Making the Cut (7 page)

          Don’t drink any alcohol on my program. After the next 30 days, you should avoid drinking alcohol if possible. Alcohol consumption depletes glycogen storage in the liver, causing an increase in blood sugar and fat storage. In addition, you will most likely experience a sugar crash, which will lead to an increase in the demand for carbohydrates and the resultant nutrients needed to metabolize them. If you are sure you “need a drink” and break the plan, then choose wisely. Avoid sugary cocktails, beer, and wine; even though red wine has some health benefits, cut it out for the next 30 days. Instead try to have a clear alcohol with a calorie-free mixer—for example, vodka and soda or rum and Diet Coke. When you have finished
Making the Cut,
limit alcohol use to no more than four drinks a week.

          Steer clear of carbohydrates that have high glycemic loads. (See the Glycemic Load Food Chart on Chapter 2.) Fast oxidizers have a problem with metabolizing carbohydrates too quickly, so you should avoid foods that are high in their glycemic load (GL) whenever possible. All metabolic types should become familiar with glycemic load, but it’s particularly crucial for fast oxidizers. If you eat a high-GL food, make sure it’s with some protein, in order to slow down the rate at which the food is oxidized (or converted to blood sugar).

          Limit your caffeine consumption. It’s true—caffeine can be used as a fat burner and a performance enhancer when exercising (see Chapter 4). It gives you energy in the short term, but in the long term it will make you weak and tired by overtaxing your adrenal glands. Fast oxidizers should avoid caffeinated beverages whenever possible and keep their overall caffeine consumption to a minimum—no more than a cup once or twice a week. Caffeine speeds the rate of oxidation, which is the worst thing for fast oxidizers.

          When eating animal proteins, cook them rare to medium. Overcooking destroys essential amino acids and valuable enzymes.

Now that you have your list of ideal macronutrients, here is a caveat: you will have more energy and fewer physical ailments if you eat according to your metabolic type, but some of these ideal foods are very high in calories, so you have to be careful about portions. To achieve weight-loss success, you must follow with the daily calorie allowance you worked out for yourself on Chapter 2.

Take Responsibility
The first step to taking back your power is to look at your life, own your choices, and ask how they have brought you to where you are, for better or worse. Responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for your situation. That type of victim mindset saps your will and siphons your power. By taking responsibility, you will start to see how the choices you make create your reality; this doesn’t mean being able to control all the difficult things life may throw your way, but it does mean controlling your reactions to situations, people, and events to effect the best possible outcome. It is
your
choice to let someone’s criticism affect you; it is up to
you
either to fear life’s challenges or to embrace them with positive faith in yourself. Once you are conscious and accountable for your actions and reactions you can dictate the outcome of almost any situation in your favor.

Rule 3: Eat Every Four Hours, and No Skipping Meals!

There are a
ton
of theories out there about when and how often you should eat to maximize your weight-loss results. Believe me, I’ve heard ’em all, and I’m here to give you the real skinny. When you’re on a short, intense, goal-oriented fitness regimen, it is especially crucial to maintain stable blood sugar levels to prevent energy crashes and appetite cravings that could throw you off course. In my 20 years of experience, I’ve found that the most effective way to do this is to eat every four hours, without skipping a single meal or snack. Your daily diet should consist of three meals and one snack, as you’ll see in the menus later in this chapter.

Rule 4: No Processed or Junk Foods—Period!

Do me a favor: next time you’re in a supermarket, take a close look at the ingredients list on almost any packaged food. How many have you heard of? How many are you unable to pronounce? If you haven’t done this recently, you may be surprised at the number of listed ingredients that look like they belong in Super Glue rather than in something you’re about to put in your body. These dangerous chemicals are used by food companies to color, stabilize, emulsify, bleach, texturize, preserve, sweeten, and add or mask odor and flavor. Apart from being linked to a range of autoimmune diseases, from cancer to multiple sclerosis to diabetes, these chemical food-substitutes are loaded with sodium, trans fats, processed grains, and refined sugars, all of which are going to hold you back on your way to having the best body you’ve ever had. For the purposes of
Making the Cut,
we are going to eat as cleanly and healthily as possible.

To make it simple for you, I’ll tell you that the following foods are loaded with trans fats, sodium, processed grains, and refined sugar and are to be avoided on the
Making the Cut
program at all costs: fast foods, sodas, juice, pastries (cookies, cakes, pies), candy, chips, processed meats, processed dairy (American cheese, Cheese Whiz, etc.), high-sodium canned or frozen foods, and anything white (white bread, pasta, white rice).

In addition to avoiding these foods like the plague, follow these guidelines for the next 30 days—and hopefully for the rest of your life!

          If it’s a nonfood, don’t eat it!

          The longer it lasts on the shelf, the worse it is for you.

          Never eat anything with the words
hydrogenated
or
partially hydrogenated oils/fats
in the list of ingredients.

          Avoid refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup (sometimes labeled HFCS) at all costs.

          Never eat any food product that has been “enriched.”