CYWT Fatloss
CYWT Fatloss
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Legal Disclaimer
The information presented in this work is by no way intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical counseling. The information should be used in conjunction with the guidance and care of your physician. Consult your physician before beginning this program as you would with any exercise and nutrition program. If you choose not to obtain the consent of your physician and/or work with your physician throughout the duration of your time using the recommendations in the program, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your actions. By continuing with the program you recognize that despite all precautions on the part of Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC, there are risks of injury or illness which can occur because of your use of the aforementioned information and you expressly assume such risks and waive, relinquish and release any claim which you may have against Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC, or its affiliates as a result of any future physical injury or illness incurred in connection with, or as a result of, the use or misuse of the program.
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Carbohydrates with a high blood sugar and insulin response score high on the GI/GL scales and carb sources with a low blood sugar and insulin response score low on the GI/GL scales. There is the occasional exception, however. Sometimes you will have a carbohydrate that scores high on the GI scale, but much lower on the GL scale. This is because glycemic index is based on a standardized 50 gram sample of carbohydrate, while glycemic load is based on the actual amount of food that someone would generally eat. For example, cantaloupe scores rather high on the GI scale, but in order to consume 50 grams of carbohydrate from cantaloupe youd have to eat the whole darn thing. A normal serving size of cantaloupe (1 cup, cubed) contains 13 grams of carbohydrates, yielding a much lower blood sugar and insulin response, and therefore a low glycemic load for the average portion size. In other words, GL trumps GI in real life situations. Fortunately, you dont have to worry about any of that as Ive already done all GI/GL research for you and have compiled extensive acceptable food lists based on the carbohydrates you may eat throughout the various phases and days of the program. Also, while it is typically preached that low glycemic carbohydrates are the be all and end all of acceptable dietary carbohydrates, were actually going to use higher glycemic carbohydrates strategically (such as bread, pasta, rice, cereal, potatoes) throughout the course of the program. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 3
And while I said I wasnt going to get into too much theory here, one of the cool things about carbohydrates, blood sugar, and insulin is that all three have a direct relationship with leptin the hormone that forms the crux of this entire program. You learned about leptin in the Game Changer audio (again, if you have not listened to this audio, go do that now). Basically, even while restricting calories, we can use the blood sugar and insulin response of higher GI/GL carbohydrates to give leptin and metabolism a boost as metabolism starts to fall off later in the week. It is at this time (during the latter part of the week) that we will be using carbohydrates of this variety. If youd actually like to find out the numerical value of a foods GI or GL, you may do so at [Link]. Here are some numbers to guide you: Glycemic Index <55 Low 55-70 Moderate >70 High Glycemic Load <10 Low 10-20 Moderate >20 High
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A list of fats that fall into this category will be provided in the food lists section of the manual. To summarize, here are the portion guidelines: Protein size and thickness of the palm of your hand Carbohydrate size of your clenched fist Fat size and thickness of the tip of your thumb The reason why hand-based portion sizes work so well is that they are relative to the size of the individual. Smaller people with smaller hands will eat less food because they require less calories. Similarly, larger people with resultantly bigger hands will eat more food because they require more calories. Its simple, but it works.
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Meal Frequency
On the Cheat Your Way Thin program you will be eating throughout the day breakfast, lunch, and dinner are obvious staples and well also be including both mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. Well wrap things up at the end of the day with a pre-bedtime nutrition shake, for a total of six feedings daily.
7:00 am Breakfast 10:00 am Mid-morning Snack 12:30 pm Lunch 3:00 pm Mid-afternoon Snack 6:00 pm Dinner 9:00 pm Pre-bedtime Shake
This type of frequent feeding schedule has many benefits; here are the majors: 1. Leptin & Metabolism A constant flow of nutrients (without going long periods of time without eating) help to stabilize leptin levels throughout the day. 2. Better Utilization to Storage Ratio All else being equal, 2,000 calories taken in over 2 meals will result in more of those calories being stored, while 2,000 calories spread over six meals results in more calories being burned and utilized for energy. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 7
3. Thermic Effect of Feeding (TEF) The thermic effect of feeding is a measure of the energy required to digest and assimilate the foods you eat. With frequent feedings, your digestive engine gets fired up multiple times per day, resulting in a great number of calories burned during digestion. 4. Craving Control With frequent feedings, youre never more than a couple hours away from your next meal. That knowledge, coupled with the fact that you will literally always have food in your stomach throughout the day, make cravings almost a non-issue. 5. Maintenance of Lean Muscle Dieting can do a number on calorie-burning lean muscle tissue, but a frequent feeding approach helps to lessen this dramatically by keeping a constant stream of nutrients flowing towards muscle tissue throughout the day.
