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
Hi. I first would like to say what a fan I am of Chris and Heidi. You both have hearts of gold, to take time to help people that other people just want to toss away.
I have always been overweight, ever since I was a child. My highest weight was 585. With dieting and exercising I have made it to 314. No weight loss surgeries.
I have a question for you, would it be possible for me to be able to lose 160 lbs in a year, if so what would be the best way to do so? I am ready to finish this up to be able to get rid of the skin. I feel trapped in it.
Thank you!
hi
Hi Mar: Your rate of weight loss depends on the program you follow, how well you stick to that program, and some other factors. Instead of looking at a year’s weight loss goal, let’s break it down into smaller, 90 day goals. A good goal for your first 90 days is a 10% weight loss. Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling program (links in this post) is awesome, so I’d check it out! You can do this!
I just think you are a beautiful couple inside and out, I have a challenging but extreme need for a plan that fits me. I’m a 39yr old mother of 3 and….an RN. I’ve dedicated my life to my children and as a dialysis nurse for the past 17 years. 2 Years ago my life changed, while working I saved my pt from failing butttttttt at the exspense of my back…….2yrs and 4 back surgeries and a few complications including foot drop and permanent nerve damage ….((going for#5 this coming Wednesday (((spinal cord stimulator))) I’ve gained 50 lbs. on a 5 foot 3inch frame it’s horrible. I’m still working and taking care of my kiddos, but I truly need help!!! I have a lot of limitations but I still want to be the best healthy person I can be!!!
Hi Tommie: You’ve been through a lot! I’d discuss Chris and Heidi’s exercise program with your healthcare team and then follow any modifications they might recommend, but remember, 80% of weight loss is nutrition! Follow you chosen carb cycle, move as directed by your healthcare team, and you can totally achieve your transformation goals! 🙂
Hey, love your show, very inspiring, but how do i start my diet, when i can’t aford your books or nothing, i have spend money and time in getting my son back for the last 2 and a half years :(. im 27 years old, I’m 5’11 and i weight 251lbs, i tryed diets but they don’t work for me. i live in canada mount pearl. can you point me in the right direction to start a healthy diet?
please and thank you
Crystal 🙂
Hi Crytal: You can begin your transformation with the information in this post, so be sure and check out all of the links. And you can often find Chris and Heidi’s books at your local library. Make and keep that first promise to yourself, choose a carb cycle, and go! You can do this!
I really loved Chris’s TV show and it inspired me to loose weight. I have recently lost 60 kilos, I went from 150 kilos and now I am 87 kilos. I still have a layer of stubborn fat and large breasts and loose skin and I feel really really depressed. I should be happy but im not. I cant look at myself in the mirror and I hate myself and I dont want to get close to anyone. I cant believe I let myself get so fat and now I look like this, what was I thinking.
Hi Matt: Congratulations on losing 60 kilos – you have done something that so many people want to do! We know that extra skin can be so frustrating, and hopefully yours will regain its elasticity. If you’re wanting to lose some of that stubborn fat, you might find some things you can add to what you’re already doing in this post. Sometimes it just takes a few tweaks and that can make all the difference. We wish you all the best!
Hello My name is Jim. I weigh 357 pounds. I need help badly. I cant seem to lose the weight and I have been fat for over 11 years. Can I get on the show? Please help me I don’t want to die im only 50.
Hi Jim: Casting for the show is currently closed, but you can find all of the tools you need to begin your transformation journey in this post. Be sure and check out all of the links, then make and keep that first small, simple promise to yourself, choose a carb cycle, and go! You can do this!
I’m desperate to start becoming healthy for my children. I’ve spent the last 9yrs of my life supporting my military husband and then advocating for my disabled veteran husband while raising 3 children. I’ve put myself and my health on the back burner, even after a stroke in ’09 and a widow maker heart attack in ’15. My husband passed away 7 days ago on the 18th, and now more than ever I need to get healthy. I must be here for my children. They have no one else.
Hi Jennifer: All the tools you need to begin and achieve your transformation are in this post! Make and keep that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and go! You can do this!
Thank you so much for your reply! I have decided to go with the turbo cycle! I have figured up my meal plans for both and high and low carb days. On low carb days my calories are 1238 with 39% protein/ 41% fat/ and 20% carbs. but on high carbs days, i am only getting 1002 calories using the portion guide and 41% carbs/ 43% protein/ and 16% fat. I hate to add more fat especially since I am still 500 calories short! I don’t know what i should do.
Hi Robyn: We really don’t offer macro percentage recommendations for the Turbo Cycle since everything is figured out for you. If you’ll follow the portion size guidelines for this cycle, you’ll get all of the macros and calories you need. There’s a handy portion size guide chart in this post that can be very helpful: https://heidipowell.net/4514. And remember, the meals are set up a bit differently for the Extreme Cycle than for the other cycles. Hope that helps!
