Carbohydrate Rotation for Quick Weight Loss

Carbohydrate rotation has been used by professional and amateur athletes to shed extra body fat for years now while the rest of us poor slobs have been trying one fad diet after another in our useless attempts to shed unwanted pounds. Isn't it time we stop riding the weight loss roller coaster and just do what the pros do?

How It Works

Carbohydrate rotation involves eating low-carb for several days followed by one day of moderate carbohydrate intake and repeating the cycle as needed. The low carbohydrate days will be the days when you lose weight while the moderate carbohydrate days will help to reset your slowing metabolism before you start another low carbohydrate cycle.

Low-Carb Days

Begin the day with 50g carbs (like a bagel or a bowl of oatmeal) and be sure to get 300g of protein throughout the day in 50g increments (six meals). If you exercise, follow training with 50g of carbs along with 50g protein. Your carbohydrate count for the day should be no more than 100g total or 30 percent of your protein intake.

The Cycle

After 2-7 days of low carbohydrate eating, when you start dragging and feeling lethargic, take a moderate carb day.

Moderate-Carb Days

Begin the day with 50g carbs (like a bagel) and be sure to get 300g of protein throughout the day in 50g increments (six meals). Every other meal, three out of six, should include 50g of carbs. Remember to use one of those high carb meals for your post-workout meal. Your carbohydrate count for a moderate carb day should be 150g total or 50 percent of your protein intake.

Room to Maneuver

People who generally eat a high carb diet may find that they notice significant weight loss simply by matching carbs to protein one for one. You will find that 300g of protein and 300g of carbs will be quite satisfying provided you always eat your protein first and ensure you get the full 300g even if you can't manage to put down 300g of carbs.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Those who weigh under 200 pounds but still need to lose bodyfat (like women) should adjust their numbers accordingly.

Example

If you weigh, or would like to weigh 150 then you should set your protein intake at 225g. Carbohydrate intake for low carb days should be to 50g total and moderate carb days should include only 75g of carbohydrates.

Results

Someone who generally eats a diet high in starch and weighs 200 pounds or more can reasonably expect to lose anywhere from 1-2 pounds per low carb day on this diet.

Warning

If you are already significantly low in bodyfat, you may find the weight will come off much more slowly. You could easily lose weight faster on a starvation diet but the weight lost would be muscle and muscle loss means a higher fat to muscle ratio, effectively making you proportionally fatter than you were before you started. Not exactly what we're looking for from weight loss.