Frequent Feedings
1-2 Meals/Day
Aides in the: Preservation of lean body mass Curbing of hunger Utilization of ingested calories Increased Thermic Effect Stabilization of leptin and metabolism Starves muscle tissue Promotes cravings Most ingested calories are stored No additional calories burned Leptin plummets; metabolism crashes
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Guideline #1 Eat the Foods You Crave Without Feeling Guilty This is the most important guideline of the Cheat Day. Take a leap of faith and go for it; trust me, it works. When you understand how the body works, you understand that strategic cheating is ultimately what is going to shotgun your results and progress to a whole new level. There is nothing to feel guilty about. Eat as you please and dont think twice about limiting what you can and cant eat. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 9
Guideline #2 Do Not Stuff Yourself or Eat Until the Point of Discomfort Although I truly want you to eat the foods you crave without remorse, I do NOT want you to gorge yourself. Eat until you are moderately full (dont stuff yourself), and then wait until you are at least moderately hungry again before tackling your next craving. The Cheat Day is not meant to be a binge; its meant to be an enjoyable psychological and physiological outlet to hasten results and increase dietary adherence. Dont abuse it.
Guideline #3 Wake Up When You Would Normally Wake Up Dont set your alarm for 5 AM on your Cheat Day if you normally wake up at 9 AM on the weekends. Waking up sleep deprived throws your hormones out of whack, lessening the effectiveness of what we are trying to accomplish on this day. On the morning of your Cheat Day, an optimal hormonal start is one in which you hormones are relatively stable and normalizedthis occurs during a natural, not forced, awakening.
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Guideline #4 Dont Skip Meals Holding Out for a Single Feast; Eat Throughout the Day While you may be looking forward to a big buffet or have an evening event planned, I dont want you save your appetite for a main event so to speak. Instead, start eating when you wake up and follow the previously discussed rule of not stuffing yourself. Studies have shown that prolonged periods of overfeeding or cheating are needed in order to elicit a substantial leptin response and bring your body back into fat burning mode. Make a daynot a mealout of it.
Guideline #5 DONT Plan This rule seemingly goes against everything that I preach during the actual diet portion of the program and for good reason. Lets say you go to the grocery store on Thursday to stock up on goodies for your Saturday Cheat Day. You fill the cart with chips, cookies, and other snacks, then cart off home. Now youve got extremely tempting food lying around your house for 2 day before youre allowed to eat it. DONT put yourself through this torture. Here are all the pitfalls of planning out a Cheat Day:
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Pre-mature cheating due to having tempting food items lying around the house You wake up on Saturday and have different cravings than you did on Thursdaymeaning you bought the wrong stuff! Massive amounts of leftovers as youll always overestimate how much youll eat when you buy during the weekagain resulting in extremely tempting food lying around the house when returning to the diet portion of the program
The ideal way to approach the Cheat Day is to plan nothing, wake up, and then have at it based on what you feel like eating at that point. Just go with the flow. I also recommend that if you are going to go shopping, do so the morning of the Cheat Day (not before) and buy in reasonable quantities. If there are leftovers, throw them out before going to bed. You dont want this stuff lying around the next day. Its incredibly easy to get back on track with the diet portion of the program after a day of indulgences, but just as easy to continue snacking if this food is readily available. Get rid of the temptation before going to bed and it will be a cinch.
Guideline #6 Avoid Excess Alcohol Consumption A beer or two or a glass of wine is fine, but overdoing it with the alcohol intake on your Cheat Day can have significant negative affects. Studies have shown that excess alcohol consumption has an immediate negative impact on leptin levels, which essentially cancels out everything we are trying to accomplish with the Cheat Day. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 12
In all honesty, I prefer that alcohol is avoided as its an area where many people push the envelope, but Id by lying if I told you that I didnt regular enjoy a couple cold Miller Lites on my Cheat Day
Some Closing Words on the Cheat Day This day is all about enjoyment. Eat the foods you love, dont feel guilty, speed along your fat loss, and reap the many psychological and physiological benefits of taking some time off from the regular program. This is YOUR day.
