Ever stepped on the scale after a day of eating carbs and notice the number actually went up? On the flip side, ever cut out or consume fewer carbohydrates and notice the number goes down?
What on earth is happening?! If you've ever wondered, "Why do I gain weight when I eat carbs," this is the blog for you!
Don’t worry, Chris and Heidi have the answer! Let’s explain what is going on.
Have you ever stepped on the scale in the morning and thought, “How did I gain 2 pounds overnight?” or “Why does my weight fluctuate 3-5 pounds in a day?”
We get it!
Nothing is more discouraging than seeing the weight go up on the scale. Especially when you’ve been working out consistently, you’re eating right, and you’re staying hydrated.
The numbers on the scale are supposed to be dropping as you work out consistently and eat healthy meals, right?!
Actually, your weight can and will fluctuate as you consume carbs.
And guess what? That’s NOT a bad thing!
You see, this fluctuating weight you’re seeing after a day of eating carbs isn’t massive fat gain overnight.
Likewise, it isn’t a tremendous fat loss the day after.
So, what’s really happening?
Your body is actually responding to the carbohydrates you consume.
Carbs in every form (think bananas, rice, potatoes, sugar) are always broken down into the simplest form of sugar in the bloodstream: glucose.
Glucose is then shuttled around to the cells in your body and used as fuel.
When the glucose is stored in the muscle and liver, it is stored in the form of glycogen.
Now here’s the thing: Water sticks to glycogen like a magnet!
What do we mean? For every 1 molecule of glycogen that is stored, there are also 3 molecules of water stored as well! That’s a 1:3 ratio.
Simply put, carbohydrates can cause your body to retain some water as they are stored. And guess what? Water can weigh a lot!
Couple that with the fact that it can be really easy to consume a pound of carbohydrates in a day.
Roughly speaking, that pound of carbohydrates you consume in a given day can hypothetically pull in 3 pounds of water into the body.
This is what is causing the weight fluctuation inside the body. It’s not instantaneous fat gain, it’s water being retained.
On the flip side, when you cut carbs, like on a low carb day, your body makes some adjustments.
For the average person, it can take a few days to burn through available glucose and glycogen stores.
Once that glycogen is burned up, the water has nothing to hold on to anymore.
Your body then flushes out the water, and this can cause a drop on the scale.
Nope! Carbohydrates are not the enemy.
While carbohydrates like “sugar” and “corn syrup” are definitely culprits of weight and health problems, healthy carbohydrates can also help you accelerate your weight loss!
How?
Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for our muscles, organs, and brain. They do not cause weight gain in and of themselves. Excess calories and consuming more calories than you burn causes weight gain.
What’s more, carbohydrates can help increase your...
Carbohydrates also help nourish the brain, liver, and organs!
With the right amount of carbohydrates, you can stay fueled throughout the day as you burn fat and calories.
These are the healthy carbohydrates you should be looking for:
Fluctuating weight that happens when consuming carbohydrates is common.
And because carbohydrates are so beneficial for energy and to fuel up your body and mind, Chris and Heidi have taken the best of both worlds and created a complete transformation experience that utilizes their proven carb cycling method.
Chris and Heidi's carb cycling incorporates the same nutritional philosophy they used on their hit weight loss tv show to help people accelerate their weight loss and achieve amazing results.
So what does their carb cycling look like? Their meal plans follow strategic days of alternating high carb and low carb–depending on your needs and preferences–with recipes designed to help keep you feeling full, fueled up, and satisfied.
This allows your body to utilize the carbohydrates you ingest and put them to use as you crush your workouts, build strength, and lose inches.
So there you have it.
The good news and bad news is you aren’t in fact gaining a massive amount of fat in a day. Likewise, you aren't losing massive amounts of fat overnight, either!
Through the FREE Transform at Home weight loss program, you’ll see Chris and Heidi have created meal plans and recipes based on their tried-and-tested carb cycling methods.
