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
Hey,
I am doing the turbo cycle (looking to lose 30 pounds then tone and lose the last 10 pounds using a different carb cycle).
I have a question about the macros, I use a food tracking app and it shows that I am always going over 35g of carbs on my low days, which is the amount I read in another article I should eat.
I have been doing the plan strickt and I am still getting about 45-60 grams on my low days. Is this correct? Or is the other article I read way underestimating the amount I should be eating?
Thank you,
Sarah
Hi Sarah: Sounds like you have some great goals! Here are some percentages you can shoot for when planning your meals: High-Carb Meal:
Protein: 40%, Carbs: 40%, Fats: 20%. Low-Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 20%, Fats: 40%. Hope this helps – you can do this!
Hi!
I’m Chelsey, I’m 20 years old and 5’11.
I have a couple questions for you, if you wouldn’t mind getting back to me.
I’m really looking to pretty much just get lean and cut for summer. I am currently 152lbs so I’m looking for a carb cycle that would help me get lean/cut.
Turbo sounds the best to me so far, but I’m wondering what your opinion might be.
Also on the low carb days what would be the lowest I should go for carbs?
Thank you!
Hi Chelsey: Here’s a post that could help you achieve your goals: https://heidipowell.net/10540, and it outlines how you can tweak carb cycling to gain healthy weight/muscle. You can do this!
I apologize if this has been asked already, but I was wondering if you have a plan for vegans? I really want to do the Turbo cycle, but most vegan proteins are also fats or carbs. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Lisa: There are some vegan options in carb cycling for proteins: Soy protein sources such as tofu and tempeh, and other vegetarian protein options such as hemp, bean, and pea protein. Hope that helps!
Is there a meal plan generator for catb cycling, recipes or an app?
Hi Claudine: Chris and Heidi’s new book, “Extreme Transformation,” does have 21 days’ worth of recipes. You can find it here: http://amzn.to/1RKDIgo. And Chris and Heidi are working on a new app that will be announced in the next few months. Hope that helps!
How do I figure my calorie and macro needs for high and low carb days?
Hi Jill: On the Turbo Cycle, women eat 1200 calories on low-carb days and 1500 calories on high-carb days. As far as macros go, Chris and Heidi have figured out all of your macros for you in carb cycling (for both low- and high-carb meals) for the Easy, Classic, Turbo, and Fit Cycles, so you don’t need to worry about tracking them. Follow your carb cycling plan, eat proteins, carbs, and fats when outlined in the meal plan, and you’ll be getting all the macros you need to be healthy and lose weight. However, if you’d like to count your own macros, here are some general recommendations: High-Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 40%, Fats: 20%. Low-Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 20%, Fats: 40%. I hope that helps!
Starting day 1 of low carb day..I typically dont count calories, however when i do I aim for the 1200 calories. I have preplanned my meals and have already tracked them and before adding in my dinner for the day, I only have 93 calories remaining to hit 1200-obviously after dinner, I will for sure be over 1200 calories; should I be concerned over this-i have portioned everything out? Please advise! TIA!
Hi Jennifer: It’s okay to hit around 1200 calories, but you want to aim for as close to that number as possible. Here are some macro percentages you can aim for that can be a double check for your calorie counts: High-Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 40%, Fats: 20%. Low-Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 20%, Fats: 40%. You can do this!
Hey ! I’m 5’4 and 280 lbs. Desperately needing to lose weight. And i of course want to lose fast 🙂 ive been a dieter my whole life looking to lose for good Love the show and have read up about the different cycles. I’m currently on a low carb diet but want to switch to one of yours. Which one would be best given my weight and need/want to lose ? 🙂
You can choose any of the cycles, but I would start with the Extreme Cycle (https://heidipowell.net/10503/carb-cycling-the-extreme-cycle/). And you can change cycles at any time also. You can do this!
Hello,
I have 2 questions.
First. Say I cheat on a not cheat day, and am over in calories and my macros are all messed up. Is it better to eat more healthy foods and get your macros on point before the end of the day but be over even more calories, or should you just stop where you’re at and not worry about the macros for that day.
Second. Sometimes I’m up for 19 hours straight. I am wondering if you say eat every 3 hours, but if I do that I will be over on calories. Should I stick to the 1200/1500 on these days or up it since it’s a longer day?
Thanks!!
Hi Caroline: Let’s get you some answers to your questions: 1. When you have a rough day, just do the best you can to stick to the plan and begin again tomorrow. Depending on what time of day it is, if you stop eating, you’ll get hungry, and that can be so not good. 2. Here’s a post that can help with structuring your meals on a crazy schedule: https://heidipowell.net/10556/ask-the-powells-how-can-i-structure-my-meals-2/. Hope this helps!
Hi Team Powell,
My husband told me I was not going to buy your book Choose to lose. Boy was he wrong not only did I buy it, I read it and tried it. I lost 35 lbs and 4 year later I am still down the 35 lbx. I need to lose another 15 to 20 to be where I really want as I am only 5′ 2″. I go to the gym 2 x a week and walk 4 days. I also work out at home with videos and in the garden. I am going to try the next step to lose the other 20 lbs.
Hi Carolyn: Congratulations on not only losing 35 pounds, but on keeping it off for 4 years! You can do this!
Hello Team Powell,
I am so excited. I just received Chris’ book yesterday and the new 21 day transformation book. I had a question about breakfast. Can I have a hard boiled egg with a carb as opposed to just egg whites?
Hi Sandra: Welcome to carb cycling! Yes, you can have a whole egg as your protein serving with a carb and a fat for breakfast.
Thank you. I’m confused about Choose to Lose and Extreme Transformation. In the Choose to Lose carb cycles, you can’t have a fat with breakfast but with the 21 day Extreme transformation you can. Yesterday was my first day on the Turbo Cycle, so just to confirm, I can have a whole egg with my breakfast right? Thank you so much!!
Hi Sandra: There are a few differences between the Extreme Cycle and the other cycles. Learn about these in this post: https://heidipowell.net/10503/carb-cycling-the-extreme-cycle/. On the Turbo Cycle, you’ll only want to eat egg whites for breakfast, not whole eggs. Hope that helps!
Hey Team Powell,
I weigh 260 at 5’7″. I’ve been trying to lose weight for a year and I am at a weightloss plateau.
I work out 6 days a week, weight lifting and cardio.
I track everything and eat 2000 calories a day. I lowered my cal intake recently and haven’t lost anything either. I am not sure what else to do or change.
Please help.
Hi Ryliegh: It sounds like you’re on the right track! Here’s a post that outlines the basics of Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling program, and I hope you can find some things to add to what you’re already doing: https://heidipowell.net/9060. You can do this!