Cracking the Fat Loss Code FAQ

[free to be me]

Hello Fellow Crackers

Sorry this took me so long! The following FAQ'a are as answered and provided by Wendy Chant in her Nutrition Boot-Camp DVD companion to the Crack the Fat Loss Code book. I hope this is helpful and would ask that you post any questions you have sent Wendy and have had answered and/or any other questions you have had answered so we can all benefit from it!

Hopefully this will be a start of a great resource for us all.

Let's get crackin

FAQ from the DVD answered by Wendy Chant

Week 1~

Can I have coffee and milk?
You can have coffee but use Half-n-Half or Heavy Whipping Cream in lieu of milk as milk has lots of sugar. Use substitutes for your sweetener, not sugar.

Can I eat out?
Yes, but keep in mind the sauces that many foods are cooked with contain sugars that may be hard to keep track of while ensuring you stay under 20 grams net carbs per day.

How about Diet Sodas and Flavored Water?
These are ok, but DO NOT count towards your necessary water intake.

Do I need to take supplements or change any I take?
No, stay on what ever you are currently taking.

Do I need to keep track of protein or fat amounts?
No, just the net carbs. And you must stay under 20 per day to complete week1.

How about exercise?
You might find yourself very tired this week, so be aware that this is normal in the process of carb depletion.

What if I mess up?
If you go over 20 net carbs, you MUST start over. The process won’t work if the first 7 days are not done perfectly. Set yourself up for success by undertaking the week when you know you can dedicate the time to get these first 7 days done perfectly.

Week 2 ~

If I miss a starch on a Baseline day (B), can I have it after 3?
It is better to prepare and plan to get those starches in when required. It is part of the science behind the plan. You may have the starch after 3, but it may change the dynamics of the plan.

What should I do if I get constipated?
As our bodies learn to eat protein in the amounts we should be eating, this can sometimes happen. If you were a poor protein eater before this plan, you may find yourself with this problem temporarily. Increase your fiber intake with the veggies listed or add a digestive supplement.

What if I’m hungry and it has only been 2 hours?
Keep in mind portions and use your body’s reactions as a guide. Look back to the previous meal; you may not have had enough protein or fiber. Make the adjustments in your next meal.

Why do I have to eat broccoli daily?
Broccoli will aid in digestion with its high fiber content. There are also anti-cancer properties and its ability to release unbound estrogen in the body. Additionally, the thermogenic properties of broccoli aid our bodies in numerous ways.

When can I add sweets and alcohol?
These are in the program after day 21, in week 4.

Week 3 ~

Can I switch Carb Up days?
Yes you can, place a carb down day before any carb up. You can plan ahead for these events.

If I mess up do I have to go back to carb deplete?
As long as you did week 1 correctly the first time, you don’t have to go back to it. Sometimes things are not going to according to plan; you can re-group with carb down and move to the next day.

Could my weight have increased this week?
Yes, remember that glycogen has weight. You are filling your muscles back up with good stores, and only part way. Don’t watch the scale, especially in week 3.

I feel yucky after carb up days. Do I have to carb up?
Your body needs the starches, and the science of the program works because of the added starches in a pattern. Maybe you have carb sensitivity and if so you might want to try the diabetic plan. You should also consider checking your blood glucose.

Week 4 ~

Do you recommend protein bars?
No, protein bars are just glorified candy bars with added protein. You are better off with a high quality protein shake. Plan for your meals and learn what you can grab for those ‘just in case’ situations.

Can I eat the same foods each day?
Yes, you can eat the same exact foods each day. The cycling prevents your body from adapting to the same food, if you want eggs every day, go ahead and enjoy them.

Why are we allowed alcohol and sweets on carb up days only?
Alcohol and sweets are processed and stored in the liver, unlike all other carbohydrates which are stored in the muscles. The liver has a significantly smaller capacity to store excess carbs than our muscles therefore these types of carbs are more readily ‘spilled over’ into fat stores and therefore they increase our fat significantly faster than other types of carbs.

Weeks 5/6 ~

Why is an accelerate plan necessary?
It is necessary because of our body’s adaptive response. We need to ‘shake it up’ to prevent the body from adapting to the way we are feeding it.

Why 2 carb down days in a row?
It helps our bodies overcome the adaptive response and forces our bodies to burn fat.
You may choose either Monday or Thursday for your added carb down day, in the meal planner Monday is used as an example.

