DAY 7: Improving... Challenge Building on yesterday s success, you re starting to gain some confidence. But maybe you re not seeing as drastic results as you would like, yet. That s okay I ve got you covered. Solution Though you are likely feeling the mental effects of eating better, sleeping more and exercising, your waistline and pants might not yet be much different. And that s totally normal. It takes time to adjust, and you may have even lost weight without realizing it (don t go jump on the scale though!) Instead, focus on how much better you feel -- and realize this isn t a race it s a lifelong journey. Getting healthier and losing fat is not a one-week process. But you have already made tremendous progress focus on that! Stick to our delicious meals today, and make sure you refer to the exercise guide to see if you need to work out today. And, okay, you are officially allowed to brag to one friend. Just one, though (it s only been a week!) Journal Today s journal entry is to think about how much progress you ve already made! Did you think you could make it this far? Was it difficult? Easy? What is your end goal for this program? Stress How were your stress levels today? Are you handling stressors better yet? Why or why not? 89
Sleep Are you sleeping like a baby yet? Or are you still having trouble? Remember, there is no definitive timeline here. But sleep is one of the best things you can do, to help aid with fat loss. Remember to meditate for at least 5 minutes, during the evening, to help you wind down and prioritize thoughtfully. Try This Go to a new comedy club this evening, or grab an extra hour of sleep. Call up your mom (she ll be glad to hear from you!) or an old friend from school. See how they are doing with their health. Did You Know? Only 5 10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90 95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. The lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity. The evidence indicates that of all cancer-related deaths, as many as 35% are linked to diet -- and diet alone. Further Reading: The Top 10 Foods To Fight Disease Preliminary research suggests that drinking green tea may help to prevent cancer due to the healing agents called catechins. One class of catechins called EGCG is believed to be the most potent compound in green tea with the ability to fight cancer at all stages by destroying harmful free radicals. Thought For The Day I have a great respect for incremental improvement, and I ve done that sort of thing in my life, but I ve always been attracted to the more revolutionary changes. I don t know why. Because they re harder. They re much more stressful emotionally. And you usually go through a period where everybody tells you that you ve completely failed. -Steve Jobs 90
DAY 7: FOOD BREAKFAST Eggs, Sweet Potato And Sausage Ingredients (serves 2) 4 eggs 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp ghee 2 Italian sausages, diced 2 sweet potatoes 4 tbsp rosemary Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat olive oil and ghee in a small pan. 2. Peel sweet potatoes and chop into small pieces. Place them in a bowl with the rosemary. 3. In a different pan, cook sausages. Once cooked, add the sausages to the bowl with the sweet potatoes and mix together. 4. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet. Roast the mixture for 30 minutes in the oven. 5. While in the oven, cook the eggs over low heat. Once everything is cooked, serve together, and enjoy! 91
DAY 7: FOOD LUNCH Baby Kale Salad Ingredients (serves 1) 1 large handful baby kale leaves 1 large handful dandelion leaves 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar reduction 16 strawberries, tops removed, quartered 8 oz. chicken, cooked 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped Directions 1. Place the olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a large mixing bowl. Add the kale, chicken and dandelion leaves and toss to coat in the balsamic dressing. 2. Place the salad onto a plate, and top with strawberries and walnuts, to serve! 92
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. DAY 7: FOOD DINNER Salmon Baked In Foil Directions Ingredients (serves 4) 4 6-ounce fillets of salmon 4 large lemons (2 for juicing and zesting, 2 for slicing) 1/2 cup of olive oil 2 large shallots, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 4 sheets of aluminum foil 2 cups spinach 4 cups blueberries 2. Place the zest and juice of two lemons (about 4-6 tbsp of juice) into a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, shallots and garlic and stir. Finally, add the thyme, salt and pepper. 3. Slice your remaining two lemons, and set aside. 4. Grab a cookie sheet and your four sheets of foil. Working on the cookie sheet, place one fillet on to the center of one piece of foil. 5. Pour one quarter of the wine, oil and juice mixture onto the fish. 6. Top with lemon slice(s) and fold the foil so the liquid is sealed inside. Repeat for each piece of fish. Keep the foil packages on the cookie sheet to catch any leaks. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. 7. Serve with the spinach, and the blueberries! Note: Be sure to pay attention to portion sizes and serving recommendations. Some recipes included in this program make multiple servings. There s also no need to finish a full serving if you re no longer hungry. If your body is telling you it s full - listen to it! 93
DAY 7: EXERCISE Rest Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced You re lucky another rest day! Do not do anything! You are likely now really adjusting mentally and physically to this healthier way of life. Take time again today to slow down and appreciate all the hard work you ve already put in. There is, however, still a long way to go! If you absolutely feel you have to do something, go for a walk but no more than 10 or 20 minutes! Ideally, you won t even do that! Take some time to laugh, watch a funny movie, hang out with a friend, or tidy up around the house. Or (if you re really wiped out) you may need to simply lay on the couch all day. That s okay -- you ve worked hard thus far, and changing your habits is not easy. You re doing great, take some time to relax and enjoy it! But remember - this doesn t mean you get to gorge on junk food! We don t want you to lose the progress you ve already made! 94