Carb cycling is the foundation of what I do every day and with every client. I know through years of experience with many different clients that carb cycling works, so I’m going to introduce you to the basics and the five different carb cycling plans—Easy, Classic, Turbo, and Fit, and Extreme. I’m stripping it down to the basics to get you started:
What is Carb Cycling + How Does it Work?
Carb cycling is an eating plan with alternating high carb and low carb days. It’s that simple. It also has built-in reward days or reward meals (depending on the plan you’re following), so you can still eat your favorite foods on a regular basis. Sounds pretty much perfect, right? You can eat healthy foods, enjoy foods you love, and still lose weight.
While each plan has a different mix of high carb and low carb days, each day works basically the same:
- Eat five meals—no more, no less.
- Eat breakfast within 60 minutes of waking or whenever your feeding window opens if you’re an intermittent faster.
- For breakfast, you’ll eat a portion of protein, carbs, and fat.
- For your next 3 meals (snack, lunch, snack), you’ll eat either a low or high carb meal depending on which day you’re on. So, if you’re on a low carb day, those three meals will be low carb. If you’re on a high carb day, those three meals will be high carb.
- Your last meal of the day will ALWAYS be a low carb meal. Always.
- Choose approved foods.
- Drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water every day. So, if you weigh 150 lbs, you’ll drink 75 ounces a day.
How Does Carb Cycling Work?
Carb cycling is based on the right combination of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats. In order to lose weight, our bodies need the right combination. Here’s why:
- Protein builds and maintains muscles and these muscles burn calories like an inferno. Protein also breaks down more slowly than carbs and fat, which burns even more calories and helps you feel fuller longer.
- Carbs are the preferred fuel source for your muscles and organs, and they come in healthy versions (vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes), and not-so-healthy versions (cakes, cookies, soda, doughnuts, candy, and many processed foods). Healthy carbs are also crucial for burning calories, and since they break down more slowly than those not-so-healthy carbs, they keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady, and they also keep your calorie-burning furnace hot so it burns more calories!
- Healthy fats (unsaturated fats) eaten in moderation help the development and function of your eyes and brain and help prevent heart disease, stroke, depression, and arthritis. Healthy fats also help keep your energy levels steady and keep you from feeling hungry.
Why do we alternate high carb + low carb days in carb cycling?
On high carb days you’re stocking your calorie-burning furnace so that on low carb days your furnace burns fat, and lots of it! This pattern tricks your metabolism into burning a lot of calories, even on those low carb days. It’s an amazing and well-proven process.
What are the Benefits of Carb Cycling?
Carb cycling has many benefits:
- It fits any lifestyle.
- You’ll learn how to shed weight and body fat and how to make smart lifestyle choices for the rest of your life. This puts YOU in control.
- You’ll feel better and have more energy.
- You’ll eat the foods you love.
- You’ll build lean, strong muscles.
- You’ll be empowered physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I’ve only skimmed the surface of carb cycling, so learn more about our five carb cycling plans to find your ideal cycle, and let’s get cycling!
Get even more information on carb cycling in both or our books: Extreme Transformation (the newest edition to our carb cycline lineup featuring the Extreme Cycle) and Choose More, Lose More for Life (which features our other four cycles).
If you’d like some help creating your own meals, there’s a handy “Create Your Own Meals” chart in this post! To get a customized cycle for you and your goals + several workout programs (from gym-based to bodyweight to dance) + the all-important life lessons (the key to long-term transformation), check out The Transform App.
Note: If you’ve been carb cycling using our book, Choose Lose More, Lose More for Life, you’ll notice that we’ve changed a couple of things since that book was published: You now include a fat for breakfast, and every final meal of the day is a low carb meal. Like with a lot of things in life, the more you do them, the more you learn about how to do them even better!
xo,
1,381 Responses
Hi Chris and Heidi!
I’m interested in carb cycling, but i suffer from multiple food allergies and am vegetarian. My main protein sources are soy( not a big amount but i refuse to yield to the current misconceptions on the subject) , eggs, legumes and the meat sbstitutes such as veggie burgers and sausages( tofurky) , nuts and soy milk. I also use Garden Of Life Raw meal and proteins.
Now, this beiing said, i balance the thyro?d with sea weed.
Is there any way i CAN do carb cycling? I love this approach.
Oh, forgot to tell you, i don’t have much weight to lose, 25 lbs.
Thanks guys!
