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Interior and Designer: Angela Navarra
Art Producer: Hannah Dickerson
Editor: Kelly Koester
Photography 2021 Marija Vidal, food styling by Oscar Molinar, cover; Marija Vidal, pp. courtesy of Anchor & Lace Photography.
ISBN: Print 978-1-64876-974-0
eBook 978-1-64876-282-6
R0
To Elijah and Josh, for teaching me that moms really do make magic happen.
CONTENTS
Welcome! Im so glad youre here, because I want to tell you something. You can eat carbs and still lose weight.
You may not believe me yet, and for a good reasonmaybe youve been cutting out carbs for ages and barely seen any progress. If you had to eat a burger without a bun again, itd be too soon. Ugh! Carbs are frustrating, right?
You probably love carbs as much as I do. The thought of giving them up to lose weight is a hard pill to swallow. Nobody wants to blow out the candles on a low-carb birthday cake. Yet still, youve done every low-carb diet out there with little to show for it. In fact, you may be heavier now than at the start of your first low-carb diet. So, would your ears perk up if you heard you could have your cake and lose weight on a weight-loss diet, too?
Carb cycling has been around the bodybuilding and fitness world forever. I remember using the concept myself when training for a fitness competition back in 2005, shortly after graduating from college. At that time, it was a means to meet weight goals in a short period. I used to look forward to high-carb dayssome days, it kept me going. And from a science standpoint, the high-carb days gave me the energy I needed to get through tough workouts and cardio sessions. Did it work? Sure did. Anyone familiar with bodybuilding and fitness competitions knows the goal is to lose as much body fat as possible to show off your gym-built muscles. I did that with carb cycling.
Over the years, my knowledge of carb cycling has moved from anecdotal to based on research and practice. After college, I followed through on my goals, became a registered dietitian, and then pursued my specialty certification in sports nutrition. Ive written countless articles about carb cycling for various fitness magazines, and Ive developed individualized carb-cycling plans for several clients with different goals. Ive seen carb cycling work when applied appropriatelynot just for athletes, but for clients wanting to lose weight.
You can finally lose weight without having to give up carbs. It is possible, and I am going to show you how to make this happen for yourself. Ill walk you through the process step-by-step until you fully understand the formula and have mastered the tools to reach your weight-loss goals. Ive mapped it out for youeverything you need to know about carb cycling, a 21-day meal and exercise program to jump-start weight loss, and plenty of recipes to keep it up.
You wont find a magic pill or fast track to weight loss in this book. While it is possible to see results quickly with carb cycling, the truth of the matter is that theres no guarantee without showing up and putting in the work. If youre ready to lose weight, feel great, and eat carbs, I challenge you to dive right in. Thank you for choosing me to accompany you on your health and weight-loss journey. Good luck!
PART ONE:
BREAK THE DIETING CYCLE
Carbohydrates have a long history of being blamed for obesity, heart disease, and even cancer. While its true carbs may contribute to these health conditions, fear of them is out of control. Carbs are not the evil nutrient many people believe them to be. In fact, carbohydrates contribute to a healthy weight-loss diet as much as protein and fats. With carb cycling, Ill show you how to benefit from and enjoy eating carbs while losing weight.
WHY CARB CYCLING?
Carb cycling is alternating the number of carbs you eat throughout the week. For example, today you may eat mostly low-carb foods, and tomorrow you follow a high-carb approach. Carb cycling is often planned around your exercise schedule, allotting more carbs on the days theyre needed the most.
Carb cycling has long been used by elite athletes, bodybuilders, and those requiring more detailed weight-loss protocols for their lifestyle. As the popularity of advanced diets grows in the mainstream market, so has the interest in carb cycling. Now more than ever, people want fast weight loss without having to give up their favorite foods, especially carbs. Carb cycling provides all the benefits of a low-carb diet without the restrictive nature of a low- or no-carb approach.
