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
In extreme cycle do we have to do slingshot week? Tq
Hi Rush: A slingshot week after every 21 day phase is highly recommended.
Thank you to the Powells and their team of people who help so many!
Ok, so if the Turbo cycle has more low-carb days (which is when the fat burning really kicks up) is the big secret ingredient to making the extreme cycle more effective the omission of carbs at every meal #5 (even on high carb days)? Why wouldn’t it then be most effective to follow the turbo cycle pattern of low-low-high-low-low-high-reset but with the meal recommendations from the extreme cycle, specifically no carbs at meal #5 on high carb days? How does adding more high-carb days help increase fat burning? Currently on week 1 of extreme cycle, with intent to drop to turbo after round 1, and trying to understand the mechanics of it all.
Question #2 is I read that during slingshot weeks you double your carbs. Does that mean your daily caloric intake goes up? Or should you adjust the percentages?
I’m well seasoned on the fitness aspect but am a rookie carb-cycler (because it’s hard and I’m a picky eater, ha). Trying to kick the stubborn last 10 lbs after my twin pregnancy! Very excited and hopeful that this will be the missing link.
Hi Nicole: Let’s get you some answers to your questions: 1. The Extreme Cycle came about after a few years of Chris and Heidi working with their clients and fine tuning the carb cycing process. Chapter 2 gives a really good explanation. 2. Yes, since you’re doubling your carbs, your caloric intake will go up during that week. While it seems counter-intuitive, believe me, it works! You can totally do this!
Hey! Just started the book this morning and am excited. I broke my leg in September and am still not weight bearing. I have certainly gained about 10 lbs since the injury. Any advice on the exercise portion with a broken leg? Thanks so much!
Oh no! So sorry to hear about your injury. Upper body work should be okay, and chat with your doc about anything else just in case. And remember 80% of weight loss is nutrition, so stick to the nutrition plan, work out as you can, and you can do this!
Ask your doctor if chair workouts are ok. There are some fantastic free youtube videos for advanced aerobic chair workouts. I was surprised by how intense some of them were! I liked that it was set to music like regular aerobics class. Did these when I had knee surgery.
Hello, I am a part of your dietbet, and seen the information regarding carb cycling. I have long been looking at carb cycling, but have been confused as to how to make it work for me as a runner. I did buy your Extreme Transformation book, and really like how it is laid out. My only concern is with running. I am currently training for my first marathon. I run Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Sunday is my long run day and is anywhere from 11-14 miles, and will eventually increase to the highest amount being 22 miles. My rest days are Monday and Wednesdays. Does the cycle need to go 4 days high carb in a row, 2 low carb in a row, and then the reset day? I want to make sure my body has the fuel it needs for training days. Would low carb days work better on rest days? Otherwise the book is great, and I love the recipes and meal plans. I am still working on reading it (just bought the Kindle version yesterday). Thank you so much!
Hi Brittanie: You can move the HC and LC schedule one way or the other to better fit your training program. And if you find your energy lacking on any of your training days, you can add in more carbs to help. What an awesome goal!
I am 36 years old and I mother of 3 boys. I am 5’5″ and I weight 283 pounds. The only time I have to workout is from 4 – 5am M-F, My weekends are more flexible. I have time in the evening but I am normally to exhausted from work and kids to do anything. I also have my own business on top of my day job that requires my time. I wanted to know what cycle you would suggest for the fastest weight loss and what workouts. (I have a treadmill, stationary bike, rower, boxing bag, resistance bands, ball, battle ropes). Any advice you can provide would be appreciated. You and your husband are such a motivation. Thanks for all you do.
Hi Mrs. Adams: I would recommend the Extreme Cycle, and you can find complete meal plans, food lists, and workouts in Chris and Heidi’s book, “Extreme Transformation: (http://amzn.to/2eTGrVy). And you can get links explaining the workout plan in this post: https://heidipowell.net/9059. It sounds like your workout schedule is on track – just make sure you’re doing both cardio and strength training. You can do this!
Hi, I’m about to start the Extreme Cycle and know from past experience that sometimes (even with major planning!) when you’re on the go, it gets tricky to always have pre prepared snacks on hand. To avoid reaching for the worst snack choice I often have a Quest bar in my bag as a backup, can you please tell me if Quest bars are okay for high carb or low carb days on the Extreme Cycle as a snack option? Thanks!
Hi Phaedra: Quest and like bars are great options for a low carb meal!
Hello! Which of the 5 cycles would be best for trying to lose 20lbs and 60lbs relatively fast or the quickest possible? My husband and I are wanting to begin carb cycling but would like to do the same one to keep meal planning as simple as possible. Also, would you suggest for us to do more exercise, strength/hiit, on top of what you suggest in the books? Or just do what?s listed in the books for best results? Lastly, are all the cycles 21 days? And which one typically yields the quickest results?
Hi Kelli: I?d start with the Extreme Cycle (https://heidipowell.net/10503), and it can work no matter how many pounds you?d like to lose. As far as typical results on any carb cycle, it?s difficult to say since people adhere to the program differently, have different beginning body compositions, and have different goals. We recommend a 10% weight loss goal for the first 90 days. As far as exercise, you can incorporate your own strength program if you?d like to, and Chris and Heidi recommend up to an hour of cardio a day (Monday-Saturday). Hope that helps ? you both can do this! ?
Question..
On low carb days, what is a general guideline of how many grams of carbohydrates to stay under? For a woman?
Hi Dawn: If you follow the plan as it’s outlined, all your macro counting is taken care of for you! Chris and Heidi tried to make things as simple as possible. You can do this! 🙂
If I usually wake up in the morning to sneak my Cardio in before my boys are up. Do I need to eat breakfast before my workout since the its recommended to eat within 30 minutes of waking up? Or can I eat after my Cardio?
Hi Mary: Here’s a post that can help: https://heidipowell.net/9194. Basically, do what works best for you! 🙂
I am 5’4 and 165 pounds with 37% body fat. I am trying to lose 40lbs and 20-25% body fat by April 15, 2017. Which carb cycle would you suggest?
Training for a body competition- so I lift 4 days a week and do 1hr of cardio a day
Hi Lakiesha: The Extreme Cycle could definitely work for you. If you’re already lifting and doing cardio, that can take place of the Metabolic Missions (strength training) and Accelerators (cardio) that are talked about in this program. You can do this! 🙂