One carb, two carb, red carb, blue carb. Wait – that’s the wrong story. Although, I imagine that if Dr. Seuss had written a book about carbs, this would have been a likely title.

Carbs, short for carbohydrates, provide essential nutrients that are vital to producing energy and keeping your body functioning at a high level. Unfortunately, they have become labeled as a necessary evil that can contribute to weight gain, cause illness, and are often blamed for a variety of health ailments.

Talk to anyone who pays particular attention to their diet and you’re sure to find someone who practices or has practiced some form of carb cycling, carb restriction or alternately, high carbohydrate consumption which is often referred to as carb loading. The latest trend on our radar is carb depletion.

In fact, I am currently in a test group for a brand-new program that Beachbody will release later this summer, and carb depletion is the focus of the eating plan.  So, what is carb depletion you ask? Read on for details!

Carb depletion diets fall into the carb restriction category and are intended to encourage weight loss by limiting the intake of carbohydrates. These types of diets promote eating high protein and high-fat foods while reducing the consumption of food sources that are easily turned into glucose, the body’s main source of energy. Once carbohydrates are eliminated, the body cannot rely on glucose, so it turns to fat stores for fuel. Some carb depletion diets encourage removing all carbohydrates while others only certain types.  

During carb cycling / carb depletion, your diet starts with a limited amount of carbohydrates each day and then you slowly remove them until you are completely carb-free for a short time.

Carb depletion can be a very effective way to quickly drop weight and is a common practice for fitness competitors, bodybuilders, and other physique-centric athletes to prepare for shows or competitions. However, it should be done carefully and only after thorough research and planning. It is not intended to be sustained for long periods of time and of course, the best practice is to always speak with your physician before embarking on any new weight-loss program. 

During the Shift Shop, we are cycling through two rounds of carb depletion.  After we finish these two rounds, it will be important for us to return to our regular diets that do include a limited amount of carbohydrates.  As stated earlier, carb depletion diets are only meant to be practiced for a short amount of time.  But they can do a great job of "confusing" your body, thereby busting through a weight-loss plateau!

And for the record, green eggs and ham would make a great low-carb meal choice.