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 recently bought the Extreme Transformation book. Since I cannot afford the new Tranform app due to being on disability and want to be able to input my own foods, etc, any suggestions on how to follow the extreme cycle using MyFitnessPal? The book states 1500 calories for a woman, even though the Transform App shows much higher calories, etc. What is a good ratio to use for macros for high carb days and low carb days to incorporate into MyFitnessPal so I can follow the Extreme Cycle? I appreciate the information, as this is the first time I will be trying carb cycling and want to be successful at it. Thank you!
Hi Kimberly: The calorie recommendations in the book are very general, although they can definitely help you achieve your goals. The calorie recommendations in the app are totally customized to you and your goals, so there will be some differences between the two. There is a “Create Your Own Meals” chart in this post, as well as some great meal planning tips for the Extreme Cycle, and this can help you figure out your macros for carb cycling: https://heidipowell.net/10617. You can do this!
I have read that it’s important to do your intense workouts that include weight lifting on high carb days when carb cycling. Does this tenant hold true on your program? Five consecutive days of intense exercise seems a bit much. Thanks for the help!
Hi Erika: Both your workouts and the nutrition needed for those workouts and for your goals are incorporated into your program, so you’re good to go!
Can you please define in terms of calories what “doubling” the carb portion during slingshot week means? Heidi’s plan defines a normal high carb day as 100 calories protein, 200 calories carb for a meal. So for doubling the carb am I eating 400 calories of carb per meal? Thanks!
And to clarify one more thing…doubling the carb to 400 cal/meal would equate to about 2000 calories for the day, compared to 1500 if the carbs are 200/meal. Thanks!
Hi Rebecca: You are correct!
Yes, that is correct! 🙂
I’ve been on a plateau for literally months and just started carb cycling. I did a few weeks of turbo and just finished one week of the extreme cycle, and I am still stuck. I have not tried a slingshot week and ‘m confused about it. A normal high carb meal on the extreme cycle is 100 calories of protein and 200 calories carb. So during the slingshot week, does this mean I would have 100 calories of protein and 400 calories of carbs? Also, would you still include a fat with breakfast and dinner instead of a carb? Thanks so much!
Hi Rebecca: The slingshot week is super important, so I’d definitely do one. You’ll have a whole week of high carb days, just as you’d normally do a high carb day + you’ll double the carb portion of any meal that contains carbs. You’ll still include a fat for breakfast too, but keep those low carb dinners as they are. Hope that helps!
Hi,
I’m looking to lose 10 – 15 pounds, and I’m wondering which program you would recommend for me? Is the turbo or extreme cycle best? I’m 5’8 and 143 pounds at the moment. I work out about 4 times a week at home. I run twice a week. Thanks!
Hi Saina: I’d start with the Extreme Cycle – it’s awesome! And here’s a post that can help with meal planning on the Extreme Cycle: https://heidipowell.net/10617. 🙂
Hello! I just started using the Transformation app and am loving how well rounded it is. My one concern and confusion lies with how much fat I am consuming on low carb days. I am 5 ft. and currently weigh 120 lbs. I chose the Turbo cycle and my low carb day has me eating about 68 grams of fat. Typically I have tried to keep my fat around 45 grams. The “grab and go” meal options often include cheese as a fat option and I am wondering if it would be better if I chose more healthy fats such as nuts, avocado on a regular basis rather than processed cheese?
Hi Amanda: The cheeses in your meal are not processed cheese, and they do have added nutrients like calcium. If you’d rather not eat cheese, then you can change to another recipe that better fits your preferences. The fats in the program play a very important role in helping you achieve your goals, so trust in the process, and you’re good to go!
Hi!
Love your programs, but I’m getting a bit confused about what program I should choose now. When I suffered of water retention I followed the classic cycle program and I lose 4 kg like I wanted. I couldn’t go to the gym cause I suffered back pain. Now I’ve been doing crossfit for 4 months and I’m still following the classic cycle, but I go the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (low carbs days). I read that I should train myself on high carbs days but cannot go to the gym on the other days.