Can I skip a carb up day?
No. You must use the carb up days or the science of this plan will be compromised.

Can I do the accelerate program for longer than the 2 weeks?
The body adapts to the cycle, longer than 2 weeks will not increase results.

What exercise do you recommend on carb down days?
During this cycle, weight training is especially important on carb down days. Your body will burn the fat stores more readily on these days.

Weeks 7/8 ~

Do I have to do the maintenance cycle?
Yes, it gets the body back out of an adaptive response. The rest for your body is necessary and allows your body to adapt to more carbs.

What if I continue to lose weight through maintenance?
It is recommended that you stay on maintenance one week past a week with weight loss. Then you can restart the cycling.

Can I do the maintenance cycle beyond 2 weeks?
Yes, it can be done indefinitely.

How do I re-start the program if I have more to loose?
After following maintenance through a week of stable weight, you can restart the program by starting with 4 carb down days then picking up week 2 on the 5th day. It is recommended you change your exercise goals at this time as well.

[sarab118]

Asked to Wendy Chant on Forever Fit website:

Q. I am going to Las Vegas for 4 days, and would like to know what I can do to not gain any weight. I won't be eating 5 meals a day and will not have access to snacks, etc. I would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

A.Wow Vegas!!! I love vegas. Sara I would make sure to carb down 2 days prior to leaving and do 2 deplete days upon your return. Have some fun but pick and choose some like if your going to go have a big wonderful dinner. Keep your breakfast lite egg white omlete. If your going to have a big buffet breakfast then keep a clean dinner like fish, veggies and a salad you get the hang of it. Also Jerry did cardio on the ship every morning since she was on vacation so long. I'm not saying you have to do that. But your not going to be gone very long so follow the meal plan I laid out you will be fine!!! Have FUN!!!


Best

Wendy Chant
President/Founder
Forever Fit
(407)865-9110 office
(407) 620-6524 direct

[free to be me]

Not specific to Wendy...but to all weight loss!

How does sleep effect my weight loss efforts?


"Sleep problems can also contribute to weight gain during perimenopause. Feeling fatigued can weaken your resolve to exercise and eat well, and it can also affect your appetite. Reducing sleep time can lower levels of leptin, a hormone that signals fullness. At the same time, lack of z's increases ghrelin, a WHORmone that promotes appetite. This hormonal double punch may not only make you feel hungrier, it may also prevent you from feeling sated after eating. The level of orexin, a WHORmone that increases food cravings, also goes up in animals that are deprived of adequate sleep time."

Some of this I knew, but had forgotten. Knowledge is power. Knowledge retained and implemented breeds success.

Thanks Kelley and Twyla!

[free to be me]

Restarting the program:

CARB DEPLETE Week 1...only once
Macro Patterning Cycle Week 2 / 09 / 16 /23
Macro Patterning Cycle Week 3 / 10 / 17 / 24
Macro Patterning Cycle Week 4 / 11 / 18 / 25
Accelerate Fat Loss Week 5 / 12 / 19 / 26
Accelerate Fat Loss Week 6 / 13 / 20 / 27
Maintenance Cycle Week 7 / 14 / 21 / 28
Maintenance Cycle Week 8 / 15 / 22 / 29

[Pattira3]

I am new to this way of life. I start week 1 tomorrow I must say
I am a bit confused with all the instructions. I guess its one week at a time.
Week one looks kind of easy except for one thing . I can't stand cottage cheese. Is there a substitution for that. Any help would be appreciated.
Patti

[Pasmonchat]

Just bought "Cracking the Fat-Loss Code" and it looks interesting although somewhat confusing. I hope that will sort itself out as I progress through each day.

I don't understand why dairy is just about eliminated. She doesn't say why but it is blatantly obvious by its absence. Where, when, what, how much....or do I give it up totally?

Anyone who can enlighten me?

I am really glad I found this site. I have had success with Atkins in the past but each time I try it, it is less and less helpful. I hope this metabolic "rotation" plan that Wendy Chant has come up with will do the trick FOR GOOD.

[Pattira3]

I don't have a clue as to why no dairy. Low carb milk would be great.
Do you know if there is a site where we can get our questions answered.
Patti

[free to be me]

How do I shrink and not loose on the scale?
"One pound of muscle and one pound of fat are NOT the same size.

