender, and lifestyle.
The alternate-day plan we will use here is just the simplest for a beginner and will work for anyone(...)
