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
On the extreme cycle how many calories you are supposed to consume on high carb and lower carb days
Hi. I did the extreme carb cycling and the first 2 weeks were great. I lost 0.6kg each week. Now this 3rd week after doing the exact same plan, I put on 0.1kg. what am I doing wrong?
Hi Nina: Weight loss can be an up and down process depending on a lot of things. You can be following your plan to a T and still have a gain some weeks. Keep doing what you’re doing, be patient, and trust the process. This post can be helpful too: https://heidipowell.net/12026 You got this!
I recently restarted carb cycling after a four year break. It was very successful and I mainly created simple meals with the approved foods. I?m Now using the awesome new app that you guys didn?t have four years ago but I have a question. Is it possible to carb cycle WITHOUT tracking macros and trying to hit the numbers the App has recommended? I?ve tracked macros plenty of times in the past but it drives me insane trying to hit the numbers just right. (My OCD doesn?t help! :-)) I remember four years ago that it was really simple to do the carb cycling and I don?t think I macro tracked. II like to create a lot of my own meals using the guidelines instead of the recipes. How important is it to hit those numbers?
Hi Raquel: We always recommend you do what will work best for you now and long-term, so you’re totally okay to use your own nutrition program! We hope you love the app!
Hi guys! I’m Paulina. I?m 28, I?m 5 foot 5 and I?m 226 lbs. My percentage of fat mass is 42% and I am an endomorphic subject. What percentages of macros should I follow on high and low days? I was thinking in the high days of following 40% carbohydrates, 32% protein and 28% fat; on low days 26% carbohydrates, 32% protein and 42% fat. I will training 3-4 times a week. I would like some advice: what do you think? Thank you so much!
Hi Paulina! There?s a link to an awesome calculator in this post: https://heidipowell.net/10990. This calculator won?t break down your calories into low and high carb days, but there?s a ?Create a Meal? chart in this post that can help you figure out low and high carb days: https://heidipowell.net/4514. Just remember that each gram of protein and carbs = 4 calories, and each gram of fat = 9 calories. We also offer a customized nutrition program in our app, The Transform App (http://thetransformapp.com), which adjusts as you progress towards your goals. The app has several amazing workout programs too! Hope this helps!
I have gastroparesis and it takes me longer to digest my food so I am having a hard time reaching the calorie amount on high carb and low carb days. Will carb cycling not work if I can’t hit my calories everyday?
Hi Sara: With any health issue, we recommend you discuss any nutrition plan with your healthcare team and then follow any modifications they might recommend. They are the best ones to help you with any concerns you may have, especially where daily calories are concerned. We wish you all the best!
Hello guys! I love you and I love your carb cycling. I want to start Extreme cycle and I was wondering if the 5 meals should be shared equally (300 calories per meal) or it is preferable to keep different calories for the various meals. If so, how should i divide them? Thanks a lot and congratulations!
Hi Freeda: There’s a “Create Your Own Meals” post in this blog that can be super helpful: https://heidipowell.net/10617. 🙂
Hi! I’m Elena, from Italy. I’m 28, I’m 5 foot 5 and I’m 225 lbs (102 chilograms). I have already lost some weight, but for some months now I have stopped with nutrition and sport. I’d like to finally get back in shape. Which carb cycling do you recommend (Extreme, turbo or Fit)? I want to train 3 or 4 times a week (I’m a student and the rest of the day I’m sitting). I would absolutely lose weight. I would be very grateful to you for the reply. Thanks so much. A hug
Hi Helena! I’d begin with the Extreme Cycle and follow it for several weeks to give your body time to adjust. We hope you love carb cycling!
I am an active 40 year old. I am 5 foot 2 and weight 116lbs. I feel my best at 108 lbs. . My issue is any weight I put on goes directly to my waist. What carb cycling do you recommend for that.
Hi Nelly: Any of the carb cycles can get you to your goal. I’d begin with the Extreme Cycle for several weeks. And unfortunately, you really can’t spot reduce. Any extra fat will go to and leave our bodies in its own unique way based on several factors that are unique to each one of us. Here are some blog posts that can help:
https://heidipowell.net/15538
https://transformhq.com/where-do-you-lose-weight-first/
And be patient, trust in the process, and you will get there!
Which is better for faster weight loss results: the turbo cycle or the extreme cycle? And why would someone choose one over the other? I think your team is so inspirational and love reading the blog! Thanks!!
Hi Autumn: We always recommend beginning with the Extreme Cycle. This is the cycle Chris and Heidi used with their contestants on the show, and it works! You got this!