If I place one pound of muscle on a scale and one pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh one pound. The difference is in total volume. One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl of Jell-O.



Why is it that we can lose sizes, yet the scale remains the same? Because muscle weighs more than fat...

Muscle is a denser tissue and thus takes up less room than an equal weight of fat. That's why it's possible to lose inches but show no changes in scale weight. Having more muscle means you have a more desirable body composition, or fat-to-muscle ratio. You may still weigh the same, but your body will look different, smaller, better and tighter. Though it may take you a few weeks to see measurable changes, you begin to put on muscle and burn calories from the moment you start exercising.

The muscle weight you gain also beefs up your metabolism which in turn, helps you to burn off more fat. Talk about a win-win situation! (You won't jiggle as much at your ideal weight, either.)"

[free to be me]

Hello All! Please join us on our weekly thread this thread os for posting FAQ and the answers only for future reference we do not post regularly here. Thanks!


Current thread is on Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Oct 13th 08

[marley2]

Does anyone have a name brand for their protein shakes or is it better to use to protein powders?

Also, coming from an Atkins background, I used to count my lettuce in my carb counts 100 g of romaine had 1.2 net carbs. I would also count my protein and condiments as well. Are will still counting these?

For the recipe for week 1 Wendy's Egg Cheeseburger, I am confused as to the egg white amounts...

"1 whole egg plus 3 egg whites (women may have only egg whites or egg substitute if desired), or 1 whole egg plus 5 egg whites (men may use egg substitute).

Is the first listing for women and the second for men? If using the egg whites packaged at the store how much is one egg white? Can I use egg beaters - is that an ok egg substitute? What is the most effective?

Is it better the first week to use tuna or can I use canned salmon?

Does anyone have any experience coming from Atkins? I had kept 50 lbs off with Atkins for 8 years. In the last year I have loosened the limits too much. I find Atkins induction doesn't work like it had 8 years ago. I need virtually 0 carbs to lose now. Does this diet work for people like me?

I am very excited to try this - it definently seems like a way of life that would be easy to maintain. Thanks for any advice!

[free to be me]

Ladies...please read the following if you are considering staying on carb deplete...you will not reap additional benefits from a longer deplete week.

The reason you ONLY have to do the deplete for 7 days is that, after 7 days you have depleted the glycogen stores in your muscles. Continuing beyond that will not do your body any good. Our bodies adapt and the science behind this program is to keep our bodies out of that adaptation process after the deplete cycle. You will gain some of that weight back (whether it registers on the scale of not) because through the process of adding carbs back, you are re-building your glycogen stores (which are necessary for healthy muscles) AND you have trained your body to know where the fat is to burn when added energy is needed.

That is my take on the science from the book and DVD. Take it for what it is worth My 2cents!

[free to be me]

Hi All!! This posting area is for reference only...PLEASE join us on our weekly thread under the Challenge boards!

The following links are for reference to past weekly threads and you will find LOADS of helpful information to assist you in your quest to follwo this plan!

Past threads:

Wendy Chant Code Crackers for July '08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of July 28, '08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Aug. 4, '08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Aug. 11th, '08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Aug. 18th, '08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Aug 25th 08

~|| Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Sept. 1 '08 ||~

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Sep 8th 08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Sep 15th 08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Sep 21st 08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of 29 September 2008

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of 6 October 2008

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of Oct 13th 08

Wendy Chant Code Crackers Week of 20 October 2008

If you are beyond this week...please look for the link at the end of the weekly postings!!

[wildcat1842]

Question to Wendy:

Hi! I have been doing this program for 13 weeks. I did great the first 8 weeks, not so well after that. I took about 10 days off from the program last week. I started back on program on Monday. I did 4 carb down days in a row, but I have had sugar cravings all week long! Should I have done carb deplete instead? These cravings are driving me crazy. Please help! Thanks.

Response:

Hi Maria. Yes you need a few deplete days try 4. Do you take anti-depressants if not you can buy 5-htp and take 150mg at night this will balance your serotonin which is the neurotransmitter that causes sweet cravings. Check with your doctor first of course you can get it at a health food store. But make sure your not taking the anti depressants. After the 4 deplete days email me back and I'll tell you what to do.