Dear Chris , Heidi
Hope you are keeping well.
I like both of you and I always watch you in tv .
I am over weight , I tried every thing to lose weight but could not.
I am from Saudi Arabia and I really need help from you . My dream is to lose weight with you. Please please please help me. I will do what ever you tell me. I will be waiting for nice surprise from you . I wish I can be with you like people where with you. I really need to change my life. I wish if you can give the chance to with you and help me in lossing weight. My mobile. +966506361613
Email. [email protected]
Or. [email protected]
My kind regards.
Mohammed Alghamdi
Hi Mohammed: All of the tools you need to begin and finish your transformation journey are in this post! Be sure and follow all the links within the post, and start today by making and keeping that first small, simple promise to yourself (link in the post). Then choose a carb cycle, and go! You can do this!
Hi Chris and Heidi ! I started watching your show last season for the first time and was amazed to finally see people motivated by compassion and love rather than the typical money and success that drives the craze of fitness shows today. It makes me have full trust and confidence in you seeing your love for helping others no matter the cost or struggle to help them when they are fighting against themselves out of fear. I decided even though I am not obese I should stop following every diet dad and fitness trend and see what you guys had to say so I found your book “choose to lose 7 day carb cycle ” at my local library. I read it all lastnight in two hours! I just want your opinion because I am scared! I only have ten pounds to lose but I have began the journey to lose these ten pounds for FOUR YEARS NOW . I began working in a gym six years ago and shortly after getting a cleaning job there something happened. I realized I didn’t fit into the fitness world. I didn’t have muscles I had squishy soft fat that if it wasn’t held together by tight clothes I could no longer hide and I began to hate myself. I have battled such depression that I couldn’t look on the mirror. People look at me and say “she just wants attention she couldn’t hate herself she isn’t overweight” but in secret I cry. I would take sleeping pills to be asleep before my husband got home so he didn’t have to look at me. I would call in sick to work because I didn’t want people to have to look at me. I’ve done everything every trainer has ever said. Complex carbs no carbs resistance training with profession in weight or reps every week . Nothing has worked other than going months with no carbs and little far but my metabolism was so damaged I couldn’t function . People think it’s a joke when I say my weight torments me but I just need your help loving myself and proving I can conquer it. Even if it is just ten pounds it’s a real life hatred and battle for me. I am kind of worried to see your book I found not mentioned on this website, does that mean it is outdated and I should look for one of the two you mentioned? Also I have been staying away from carbs for so long now I am terrified to try your 7 day carb cycle every three weeks with one week of seven days of carbs. I’m terrified my body will blow up into twenty pounds or more overweight . And I will have to start starving all over again. Also your book only gave push-ups sit-ups and squats for my weight training, will that REALLY change my body considering I will subside lay be eating a lot more than I do and working out way less? I now do heavy weights and on leg day anywhere from 200-500 lunges depending on how I feel. This seems like a major drop in training for my body? Please help me please assure me before I begin the rules and exact plan of your choose to lose book I am still so scared but I trust you two so I needed to reach out!
Hi Robyn: You can totally use the program in “Choose to Lose,” and it can work. Chris and Heidi’s 3rd book, “Extreme Transformation” (http://amzn.to/2eTGrVy) does include the Extreme Cycle, their newest cycle, that is the result of their work with their contestants and clients since “Choose to Lose” was published several years ago. Like with a lot of things in life, the more you do something, the better you get at it! For the strength training part of their program, if you have your own strength training program, you can totally use that instead. As for carbs, they are a key to not only good health, but to weight loss as well, and the way they’re incorporated into Chris and Heidi’s plans has been proven to work, so please just trust in their plan (no matter which one you choose). And those last 10 pounds to lose can be as frustrating as having 100s of pounds to lose, but you can do it! 🙂
Hi Chris and Heidi,
First of please allow me to say that I love you both and I watched Extreme Weight Loss all the time. My name is Darlene and I have struggle with my weight for as long as I can remember. I’m at a point now as not knowing what to do or where to start again. I’ve been in boot camps, gyms, weight loss pills, and I’ll lose it but some how I’m right back to where I started. When I was in the boot camp , I lost 75 lbs, which was 2.5 years ago and I can’t seem to get back on track. I know I’m overweight and trying everything under the moon to get this mess off. I sometimes hate myself to a point that I’ll go in isolation from the world. I have hypothyroidism and sometimes I think that it has a huge affect on me loosing the required weight that I want to loose. I need HELP!!!! getting directed in the correct path to go. I could go on and on but I just want some HELP!!!.
Hi Darlene: All the tools you need to begin your transformation journey are in this post! Make and keep that first promise to yourself, choose a cycle, and go! And I’d discuss any nutrition and exercise program with your healthcare team first and then follow any modifications they might recommend. You can totally do this! 🙂