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
Hello, I have been trying to follow the Classic Carb Cycle for a few weeks now (about 6) and not seeing much improvement. I am trying to get below 20% body fat and lose the belly fat which is my most problem area. I am one of the freaky people addicted to counting macros and calories in the Lose It app so I know my carb, protein and fat levels daily. Some issues I have been facing are getting the protein levels higher than the carbs in on low carb days as I am a vegetarian. In being a vegetarian I end up eating a ton of veg on my low carb days, then my carbs still greatly outweigh my protein so I was hoping you could clarify – Do veg carbs count towards your carb levels? And I mean the lower carb veg like spinach, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, green beans… On my low carb days I end up eating eggs/egg whites/greek yogurt/tofu and loads of veg to fill up. What I’d like to know is – Would this truly be carb cycling if my carbs (due to vegetables) are still really high on low carb days? I am truly at a loss of how to drop this belly fat and would very much appreciate your advice.
Hi Jessica: Yes, the carbs in veggies can count towards your daily carb totals if you’re tracking macros. And to truly carb cycle, you’ll need to keep those carbs within the recommended ranges. Are you eating the recommended amounts of fat? Both fats and proteins can definitely help you feel fuller longer. And for your belly fat, unfortunately, you can’t spot reduce. Any extra fat will leave your body in it’s own unique way, so keep following your carb cycle, workout as recommended (up to an hour of cardio Monday-Saturday + strength training/Metabolic Mission), and you’ll achieve your goals! 🙂
I have 2 questions if you could please help me:
1/ I have been trying the Turbo Cycle for almost 2 weeks but went totally overboard the second week on both HC days AND reset day. I am a Yoga teacher and between the teaching, my own Yoga practice plus 9-minute missions and shredders (not everyday for the latter though, just lack of time), it is a lot. I am just wondering if this cycle is right for me and if I should switch to the Extreme which seems more accessible to me (more carbs). Could I have your advice on this?
2/ Because I need time in the morning for Yoga practice, I can’t eat 30 minutes after getting up. I tried different schedules and tweaking everything around but it just does not work. I end up eating 1h30 after rising. Any advice on this?
I thank you a lot in advance for your help. Anne (France).
PS: I have 8 pounds to lose.
Hi Anne: You can totally try the Extreme Cycle, and here are a couple of posts that can help you know how to structure your meals around a busy schedule: https://heidipowell.net/10556 and https://heidipowell.net/9194. 🙂
This was great knowledge Team Powell. I’m grateful for the time and effort it took you to share this with us. I have a question, I’m really muscular and not concerned about loosing weight. I’m 210 and want to gain another 10lbs of muscle without gaining any more fat. I’m new to carb cycling. Do you have a carb cycle program catered to individuals who want to build muscle instead of loosing weight?
Hi Bryant: Here are a couple of posts that might help you achieve your goal: https://heidipowell.net/10540 and https://heidipowell.net/10990. You can do this!
I am having trouble losing weight because I keep caving in to my cravings. I did the Atkins diet with no exercise and lost about 12 lbs in a week. I was too lethargic though and gained all of that back plus more. I lose about a lb a day if I low carb, but I am just trying to lose it the fastest before Christmas. Which works faster for maximum weight loss? the Turbo Cycle or Extreme?
Hi Cashmere: I’d start with the Extreme Cycle. It’s the newest cycle, and it works! You can get lots of great info in this post as well as in Chris and Heidi’s newest book, “Extreme Transformation” (http://amzn.to/1RKDIgo). You can do this! 🙂
Would either Oh Yeah ONE bars (210 cals/ 7g f/ 22g P/ 6g net carb) or PowerCrunch Bars (200 cals/ 13g f/ 14g P/ 7g net carb) be approved for Low Carb days? I’m not a huge fan of the Quest Bars and Kind+ bars are great but don’t have a lot of protein.
Hi Brett: Oh Yeah bars would be a good option for a high carb day. They don’t contain enough fat for a low carb option. Power crunch bars could work for a low carb meal since they do have a good amount of fat. 🙂
Hello again
Ok so for extreme cycle it’s 1200 calories LC
And 1500 calories HC
Can I follow this chart
http://1larwpdbnvqpcz84vezsi9nu.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Create-Your-Own-Meals-Cal-Macro-Chart-p-72.png
Because I read that extreme was 1500 Cal on both high n Low carb
Which one is it
Hi Dina: Yes, you’ll aim for 1500 calories on both low and high carb days in the Extreme Cycle, and you can use this chart to plan your meals. 🙂
Hi
I’m having trouble with the 3 hr apart for snack and meal in the a.m
I wake up at 7:30 and end up eating at 8:30 since I need to feed my kids and get them on the bus and my lunch break can only be taken at work at 12:00…is it ok to snack around 10:30 and then have lunch at 12:00…in the afternoon I’m usually ok with the 3hr mark…just wondering if it’s ok to have a snack earlier than 3 hrs if I have no choice or do I wait to eat at 12:00 lunch and keep my morning snack for after supper after 3hrs
Hi Dina: Here’s a post that can help you structure your meals around your busy schedule: https://heidipowell.net/10556. 🙂
So I started on the Fit carb Cycle this week. I’m 5’8 and 172 pounds. I want to stay at this weight if not gain BUT of course wanting to lose belly fat and continue to gain muscle. On my previous question, you suggested this cycle. I’m kind of confused now. LOL. Thanks
Hello, quick question. Doing the Extreme cycle. Can you recommend a decent tasting protein bar that I could fall back on if needed? Looking for high carb meal substitute and also a breakfast if you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks and adore you guys:-)
Hi Melanie: There are so many options, and what people like as far as protein bars can be very different. If you’re looking for a true meal replacement bar, try and stick to these macro percentages: Breakfast: Protein: 30%, Carb: 40%, Fat: 30%, High Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carb: 50%, Fat: 10%, Low Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carb: 10%, Fat: 50%. Hope that helps! 🙂
I’m sure I’m in information overload at this point, but I’m really excited to start carb cycling!! I don’t generally feel a dip in energy on Low Carb, so I was planning on starting the Turbo cycle next week. However because I can’t leave well enough alone, I also read a good deal of the Extreme Cycle book. I’m very weary about eating high carbs 4 days in a row, but I like the updated meal formulas a lot (such as low carb/add fat on HighCarb Meal 5). Would it be ok to implement that portion for the Turbo Cycle?
Hi Allison: Since each cycle is a bit different for certain reasons, it’s best to stick to one cycle completely. 🙂