Congratulations on choosing to begin your transformation journey! You have made a choice that will change your life?for the better?for many years to come. We want you to be successful, so Chris and I have made all of the tools we use with everyone we work with available for everyone to use in our books, Extreme Transformation and Choose More, Lose More for Life, and our TRANSFORM app. In both of our books, we?ve outlined everything you?ll need to do to reach your transformation goals, so let?s get started!
Step #1 Promises: The foundation of your transformation.
Making and keeping promises to yourself is the true secret to transformation, and it?s the most important step of your entire journey. Begin your journey today by making and keeping one small promise!
Step #2 Carb cycling: The nutrition plan that fires up your metabolism.
Carb cycling is a nutrition plan with alternating high and low-carb days that not only maximizes your metabolic burn, but it?s also extremely effective at speeding up weight loss while maintaining those fat-burning muscles. It adapts easily to your daily routine for weight loss success, and it helps you avoid that dreaded weight loss plateau. And in carb cycling, you get reward days or meals (depending on the cycle you?re following), so you can still eat your favorite foods from time to time! Awesome, right?!
Learn about the basics of carb cycling, then explore and choose one of the five different cycles: Easy, Classic, Turbo, Fit, and Extreme (the newest member of our carb cycling family). And don?t worry! You can change cycles at any time?it?s that flexible!
Step #3 Exercise: Move your body to accelerate weight loss.
In addition to a sound?and simple to follow?nutrition plan (like carb cycling), you?ll need an effective?and realistic?exercise program to help you reach your transformation goals. Chris and I have put together just the program for you! It combines strength training (for muscle development and maintenance) and cardio (for accelerating calorie burn), to turn your body into a maximum calorie-burning machine. And we?ve outlined everything you?ll need to do?step-by-step?every single day! So learn about the basics and benefits of exercise first, and then get moving today!
When you put all of this together, your journey becomes whole. Take a look at the stereogram image above. This captures the essence of transformation so beautifully. Before you shift your focus, all you see is a chaotic mess of dumbbells and food. Basically, it is the confusing mess of every single diet and exercise program out there for weight loss. But once you shift your focus, the 3-D path of true transformation?and lifelong weight loss?becomes clear.
678 Responses
My names meranda I am 37 years old and a mother of 7 . I lost weight 5 years ago bug the skin just hung around like fat that I lost. And I got a surprise 2 years ago when I found out I was pregnant with number 7. Now I went from being a 16 to a size 22-24 and I weigh about 260 lbs. It just won’t go away. This weight is making it hard for me to manage simple life with my kids I wear sweats everyday I don’t go out because I don’t like how I look. I have watched extreme weight loss with Chris an I was touched by what you do for people. I don’t know what to do. I try I hardly ever eat out I’ve cut more than half soft drink content down Ive traded out ground beef for turkey an chicken an I still see nothing. No results at all. I feel like my legs are logs. When my older children were younger I was the mother out playing football and tag and hiking an tennis now its a struggle to walk to the trash in our community or even upstairs to bed.
Hi Meranda: Thank you for your post and for sharing your story with us. All the steps you need to begin your transformation journey are in this blog post. Make that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
Hello team Powell.
First of all I just need to tell you that I’m macedonian, little country in Europe. I wrealy dont now to count in pounds, my english may not be the best, so pardon me if there are some mestakes in this letter.
I have startet with my dieting and traying to get fit again last year, and so far I have lost 18 kg. I would like to louse another 10 kg. but on may legs, tights and a little bit more of the stomak. I tray so far so meny diets, and have been exercise but it seams that has stop and is bean like that for 2-3 monts may weight is the same. I was 88 kg. and now i weight 70 kg. and I’m 169 cm tall.
I have wide tights and may uper legs are wide and i’m wrealy struggling to louse weight on that placeses and is hard after all that work to see my self in a mirror and not be happy with my self.
Please help someone at list with a strong suport and if you have samething else to say I will be happy to hear from YOU. I admire you work, and hope that I may even meet you one day.
thank you, and i wrealy hope to hear wrom you.
Sincerely
Marijana.
I hope that I can make it!!!!
Sorry I did say my english is not the best 🙂
Last line of the letter is ….
Thank you, and I hope to hear from you.
I realise the mestake after posting the coment.
