CARB CYCLING FOR WEIGHT LOSS: 7-DAY CARB CYCLING MEAL PLAN

CARBS GET A BAD RAP, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WEIGHT LOSS. BUT DID YOU KNOW, CARBS ARE AN ESSENTIAL SOURCE OF ENERGY FOR YOUR BODY’S CELLS? IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT, BUT CAN’T IMAGINE ELIMINATING CARBS FROM YOUR DIET, YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN CARB CYCLING. CARB CYCLING IS USED TO OPTIMIZE CARB INTAKE, BY CYCLING THE CARBS YOU EAT ON A DAILY, WEEKLY, OR MONTHLY BASIS. IT’S GREAT BECAUSE IT TAILORS CARB INTAKE TO THE INDIVIDUAL DEPENDING ON YOUR GOALS AND NEEDS. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN CARB CYCLING FOR WEIGHT LOSS, CHECK OUT OUR 7-DAY CARB CYCLING MEAL PLAN!

HOW DOES CARB CYCLING WORK?

SIMPLY PUT, THE CARB CYCLING MEAL PLAN IS EATING MORE CARBS ON SOME DAYS AND LESS CARBS ON OTHERS. YOU EAT CARBS WHEN THEY BENEFIT YOU AND CUT THEM OUT WHEN THEY’RE NOT NEEDED. ON THE CARB CYCLING DIET, YOU EAT 5 SMALLER MEALS A DAY: BREAKFAST, SNACK, LUNCH, SNACK, DINNER.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF DAYS ON THE CARB CYCLING DIET: HIGH CARB DAYS AND LOW CARB DAYS. FOR INSTANCE, YOU CAN CYCLE THREE LOW CARB DAYS FOLLOWED BY TWO HIGH CARB DAYS. HIGH CARB DAYS HELP MUSCLE GROWTH AND PERFORMANCE, WHILE LOW CARB DAYS HELP WITH FAT LOSS.

YOUR HIGH CARB DAYS SHOULD BE DAYS WHEN YOU PERFORM INTENSIVE FULL-BODY WEIGHT-LIFTING WORKOUTS, AND YOUR LOW CARB DAYS SHOULD BE YOUR REST DAYS, OR THE DAYS YOU DO CARDIO AT THE GYM.

ON HIGH CARB DAYS, YOU CAN EAT GOOD CARBS AND FRUIT (SEE THE LIST BELOW) WITH PROTEIN, VEGGIES AND HEALTHY FATS. ON LOW CARB DAYS, YOU EAT PROTEIN, VEGGIES AND HEALTHY FATS, BUT ELIMINATE THE CARBS. YOU ALWAYS WANT TO EAT AS MUCH PROTEIN AS POSSIBLE TO KEEP YOUR ENERGY UP AND MAINTAIN AN OVERALL HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

BENEFITS OF CARB CYCLING

MANY DIETS THAT TOTALLY ELIMINATE CARBS DON’T WORK WELL FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. THE STRICT EXCLUSION OF CARBS OFTEN GETS TO BE TOO MUCH, WHICH RESULTS IN PEOPLE GIVING IN AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. WITH CARB CYCLING, IT MAKES IT EASIER TO LOSE WEIGHT BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE TO RESTRICT YOURSELF SO MUCH. EVEN ON LOW CARB DAYS, YOU CAN REST ASSURED YOU’LL BE ABLE TO EAT CARBS THE NEXT DAY (OR IN A COUPLE OF DAYS) SO IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE YOU’RE DEPRIVING YOURSELF TOO MUCH.

PLUS, WITH THE COMBINATION OF LOW CARB DAYS AND HIGH CARB DAYS, YOU’RE GETTING THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. ON LOW CARB DAYS, YOU’RE MINIMIZING FAT GAIN AND INCREASING INSULIN SENSITIVITY, WHICH MAINTAINS BETTER BODY COMPOSITION. ON HIGH CARB DAYS, YOUR BODY BURNS MORE CALORIES AND INCREASES THE HORMONE LEPTIN, WHICH KEEPS YOU FROM FEELING HUNGRY. HIGH CARB DAYS ALSO MAKE YOU FEEL ENERGIZED AND REPLENISH GLYCOGEN STORES THAT FUEL YOUR MUSCLES.

