Carb Cycling
 

I just finished a book written by Chris Powell (Extreme Makeover: Weightloss Edition) and I think that I am going to give it a try. It seems like it is easy to follow and if he can help people lose 400 pounds why can't he help me lose 70? I read it on my Kindle so I am just waiting for my paper copy to get here so I can take it grocery shopping and so that it is easier for me to flip back and forth.

Basically it is a day of low carbs (and about 1200 calories) followed my a day of high carbs (about 1500 calories), 3 days a week you do shaping exercises (push ups, sit ups, and squats) and 6 days a week you do cardio intervals :woops::ebike::swim:. You do this every other day for 6 days and then you have a free day with no exercise and no food/carb restrictions (you still have to stay below 2400 calories).

Has anyone tried this method? If so how has it worked for you?

Haven't done it but it's worth a shot for you - if it works super if not you can go a more traditional route with LC.. :)

I tried a carb cycling approach for about two weeks. I did low, moderate and high days. You rotate these days and do your hardest workout on days with more carbs. I only lasted two weeks because I always feel like crap on low carb, even if I know I only have to do two days. The plan I was following wasn't even extremely low carbs on the low days, and I still felt like crap. I also could not deal with the fact that dieting in this way made the scale fluctuate more than ever. I weigh every day, so this was a tad bit distressing, not knowing what my "real weight" was. I also had issues because I want to eat things as the situation arises. If my coworker brings some awesome strawberries in, I want to be able to eat some. On low carb days, I was just bored. Bored and tired of lettuce. And tired of ketosis pee and carb crabbies. The low down is, though, that bodybuilders have been doing this for eons to "cut" bodyfat for competition. It is supposed to be really effective for preserving lean tissue while burning fat. I say go for it, and please post if it works for you. Maybe I'll get the motivation to try it again and get these few stubborn pounds off.

I will definitely let you know. I am starting this on Monday after I weigh and get a body fat measurement from my trainer tomorrow. Right now I am just trying to figure out what is considered low carb :?: I have found many different answers and the ranges are huge!