The 20/20 Diet (16 page)

are meant to mak
STREET

e you feel full, and when you reach the Management

Phase, you will learn how to create this balance on your own.

Moving into the Three Phases

It’s
BIRD

time to move on to the first phase, and as you do, remember: If

you frequently choose foods that are nutritionally void, high calorie,

or high sugar, you will not get the results you want. Instead, set a new eating pattern for yourself by following the nutritious plan I’m recommending and get ready to watch the number on that scale go down

while your energy goes up and you feel much better.

Stock Up on Your 20/20 Foods | 91

INC.

BOOKS,

STREET

BIRD

7

PHASE 1:

THE 5-DAY BOOST

Ain’t nothin’ to it, but to do it.

INC.

—
Maya Angelou

If you’re one of those people whose meals perpetually consist of take-

out, delivery, or fast food and yo
BOOKS,

u’ve resorted to using your oven

for storing pots and pans, then you need to do a little extra mental

preparation before you start this phase. I hope you’re sitting down for

this piece of news:
healthy eating requires using your kitchen
.

But even if your nightly routine consists of heating up some pack-

aged mac ’n’ cheese or browning some meat to mix with a box of pasta

and sauce, then you might be surprised to learn that these meals are

actual y
easier
and take the same amount of time as (or less than) those highly processed, unhealthy options you’re used to dishing up.

20/20 Instant I STREET

ntervention:
Right now, before you read the recipes

for any of these meals, I want you to repeat after me, out loud: “I

am not afraid of the kitchen. I promise myself that I will put in the

min
BIRD

imal amount of time and effort it takes to prepare these healthy

meals, because I owe it to myself to change my relationship with food

and food preparation. I don’t need to be a gourmet chef in order to

feel comfortable in the kitchen and become the master of my kitchen

domain, along with the master of my health!”

93

The 5-Day Boost Guidelines

The first phase is five days long, and your meals will consist exclusively of ingredients from the 20/20 Foods. Like we talked about in the last

chapter, new and developing theories and studies suggest that some of

these foods may increase thermogenesis, and others help you feel full

faster and longer so you’re less likely to be hungry later on.

Here is your grocery shopping list for Phase 1:

Foods with Potential Thermogenic Properties

INC.

Coconut oil

Olive oil

Green tea

Walnuts

Mustard (yellow or Dijon)

Foods That Stick to Your Ribs

Almonds

Raisins

Apples

BOOKS,

Yogurt (nonfat)

Chickpeas

Eggs

Dried plums (prunes)

Cod

Greens (any kind of leafy greens)

Rye

Lentils

Tofu

Peanut butter (natural)

Whey protein

Pistachios (roaste
STREET

d, unsalted, in

the shell)

Four Meals a Day

As I s
BIRD

aid earlier, each day in this phase you will eat a total of four

meals, which are to be spaced about four hours apart from each other.

If you’re a chronic “muncher,” where hardly 10 minutes pass without

you chewing on something, this might take a little getting used to.

But the reasoning behind this guideline, like every aspect of this diet, is rooted in the latest research.

94 | The 20/20 Diet

Allergy Alert

You might have noticed that a few of the foods on the list are com-

monly associated with allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances. If

you know that certain foods on the list cause you problems, you

should obviously avoid those. Below are some suggest
INC.

ed substi-

tutions, but as with anything related to your physical health,

it’s best to discuss any new foods with your doctor before intro-

ducing them to your diet. If you have an allergy to all tree nuts

and you are substituting seeds or seed butters, check the label

to make sure they are processed in a facility that does not also

process tree nuts. Please note that not all of these foods have been

shown in research to have the same effects on thermogenesis or

satiety as the foods recommended in the plan.

 Instead of peanut butter, tr
BOOKS,

y almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower

seeds, or pumpkin butters.

 Instead of walnuts or almonds, try unsalted sunflower

seeds or pumpkin seeds.

 For gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, or if you have celiac

disease, you can have gluten-free whole-grain bread instead

of regular rye bread.

 If you are intolerant or allergic to dairy, including Greek

yogurt, y
STREET

ou can substitute with a plant-based yogurt or

milk, such as almond yogurt or rice milk.

 Instead of whey protein, you can substitute with powders

made of brown rice, hemp seed, or pea protein.

 Instead of eggs, you can substitute with another protein

BIRD

source such as tofu or mashed chickpeas.

 If you have an allergy to fish, you can substitute with

chicken breast or other lean protein sources.

 Instead of tofu, you can substitute with eggs or a lean

protein source such as chicken breast or chickpeas.

Phase 1: The 5-Day Boost | 95

For years, the popular thinking has been that eating multiple,

small meals throughout the day leads to weight loss. But new theories

suggest that eating in this pattern may not actually have any specific

weight-related benefits and can, in fact, lead to more hunger. The more

you’re feeding your body, the more likely you are to be in a constant

state of hunger, never feeling fully satisfied, not to mention the fact

that the more often you’re eating, the more opportunities y
INC.

ou have to

over
eat. It can become an ugly cycle.

This plan combats all of that by helping you create a healthy eat-

ing pattern with the right foods that satisfy. By the time you’re feeling hungry again, it will be time to eat your next meal.

Here are some clear-cut examples of your new meal schedule, but

you should really tailor this to your daily routine.

OR

OR

Breakfast at 6:00 a.m. Breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Breakfast at 9:00 a.m.

Snack at 10:00 a.m.

Lunch at 12:00 p.m.

