If the low-carb craze of the last generation has taught us anything, it’s that people can definitely lose weight while cutting carbs, but that weight loss isn’t always sustainable long term. The reason: When we deprive ourselves of foods we enjoy, we’re more likely to fall off the wagon and regain the weight. “What happens is this vicious spiral emerges,” explains world-famous food researcher Nicole Avena, PhD, author of Sugarless. “You have feelings of withdrawal when you try to deprive yourself of the substance and then give in to cravings.” One remedy: Some dieters are finding balance by reducing carbs but still allowing for cheat days with an approach known as a carb cycling diet. One plan that has stood the test of time is The One One One Diet, by #1 Amazon best-selling author and nutritionist Rania Batayneh, MPH. Keep reading to learn how to lose weight while still enjoying occasional carbs. It helped one woman drop 152 pounds!
How to reduce carbs in your diet: an easy approach for beginners
In The One One One Diet, Batayneh shares her unique 1:1:1 formula, which dieters follow to help them scale back on carbs. At every meal and snack, you simply make sure to eat only one protein, one carb and one fat. “A cheeseburger fits the formula perfectly,” explains Batayneh. “The meat is your protein, the bun is your carb and the cheese is your fat.” Why it works: “You automatically eat less,” because when your allotted macronutrients are fulfilled, you skip the extra carbs and sugar found in things like fries, chips and soda. The result: “Over the course of a day, you can easily cut 600 to 1,500 calories this way,” adds Batayneh. And those avoided calories translate to real weight loss. “Exploring a lower carb and balanced lifestyle can really put your body into an accelerated weight loss mode,” Batayneh says. “Remember, lower-carb, not no-carb!”
This carb-cycling plan helps you lose even more weight
Once dieters get comfortable with the 1:1:1 formula, they can use it for life or dial things up a notch. Some dieters choose to try the Accelerated Formula: one that focuses on carb cycling, or choosing some days each week to minimize carbs, and then mindfully enjoying carbs the remaining days. So essentially you switch or cycle between different styles of eating.
Batayneh recommends starting by cutting carbs for one day per week. As your body adjusts, you can build up to as many as four carb-free days per week. That means the remaining three days a week you can enjoy carbs so you never feel tempted to fall off track.
The best carb-cycling schedule is personalized
Dieters often alternate days and schedule their week so they can enjoy more relaxed carb days on the weekends or when they have special events like a birthday party. Batayneh says, this “allows you to focus on maintenance the rest of the week.”
How many days per week could you comfortably go without consuming simple carbs like bread, cereal or pasta?
Carb-cycling success story: This woman dropped from size 14 to 8!
Hawa Fofanah, 44, of Frederick, Maryland, worked as a nurse practitioner, helping people with family health. But when she realized her A1c had climbed to 6.1 making her prediabetic, she knew she wasn’t setting the right example for her patients. Something has to change, she thought. I can’t be educating people to lose weight and watch what they eat if I’m not doing it myself.
Hawa knew carbs were driving her weight gain, joint pain and chronic heartburn. She reveals, “I was a big carb eater because of my culture. I’m from West Africa—Sierra Leone—where we eat carbs morning, afternoon and night.” But she didn’t want to feel deprived. In fact, every diet she tried in the past didn’t seem sustainable.
So Hawa turned to nutritionist Rania Batayneh, MPH, for guidance. Batayneh taught Hawa the simple 1:1:1 plan, which slowly reduced unnecessary carbs—and the empty calories they held—from her eating routine. With fewer simple carbs in the mix, Hawa found she ate more whole foods like fiber-rich fruits and veggies.
That switch improved Hawa’s chronic heartburn and indigestion. She recalls, “Right away, I started to not feel so tired.” Plus her knee pain lessened and her clothing felt looser. “Once I cut some of those carbs. I wasn’t feeling that bloat anymore.”
Hawa felt so much better, she was ready to move to the Accelerated Formula of the 1:1:1 plan, which utilizes the power of a carb-cycling diet—alternating between high-carb days vs. low-carb days. Hawa found she could still mindfully consume carbs three days a week and enjoy a flexible routine. And she was motivated to see she began dropping even more weight—up to 3.5 pounds a week.
Carb cycling benefits: Weight loss without the cravings and deprivation
Batayneh explains, “By prioritizing lean protein and vegetables and gradually building up to four days a week of carb-less lunch and carb-less dinner days, Hawa stabilized her blood sugar and curbed cravings. But she didn’t skip carbs altogether. This is where the balance came in, which helped keep her on track. Carbs at breakfast and in snacks allowed for a variety of foods.”
Research shows this type of approach improves metabolic flexibility, a sign of optimal metabolic health. It also makes it easy to shed weight. Cravings also vanish. In one study at Case Western Reserve, people who cut back on sugar and carbs experienced a 201 percent increase in the hunger-suppressing hormone leptin.
Carb cycling for weight loss: Hawa is 39 pounds healthier now!
Looking back, Hawa says, “A lot of positivity came with it. This experience has given me an appreciation for my patients. When talking about losing weight, it’s easier for me since I’ve gone through it myself,” she says. Even thought she felt defeated on past diets, she says, “this has reopened the door of hope. I have regained my confidence about my ability to change.”
In all, Hawa’s diabetes status improved. Her A1c fell from 6.1 to 5.7. She shares, “the reduction is a significant achievement and demonstrates the effectiveness of lifestyle changes. This sets the stage for continued progress.” Now she adds, “When I look at the future, this is not just for me but also for my family. I have a chance to live longer and be healthier and participate in life with my two children and husband.”
One way Hawa celebrated her health success: “I even became so bold as wearing a two piece swimsuit!” Her advice to other carb lovers: “It’s never too late. Find what works for you. Sustenance is the key!”
Here’s what Hawa ate on a typical low-carb day following a carb-cycling meal plan
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, bacon or turkey sausage and fruit
- Lunch: a large portion of chicken or fish with vegetables
- Dinner: salad or soup
Hawa’s advice for successful weight loss
- Keep it fun and light-hearted
- Find your motivation. “Put on that bikini if it will motivate you, go dancing, have fun while life is happening.”
- Surround yourself with positivity. “I have a whole cheerleading squad in my family and friends.”
- Own your goals. “It will take time but it works!”
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
