Carb cycling helps you keep your sanity while producing extreme fat loss results!

Low carb or high carb? Low fat or high fat? High fat or high protein? Am I in ketosis?
…and on and on the questions go!

This is NOT the Atkin’s diet and you DON’T want to be in ketosis (typical of a high fat diet, not high protein). That’s a scientific discussion beyond the scope of this article.

Carb cycling is a very VERY effective way to lose extreme amount of fat while building a lean defined body.

The most effect fat burning principles
using carb cycling is simple:

  • High protein, moderate fat, low carb during the week keeps insulin low so you can burn fat like a machine
  • Glycogen levels drop in your muscle as do leptin levels if your calories are also very low
  • During the weekend, consume large quanties of carbohydrates (cheat meals!!) to replenish glycogen stores, increase leptin levels, satisfy cravings and more
  • Perform full body workouts and lift heavy weights (6-8 reps) to force your body to maintain lean muscle and burn fat.
  • Supplement the workouts with low rest interval metabolic work (higher rep bodyweight circuits).

Before your begin a plan like this, you must go through an adjustment period were you “teach” your body how to burn fat for fuel again.

Paradoxically, you must perform a period of 1-2 weeks of high fat, moderate protein and low carbs (once complete, you will switch to high protein, moderate fat and low carbs) so your body can awake the fat burning systems that have been supressed for so long due to elevated insulin levels.

The following graphs represent data that I compiled last year during one of my nutrition “experiments”. I am following this plan with the same excellent results! 

 Each “spike” in the graph above is my bodyweight increasing during my 24 hour weekend carb cycle

 Tracking bicep circumfrenece is an easy way to gauge whether or not you are losing precious muscle.  My arm size remained relatively constant while dropping over 10 pounds of fat. I only lost 1/8 inch on my bicep!

So what exactly did over 10 pounds of
weight loss translate into through carb cycling?

Over 2 inches off my waist is extreme fat loss when considering the shape I was already in!