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
Hi Heidi!
I am about to start your program and am confused about what calories to aim for… here is see 1500. However, a calculator I followed from another post tells me 1740 to lose weight. I am a 40 year old athlete and weigh about 130lbs. … a runner and also lift weights, do Pilates, yoga, etc. I have been undereating for some time and it’s caused me to lose muscle and gain fat. (Ugh and oops!). I want to be healthy and lean. Probably need to lose less than 10lbs. What is your advice for me now?
Hi Jaime: The calorie recommendations take into account both cardio and strength training, so you should be good to go with 1500 calories a day!
I need to lose 40 pounds without getting saggy skin. Which program do you recommend? I really want to tone while I am losing.
Thanks,
Heather
Hi Heather: I’d do the Extreme Cycle – you can totally do this!
Really excited to start! My friend has had great results. I’ve been doing the 21 day fix for a while with great results but need a new boost. My question is. Can you give me a rough estimate of measuring with the “fistful” or “palm” are carbs like 1 cup or 3/4 c and are proteins like 6 oz? Thanks so much!!!
Hi Heather: Congratulations on your results! There’s a “Create Your Own Meals” chart at the end of this post that outlines how to put your meals together calorie-wise for each macro in each meal: https://heidipowell.net/10617. This should really help!
Hello Team Powell, first off, I love all your shows and you’re the cutest couple ever 🙂
I wondering, how do I know which cycle is best for me? I need to safely lose well over 100 pounds.
Thank you,
Cherrie
Hi Cherrie: I’d do the Extreme Cycle. It’s the newest cycle, and it’s the result of Chris and Heidi’s work with their contestants over the last few years. It works, and you can totally do this! 🙂
Hi! I’m trying to drop some weight before a beach trip in 2 weeks. Which carb cycle program would you recommend?
I’d recommend the Extreme Cycle, and have a fun trip! 🙂
Hi Team Powell. Last year I had great success with your carb cycling. I lost 36kg (80lbs) in 3-4 months using Turbo Cycle, which actually was alot tougher than expected when I think back. I weighed down to around 98 kgs and I’m now at 102kg. Though my weight has stayed there for a while, my body fat % has gone down and im now at about 17-18. My goal is build lean muscle and lower my body fat to around 11-12%. Thats my current goal. Which ones of the cycle is BEST GEARED towards A) fat loss and B) muscle gain? I’d go back to the Turbo cycle but I feel as its to restricting for my liking. Im 6’4 and train hard 5 times a week with a mixture of HIIT and strength training. I have already watched the video at https://heidipowell.net/10540/ask-the-powells-gaining-healthy-weight/ so there is no reason to redirect me towards that. Instead I would like an opinion as to which cycle you think is the best for the goals I have in mind.
1st – get to 11-12% body fat
2nd – build lean muscle
Looking forward to your opinion, Team Powell!
Best regards,
Danny
Hi Danny: I’d try the Extreme Cycle. It’s Chris and Heidi’s newest cycle, and it’s awesome! And if you’d like another possible option, there’s some great info in this post: https://heidipowell.net/10990. Hope this helps! 🙂
After my workout at night I always take glutamine for muscle recovery. I was wondering if an extra scoop of protein in the day (after I’ve exhausted all my macros for the day) will hinder my goals. I’m following the Extreme Cycle and am feeling great, btw! Since all the macros are laid out for me, I’m finished with them by dinner. Should I cut my macros down a bit to adjust to the shake after my workout at night?
Also, how do Heidi and Chris plan their meals when carb cying? I’m still learning how to prep on this new plan.
Thanks.
Hi! I recently bought the book Extreme Transformation over my winter break. I am currently in college, and I’m truly struggling with healthy eating habits because of the food provided here. I would love to follow all the meal plans in the book, but being a college student, that just isn’t realistic. Are there any tips or tricks you can give me in order to eat food from my caf? that will follow the carb cycling??? Thank you so much!!
Hi Melissa: Yes! You can get some great meal planning options for the Extreme Cycle in this post: https://heidipowell.net/10617. 🙂
Hi there! I am doing Extreme Cycle and I love it. Great results. I’d also like to follow my macros and carb cycle while staying in an X# of macros fir both high/low carb days. Is there an equation to help me figure out what my specific macros should be for both days?
Thanks for you time.
Hi Nicole: There’s a “Create Your Own Meals” chart in this post that can be very helpful: https://heidipowell.net/19617. And remember, each gram of protein or carb = 4 calories, and each gram of fat = 9 calories. 🙂
Janet – January 26, 2017
Today is day1 of Metabolic missions for me? I haven?t done any type of exercise in months, I injured my knee when I got over zealous with my workouts and Boom! It was over for me, I could barely walk to do my job, let alone workout. Slowly found myself slipping into old eating habits and here I am, knees hurt more than ever, my back and joints are in constant discomfort. I did the MM today and am still sweating while I sit here and type this. I plan on walking tonight after I prepare supper, am hoping I can get my husband out the door with me, we will see. Thank you.