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
Hi Heidi:
Thank you for this! I have done low-carb regiments in the past but they have left with me with not enough energy for my daily physical demands (i work full-time in an office during the day and dance 5 times a week, 1.5hrs each session at night). I have two questions:
(1) What happens if I end up eating 6 times a day? I wake up at 7am and eat fairly immediately. And then eat every 3 hours from there (10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm). My dance classes are 8pm-10:30pm and I am fairly hungry afterwards. What would you recommend I do?
(2) What do meals on “reward day” comprise of?
Hi Amy: Let’s get you some answers to your questions! 1. It’s best to stick to 5 meals a day, and this post can give you some tips on how to structure your meals on a crazy schedule: https://heidipowell.net/10556. 2. On your reward day, you can eat anything you’d like up to an extra 1000 calories for that day. Hope this helps!
I am still in the process of reading choose more, lose more. I’m hoping to begin the turbo cycle next week. i of course want to everything in line so i can succeed with this.
i’m currently eating a pretty clean diet and work out 1-2 hrs 5-6 days a week.
with that being said, i drink a ton of water, i drink it all day long and that is pretty much the only type of beverage i drink (other than my morning coffee). is it ok to drink more than half your body weight?
also, i’m an avid gum chewer when i work out…can that fit in with this, i’m not sure i can make it through my workout without, however i would definitely try!
Thanks for all the help and good tips on here!
Hi Becca: I’d try and stick to 1/2 your body weight in water plus some to make up for what you lose through exercising, and sugar free gum is totally okay!
Hello!!
In the first place I would like to thank you for bringing and explaining us this awesome way of how to loose unwanted fat, without starving or cutting off any significant food. My mom kept this turbo cycle for whole 12 weeks and she lost considerable amount of “volume” in that time!
Now is my turn to start and I’ve already started … but unlike her, I’m facing a rather significant difficulty. Sadly, I’m physically handicapped and still didn’t find any suitable cardio excercise I can regularly perform due to my current state. Hence why I have perhaps a dumb question …. is it possible to loose fat just by keeping the turbo carb cycling cycle, but without the daily hour of cardio workout? I know the result won’t be most probably so stunning as if I could excercise as a normal person, but even a little bit will help. I don’t need to loose much, but I do care about my body and health and don’t want to end looking like a whale, just because now I’m unable to properly excercise (and due to that, keep slowly gaining weight). T_T
Thank you very much for your kind reply!
Yes, it’s totally possible to lose weight through nutrition alone, and yes, it can take longer, but it’s doable! And please congratulate your mom on her weight loss!
I track all of my food on MyFitnessPal. Approximately how many grams a day of carbs do you recommend for the low & high carb days based on a 1200 calorie diet?
Hi Christa: That really depends on your goals, since those numbers can be different for each person. If you’re following the turbo cycle, here are some general recommendations: High Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 40%, Fats: 20%. Low Carb Meal:
Protein: 40%, Carbs: 20%, Fats: 40%. So to figure out your macros/day, take your daily calories (1200 for LC days and 1500 for HC days), multiply by the percentage for each macro, and then divide by 4 for proteins and carbs and by 9 for fats. This will give you the correct number of grams of each macro to aim for for the day. 🙂
Q: I was wondering if Keto Diet and Turbo cycle is pretty much the same? Which burns fat the fastest?
The goal is to get to 15% BF (previously said 85kg but changed my goal) as fast as possible.
Danny
Hi Danny: Anyone’s rate of weight loss depends on how well they follow their nutrition and exercise program, as well as their beginning weight, hoe many pounds they need to lose, body composition, and other factors, so there’s really not a one-size-fits-all answer to your question. We do know that many, many people have had great results following the Turbo Cycle, so give it a try!
I have been doing the Turbo Cycle for a while now and lost 36kgs but it has stopped.. I have stopped at 100kg I think. What should I do?
Hi Danny: Have you been doing the Slingshot Week every 4th week? If so, try a different cycle for a few weeks to get your body out of its routine. And congratulations on losing 36 kgs! That’s awesome!
Hello! I was just wondering if carb cycling is suggested for prediabetics or people that have issues with blood sugar. I am not quite a diabetic but I have been looking for a new lifestyle that would help me lose weight and prevent diabetes and potentially reverse my prediabetics. I was thinking about doing the turbo program but I wanted to make sure it was something that would still be recommended for someone with my condition.
Thank you tons!!! ?
Hi Claudia: Yes, many people with pre-diabetes and like conditions have used carb cycling with great success, but it’s always a good idea to discuss the program with your healthcare team first and then follow any modifications they might recommend. You can do this!
Hi Heidi,
I am 51 years old and have been working out with a trainer for about a year. I have lost 40 over the course of a year and a half. I have seemed to hit a plateau, the last few months. I was wondering if you think the carb cycling would work for me? I was looking at the turbo. As you probably know after 50 it becomes really hard to lose weight. I am very frustrated and am at the point of giving up, I would like to get down to at least 140. I would love to know your thoughts.
Hi Heidi: Congratulations on losing 40 pounds – that’s awesome! Carb cycling could definitely work for you, so go for it! And here’s a post about plateaus that might help too: https://heidipowell.net/5889. You can do this!
Can you do turbo carb cycling while lifting heavy at the gym 4 days a week? or would you suggest a different plan? The day off should I go completely low?
Also should we leave the macro calculator and following the portion guideline set out in the book?
If you’re lifting heavy, try and do this on high carb days. If you find the Turbo Cycle isn’t working out for your heavy lifting routine, you can change cycles, and you might want to try the new Extreme Cycle, which has 4 high carb days in a row: https://heidipowell.net/10503. And if you’re following one of Chris and Heidi’s carb cycles, all your macros are figured out for you, so you’re good to go!
Hi!
i have a question: i’m in carbo cycle since may, i have lost 3 kg in my first cycle, 1 in the second and zero in the third. I tried to change my work out and vary the meals , but can not get over the plateau effect . I used immediately the turbo , for all three cycles ; what do you think the best course for a change? I’m afraid of the Extreme , because the four days consecutive high carb , I think it’s too much for me. thank you! Laura
Hi Laura: Are you doing the Slingshot Week every 4th week? That’s a key to avoiding plateaus. And you can change cycles at any time, so that might be an option for you too for a few weeks. And please don’t be afraid of the Extreme Cycle, it’s been proven to work!
So I’m confused lol. If we are counting macros on this program why then do we go by the portion size guide? I used the macro calculator Heidi posted and it tells me my protein carbs and fats, but that doesn’t mean anything to me if we’re suppose to follow the portion size guide. And according to the macro calculator Heid posted says I should be in taking more calories than the recommended 1200. I’m just very confused so if I go by the macro calculator how do I know what to intake on high and low days but if I go by the portion size I go by that but it means I’m not having enough calories ?
Hi Jackie: Chris and Heidi have figured out all your macros for you if you’re following any of their carb cycles, so you should be good to go there. And since their program has been proven to work as it’s outlined, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. The macro calculator is provided for those who aren’t following any of their carb cycles and can be used for goals besides weight loss. Hope that helps!
Where do you find these calculators?
Hi Marie: Here’s a link to one that Heidi likes: https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator. 🙂