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 my name is Lauren, I am 17 years old and I am really trying to loose weight. In the beginning of summer 2013 I weighted 181.4 pounds which was my heaviest point at the time. I finally decided to go on a diet with my cousin who was younger than me. At the end of the summer I was 163.0 and my cousin lost all of the weight she needed (lucky her), I still had to loose more weight, Then school started and I stopped my daily schedule with working out, & I was with my friends & ate foods that weren’t good for me. Now, I am a senior in high school and I currently weight 197.5 pounds. I’ve never been so disappointed in my life. I feel like I don’t know how to loose weight correctly because I try to eat healthy and I feel like it’s so hard. Much harder than when I went on the diet with my cousin. I don’t feel like I have a schedule and I certainly don’t know what to eat because if I eat healthy I feel like I am eating the same thing all the time. Any Advice? I would love your input!
Hi Lauren: It is so difficult to be a teen these days! You are constantly bombarded with images and advice on how and what you should do and be and look like, and most are very unrealistic. Heidi has addressed the teens and body image issue in this amazing post on this blog: https://heidipowell.net/7201/teens-and-healthy-body-image-its-not-just-about-the-pounds/. In this post, she offers lots of helpful suggestions for both teens and those with teens in their lives, and I hope you can find some ideas that will help you develop healthy habits that will benefit you your entire life! And please discuss your health-related concerns with a parent or someone close to you – a support system can be such an awesome resource as you’re working to achieve your health and fitness goals. Here’s another thing that might help you on your journey to get and stay healthy. One awesome tool Chris and Heidi use with every client is to make and keep a small, simple promise to yourself every day. This is truly a key to achieving any goal! Learn about the process here: https://heidipowell.net/8679/it-really-is-all-about-promises-2/. What will your first promise be today? Make and keep that one, then make and keep one tomorrow, and so on. It works! You can do this! 🙂
I would like to do the carb cycling but right off I have a problem with the timing. I am on Synthroid and have been told not to eat for 2 hours before taking it and then to wait 4 hours after. That means that I cannot eat for 6 straight hours in the morning (told to switch to AM instead of PM to take it). I currently eat, wait 2 hours, take medicine, and then wait 4 hours until lunch. Is there any way to still do the carb cycling around this schedule? Would like to do the fit carb cycling as I already have issues with energy.
Yes, you can still carb cycle. Just do the best you can with your medication schedule – it’s more important to take your medications as recommended. You can do this!
Cathy, I would ask my doctor for clarification. I have been on synthroid for 18 years and never go 6 hours without eating. I believe this if for when specified foods are eaten.
Here are the directions that come with my pills:
Take Synthroid as a single dose, preferably on an empty stomach, 30 minutes to 1 hour before breakfast.
Take Synthroid alone. Some foods may cause your body to absorb less Synthroid, including infant soy formula, cottonseed meal, walnuts, and high-fiber foods. Your dose of Synthroid may need to be adjusted if you consume these foods.
Some medications or supplements can make Synthroid less effective if taken at the same time. So it?s best to take Synthroid 4 hours before or after you take these things. Some examples are iron products, calcium supplements, or antacids.
Again, I would check with the doctor.
I agree and understand with carb cycling, it does work….. When you have a lifestyle that allows for it. I know the Powell Pack travels a lot and they probably can make it work while traveling, but what about people who travel for a living? I am a fligjt attendant. I cannot just stop every 3 hours and eat. I am sometimes workong a 15hour day and dont have time for meals. We don’t get “breaks” in the air or even in between flights most days. Sometimes I can grab a (VERY quick) snack like a handful of fruit or veggies when I get 30seconds to breathe before a call light goes off. How does someone like me make carb cycling work?
Yes, it can be difficult with a schedule such as yours, but just do the best you can, and grab your snacks when you can. And even though you might not be able to follow the every 3 hours schedule, just make sure that everything you can eat is healthy. It sounds like you’re already doing a great job with that! And remember that protein is key. 🙂
Hey!! I’m a 22 year old woman boxer 🙂 I have high intensity training 3 times a week for about 1h30-2h, and also one sparring session (8 rounds) each week.
I would like to loose some weight in order to compete in a lighter category but I don’t want to compromise my strength ; would Card Cycling be a good solution for me? And which program do you recommend? Also, should a have high carb day on training days or one resting days?
