Carb Cycling #healthandbeauty Mini Series #4

On my snapchat (@madd_thibodeau), I posted a video series describing how I would be starting this new thing called carb cycling. I decided to make a change because I was eating too much sugar and carbs. I felt bloated all the time and unsatisfied in my hunger. My teeth color wasn't how it used to be and I was losing confidence. I knew it was time to make a change. My first step was to make a list of all the things I was currently doing at the time in regards to carbs and sugar. I was eating jam at least five times a week, in addition to my cheat meals that were always sugary, I had added sugar in everything and I wasn't watching the amount of sugars in my foods, even the "healthy" granola bars. Carb cycling was the perfect switch. Carb cycling is the variation of going between a low carb, high protein and high fat day and a high carb, regular protein and low fat day and one allowed reward day. I also regulated my carbs by watching my grams of sugar. The tools I used were reading the nutrition labels, using the app My Fitness Pal and doing lots of research on the web. I set up my carb cycling (because I wasn't trying to lose weight) as three high carb days and three low carb days alternating throughout the week, with my one reward day at the end. A high carb day usually looked like a sugar free oatmeal breakfast with dried fruit, toast, peanut butter and veggies for lunch and rice, beans and veggies for dinner. Snacks were crackers and whole grain cereals. On a low carb day I ate my breakfast smoothie (found in my detox blog) in the morning, a yogurt and fruit parfait for lunch and eggs, whole grains and veggies for dinner. Snacks included nuts and whole grain cereals. My reward day was usually healthy and low calories during the day, unless I wanted breakfast and then a super high calorie, high sugar dessert. Because dessert's my fave. After doing 30 days of carb cycling these are my pros of it:

-My teeth are whiter

-I have more sustained energy

-I feel less bloated

-I feel stronger

-I have better endurance in work outs

-I feel less guilty during reward days because I feel I earn the sugar

-My blood sugar is more stable

-My mood is more regular

-It's helped teach me balance in my diet

Cons:

-It's tough to follow on the go

-Can be expensive on groceries

-May be tough to get enough servings of fruits and veggies

-Can be bland 

-Can taste boring

-You miss carbs on low carb days tbh

I realize this definitely isn't the "lifestyle" for me, but it did teach me a lot about balance and how important more protein and less sugar is in a diet. If you want to learn more or have any questions, please leave a comment. I hope you've enjoyed another installment of my #healthandbeauty mini series! Xoxo