Hi Marijuana: Thank you so much for your post! All the steps you need to begin your transformation journey are in this blog post, and be sure and follow all the links within the post too. Make that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
Team Powell,
A couple of weeks ago I ran across an episode of the extreme weight-loss TV show. After the episode I was so taken back and emotional because of how much you cared about the people you were helping. I have read your book a few times over the last week and tomorrow I start my first day of my extreme transformation. I’m looking to rally my team but I don’t have many people around me to support this new lifestyle I am choosing to live.
Do you have any suggestions on where to go to find a support system? I live in the Salt Lake City area.
I’m excited and nervous to start this extreme transformation because this is the first time in my life I felt like I could succeed with weight loss.
I feel like I would be very ungrateful if I did not thank you all for this wonderful process that you have created.
I’M ON THE JOURNEY!!!
Hi Jerod: Welcome to carb cycling and we’re so excited you’ve decided to begin your transformation journey! We don’t have actual support communities set up, but you can find some awesome support on all of Chris and Heidi’s social media channels. There are so many people who are on the same journey as you’ve begun, and you can all be very supportive of each other along the way. You can do this!
HI AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS,, IM 42 HAVE R/A AND LUPUS THE LAST 4 YEARS I HAVE WENT FROM WALKING TO IN A WHEELCHAIR.. MY QUESTIONS IS WHAT ARE THE BEST EXERCISES I COULD DO TO HELP MY WEIGHT LOSS.. IM CURRENTLY AT 410 STARTED AT 460 I HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO LOSS THAT MUCH IN A WHOLE YEAR.. PLEASE ANY HINTS OR TIPS WOULD HELP..THANK YOU .. OH YEAH IM ON A HIGH PROTIEN DIET TRY TO LOSE TO GET TO A WIEGHT LOSS SURGERY TO HELP ME ALONG… GOD BLESS
Hi Darlina: With your health issues, it’s best if you work with your healthcare team on any exercise program and then follow their recommendations. They are the best ones to help you since they know your exact issues and can work with you on a one-on-one basis. And congratulations on losing 50 pounds – that’s awesome!
Hi Team Powell,
I am just starting my second trimester and I am having a hard time finding information about how far I can take my workouts while pregnant. I would be eternally grateful to get your tips and tricks of working out while pregnant.
To give you a quick back story, I am not in great shape and probably have about 30-50 lbs I could stand to lose pre-pregnancy. I got married in September and before the wedding I was eating well, not great, and working out at least 4 times a week. I dabbled in Beachbody that a friend introduced me to and did T25 and 21 day fix workouts, I did not follow the meal plan. I didn’t lose weight but I did notice muscle definition. I haven’t worked out in about 5 months and would like to again now that I’m past the first trimester. I have fallen back into my old, bad, eating habits and need to change it up, but I’m not sure how much I can really push myself while pregnant.
My goals are to have a healthy pregnancy, decrease labor pains (I heard working out helps), and get a better body postpartum than I had pre baby.
Thank you for your time!
Hi Anna: Congratulations on your pregnancy! It’s best to discuss any workouts/exercise programs with your healthcare team while pregnant and then follow their recommendations. They are the best ones to help you since they know your health history and can work with you throughout your pregnancy. We want to keep you and baby safe! We wish you the best!
Hello my name is makayla. I’m 20 years old. I’m 5 foot 3 inches. My current weight is 260 pounds. A lot of people in my family are over weight. I have tried to loose weight it never seems to work. I have not had the greatest life I could ask for. I’m asking for help to loose weight. I hate my body I don’t step foot on a scale. Please help me.
