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 team power I mean Powell .
Big fans from Vancouver Canada.
My hubby and I love you.
Question. Does carb cycling work for breast feeding mamas? I had my son 3 months ago and I need to get my butt into gear.
I went from running two half marathons months before I got pregnant last year, and now a big bumpy lumpy bug on a log.
Heidi your amazing. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Hi Christina: You’ll want to chat with your healthcare team about any diets while breastfeeding, and here’s a post that outlines what Heidi does: https://heidipowell.net/2275/q-a-carb-cycling-while-prego/. And congratulations on the new baby boy!
Hi Team Powell!
Quick question: What type of exercise should I do on high carb days versus low carb days?
Thanks!
Hi Amanda: The entire carb cycling exercise program is laid out for you. You can get links to both parts of the exercise part of the program here: https://heidipowell.net/9059/all-about-exercise-2/. If you’re following your own program (and that’s totally okay), you can do what’s best for you. Some people have problems doing intense workouts on low-carb days, and others don’t, so it’s kind of an individual thing.
Hello Heidi,
I am currently in Ketosis, can I use carb cycling as a way to reintroduce carbs? Will I have weight gain at first?
Hi Kim: It’s hard to tell what will happen with your body when you start carb cycling since each body can handle it differently based on what state the body is in when you begin. If you do gain any weight, that should be temporary weight gain. Hope that helps!
I bought the books and trying to get organized to start carb cycling. Do you have or would it be possible to have a printout of the workouts and sample week instead of carrying the book with me all the time. 🙂 Didn’t know if there were a digital copy of the sample week so I type in the food and activities? Maybe like flash card workouts??
Thanks
Hi Lisa: I’m so sorry, but we don’t have print outs of the workouts and sample weeks available. Good luck carb cycling – it’s an awesome program! 🙂
Hey Team Powell!! What’s the best way to select the best carb cycling plan for me? I don’t have a lot of weight to lose; I’m wanting to supplement my workout plan and kick some of the bad habits and cravings I’ve picked up. I’m very active; I do weight training/crossfit 4-5 days a week. I’ve gained 10 pounds in muscle since starting crossfit 6 months ago (I’m 5’10 and 150lbs). Does the book detail how to select a plan that’s right for my fitness goals? I am looking to supplement my healthy lifestyle, not a diet. Thank you!!
Yes – “Choose More, Lose More for Life” has a chart and other info that helps you choose what cycle to begin with, and you can change cycles at any time too. And you can follow the plan for life – which is awesome!
Hi Powells
I just finished medical school and will be starting internship soon, and that will require me to work a 24hour shift once or twice a week.
I’ve always been active, currenly lifting weights and cardio 5 times a week. I’m an ectomorph and my goal is to gain some muscle and get some definition, but so far I haven’t seen much results. So I’m thinking of starting the Classic Cycle next week.
Any advice on the staying awake and working all night thing? Should I still just eat the 5 meals during the day and nothing during the night? And if not, what type of meals should I add?
Your help would be much appreciated
Hi Mirieke: You’ll want to eat your 5 meals every 3 hours for the longest period you’re awake during the day. If you work a crazy schedule, you’ll need to adjust this a bit so you can have the nutrition you need while you’re working. Good luck!
Hey team Powell! I’ve been carb cycling on the turbo plan for 9 weeks now and have lost 43 lbs, I’m noticing on high carb days, and during my slingshot week I feel nauseous, tired, emotional, headaches and just plain yukk. I’ve been tested in the past for gluten allergy I don’t have an allergy. On high carb days I eat a mixture or fruit, sweet potatoes, Brown rice, and whole wheat weight watchers bread, but no matter what a eat I feel crummy! On low carb days I feel great and have tons of energy! I’m not sure what to do because slingshot week was horrible, but I know I cannot stop eating carbs all together! Any suggestions?
Hi Kayla: I’m so sorry you’re having these issues! Usually people can experience just the opposite of what you’re experiencing. I’d suggest you chat with your healthcare team and see if they have any ideas that might help you – I’m so sorry I’m not more help. 🙁
Which one would be best for someone who is pre diabetic and having trouble with maintainting normal sugar levels?
Hi Cat: Here’s another post that talks about carb cycling and diabetes, and I hope it will give you some good info you can use to chat with your healthcare team about what would work best for you: https://heidipowell.net/5078/ask-heidi-anything-im-diabetic-which-plan-should-i-follow/. We wish you the best!
Thank you so much! ?
Hello,
On low carb days are you aloud chickpeas and quinoa as they are high protein for vegetarians?
Many thanks!
Hi Florence: In carb cycling, chickpeas and quinoa are only considered carbs.
Hey. My husband and I began carb cycling 44 days ago. We are currently following the Turbo Cycle. Before we started we took a couple of weeks to just cut out sugar and white bread. I felt like an addict detoxing (In the past I have worked as an addictions counselor so I understand this reference). The first couple of weeks of carb cycling we were both very tired, but knew our bodies felt better. We love the program and know it is something we can do for life. My husband is just dropping the weight and has lost almost 30 lbs. I am losing weight but it is slow. I’ve lost 13 lbs. in this 44 days. Last week I lost 1lb. I am also working out at the office with some ladies each weekday and after work at my church 3x per week. I am taking my Levothyroxine as prescribed and we are following the program diligently as I am preparing our food weekly that we take to work with us. Is my slow weight loss the average? I do realize that men tend to lose faster than women. I just did the math and see that 13 lbs is an average of 2lbs a week. I guess I just need some encouragement. I am sticking with this!!! I have a goal to be in a size 12 for my son’s wedding by next Nov. I am currently an 18. When I get to the 12 I want to get to a 10. I am 5′ even and 46 years old.
Hi Jamie: 13 pounds in 44 days is amazing! A 2 lb/week loss shows that you’re truly making life-long changes, so keep it up! You got this! 🙂