Game Plans Weeks 1-2 For the first 2 weeks your macros will not change unless we feel they need to be lowered based on your progress. Most of our clients complete challenges with minimal changes in macros. There is no need to change them on a week-to-week basis unless we instruct you otherwise. The words deplete and no carb are used interchangeably. Remember, the goal EVERY DAY for the entire 6 weeks is to get 6 servings of veggies regardless of the game plan. Week 1 Game Plan Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Deplete Deplete Deplete Deplete Deplete Deplete Deplete/Cheat Meal Week 1 Tips Week 1 is a carb depletion week. We are looking to get your body primed to burn fat as an energy source. This is the toughest week of the entire program. Your body is used to (especially your central nervous system, brain) using glucose (sugar) as energy. You will be depleting your glycogen storage (liver and muscle). When you deplete your glycogen supplies, this signals the body to primarily use fat as an energy source. It is normal to feel a little foggy after a couple of days of no carb dieting (you are still getting carbs from veggies), as your brain adapts to a different energy source, but towards the end of the week you should feel much better. This other source of energy is Ketone Bodies; the problem is it takes your brain a while to adapt to using Ketone Bodies. However, research shows that within just 2 weeks 75% of your brain activity will be running off Ketone Bodies. This is why it is extremely important to get your veggies in week 1, for this will provide minimal carbohydrates and glucose but allow your brain to
function better as it adapts to more readily use Ketones as energy. When Ketones develop it basically just means your body is using fat as an energy source. More importantly, this process allows your other cells to better use fat as energy - taking you from a carbohydrate burning metabolism to a fat metabolism. In the first couple of days your body will primarily use the ketone bodies that are forming as energy. Now as your brain adapts your body will stop utilizing the ketone bodies because it will preserve those for your brain to utilize (around this time you will begin to feel much better). Now your other cells, such as your muscle cells, will primarily use only fatty acids for energy and become great at burning fat as energy. Since glycogen is depleted and glucose levels are low, this combination along with insulin (which, when elevated pretty much shuts down the breakdown of fat when elevated you will be breaking down and burning a lot of fat. *NOTE: THIS IS NOT A KETOGENIC DIET* Even though your body will be utilizing Ketones as energy during Week 1, Weeks 2-6 will be controlled through a carb based diet. If you are a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, going low carb is not advised. Your body does not go through the same adaptations due irregularities with insulin therefore you will be given an alternative plan. The first week sets you up for success on our program. The first week will take you from primarily using carbohydrates as energy to burning fat as energy. Since this is a fat loss program it imperative that you stick to the game plan. If you cheat during the first week, which you re not going to do because you are 100% committed and dedicated, you will need to add 3 additional days of no carbs to get back on track. Cheating once for 3 more days of no carbs doesn t sound like a lot of fun to me. On Sunday you will be allowed a cheat meal. On Sunday have 2-3 normal no carb meals. On Sunday, prior to your cheat meal, you will want to do a very intense workout. We recommend doing our deplete workout 30-90 minutes prior to your cheat meal. This will help you better utilize and replenish glycogen levels as opposed to turning it into fat.
CHEAT MEALS! DO NOT SKIP THIS. Cheat meals are not an excuse to eat until you can't move. Eat until you re satisfied; enjoy foods you haven't been able to enjoy during the week. Go out with family or friends and enjoy yourself. Alcohol should be limited to cheat days and is best to avoid until week 2. Your body is still adapting to using Ketones for energy and may not react to alcohol like you re used to. If you are going to have alcohol prior to week 2 - I would highly recommend eating part of your cheat meal (carbs) prior to your drink. Many people will overdo their first cheat meal and regret it. There will be plenty of good food to be had, you do not need to try and have it all in one meal. SERIOUSLY! DO NOT OVERDO IT, THIS IS NOT YOUR LAST MEAL! For your cheat meal I would recommend meals heavier in carbohydrates. Keep protein and fats lower and EAT THE CARBS! The only problem with a lower carb diet (and lower calorie diets in general) is it can lower your thyroid production. Your thyroid controls your metabolism. By doing a strategic refeed once a week this will keep thyroid hormones high and your metabolism up over the course of the program. EXERCISE: WEEK 1 If you are a beginner, I would recommend only working out 3x this week. With a day off between your workouts! Your body will be adapting to the diet, and the diet alone is going to do most of the work week 1. Your focus this first week should be to get the diet down! Get comfortable with the workouts and focus on form, form, form! I know you are excited but this is a marathon and not a sprint. If you are feeling extra fatigued take a day off of exercise and ensure you are getting enough fats. If you are limiting your fat intake and not taking in the required fats we have planned for you then you will feel extra foggy. Make sure to get all your vegetables in, I prefer steamer bags of broccoli, cauliflower, and then salads. Typically I will do 2 servings at each of my whole food meals. The vegetables will keep you full and provide fiber. This is your primary source of glucose for the first week, this will also help you feel better.
