The below “Zig-Zag” eating plan “tricks” your body into keeping your metabolic rate up while you’re working on fat loss – In order to lose fat, you must have a caloric deficit, but if you have a deficit for more than three days at a time, it will start your body’s starvation response and make you store fat. So this Zig-Zag plan allows you to drop into a calorie deficit for only three days at a time – then, before your body has a chance to decrease its metabolic rate– you raise your calories back up to refuel your carb supply for one day to stoke your metabolic furnace. (3 burn days: 1 refuel day). You then repeat this process until you reach your desired body fat percentage. At that point, please refer back to my post titled, “ABS DIET POWER.” Simply choose 2 “power foods” every time you eat. Review the below “Power Food Groups.” Then continue reading about how to combine particular groups for certain meals to maximize fat burning.
VEGGIE GROUP - Fight Cancer, Anti-Aging, Heart Disease, Stroke, Obesity, Osteoporosis,
Marinara pasta sauce
Salsa
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Green Beans
Peas
Cucumber
Squash
Collard greens
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Lettuce Salads
Green or red Peppers
Tomatoes
FRUIT & DAIRY GROUP - Increase Weight Loss, Strengthen Bones, Fight High Blood Pressure, Obesity, Cancer, Protect heart, Prevent Cravings, Improve Coordination, Balance, Short-Term Memory.
Lowfat Milk
Lowfat Cheese
Greek Yogurt
Lowfat Yogurt
Lowfat Cottage cheese
Unsweetened applesauce
Apples
Blueberries
Bananas
Oranges
Raspberries & all berries
Strawberries
Nectarines
Plums
Grapes
Peaches
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Pears
(all fruit)
WHOLE GRAINS – BEANS – LEGUMES GROUP
Prevent Body From Storing Fat, Regulate Digestion, Burn Fat, Build Muscle, Boost Energy, Reduce Cholesterol, and Stabilize Blood Sugar. Fight: Heart Disease, Diabetes, Colon Cancer, Obesity.
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
Oat bran
Barley
Potatoes (white, red)
Yams
Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Beans & Legumes (soy, pinto, garbanzo, navy, black, kidney)
Hummus
Brown Rice
100% whole grain dry cereals
100% whole wheat or whole grain pasta
100% whole wheat bread & whole grain products
LEAN PROTEIN GROUP
Burn Fat, Build Muscle, Improve Immune System
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Canadian Bacon
Fish (Flounder, Haddock, Salmon, Orange Roughy, Cod, Tuna etc.)
Shellfish
Lean Red Meat (Flank Steak, Round Steak, extra lean sirloin)
Eggs/Egg whites (One yolk for every six whites)
Low or non fat dairy products (milk, cheese, Greek yogurt, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.)
Extra-Protein (Whey) Powder
Ricotta Cheese
*Note: Dairy is interchangeable between Lean Protein Group and Fruit-Dairy Group
ESSENTIAL FATS GROUP (1 -2 Tbs. Serving Size)
Build muscle, Burn Fat, Boost Immune System, Lower Cholesterol, Fight: Cravings, Heart disease, Wrinkles, Cancer & High blood pressure.
Dry Roasted Nuts & seeds (Almonds, Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc)
Avacado
Flaxseed oil
Olive oil
Canola oil
Natural peanut butter
Olives
Below you will see a list of “Power Food Group Combos” for each of your 6 meals per day. Choose your preferred foods from the appropriate lists to create own personalized fat-burning menus. See what kind of creative “recipes” you can make by combining the required food groups.
Contact me if you would like a half-page, laminated template to plan & track your daily meals. The laminated template allows you to create a virtually unlimited variety of menus. All you
have to do is choose the foods you want and plug them into the appropriate slots using a provided dry-erase marker! The placement of food types is important to the fat-burning process. Do not move the starchy or simple carbs to later in the day.
Important: Eat ALL meals/snacks (do not skip any.) Space your meals/snacks at least 2.5 hours apart from each other, but do not wait longer than 4 hours without eating. If you wait longer than 4 hours, your results will decrease. Miscellaneous foods that are OK to have: vinegars, low/no-calorie salad dressings, sprays, flavored seasonings.
Go through a 14 day cycle: 3 days of “burn” cycle, then 1 day “refuel.” You’ll be “Lean in 13!” Day 1`4 is a Free Day This is the day you can eat without a “pattern.” If you want
to eat a “treat”, go ahead; just donʼt overeat (choose a moderate portion.)
Burn Days
MEAL 1 – (2 Groups) Lean Protein Group & Whole Grain-Bean-Legume Group
SNACK - (2 Groups) Lean Protein Group & Whole Grain-Bean-Legume Group
MEAL 2 – (5 Groups) Lean Protein Group, Whole Grain, Bean-Legume Group & Veggie Group
SNACK - (3 Groups) Lean Protein Group, Veggie Group & Essential Fat Group
DINNER – (3 Groups) Lean Protein Group, Veggie Group & Essential Fat Group
SNACK - (2 Groups) Lean Protein Group & Veggie Group
Refuel Days
MEAL 1– (2 Groups) Whole Grain-Bean-Legume Group & Fruit- Dairy Group
SNACK – (2 Groups) Lean Protein Group, Vegetable Group & Fruit- Dairy Group
MEAL 2 – (3 Groups) Lean Protein Group, Whole-Grain-Bean-Legume Group & Veggie Group
SNACK – (3 Groups) Lean protein Group, Veggie Group & Essential Fat Group
MEAL 3- (3 Groups) Lean Protein Group, Veggie Group & Essential Fat Group
SNACK –(2 Groups) Lean Protein Group & Veggie Group
After a short adjustment period, you will discover that it gets easier until eventually your new behaviors become deeply entrenched into your daily routine like grooves in a record. Your new habits will become as much a part of your daily routine as brushing your teeth!
When somebody commits to the 24 Day Challenge with me (on www.JoinEmily.com), I commit to mentoring them far BEYOND those 24 days! This blog is just a start! For even more, go to www.PepInYourStep.net!