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Lets go over specific guidelines for each, and then well talk about how we arrange them within the three different phases of the diet.
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Ideally, the bulk of carbs on these days should come from legumes and fruits. Additionally, there is no limit to the amount of free veggies you consume. As you will see in the sample menus, however, other carbs mentioned above (oatmeal, whole grain breads/tortillas, sweet potatoes, yams, etc) have been included so you never feel deprived.
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The majority of carbs on these days should come from various grains, breads, potatoes, and pastas (again, fruit and legumes are okay, but limit their use on these days in favor of the starchier carbs/grains listed above). Also, given that we are limiting fat intake with each meal/snack on higher GI/GL days, youll want to choose lean protein sources such as chicken or turkey breast and avoid things like dark meat chicken and anything but extremely lean cuts of red meat.
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Fat-containing Meats Fish Beef Chicken (dark meat) Duck Lamb Pork
Raw Nuts Other Almonds Brazil Nuts Hazelnuts Peanuts (in moderation) Pecans Walnuts
All Natural Peanut Butter (in moderation) Almond Butter Avocado/Guacamole Flax seeds (ground) Eggs
NOTE: Because some protein sources are also ample sources of fat, they are listed under both the acceptable proteins and fats lists. Here is a quick rule to guide you when choosing whether or not to add fat to a meal: If you are consuming a very lean source of protein, add additional fat to meals which call for a portion of fat
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If you are consuming a protein source that already contains substantial fat (i.e. steak) then there is no need to add additional fat to the meal
Free Veggies
Asparagus Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Collard Greens Cucumber Eggplant Fennel Green Onion Leek Lettuce any type Mushroom Okra Onion Pepper, Bell Radish Snow Peas Spinach Tomato Zucchini
*Free Veggies can be added to any meal in any quantity or consumed at any time of day. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 20
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You can purchase these at Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Linens & Things, Walmart, Target, etc. The most popular and recommended brand is Tanita. Now you may have heard that these scales are not very reliable and lack accuracy, however when used correctly they are indeed both accurate and reliable (and exceptionally convenient). Below is an excerpt from my blog in which I discussed this very issue:
Without a doubt, these scales can seem pretty worthless if you dont really understand a) how they work, and b) how to use them to produce reliable, consistent data. On the other hand, when youve got A and B down pat, body fat scales can be an invaluable tool to easily track body composition without having to bust out a pair of calipers or set up an appointment to have your body fat evaluated at your local gym (which has its own set of accuracy problems). Today Ill clear up the confusion and tomorrow youll actually be able to use the body fat function of your scale to produce some meaningful data. First, lets cover how they work: Electronic body fat scales use a technology called bioelectrical impedance (BEI) to assess body fat. With this method, a very light, unnoticeable electrical current is passed through the body and the percentage of the current that is repelled and the percentage absorbed or conducted are both measured. The assumption is that body fat will repel the current while all lean tissue will act as a conductor, leaving the percentage repelled as your estimated body fat percentage. Heres the problem:
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This method is highly dependant on consistent levels of body water, something that is not often consistent to say the least. For example, if you just exercised or are dehydrated, the measurements will be off. If you have a different level of body water than when you last measured, the measurements will be off. If you take your body fat in the morning, and then again in the evening, the measurements will be off. In other words, in order to get consistent readings, you have to be consistent in your measurement practices; this is what I recommend: Body water is at its most stable point every day first thing in the morning before eating and drinking anything. This is when you should be taking your body fat readings. Another recommendation is to only measure at most twice weekly. There are too many fluctuations that happen from one day to the next, and its flat out psychological torture to be stepping on the scale every day. I do not allow my clients to get on the scale but once a week-period. And if they email me with concerns about scale weight being up from yesterday, I simply respond with Give me an update on Saturday morning. Be consistent with your measuring practices and youll be surprised just how consistent your measurements become.
