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
Hello Chris and Heidi, I watch your show quite often and think to myself, why can’t i do what these people are doing on my own> I have search my soul time and time again, but I come up with lame answers all the time. My husband has cancer and is also worried about my health as am I like I am his. Even though I have a few health issues, most of them can be overcome with weight loss. I am 5′ and 215. Some would think that is not a lot, but it is to me. I hate myself for being this way. For being so unfocused on fixing myself all the way so I can be the 125 woman I am supposed to be. My kids are grown and out of the house, I have 4 beautiful grandchildren and 2 boys I love dearly. I am 58 years old, too young to be like this. I haven’t been able to even walk our 2 dogs. My knees hurt using the stairs in our house so I don’t do laundry that often. Our neighborhood is a perfect walking place, with uphills and downhills, other neighbors walking. walking their dogs. I get winded walking to my mailbox. There should be no reason for all of this, I should be able to just get up and start out, I even have a treadmill at home. I plan to read everything in your blogs and internet pages to see if I can find helpful hints. Buying books right now is not an option, I am totally without a job. Than you for taking the time to listen. I pray for help soon, before I really do die. My husband needs me. Sincerely, Jeanine Elson
Hi Jeanine: Thank you for your comment! All the steps you need to begin and achieve your transformation are in this post. Here’s the first, and probably most important, step: Make and keep that first small promise to yourself (the link to promises is in this post). This is truly Chris and Heidi’s #1 transformation tool, and it works! What will your first promise be today? Make and keep that one, and you can even report back and let us know how you did if that will help. You can do this!
I am 40 and in a wheelchair. I am a little over 200 lbs and 4’10. I am not able to do much as far as exercise and I am not good at eating healthy. (Never been a fan of fruits and veggies) Also tend to have bowels that go from constipated to loose in a quick hurry. (hence not eatting much fruits and veggies.) I know I need to lose weight but don’t have much will power. I do good for about 3 months and then get sick of it so end up back to where I started.
Hi Sarah: All the steps you need to begin and achieve your transformation goals are in this post. With your health issues, it would be a good idea to discuss this program (or any nutrition and exercise program) with your healthcare team first and then follow any modifications they might recommend. They are the best ones to help you since they know your exact issues and can work with you personally. We wish you the best – you can do this!
Chris and Heidi,
I have seen several episodes of extreme weight loss and am in need of your help.
In 2010 I lost my father from complications of diabetes and congestive heart failure at the age of 61,
In 2014 I was diagnosed as diabetic and told to lose weight by my doctor.
At the age of 11, I was diagnosed with scoliosis and refused to wear a back brace,
Currently I am 38 years old and weigh 296 pounds and am only five feet six inches tall
Due to my refusal to wear a back brace as a child and the weight on my body, I suffer from extreme back pain and any physical movement walking running etc. hurts and causes extreme pain in my lower back (from one end to the other)
I am tired of living in pain and am tired of being overweight please help
.
Hi Michael: Thank you for sharing your story with us. All the steps you need are in this blog post, and it would be best if you discuss this program, or any nutrition and exercise program, with your healthcare team first and then have them help you make any necessary modifications, especially since you do have some health issues. They are the best ones to help you since they understand your issues and can work with you on a one-on-one basis. You can do this!
Hi, Love your show, would love the chance to work with you guys. I’m at my wits end. I’ve struggled with my weight my whole life. I’m 62 yrs old 5’3 and 290lbs. I have high blood pressure, peripheral neuropathy, & anxiety/depression. Plus I have a few physical limitations that hold me back as well and then there’s the I work 11pm to 7am so my internal clock is off balance. I have a strong faith in God and after much prayer I feel reaching out to you is the right choice to start this journey. Please Help!!! I really feel that this is my last chance to get this right. Whether you choose to work with me or not anything you can do to help me on this journey with be received with the greatest appreciation. I thank God for all the great work you both do to reach out and help those of us who are seeking to live healthier life styles. Thank you for taking the time to listen.