Best

Wendy Chant
President/Founder
Forever Fit
(407)865-9110 office
(407) 620-6524 direct
JoinForeverFit.com :: Nutrition Boot Camp - 8 Weeks of Education. A Lifetime of Benefits.

[kelley17]

How do I shrink and not loose on the scale?
"One pound of muscle and one pound of fat are NOT the same size.

If I place one pound of muscle on a scale and one pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh one pound. The difference is in total volume. One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl of Jell-O.

Why is it that we can lose sizes, yet the scale remains the same? Because muscle weighs more than fat...

Muscle is a denser tissue and thus takes up less room than an equal weight of fat. That's why it's possible to lose inches but show no changes in scale weight. Having more muscle means you have a more desirable body composition, or fat-to-muscle ratio. You may still weigh the same, but your body will look different, smaller, better and tighter. Though it may take you a few weeks to see measurable changes, you begin to put on muscle and burn calories from the moment you start exercising.

The muscle weight you gain also beefs up your metabolism which in turn, helps you to burn off more fat. Talk about a win-win situation! (You won't jiggle as much at your ideal weight, either.

Pretty Powerful together

[kelley17]

When you've a lot of weight to lose, especially if you've had it for a long time, this is how your body copes with the sudden change (this is good to know and important to remember):

FIRST your body will shed any extra water weight you might have been carrying - alot of times we were carrying a lot of bloat due to a high sodium diet. Water is also the mechanism that our body uses to 'cool' down a stressed body - think of it like oil in a machine. We need to carry more water around when we're carrying around excess weight, chemicals, fat, and sugar - because our body would 'burn out' without the 'lubricant.' When we eat clean, this is the first to go.

THEN....
We start to lose actual fat. Now what happens here is tricky - First of all, losing the fat means that whatever toxins and hormones were stored in the fat (that's what the function of fat is, partially) are released into the bloodstream and sent to the kidneys for processing. Releasing extra hormones and toxins does what? -- you guessed it! - it stresses the body. This initially causes our bodies to add back a bit of that 'water weight' in order to help the 'machine' avoid burning out...

In addition, our bodies don't know what to do with the extra space that is created where fat used to be - particularly in the interior of our bodies, where it used to smush up all of our nice beautriful organs. Water rushes in to fill those spaces. THis is the body's way of readjusting where everything is supposed to go.

What does this mean? We slow down our weight/measurement loss and perhaps (if we had a really toxic coke-and-Hohos diet) even put a bit of weight on.

KEEP IN MIND THIS IS WATER WEIGHT. Think of digging a hole in the beach, right next to the ocean. The hole initially fills up with water, and then slowly drains away and becomes 'empty' - you're doing the same thing internally.


So what do you think happens next?

Once our body processes and excretes the extra toxins and hormones and once our body realizes that this is not a freaky accident and that those spaces are meant to be there....

THE BODY RELEASES THE WATER. Just like initially.

(Incidentally, this repition of water gain and loss in fat loss is healthy, as it allows us to be more 'elastic' - and go back to the shape we want to be. Larger losses than this result in the body's inability to 'shrink' - which is where you see a lot of people after something severe like gastric bypass, having to have massive surgeries to put organs in the proper place or remove excess skin...)


This big loss of water that happens is the 'whoosh fairy' that people talk about - where there are periods of no weight loss followed by a 'whoosh' of a large amount at once (say 3 or 4 pounds).

This is going to happen SEVERAL times as your body releases fat. You'll release it steadily, but you'll see the results in stops and starts. Some people have this happen more quickly than others, whose bodies seem to 'save up' the water for a longer wait time between losses.


If you're still experiencing TOM, this effect will be more extreme as the average woman can gain up to 10 pounds of WATER WEIGHT during the week before her cycle.

In addition, if you don't drink enough, you trigger the body to store water....


remember: if you can lose or gain it in a day, it's probably WATER. If you are sticking with this program, and you really have 80 pounds to lose I can guarantee you're most likely losing a minimum of 2 pounds of actual FAT a week. You may find that it takes till week four or five to see the loss on the scale (remember your body is most likely compensating by adding water to flush out toxins and 'save the space' where the fat used to be).