With that said, lets get into the calculations: Fat Weight = Total Weight x Body Fat % Lean Body Mass (LBM) = Total Weight Fat Weight
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Low Carb Day Calorie/Macro Breakdown Total Calories = LBM x 11 Macronutrient Breakdown: 40% Protein, 10% Carbohydrate, 50% fat
Lower GI/GL Day Calorie/Macro Breakdown Total Calories = LBM x 12 Macronutrient Breakdown: 35% Protein, 45% Carbohydrate, 25% fat
Higher GI/GL Day Calorie/Macro Breakdown Total Calories = LBM x 13 Macronutrient Breakdown: 35% Protein, 50% Carbohydrate, 15% fat
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Gram equation: Total calories x macro percentage / calories per gram = grams of macronutrient For example, if your target calorie intake is 2,000 calories for a Higher GI/GL day and you wanted to figure out how many of grams of carbohydrate you would need to eat on this day, youd use the following equation: 2,000 (total calories) x 50% (macro percentage) / 4 (calories per gram) = 250 grams of carbohydrate Youd then repeat this process for other macronutrients and days plugging in the appropriate numbers. If you did not purchase the Deluxe Version and would like to use the calorie method, you can save yourself the hassle of all these calculations by purchasing the calorie calculator for $9.95 here. Simply enter your weight and body fat percentage and the calculator does the rest for you. Alternatively, you can always use the portion method (which is recommended).
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As you can see, Day 1 is a Cheat Day and then the remainder of week 1 is made up of Low Carb days. Week 2 is a mix of Low Carb and Low GI/GL days and then in week 3 we transition exclusively to Low GI/GL days. The function of this phase is to prime leptin receptors to be extremely receptive to the set-up and weekly Cheat Days that we will be utilizing in the diets main phase, The Core Phase. We do this by limiting carbohydrates in the first week and then gradually reintroducing them throughout week 2 and 3 of the phase. The Priming Phase ends with another Cheat Day, then on to the Core Phase. Typical weight loss during this initial 3 week phase is 7-12 pounds.
Core Phase Option #1 The Standard Set Up Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low GI/GL Wed Low GI/GL Thur Higher GI/GL Fri Higher GI/GL Sat Cheat Day
The standard set-up is the general set-up of the program that most people have used and experienced success with. Its a great starting point, and youll probably find that youll do quite well with it. That said, it may need some adjusting, and thats where options 2 through 5 come in. First, a very brief explanation of the set up: After a Saturday Cheat Day, your body will be extremely primed for fat loss. Because of this, we start the new week off with two Low Carb days to fully take advantage of the fat burning potential of these days. Then as leptin and metabolism start to drop off mid-week, we begin to reintroduce carbohydrates and insulin to counteract the drop in the form of low GI/GL days. Then, several days later when leptin dips again we transition to higher GI/GL carb days, keeping your body happy with even more carbs and insulin. Finally, the week ends with a leptin-restoring Cheat Day and the cycle repeats. You can expect to lose 1-2 lbs of pure fat per week during this phase. If things are not progressing that quickly (or if you know your body does not process carbohydrates well), you may want to give one of the other four options a try.
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Core Phase Option #2 The 3-2-1 Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low Carb Wed Low GI/GL Thur Low GI/GL Fri Higher GI/GL Sat Cheat Day
With this option, we simply drop a Higher GI/GL day from the end of the week and replace it with another Low Carb at weeks start. This is the first adjustment I often use with clients if they are not initially progressing with the Core Phase and it generally immediately bumps them right into the 1-2 lb range.
Core Phase Option #3 The Double Triple Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low Carb Wed Low GI/GL Thur Low GI/GL Fri Low GI/GL Sat Cheat Day
With this option, we drop the Higher GI/GL days from the program completely and instead go with 3 Low Carb days followed by 3 Low GI/GL days. Some people simple do not do well with regularly consuming starchy carbohydrates and find that avoiding these days works best for them.
Core Phase Option #4 The Camel Hump Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low GI/GL Wed Low GI/GL Thur Low Carb Fri Low Carb Sat Cheat Day
With the option, we use mostly Low Carb days with a camel hump of Low GI/GL days mid-week. This option works well for those who like to deplete their muscle carbohydrate stores a bit before the large carbohydrate intake of the Cheat Day. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 29
With this approach it is less likely that the calories and carbohydrates ingested during the Cheat Day will spill over to fat storage. Its not something that most have to worry about, but for some its an issue and the camel hump approach is a quick and easy solution.
Core Phase Option #5 The Low Carb Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low Carb Wed Low Carb Thur Low Carb Fri Low Carb Sat Cheat Day
This option is rather simple Low Carb all the way up until the Cheat Day, then repeat. Some individuals simply do very well with a low-carb setup and it is easiest for them to stick with the same type of menu all week. Others (like me) dont do well with a long term Low Carb set up, so youll have to base your decision on your past experiences.
Which to Choose?
