Did you know that, on average, muscle makes up around 40% of one’s body weight? Many people love the idea of gaining muscle and getting stronger as much as they love the idea of losing weight. Fortunately, with carb cycling, you can do both at once.
When trying to lose weight, many people find that they can only get down to a certain weight and never seem to be able to hit their weight loss goals. Many people attribute this problem to the consumption of carbohydrates. Some people are able to lose weight by completely excluding carbs from their diet, as with the case of the keto diet.
However, you don’t have to give up carbs completely if you want to lose weight. Keep reading and learn how the carb cycling meal plan can help.
What Is Carb Cycling?
When it comes to carb cycling for weight loss and the question, “What is carb cycling exactly?” the first thing you need to know is that it involves the alternation of carb intake and not necessarily the aversion of carbs altogether. While you can easily lose weight by not eating any carbs at all, many people find this to be a difficult task. After all, do you really want to give up the occasional slice of bread, a scoop of potatoes, and even fruit?
The reason why people typically look down on carb intake when it comes to losing weight is that carbs can easily cause people to gain weight. Carbohydrates are complex sugars that are full of energy. Many athletes eat large amounts of carbohydrates before a big game to get them pumped full of energy.
But the problem is this: the average person often eats far too many carbs without even realizing it. If you are not an athlete and spend most of the day sitting, you don’t need to consume many carbs because you are not using up a lot of energy. So, when you eat carbs, instead of providing you with energy, the carbs will end up stored as fat, acting as a store of energy for a later time.
But you will likely never cut into that store of energy unless you start playing sports and running marathons (which most people aren’t likely to do). That’s why limiting carbs is so important. If you limit your intake of carbs in the first place, it will be much more difficult to gain weight.
When it comes to the carb cycling diet, many people may enjoy writing up a meal plan. This way, they can see how many carbs they are allowed to eat per day.
How to Carb Cycle
When it comes to how to carb cycle, you may find that it is somewhat of a difficult task at first. This is normal and you shouldn’t get frustrated. Instead, have patience, because learning how to carb cycle is a long and important process.
It takes some experience until you can find the perfect balance for your carb intake plan. You should also keep in mind that there is no wrong way to carb cycle (unless you find yourself gaining weight again). There are different ways to do it so it can fit into any kind of lifestyle.
Some people prefer to adjust their carb intake by the day. Others may prefer to adjust their intake by the week or even by the month. Whatever the case, the goal is always the same: limit your carb intake, lose weight, and maybe build some muscle along the way.
The main trick is to only consume carbs when your body needs them. If your body doesn’t need them, you shouldn’t be tempted to snack on carbs, even if it is only a small amount. For example, many people find that eating a small number of carbs after working out is the ideal time to consume them.
After working out, you will have broken down your muscle fibers to a certain extent. You will start to build muscle mass once those fibers heal, but in order to heal, those muscles need energy. Carbs are the perfect energy source for recovering muscles.
But you should always keep in mind how many carbs you are consuming. While eating carbs after your workout is fine, you don’t want to go overboard and end up gaining weight instead. Otherwise, your weight loss goals will be for naught.
When Can You Eat Carbs When Carb Cycling?
Your carb intake doesn’t have to be limited to a post-workout period only. There are various occasions on which you can eat carbs. As mentioned before, many athletes benefit from eating a carb-rich meal before a big game.
Eating all these carbs before intense and drawn-out physical exercise will give the athletes the energy they need to stay in the game.
You can also set up “refeed” days for yourself. Some people on the carb cycling diet may avoid carbs for a whole week or even a whole month. Then, one day out of the week or month, they will allow themselves a carb-heavy meal.
This will allow them to get the carbs that they need for that period of time. However, this is more of a long-term approach to carb cycling.
If you carb cycle for only a short period, this approach may not be ideal. Supplements such as ChiroThin supplements can also be great to add to your carb cycling diet.
This way, you can ensure you aren’t missing out on any important nutrients.
All About Carb Cycling
Carb cycling is a great way to lose weight if you are having trouble. By alternating your carb intake, you will be able to lose fat and gain muscle easier than ever before.
Are you ready to get started on the path to a healthier you? Click here to find a ChiroThin doctor in your area.