CARBS YOU CAN EAT ON THE CARB CYCLING MEAL PLAN

WHOLE GRAIN BREAD

WHOLE GRAIN PASTA

BROWN RICE

BEANS AND LENTILS

QUINOA

COUSCOUS

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

SWEET POTATOES

WHITE POTATOES WITH SKIN

OATMEAL

FRESH BEETS

CARB RICH FRUITS LIKE BLUEBERRIES, BANANAS, PINEAPPLE, PEACHES, ORANGES, PLUMS, AND MANGO

STARCHY VEGETABLES LIKE CORN AND PEAS

CARBS YOU CANNOT EAT ON THE CARB CYCLING MEAL PLAN

WHITE BREAD

WHITE RICE

WHITE PASTA

TORTILLAS AND WRAPS

FRENCH FRIES

PIZZA

MUFFINS

PANCAKES

PASTRIES

CAKES

REFINED CEREALS

IF YOU’RE JUST GETTING INTO CARB CYCLING, HERE’S A 7-DAY CARB CYCLING DIET MENU PLAN YOU CAN USE TO GET INTO THE SWING OF THINGS! I’LL USE THE EXAMPLE: 3 LOW CARB DAYS FOLLOWED BY TWO HIGH CARB DAYS.

MONDAY (LOW CARB DAY)

BREAKFAST: 2 WHOLE EGGS (SCRAMBLED, POACHED OR FRIED), ½ CUP CARB RICH FRUIT LIKE BLUEBERRIES OR PEACHES, ½ CUP OATMEAL

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

LUNCH: ITALIAN SUB ROLL-UPS | OUR PALEO LIFE

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

DINNER: EASY ARTICHOKE, SPINACH AND HERB FRITTATA | LINDA WAGNER

TUESDAY (LOW CARB DAY)

BREAKFAST: 3 WHOLE EGGS (SCRAMBLED, POACHED OR FRIED) WITH AVOCADO

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

LUNCH: GREEK CHICKEN BOWLS | EAZY PEAZY MEALZ

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

DINNER: GARLIC BROWN SUGAR FLANK STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI | HOW SWEET EATS

WEDNESDAY (LOW CARB DAY)

BREAKFAST: 2 WHOLE EGGS (SCRAMBLED, POACHED OR FRIED), ½ CUP CARB RICH FRUIT LIKE BLUEBERRIES OR PEACHES, ½ CUP OATMEAL

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

LUNCH: AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD LETTUCE WRAPS | WHOLE AND HEAVENLY OVEN

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

DINNER: SKINNY CHICKEN FAJITA SOUP | A SPICY PERSPECTIVE

THURSDAY (HIGH CARB DAY)

BREAKFAST: SAUSAGE, EGG AND ONION SCRAMBLE WITH WHOLE WHEAT TOAST

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER + BANANA

LUNCH: SALMON NOODLE BOWLS | THE BLOND COOK

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER + BANANA

DINNER: WHOLE GRAIN PENNE WITH SPINACH, WHITE BEANS AND GARLIC OIL | RACHAEL HARTLEY NUTRITION

FRIDAY (HIGH CARB DAY)

BREAKFAST: SAUSAGE, EGG AND ONION SCRAMBLE WITH WHOLE WHEAT TOAST

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER + BANANA

LUNCH: CHICKPEA, SPINACH AND SWEET POTATO BROWN RICE BOWL | GREEN EVI

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER + BANANA

DINNER: SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN VEGAN BURRITOS | KIM’S CRAVINGS

SATURDAY (LOW CARB DAY)

BREAKFAST: 2 WHOLE EGGS (SCRAMBLED, POACHED OR FRIED), ½ CUP CARB RICH FRUIT LIKE BLUEBERRIES OR PEACHES, ½ CUP OATMEAL

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

LUNCH: MINI BELL PEPPER LOADED TURKEY “NACHOS” | SKINNY TASTE

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

DINNER: ONE POT TERIYAKI CHICKEN ZOODLES | LIFE MADE SWEETER

SUNDAY (LOW CARB DAY)

BREAKFAST: 3 WHOLE EGGS (SCRAMBLED, POACHED OR FRIED) WITH AVOCADO

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

LUNCH: BUFFALO CHICKEN CELERY STICKS | MANTITLEMENT

SNACK: 2 SCOOPS PROTEIN POWDER IN WATER

DINNER: CILANTRO LIME SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH ZUCCHINI NOODLES | CLOSET COOKING

CARB CYCLING IS A HEALTHY WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET YOUR BODY INTO A HEALTHIER STATE. TRY OUT THIS 7-DAY CARB CYCLING MEAL PLAN AND SEE HOW SIMPLE IT IS TO ELIMINATE CARBS ON CERTAIN DAYS, WHILE EATING GOOD CARBS THE OTHER DAYS!