Carb Cycling for Obesity

Carb cycling can be an effective way to drop pounds. When dieting down from an obese level, low carb diets can be successful, but may leave you feeling tired and lethargic. Higher carb diets generally make you feel more energetic, but are often a more difficult way to lose weight. Carb cycling, however, gives you the results of a low carb diet, with the energy levels of a high carb diet.

Why Carb Cycling Works

Carbohydrates play an important role in the body. They cause your body to secrete more of the hormone insulin. A high level of insulin speeds the delivery of nutrients to the muscles, which can help you to build more muscle. A prolonged period of high insulin, however, can contribute to fat gain. This is why carb cycling is so successful for combating obesity. Your high carb days give you plenty of energy to build muscle, your low carb days aid in fat burning, and your moderate days are control days in between, so you don't experience too many fluctuations in energy levels.

Low Days

Have three low carb days each week on days where you either don't weight train, or perform a less demanding session, such as an arms workout. On these days, aim to eat between 0.5 and 1 g of carbs per pound of body weight. If you're not used to a low carb diet, start at the higher end and gradually reduce it as your body adapts. Nutritionist and bodybuilder Shelby Starnes advises that when losing fat, you should keep your protein intake to around 1.5 g per pound of body weight. Fat should be kept to no more than 0.35 g per pound of body weight.

Moderate Days

Follow each day with a moderate day, which should coincide with a weight training session. Consume 1.5 g of carbs and 0.15 to 0.35 g of fat per pound of body weight, with protein set at the level mentioned previously. The majority of your carbohydrates should be consumed between an hour before starting your workout to two hours after finishing it.

High Days

High days should be limited to one day per week, and saved for when you have an intense training session. Aim to consume 2 to 3 g of carbs per pound. of body weight, with fat intake as low as possible. Protein should be set at the same level as low and moderate days. Trainer Tom Venuto believes high days can provide a psychological break from dieting, and should also help you to maintain muscle mass.

Considerations

At an obese level, you may find exercising difficult, and would prefer to lose weight through diet alone, at least in the beginning. If this is the case, then alternate between low and moderate carbohydrate days, and do not include any high days in your diet until you begin training. Do not drop calories or carbohydrates too low to begin with -- if you are used to a high calorie intake, then a drastic reduction may result in fatigue and illness.