Hi Makayla: Thank you for your post! While Chris and Heidi so wish they could personally help everyone, they’re not able to take on clients at this time. That’s why they’ve made all their carb cycling tools available in this blog post. Make that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
My name is Mary Kolesar. I way 265 lbs at the age of 50. i have always had weight issues ever since i was dx with asthma. the medications were hard on me and did not help me with my weight. I have been on presidone since i was 18 on and off. In 2009, i was taking Zumba classes and walking and lossing weight and i was finally starting to feel better about my self. Then in Nov 2009, while at the chiropractor with my son, i passed out. No one though much of it at the time, my husband an EMT thought i was slightly dehydrated and was pushing myself. The next morning i opted to work from home. I went to my desk at 8:50am, and woke up on the floor of my office with my keyboard under me and a facial injury from smacking my face off my desk. November 13th stays in my brain because it was the day i found out that i had flat lined. They captured it in the ER and right in front of my husband i flat lined for 23 seconds. My husband said that he dropped to the floor and was scared i was gone. I had a pacemaker placed in my chest November 14th @ 1:30pm in the afternoon. My life changed after that. The medications i am on have caused me stress and weight gain i cant control.. I need my life back, I hurt every day. My daughter is 13 and my son is 23. I have so much but i cant see it anymore. I never ask for help, MY sisiter Eileen trys but she is not me and cant understand why i can do the things she does to maintain. i really want to .. i NEED HELP. I used to play basketball, i loved zumba. I am size 20/22. My husband tries but he gets so angry at me. I want me back. Can you help me please…
Hi Mary: Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, and I’m so sorry for all you’ve had to deal with. Chris and Heidi truly wish they could help everyone who needs their help, but they’re just not able to. I’d suggest you discuss the tools in this post with your healthcare team, and then follow any modifications they recommend. Then make that first promise, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
Dear Heidi & Chris,
I really don’t know where to start on this. I’m trying to put on a brave face for my family but I’m scared. I was admitted into the hospital on December 17, 2015 for cellulitis in the calf of my left leg. While there I found out that I weigh 279lbs. I’ve never weighed this much before. I ended up fighting the doctors to get out of the hospital on Christmas Eve because I didn’t want my kids to have to come to the hospital to celebrate Christmas since my oldest daughter and her family came to Indiana from Michigan to celebrate with us. It was far from the best Christmas for me but also not the worst either. I wasn’t able to do much. I had to lay on the couch with my leg elevated while my husband and 3 daughters (24, 21, & 10) cooked. Christmas dinner is always my meal to cook and hubby always cooks Thanksgiving meal with my help due to his…I forgot the word for it…it’s not considered a handicap but basically he only has partial use of his right hand due to a work related accident that occurred in 2007 (his hand was caught in a windmill press at work for 5 minutes and his hand was degloved down to the bone, the doctor saved his hand…long story how but it took 6 surgeries and then another surgery after he was diagnosed with MRSA in his hand). I ended up over doing it just sitting up wrapping all the presents until 2am…the swelling went up into my thigh. I only wrapped Selena’s gifts and she wrapped the others for me as I told her whose was whose. My husband would have for me but he didn’t know whose was whose either and he was at work while I was doing this. Anyway, back to why I’m afraid. I ended up back in the ER on New Year’s Day 2016 due to a reaction that I was having to the IV antibiotic that they had me putting into the pick line that was in my arm. While in the ER the doctor ran a bunch of tests. Some of my results were high. I think that I’m border diabetic but that’s not worries me so much cuz I know how I can change that since my husband is diabetic (he controls it very well). The infectious disease doctor told me to get into my doctor’s office due to my numbers on my liver test were kind of high. She’s not sure if it’s due to some medications that I’ve been on for this infection or due to me being over weight since I only drink alcohol maybe 5 times a year if that. That’s what scares me. I’ve never told any of my doctors that many years ago I took a whole bottle of pills during one of my worst bouts of depression. I’ve battled depression for years and then last year was diagnosed with anxiety. I break out in hives at times when my anxiety gets out of control. Before that happens I tend to scratch my legs or my head so much that it causes sores. Even when I try to stop, I still do it in my sleep. The sores on my legs are clearing up pretty good for now but I never know how long it’s going to last. After seeing two horrible people that was supposed to be specialists I did find a good one but trying to find the time to get in to talk to him just became too hard between when he was in, when I have the car, and when I’m not watching my grandchildren so I quit going. My husband is unable to change poopy diapers. He’s tried but it’s impossible with his bad hand when our grandson will not stay still. So he can’t watch them for me to go see this doctor. Taking him in there became too distracting once he became more mobile. Anyway, in the past I’ve been able to lose weight. My mom, sister, & I got together once a week for a few months (from January until July) a few years ago. We would get together and share what we put in our weight loss journals, weigh in, work out, and eat lunch together that day. My sister let me know that she was