Do you have a hard time going without your favorite foods, but you still want to lose weight? Then the Easy Cycle is for you. In this cycle you alternate low carb and high carb days, and on every single high carb day you can have a reward meal, as long as that meal isn’t your dinner meal.
That’s right, you can eat the foods you love—four days a week— and still reach your weight loss goals. And by favorite foods I mean pizza, ice cream, bacon, chocolate cake, cheesecake—they’re all okay. The power of this cycle is that if you get those favorite food cravings on low carb days, you only have to wait until the next day to satisfy them. Anyone can do that! Success can be yours with this cycle.
How is this possible? First of all, you’ll be following the low carb/high carb eating plan for your non-reward meals, and the success of this pattern has been proven many times over. And even though you’ll be rewarding yourself, you’ll be rewarding yourself less often. Let’s say you usually eat seven servings of ice cream a week. With the Easy Cycle you’re already eliminating three bowls of ice cream a week, and that’s a lot of calories! You’re satisfying your cravings without depriving yourself, and losing weight.
Here’s what an Easy Cycle week looks like:
- Monday: Low carb day
- Tuesday: High carb day w/ reward meal
- Wednesday: Low carb day
- Thursday: High carb day w/ reward meal
- Friday: Low carb day
- Saturday: High carb day w/ reward meal
- Sunday: High carb day w/ reward meal
Every breakfast—on both low and high carb days—will consist of a portion each of protein, carb, and fat. For the next three meals, you’ll either have a high carb or low carb meal (depending on which day you’re on), and then your last meal of the day will ALWAYS be a low carb meal. Follow the portion size guide, and you’re good to go!
And yes, you won’t lose weight as quickly as you would in other cycles, but the important thing is that you will lose weight, and you’ll also be forming healthy habits that will last a lifetime. And when you’re ready, you can move onto another cycle if you want to. Or you can stay with the Easy Cycle throughout your weight loss journey. It’s totally up to you!
For more information on the Easy Cycle, check out our book, Choose More, Lose More for Life.
Interested in learning about our new cycle, the Extreme Cycle? You can get all the info in our new book, Extreme Transformation.
And if you’d like some help creating your own meals, there’s a handy “Create Your Own Meals” chart in this post!
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!
151 Responses
Hi there! What are the percentages of carbs/fat/protein for low carb vs. high carb days? Thank you!
Hi Kate: We don’t have macros set for the Easy Cycle (we recommend using the hand portion guide), but you can check out the “Create Your Own Meals” chart in this post for some help on how to set up your macros: https://heidipowell.net/10617. Our app – The Transform App – offers you a customized macro plan as well as several workout programs and life lessons, so you might want to check out that option: http://thetransformapp.com 🙂
I’m wondering if it’s still ok to do weight lifting workouts on low carb days? I’m currently doing Liift4 workouts, so Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri I will be doing workouts that involve lifting weights. Is this meal plan compatible? I’m hoping to gain some strength but still loose my last 10 pounds.
Hi Megan: If doing weight lifting on LC days works for you, then go for it!
Hi! I was wondering if the book gives vegan and gluten free options and alternatives for recipes?
Hi Chelsea: The book doesn’t really give vegan and gluten-free options, but you’re welcome to sub your favorite vegan protein options for those meat-based foods in the book. Chris and Heidi’s app, The Transform App (http://thetransformapp.com), does have many vegan and gluten-free options, and since we offer over 500 recipes, you should be able to have plenty of options. The app also offers several workout programs. Check it out! 🙂
How big is the reward meal? Is it like a piece of cake, or could you have like a Hunger Busters from McDonalds? (2 burgers, 1 soda, fries and a sundae). Or is it a specific number of calories/carbs?
Hi Stephanie: On the Easy Cycle, a reward meal is 250 calories more than a regular meal. 🙂
So why is the “reward meal” not at dinner and what time should it be at?
Should I be counting carbs as well as calories? How many carbs allowed on high carb days including reward meal? I am a carb addict but need to lose 30lbs.. I hope this works. thank you
Hi Mrs. V: Great questions! The reward meal is not at dinner since that tends to start a slippery slope for many people. Having your scheduled meal (high or low carb on the Easy Cycle) at dinner gets you right back into your routine. For the Easy Cycle, all of your macros and calories are figured out for you – you simply follow the portion size guide (you can see a portion size guide in this post: https://heidipowell.net/4514). Chris and Heidi have tried to make things as easy as possible. You can do this! 🙂
Hi! I have the transformation app. I tried it for 6 weeks. Loved it!… My subscription ran out. I would like to reactivate my account again. My question is will my workout plan (physique) continue on from where I left off? Weeks 7-11? Or will they start all the way back over from week 1 again?
Hi Charlene: As long as you sign up with the same email address, your program should pick right up where you left off. Welcome back! 🙂
I have a question. I am a fitness instructor who works out regularly and I run. I train runners and I run half marathons. I would love to shed a little body fat (I know my muscles are toned under there somewhere and it is time for them to surface already!) and I am thinking that carb cycling may be the ticket! The question I have is for long run days and the build up to long run day (sometimes up to 20K) should I have a high carb day before and the day of long runs?
Thank you!!!
Jamie
Hi Jamie: Yes, this is a good idea! 🙂
Hi,
I have a question. I was going to purchase the book “Extreme Transformation” and try that our before I purchase the app. Does the book give all the tips and tricks on carb cycling as well as help me calculate my macros for me?
Hi Amanda: “Extreme Transformation” follows the Extreme Cycle (https://heidipowell.net/10503), and all of your macros are figured out for you in the book. You’ll also get a workout program and Life Lessons, which are a huge key to achieving your goals! The app offers 3 different programs depending on which type of exercise program you like to follow, as well as a totally customized eating program plus Life Lessons. I hope that helps! 🙂
I have a question. I have been watching my carbs due to being diabetic and my insurance not wanting to cover one of my medications. I also have RA which causes me fatigue daily. I walk or light jog on my treadmill every other day most of the time. What is a safe carb count for me? I was not counting the calories and I have lost 11lbs since February 1, 2017 when I first started to carb count. I’m at a plateau. I normally do not move from my current weight much. Please help!
Hi Doris: Great question! Here’s a post that can help you figure out which carb cycle is best for you: https://heidipowell.net/5078 We wish you all the best! 🙂
Hi guys! New to carb cycling, but thinking it’s the only way to build some lean muscle without bulking up and shedding a little fat. I feel like I watch everything I eat and workout all the time with no results. How do I determine what my meals should consist of as far as grams of protein, carbs, etc? I know what to eat but want to make sure I’m taking in what I need to build and maintain a lean body. So many websites and they all tell me different info so going to the source. Thank you!!
Hi Ryen: If you follow any of Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling programs, all of your macros are figured out for you. You simply follow the plan! They’ve made it super simple. If you’re trying to build muscle, then here are two posts that might also be helpful: https://heidipowell.net/10540 and https://heidipowell.net/10990. You can totally do this!