As many of you know, I was stuck for more than a month. I was monitoring my calories, getting in all my Protein and exercising, yet the scale didn't budge. I know, plateaus are normal, but they still suck. Around the time the plateau hit I also started taking birth control pills. I even gained 2 pounds, which for me was the deal breaker. I had to find a way to break the plateau and start losing again.

So I started researching. Low carb, high carb, no carb, etc. I see so many variations on here! What's right? What's wrong? I already knew it was a matter of choice without a clear right or wrong answer, but I also knew individual body needs also played a very big part in it. During my research I kept coming across something called carb cycling, so I decided to look more into it.

Carb cycling is essentially trying to optimize your metabolism by alternating high and low carb days. Body builders often do this to build muscle and burn fat before a contest but it's also very helpful for weight loss. Then one day I turned on Doctor Oz...and wouldn't you know it... it was an episode on carb cycling. Chris Powell, of The Biggest Loser, was on his show talking about he has all the contestants on the show carb cycle and how he does it. For me, this was the point I decided to give carb cycling a try.

Chris Powell's method is specifically for weight loss so I decided to go with his (there's many out there). He has an excellent book called “Choose to Lose: The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution”.

His theory: No carb diets don't work. It's not sustainable long term and eventually it significantly slows the metabolism. Worse, people who cut out carbs usually end up gaining all their weight back and then some when they do suddenly reintroduce carbs. Carbs are the energy block of the body and a long term lack of carbs will cause the thyroid to slow down significantly.

7 day diet/carb cycling: High carb day followed by low carb day, alternating daily. Start on a high carb day and always eat within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning. Always limit or omit carbs after 6pm.

All this is within your own personal daily calorie allowance.

High carb day/energy day:

• Preferably complex carbs. Protein, low fat. unlimited veggies.
  

Low carb day/burn day:

• A little carb in the morning to boost metabolism
  
• Cut carbs the rest of the day.
  
• Protien, healthy fats, unlimited veggies
  

3 of each/low carb and high carb. 7th day is cheat day

Cheat day:

• Boost calories to boost metabolism
  
• Boost to no more than 1000 extra calories a day
  
• Cheat at Breakfast and lunch, not dinner. 6-12pm “behave”
  
• Cheat at a table. Not in a car, or at a sofa, etc. No “hypno binging”
  
• No leftovers allowed.
  

Mind you, this is the short version of all this. If this interests you, I'd strongly suggest buying his book for a better understanding. It's very enlightening.

...So this is what I've done for the last week. I am very happy to say, carb cycling broke my plateau, despite still being on the birth control pill too. I lost 5.4 pounds this week!

I have decided I am going to continue to carb cycle. I am not a fan of the low carb days, but I am getting more used to them. Plus, I find my "carb cravings" have all but disappeared since starting this- something I didn't think possible.

For me, it's working. I just thought I'd share the results of my little self experiment

Okay here is what i had for breakfast this morning. (low carb day)

2 Hard boiled egg whites only (I remove the yolk)

1 laughing cow lite cheese wedge

1 mini whole wheat soft wrap

1 bed of lettuce

pepper for taste

Calories: 135

Fat: 3.5

Protein: 18.8

Carbs: 10.8

Fiber: 6

Not sure what happened there.. I uploaded my breakfast, see if I can do it again.... LBT is acting up

Not sure what happened there.. I uploaded my breakfast, see if I can do it again.... LBT is acting up

sorry, I am wasting up space here, I forgot to tell you I mixed that cheese wedge in the eggs

Be careful ladies and gentlemen! Carb cycling isn't the best option and can completely tank your pancreas. Only extreme athletes do this and only for very limited amount of time! Goodluck

Be careful ladies and gentlemen! Carb cycling isn't the best option and can completely tank your pancreas. Only extreme athletes do this and only for very limited amount of time! Goodluck

Unless you're severely diabetic, it actually can't hurt you. I've researched this for weeks and it's actually much safer than low carb all the time.

Well I swore to myself I wouldn't step on the scale until Sunday but curiousity got the best of me, and I checked this morning. I'm down just a hair over 5 lbs! I was skeptical - eating so often makes me nervous - but it's working!

You are all brave woman, I am going to wait my full 7 day to jump on the scale. I am tempted don't get me wrong. but I am use to getting on the scale once a week so I don't want to make a habbit of doing it everyday. I can't handle the stress like that, No really I may wand up throwing my scale at the backyard window. Imagine the neighbors watching a scale fly through the air..... hahahahaaa.

Haha i'm not brave for getting on the scale- it just shows I have no self control- I'm only supposed to weigh myself 1x per week, and I wind up checking my weight 2x per day. Terrible, I know.

All this scale talk reminds me of a joke:

A guy forgets his wife's bday so she gets all huffy and says "we're through unless tomorrow morning there is something in the driveway that goes 0-180 in 7.2 seconds"!! (obviously she meant a sports car)

The next morning she looks out the window and see's a small box in the driveway with a bow. She unwraps it and lo and behold: It's a scale!! :lol:

Haha i'm not brave for getting on the scale- it just shows I have no self control- I'm only supposed to weigh myself 1x per week, and I wind up checking my weight 2x per day. Terrible, I know.

All this scale talk reminds me of a joke:

A guy forgets his wife's bday so she gets all huffy and says "we're through unless tomorrow morning there is something in the driveway that goes 0-180 in 7.2 seconds"!! (obviously she meant a sports car)

The next morning she looks out the window and see's a small box in the driveway with a bow. She unwraps it and lo and behold: It's a scale!! :lol:

LOL, toooo funny!

Well I swore to myself I wouldn't step on the scale until Sunday but curiousity got the best of me, and I checked this morning. I'm down just a hair over 5 lbs! I was skeptical - eating so often makes me nervous - but it's working!

You couldn't hold out Jen!!! LOLOLOL GREAT news! I am jelly

Hanna, o wow that is great!!! You are doing really good on this too! ((hugs))

Awww thanks!!! Hugs right back atcha!!

Can't wait to hear about your losses when you get on the scale!

Just finished logging in for today and I had

1195 calories

129g of carbs

51g of fat

70g of protein

Hope i'm doin ok...

I felt like I ate like a cow today

Just finished logging in for today and I had

1195 calories

129g of carbs

51g of fat

70g of protein

Hope i'm doin ok...

I felt like I ate like a cow today

I think you're doing good! My only suggestion would be to maybe lower your fat a little on the high carb days. I know, it's confusing. This whole thing is one big learning experience.

I think you're doing good! My only suggestion would be to maybe lower your fat a little on the high carb days. I know, it's confusing. This whole thing is one big learning experience.

Thank you SO much for your continued support/advice/recommendations!! You have no clue how much I appreciate it, it has helped me so greatly.

I think I got it, for the low carb days, we go high on fat

For the high carb days we go low on fat

Thank you SO much for your continued support/advice/recommendations!! You have no clue how much I appreciate it, it has helped me so greatly.

I think I got it, for the low carb days, we go high on fat

For the high carb days we go low on fat

Yes exactly!

High carb days=low fat

Low carb days=high fat

The reason low carb days are high fat is because your body can't handle both low carb and low fat. It will start to use it's own muscle for energy- which we do not want at all.

High carb days are your typical low fat because the carbs are energy.

Just a little update. Today I have officially been carb cycling for 2 weeks.

I've lost 11.6 pounds during that time!

Doing the happy dance for ya !!! baaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaa GREAT job on the loss and yaaaa for the scale finally moving, soo proud of you girlfriend (hugs)