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
Dear Heidi/Chris,
My name is Mayra I hope all is well with you and your lovely family. I have been watching Extreme Weight Loss since Chris started the show. I am having issues with weight and nutrition. I am 37 yrs old, a wife and mother of 3 little girls 8, 6,and 5 and also have a thyroid problem which I have been dealing with since 2006. I have been struggling to get my self back into working out I just don’t have the motivation or the energy lately. I used to love working out. I am 4ft 11in tall I am defenitly not a small built I would say I am medium but weight 164 lbs last time I dreadfully stepped on a scale. I have tried to change my eating habits and eat healthy but not successfully loosing any weight. I am so frustrated with myself and I just don’t know what to do any more. I NEED HELP! I know you and Chris are busy and I would understand completely if you can’t help me but I have been told unless you ask for help then you never know unless you ask. So I am here to ask.
Sincerely,
Mayra ?
Hi Mayra: All the steps you need to begin and finish your transformation journey are in this post. Choose a cycle, make that first promise, and you’re on your way. And those promises truly are a key to achieving any goal, so pay special attention to that link in this post. And please discuss this program with your healthcare team first, and then follow their recommendations. You can do this!
I wanted to says Thanks to Heidi. Her getting started advice has struck a chord with me. I never knew where to start on making a commitment to myself and her advice has helped me feel like I can do this, i know it won’t be easy but I am excited about getting myself back.
So, again I say thanks.
Regards,
Julie
You are amazing and watching what you do for people is just incredible.
I am writing to ask for a possible referral to a therapist/life coach in the Phoenix area. Over the last 4 years I have lost almost 200 pounds, but in the last year I have put back on 70 pounds and I am afraid that it will just continue. I am extremely active, I am actually training for the Tempe Half Ironman in October (inspired by Brandi Mallory?s episode), but as we all know you can?t out exercise a bad diet. Even with all the training, I am not putting on any additional weight, but I am not losing either. I can?t seem to find the food control that I once had, when I lost all the weight and am hoping to find someone who can help me figure it out again. As you have said many times, the eating right and exercising is the easy part of losing weight, it?s the mental part that is the hardest. I was so, so close to my goal (within 7 pounds) and still didn?t make it, I am determined to do so, but need some help figuring out exactly what is going on.
Thank you so much for your time
Hi Robin: Please contact Powell Metabolics, and they can help you with either the resources they have, or for a reference: http://www.powellmetabolics.com. And good luck on your Half Ironman – you got this!
Do you happen to have any tips or advice for people who are handicapped? A man hit me with his car door back in October of last year while I was riding my bike to work. I still need to walk with 1 crutch and am waiting for Sudeck’s atrophy to subside before I can have a 2nd surgery. I am in stage 3 of Sudeck’s and know that I will be permanently disabled for life. It is very limiting. Before this happened, I was working out 5 days per week and had already lost 42 pounds. Now, I find that just eating well isn’t enough. I needed all the exercise I was doing. But now there is so much that I am unable to do. Is there anything you can recommend? My upper body was limited for quite a while and still is a bit, but I think I can do a lot more with it than I can with my lower body. If I do mostly upper body work, can I successfully lose weight all over? I’m doing physical therapy 3 times per week and there is a bit of exercise in that, but not enough. I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you!
Hi Danielle: So sorry to hear about your accident! I’d suggest you work with your healthcare team (and physical therapist) and have them help you put together an exercise program you can do while you’re recovering and after. They are the best ones to help you since they know the exact nature of your injuries and can work with you on a one-on-one basis. We wish you the best!
Good morning. I had gastric bypass 13 years ago. I’ve lost 180 pounds. Now I’m struggling and need to lose 50 pounds. I’m miserable. I’m not a big Eater and I struggle with Fibromyalgia. It’s hard most days to exercise cause it hurrs. Please help me. I’m desperate to be back where I was. What do you suggest for me. If I could have 1 week with you I know I can loose this weight and maintain again. I love your show and you inspire me every day. Thanks for what you do. Love you you both Dee
Hi Denise: I’m so sorry for all you’ve been dealing with. 🙁 All the steps you need to begin your transformation journey are in this post. Choose a cycle, and start with making and keeping that first promise to yourself. And with your health issues, I’d suggest you discuss this program with your healthcare team first, and then follow any modifications they recommend. And remember, a huge part of weight loss is good nutrition, so even though your exercise is limited, you can still achieve your goals!
