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
what would a cycle look like if you want to have 3-4 no carb days?
You won’t want to have 3-4 low-carb days in a row. Your body needs those carbs, so that’s why the 4 different cycles have been designed this way. The Turbo Cycle has the most low-carb days in a row, so maybe try that one? https://heidipowell.net/2724/carb-cycling-the-turbo-cycle/.
Hi,
Just wanted to know if cliff builder bars are ok to have on high carb days? The carbs on the chocolate chip are 29 grams, but they have 8 grams of fat and 21 grams of sugar.
Thanks so much, this is the best diet plan ever!!!!
Hi Dee: Yes, Cliff Builder bars are an option for high carb days. 🙂
What is the flavorings we can have on high fat? Nuts are a fat but hard to measure a thumb of nuts I usually do a 1oz serving is that too much? Is butter aloud?
Hi Monica: A one ounce serving of nuts is great! As far as butter, try and stick to spray butter instead of butter. Hope that helps!
I’m a little confused about beans on the carb cycling plan. I understand they count as carbs, so to eat them only on high carb days. But, do they count as a complete protein – or would I want to pair them with some other protein? Thanks so much!
Hi Jenn: Yes, you are correct – beans count as carbs, so you’ll only want to eat them on high-carb days. And you will still add a protein portion to any meal where beans are your carb portion. You’ll have a portion of protein as the foundation of every meal – both low- and high-carb. Good luck! 🙂
I’m a little confused how can I eat as many veggies as I want but they still have carbs? For instance carrots, I want to eat them for dinner but 1 carrot has 8 carbs; I don’t want to exceed my carb intake.
Hi,
I love carb cycling!! I am at my goal I have a BMI of 1344 and have started the maintenance plan, my question is, do I still eat 1500 calories on HC days, even if I cannot be as active as I usually am?
I don’t know if we can eat anything off the list when it is not a reward meal even though it’s healthy, ex. figs, my neighbor has a fig tree and likes to share!!
Regards and thanks for everything..I got this!!!!!
Hi Dee: Congratulations! Here’s a post all about the maintenance phase of carb cycling: https://heidipowell.net/5137/weight-loss-maintenance/. And figs would be considered carbs. You can do this! 🙂
Last question I think. I know beans and whole wheat tortilla is both carbs but is it ok to have the tortilla and 1/4 cup of beans for lunch on a high carb since it is a high carb.
Yes, use a small corn tortilla and that amount of beans, and you should be good to go!
Ok so Chris on Dr. Oz had a snack example for low carb day was celery peanut butter and cheese stick what from that would be a protein? Can you have cheese on high carb day or is it too much fat? Can you have fruit on low carb? Any approved snack for a 6th? I eat dinner at 630 and sometimes get extra hungry how much time before bed to not eat.the hand sizing is weird for carb because one tortilla is bigger is there a idea of what grams our high carb should be.
Hi Monica: The peanut butter and cheese sticks would be fats, although sometimes reduced cheese can count as proteins. You’ll only have cheese as the fat part of a low-carb meal, and fruits are carbs, so they can be the carb portion of a high-carb meal. And no 6th meal for the day – we only recommend 5 meals a day, spaced every 3 hours. If you do get hungry, try doing another activity, make sure you’re not thirsty, and try chewing some minty gum or a sugar-free mint. You can do this!
After reading Chris’s-book I still feel lost – i feel like all I’m doing is counting grams etc. And getting overwhelmed, I don’t want to quit, I want to be successful. Are you telling me if I choose the foods on the approved list and just use my hands to portion it out I don’t need to count?
What if it’s not on the approved list and or I make a recipe?
Is there a contestant or someone I can get more help?
Hi Abbey: You can totally choose your foods from the approved foods list and use the portion guides. Chris and Heidi have tried to make things as easy as possible. And you’re welcome to ask any questions right here, and I’ll do my best to help you. You can do this!
is it ok to have something else other than veggies, if I get those hunger pains after dinner, can we incorporate a third snack??, so far my intake with all meals included is 1097?? what should that late snack consist of??