Take the recommended supplements or comparable aids. When you are on any type of reduced calorie diet because you are trying to lose weight, it is virtually impossible to get all the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. So make sure to purchase the supplements we recommend or similar. At a minimum you need a good high quality multivitamin. SODIUM Week 1 I would strongly recommend keeping sodium high with your foods. As stated, your body is depleting itself of glycogen this first week. When you deplete glycogen you will also be depleting water. For every gram of glycogen in your body, it holds 3 grams of water. I would recommend sprinkling Iodized salt (Iodine is important for thyroid function) on your foods. Another great way to get some sodium in is by eating pickles. They are high in sodium and taste like a treat when you are low carb dieting. Please be aware when purchasing pickles to not get any sweetened with sugar. Sugar or fructose should no be on the label. On your cheat day have 2-3 regular meals on your typical deplete days, the last meal before your cheat meal try to limit the fat and just have protein. Complete either the deplete workout, OR if we have challenge workout, attend that prior to your cheat meal. A challenger workout is not guaranteed every week and they will be based off our trainers availability and schedule, but every week you can do the deplete workout at home prior to your cheat meal. Week 2 Game Plan Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Low Low Low Low Low Low/Cheat Meal Low Week 2: Low Carbs In week 2 we reintroduce carbohydrates back into your diet! YAY. Now I am going to be truthful with you here Week 1 you will see the largest weight loss of the entire challenge. Week 2 will most likely be your lowest weight loss of the challenge. It is not
abnormal not to lose anything this week to no more than a couple pounds in week 2. It doesn t matter how many times I say this people are always disappointed after week 2. Even those that lose a couple of pounds seem to be disappointed because they compare the success of week 1 to week 2. Week 1 you depleted carbohydrate supplies, which is important to put your body in a fat burning state, but at the same time you are depleting water. Now, come week 2 there are two things working against you as far as the scale goes but you will still be burning body fat (which is all that matters). 1) You had a cheat meal which drastically will increase glycogen levels along with adding in carbs during the week. 2) Your body in week 2 is fighting like crazy to retain water after losing so much in week 1. This coupled together you will most likely gain a couple pounds of water. So if you gain a couple of pounds of water and the scale says you didn t lose any weight in week 2, it actually means you burned a couple pounds of fat which will be noticed with your inches that you will be losing that week. If you are measuring correctly and following the plan you will lose inches. This is also a shortened week, only leaving you 5 days to maximize fat loss. Your progress reports are due on Friday at noon and typically Saturday is the lowest day as far as weight loss goes. With saying that, I better not hear how disappointed you are with your results week 2. The truth is you will lose body fat, you will be leaner, and you will be taking positive steps in the right direction! The obsession with the scale needs to end, you want to lose inches not WEIGHT. I can promise you that. I can make you lose weight in an unhealthy way and actually make you look fatter, but nobody wants that! CARB TIMING Your 1 carb meal on the low carb plan should come after your workout. Try to eat your carbs within an hour after your workout. To maximize your body s ability to utilize carbohydrates I would not extend this too far past an hour. This also helps aid in recovery and repair following an intense workout.
On non-workout days, carbohydrates should be consumed either as your first meal of the day or at dinner. This maximizes the window that insulin is low and maximize fat burning. *If you have trouble sleeping at night it is actually better to eat your carbs later in the day. There are many reasons for this but either way it s about finding what works for you. If you re not sleeping you re not recovering. Feeling Fatigued During Workouts Now I just said you should eat your carbs after a workout. For many reasons this is optimal, but if you are dragging during workouts and have low energy I would then recommend moving your carb meal to about an hour or 90 minutes before your workout. This will allow your body time to breakdown the carbohydrates into usable glucose and this will help you power through your workout. You will burn a little less fat during the workout, but since the workouts are high intensity you will burn through those. Then after your workouts you will be primarily utilizing fat as energy source because your glycogen will be depleted. However, make sure your meal following the workout has adequate vegetables to help stabilize your blood sugar.