Chris and I have worked tireless hours this past year creating the foundation of our vision to help people live happier, healthier lives?our “TRANSFORM with Chris and Heidi” app is more than just an app. It is literally 5 apps-in-one, and it does what no other fitness app can. TRANSFORM focuses on what you really want?to be led, step-by-step, to your lifelong goals. It’s truly the total transformation experience, and we’ve jam packed it with all of the tools you need to be successful: Custom nutrition programs, full workout plans, mental and emotional coaching, and documentation of every step on your journey?from your journal, to post-workout selfies, to your weekly picture timelapse. It is the full experience, guys!! Like having us right in your pocket.
Now to get YOU moving in the right direction?whether you are using “TRANSFORM with Chris and Heidi” or not?here are some of the basics:
Let’s start with Nutrition:
Carb cycling is the foundation of what Chris and I do every day and with every client, and it is the powerful method we prefer to use for all of our nutrition plans. It is a patterned way of alternating between a high carb/low fat diet (to optimize metabolism and muscle development) and a low carb/higher fat diet (to maximize fat loss). Beyond the physiological benefits, it also allows you to eat a lot of different foods and meal combinations so you can create a transformation lifestyle around foods you truly enjoy. There are 7 different variations of Carb Cycles that we use, depending on you and your transformation goals.
To make it even easier for our MyFitnessPal followers (I am one of them!), we?ve added every single meal to MyFitnessPal for you?to lay that out for you, we’ve input over 2,000 recipe variations, by calorie and macros, inside of the database. Simply search for the name of the recipe and the calories listed for that meal (Example: Pepper Jack Chicken (346 cals)), look for the brand ?Chris and Heidi Powell/Transform,? and you?ll know that?s the meal you?re looking for. Part of the app process was asking ourselves, “How can we simplify the steps along the path to transformation for us AND everyone else?” And we feel that this is one huge step, especially for us macro counters!
Some of my favorite prep tools to keep you hydrated and healthy on the go:
Why are water and hydration so important?
Adequate water consumption is so important to achieving your transformation goals for so many reasons. The medical community typically recommends drinking at least HALF of your body weight in ounces daily as an absolute minimum for a sedentary individual. In addition, you should drink 8 ounces for every 15 minutes of exercise you do. These numbers can get tricky, so instead, it is pretty easy to recommend drinking 1 gallon of water daily, and choose whichever method works best for you! And for reference, 1 gallon = 128 ounces.
TIP: Use our ?10-gulp rule?: Every time you take a drink, you must take 10 gulps before putting the bottle down. Learn to breathe through your nose. 😉
How do I curb cravings?
One of the most common issues we see people encounter when transitioning to eating for transformation is that they are surprised at how MUCH food they need to eat every day. However, sometimes there is a craving for old comfort foods. The key is to effectively stay “full” to manage these cravings as you experience them. Here are some of the best?and most powerful?craving curbing tips:
- Tip # 1: Drink LOTS of water, and always aim to drink your prescribed minimums. It’s kind of crazy, but when we feel hungry, we’re often just thirsty, so drink up!
- Tip # 2: Eat foods that are high in fiber. Fiber acts like brakes on your food so it stays in the stomach and small intestine longer, keeping you feeling full. Studies have found that people who eat high fiber foods are far less likely to overeat! High fiber breads, oatmeal, whole grains, sweet potatoes, and beans are excellent sources of high fiber starchy foods. But one of the best methods is to use tons of veggies to volumize ALL of your meals!!!
- Tip # 3: Chew mint-flavored gum, eat a breath mint, or brush your teeth after meals. The mint flavor is great for suppressing your appetite, and it will hold you over until the next meal.
- Tip # 4: Consume a little fat! Good fats, of course. 😉 Simply eat one tablespoon of your favorite healthy fat, set your timer for 15 minutes, and Bam! You will have conquered your sweet and salty craving. Pretty awesome, right? Keep in mind these have a 100 calorie impact, so plan accordingly!
NOTE: If you absolutely need to have something to hold you over, try these liquid craving-curbing tricks:
- Coconut Water (healthy and effective): Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to a cup of warm water. Sip and enjoy! In 20 minutes, you should feel fuller!
- Root Beer Float (not-so-healthy and effective…but delicious!): Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream to a chilled diet root beer. Sip and enjoy! In 20 minutes, you should feel fuller!
