If youre trying to lose weight or build up some muscle and nothing has worked so far, you should try carb cycling. Carb cycling consists of alternating between high- and low-carb days for six days of the week. The seventh day of the week is left for reward meals.

If your goal is to lose weight, you will want to have more low-carb days than high-carb days in your weekly routine. Think five low-carb days and one high-carb. On the other hand, if you are trying to build up some muscle you will want more high-carb days than low-carb days. Think four or five high-carb days, just make sure to space them out. Putting together carb cycling meal plans will be the easiest way to have success with this

Starting a new diet can be tough, but here are some sample meals to try out.

Snack: Grape-Berry Protein Smoothie

1 tsp. chia seeds

2 scoops protein powder

1 c. seedless grapes

c. blueberries

1 tsp. flaxseed oil

c. water

Combine ingredients until smooth and enjoy.

Meal: Low-carb chicken tenders

2 lbs. chicken tenders

1 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. parsley

1 tbsp. dried oregano

1 tbsp. paprika

1 tsp. garlic powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tsp. salt

tsp. pepper

c. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Line a shallow pan with foil. Melt butter in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in the butter and roll it in the seasoning mixture. Place the pieces in the pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Meal: Low-carb Chicken Enchilada

2/5 c. shredded and cooked chicken breast

c. diced tomatoes

c. enchilada sauce

c. salsa

1 tsp. enchilada seasoning

c. low-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth

1 c. corn

1 c. black beans

4 high-fiber tortillas, cut into quarters

c. shredded mozzarella

1 c. chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9-inch pan with cooking spray. Mix chicken and first 6 ingredients in in a bowl. Mix corn and black beans together separately. Dip the tortillas in chicken broth just long enough to get them moist. Place ingredients in layers in the pan: tortillas then chicken mixture then black beans and corn mixture. Repeat, ending with a tortilla layer. Top with shredded cheese and back for 25-30 minutes.

Meal: Low-Carb Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1 medium head of cauliflower

¼ c. shredded parmesan cheese

¼ c. mozzarella cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

teaspoon garlic powder

teaspoon basil or rosemary, minced

teaspoon oregano, minced

1 c. marinara sauce

1-2 c. mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove stems from cauliflower and cut into chunks. Place cauliflower into a food processor and pulse it until it resembles the texture of rice. Microwave the processed cauliflower for 4-5 minutes on high. Once cooled, squeeze all the liquid out of it. Combine cauliflower, egg, garlic, cheese and seasonings. Stir until a dough texture forms. Spread dough onto lightly greased parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes. Once its golden, remove from oven and place pizza toppings on it.

These are just a few Carb Cycling Meal Plans to start you on your way to the carb cycling diet. Planning your meals weekly will help you stay on track with your diet goals. But do not forget that losing weight or building muscle cannot be done by eating alone, exercise plays a huge role in the process as well.