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
Hi guys, I was wondering what category chicpeas fall into…..protein,carb or fats?
Chickpeas are carbs. 🙂
Hi,
I just finished the Choose to Lose book and I am very excited to start the Turbo Cycling plan! I am a little confused on what I should be having for breakfast on low carb days, because in the chart above you show protein+carbs on both low and high carb days, but the recipes in the book do not include carbs on the low carb days. I just want to make sure I am following the plan correctly. Can you provide some guidance here?
Thanks!!
Every single breakfast, on both low and high carb days, is a high carb meal: protein, carb, and veggies (the non-root/non-starchy type). Happy Turbo Cycling!
I would love to know how many carbs I should be eating on a low carb day and on a high carb day. I was following a low carb program and sticking to 20 net carbs a day and lost 20 lbs. I have since lost nothing else even though I increased my carbs to 30 net carbs. With all the research I have been doing, I am realizing that this way is not very healthy even though I was eating healthier. I have read, Choose More to Lose More and I love the Carb Cycling. But because I am used to counting carbs, I would appreciate if you could give me numbers, thanks! Love what you all do for so many.
Hi Cindy: Since we don’t count carbs in carb cycling, and since the actual carb count for each person would be different, I’m unable to give you a daily carb count number. If you’ll follow the portion sizes for each meal, you’ll be fine! 🙂
im currently 58 kgs and 5ft , so I only have abt 5 kg to lose, (im able to go down to 55 if i really cut my calories but I usually gain it back after a few months), will carb cycling help me to lose those 5 kg, and usually how long does it take to lose abt 2 kg, bcoz i heard that its harder for some ppl to lose even 1 kg. and i usually give up if i dont see 1 kg less in 1 week. (P.S. i exercise 5 days a week duration 1 hour)
pls pls reply to me
im still waiting for your Book to arrive from EBay, therefore i need some help ls.,
1. is Cornflakes with non fat milk, considered a low carB meal or high carB meal?
2. potatoes are carBs, right??
Great questions! Milk isn’t on the approved foods list in the book because depending on which you choose (whole, 2%, 1% skim) it not only has a good amount of carbs, but it can also have a fair amount of fat. We suggest using unsweetened almond milk on cereal. The corn flakes would be a carb, and we suggest choosing a cereal with more fiber so that you’ll feel fuller longer: All Bran, Fiber One, Kashi (Go Lean, Good Friends, Heart to Heart), Low fat granola, and old fashioned or steel cut oatmeal. And yes, potatoes are carbs. Happy carb cycling!
Hello I have bought both of Chris’s books and was interested in knowing I am about ready to go into my fourth week which is all high carbs. I am using the turbo cycle if I am still losing a good bit of weight week three should I still use the fourth week as a high carb week or can I continue doing the turbo cycle of high carb low carb for week 4,5, and so on until I slowdown from losing weight?
You always want to do the Slingshot week every 4 weeks, even if your weight loss hasn’t slowed down. Happy carb cycling!
How many whole almonds in a fat serving? Book only mentions chopped almonds.
Great question! It’s about 16-17 per serving. 🙂
Hi heidi i wanted to know can i eat the light activia yogurts that are,60 calories on the turbo cycle if so on high carb or low carb days..please help
Chris and Heidi recommend eating Greek yogurt as it has more protein in it, but you can choose other types as long as they’re low carb and high protein. Either way, yogurt is considered a protein, so you can eat it as the protein part of any meal on any cycle. 🙂
What are the proteins and fats that you recommend? I’m trying to carb cycle but I’m a little overwhelmed at where to start.
Hi Heidi!
I am so happy that I found this site, and am starting the turbo cycle next week. I attempted this week but hard to do when I haven’t gone grocery shopping yet, haha.
I did have a question regarding calorie intake. I have checked my BMR and TDEE and it’s saying I require 1480 calories a day to reach my goal weight, but in the book it says to do 1200 on low carb days, and 1500 on high carb days. I’m a little confused. Should I just eat my recommended amount of 1480? I don’t want to compromise my weight loss for not taking in enough calories.
Also, I eat a ton of veggies and they have carbs too, but you say we can 2 fist fulls a day. Can you please clarify this? Do veggies count as your carbs?
Follow the calorie counts as outlined in the book. Changing up your calories from day to day actually helps with weight loss. And you can have 2 fist fulls of veggies with every meal, just make sure they’re the non-root/non-starchy type, and they do not count as your carb portion. Good luck! 🙂