If you arent sure which option to choose for the Core Phase, I recommend that you start with the Standard set up and adjust from there if necessary. I could have just simply provided you with the standard set up and thats it, but I wanted to give you some other options to troubleshoot your experience if you fall into the small percentage of people who dont do as well with this approach (or if one of the other options initially looks most appealing to you). 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 30
Fact is, most people do very well with the Standard set up. As a second option, Id suggest the 3-2-1 approach. Again, this one simple change (adding an extra Low Carb day and omitting a Higher GI/GL day) often times does the trick for getting things moving in the right direction. The other options are there for you to play with as well and the set up you choose may ultimately just be a matter of preference. Truth is, youll likely progress with any of the five options, but you may find one fits in best with your personality, schedule, etc. And when you do that, all the better!
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Why? Simply because Cheat Your Way Thin does something that no other calorie-restrictive diet doesit protects your metabolism over the entire course of the diet to ensure that lost weight stays lost. Throughout the course of your fat loss journey you did everything right. You kept leptin and metabolism high week after week. You used strategic cheating and carbohydrate cycling to keep your body from catching on to the fact that you were dieting. Thats HUGE. You see, with other programs the complete opposite occurs. At the completion of your diet metabolism is so beaten down from week after week of calorie restriction that it becomes virtually impossible to keep the weight from piling back on once you resume any sort of normal eating pattern. Bad news for your past, a bright light for your future. Here are the basic guidelines for the Maintenance Phase: Only one Low Carb day per week (the day after your Cheat Day) Throughout the rest of the week, mix and match Low GI and Higher GI days, with a minimum of 2 Low GI days Here is an example week within the maintenance phase:
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Even if you were using more of a low-carb approach during the Core Phase, you will do fine with this type of set up to maintain your weight. And best yet, you still get to enjoy your Cheat Days. Talk about a livable way to eat! Again, it is up to you how you structure this phase. There are no set days that must be Low Carb, Low GI/GL, or Higher GI/GL (with the exception of the Low Carb day following your Cheat Day). This phase is about three things: less structure, more flexibility, and more food!
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Tracking Progress
Tracking progress during the Priming and Core Phases (and even the Maintenance Phase to a degree) is critically important to your overall success. A very popular saying amongst fitness professionals is If youre not assessing, youre just guessing! And thats essentially true. The only real way to know if something is working is to regularly assess and track your progress. With Cheat Your Way Thin, we will be using several methods of tracking progressscale weight, body fat %, and girth measurements. Both scale weight and body fat percentage can be assessed via an at home electronic body fat scale. We talked about these scales earlier in the calorie section (see pg X of this manual). Below are the locations for the various girth measurements youll be taking: Bust/Chest Waist (around the navel) Hips Right Arm Right Thigh Right Calf For arm, thigh, and calf measurements, simply double each to account for the other limb when calculating total inches lost. For example, if your right thigh measurement has gone down one inch, it is safe to assume that your left thigh measurement has also decreased by one inch for a total of two inches lost from both thighs collectively. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 34
Below are example measurements for a female who used the Cheat Your Way Thin program for six weeks: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Starting Bust Waist Hips Right Arm Right Thigh Right Calf 38 36 38 12 24 12 Week 6 35 33 36 11.5 22.5 11.5 Difference -3 -3 -2 -.5 x 2 = -1 -1.5 x 2 = -3 -.5 x 2 = -1
When To Measure
Measurements should be taken once weekly, the morning of your Cheat Day thats it. Do notI repeat; do NOTweight yourself daily. Due to the carbohydrate
cycling and Cheat Days used with this program, you will experience significant fluctuations in water balance throughout the week causing daily measurements to be all over the place. With this program, daily scale readings mean nothing. What we are concerned with is consistent, week to week progress, and that is assessed by taking consistent weekly measurements. One more time: stepping on the scale daily will do nothing more than break your focus and cause unnecessary stress and worry (which will in turn slow progress)dont do it. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 35
With that out of the way, here is how you should be measuring: Staring measurements should be taken the Sunday you begin the Priming Phase (this is a Cheat Day), first thing in the morning before eating anything. This is the way you will always measure each weekfirst thing in the morning, before eating anything. Consistent measuring practices ensure consistency and accuracy in your measurements. From here, measurements will be taken once weekly on the morning of your Cheat Day (or every 7th day during the Priming Phase). You can log your progress easily via the log sheets in the Cheat Your Way Thin Success Journal & Workbook.
