General Food and Beverage Guidelines
I had a male client that wanted to lose body fat and increase muscle mass. When it came to eating and drinking he was a bit of a disaster, so he asked me to write some general guidelines to help him understand the basics of what he would need to do. I have had so many people ask me this same advice that I decided to post the information as a blog. This client was a mid-60’s male, but it is the diet plan that I follow and it is advice that I give all my clients across the board. Enjoy!
-Drink about 1 oz. of plain water per pound of body weight. Staying hydrated will keep your metabolic rate running at its peak.
-Cut out soda, diet soda, etc. Extra calories and extra chemicals do NOTHING good for your body and A LOT of damage.
-Cut down or cut out juices. They are high in sugar and I prefer that you EAT your calories rather than drink them.
-Increase your intake of fresh or frozen veggies: collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc. can all be purchased frozen and fresh. I usually buy frozen since I do not have a lot of time for food preparation.
Also, eat all the brightly colored veggies: carrots, beets, squash, pumpkin, bell peppers, radishes, etc.
-Dramatically DECREASE sugars. READ LABELS. Sugar here and there adds up.
When you are trying to be LEAN, sugar is your enemy. Sugar promotes an insulin response and insulin is the fat storing hormone. Keep your sugar intake low and you will keep your insulin levels low. You will also keep you blood sugar steady if you keep your insulin levels from spiking and dipping.
-Alcohol is liquid sugar. Alcohol consumption will not help you get or stay lean.
-Eat healthy fats: olive oil, almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, avocados, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, etc. Healthy fats keep you satiated and are good for your brain, your heart, your skin AND your waistline.
-Remember that even natural sugars promote an insulin response: high sugar fruits and veggies (carrots and beets) need to be eaten in limited amounts compared to dark green leafy veggies and low sugar fruits. An apple has less sugar than a banana and a grapefruit has less sugar than a pineapple, so educate yourself and choose wisely.
-All forms of lean protein are great for steady energy and minimizing your insulin response: red meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, etc.
When you eat grains, eat only 100% whole grains: whole grain oatmeal (not instant), whole grain brown rice (not white rice or instant brown rice), and 100% whole grain breads/pasta. The label must say 100% whole grain or it ain’t the real thing!
Read the labels of sauces and condiments for sugar and sodium content. Use ones that are LOW in both sugar and sodium or don’t use them at all.
Excess sodium in your diet not only makes you hold extra water weight, but studies conclusively show that it also increases the NUMBER and DENSITY of your fat cells. YIKES!
75% of the sodium in our diets comes hidden in processed foods, so eat fresh food and read labels!!! The more food you eat in its most natural state, the better. Eat whole, fresh, unadulterated food that will rot quickly. Foods with a long shelf life are processed and full of crap you don’t need in your beautiful body.
If you want to be lean, you need to eat clean!
Live with Simplicity,
TMS
