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 wish I would have met you two years ago before having surgery. I am almost 6 years out from bypass surgery. I did hit my goal weight and continue to keep most of it off. It is not a miracle cure as most think. It was a rope that helped me out of the hole I dug for myself. I love this plan it will keep me motivated. I love your show. You two are such inspirations to keep me motivated. Thank you.
Exercise…..I do shoulders, chest, bi’s tri’s Torso rotation and Abs on cable machines on Saturdays, On Sunday morning I do dumbells and kettle bells in the morning, in the evening I do Zumba…Monday is our rest day… Tues and Thurs I do Zumba in the morning and kettlebells in the afternoons….Wed I work out in my home gym in the afternoon and evening where I have a cable machine a multi gym, a bench and assorted dumbells and kettlebells and Friday I do legs at our local YMCA ( we use the YMCA at weekends too)…..
We are giving carb cycling a go from this week and I have worked out a meal plan along with calories, proteins, fats and carb amounts so I can keep track. My carb week is Sunday high / Monday low/ Tuesday low/ Wednesday high / Thursday low / Friday High and Sat as our reward day.
Do you think the way the week has been split will be ok ….
From what I can tell, you’re not really following any of the carb cycles based on how you’ve arranged your low and high carb days. If you’re wanting to follow the Turbo Cycle (since you posted on this post), it goes low, low, high, low, low, high, reward day. The Classic Cycle is low, high, low, high, low, high, reward day. The Fit Cycle is high, high, low, high, high, low, reward day. You can move the week around so your reward day is on a different day, but you still need to follow the same pattern of whichever cycle you’re following. Hope that helps!
My main question/concern with weight loss, is how often we need to eat. I have little to no appetite most days, and eating once a day usually keeps me satisifed… How does one manage to eat 5 times a day, let alone every three hours?! The idea of eating that often, as well as finding the TIME to eat that often is rather nauseating.
That’s a tough one! Have you discussed this lack of appetite with your healthcare team? Each of the 5 meals is not a large meal, but enough to keep you satisfied for the three hours. And here’s a post that might help also: https://heidipowell.net/2960/ask-heidi-anything-what-if-i-cant-or-dont-eat-every-three-hours/. Best of luck!
Hi, I struggle with carbs I have PCOS and am Insuline Resistant. The doctors told me no more then 30 grams of carbs a day and no fruit. I have my calories down to 1200 and and drink over a gallon of water a day. But I am still not loosing weight like I should.. In Jan I was at 343 and it is now the end of July and im down to 295. I just feel like I am at my end with this and no matter how hard I try its not comming off.. Any help you can give me would be great…
Congrats on the weight you’ve lost – that’s awesome! I’d suggest discussing the carb cycling program with your healthcare team to see what modifications need to be made for it to work for you. Here are a couple of posts that might help: https://heidipowell.net/2656/ask-heidi-anything-pcos-and-carb-cycling/ and https://heidipowell.net/5078/ask-heidi-anything-im-diabetic-which-plan-should-i-follow/. Best of luck! 🙂
Hello which book would be the best for the Turbo Cycle program
“Choose More, Lose More for Life.”
I’m. On week 7 and have lost 8.6 following the turbo cycle! Question I do an 1hr of cardio 5-6 times a week either 30 mins rowing and 30 mins stair climber or 30 mins of sprint intervals on treadmill and 30 mins on stair climber where should my heart rate be at? Plus I spend 30 mins on free weights. When I look for my HR reading on the machine I’m usually between 135-160. I’m 44 and have about 12.5 more lbs to lose . Thank you
Here’s some info from the American Heart Association that will help you figure out what your target heart rate should be: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/Target-Heart-Rates_UCM_434341_Article.jsp. And congrats on the pounds you’ve lost so far – that’s awesome!
Hey Heidi, I have a question, I know that you and Chris are both advocates of crossfit, as am I, I wondered what your thoughts on the paleo diet are, and can you incorporate paleo into carb cycling? Thank you for being seriously awesome!
Cynthia
This post on Crohn’s Disease has some info comparing the Paleo Diet and carb cycling: https://heidipowell.net/5253/ask-heidi-anything-can-i-carb-cycle-if-i-have-crohns-disease/. And remember, in carb cycling you rotate between low and high carb days, and the daily calorie count is different for each.
HI, I just wanted to ask on low carb days how low of carbs are we talking, like less then 50 grams? High carb days like 250- 300 grams? I weight lift 5 days a week plus cardio 2-5 days a week, running, elliptical bike, stair stepper, etc.. Also is it important to raise your fat grams on LC days and lower them on HC days? Thanks in advance!!!
In carb cycling we count portions sizes, not grams. Learn more here: https://heidipowell.net/4514/carb-confusion/. There’s a great graphic toward the end of the post that will also help answer your questions. Best of luck!
Thank you so much for this info! I am however plant based…. How would I be able to do carb cycling while remaining vegan? Do either Chris or Heidi talk about this in either of their books?
Yes! There are vegan options in both books. 🙂
Yes! There are vegan options in both books, so check ’em out! 🙂
Is this as effective if your a vegetarian or vegan ?
Thank you
Yes – there are vegan/vegetarian options listed in the book.