Carbohydrate cycling is pretty well known in the bodybuilding industry. It’s about making a diet that incorporates high carbohydrate days and low carbohydrate days that some how trick the body into maximizing fat loss. Sounds easy, right?  Not really.

We are talking about the mysteries of the human body. Why is it that some are better than others? At fat loss, that is! To keep it simple, carbohydrates are stored in your muscle cells and when the muscle cells become full, the carbohydrates are metabolized and stored as fat. Of course this is very basic, but you get the idea.

“Don’t over eat carbohydrates and you will not get fat!”

Time to make it even more frustrating! There are different types of carbs. Yes, I have to go there. The ones that are bad for you, or simple carbs, taste the best. Anything with those refined sugars will only add to the calories, minus your vitamins and minerals, and over flow those muscle storages. Say good-bye to the cupcake!

The complex carbs, on the other hand, tend to add more value when it comes to vitamins, minerals and fiber that serve a healthier environment for those fat loss strategies we are looking for. These are the carbs we are going to be discussing when it comes to low carb days versus high carb days and what you should be eating.

Low Carb Days

It’s all about the greens. This is where we need to discuss complex fibrous carbohydrates. Say hello to those green vegetables that are high in fiber. It is straight through the gut and out the colon keeping the digestive process at the top of its game. Calories from your greens are very low, so feel free to over do it.

  • Asparagus
  • Eggplant
  • Bamboo Shoots
  • Green Beans
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Cucumber
  • Lettuce
  • Mushrooms
  • Okra
  • Red/Green Peppers
  • Spinach
  • Zucchini

Time to get crazy! After three or four low-carb days, your complex starchy carbohydrates will taste like heaven. Now that we have depleted our carbohydrate levels within our muscles, it’s time to put it back, but don’t get too excited. There are a few more rules to follow.

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RELATED Low Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Pudding

High Carb Days

Stay away from the refined carbohydrates! Yes, I will be more specific. Refined carbs are foods that been run through a process called refinement. This process is done with a machine that removes the high-fiber parts of the carbohydrate (the bran and the germ) from the grain. When this happens, it takes away the complex properties of the carb and thus reverts it to the simple properties of a carbohydrate. Your do-not-eat list contains white rice, white flour, white bread, sugary cereals, pasta, noodles and pretty much anything made from white flour. If you stick with the following list of complex carbohydrates on your high carb days, you will be good to go!

  • Oatmeal
  • Legumes
  • Potatoes, Yams, Sweet Potato
  • Brown Rice
  • Whole Wheat Pasta
  • Whole Wheat/ Multi-grain Bread
  • Whole Grain Cereals (e.g. Muesli, Shredded Wheat)
  • Whole Barley
  • Buckwheat
  • Rye
  • Millet
  • Whole Grains
  • Beans- Lima, Red, Kidney
  • Black-Eyed Peas, Lentils, Chick Peas
  • Sweet Corn
  • Flour (Whole Wheat)

There you have it.  You now have enough information to be dangerous or at least make someone else miserable if you’re making his or her meals. Choose your carbs wisely and start making the changes needed to get you where you want to be!

P.S. Don’t forget your protein!

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