Fitness and Daily Workouts:
Some of our go-to workout gear:
We understand that each person comes with a different story that requires customization along the way. For every movement, we give modifiers and/or alternate movements to substitute into your workout, and the modifiers and alternates can be found at the bottom of every movement description. If you are dealing with an injury, we encourage you to work around injuries, not through them. Feel free to substitute any movement into the workout that does not aggravate your injury.
NOTE: If you are experiencing an injury, please be sure to discuss your exercise regimen with your healthcare team before beginning any program, and then be sure to follow any modifications they might recommend while recovering from your injury. If you are experiencing any new injuries, be sure to discuss these with your healthcare team if the injury persists past a few days.
Should I still work out if I’m really sore?
Soreness is very common the first few weeks of beginning a new program. If it is extremely painful, then 1) do your Accelerators/light cardio instead of your workout until the soreness goes away, or 2) do your workouts focusing on body parts that are not sore.
Massage, Epsom salt baths, and ice baths have also been shown to help reduce muscle soreness and speed recovery so you can get back into the groove as soon as possible!
When should I weigh myself?
Weigh yourself as much as you like, but your official weigh ins should be done once a week (after a low carb day), first thing in the morning before eating or drinking. Keep in mind that it takes roughly one to two weeks to get a truly accurate change on the scale, so this is why weighing at the end of each week can keep the number much more consistent and reliable.
Other than pounds on the scale, what are the ?signs? I need to watch for when losing weight?
- Clothing and inches: Pay attention to how your clothes are fitting?they are an incredible gauge of your progress!
- Energy levels and body temperature: These will fluctuate as we cycle our nutrition from high to low carb days. You will notice a nice boost of energy and a body temperature rise on high carb days as your body consumes higher quantities of ?fuel.? Low carb days (low ?fuel? days) will result in decreased energy and decreased body temperature. Don?t be alarmed if you feel your energy zapped and a bit foggy-minded without all of those carbs. This is normal, and it?s only temporary!
- Water retention and flushing: Here?s one more reason NOT to rely only on the scale. If you insist upon weighing daily, you will notice that your weight fluctuates with your high and low carb days. Our bodies will naturally retain water during high carb days, and they?ll flush water during low carb days. As a result, there will be some noticeable fluctuations on the scale. You may find yourself up 4 pounds after a high carb day, then down 5 pounds after the following low carb day.
Do I have to take pictures during my transformation?
While you don?t HAVE to, we highly recommend it. One of the most wonderful gifts you can give yourself during this transformation is the proof of progression. Not only will this memorialize where exactly you came from (and it will serve as a constant reminder to never go back), but it will also give you a more ?objective? perspective of your own body so you can see the true results. Naturally, our eyes play tricks on us?what we see in the mirror is NOT reality!
If you choose to, you can share your transformation pictures across any of your social networking platforms (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) from the TRANSFORM app. Your transformation will give hope and inspiration to everyone around you, and it can help them choose to change their lives for the better too!
Now, if you are following the app, you don’t have to worry about much of this at all. We will guide you every step of the way…even sharing our tried and true Life Lessons that have proven to be the magic ingredient to thousands of lasting transformations over the years.
On that note…come TRANSFORM with us! Click below to Download:
Xoxo,
Heidi
Related reading:
10 Tips to Crush those Cravings?For Good!
It Really Is All About the Promise
Meal Prep Tips and Tricks You Need to Know
A Weight Loss Win: It?s More Than That Number on the Scale
Our Transformation Mantras + Top Tips for Success
6 Secrets to Success: How to Reach Your Goals This Year
Avoiding Road Trip Road Blocks!
601 Responses
Day 2 of my Transformation! Love the APP! Not hungry at all! Do you sell a transform workout tank? If so, where can I find it to buy it?
Hey Deb! We love that you’re loving the app! We’re working to make Transform products available, so stay tuned!
Is there a place to put what weights you did for each exercise? i wanted to be able to go back and look each week.
Hi Erin: We’re working on adding this to the app, but in the meantime, you can track your weights in a journal entry on the Me page. 🙂
I’m a bariatric patient (gastric sleeve) who is 5 years post op….I have gained weight back, yes people it happens! I want to try carb cycling to get back to where I was but I am apprehensive since I can’t eat as much as someone with a normal size stomach. Would I just stop when full and wait until my next meal? Would it effect my progress by not getting all my recommended food in? Please help!
