Everyone diets, but it’s not the same for everyone. This is why it is difficult to figure out if you are following the wrong diet or if you are not doing it right.
Carb Cycling is a very popular and talked-about system and for good reasons! It is great in comparison to most other routines since it is suitable for everyone. Carb cycling is very simple and with some monitoring, it can help you reach your goal efficiently. It’s less strenuous on the body and mind; also proven to have worked for most people.
The best part is, you don’t have to break up with any of your favorite foods. Instead, you can incorporate those delicious dishes into your high-carb days/cheat day!
Not just that, it can be followed as long as you want since it is not as demanding and intense as most routines. But just like everything else, this diet can go wrong if not conducted properly. Try to avoid some of the rookie mistakes and you should be good to go!
- Setting your Cycle
The main component of this regiment is balance. You have to find out how much your body can take and what makes you tick. If you’re like me and tend to swell up like a balloon around bakery items, you should add more low-carb days.
On the other hand, if your metabolism is fast you might not need to do so.
You’ll have to monitor your body’s reaction to the diet and tamper with it until you find the right balance that suits you.
- Overdoing Cheat Days
Cheat days might sound like a pizza, chips and donut party but it’s not. Instead, it’s about sweet potatoes, lentils and brown rice. Maybe one cupcake won’t hurt, but you cannot binge on fries. Alcohol is a no-no!
I know I promised earlier that you could still enjoy your favorite items on this day, and I am going to keep it! Here’s how you make your cheat day worth it.
You want to organize your cheat meals in such a way that it lets you enjoy your favorite dishes at regular, healthy intervals. Like on high-carb day 4, I will have 2 slices of pizza and on day 5, I’ll be digging into a cheesecake!
- Under-eating
Not eating is just as bad as binging, if not worse. Counting calories is an essential part of Carb Cycling and it needs to be done right if you want to make this work.
Your daily calorie deficit should be roughly 500 for proper functioning. Going too low can hamper your weight loss flow and missing out on essential calories might lead to malnourishment, defeating the entire purpose of this diet.
- Eating Right
High-Carb days are for whole grains and unrefined food items like legumes, fruits, potatoes, bran and oats. Sounds boring, I know. You might want to get on those cooking channels and learn how to make this taste good.
Steer clear of pizza bites and cheetos and make tofu your new best friend. Include food items that are rich in protein in your diet plan for low-carb days (Fish, lean meat, eggs etc.) Your diet has to be clean for this to work out in your favor.
- Losing Track
Dieting requires discipline and dedication. After a couple of weeks of training, it is natural for you to be exhausted. You might get tired of preparing your own food and other societal issues might be draining you.
So, maybe one night you want to forget about the diet and order a take out. You should expect this to happen, and when it does you can kiss your ripped abs bye bye before they could even arrive.
To avoid such obstacles, you need to be disciplined and organized. Making weekly meal plans and storing some food for these situations will help you stay on top of your diet plan and execute it successfully.
Carb Cycling is not just any simple diet plan. Many people have made it permanent in their lives as it is one of the healthiest fitness regimes out there.
It’s a good idea to follow fitness blogs such as Adamant and Greatist to keep yourself motivated. With sufficient knowledge and control, this routine could end up delivering marvelous results! Hopefully this list of “Don’ts” will come in handy and help you reach your goal.
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