If you want to shed those extra pounds extra fast, the Turbo Cycle is for you. Of the four original carb cycles (Easy, Classic, Turbo, and Fit), this cycle takes off weight the fastest. Unlike the Easy and Classic cycles, which alternate low and high carb days, the Turbo Cycle pits two low carb days against every high carb day. That means you’ll burn fat two days in a row before your body’s furnace (metabolism) is re-stoked on your high carb day, and you’ll lose weight really, really fast!
Even though the Turbo Cycle has an extra low carb day as compared to the Easy and Classic cycles, it is not a severely calorie-restricted cycle that will crash your metabolism. And since you’ll have two low carb days in a row, you may feel less energetic on the second low carb day. But this is okay. These low carb days are powerful weight loss accelerators!
Here’s what a Turbo Cycle week looks like:
- Monday: Low carb day
- Tuesday: Low carb day
- Wednesday: High carb day
- Thursday: Low carb day
- Friday: Low carb day
- Saturday: High 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 high carb or low carb meal (depending on which day you’re on). Your final of the day will ALWAYS be a low carb meal. Follow the portion size guide to put all your meals together. And as with the other cycles, you can stay with the Turbo Cycle as long as you want, or you can change cycles at any time. This program is tailor-made to you and you alone!
Learn more about the Turbo Cycle in our book, Choose More, Lose More for Life. And if you’re interested in learning about the Extreme Cycle, check out our 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!
950 Responses
I started the Turbo Cycle yesterday and I just want to thank you for being active on these posts. I just have a question. Is it possible to feel like your eating to much at first? I feel like I am eating to much and from past dieting history I am actually feeling a little guilty about it.
Hi Linda: Yes, it can seem like a lot of food compared to other eating plans, but it’s all healthy foods, in the right portions, so you’re good to go!
I’m thinking about going on the turbo cycle. I need to lose around 10lbs. I work out 5 days a week mostly weights and some indoor cycling classes. The trainers at my gym recommend me eating 1,600-1,800 calories. But in the turbo cycle is says 1,200 calories. Can I still lose weight eating 1,600-1,800 ? I’m wanting to lose 10lbs of fat and add muscle. Thank you!!
The program is designed for 1200 calories on low-carb days and 1500 calories on high-carb days. Another option would be to do the Fit Cycle (https://heidipowell.net/2719/carb-cycling-the-fit-cycle/), which has one less low-carb day per week. And you can change cycles at any time!
Hi, Heidi! I know this post is old, but I’m gettin’ on the Turbo bandwagon again! I have Chris’ book, but I’m still a wee bit confused/conflicted. One of my favorite “everday” foods is a nonfat latte at my mid-afternoon snack (combats my afternoon slump!) I was mistakenly thinking my nonfat milk was a protein. But I see it listed as a carb. Does that mean that on my LC days, I can only have it at breakfast (as part of my HC breakfast) and then I need to skip it for the rest of the day (or use a milk alternative?) I just want to make sure. I’ve tried to “sub” in unsweetened almond milk, but I struggle to choke it down! Thank you!
Welcome back to carb cycling! 😉 Milk isn’t really on the plan since it does have carbs (but not enough for a complete carb serving) but not enough protein to count as a protein. However, you could count any non fat milk as part of a carb portion if you want to. Hope that helps!
No wonder I couldn’t “find” it on the plan! I do love me some nonfat milk. So thanks for letting me know how I can judiciously include it in moderation. Today is a HC day, so I’m off to make a latte!
One other thing I can’t find on the plan, yet I have a LOT of access to at this time of the year: winter squashes. In particular: Spaghetti squash, Acorn, Butternut and Pumpkin. Help: are they “starchy” veggies (treated like a healthy carb) or “non-starchy” veggies (treated like a green?) I don’t know which they are. Thank you!
Any squashed are counted as veggies in carb cycling. 🙂
YES!!! I can’t tell you how happy this makes me!!!
Something Nice, I had no idea that something so amazing like this even existed. I am trying to lose weight, and I think these carbon cycling techniques are going to help me significantly. I wanted to go on the Chris Powell show and I told him I wanted to change my life on his show; he told me I can do it without the show and he sent me a link (cool) and recommended me to to try carb cycling. How Awesome!!! I think I am going to try this carb cycling regime.
Hi Heidi!
Im super intrested in carb cycling and cant wait to start. Are there any meal plans I can follow to make things easier ?
Hi Ashley: We don’t have any meals plans available, but there’s an awesome graphic in this post (as well as some other helpful info) that shows you how to put all your carb cycling meals together: https://heidipowell.net/4514. And here are some meal ideas for low and high-carb days (all recipes are from Chris and Heidi’s books: “Choose to Lose” and “Choose More, Lose More for Life”):
Low-carb day:
Breakfast (within 30 minutes of waking): Basic Omelet with a corn tortilla to make it a wrap.
