The Complete Guide to the V Shred Carb Cycling Meal Plan
The V Shred carb cycling diet is a popular weight loss program developed by fitness expert Vince Sant. It involves strategically adjusting your carbohydrate intake to match your activity levels and maximize fat burning.
This article provides a complete overview of the V Shred carb cycling meal plan in PDF form. We’ll cover the basics of carb cycling, the specific guidelines for following this diet, sample meal plans and recipes, and additional tips to get the best results.
What is Carb Cycling?
Carb cycling is a diet technique that alternates between “high-carb” and “low-carb” days. It aims to cut carbs on less active rest days when your body needs less energy. Then it increases carbs on more active workout days to fuel exercise and recovery.
Advocates claim carb cycling burns fat more effectively compared to standard low-carb or low-fat diets. It allows you to eat a wider variety of nutritious foods while optimizing fat loss, muscle growth, and performance.
How the V Shred Carb Cycling Meal Plan Works
The V Shred carb cycling diet follows a basic high-carb/low-carb alternation:
- Low-carb days: Limit carbs to under 50 grams per day
- High-carb days: Eat over 150 grams of carbs per day
Vince Sant recommends 3-5 low-carb days followed by 1-2 high-carb days each week. So for example, you might do Mon-Thurs low-carb and Fri-Sat high-carb each week.
Low-Carb Days
On low-carb days, you want to limit starchy vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, sweets, etc. Focus instead on non-starchy veggies, protein sources, healthy fats, and limited fruits like berries.
High-Carb Days
High-carb days allow you to be more liberal with carb intake. Enjoy starchy carbs like potatoes, oats, quinoa, fruits, etc. Time these refeed days around tougher workouts to optimize energy and recovery.
Foods to Eat on V Shred Carb Cycling Diet
Low-Carb Foods
- Meat: Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, etc.
- Fish: Salmon, tuna, tilapia, cod, sardines, mackerel, etc.
- Eggs
- Non-starchy vegetables: Leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, onions, asparagus, etc.
- Avocado and olives
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, etc.
- High-fat dairy: Butter, cream cheese, hard cheeses
- Berries: Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries in moderation
- Herbs, spices, condiments
- Beverages: Water, unsweetened tea and coffee
High-Carb Foods
- Grains: Oats, brown rice, quinoa, whole grain bread
- Starchy veggies: Sweet potato, potatoes, peas, winter squash, beets, etc.
- Legumes: Lentils, beans, chickpeas
- Low-sugar fruits: Bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, etc.
Foods to Avoid on V Shred Diet
- Sugary foods: Soda, juice, candy, ice cream, cakes, etc.
- Processed snacks: Chips, pretzels, crackers, granola bars, etc.
- Refined grains: White breads and pastas
- Fried foods
- Fast food and takeout
- Alcohol
Sample 1 Week V Shred Carb Cycling Meal Plan
Here is an example of what a weekly V Shred carb cycling diet might look like:
Monday-Thursday (Low-Carb Days)
Breakfast:- Scrambled eggs with spinach and feta cheese
- Greek yogurt with raspberries and almonds
- Tuna salad stuffed in tomatoes with broccoli on the side
- Leftover chicken and veggie stir-fry
- Zoodles with turkey meatballs in tomato sauce
- Bunless turkey burger with mushrooms, onions, avocado
- Celery sticks with nut butter
- Hardboiled egg
- Strawberries and Greek yogurt
- Turkey roll-ups
Friday-Saturday (High-Carb Days)
Breakfast:- Oatmeal with walnuts, banana, cinnamon
- Veggie egg white omelet with whole grain toast
- Brown rice chicken veggie bowl
- Quinoa salad loaded with chickpeas and roasted veggies
- Tacos on corn tortillas with beans, avocado, salsa
- Pasta with meat sauce and side salad
- Energy bites made with oats, nut butter, raisins
- Apple with peanut butter
- Edamame hummus with whole grain crackers or veggies
Tips for Success on the V Shred Carb Cycling Diet
Here are some extra pointers to get the most out of this program:
- Time high-carb days around workouts: Schedule heavier training and/or cardio on your 1-2 weekly refeed days.
- Go for nutrient-dense carbs: Choose high fiber, minimally processed sources like oats, brown rice, quinoa, fruits and starchy vegetables.
- Stay active daily: Light activity like walking on low-carb days promotes fat burning.
- Drink plenty of water: Proper hydration supports energy, fat loss and workout performance.
- Get enough protein: Aim for 0.5-1 gram per pound of body weight daily to preserve and build muscle.
The Benefits of V Shred’s Carb Cycling Program
Here’s why the V Shred carb cycling diet stands out:
Promotes Fat Loss
The strategic high-low carb alternation enables your body to burn fat more effectively compared to standard diets. Lower carb intake boosts fat burning during part of the week, while higher carbs support workouts.
Allows Diet Variety
Unlike extreme low-carb diets, carb cycling provides flexibility. You can still enjoy nutritious carb-rich foods in moderation, avoiding major nutrient restrictions or deprivation.
Supports Muscle Building
Consuming extra carbs around workouts on strength training days helps fuel your muscles. The protein intake and weight lifting on this program also prevent muscle loss while dieting.
Easy to Customize
You can easily tailor carb cycling based on your goals, activity levels and body type response. Monitor your progress and adjust high/low carb days as needed.
The Bottom Line on V Shred’s Carb Cycling
V Shred’s carb cycling diet strategically toggles between low and high carbohydrate days to maximize fat burning while allowing diet variety. This well-structured program provides guidelines to help optimize nutrition for faster results.
Pay close attention to your body, activity levels and progress as you follow carb cycling. Tailor and tweak it over time to discover your own personal carb sweet spot for success!
FAQs
What is carb cycling?
Carb cycling is a diet approach that strategically alternates between higher carb and lower carb days, typically lining up higher carb days with more active workout days.
How many high carb vs low carb days per week does V Shred recommend?
The V Shred carb cycling diet recommends 3-5 low carb days (under 50g carbs) and 1-2 high carb days (over 150g carbs) per week.
What foods can you eat on high carb days?
On high carb days you can be more liberal with healthy carb sources like oats, brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, fruits, beans, and lentils.
What should you drink on the V Shred carb cycling diet?
Focus on drinking plenty of water, along with unsweetened coffee and tea. Avoid sugary sodas, juices, and alcohol.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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