Yes, you can still carb cycle. There’s an extensive approved foods list in Chris and Heidi’s book, “Choose More, Lose More for Life,” and you can get a free copy at http://www.chrispowell.com. Enter your email address in the “Join the Transformation” area, and when you hit “Join,” you’ll be given a download link. Happy carb cycling! 🙂
HEIDI I AM A 62 YR OLD FEMALE I AM A DIABETIC ON INSULIN. IS THIS EASY CYCLE THE BEST ONE FOR ME TO START WITH. I AM WORKING OUT WITH ALLEN SMITH FROM COLUMBUS HE HAS ME WALKING AND DOING JUMPING JACKS, SQATS,PUSH UP AND PLANKS. IT IS TIME TO TAKE CARE OF ME. THANK YOU
Hi Connie: Check out this post about carb cycling and diabetes – it will give you some great info to discuss with your healthcare team: https://heidipowell.net/5078/ask-heidi-anything-im-diabetic-which-plan-should-i-follow/. 🙂
Hello I am very overweight and on the verge of dying if I don’t change something now. I know this is way out there but I would like to speak to Chris. I know you can’t take on everyone as a client. But I need your help before it’s too late. 🙂
Hi Greg! Casting for season 5 is closed, and you can find out about future casting calls at http://www.extremeweightlosscasting.com. But you don’t need to wait for the show to begin your own transformation with the tools Chris and Heidi have provided for all of us to use. Check out their carb cycling program in their book, “Choose More, Lose More for Life.” The book contains their complete nutrition and exercise program, and it’s the same one they use on the show. It will teach you everything you need to know and do to achieve your own transformation! Learn about the nutrition basics here: https://heidipowell.net/2713/carb-cycling-101/. You can do this!
Question… I have attempted carb cycling twice but how do you fit it into everyday life? Spur of the moment dinner plans at someone’s house? You can’t control what they cook, what do you do?
You just do the best you can! You make healthy choices as much as possible, and realize that one dinner won’t derail your goals. 🙂
Hi !
I have a quick question. I do weight training five days a week, and afterwards i do HIIT workout. With the frequency n intensity of the workouts, is it okay to stick on the TURBO CYCLE? should i re-arrange the order ? if i should, how ? Thank you for the patience 🙂
You can stay with the Turbo Cycle, or if you feel like it’s not quite working for you since you do work out pretty intensely, try the Fit Cycle: https://heidipowell.net/2719/carb-cycling-the-fit-cycle/. No matter which cycle you choose, you do not want to rearrange the order of the days. Happy carb cycling! 🙂
OK, I am just going to come out with it…I MISS COFFEE! I love love love carb cycling so far…end of week 2, however I miss having a cup or two of coffee. I tried to drink it black…more like BLECH! Do I need to just get over it, or is there a way for me to still enjoy that cup of coffee? Thanks 🙂
Hi Heidi & Chris! I recently bought Choose To Lose – I was so inspired and motivated after reading this book. I couldn’t put it down! My question is: I can eat five meals a day easily and follow the HC/LC alternate days, however I feel like the portions are really big. Do I push through my fullness or do I stop when I feel full?
Great question! For high carb days, the veggies with every meal can be optional if you’re full. For low carb days, it’s best to eat all the portions if you can. If you want to double check your portion sizes, you can also use the portion list beginning on page 167. Happy carb cycling! 🙂
Hello, I notice that protein bars aren’t on the approved food list…are there any out there that are “clean” and approved by The Powells? I’d like a go to bar for both LC and HC days…thanks for any help you can offer. 🙂
Most protein bars have more carbs, so they would be appropriate for a HC day, just watch the fat content. For LC days, look at bars that are similar to Quest bars. 🙂
How many grams of fat are acceptable for a protein bar, if any at all…for the HC days?
I can’t seem to find this covered anywhere should I eat to feeling full or to finish my meal. I was full after just half of my breakfast this morning (slice of Ezekiel bread, handfuls of mushrooms and spinach and 1c of egg substitute)
It’s best if you can finish your whole meal, but with high carb meals, the veggies can be optional. Happy carb cycling!
Hi there, my question is regarding breakfast, I am on Day 2 of the Turbo cycle. My breakfast consists of a protein shake-protein powder, almond milk, 1/2 banana and 1 tbsp almond butter. Am I supposed to omit the fat-the almond butter?
Yes, you should omit the almond butter because every breakfast is a high carb meal made up of a portion of protein, carbs (whole grains, fruits, root/starchy veggies), and veggies (non-root/non-starchy). Happy carb cycling!