Lose 9 lbs a week without giving up carbs!

Eat low-carb during the day, indulge your cravings for starch and sweets at night— W

hile searching for a holidayfriendly diet strategy, we were blown away by one that 170-pounds-slimmer Elizabeth Benton shared with us. The gist: Stick to mostly natural, low-carb foods during the day and then treat yourself to the carbs you crave each evening. “I was obese and failed at diet after diet until I started eating my carbs at night,’” reveals the Massachusetts blogger, 34, a voracious reader who hit on the idea while poring over science journals. “I found studies that seemed to say our natural hormonal rhythms help us handle carbs better at the end of the day. It made sense to me, so I decided to experiment.” Already eating healthy fare, she shifted most of her carbs to dinner. “I suddenly had a lot more energy and a lot less hunger. Plus, I could have the foods I love”— everything from fruit and sweet potatoes to nachos— “while still losing fat!”

As Elizabeth steadily melted from a size 24 to a 10, she started coaching other women. They’ve had amazing results, too, shedding 25, 50, 75 pounds or more. Could a “carbs at night” approach work for you? We asked experts, and their answer was a resounding yes. According to Zecharia Madar, PH.D., who has conducted “night carb” studies at Israel’s Hebrew University, “at first, dieters are excited to hear what they get to eat— things like bread, rice, pasta, cookies, ice cream.” But then, after whisking off as much as 50 pounds in six months, “they’re even more excited by the results!” Perhaps best of all, getting started is easy . . . and healthy fat— each night while still shedding an impressive amount of weight!

● Why it slims

Years ago, Madar was analyzing research on a religious group that fasts until sundown and then feasts on a carb-heavy dinner; he noticed that this eating pattern triggered potentially slimming shifts in their hormonal patterns. Wondering if it might work for those of us who aren’t fasting, he recruited volunteers to find out. The result? Test subjects who ate carbs only at night experienced a surge in anti-hunger hormones and an uptick in hormones that speed metabolism. Plus, their blood sugar was elevated only once daily, which meant they produced far less of the hormone insulin— a good thing since insulin

Elizabeth lost 170 lbs!

As her weight soared over 350 pounds, Elizabeth Benton went on endless diets. “I’d lose weight but always put it back on,” she recalls. Eventually, she tried a noprocessed-foods approach emphasizing protein, produce and natural fat. She loved the idea but still struggled with hunger and cravings—until she discovered the “night carb” trick. Shifting her fruit and starch to dinner, everything clicked. The strategy allowed the Primalpotential.com blogger to have a nightly serving of carbs—usually a healthy option but sometimes even cake and ice cream—while steadily shedding 170 pounds. “I have no hunger, amazing energy. And I never feel deprived of anything!” “Just have the real thing. You end up eating less and feeling more satisfied!”