a little annoyed with me cuz I was losing so much more then her and I didn’t even start exercising until March. By July, Mom had lost almost 50lbs, my sister had lost almost 60lbs and I had lost over 70lbs. I know that I can do it but it’s keeping to it that is my problem and finding the right support group. Even though I know that it’ll be harder now that I’m over 40….I need to lose this weight for my health. I’ll be able to eat healthier now that my teeth aren’t a problem…I lost quite a few due to not being able to eat healthy while I was breast feeding….especially after my husband got hurt. I was lucky if I got 1 meal a day during the first few months after that accident so that I could make sure that the kids and he got food…then I found out that he was giving his food to our youngest even though he needed the food to heal. He could never say no to a toddler if they asked for his food. I breastfed her until her 3rd birthday and she was about a year and a half when he was hurt. I have so much that I need to do…not enough time. I promised my husband of 24 years that I would start taking better care of myself but I’m so used to putting everyone before myself that I am having a hard time with it. First thing that I need to do is lose this weight…taking time for myself to exercise seems impossible. I don’t know if this makes any sense or not but I don’t recognize myself at all….I don’t know who I am anymore. I used to do for others but I took care of myself when I was younger but now I feel guilty if I do anything for myself. I used to be strong, physically and mentally…although I had an attitude at times…like who cares what anyone else thinks but now I don’t feel that I’m strong physically or mentally….kind of like I was so strong for so long and now I feel like just falling apart….if I could I would just hide away from everyone and sleep all the time. There are days that I don’t even get hungry…and I have to force myself to eat something and then other days that I can’t stop being hungry. I’ve been having more days of not wanting to eat lately then wanting to eat but I force myself to eat at least once a day since I have to eat to take my antidepressant and without that pill no one wants to be around me and I hate how I feel without it. I had to be without it for an entire weekend once and thought that I was losing my mind and the thoughts of suicide was so overwhelming. It took a few days after getting it again to feel close to normal again….what really is normal though. Even with this pill the depression is still there…and the anxiety is there all the time just worse on some days then others. Anyway, I maybe asking too much…after reading this it sounds like I’m just a loss cause but I’m asking for your help so that I can become a better, stronger, and healthier person not just for myself but for my family as well. I’m sorry that this is so long. I tried to shorten it. Hope that you have a wonderful evening.
Hi Kim: Thank you for your post, and I’m so sorry for all you’ve had to deal with. Chris and Heidi wish they could help everyone personally, but it’s just not possible at this time. That’s why they’ve put all their carb cycling tools in this post for everyone to use to achieve their transformation goals. And I’d discuss this, or any nutrition and exercise program, with your healthcare team fist, and then follow any modifications they recommend. Make and keep that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle (chat w/ your doc), and go! You can do this – it’s all about taking those baby steps one after the others.
Chris and Heidi,
I am a former athlete and weighed 145 with the delivery of my second child, at 32 yrs. old. I have PCOS and have been diligent at caring, for myself. My daughter was born with dysphagia, reflux and autism, my son was born with GER, as well. The children cried incessantly and husband travels. Over the pat 13 years, I have lost myself and am up to 190 lbs at 5’3″. There is something wrong where I have little energy and pain, where I am seeking medical help but with no answers. Can you please help me get my life back? I would like to have help without having to reach a morbid obese body weight. I know there have to be other moms or dads in my situation. I know my body has muscle memory and that I would be a good candidate. Your show offers help to those that are facing death, but what about us that are wanting to extend our lives, prior to reaching that point? My health is failing me and I would like to suggest helping us that are on the brink of becoming morbidly obese. I feel that it could and would help millions of people that are on the path to giving up, but just need your guidance. From one mom to another, Heidi, I ask for your help.
Broken but can be better.
Hi Brandi: Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling program, that’s outlined in this post, can work no matter how many pounds you want to lose, and it can be followed for life. With your health issues, I’d suggest you discuss their program with your healthcare team first and then follow any modifications they recommend. You might also find some help in this post from the blog: https://heidipowell.net/8978/pcos-and-carb-cycling-a-9-pound-dream-come-true/. I hope this helps – you can do this!
Hello my name is Jennifer i’m 26 year old. I’m a single mother of 3 beautiful kids. I am here seeking help for weight loss. I’m currently at 278 pounds . I have tried so many things buts its very hard to complete. Today i want to make a change not only for me but my KIDS . I don’t know where to beginning. What i do know is that i REALLY NEED A SUPPORT TEAM AND SOMEONE TO HELP ME GUIDE ME MOTIVATE ME I’m despite I need to find myself .please i need help
Hi Jennifer: You’ve come to the right place! All the steps you need to begin your transformation journey are in this post. Step #1 is to make and keep that first small promise – the link to the promise process is in this post. Step #2 is to choose a cycle and go! You can do this! 🙂