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window of fat burning opportunity we will be strategically timing exercise at the beginning of the week to work synergistically with the Low Carb days in order to yield the fastest possible results.
For the exercise portion of the program, we will be using a technique called Mixed Intensity Training (MIT) that is set up in a manner to get your optimal results in minimal time. Unlike monotonous, boring steady state cardio in which you do the same lowintensity activity for 45 minutes straight, Mixed Intensity Training requires that you mix up the intensity during each workout by transitioning back and forth between periods of higher and lower intensities. Research has shown this type of training to have many benefits over traditional cardio, including: More calories burned While total calories burned during the actual exercise session are similar for steady state and MIT workouts (although MIT workouts are much shorter), MIT workouts have been shown to increase metabolism for up to 48 hours after the workout has been completed. That means you can be watching TV, driving the kids to school, cooking dinner, out at the mallwhateverand youll still be burning calories from the workout you did yesterday. Pretty darn cool. Slow-go, steady state cardio does not share this benefit. Greater fat loss It makes sense that if a workout burns more calories, it will also burn more fat, but just how much more? Well, one particular study which analyzed the effects of an MIT-style workout versus traditional slow-go cardio and found that those in the MIT group burned nearly nine 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 38
times more body fat than the low intensity group. Other studies have reported similar findings. Greater fitness MIT is again the clear winner when it comes to improving ones overall level of fitness as studies have shown time and time again that MIT improves both aerobic and anaerobic (slow and fast paced energy systems) capacity above and beyond what is possible with steady state cardio.
So without further ado, below are the guidelines for the 18-minute MIT workout you will be performing as part of the Cheat Your Way Thin program: NOTE: If you purchased the Deluxe Version, you also received 7 of my best fat burning workouts in addition to the below very basic guidelines. If you did not purchase the Deluxe version and would like access to these workouts, you may purchase them separately here.
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In the above workout we will use something known as the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to determine the intensity for each interval. If you can imagine a scale ranging from 1 to 10, with 10 being maximal effort and 1 being hardly any effort at all, the light portion of each interval should fall somewhere around a score of 4 (what brisk walking feels like in most cases), and the hard portion of the interval should be in the 7-8 range (cant easily talk). The beauty of the RPE scale is that it is relative to you as an individual. If you are just starting out with fitness, then an 8 on the RPE scale may be a very light jog. If you are more advanced, however, an 8 may be considerably harder/faster. Regardless, what matters most is that you are pushing yourself as an individual and you neednt compare your workouts with what is hard or easy for someone else. Just make sure you are putting in the effort on your end and the rest will take care of itself. As far as mode of exercise is concerned, walking/running is preferred and requires no equipment other than a pair of running shoes (assuming you are conducting exercise outside), however, other modes such as the treadmill, stair stepper, elliptical trainer, stationary bike, rower, swimming, and skipping rope are acceptable and can be used for variety.
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Two of those sessions should come early in the week (Sunday and Monday), and one of them absolutely must be done the day after your Cheat Day. Again, the body is extremely primed to burn fat after a Cheat Day, so in order to fully capitalize on the fat burning potential of this time period we will be combining low-carb diet days with increased activity. The other 1-2 workouts should come later in the week; Thursday and/or Friday work well. As for optimal time of day, it is recommended that you perform your workouts in the morning in order to take full advantage of an entire day of heightened metabolism; if not feasible with your schedule, afternoon workouts will suffice.
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FAQs
With the specifics of the Cheat Your Way Thin program covered, Id like to take the next few pages to answer some of the more frequently asked questions that have come up in regards to the program. Q: What if cheating seems to result in a one step forward, one step backward phenomenon? On rare occasion (less than 10% of those who follow the Cheat Your Way Thin program), individuals may experience a phenomenon in which they lose several pounds during the week, cheat, and then end up weighing around about the same at the end of the following week. In this rare case, dont panic, a few simple adjustments can quickly have you netting positive fat loss each week. Simply put, I have never worked with a client in which cheating didnt work for them. Sometimes it takes a few tweaks, but it works for everyone, and it will work for you. Here are several options: The first line of defense is to switch the version of the Core Phase you are doing based on the recommendations I provided previously. This will fix the issue 99% of the time. Another option is to change the nature of your Cheat Day from the all-out eat whatever you want style to a more controlled carbohydrate refeed.