I wondering, how do I know which cycle is best for me now? I don’t want to gain kg and I want to keep and nurture my muscles. Can you give me some tips please?
Just another question. Are these cycles good for lifetime???
Thank you so much,
Maria
Hi Maria: Yes, you can use this program for life! And here’s a very long description of the different program, and I hope it can help you choose which program works best for you. First (and most excitingly), you are never STUCK to any program. Once you?re a TRANSFORM member, you have access to ALL of our programs ? Weight Loss, Physique, and Cross Training ? and can switch from one program to another at any point in time if you would like. Simply put, Chris and Heidi have built 3 “paths” of transformation to choose from. On EACH path, there is the option to SHRED DOWN and LOSE WEIGHT. So if you choose Physique or Cross Training, rest assured you will reach your weight loss goal! You?ll simply choose that option AFTER you choose the type of training you want to do.
Each of the training programs below has several more “paths” within to create a custom experience for you. Don?t worry, with a few questions about your goals, the app will help direct you to the right path.
PHYSIQUE ? This ?body sculpting? program and will help you sculpt your body to the specific shape that you want. Want to lean out and create a nice bikini body or get ready for a wedding? There?s a program in here for you. Want to build lean muscle mass and/or shred down? There?s a program in here for you. The programs are different for men and women, AND there is both Beginner AND Advanced programming to suit your needs. This program requires gym access. If you have a home gym with limited equipment, you can use the Modifier Movements provided to make it work. This is the program Chris and Heidi follow prior to stepping on stage for their physique and bikini competitions.
CROSS TRAINING ? Athletes or anyone wanting to BE an athlete needs to do this program! For beginner up to advanced athletes, this CrossFit-style program will challenge and strengthen you like never before! Best part about this program? You can do it WITH or WITHOUT access to equipment. Stay-at-home moms looking for their inner athlete?do our Bodyweight Cross Training program! All you need is a $20 at-home pull up bar and a box (or chair). If you?re looking to increase your strength and have access to functional training equipment, try out the Fully Equipped Cross Training program. This is what Chris and Heidi did prior to their CrossFit competitions.
WEIGHT LOSS ? This method of training is PERFECT for the person looking to take that very first step toward Total Transformation. This is the tried-and-true training method they’ve used to create hundreds of HUGE transformations, and it is complete with Modifying Movements so you can work around injuries and joint pain. This program is also wonderful for the stay-at-home mom who prefers lower impact movement. The intensity on this program is what you make it. If you push hard, it will be tough. If you need to slow down, you can!
Hope that helps! 🙂
Heidi. First off thank you sooo much ive been carb cycling for a year now with great results. Ive been on turbo plan. I workout everyday weight training then cardio in evening. Lately ive noticed not much energy day after lc day. My muscles feel weak those days. I feel like i need more carbs for amount of training im doing. What would you suggest? I was thinking of doing extreme cycle. I just dont want to go backwards in any way. Not much fat to lose at this point focused on muscle gain. Thank you sooooooo much from the bottom of my heart. If it werent for extreme weight loss who knows where i would be ????
So how do you decide which plan to start with? I’ve recently lost 40# and have another 40# ish to go. The reason I ask heavy is because I don’t eat anything. Eating is annoying and instead of trying to make proper choices (which I am not entirely sure what this are) I chose nothing. I can literally live on 4 granola bars a day.
I’ve recently started trying eat more and more I can actually put food onto my stomach before 10am!
Which plan should I start with?
Hi Angi: Congratulations on losing 40 lbs – that’s awesome! I’d start with the Extreme Cycle and take baby steps as you begin a new program (and a new way of eating). You can do this! 🙂
Hi!
I am 5 ft & 4 in tall & 120 pounds. I want to lose 10 pounds. I went to the website you all suggested to find what my macros should be. How do I adjust my macros for the high carb and low carb days? Also, how many calories should I consume on reset days?
Hi Allyson: If you’d like to carb cycle using macro tracking, it’s best to work with a macros coach who can put a carb cycling program in place based on your body composition, workout routine, and goals. Since this is a very individualized number, working with a coach is a great idea.