Thank you!
I’d try the Fit Cycle since you do workout intensely. With the Fit Cycle, you have two high carb days followed by one low carb day, twice a week, plus your Reward Day, and this cycle is designed for those who do work out intensely. If you do find that you need to, you can schedule your training days on whichever days work best for you. And you can change cycles at any time too. Happy carb cycling!
I have a question in relation to the eating 30 minutes after you wake up and then every 3 hours go-forward.
While this works GREAT for me 4-5 days a week, I struggle the other few. The challenge is that I commute a long distance for work a few days a week where I’m up at 4:30 AM and then in transit for a few hours. At that hour, I REALLY don’t feel like eating – especially since I’ll often nap during the first part of the commute. Plus – I end up getting home late and working out late that night (it’s a LONG day).
Would you recommend still eating a full meal within 30 minutes of waking on those days? I’m also afraid if I adhered to the eating every three hours and sticking to 5 meals that I’d run out of meals well before it’s time to refuel before/after my 8 PM workouts.
Any guidance is SUPER appreciated! 🙂
While it’s best to stick to the eating program as outlined, it’s okay to tweak the schedule a bit if you need to due to your own schedule. You can eat that first meal later, but then stick to the every 3 hours schedule the rest of the day.
Jackie- are you also a flight attendant (who commutes to base?)
I am having a really hard time coming up with different recipes. Any suggestions? I would love for Chris and Heidi to come out with a carb-cycling cookbook with nothing but recipes!!
There are lots of awesome recipes in both books: “Choose to Lose” and “Choose More, Lose More for Life.” Check ’em out!
I need to lose weight for my wedding in May. Im not overweight, I am 9 stone but am only 5ft4 and hold most of my weight on my hips and thighs. Most especially the inner thigh. My question is which plan would be best for me to combat the weight on my legs and drop approximately 10lb?
Unfortunately, you really can’t spot reduce. It’s best to follow a great nutrition and whole body exercise program, like in carb cycling. As to which cycle you choose, that depends on your schedule, and how well you’ll stick to the program. The Turbo cycle drops weight the fastest, and the Easy Cycle is a great beginning cycle. And remember, you can change cycles at any time. Happy carb cycling!
Hi! I asked a question about bars for high carb days. I realize that they all vary so with that in mind do have any suggestions on amount of carbs/protein/fat to look for in bars? It would really help for my buys work days when I can’t get a full meal or snack.
Thanks!!
Hi Brooke: Great question! I’m working on getting some very specific guidelines for you, and I’ll reply to this comment when I receive them. Thank you for your patience. 🙂
Hi Brooke! Here’s the information you were asking about: For low carb meals, Chris and Heidi prefer Quest and Kind + Protein bars. They have some carbs on the label, but since most of these carbs are dietary fiber, they are actually what we call “non-impact carbs,” and these carbs don’t count. They also have a good amount of protein and fat?perfect for low carb meals! For high carb days, they recommend Think Thin, Cliff Builder, and Larabar protein bars, even though they do have some fat content. The key to knowing which bar is best for which type of meal is to look at both the carb and fat content. If more calories come from fat than carbs, then that bar is a good option for a low carb meal. If the reverse is true, then that bar is a good option for a high carb meal. Chris and Heidi do recommend consuming only one protein bar a day, since it is best to eat whole foods whenever possible.
Hi. .I’m having trouble meeting 1200 calories on my low carb days..ESPECIALLY if I include the loss of calories through exercise and strength training. I’m trying to make sure I have 100 calories each of protein and a fat at each of the five meals. ..but if I get a deficit of 400 calories because of exercise I’m confused on how I should make them up…more protein? More healthy fat?
Or can I just NOT make them up? Would i drop my weight faster?
You don’t want to eat back any calories burned through exercising – those add to your daily calorie deficit which leads to lost pounds.
what carb cycle program should we follow if we want to gain muscle?
The exercise program is the same for all four carb cycles, so pick the one that best fits your goals, how quickly you want to lose any weight, and your schedule. Happy carb cycling!
but what cycle should we do if we want to gain muscle?
Do you have any suggestions for a protein bar for high carb days?
Since every bar can be different (even those by the same manufacturer), you’ll have to check each label for fat and carb content.