There are 168 hours in one week. This is a fact. When people aren’t happy with their bodies, they decide to go to the gym more. Yet, how many hours a week do you workout? Three? Five? Ten? This takes up approximately 2% to 6% of your time per week. What are you doing the other 94% to 98%? You’re eating. Do you want an awesome body? Well, you need to eat to win.
Eating to look and feel good isn’t as hard as you think. The difficult part is forcing yourself to change. People don’t like “change”. Here is a fool proof plan to getting the body you want:
How it works. Each week, you will start doing one new thing. You will build on all these new things until you are eating to win. For example, in the first week, you will do what it says in Week 1 below. In the second week, you will do what is says in Week 1, and in Week 2. In the third week, you will do what is says in Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3 etc.
Week 1 – Take fish oil every day. The benefits of fish oil range from a healthier heart to a better looking body. John Berardi recommends getting 3-6 grams of EPA and DHA (combined) per day.
Week 2 – Only drink water or green tea. Calorie containing drinks (including fruit juices) are stored as fat once digested. Avoid them.
Week 3 – Only eat “real” food. We all know that processed food is bad for you. So why do you keep eating it? Convenience. What may be convenient for you now will not be convenient for you in a couple of years when you’re always feeling sick, and your joints hurt. Avoid anything that isn’t found in nature. For example, a carrot is found in nature, but a cracker is not. Below is a sample list of “real” food:
Protein:
- Lean ground beef
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Bison
- Venison
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Cod
- Roughy
- Eggs
- Cottage Cheese
- Beans
- Plain Greek Yogurt (no sugar)
- Raw Unpasteurized Organic Milk
- Protein powder (with less than 5g of carbs)
Vegetables:
- Eat any vegetable you like (spinach is a great one)
Fruits:
- Eat any fruit you like. Only eat 1-4 pieces per day (unless you are trying to gain muscle, or are an athlete).
Starchy Carbohydrates:
- Potatoes
- Yams
- Whole Oats
- Corn
- Quinoa
Fats:
- Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Avacado
- Nuts
Week 4 – Eat protein with every meal. Take a look at the list above and pick a protein from it. Make sure you’re having one of these (a portion the size of your palm) with every meal.
Take off the fingers and thumb. You have a palm.
Week 5 – Eat fat with every meal. Take a look at the list above and pick a fat from it. Make sure you’re having one of these (a portion the size of your 2 thumbs) with every meal.
Week 6 – Eat something every 3 – 4 hours. If you force yourself to eat something (even a small snack) every 3 – 4 hours, you won’t find yourself overly hungry later in the day. When people get too hungry, they tend to make poor meal decisions.
Week 7 – Eat vegetables with every meal. Vegetables contain so many nutrients that I could write a whole article on it. One portion of vegetables is the amount of two handfuls. This rule may feel weird to follow at breakfast time, but after a while, it will be second nature.
This much vegetables!
Week 8 – Only eat Starchy Carbohydrates the first meal after a workout. This concept is known as “nutrient timing”. Basically, if you eat starchy carbs, they have a large chance of being stored as fat (unless it’s after a workout). After a workout, starchy carbs help replenish energy stores and repair muscle. This is a very powerful tip to losing body fat. One portion of starchy carbs is one handful.
Cusp that hand, baby!
Week 9 – Eat 1 to 2 cheat meals each week. Plan these meals at the start of the week so you have something to look forward to throughout the week. I am a firm believer that cheat meals help you to stick to your eating habits. Your cheat meal can be pizza, a piece of pie, some Doritos, a doughnut, or anything you like. Just try not to overdo it. If you feel sick after your cheat meal, you overdid it.
That’s it. It’s literally that easy. Gradually build upon this plan, and in 8 weeks, you’ll be on the road to the body you want. These rules can be used to lose fat, gain massive amounts of muscle, feel better, or perform your best in an athletic event.
On the go often? Prepare your meals in advance. I often find myself cooking massive amounts of food at a time and storing them in Tupperware for future meals. It’s fast, it’s quick, and it’s efficient.
Does this food sound dull? Do yourself a favour and buy a copy of Gourmet Nutrition by John Berardi. In my opinion, it’s the best cookbook on healthy eating available. The recipes taste great, and also follow the rules above.
Gourmet Nutrition - Click the image above to order your copy today.
Good luck.
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