Hey all!
So finished my first week of the 12 weeks transformation, and today is a rest day. OMG, the pain. So how and what do you do not to feel so much pain. I wish I could walk like a duck, but right now it's more like a slug. Any suppliments? or tricks of the trade? I don't mind pain, but when it's to such a constant degree, it's going to impact everything a lot.
Also, I am trying to figure out my email plan. Here is an old one of mine and wondering what you all think, or would change?
MEAL 1
SELECT YOUR CARB SOURCE: 150cal.
½ CUP OATMEAL (40g)
Cook this with water, not milk. With oatmeal, I suggest adding a bit of salt and cinnamon. You can feel free to add any other calorie free spices that you wish. If you want more volume from your oats, simply use a bit more water.
3 RICE CAKES
If you prefer to not have oats every morning, you are more than welcome to rotate with three rice cakes. The brand is not crucial, however, I prefer the “QUAKER” brand simply because in my opinion, they are the best tasting. Rice cakes do slightly vary in calories, so I want you to try to find some that are about 50 calories each. If you find a flavor that you like better that is 45, 55, or 60 calories, feel free to have those instead.
½ CUP “MINUTE BRAND” BROWN RICE (43g)
If you would prefer not to have oats or rice cakes in the morning, you can have brown rice. However, it is CRUCIAL that you purchase the “MINUTE” brand of brown rice because of the nutritional values. We are aiming to have about 150 calories from the rice, so if you use a different brand, be sure that you read the nutrition label and consume 150 calories worth. Many other brands have 150 calories in ¼ of a cup so be careful when selecting your rice of choice. I suggest cooking the rice in boiling water with a tad bit of KNORR (chicken broth), adding some salt, garlic, cilantro, and even a little bit of onion. Be sure to measure this UNCOOKED.
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
As far as using bread to make toast goes, you are WELCOME to do it! However, in this meal we are aiming for roughly 150 calories from your carb source, therefore, your bread selections should not exceed about 150 calories. There are plenty of low calorie options out there such as “SARA LEE 45 CALORIE BREAD” or “NATURES OWN 40 CALORIE BREAD”. Simply have as many slices as you can without exceeding about 150 calories! Like the rice cakes, you have a few calories of wiggle room; so don’t worry if you go over by 5-15 calories. You could try making egg sandwiches!
SELECT YOUR FRUIT OF CHOICE:
1 BANANA (118g)
It is very important to understand that you have the ability to rotate your fruits from day to day. Also, I want you to understand that meal timing is irrelevant, so if you wish to have this fruit as a snack sometime during the day or have it with another meal, I want you to feel free. You can also rotate with 1-cup blueberries (148g), 3-cups strawberries (300g), 1-cup chopped pineapple (200g), 1.5 cups raspberries (180g), ½ of a mango (170g), 2 oranges (200g), or 1 medium apple (200g).
SELECT YOUR DIETARY FAT OF CHOICE:
2 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER (32g)
The brand of this does not necessarily matter, however, I find that the “JIFF NATURAL” peanut butter tastes the best in my opinion. I want you to feel free to add this into your oatmeal to enhance the taste.
27 ALMONDS (27g)
These may taste bland, but is a great alternative to peanut butter.
32 PEANUTS (32g)
This is another great alternative to for your fat source.
14 WALNUT HALVES (28g)
Again, this is a great alternative for almonds and peanut butter.
¾ MEDIUM AVOCADO (105g)
If you’re trying to pick out a good avocado, take a peek under the dry little button on the stem end. If it’s green, the avocado will be perfect and ripe. If the color under the stem is brown, don’t buy it.
PROTEIN SOURCE:
2 WHOLE EGGS & 3 EGG WHITES
I really would like you to stick with this as your protein source in the morning. It is a great way to mix up your healthy fat sources as well as get complete protein into your diet. Do not use only egg whites or egg beaters because of the fear of cholesterol. In fact, consuming a few whole eggs daily will increase your health more than hurt it. Consuming egg yolks increases HDL, the “good” cholesterol in the body.
TOTALS MEAL 1: (CALORIES: 617, PROTEIN: 30g, CARB: 63g, FAT: 29g)
MEAL 2
SELECT YOUR PROTEIN SOURCE
8 OZ. CHICKEN BREAST (227g)
It is impossible for me to give the EXACT calories and macronutrients for chicken due to the fact of different packaging, different cooking methods, etc. The question, “should I weigh my chicken raw or cooked” is one that has no definite answer. However, as far as my suggestions: If you are going to cook chicken for one day or meal, I say measure this raw. If you are cooking chicken in bulk to last you a few days or for the week, go ahead and weigh the chicken cooked. If you do not own a food scale, 8 oz. chicken is generally about 2 big breasts or 2.5-3 smaller sized breasts. When you cook this, be sure to use a non-stick cooking spray instead of olive oil or any cooking oil that contains calories. I enjoy adding lemon pepper and garlic to my chicken, but that is all personal preference! Simply do not add anything that contains calories such as BBQ sauce, etc. Feel free to grill the chicken, cook it on the stove, bake it, or boil it.
