Low Carb and No Carb Diets vs Carb Cycling

[caption id="attachment_20318" align="alignright" width="352"] Image Credit: DiscoverGoodNutrition.com [/caption]

Are you finding that your pants aren’t quite fitting the way they used to? Maybe that protruding muffin-top has started to get on your nerves?

If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these, and you’re resolved to do something about it, then maybe considering either a low carb meal plan or carb cycling is for you. But you’re probably thinking to yourself, what’s the difference? It’s okay, you’re not alone. There’s a great deal of confusion about diets (which in itself is simply a ‘way of eating’), period. It seems that every day there’s a new diet or “lose weight fast” program promising to cut through all the B.S. and put all the conflicting information into something that is not only understandable but based on some form of fact. That’s not necessarily the case.

Nevertheless, you must choose a program or plan that will work for you and your lifestyle – in particular the lifestyle you’d like to achieve even if you aren’t quite there yet. Try to narrow your options to a plan that will support your energy levels , mitigate stress as well as boost your metabolism and help with weight loss… wow! Is there such a thing?

Well, there’s a few options, but before you dive into a deep rabbit hole of options, here’s a few pointers to help you with your weight loss (release) journey.

5 Tips to Help You With Your Weight Loss Release Journey

Tip 1: Lose Weight Quick with a Low Carb Meal Plan

A low-carb diet puts people into a state of ketosis - this is a state where your body starts to use fat for energy based on lack of glucose in body.

[box type="note" align="aligncenter" class="" width=""] Definition of Ketosis care of Medical News Today : Ketosis is a metabolic process that occurs when the body does not have enough glucose for energy. Stored fats are broken down for energy, resulting in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body.[/box]

Carbohydrates are 1 of the 3 essential macro-nutrients making up the building blocks of our nutrition, and is largely responsible for the energy our body requires to do the things we do. Reducing and in some cases eliminating carbs from one's diet is a difficult process and requires making massive changes to daily eating habits. However, slowly, your body begins to acclimatize to the dietary changes and adjusts to the no-carb state.



The lack of carbohydrates in your diet prompts the utilization of stored carbohydrates in your body ( glycogen and blood sugar) for the production of energy. Once your body has used up that stock, it begins to break down stored fat to fuel us. This process of breakdown of stored fats results in the weight loss. However, a low carb diet, like the Atkins Diet , ensures quick weight loss initially, but eventually, you might find yourself hitting a plateau  or in some cases create a carbohydrate sensitivity that may result in future weight gain when carbohydrates are reintroduced.

Tip 2: Maintaining Weight Loss With Carb Cycling

Carb cycling, on the contrary, involves altering the carbohydrate intake pattern throughout your week. For example, you can be on a high carbohydrate diet for three days, and then on medium carbohydrate diet for two days, followed by a low carb diet for the remaining two days. You can alternate the days and practice carb cycling. It allows your body to continue producing the required amounts of energy through the week as well provide enough carbs to fuel your workouts as needed. Carb Cycling, as opposed to a low carb diet, is an easier way to achieve weight loss and tends to be sustainable for a much longer period.

Tip 3: The Importance Of A Balanced Diet

A well-balanced diet , any day, is a better solution to achieve long-term weight release and support a healthy, active lifestyle. Your body requires adequate minerals, vitamins, proteins, nutrients , as well as dietary fiber to work properly. Colorful fruits and vegetables contain a host of antioxidants that fight inflammation , boost your immunity , and support and develop your bones and teeth, among other things. Fruits like avocados, raspberries, and blueberries also contain omega-3 fatty acids that benefit your skin health. Reducing carbohydrates in many cases can affect your fiber intake and thereby prove counterproductive to maintaining a healthy, regular digestive system.

Tip 4: Safe Weight Loss With Carb Cycling

Carb cycling allows you to control your food intake and does not deprive your body of any essential nutrients. Believe it or not, carbohydrates are necessary for your bodily functions since they're responsible for most of the energy our body needs. Carb cycling is a much safer method of achieving weight loss – there's less of an instance of fatigue in particular when exercising and doing our daily activities.

Tip 5: The Effects of a Low Carb Diet

A low carb diet aims to cut and in some cases remove carbohydrates from the diet. The sudden shift might put your body into a state of distress and many report feeling fatigued. In most cases, people report that their bodies adjust and eventually become accustomed to the sudden change. However, it also exposes your body to certain risks. The lack of fiber in your diet results in irregular bowel movements, as well, reduction of fiber content in your body can affect cholesterol levels based on lack of soluble fiber in the low-carb diet.

So, is the Low-Carb / No Carb Diet for you?

A low-carb or no carb diet is fine for short periods of time, but overall, carb cycling tends to be a better option for sustained weight release and lifestyle support. But remember, diet is only a part of the solution. Make sure you are engaging in regular physical activity, which incorporates lots of variety of movements to work your cardiovascular and muscular systems. This way, the muffin top will be a thing of the past!

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Author Bio : Vineetha Reddy

Being a regular practitioner and adviser of everything related to nutrition, fitness, health and wellness, I also have begun to write and contribute to this knowledge ecosystem. I strongly believe that the organic food you find in your pantry provide the best benefits for good health. Follow me on Twitter  and Facebook  for my best ideas and solutions.