Do you want to “lean up” without compromising your athletic performance? Do you want to train for long periods of time? Then the Fit Cycle is the cycle for you. The Fit Cycle not only eliminates fat, but it also supplies your body with the fuel it needs to perform successfully, no matter what sport you choose to excel in.
Unlike the Easy, Classic, and Turbo Cycles, the Fit Cycle only has two low carb days per week, and there’s a very important reason for this: The extra high carb day allows your muscles to absorb more fuel (glycogen), which you’ll need for maximum athletic performance. During your low carb days, when this supply of glycogen gets depleted, your muscles will develop insulin sensitivity. When you then have a high carb day or your reward day, these insulin-sensitive muscles will actually soak up more carbs, your body will burn this extra fuel instead of storing it as fat, and you’ll still lose weight. It’s an amazing process!
Here’s what a Fit Cycle week looks like:
- Monday: High carb day
- Tuesday: High carb day
- Wednesday: Low carb day
- Thursday: High carb day
- Friday: High carb day
- Saturday: Low carb day
- Sunday: Reward Day
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 of the day, you’ll eat either a low or high carb meal depending on which day you’re on. Your last meal of the day will ALWAYS be a low carb meal. Follow the portion size guide to put all of your meals together. And with the Fit Cycle, you won’t lose weight as fast as with the Turbo Cycle, but you will be able to maintain your athletic performance. However, if you do experience a slight decrease in your athletic performance with this cycle, and you’re not as concerned about losing weight, try combining the Fit Cycle with pre- and post-workout supplements or meal replacement shakes with some extra macronutrients. And as with the other cycles, you can stay on the Fit Cycle or change cycles at any time. It all depends on your weight loss and athletic goals.
For more information on the Fit Cycle, check out our book, Choose More, Lose More for Life. Interested in learning about the Extreme Cycle? 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!
183 Responses
Is this a recommended cycle for wanting to build more muscle, without gaining weight?
I just finished a bikini competition and am going from a large amount of NO carb days but I want to enter a muscle building phase without gaining too much fat instead of muscle…. your thoughts??
Hi Megan: Due to your goal to gain muscle (which is awesome!), it would be best to work with a macros coach who can help you figure out your program based on your body composition and goals. Here are a couple of posts that can help: https://heidipowell.net/10540 and https://heidipowell.net/10990. You can do this! 🙂
I saw that you recommend women eating 1500 calories a day on the fit cycle. I have been eating way more than that. I train 5 days a week. I am already lean, just wanting to tone up a little more. Do I really need to drop down to 1500 calories? I would be dropping 500+ calories if that is the case…. Thanks!
Hi Brittany: If your goal is to build muscle, here are a couple of posts that can help you figure out what will work best for you: https://heidipowell.net/10540 and https://heidipowell.net/10990. 🙂
Hi, i was wondering if i want shredded Abs! I train 6 day a week somme weight trying and a lilt cardio. I was think of doing the Fit cycle! I still have a little of fat to lose about 10 pounds. Not sur between fit and turbo. What would be recommended?
Hi Jacinthe: You could do either cycle! 🙂
I’m curious about the calories needed on fit plan: 1200 and 1500 for low and high carb. Should we all be following these calories suggestion.
Hi Natalie: Yes, these are the calorie recommendations for all women on the Fit Cycle. 🙂
On high carb days what should our fat intake be? Should we be lowering that on high carb days and raising it on low carb days?
Thank you!
Hi Brittany: If you’re following any of Chris and Heidi’s carb cycles, they’ve figured out everything for you. If you’d like to put together your own meals, here are the macro percentages to aim for for each of the cycles: Easy, Classic, Fit, and Turbo Cycles: High Carb Meal (including EVERY breakfast): Protein: 40%, Carbs: 40%, Fats: 20%, Low Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 20%, Fats: 40%. Extreme Cycle: Breakfast (EVERY day): Protein: 30%, Carb: 40%, Fat: 30%, High Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carb: 50%, Fat: 10%, Low Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carb: 10%, Fat: 50%. Hope this helps!
Hi Heidi. Thank you for always sharing your advice with us. I strength train 6 days a week (split body parts), do HIIT 5 and occasionally throw in a LISS. I have a light/fairly active lifestyle other than that, which varies daily. I have not been seeing the results that I would love, which I suspect may have been down to under eating, so I’ve started an IIFYM kind of approach. Do you think that a carb cycle would help and if so, would you suggest the Fit cycle? I would like to be able to keep my muscle mass while losing body fat, and keep my performance in the gym as I am definitely feeling stronger with more food. Thank you for any advice.
Hi Ashley: You could do the Fit Cycle or the new Extreme Cycle: https://heidipowell.net/10503/carb-cycling-the-extreme-cycle/. On the Extreme Cycle, you’ll eat around 1500 calories a day, and on the Fit Cycle, you’ll eat 1200 calories on low carb days and 1500 calories on high carb days. 🙂
Hey Team Powell, two questions which method of carb cycling is best for cutting fat and building lean muscle and how many grams of carbs on low and high days respectively? Thanks
Hi Jake: Any of the carb cycles can work for your goals, and I’d start with the Extreme Cycle: https://heidipowell.net/10503. There is some great info in this post: https://heidipowell.net/10617, and here are the recommended macro percentages for each meal: Breakfast (EVERY day): Protein: 30%, Carb: 40%, Fat: 30%, High Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carb: 50%, Fat: 10%, Low Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carb: 10%, Fat: 50%. We wish you the best!
I am in good shape but would like to get my flat stomach. Would the carb cycling help me with this?
Hi Kerry: Yes, carb cycling could help! I’d give it a try.
Hi Heidi.
I workout with heavy weights with light cardio everything Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. I’m resting the rest of the days so you’re Fit Cycle fits perfectly with my schedule.
I generally workout in the early morning on an empty stomach and wait till lunch to consume any kind of food. Do you think with carb Fit Cycling I should eat “some” carbs prior to the workout, directly after my workout or can I wait till lunchtime to get my first meal of the day in?
My goal is to bulk up, while looking cut.
I’m 5′ 8″, 177lbs. My macros were calculated to:
224G carbs, 172G protein & 62.4G fat per day.
THanks!
Hi Peter: Here’s a post that gives some great tips on eating and working out: https://heidipowell.net/9194. It would be a good idea, however, to figure out how to eat before lunch. Hope this helps!
Could i do this as a vegan? 🙂
Yes! There are several vegan options available.