Some strategies you can use to help move the water flushign along:

1) Drink water. Water flushes water weight. Try to drink an ounce for every 2 pounds you weigh a day plus an ounce for each pound you need to lose. Try to use something other than artificial sweeteners to flavor your water. Artificial Sweetners induce an insulin response (and a toxin-alert response *cringe*) which will cause your body to hang onto the water you're trying to flush.- I like flavored Celestial Seasonings iced teas as they come in a million flavors and sweeten with spoonable stevia packets as they taste best.

2) reduce sodium - processed foods have tons of hidden salt, and Americans tend to cook with tons too. Less sodium means more water flushing.

You can use half the sea salt as regular and have the same taste. This is the easiest to do.

You can cut the salt in half in any recipe and use regular salt. Also pull it from the table.

You can use juiced celery instead of salt.

Just some ideas...

3)Make sure to get a cup of tea or coffee a day in - a small amount of caffein is good for your mental health (intelligence, literally), mood, and metabolism and prompts a diuretic response. Too much, though, will trigger a water-bloat. 200-400 mg a day is considered ideal - that's one or two cups max of caffeinated or 2-4 cups max of decaffeinated.

On a personal note:

For you, frankly, I think the best strategy is to make a deal with yourself that you're only going to weigh twice - once at the beginning and once at the end of the eight weeks.

You are a results person and it sounds like you've got a set idea in your head - I need to lose 8 pounds a week for this to be a successful program, etc... Sometimes for those of us who are like this, it's better to concentrate on changing thinking patterns and behaviour and get away from 'seeing results' until the end. There are two reasons to do this:

1) It doesn't really address the issue.
If you're using daily or weekly numbers as an indicator of success, you're setting yourself up to use this like any other diet -- which means you'll drop it if it isn't working as fast as you like OR you'll drop it once you hit your goal.

The problem is that treating this as a 'diet' GUARANTEES that you'll go back to old thought patterns and eating habits when you're 'done' and you'll end up gaining the weight back (prolly plus some).

You need to think of this as a mental retraining program - teaching yourself to BE HEALTHIER.

Being thinner WILL happen as a natural side effect, but that's not the goal - the goal is to learn to move more, eat less, and stop using food to self-medicate. Unless you learn those lessons, no diet on earth will help you for more than a week or two...

2) Being a 'results person' - you're better off to give yourself a fighting chance to see actual results.

Let's be blunt - you see results week one, so you're elated. You don't see them week two, so you get depressed. What happens as you bounce all over the place in terms of losing, stalling, and even gaining a bit (OF WWATER, remember) -- you play random mind games with yourself.

Week 1 - "I lost 9 pounds. This works!"

Week 2 - "I gained three pounds. This doesn't work at all!"

Instead, breaking the 'results show' into longer periods allows you to get a good feel for what's REALLY happening. Here's how even breaking it into two week increments helps you gain perspective:

Combined results after two weeks of doing this: You lost 6 pounds!

Now if you had stepped on the scale for the FIRST time after 2 weeks and it showed a result of 6 pounds loss, you would have said "Woohooo! I lost!"

6 pounds isn't shabby - that's an average of THREE POUNDS PER WEEK!!! Which is the absolute max that it's physically safely possible to lose of actual fat in a week.

Now extrapolate that. Imagine if you don't weigh yourself until the eight weeks is up and you step on (at an average of three pounds of loss per week, averaged over the eight weeks, some weeks a pound gained, some 4 poudns lost etc): You'd have lost 24 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Let's get crazy for a moment:

It's not realistic to expect to lose 80 pounds in 2 months, I'll be honest. And if that's what you expect, you're sure to be disappointed.

But it is possible to lose ALL that weight before this time next year. Did you hear me on that? ALL of it. Imagine sitting down to Thanksgiving next year absolutely PERFECT in body and weight. You can do it....

You have eighty pounds to go. Let's say everyone averages, based on what I've seen from people here who have done the full program, about 2-3 pounds a week.

You have more to lose, so three pounds a week is probably reasonable for the first half (40 pounds) of your weight loss and two pounds for the second half:

So, by January (8 weeks) you should have lost about 10-24 pounds total - that's about 1 or 2 dress sizes!!!

By March (second 8 weeks) you should be down about 5-15 pounds total - another 1 or 2 dress sizes!

By April (third 8) you should be down another 5-15 pounds - one more dress size -

By July (last eight) you would be to goal, give or take 5 pounds - another dress size.

