The Extreme Cycle is the newest addition to our carb cycling family and is the result of our years of experience helping our peeps successfully transform their lives on Extreme Weight Loss. If you?re already a carb cycler, then a lot about this new cycle will seem familiar. If you’re new to carb cycling, check out the carb cycling basics first, and then get cycling!
Here’s what an Extreme Cycle week looks like:
- Monday: High carb day
- Tuesday: High carb day
- Wednesday: High carb day
- Thursday: High carb day
- Friday: Low carb day
- Saturday: Low carb day
- Sunday: Reset Day (and weigh-in day)
Those four consecutive high carb days will give your body a sense of normalcy and let you get into a routine with meal planning. Switching to two low carb days flips your weight loss into turbo mode, allowing you to burn the maximum fat, which is what we want, right?! And your weekly Reset Day (known as your Reward Day in other cycles), lets you eat all those foods you crave, boosts your metabolic rate, and actually helps you lose weight!
Just like with the other cycles, you’ll eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking and every 3 hours thereafter for a total of 5 meals a day. When it comes to putting your meals together, this is what you’ll do:
- Every breakfast—on both low and high carb days—contains a protein, a carb, and a fat.
- On high carb days, for meals 2, 3, and 4, you’ll be eating a protein, a carb, and veggies. For meal 5, you’ll be eating a protein, a fat, and veggies.
- On low carb days, all 4 meals after breakfast will contain a protein, a fat, and veggies.
- And veggies—the non-root/non-starchy type—are totally “free” in the Extreme Cycle! You can enjoy them in limitless portions, and they are a huge key to helping you feel full throughout your day.
If you’re using our book, Extreme Transformation, where we talk about the Extreme Cycle and a lot of other amazing transformation-related things, all your meals are planned out for you for all 21 days of the cycle! We’ve created 21 days? worth of amazing meals for you, including Cheat Meals for your Reset Days. We’ve also included other options to make meal planning as simple and flexible as possible. And you can repeat the Extreme Cycle as many times as you want, or you can change to the Turbo Cycle if you need to shake things up a bit. And for all you macro counters (*hand raised*), calories and macros are figured out and listed for you with every single recipe. 🙂 If you’d like to put your own meals together, or are out and about and can’t meal prep ahead of time, follow this handy portion size guide:
- Proteins: Palm-size portion
- Carbs (grainy, starchy, and fruit): 1 clenched fist
- Veggies: 2 clenched fists
- Fats: 1 thumb
- Sauces: 1 thumb
Are you ready to take your transformation to the extreme and lose those extra pounds in the fastest and safest way possible? Then grab a copy of Extreme Transformation, and let’s go!
661 Responses
One last question, during sling shot week on extreme, I understand I am to follow high carb plan for 7 days and double the carbs. Do I not worry that I am over 1500 calories? Thanks for all your help.
Hi Chery: No – you should be fine! 🙂
If all is going well on the extreme plan, do I need to sling shot on week 4 or can I hold off until I hit a plateau?
Hi Chery: We’re excited to hear about the success you’re having on the Extreme Cycle! We recommend doing the Slingshot Week every 4th week – this helps you to not have any plateaus. 🙂
Hi Heidi,
I was following the Turbo Cycle and got great results 2-3 years ago. I fell off the plan and now I need to start over. I have about 20 -25 pounds to lose to get down to lowest weight I obtained with the Turbo Cycle (106 pounds 🙂 – which was calculated to be my ideal weight by personal trainer). Would it be best to do the Turbo Cycle or the Extreme Cycle for fastest weight loss? I want to gain some muscle but lose some fat at the same time.
Please let me know your thoughts and any suggestions.
Thank you!
Hi Cathy: Both cycles can work, and since you had great success with the Turbo Cycle, you can totally follow that cycle again. The Extreme Cycle also works very well, so it’s really up to you. You can do this! 🙂
I read that any vegetables are “free” in this plan. Does that mean that they do not count toward the 1200/1500 calories per day?
