CONGRATULATIONS!!
If you’ve made it this far and are still “on” the proverbial wagon. This is the part of the program that requires you to keep going with the initial instructions.
By now, you’ve spent the past 2 weeks getting used to having no carbs, and this has helped you to re-set your insulin levels, turning your system into an insulin-sensitive environment, the cumulative benefits of which will drastically help when it comes to losing the weight. If you are still struggling with your relationship to carbs, I encourage you to keep the temporary separation going for another 2 weeks.
FASTING
You’re in phase 1 and this means that we’re setting the foundation in place. We’re only 2 weeks into this and are still getting used to new ways of eating and NOT eating. The great thing about the fasting component is that it doesn’t come with a whole bunch of instructions and tweaks. I’m not asking you to do a list of things. I’m asking you to DO NOTHING…
– meaning that you should stick to your 16/8 feeding window.
The only things to pass your lips until roughly 13h00, are black coffee, tea, or water.
If you’re struggling with energy, it’s permissible to make yourself a Bulletproof Coffee. BP coffee allows the addition of MCT Oils.
Saturated fat like coconut oil and grass-fed butter will not cause hardened arteries; they help your brain and body perform and look better. Fats are needed for the formation of sex hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone. A high-fat diet prevents blood sugar swings and low energy. When in doubt – eat more fat. I eat 60% of my calories from fat, which keeps my metabolism ready to burn fat for fuel. I know it’s counterintuitive, but remember we’re weaning ourselves from all the sugar at this stage.
Feasting
After 2 weeks of being aware of the caloric weight of foods, you should be building a feel for portion sizes if you’ve been following the CALORIES IN vs CALORIES OUT system with My FitnessPal, or the Tainerize App..
For the week ahead, make the following small adjustments…
CARBOHYDRATES
We’re going to gradually re-introduce carbs. You can have 75 grams of carbs on workout days. That’s about 300 calories with of carbs. On NON Workout days, you still have no carbs.
PROTEIN
We still stick to the previous week’s formula.
You will find the amount of Protein ideal amount of protein worked out for you on the App. (Essentially this amounts to 0.8 to 1 grams of your lean body mass.)
FAT
As with the first 2 weeks, the FAT allowance is derived from the total amount of calories you have consumed from CARBS and PROTEINS, – Once deducted from your total allowance, there’s a marginal reduction in the amount of fat you can consume. This translates to about 200 calories less from last week’s fat allowance.
(this has been calculated to you on the App)
SOME TIPS TO STAY THE COURSE
Opt for nutrient-dense foods.
Avoid eating low-calorie processed foods. (as close to their natural state as possible) In order to cut calories, many people resort to things (I’m not going to call them foods) like 100 calorie snack packs, diet soda, and fat free yogurt. Big mistake. These foods might be lower in calories, but they make you crave more food. They don’t satisfy your appetite or provide nutrition. They contain toxins that will impede your fat loss goals and make you sick. Refined and packed “food products” make you fat. You’re better off to go hungry – seriously – than to eat these junk foods
FIGHT – TRAINING
Your PHASE 1 TRAINING SCHEDULE still applies.
You train on Monday (Workout 4) Tuesday (Workout 3) Wednesday (Rest) Thursday (Workout 2) Friday (Workout 1) Saturday and Sunday (rest)
When you signed on for the course, I allocated a certain workout schedule, based on your needs. Some of us prefer to walk, while others like Pilates etc.
As long as you show up when you’re supposed to, then it does not matter what type of training you do. – As long as you get your sweat on. For those who opted for the the muscle – building / Fat-loss goal, the CIRCUIT-BASED COMPOUND MOVEMENTS ARE OPTIMAL.
These full-body circuit-style workouts are meant to stimulate your entire body. Even if you’ve been a gym hog or bunny, there’s a method in this madness. For one, we’re getting you used to perform a base set of movements, which we build on as this journey progresses.
A full-body workout is the best way of stimulating your metabolism into high-calorie burning gear.
You should aim to increase your maximum weight. When you tear the muscles down they re-build to handle the stress. Only this time, they’re a little stronger and there’s a bit more of them. if you don’t increase the weights, then you’re not forcing your body to adapt, or the muscles to grow. – On a side note… Women often say that they don’t want to get bulky and muscular, citing a bodybuilding woman they saw, whose muscles were bigger than their husbands. – Fear not. Unless you’re supplementing with Hormones and supersaturating your body with protein, YOU’RE NOT GONNA GET BULKY!! You’re leaning up, and shaping the muscles.
Even if you’re not currently doing resistance training, I would recommend that you graduate towards s form of this for the following reasons:
- It increases lean muscle mass which is going to make you healthier in almost every way.
- Strength training boosts insulin sensitivity and metabolic rate for days and increases your testosterone and growth hormone levels (including healthy amounts for women).
- Having more muscle allows you to perform with more confidence and pride.
- Resistance training decreases your risk of injury and facilitates healthy aging.
- It makes you more resilient to fatigue, disease, pathogens, and toxins.
- It’s fun.
FLOW – SLEEP
If you’re exercising, you need to sleep much more than a sedentary individual. Muscle tissue doesn’t repair unless you get adequate Delta (deep) sleep. A 40 minute workout can increase your sleep needs by over three hours. If you want to hack your sleep, do it right – read our articles on sleep hacking. This is not an area where you can afford to be reckless. Sleep deprivation can cause severe adrenal fatigue, cortisol imbalance, and long term neurological/endocrine damage.
Here is a list of tips, which will ensure that your get those ZZZZZ’s
- Disconnect your devices and gently escort them out of the bedroom.
- Take a hot bath with Epsom salts before bed to calm your mind and body. – Treat this as a ritual to make the transition into dreamland.
- Change into your favourite PJ’s. – This ritual will announce that it’s time to shut down the systems.
- Keep your bedroom dark and cool. – As Natalie Dautovich, an environmental scholar at the National Sleep Foundation, said, a small drop in body temperature can prompt sleep signals to our brains: “We know that a cool bedroom environment is key to getting a good night’s sleep. We also know there are a lot of positive associations between fresh air and relaxation, and when we feel relaxed and comfortable in our environment, we’re more likely to feel sleepy.”
- Avoid Coffee or other caffeine after 2pm – Yes, but coffee keeps me awake… – exactly why you want to abstain from the vicious cycle. I love coffee, but I love my sleep more.
- Lastly – Sleep next to your partner, and make sure you touch. But it doesn’t just matter whether you sleep next to your partner or in separate beds altogether – how close you are matters too. 85% of those who slept less than an inch apart reported being happy in their relationship. This percentage kept decreasing the further apart people slept. So if you and your partner usually sleep quite far apart, give moving closer a try and see if it makes you happier and sleep better. In the end, the latter is still the most important, so if you just can’t fall asleep while hugging, don’t feel bad for sleeping back to back as usual.
Lastly, I want to wish you an awesome week ahead. Stay the course. You’ve only just begun, but should be gaining momentum in how you’re feeling about yourself and progress. Real success starts in the mind. Pretty soon you’ll be feeling awesome, even before you’ve found your abs. That’s because you become more certain of reaching your goals. Believe me… – stick to this and you WILL turn things around. You owe yourself a success.