Think about this. In LESS THAN A YEAR you could be your 'ideal weight'. And about 7 dress sizes smaller (If you're a 24, you could be a 10!!!!!)


Now think about this. If you quit, discouraged, because you weren't losing 'fast enough'....

Where will you be next July?


In America in Particular, we're an instant gratification society. We want to get rid of the bad instantly, with no discomfort, and we want our rewards before we do our work. This transfers to weight loss. We need to get away from instant results and move toward real health.

Did you try a new diet last year? Where are you now? Did you quit that one because you weren't losing at all or because you weren't losing 'fast enough'?

Quitting gets us exactly where we have always been.

It's the trying that gets us where we want to go.

And it's not about being perfect.

For crying out loud, I'm the poster child for restarts! But here I am and even with failures and restarts I weigh 4 pounds less than I did last July.

Last July, I started this WOE because I weighed MORE than I had in July 2007.

Hear me? Last year I had gained.

This year I weigh less. That's the important thing. I weigh LESS!

And next year I will weigh less. I've no idea how much. But I will weigh LESS. I will look better. I will FEEL better. I will have learned boundaries and how to use my food to feed my body instead of using my food as a god or drug or medication...

Now that's progress.

And it's something I truly believe you can achieve.

[Linda64]

I just can't believe the progress that I have made! This is the first day of my fourth week and already I have lost 40 lbs. I fear that I am losing weight too fast. Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled with the loss and can't wait to loose more, but I'm afraid that I may be hurting myself. I notice some headaches or what I say "may brain hurts". I am eating 5-6 meals a day just like Wendy says in the book. Does anyone else feel this way? On a brighter note, my sugar cravings are gone and I don't feel hungry between meals. I was also afraid to eat pizza thinking that it may trigger a full blown pig out, but it didn't. I ate my two slices and felt satisifed. That's so not like the old me. I started out at 310 lbs. and now weigh 270 lbs. My goal is 165-175 lbs.

[schrovet]

Hi everyone. Another LC poster emailed Wendy with some questions. I saved this post and found it very helpful. Wendy writes:

"from wendy

Hello and welcome to the board! I see your avatar - I'm a HUGE fan of TBL!!!!
Someone posted a FAQ reply from Wendy awhile ago, so here's what I had saved:

Where does Milk fit on the program? You can have milk on the program on your carb up days. Milk has a lot of sugar and really isn't the best source for
improving calcium in the body because of the pasteurization process. Dark green leafy veggies and supplements are better choices if more calcium is needed in your diet.

When can I have fruit? Your first 8 weeks on the program fruit is limited to your carb up days. Fruit contains fructose which can hinder your fat loss efficiency. After you finish your first 8 weeks though you may also have fruit in place of a starch on your baseline days also. So you would just not have them on carb down days. Once you achieved your weight loss goals, fruit would be appropriate every day. I don't recommend fruit to diabetics as part of this program. Fruit makes it much more difficult for diabetics to keep their blood sugar in balance.

Why isn't soy allowed on the program? Soy protein promote the release of the wrong type of estrogens in the body. These unhealthy estrogens don't attach to receptors properly and float in the body and attract fat and increase the risk of estrogen bound cancers like breast and colon cancer. More cancers are also now being linked to these same bad estrogens. Some of the problem with these estrogens can be linked to poor cultivation practices.

What if a special occasion doesn't fall on a carb up day? You can move your carb up day to special occasion by making sure to have a carb down day the day before you put your carb up day. You want to make sure to empty glycogen stores before you carb up so not to spillover and store fat.
If I mess up a day, what do I do? The best thing to do if you mess up or get off track is to just pick up the plan with the next day as written. Don't get in the habit of fixing mistakes by going back to the first week. If you do mess up in the first week you will have to start over, it is the only time you will have to start over because the first week must be exact. Remember life does happen and sometimes getting off track does occur. If you have fat to lose, own the mistake and just get back on the program.

Why should I eat up to 2 hours prior to bed? This program is science based and counts on chemical environment of the body to keep stable it's many reactions and responses and because while you sleep at night your body is still functioning and using fuel it is important not to have your body fasting to long or your body will be required to use muscle for energy because of lack of fuel available because of sleeping. So forget the don't eat after 7pm rule unless you go to bed at 9pm. If your diabetic make sure to eat right before getting into bed as this will keep your blood sugar at a better state upon rising.