SMALL CONTAINER OF EGGBEATERS OR EGG WHITES (460g)
When shopping for eggbeaters and egg whites, you typically have the option of purchasing a full container (about 20 servings) and a smaller container (about 10 servings. I want you to consume ten servings of this. If you are using eggs and separating the egg whites, you will need 14 egg whites to reach the protein intake. Again, use a non-stick spray and add any seasonings you wish.
8 OZ. TILAPIA, COD, OR ANY WHITE FISH (227g)
Weigh the fish just as you would the chicken. Use a non-stick spray and add any seasonings you wish.
8 OZ. DELI TURKEY OR HAM (227g)
If you wish, you can rotate with turkey or ham. This will be a bit costly, but is nice to rotate in to avoid getting tired of the same food every day! Because meal timing does not matter, you can even have 4 oz. on meal 2 and have 4 oz. to throw into your eggs in the morning!
SELECT YOUR CARB SOURCE: 150 cal
1/2-CUP OATMEAL (80g)
3 RICE CAKES
1-CUP “MINUTE BRAND” BROWN RICE (86g)
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
1/4 CUP “MINUTE BRAND” WHITE RICE
If you wish to have white rice as opposed to brown rice, you can feel welcome, however, again, be sure to match the calories. We are aiming for about 300 calories from carbs, so that will vary if you are using a different brand of rice.
1 MEDIUM WHITE POTATOES (200g)
If you prefer to have potatoes, you are welcome! However, you are not allowed to add all of the “good stuff” (bacon, cheese, sour cream, etc).
Sweet potatoes are another great alternative. I suggest adding cinnamon!
SELECT YOUR VEGGIE OF CHOICE
1-CUP BROCCOLI (91g)
I find the easiest way to cook this is to just steam them in the microwave!
1-CUP GREEN BEANS (100g)
You can cook these how you please. I like cooking them with lemon pepper and garlic.
4-CUPS BABY SPINACH (120g)
If you wish to have spinach, you will get a lot of volume, which is nice if you get hungry easily. I will make some dressing recommendations at the end of the meal plan. You could also steam this.
3 HANDFULS OF ROMAINE LETTUCE (200g)
This is another option for salads if you are not a fan of spinach.
1-CUP ASPARAGUS (180g)
I prefer to cut off the ends and cook them on a pan with some lemon pepper and garlic. If you want the seasoning to stick, try spraying a bit of non-stick spray onto the asparagus to act as glue for the seasonings.
¾ CUP PEAS (108g)
Steam and add any seasonings you wish!
SELECT YOUR DIETARY FAT
1-TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL (14g)
Olive oil is an amazing dietary fat to use in your diet. I suggest drizzling the tablespoon onto your rice or veggies!
18 ALMONDS (18g)
20 PEANUTS (20g)
8 WALNUT HALVES (14g)
ONE BIG TABLESPOON PEANUT BUTTER (22g)
TOTALS MEAL 2: (CALORIES: 710, PROTEIN: 61g, CARB: 68g, FAT: 21g)
MEAL 3
SELECT YOUR PROTEIN SOURCE
8 OZ. CHICKEN BREAST (227g)
SMALL CONTAINER OF EGGBEATERS OR EGG WHITES (460g)
8 OZ. TILAPIA, COD, OR ANY WHITE FISH (227g)
8 OZ. DELI TURKEY OR HAM (227g)
SELECT YOUR CARB SOURCE: 150 cal.
1/2-CUP OATMEAL (40g)
3 RICE CAKES
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
1/2-CUP “MINUTE BRAND” BROWN RICE (43g)
1/4 CUP “MINUTE BRAND” WHITE RICE
1 MEDIUM WHITE POTATOES (200g)
SELECT YOUR VEGGIE OF CHOICE
1-CUP BROCCOLI (91g)
1-CUP GREEN BEANS (100g)
4-CUPS BABY SPINACH (120g)
3 HANDFULS OF ROMAINE LETTUCE (200g)
1-CUP ASPARAGUS (180g)
¾ CUP PEAS (108g)
TOTALS MEAL 3: (CALORIES: 590, PROTEIN: 59g, CARB: 66g, FAT: 8g)
MEAL 4
1 SCOOP LEAN ACTIVE 7
I want you to go ahead and drink this as soon as you can after finishing your workout. Though meal timing is irrelevant, it is helpful to spike your insulin post workout so that protein synthesis, the process of recovering and re-building muscle can begin. There are plenty of myths out there in the fitness world that claim that you need carbs post workout to spike your insulin, however, it has been shows that protein itself spikes insulin, so there is no need for carbs post-workout. If it is an off day from the gym, simply have this as a snack anytime of the day you wish.
TOTALS MEAL 4: (CALORIES: 145, PROTEIN: 30g, CARB: 3g, FAT: 1g)
TOTAL DAILY CALORIES AND MACROS
CALORIES: 2,062
PROTEIN: 180g
CARBOHYDRATES: 200g
FAT: 59g
A FEW TIPS & GUIDELINES
Through my experience, I have found many tips and tricks to help make dieting easier. The following tips and recommendations are of course all OPTIONAL and by no means necessary. Using these tips will not in any way give you better physical results, but may help stick to your diet.