Most Sincerely, Mary
Hi Mary: Thank you for sharing a bit of your story with us. Chris and Heidi wish they could help everyone personally, but since they can’t, they’ve mad all their transformation tool available for all of us to use to achieve our goals. You can find all these tools in this blog post. And please discuss this program, or any nutrition and exercise program, with your healthcare team first and then follow any modifications they might recommend. Make that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and you can do this!
I need help losing weight from Chris powell.I have had problems since high school, always got made fun of.had trouble learning from childhood illness, of having leukemia at the age of 2.was in children’s hospital for a year,had to have 3 years of chemotherapy, an 28 doses of radiation to the brain. It took to learn to walk again till I was 7, was always to sick to do anything, I’ve had a ruff life,was homeless for awhile,I seem to get sick a lot,I’m always depressed, an gained weight,I’m almost 240, please help me.724 4935413
Hi Stacey: Thank you for sharing a bit of your story with us. Chris truly wishes he could personally help everyone, but since that’s not possible, he and Heidi have made all their transformation tools available for all of us to use to achieve our goals! All the tools you need are in this post, and please discuss this program, or any nutrition and exercise program, with your healthcare team first, and then follow any modifications they might recommend. Make that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
I saw your show for the first time a few weeks ago and was so happy for the people that reached their goals and more than anything, I was touched by the genuine kindness of Chris Powell. I bought Choose more, lose more for life and am really keen to start. EVERYTHING makes sense to me and seems achievable except when I got to the food section. Then, I felt less optimistic that I can do this. Is the food list exclusive? For example, could I put honey on my yogurt? I really want to do this but the food options seem scary as I am not very good at cooking or even know what some of these foods are or even like some of them.
Hi Michelle: The foods list is pretty inclusive, however you can eat other like-things to those on the list. If you add honey to your yogurt, you’ll want to include those calories, and keep the amount you add to as little as possible. It’s amazing how a few calories here and there can add up. And you can put your own meals together also, you don’t have to follow the recipes in the book. There’s an awesome chart in this post that can help: https://heidipowell.net/4514. You can do this! It’s all about taking those baby steps one after the other.
Thank you 🙂
Sorry to monopolize your time. I am SO MOTIVATED to start your program tomorrow. I have a realistic and specific goal with a specific date (my oldest son’s graduation) and I feel the Turbo cycle fits me. I’m totally stoked for the fitness aspect. I’ve played sport all my life and am super comfortable with it. BUT…the more I read about the food. The more confused I am getting> I know if I am going to be successful, I have to find foods I like and can prepare. A couple of questions. !. the breakfasts appear to always be protein + carb daily, however in the recipes it shows a low and hi carb day option. So I could have scrambled egg whites, bell pepper with sea salt and a little cheese on Low carb days? 2. carbs & fat never seems to be together so does that mean apples and almond butter or yogurt and fruit can never be my snack? I understand that this is about how food groups make our bodies work optimally, so I want to get the mix right, but am super confused.
Hi Michelle: Let’s get you some answers to your questions: 1. There’s an awesome chart in this post that shows you how to put all your meals together in the Turbo Cycle: https://heidipowell.net/4514. And every breakfast is a high-carb meal (protein + carb + veggies) on both low- and high-carb days in the Extreme Cycle, so you wouldn’t want to add any fats. 2. Yes, you don’t pair carbs and fats together except on your Reward Day. Since Greek yogurt is considered a protein, you can pair it with a carb (high-carb day) or a fat (low-carb day). Hope that helps!
Things are going GREAT! I’m reaching the end of week 2 soon. A couple of questions: 1. can baked sweet potato be part of a low carb day? 2. Which exercise could I swap in for “dive bombers”, as they really bother my back? 3. would a small amount of margerine or butter on veggies be really bad? I really am not a veggie eater to start with but I’m trying.
Hi Michelle: Let’s get you some answers to your questions: 1. Sweet potatoes are carbs, so you’ll only want to only eat them as part of a high-carb meal. 2. You can do push ups instead of dive bombers. 3. Try using butter spray instead of butter or margarine for high-carb meals, or you can use butter or margarine as a fat for low-carb meals. Hope that helps!