I am in a similar place, and had the R&Y surgery. I look forward to seeing their feedback on this question.
Hi Lisa: Great questions! I’d discuss the program with your healthcare team and then follow their recommendations for any modifications. They are the best ones to assist you since they know your health history and can work with you personally.
I signed up and started yesterday, but I feel like I’m eating way too much food! Should I try and reduce the recipes? I wasn’t even hungry yesterday and had to force myself to eat the “fifth meal”.
Hi Sarah, I asked the same question a few days ago about the portions and calorie counts. I have been forcing myself to eat for the last four days and so far I have lost 3 pounds!! However when I get to my fifth meal I can only eat half of it yet. I think it takes some time for your body to adjust especially if you have been eating only 1200-1600 calories a day. I hit a plateau and this program so far has helped me get past that! I just thought I would share my experience so far with the app and the meals.
Hi Sarah: It is VERY common to be surprised at the amount of food you should be eating to reach your goals! Most people have the misconception (and ‘old school’ mentality) that you have to starve yourself to reach your goals – this is not the case at all. For our approach, we start you at the highest calorie intake possible to boost your metabolism and prime your body, then if you EVER plateau, the program will adjust your portions in a ‘step-down’ manner, to maximize your results and keep you losing. This is transformation the way it SHOULD be done! Your meal plan is totally customized to you and your goals, and so you can feel confident that if you eat all of that delicious food, you will achieve your goals!
Hi,
I need help choosing which carb cycle. I’m 54 , postmenopausal and a stubborn loser. I read they used the extreme cycle on the show. I chose turbo cycle but I’m wondering if that is the best choose for me. I have 30 lbs to loose. Any suggestions on how to pick the cycle for me?
Thx
Teresa
Hi Teresa: Any of the carb cycles can work for you, and you can change cycles at any time also! The Turbo Cycle is a great place to start, so you’re good to go!
Thanks for the quick response!
I am still confused though.
So even at my max intensity I need to do 15 reps?? Usually at my max I can only squeeze a few reps.
Maybe I’m going to heavy??
Hi Kel: If you can, do 15 reps at all intensities. You can also do what we call “chipping,” where you do what you can, rest for a few seconds, and then get right back at it. And if you can’t do all 15 reps, that’s okay too. As your strength increases, you’ll be able to do more reps. You got this!
Hi team Powell!!
I have a question about the sets/reps.
On the second week of level 2 physique, I noticed that it has the set intensity as moderate,heavy , heavy and max. 4×15
So does that mean that I need to do 4 sets of 15 reps on all intensities?
There’s just no way I can do 15 reps of my max weight.
I’m just a little confused so any help would be appreciated!!!
Hi Kel: Great question! For each set, you’ll use an amount of weight to correspond with that intensity. So for your first set, you’ll use moderate intensity, 2nd set – heavy intensity, 3rd set – heavy intensity, and 4th set – max intensity. You’re doing awesome!
It would be the max weight you can do for 15 reps. The last 2-3 reps should be challenging. It’s not a 1 rep or 5 rep max but a 15 rep max.
Hello,
I am starting today and I feel a little lost. I am set up to workout 5 days a week. Does it matter which days i work out based on the high carb, low carb and reward days?
Also what is the benefit to resting between sets? i am on a tight schedule when i go to the gym and would like to shorten the rest time is that recommend?
Hi Erin: For the Physique and Cross Training programs, you can work in your workouts throughout the week as you’d like. Resting in between gives your muscles a rest so you can be more effective in the additional sets, but if you don’t have time to rest, you can cut that time back. 🙂
One of the confusing park i faced during signing up the app is the category for weight loss, physique and cross training. I am a fairly active gym goes and do at least 20-30 mins of cardio and lift a little weight as well. my goal is to get 200 with built muscle(i.e loose about 70-80 pound as well. So based on that do i choose weight loss as my plan or physique, as both the plan have different food selection and calorie intake.
Hi Shawn: 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! ?
Team Powell,
Is there guidelines on how to choose the cycle that’s best for me? I choose turbo cycle but I read that they used the extreme cycle on the show. Do u have any recommendations on how to choose the right cycle?
Thx in advance.