How to Get Over a Weight Loss Plateau

Weight loss can be a grueling and emotional task. You struggle and strive through exercises and workouts while stripping yourself of unhealthy foods, opting instead for a nutritional diet. However, despite all of your best efforts, you can arrive at a place where those last few inches of belly fat just won’t seem to budge. This is called the dreaded weight loss plateau.

If all the crunching, twisting, stepping and treading have failed to remove that last bit of aggravating fat roll then you should try the following technique which often works when all others fail. 

    

Understanding Carb Cycling

Low carb diets are used by many of those in bodybuilding to drop their body fat content to a point that is advantageous for competition. By reducing your carb intake to very low levels, the body will turn to fat reserves to supply its energy requirements. What must be avoided in a low carb diet is when the body wants to move into a starvation mode where it begins to feed on the necessary fat reserves surrounding vital organs or other healthy tissue.

To prevent the body from kicking into its natural response to starvation, carb cycling is used. By using low carb intake for two or three days followed by a day of high carb intake, you get the benefits of low carb reduction without shocking your body into its starvation mode. This technique creates a powerhouse for fat removal and breaking through a weight loss plateau.

How to Use Low Carb Cycling to Get Over a Weight Loss Plateau

Getting over a weight loss plateau can be achieved through a low carb cycling program which effectively utilizes a drop in carbs combined with a high intensity workout program to target that stubborn belly fat. 

The following plan is based on a full 7 days. The reason for this is that the last remnants of body fat are difficult to get rid of and, therefore, need to be hit hard until the goal is reached. A 7-day program keeps your body acclimated to the reduction periods of carbs, produces faster weight loss and fat removal, and reduces slump periods in your energy levels (a common result of carbohydrate reduction).

For those who may not know, the ratios given (i.e. 30:50:20 – low carb days) equate to calories from carbs (30%), calories from protein (50%) and calories from fat (20%). The ratio changes for high carb days (i.e. 50:30:20).

    

The Low Carb Cycling Plan

When you start your low carb cycle, be advised that you may experience energy drops on your low carb days. This is quite normal due to a lack of fuel being provided to your body. However, you may also experience spikes of energy on high carb days and, if you keep the program going, you will break through your weight loss plateau and see that remaining bulge of belly fat disappear. You can then use this program to blast away any returning rolls that may reappear (such as through the holidays).

Schedule

Monday – Low Carb (30:50:20) + weight workout

Tuesday – Low Carb (30:50:20) + cardio workout

Wednesday – High Carb (50:30:20) + weight workout

Thursday – Low Carb (30:50:20) + rest

Friday – Low Carb (30:50:20) + weight workout

Saturday – High Carb (50:30:20) + cardio workout

Sunday – Low Carb (30:50:20) + rest

NOTE: For maximum effects, your weight workout and cardio workout should be high intensity exercises done within a timeframe of 20-40 minutes.