- WALDEN FARMS
- “Walden Farms” is a company that has created a line of zero calorie syrups, dressings, etc. They are sold in select grocery stores and can be found in the gluten free isle. Many stores do not carry the brand, so you can always order off of their website. As far as products I recommend, I suggest the pancake syrup, chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, and Italian dressing (I haven’t tried anything else). I like using the pancake syrup for French toast in the morning as well as drizzling onto my eggs and rice cakes. The chocolate and caramel are delicious drizzled over rice cakes, and the Italian dressing is great if you choose to make a salad for your spinach or lettuce.
- DIET SODA
- Diet soda is acceptable, however, I want you to consume AT LEAST 1 gallon of water per day. You are also allowed to have any other zero calorie drink such as zero calorie energy drinks, powerade zero, etc.
- BUFFALO SAUCE
- “FRANKS” and “CHOLULA” hot sauces are staples in my diet. They contain zero calories and are great to add onto your protein selections.
- SUGAR FREE JELLO
- Recently, I have come across a 10-calorie sugar free Jello. Though this does have calories, you are welcome to add a few in per day to help satisfy your sweet tooth. Many of the flavors are more than 10 calories so be careful when making your selection.
- I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT BUTTER SPRAY”
- In the US, this can be found at most grocery stores. It contains zero calories and is great to add onto bread, rice, veggies, and essentially everything that you enjoy!
CHEAT MEALS & REFEEDS
As far as cheat meals and refeeds go, I find that typically my clients prefer to have a cheat meal instead of reefed. If you select to have a cheat meal, be sure that it is truly a MEAL and not a cheat DAY. I usually recommend a cheat meal once every 10-14 days. On this cheat meal, I recommend limiting most of your daily food to protein and veggies (excluding the cheat meal of course). If you select to have a controlled refeed, you will be allowed to have one once every week (I recommend on leg day). The controlled refeed is simply a day where you increase your carbohydrate intake, therefore, I want you to double your carb sources in meal 2 & 3. This will add about 136g of extra carbs, which is more than enough for an effective refeed. The purpose of a cheat meal or refeed is to keep your metabolism running at an efficient rate.
WHEN DO I EAT MY MEALS?
The timing of your meals does not matter. Meaning, you could have these 4 meals or you could combine the total food into 2 big meals. You could even break up the meals into 8 meals if you truly wished. All that matters is that you consume this total amount of food each and everyday. I recommend waiting until you are hungry to eat. I find that is the best way to go about the day as opposed to having a set meal schedule.
HOW DO I TRACK MY PROGRESS?
The answer to this is very simple. Purchase a digital scale to weigh yourself. I want you to weigh yourself every single morning after using the restroom. Be sure to write down each day in a notebook or keep a journal on your phone. Once you track your weight for 7 days in a row, add up the numbers and divide by 7. This will give you your average weekly weigh-in. Once you have a few average weekly weigh-ins, you will be able to accurately evaluate your rate of fat loss. DO NOT WORRY when your weight fluctuates day to day. It will without a doubt go up and down from day to day, which is why we use weekly weight. Fluctuations can be caused by a number of factors including the time you finish eating, how much water you consumer, sodium intake, etc.
WHEN SHOULD I MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO MY DIET?
As far as the weight we are expecting to lose, I want you to be dropping about 1-2 pounds per week. Dropping body-fat at this rate is going to allow us to preserve and possibly build as much muscle as possible. If you lose more than 2 pounds per week (on your weekly average weight), then I want you to double your carb source in meal 1. Meaning, if you select to have ½ cup of oatmeal, you will instead have 1-cup of oats. If you select 3 rice cakes, you will change to 6 rice cakes.
SUPPLEMENTATION
Here is a list of my recommended supplements. To be completely honest, this is all you need!!!
- Multivitamin (brand does not matter, take anytime during the day).
- Fish Oil (brand does not matter, take anytime during the day).
- Creatine monohydrate (5g per day everyday. Be sure to drink at least 1 gallon of water per day. This is going to help your strength and endurance. It will NOT SLOW DOWN YOUR WEIGHT LOSS. I suggest Optimum Nutrition’s brand because it is extremely cheap and you can buy it in bulk).
- Whey protein (any brand with high protein, low fat, and low carb. I suggest Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey and Cellucor’s Cor Performance Whey. If you are in the US and you order the Cellucor protein, use the discount code, “cguzman” on cellucor.com to receive 20% off and free shipping).
- An occasional pre-workout. There are hundreds of options, so take your pick! Though I like to experiment with pre-workouts, my favorite is Cellucor’s C4. Pre-workouts are NOT necessary by any means, but they will help increase your energy in the gym when you are feeling sluggish, which could in turn correlate to more muscle gains and burned calories.
Thanks!
