Confused about carbs and how they fit into carb cycling? Believe me, you’re not alone! Many of my most frequently asked questions are about carbs. And yes, with all the talk of “carbs this” and “carbs that” in the media, it can get a bit confusing. It gets even more complicated when you think you need to keep track of grams of carbs per meal and per day and the “good” vs. the “bad.”
It’s time to rethink how you think about carbs, agreed?!
First, the basics: Carbs—and the roles they play in your diet—are actually pretty simple. If it comes from a plant, it’s a carb, and carbs are the preferred fuel source for your muscles and organs. Breads, beans, potatoes, table sugar, fruits, and vegetables are all carbs.
There are two categories of carbs: simple and complex. The simple, not-so-healthy ones are found in foods such as cakes, cookies, some commercially made breads, and many processed foods. Fruits are also considered simple carbs because of the type of sugar they contain, but they’re a healthy choice because they’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, antioxidants, and some fiber. Your body breaks down simple, not-so-healthy carbs very quickly, which spikes your blood sugar levels and stimulates the release of insulin, resulting in a craving for more simple carbs. And that is soooo not good!
Complex, healthy carbs—like those found in legumes, root vegetables, whole-grains, cereals, breads, and pastas—are typically high in fiber, which slows food digestion and the release of sugars. This keeps your blood sugar and energy levels steady (and longer lasting), so your calorie-burning furnace stays hot and burns more calories! And that is awesome!
So how do carbs fit into our carb cycling program? It’s actually pretty simple. No matter what carb cycle you choose, every breakfast of every day will contain a carb. Every breakfast, every day. Your carb can be a grain, a legume, a starchy or root veggie, or a fruit.
In the Easy, Classic, Turbo, and Fit Cycles, on low-carb days, your remaining four meals (spaced every three hours) consist of a portion each of protein, fat, and veggies (think fibrous green veggies, not the starchy, root kind), and on high-carb days, your remaining four meals (spaced every three hours) are made up of a portion each of protein and complex carbs (grains, legumes, starchy or root veggies, or fruits). To learn more about the new Extreme Cycle, go here. And no matter which cycle you choose, if you’re ever still hungry, you can always throw in a portion of veggies (again, the fibrous greens). Remember: With carb cycling, you can have non-root/non-starchy veggies with every single meal (starchy, root veggies, like potatoes, will fall into the carb category)! Pretty simple, right?
Here’s what it looks like, including some handy portion size helps, for the Easy, Classic, Turbo, and Fit Cycles:
Here’s the most important take-away about carbs: With carbs and carb cycling, it’s not about a magic number of grams of carbs to eat every day. It’s about that carb for breakfast every morning and spreading your carb intake throughout your high-carb days so your body gets the greatest benefits from those healthy carbs you eat. Carbs are amazing, and they can be an important key to achieving your transformation goals. 🙂
693 Responses
Hello,
I’m probably reading way to far into this… But I’m confused on if I can have a portion of fat with my snack, how do I measure out a portion (thumb size) of cheese? PB is measureable in that sense, but not a fat that is whole.
Great question! For all cheeses except low fat/sliced, 1 oz is a fat portion. For sliced, low fat cheeses, 2 oz is a fat portion. Happy carb cycling!
How much fat is too much for a high carb day? Clearly you want to stay as low as possible, but could I have 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites? Or should whole eggs be strictly for low carb days?
We don’t eat any fats on high carb days/meals. Follow the guidelines on how to put a meal together that are in this post, and you’ll be good to go on your fats. For eggs, 2 egg yolks count as a fat serving, and 4 egg whites count as a protein serving, so whole eggs should be reserved for low carb meals. If you don’t have either of the books (which have extensive approved foods lists as well as measurements), you can get a free abbreviated list at http://www.chrispowell.com. Enter your email address in the “Join the Transformation” section, and when you hit “Join,” the next page will have the link to download the list. Happy carb cycling!
Thanks for the reply. However, you clearly get some fat even on high carb days, even if you aren’t eating servings of healthy fat. There is fat in lean meats, protein powder, etc. It would be impossible to avoid fat entirely. I was curious if there was a “threshold” we should be trying to stick under. For example, 20g? 30g? Thanks again.
Ok. I was just looking at my meal plan for my high carb day:
Cereal/almond milk. 190 cals
4 egg whites. 70 cals
Greek yogurt 130 cal
Banana 100 cal
2oz Cube steak 100 cal
2 slices whole grain bread. 120 cal
Broccoli. 50 cals
Almonds 15 100 cals
Strawberries 1 cup 50 cal
2oz cube steak. 100
Baked potato. 170
Total 1180 calories
And my low cab day I was only about 870 cals.
Is this too low. Should I add more of anything.
You do want to make sure you’re eating 1200 calories on low carb days and 1500 calories on high carb days – that’s really important. Just looking through your high carb day, you’ll want to save the almonds for a low carb day and add a protein with your strawberries for that meal/snack, otherwise you’re making great choices! You can add veggies to every meal no matter if it’s a low or high carb day, so that will add some calories too. You got this!
