Carb Cycling for Weight Loss: Does It Work?

There are tons of diet plans and workout plans out there that offer weight loss solutions for those who are looking to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. One of the newest trends that is being seen is carb cycling. This is one way that many people have said that they lose weight and the lifestyle still allows them to enjoy those foods they love at some point during the cycle. However, is this an effective way to lose weight or is it just a fad?

What is Carb Cycling?

So, just what is carb cycling? Carb cycling is a diet process in which you alternate how many carbs you take in on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis, depending upon your choice. The idea is that through doing this you can lose fat, maintain your physical performance and overcome the dreaded plateau that many often hit when they have been dieting for a long period of time. The idea is that through doing this you are going to be telling the body to maximize the benefits of the carbs that you do take in, while increasing the chances of the body burning the fat in the body as fuel.

Does Carb Cycling Work?

So, is carb cycling something that would work for you? The truth of the matter is that this is a fairly new way to lose weight and there have not been a ton of studies done on it. However, the science behind this diet does suggest that when it is paired with a workout routine that a person can lose weight. Plus, it has the added benefit of giving a person more control over their diet. They can choose if they will lay off carbs for a day, a week or even a month before they eat them again. For those who love carbs, it can be an easy to take a day or so off of these to start their body on the right path for burning their fat for fuel.

However, it should be pointed out that many researchers are pointing to the fact that you still need to stick to a low calorie diet even while not eating carbs. While also working out to get the best results when you do use carb cycling as your diet plan.

Carb Cycling vs Keto

Keto and carb cycling are very similar in many ways, yet they are very different. Both are ways in which people are losing weight. However, which one is better? To know this, you have to look at the way in which these diets are working.

Carb cycling, as stated before, allows you to choose how long you will be without carbs and then to eat carbs, cycle through this and repeat. On the other hand, keto encourages a person to not eat carbs until they are at the weight loss that they want to see.  While on the carb cycle you can have low carb days then high carb days. However, with keto, those low carb days are basically where you eat no carbs at all in order to get your body into a state of ketosis which allows the body to look for other sources of fuel.

So which is better? Most people prefer carb cycling simply because it allows for more carbs and they get a better choice of how they approach this diet. Whereas Keto, is a bit more strict in what you can and cannot eat. However, both can cause you to lose weight. The best idea is to talk with your doctor about which diet would be the best for your weight loss goals.