Lisa

[driving_mrs_daisey]

Wendy’s tips: (found in an article on AOL)

1. Pig out every 18 days

Your body gets used to the way you eat, which means if you're eating the same amount of calories at every mini-meal every day, you'll hit a diet plateau. That's why Chant suggests overeating every 18 days, especially if your metabolism is super sluggish. On that day, go crazy and eat whatever you want. "If you think of your body as a fireplace, the more logs you add, or food in this case, the hotter and faster the fire will burn," she says, adding that her clients love this strategy during the holidays.

2. Vary your environment

People who live in warmer climates tend to have a slower metabolism than those who reside in colder regions. But don't think you have to relocate to stoke that metabolism. Instead, switch between hot and cold temperatures several times a day. For instance, if you live in the South, escape the air conditioning and sit outside in the warmth for a few minutes. Reverse that if you live in the North.

3. Eat every two to three hours

Whenever you eat, your core body temperature rises, which makes you burn calories. In a day's time, these small metabolism-revving spikes burn as many calories as a 30-minute workout, Chant says, citing a study from the University of Western Australia. So rather than eating three big meals a day, eat mini meals every two to three hours, keeping portions in check.

4. Break free from stress

Whenever you're stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol, which slows metabolism and increases belly fat, upping your risk for heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. You know the solution: Dump that stress. Chant suggests doing deep breathing several times a day. Breathe in deeply and slowly for five counts and then exhale for five counts. Do this for a minute and repeat several times a day.

5. Get the wiggles every hour

You know you need to exercise more, but just moving more throughout the day can prevent metabolism slow-downs and keep blood sugar stable, preventing weight gain. Any activity counts here: Walk to your colleague's office, stand to organize files, take the long way to the restroom, or rapidly tap your feet on the floor for 30 seconds.

6. Up your fat intake

Don't freak when you hear the word fat. Chant's talking about healthy fats like omega 3 fatty acids in tuna, salmon and flaxseeds and monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil, nuts and nut butters, all of which boost metabolism. After eating a meal with one serving of these healthy fats, your metabolism stays elevated for the next five hours. Chant also recommends ditching skim dairy and fat-free dressings in favor of low-fat or full-fat dairy and dressings.

7. Spice up your meals

Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and cayenne can increase your metabolism by as much as 78 percent. As little as half a teaspoon is all you need.

8. Pump up the protein

Because protein burns hotter than carbohydrates and fat, your body has to work harder to digest it. How hard? When you eat protein, your body burns five times as many calories as when you eat carbohydrates and fat. In the end, protein increases your metabolic rate by 36 percent. Choose protein you can chew like lean red meat, chicken, turkey and eggs, eating one gram of protein for every pound of lean mass you weigh.

9. Can artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners in diet sodas and diet foods don't raise core body temperature to boost metabolism as other foods do, according to research from Purdue University. "When you eat them, you actually lower your metabolism which sabotages your weight loss goals," Chant says. To test this theory, she asked eight avid diet soda drinkers to go cold turkey on their soda habit. Without any other change, they each lost five pounds in a month.

10. Pop a daily multivitamin

Multivitamins contain nutrients like vitamin B12 and magnesium that help keep metabolism-regulating organs like the adrenals and thyroid in working order. Unfortunately, because of stress and high caffeine consumption, the adrenals begin to shut down and metabolism slows. A multivitamin should help correct this.

[bballgirl00]

Hey Everyone~

I started the diet for the 3rd time on Saturday...So I am on Day 3....its soo difficult...all I want to do is eat carbs! I have a couple of q's.

-Where does exercise play in the program...I have been doing 1.5 hours of cardio since I started...but I am not sure that I should be doing that much in Week 1?
-Coming from a science background, I am a bit confused as to why you would first want to deplete your glycogen stores and then in Week 2...you would be adding glycogen back into the system?? Thanks!

[kelley17]

How do I shrink and not loose on the scale?
One pound of muscle and one pound of fat are NOT the same size.

If I place one pound of muscle on a scale and one pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh one pound. The difference is in total volume. One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl of Jell-O.

Why is it that we can lose sizes, yet the scale remains the same? Because muscle weighs more than fat...

Muscle is a denser tissue and thus takes up less room than an equal weight of fat. That's why it's