Hi Heidi and Chris, a message for you and your beautiful family. I am in the UK and have been watching Season 2 of Obese: A Year to Save Your Life and inspired, moved and awestruck doesn’t even begin to explain how touched I am by your work. I have been underweight, then overweight, then obese and now currently overweight but working towards a healthy weight, I have postnatal depression and have a problem with my hip which I am awaiting an MRI for but can exercise within certain limits, any tip would be appreciated. What you are doing is so amazing, not just working on the physical but empowering and changing the whole person. You are both beautiful people inside and out, from what I have seen. Heidi, you look so amazing and strong and I’m so glad that you have surpassed what you wanted with your life. Stay strong gorgeous lady. Chris, I hope that you manage to help everyone you can and that you are able to stay strong throughout the journey, it must be hard at times facing such strong emotive episodes in life and I hope that you both as a couple and family continue your amazing work and keep growing stronger as a family. God bless you all. All my love, Tori
Hi Tori! Thank you for this awesome post – I know Chris and Heidi truly appreciate it! As far as exercising while you’re dealing with your hip issue, it’s best to discuss any exercises with your healthcare team since they know your exact issues and can work with you on a one-on-one basis. I hope you recover quickly!
Dear Heidi
Please help me, I just can’t do this by myself when things get tough i just want to quit i’m almost 32 i weight about 235 i’m 5ft 3in I want some confident’s and self worth but my inner scars cut so much deeper then the ones i have inflicted on myself… please Heidi save me from myself…
Hi Crystal! Unfortunately, Heidi isn’t taking on clients right now, but all the steps you need to begin and complete your transformation journey are in this post. Begin with that first small promise, choose a cycle, and go! Report back and let me know how you did on your promise – you can totally do this!
Hi Crystal,
I just want to say, you can do it! If you want a personal cheerleader, I’m here. I’m overweight myself and on my own journey so I know that it’s difficult taking those first steps on your own but only you can change your life yourself. You got to remember that somewhere inside you there’s your happy, healthy self waiting to come out. Do contact me if you want and we can spur each other on x
Thank you for the websites, show, and books. I’m so tired of being fat and unhealthy. Last week after watching the EWL show, I decided to get off my butt and get serious. I’m 57 and 332.8 lbs heavy actually down 2.4 lbs from last week. I made myself get out of the recliner and on my incumbent bike. I only rode 5 min each for three times to start. Then got up to 15 all at once. Tonight during the second hour of the show, I managed 21 minutes all at once! To me one walking on a cane and unable to stand more than 5 minutes at a time, this was a huge accomplishment. I’m also using the FatSecret app on my iPad to journal my food intake and activities. I just wanted to say thanks for your show and resources to aide in my endeavor.
Hi Bobbie: This is amazing! You are well on your way to achieving your transformation goals – you got this!
Hey Team Powell,
I’m 22 years old and I’m soon going to be a father. I live in a family that eats very unhealthy. I was wondering how I can make simple changes to slowly get going onto a healthier lifestyle for both my family and myself.
Thanks
Hi Adrian! Congratulations – that’s so exciting! All the steps you need are in this post. Begin by choosing a cycle, and then make and keep that first promise to yourself. Everything you need to know and do is outlined in Chris and Heidi’s program – you just need to follow the plan. You can do this!
So I was doing well,I went from 270 down to 210. Got hurt and had to have neck surgery 8 months ago. I’m up to 250 now and still having problems with pain. The pain makes hard to workout. I’m 5 10 and now 250. I can use some suggestions. I’m having the hardest time with the carb cycling.
Hi Bryan: So sorry to hear about your surgery – that must be so frustrating! All the steps you need to begin and achieve your transformation journey are in this post, so choose a cycle, make and keep that first promise, and you’re on your way. You mentioned you have questions about carb cycling, and I’d love to answer them, so please reply, and I’ll do my best to help you. And I’d suggest you discuss this program with your healthcare team first, and then follow any modifications they recommend. And remember, a huge part of losing weight is good nutrition, so even though your exercise might be limited, you can still achieve your goals.