Lunch at 1:00 p.m.

Lunch at 2:00 p.m.

S

BOOKS,

nack at 4:00 p.m.

Snack at 5:00 p.m.

Dinner at 6:00 p.m.

Dinner at 8:00 p.m.

Dinner at 9:00 p.m.

If none of these realistical y apply to you, just stick to the rule of spac-ing your meals about four hours apart and you’ll be on the right track.

Portions for Men

We’ve done all th
STREET

e work of calculating the portions and proportions

for you in Phase 1, but men do need to eat more than women. Guys,

your guideline is simple: you should double the portions of ingredients

in one meal per day, and that meal needs to be the one right before the

most active time of your day. For example, if you work out in the late

aftern
BIRD

oon, you should double the portions in your lunch or afternoon

snack. However, if you work nights or you’re on your feet more in the

evenings, double the portions in your last meal of the day.

This pattern will work to keep you energized while you’re active.

You can’t “borrow” nutrients from meals you ate hours ago—those

96 | The 20/20 Diet

The Truth about Breakfast

You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal

of the day (maybe you can even hear your own mother’s voice

reciting it to you), but don’t let that be your excuse for waking up

to an enormous, sugar-loaded food fest using the fault
INC.

y rationale

that it will keep you from overeating later in the day. A study out

of the University of Cambridge found that people who ate a small

breakfast in the morning didn’t compensate by eating more calo-

ries later on. So, it’s not the size of the breakfast that matters, just that you start your day with the right kind of fuel to power you

through the morning and into the next meal.

are already long gone. That’s why yo
BOOKS,

u want to plan ahead to double

the size of your meals leading up to the time of day when you are the

most physically active.

Phase 1 Seasonings

For the first phase, you’re going to cleanse your palate and boost your

results by using
only
three key seasonings to flavor your foods. Salt is not one of them
STREET

, and while some sodium in your diet is important,

taking a five-day break from adding extra salt to your food will reduce

water retention (think: reduction in belly bloat) and teach your taste

buds to appreciate the taste of food instead of the taste of salt.

Here are your Phase 1 seasonings:

BIRD

 Garlic: You’ve likely heard the buzz about the health benefits

of garlic, and the latest theories suggest it could even assist

with weight loss.

 Cinnamon: Some studies show that cinnamon could delay

emptying of your stomach, so you feel fuller for longer.

Phase 1: The 5-Day Boost | 97

 Lemon juice: Packed with high levels of vitamin C, new theories

suggest that these yellow wonders may help your body produce

an amino acid that could increase thermogenesis.

What to Drink in Phase 1

For the first phase, you should focus on drinking water an
INC.

d green tea.

Aim to drink 16 ounces of water with each meal. It’s only five days;

you can do anything for five days. If you’re used to half a bottle of

wine every evening with dinner, I know this will be a change. Just

remind yourself of your commitment and the real reasons why you’re

on this weight loss journey.

Let’s talk about coffee for a moment, as it’s very possible that you

are one of the more than 50 percent of Americans over the age of

18 who report drinking coffee at least once a day. Rest easy; you’re

allowed to have coffee on this plan. Gre
BOOKS,

en tea would be a better choice

since it’s in the list of 20/20 Foods, so if you’re able to make the switch, that’s great. (Know that green tea contains caffeine, but typically not

as much as coffee.) But if I’d have to pry that cup of joe out of your

cold, dead hands before you’d let that habit go, it’s OK—go ahead

and include coffee in Phase 1. Let’s be clear: I’m not talking about

some high-fat, sugar-saturated whipped dessert masquerading as a

coffee. I’m referring to one eight-ounce cup of plain coffee, with no

more than a quarter cup of skim or plant-based milk (almond, coco-

nut, rice) and up t
STREET

o one packet or teaspoon of raw sugar (no artificial

sweetener). Got that? Pretty simple!

Phase 1 Meals

The id
BIRD

ea behind only eating meals using the 20 foods listed above for the

first five days is to help you get used to eating the foods in this diet. Here are your Phase 1 meals.

98 | The 20/20 Diet

Breakfast Options

Apple Peanut Butter Smoothie

In blender, combine a single-serve container of nonfat (0%) vanil a

Greek yogurt (made with real sugar, not artificial sweetener), a smal

chopped apple (about 2 ¾) of your choice (some options are Red

Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith) with t
INC.

he skin on,

1/4 cup unsweetened whey protein powder, and 1/4 cup water. Whip

until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter, 1/4 teaspoon

cinnamon, and a handful of ice, and whip to desired consistency.

Apple Walnut Parfait

Chop a small apple (about 2 ¾) of your choice (Red Delicious,

Golden Delicious, Granny Smith), skin on, and toss with

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Laye
BOOKS,

r apple, parfait style, with a

single-serve container of nonfat (0%) vanil a Greek yogurt (made

with real sugar, not artificial sweetener) and 14 walnut halves,

chopped. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

Green Apple Smoothie

In blender, combine a single-serve container of nonfat (0%) vanil a

Greek yogurt (made with real sugar, not artificial sweetener),

1 small (about 2 ¾) Granny Smith apple, skin on, sliced into

chunks, 1/4 cu
STREET

p spinach, 1/4 cup unsweetened whey protein pow-

der, and 2 tablespoons water. Whip until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons

coconut oil and a handful of ice and whip to desired consistency.

Spinach Scramble

BIRD

Whisk 1 large egg and season with 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic.