This is why you're fat (Cliff Notes, Part 1)

So I’ve been reading this book by Jackie Warner called “This is why you’re fat (and how to get thin forever)”.

I think it makes some great points, and while I don’t agree with every single thing in the book, I’ve been trying to follow her basic principles/guidelines and incorporate them into my every day routine.

I’m going to try to give you the cliff notes of what I’ve learned, but there’s quite a few things to cover here so this might be long (I’m highlighting the items that I’m trying to incorporate here…she says some things in the book that I don’t entirely agree with, like “It doesn’t matter how many ingredients a packaged product has, so long as it has under 5 grams of sugar per serving”.  While I think the sugar thing is a good idea, I don’t think packaged/processed products are all created equal, and sometimes low sugar means extra chemicals!)  In a nutshell, Jackie says that Sugar is the devil, and is the reason we are fat.  So, to fix this problem, here’s what she says:

First, naturally raise your “good” hormone levels to bring your body back into balance by doing the following:

·         Cut back on carbs at night (protein and veggies at night, but not carbs like bread, pasta, or potatoes)

·         Get a good night’s sleep (can eat casein-rich or protein rich foods like low fat cottage cheese before bed, don’t drink caffeine after 3pm, keep the TV off)

·         Eat HGH (Human Growth Hormone) Building Blocks (whole grains, legumes, vegetables, proteins and protein rich food)

·         Go Organic wherever possible

·         Train Hard (intense bouts of exercise increase the production of HGH

·         Eat Testosterone builders (yellow and orange vegetables, green leafy veggies, beef, fruits, nuts, and legumes, amino acids in eggs, poultry, fish, and meats)

·         Watch Fat intake (limit red meat to 3 servings per week and eat more poultry and fish, get fats from nuts, olive oil, avocados, and fatty fish)

·         Watch Caffeine and alcohol (no soda, limit 2 cups of coffee or tea per day, avoid alcohol as much as possible, limit to one day per week with cheat meal)

·         Eat lots of B vitamins and magnesium (beans, meat, poultry, fish, bananas, avocados, spinach, tomatoes, organic dark leafy vegetables, almonds, eggs, meat, seeds, and nuts)

·         Stay under 5 grams of sugar in packaged food

·         Eliminate sugar, MSG, and highly processed foods, especially white bread products including crackers and bagels, and “Fat-free” products which usually replace fat with sugar

·         Buy hormone free chicken, meat, and dairy products

·         Watch out for BPA, especially in microwavable containers; the number “7” usually means no BPA

·         3 liters a day of water (100 oz)

·         Incorporate these Cellulite busting foods: apples, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, parsley, green peppers, turnips, parsnips, celery, kale.  Avoid fried and processed foods which interfere with blood circulation and lymph drainage.

So, a few of these are repetitive, but this is how the book is written.  On top of these basic principles, she asks you to follow these guidelines:

·         No sugar-free juices, soda, or treats (including diet sodas)

·         No sugar in clean products like water, tea, or coffee (including crystal light)

·         Eliminate sugary foods from the house; treat meals should be bought, indulged in, and any leftovers thrown away immediately

·         Buy apples, pears, berries, and citrus foods for sugar cravings

·         Use Truvia as a sweetener

·         Exercise Regularly

·         Graze on healthy snacks throughout the day

·         Drink lots of water (2 to 3 liters per day)

·         Cut back on caffeine (no more than 2 cups coffee per day)

 

She recommends you do a 2 week jump start by adding the following foods into your diet everyday (don’t change anything else you don’t want to, just add these “super foods” in, and you’ll find that you’ll be less hungry and unconsciously eliminate more bad food over the course of the 14 days):

·         2 eggs daily

·         1 cup oatmeal daily

·         Hormone-Balancing detox vegetables, 2-3 cups daily (artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, garlic, green beans, kale, lettuce, ions, parsley, peppers, radishes, scallions, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes, watercress, zucchini)

·         2 servings of 2 whole fruits daily (apples, apricots, bananas, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, kiwi, melon, pear, pineapple, watermelon) Juice does not count, but you can use any of these in a smoothie

·         2-3 liters water or lemon water daily

·         8 oz Whey Protein Shake daily

·         Herbal Tea for late night cravings

After eating like this for 14 days, you’re ready to move on to the 5-2 “lifestyle” that she promotes with this book (NOT a diet, a way of life!).

(*Please note all information listed above is paraphrased from the book "This is Why You're Fat (and How to get Thin Forever" by Jackie Warner.  This is not information that I wrote or invented, I'm certainly not an expert, but I sure hope that our pal Jackie is!*)

I’ll stop for now to keep this short…tune in tomorrow to learn about her recommended 5-2 plan and daily supplements, and my whole take on it all!