Things are going AWESOME. I am on week 9 and have lost approx. 1.5 lbs/week. More than anything, I just feel great and am super motivated. I especially love the fitness component that is finally back in my life. My youngest son and I do taekwondo together and we both love it. However, last class I got kick hard in the knee and now can barely walk. It will heal in time I’m sure, but in the meantime what can I do to keep my momentum going? The thought of not doing any type of training is slightly “freaking me out” 🙂 Hope you’re having a great day!
PS lots of people are starting to ask me what I’m doing as they are seeing the changes in my body, energy level and spirit in general. I gladly tell them all about the Powell’s 🙂
Hi Michelle: This is awesome!!!!! But I’m sorry to hear about your knee. If it doesn’t get better soon, you might want to have your doc take a look at it. In the meantime, you should be okay to do upper body exercises, and try walking and swimming as you can. Keep your nutrition on point, and you should be good to go! 🙂
Hi, let me start of by saying that I find your show inspiring, thank you.
I am currently over 280lb, I could not look at the scale past that number, I guess that is going to be my first step so I have over 100 lbs to lose. I had lost 80 lbs in 6 months about 10 years ago but did not deal with the issues that lead to my weight gain in the first place ( I have been using weight as protection and distanced myself from people for a very long time) and therefore when trouble came, I gained quite a bit of weight back. I finally woke up and started going back to the gym 5 years ago when I had a car accident and got whip lash which to this day effects muscles through my neck, shoulders and sometimes upper thighs, I also have arthritis in my neck and back which I guess doesn’t help either, but honestly had not held me back before.
2 years ago I hired a trainer again but I could not get going, my muscles seized so much I was constantly going for muscle therapy, chiro and message and was getting no where, it got to a point it seemed even the trainer was giving up on me, with the low self esteem I have suffered for most of my life I am ashamed to say, I quit.
This time I woke up and see that I really need to do something to stop this cycle, I have dealt with many of my personal issues and the weight is a reminder of a past I am no longer a part of. I am trying to start a coaching business for myself and need to find my integrity in losing this weight.
I have been able to work myself in the gym to 45 min-1 hr on the eliptical but have been afraid to go back to weights. I am looking for any advise and support I can get to finally overcome this obstacle.
Hi Caroline: All the tools you need to begin and achieve your transformation are in this blog post. And as with any nutrition and exercise program, please discuss this program with your healthcare team first, and then follow any modifications they might recommend. Make that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
I am college student with a low income I want to drop at 250 lbs and I’m confused on where to start can you guys please help me.
Hi Curtis: All the steps you need to begin and achieve your transformation are in this post. The first step is to make and keep a small, simple promise to yourself. You can do this!
Hi Heidi! the show Extreme Weightloss inspired me to look over the website and I found your link. I read enough to inspire me to buy the book. Its on my kindle so I can read it while on the road. I team drive with my husband. I know its going to be difficult to do this while on the road. I will find ways to make it work. Any tips you can provide would be so helpful. I need to lose 100 lbs. I am 5’7″.
I will be 60 in October and I want a change by then. Recent blood work showed I am in good health. I recently bought an “Inspire” corner workout machine. I can use it two days a week since that is the only time I am home. I will check your website for inspiration and tips during the week. Thank you and your husband for all you do to help others to be healthy. Best Regards!
Hi Terry: Welcome to carb cycling! You can get some helpful tips on meal planning on the Extreme Cycle in this post: https://heidipowell.net/10617. You can do this!
I am an older woman, who needs to loose weight, but I have an titanium shoulder replacement and cannot do exercises with out pain or hurting my shoulder. What can I do?
Hi Jane: Since good nutrition is a huge part of weight loss, you can still achieve your transformation goals even if your movement is limited. Choose one of the carb cycles, follow the nutrition part exactly, do any doctor approved exercise you can, and you can do this! All the links you need are in this post!