Hi Jamie: Yes, non-root/non-starchy vegetables are “free,” and you don’t have to count them towards your calorie count, but you certainly can if you’d like to. It’s always a good idea to count everything you put in your mouth – it helps keep you accountable. 🙂
Hello…
I am just starting with the low carb day…you say veggies are “free”. Do I count the carbs in the veggies towards the macro percentages that you give for low carb days? ie….40P/10C/50F
It’s pretty hard to stay below the 10% carbs even with a salad if you count the veggies.
Thanks!
Hi Mackensie: It’s best to count everything you put into your mouth, and since the “free” veggies are so low in carbs, I wouldn’t worry about their carb impact on low carb days.
I am about to start the extreme transformation day 1 but first I have a question before I begin. In the book the meals are all planned out but lets say for all 4 high carb days can I eat the same meals all 4 days for example Day 1 meals for the next 4 days???
Hi Daisy: Yes, you can repeat meals. Here’s a post that can help with meal planning on the Extreme Cycle: https://heidipowell.net/10617. 🙂
Hi Heidi and Chris. I’ve been on the Turbo cycle for 4 months, great results! But I’ve been stuck on a plateau for 2 weeks and decided to try the Extreme cycle.
I alternate cardio/hiit 6 days a week. What days of the extreme cycle would you recommend lifting weights for optimal fat burn?
Thanks!! You guys rock!
Hi Emilie: Congratulations! You can actually lift on any of the days, just be sure to only lift every other day so those muscles have a chance to recover and get stronger. Some people find it’s harder to lift on low carb days, and others don’t have a problem, so try it out and see what will work best for you. 🙂
On your rest/Reward day can we still do cardio???
Hi Daisy: You reward/reset day is on day 7, which is usually a rest day for exercise, and incorporating rest days is important. However, you can do some activities on that day if you’d like to.
Heidi
I am a gastric bypass patient who started off at 309 lbs, and am now at 224lbs but I have hit that plateau!! What cycle do you recommend for me to try? I was thinking the extreme as I am a meal prepper, but need some advice! I work out a few days a week, both cardio and weights, own body weight workouts, etc. Help!
Hi Jennifer: You’re doing awesome! I’d do the Extreme Cycle, and check it out with your healthcare team first. You can do this! 🙂
I have been carb cycling for a few months now high carb days on training days low carbs on non training days. Currently weight train 5 days per week.
My main concern on the extreme which i am happy to try is the reset day. is it meant to be structured as in 5 meals a day , my main concern is that does it not blow all that you have spent the week doing especially as you already have the higher carb days ??
Hi Jo: The Reset Day is a day when you can eat anything you’d like to up to 1000 extra calories (so a total of 2500 calories). And this day has been proven to actually help you with your weight loss goals, and it also helps you take care of those cravings so you’re less likely to binge. Give it a try – it works!
Hi I’m really just learning about carb cycling but loving what I am hearing and reading about it so far. My highest weight was 360 and I am currently at 254. I lost it originally with Adkins and have maintained this weight for about 10 years now…well I hovered at 290-275. Now that I’m working out seriously I’ve managed to hover at 254. I said all of that to say this. I want to reach my goal weight of 155. I’ve done low carb, low calorie for so long anything different scares me. Seeking encouragement and peace of mind about switching to carb cycling. I thought the right path was 4 low carb/1 high carb for best results. But as I read your page and the Extreme carb cycle it seems just the opposite. I workout 6 days a week (cardio/strength training) about 1-1.5 hours. Knowing this, do you still suggest the Extreme Carb Cycle plan?
Hi Veronica: Yes, we suggest the Extreme Cycle! It’s been proven to work over and over again with Chris and Heidi’s clients. Give it a try – you can do this!
Dear Veronica, you’re not in this alone. I know how you feel. I got so inspired by Chris and Heidi’s book and super easy meal plan, that I’ve been following it for 15 days now, already lost some pounds and the best part – my boyfriend’s happy that I’m cooking healthy for him too! 🙂 You just need to make that decision and trust the process. IT WORKS. Good luck.