Snack (3 hours later): A protein shake with a portion of a healthy fat, like peanut butter, mixed in.
Lunch (3 hours later): Tomato Basil and Garlic Chicken with a portion of olive oil drizzled on top.
Snack (3 hours later): Sonora Cottage Cheese with a portion of avocado.
Dinner: (3 hours later): Lemon Chicken drizzled with salad dressing.
High-carb day:
Breakfast (within 30 minutes of waking): Denver Omelet with a portion of your favorite fruit or oatmeal on the side.
Snack (3 hours later): Greek Yogurt Parfait with a portion of low fat granola.
Lunch: (3 hours later): Caribbean Jerk Chicken with a portion of brown rice.
Snack (3 hours later): Protein shake with a portion of oatmeal mixed in.
Dinner (3 hours later): Apple Cider Chicken.
And remember, you can have veggies (the non-root/non-starchy type) with every single meal, and you can use any of the foods on Chris and Heidi’s approved foods list – in the proper proportions – to create meals to fit your needs.
Powell Pack! You are so inspirational! I’m super interested in carb cycling, however, I’m curious how this works with body building (I’m just starting my muscle building journey after a 6 month weight loss journey). I’m 5’8″, and weigh 148lbs, I would still like to lose belly fat, but start defining and building muscle. I’m hoping my caloric intake to roughly 2500 calories with 1-2 hours in the gym daily. Powell Pack input? Also, thank you Heidi for giving me the goal of competing in a fitness competition!
Hi Katie: Carb cycling, as it’s designed here, is more for weight loss. If your main goal is to build muscle, you can follow the carb cycling principles, you’ll just need to adjust the serving sizes for your necessary calorie intake. And make sure you’re getting extra lean protein too. Good luck!
What cycle should I do if I want to lose 15-25 lbs? I have your book. I feel good about the rest of my body except my stomach. I’ve had five children and want to start exercising. Sticking with it is the problem. I am 5’4, 145 lbs. I’m also a full time student. I’ve finally finished breastfeeding my 20 month old! Yay! Lol. So I don’t want to be constantly dieting. I want to get it done and then maintain.
Hi Paula: Any of the cycles will work for you, and you can change cycles at any time. 🙂
Hi! I was wondering, what serving size of raw old fashioned oatmeal counts as a serving of carbs?
Hi Nicole: Aim for a fist-sized portion of oatmeal. Learn more about how to put your meals together here: heidipowell.net/4514.
Hi Heidi!
I picked up your book hoping it will help me bust through my longggg plateau..I’ve been low-carb for the last couple months and have lost fat but have gained muscle due to intense weight training so actually weigh more but look smaller. I’ve decided to commit to the turbo cycle and my question is, when we are doing our high carb meal in the morning, is it ok to have a smalllll amount of fat? my go-to breakfast is normally egg whites cooked in a non-stick pan (no oil) with a piece of toast that has a dollop of natural peanut butter. do i have to sacrifice this? will this small serving of fat interfere with the cycling process?
Warmly, Laura
Hi Laura: It’s best not to have fat with your breakfast. Have you tried PB2 (powdered peanut butter)? That might work for you and would fit into your high carb breakfast. 🙂
Hello,
I really am happy with this eating plan, my moods are more even and feel great!
I was interested in some feedback and/or advice. I have been classic cycling for a bout 6 weeks. I lost 8 lbs initially. I have not got down since the first two weeks. I weigh 187, am 5’2 and hypothyroid. I exercise 6-7 days a week. Four days include running one hour consisting of 5 miles plus, power yoga and booty barre on the other three days. I am a very active mother of 4 as well. I noticed that my total calorie intake on high carb and low carb days are around 1400-1600 calories total when using myfitness pal without adding in exercise calories. I do not feel too hungry and feel my energy is good. All in all am I getting enough calories for all the exercise I do? Is that why I am not losing anymore weight.? I should share that I have had a very hard time losing weight with any plan. Thanks
Thanks!
Hi Katie: It sounds like you’re on the right track! Here’s another post that might help you figure out what’s going on: https://heidipowell.net/5366/all-about-calories/. And in carb cycling, it’s recommended that women eat 1200 calories on low-carb days and 1500 calories on high-carb days, so with the calories you’re consuming, you should be good to go. If you’d like to, you can change cycles at any time, and with your activity level, you might want to try the Fit Cycle: https://heidipowell.net/2719/carb-cycling-the-fit-cycle/. Be sure your portion sizes are right on, make sure you’re drinking your water every day, and that you’re also doing your reward days and monthly slingshot week. You got this!