What meal replacement or snack shakes are a good idea?
Chris and Heidi recommend that you choose a protein powder that has between 15-20 grams of protein and less than 5 grams of carbs per serving. For a complete high carb meal replacement, they love their Powell Perfect Protein Shakes. You can get more protein powder info here: https://heidipowell.net/6274/protein-powder-its-not-just-for-shakes-anymore/.
Hi, I’ve been successfully carb cycling with a differnt “plan” that had exact numbers. After reading you and your husbands blog post as well as anything other articles I could find I’m more than excited to start my journey with you. I’ve downloaded the app and plan on purchasing the books. However, I do have a question as to which cycle I want to complete. I’m 5ft3in and 136 pounds, currently I do moderate weight training (anywhere from 20lbs-35lbs/3-4 sets per muscle group/8-15 reps) 3 days a week and the other three I do cardio. Unfortunately on Monday I’m having my 2nd knee surgery (first doc didn’t do what he was supposed to). Anyways, I will not be able to I cardio for four-six weeks but I will continue to weight train as I do now. My goal is to drop these last 8-10 pounds and build nice lean muscle. Should I start the turbo or fit cycle? Thank you so much, and I hope you and your beautiful family have a great new year!
Oh and I should add that I’ve already gotten my health advisors blessing to continue working out other areas of my body after the surgery. 🙂
Which cycle you choose depends on your overall goals. The Turbo Cycle will drop pounds the fastest, and the Fit Cycle will drop pounds a bit slower, but will give you some extra carbs to fuel your workouts. And remember, you can change cycles at any time. I hope you recover quickly from your knee surgery!
Hi. I have a question about cereal… I picked up a box of Kashi Heart to Heart Blueberry clusters…and I noticed it has 210 calories per serving…isn’t this a lot? And if I eat it with unsweetened Almond milk, how much milk do I use and does the milk count as anything .
Also, what meal/snack bars do u recommend? I am a nurse and really can’t leave the Emergency room every 3 hrs for a snack or shake….
As long a you stay within the calorie guidelines (1200 for low carb days and 1500 for high carb days), you can split those calories between your 5 meals as you’d like, but try to keep them as even as possible so you don’t get overly full or too hungry in between meals. Also make sure you’re following the guidelines as to how to put together each meal as outlined in this post. You can use up to 2 1/2 cups of unsweetened almond milk and it counts as a flavoring. For low carb meals, Chris and Heidi prefer Quest and Kind + Protein bars. They have some carbs on the label, but since most of these carbs are dietary fiber, they are actually what we call “non-impact carbs,” and these carbs don’t count. They also have a good amount of protein and fat?perfect for low carb meals! For high carb days, they recommend Think Thin and Cliff Builder, even though they do have some fat content. The key to knowing which bar is best for which type of meal is to look at both the carb and fat content. If more calories come from fat than carbs, then that bar is a good option for a low carb meal. If the reverse is true, then that bar is a good option for a high carb meal. Chris and Heidi do recommend consuming only one protein bar a day, since it is best to eat whole foods whenever possible. Happy carb cycling! 🙂
Hello, I am a fruit LOVER, and I am not seeing mention of smart fruit…Is there a list? Thanks!!!
Fruits are considered smart carbs in carb cycling, so you can have a portion of fruit as the carb part of any high carb meal.
I just joined Chris’ site to get the download, but I thought it was going to be emailed & I didn’t even look for the link. Will I still be able to access it? I also just bought the book Choose to Lose: The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution – I assume that probably has the food list as well? Thanks!
Yes, the book has that food list and more. The list on Chris’ site is an abbreviated one, so you’re good to go! Happy carb cycling!
Besides cheese, dressings, avocados, and oils, are there any other smart fats I can eat on low carb days? I would prefer not to consume nuts and seeds due to their high arginine/low lysine levels (and side effects on my body).
Thanks,
Leanne
There is an extensive approved foods list in “Choose More, Lose More for Life,” and you can get an abbreviated version for free on Chris’ site. Go to http://www.chrispowell.com, enter your email address in “Join the Transformation,” and when you hit “Join,” the next page will have the link to download the list. In addition to those you already listed, olives (13) and egg yolks (2) are also on the list. Happy carb cycling!
egg yolks!! perfect. thank you so much!
If I was to choose a protein shake to help lose weight… what should I look for? or choose? do I eat that with my breakfast? or lunch? or by its self as a meal replacement shake?
Chris and Heidi love their Powell Perfect Protein Shakes, and each one his a total high carb replacement meal. To learn more about these shakes, please contact Bob Brenner (one of our amazing season 3 transformations) and he’ll be happy to help you: [email protected]. For protein powders in general, Chris and Heidi recommend whey powders with less than 5 grams of carbs and 15-20 grams of protein per serving. If your powder falls within these guidelines, it can be the protein part of any meal — both low and high carb.