Make no mistake that calorie control is the main determining factor when it comes to fat loss, but macronutrient manipulation (e.g. carbohydrate cycling) is the next step for accelerating that process. It’s understandable that many people just assume that the best way to lose fat is to eliminate carbs from their diet altogether.
However, going “no-carb” isn’t necessary (nor would it be optimal) for fast fat loss. Bear in mind that carbohydrate restriction isn’t the same thing as calorie restriction; unbeknownst to many low-carb dieters, they mainly drop weight so rapidly because they are simultaneously cutting calories (from the carb reduction) and losing muscle glycogen and water weight.
So yes, cutting carbs does help, but it’s not the panacea for fat loss. Therefore, this article will explain exactly what carb cycling is, how it works, and how to devise a carb cycling regimen to cut off that unwanted body-fat, fast!
Carbohydrate cycling is a mean’s of altering your daily calorie intake by manipulating the amount of carbohydrates you consume. In general, carb cycling is comprised of three different days:
NOTE*--You will inevitably need to fine-tune the exact amount of carbs you eat as you progress throughout the diet
The human body is smart, and it knows exactly how much energy (calories) it needs, so there is a bit of a conundrum we are all faced with—fat loss requires us to burn more calories than we consume, but if you do that for a long period of time the body adapts by reducing its metabolic rate (since survival is its primary concern, not being shredded). Think about it from a biological perspective, it would be imprudent for your body to be depleting its energy reserves if nourishment is limited.
Thus, when the goal is to lose fat, you don’t want to be metabolically-efficient. You want the opposite—to be as metabolically inefficient as possible, meaning you need more energy as a result of having a faster metabolism.
Ultimately, if your metabolism is less efficient, you can eat more during the fat loss process and still shed off body fat.
Whichever weight category you fall into, those will be the number of calories and macronutrients you will aim for on the given days.
Weight (lbs) |
Calorie Goal |
No-Carb Day Macros |
Low-Carb Day Macros |
100-120 lbs |
1,500 |
170/20/85 |
150/94/58 |
121-140 lbs |
1,700 |
193/23/96 |
170/107/66 |
141-160 lbs |
1,900 |
216/26/107 |
190/120/74 |
161-180 lbs |
2,100 |
239/29/118 |
210/133/82 |
181-200 lbs |
2,300 |
262/32/129 |
230/146/90 |
201-220 lbs |
2,400 |
273/34/135 |
240/153/94 |
221-240 lbs |
2,500 |
285/35/140 |
250/160/98 |
241-260 lbs |
2,600 |
297/36/146 |
260/166/102 |
261+ lbs |
2,700 |
309/38/157 |
270/172/106 |
***Macros given as grams of Protein/Carbohydrate/Fat
High-Carb/Refeed Day Calorie and Macronutrient Breakdown
Weight (lbs) |
Calorie Goal |
High-Carb Day Macros |
100-120 lbs |
2,000 |
150/250/56 |
121-140 lbs |
2,200 |
165/275/60 |
141-160 lbs |
2,400 |
170/300/64 |
161-180 lbs |
2,600 |
185/325/68 |
181-200 lbs |
2,800 |
200/350/72 |
201-220 lbs |
2,900 |
208/368/74 |
221-240 lbs |
3,000 |
216/381/76 |
241-260 lbs |
3,100 |
224/394/78 |
261+ lbs |
3,200 |
232/407/80 |
***Macros given as grams of Protein/Carbohydrate/Fat
The Diet Rotation
Diet Rotation (Starting on Monday)—
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
Low-Carb |
Low-Carb |
No-Carb |
No-Carb |
No-Carb |
High-Carb |
Low-Carb |
Keep track of everything you put in your mouth. Make sure you’re weighing out your portions and reading food labels so you have the proper serving size measurements. There are many apps available nowadays, such as MyFitnessPal, that easily allow you to log your food intake.
You should aim to eat 4-6 meals/snacks per day! Simply spread out your calorie/macronutrient intake accordingly. Don’t worry if you indulge just a little bit here and there, the most important thing is to be meeting your calorie and macronutrient intake at the end of the day!
Lastly, don’t freak out if you happen to be just a bit off from your calorie and/or macronutrient goal(s) at the end of the day. If your goal is to eat 1600 calories but you end up eating, say 1650 calories, don't sweat it. Just make up the difference the next day by eating a little less. Nobody is perfect and it is simply doing you more harm than good by ruminating over such a trivial matter.
The following table shows what foods we recommend you base your diet around. Remember, you don’t need to sacrifice taste just because you’re trying to lose fat. Be creative and use seasonings and no-calorie condiments to give your food some kick without sabotaging your goals.
Food Groups |
Recommended Foods List |
Grains |
Basmati Rice Whole-grain Pasta Grits Quinoa Whole-grain Bread Oats Barley Whole-wheat Couscous Shredded Wheat Brown Rice
|
Vegetables (Non Starchy) |
Salad/Lettuce Zucchini Artichoke Brussels Sprouts Broccoli Celery Spinach Sour Cabbage Asparagus Beetroot |
Vegetables (Starchy)
|
Sweet Potato Lentils Corn Green Peas Kidney Beans Chick Peas Carrots Beans Yams
|
Fruit |
Bananas Apples Plums Pineapple Orange Grapes Apricots Pears Figs Blueberries Melons Watermelon Cherries Peaches
|
Dairy |
Fat-Free/Low-Fat Milk Fat Free/Low-Fat Cottage Cheese Fat-Free/Low-Fat Yogurt Fat-Free/Low-Fat Cheese Greek Yogurt
|
Lean Protein |
Tuna Egg Whites (whole eggs also count as fat source) Skinless Chicken Breast 96% Lean Beef Lamb Chops 96% Lean Turkey Fillet Steak 96% Lean Beef Tilapia Shrimp Salmon (also counts as fat source) |
Healthy Fats |
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Avocado Peanuts Almonds Cashews Pistachios Natural Peanut Butter Olives Coconut (unsweetened)
|
Using the information in this guide and putting it to use will surely help you cut off unwanted body-fat and keep you feeling energetic and healthy. Remember, stick to the diet and be consistent with your exercise regimen, as the latter is just as important as the former.
You shouldn’t feel too “deprived” at any point when doing a carb cycling diet; the good thing about the this type of diet is you get to have your cake and eat it too, at least one day a week. You have the knowledge, now make it happen!