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If going this route, you still neednt monitor calories, just stick to adding calories mostly through low-fat, high glycemic carbohydrate sources. Here are just some examples of foods that work well in this scenario: fat free fig newtons, angel hair pasta, bagels, breads, raisins, grape juice, potatoes, baked potato chips, baked tortilla chips and salsa, animal crackers, low-fat ice cream or non-fat frozen yogurt, low-fat pop tarts, lowfat graham crackers, low-fat cookies, rice, and pretzels. Im not a huge fan of this method as I think there are other (better) ways to fix any issues without having to be restrictive on your Cheat Day. That said, some people do very well with, and actually enjoy, this type of approach. One other way to create positive net fat loss from Cheat Day to Cheat Day is to simply add a couple extra days between Cheat Days. For example, instead of Cheating every 7th day, try cheating every 9th or 10th day. This gives you 2-3 extra days to recover from the previous weeks cheat and net a couple pounds of positive fat loss. The downside of this approach is that it is a lot less uniform than weekly Cheat Days (i.e. your Cheat Day would always fall on a different day of the week), which makes weekly scheduling a bit tougher. All in all, none of these things will probably be an issue for you, but if they are, you have the several above options. Believe me, it will work for you (and then you can enjoy it for the rest of your life), it just may take a few weeks of tweaking for a select few. Again, my number one recommendation is to switch the version of the Core Phase you are followingits the easiest (and most effective) solution. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 43
Q: What if I have a social event, dinner, etc, to attend on a day other than Saturday? Can I switch my Cheat Day? Yes, you can permanently switch your Cheat Day (which we will discuss in the next question), or you can temporarily switch it on an as needed basis for special events, etc. For example, lets say that you have a birthday party to attend on a Thursday evening, but your normal Cheat Day is regularly scheduled for Saturday (a day in which you dont really have anything planned that particular week). Do you have to tough it out Thursday (and abstain from all the goodies present) and wait it out until Saturday? Nope! You can easily change your Cheat Day to Thursday with one easy super simple switch-a-roo: just swap the two days completely. In other words, whatever you were supposed to be doing diet wise on Thursday, do that on your Cheat Day, and then move the Cheat Day to Thursday so you can enjoy the party. Naturally, this isnt something that youd want to do every week (its ideal to have consistency with your Cheat Days from week to week), but the occasional swap is A-OK. Q: What if Id like permanent Cheat Day to be another day other than
Saturday? For instance, I generally have family over Sunday afternoon and think having my Cheat Day on this day would be most ideal for me. 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 44
No problem. Theres no magic to Saturday. Go ahead and make the switch to literally any day of the week youd like, and then follow the diet on the other 6 days as outlined. Q: Are there any long-term negative health effects that I should be
concerned about with the regular indulgence of the Cheat Your Way Thin program? I get this question a lot, and its kind of silly when you think about it. With the Cheat Your Way Thin program, youre losing weight and increasing your physical fitness do you think that one day of enjoying some of your favorite foods is going to negate all those positive adaptations and the extremely healthy choices that you are making during the other six? Im sure you see my point, but just in case, that answer is No, its not. That said, if you have any medical conditions whatsoever, you must clear you participation in any weight loss program (including this one) with them first. Q: What about special populations such as diabetics or those with
cardiovascular disease? Is this diet safe for them? Piggy-backing off of the last question, I want to make sure Im clear here: consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program to make sure it is a good fit for you, and always, always follow his or her advice. Q: I regularly perform resistance training and use a post-workout nutrition shake. Is a post-workout shake allowed on this program? Yes, absolutely. Just substitute it for your next scheduled meal, regardless of the type of day (even if it is a low-carb day). For best results, I recommend using Prograde Workout , which can be purchased at [Link]. Use 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 45
the coupon code cheat15 (all lowercase without the quotes) to receive 15% off of your entire first order. Q: Im still a little anxious about a full day of dietary indulgence; cant I just have a single cheat meal? Not if you want to experience the best results. Research has proven that cheat meals DO NOT WORK for substantially replenishing leptin levels. For that to happen, you need a prolonged period of overfeeding (8 to 12 hours), not a single meal. Sure, cheat meals are a nice psychological outlet, but thats where it ends. If you are looking for the physiological benefit of faster fat loss, then you need to take a leap of faith and trust me with the approach Ive recommended here. Cheat Days, not meals, prevent diet plateaus and help bring about steady, consistent, fast fat loss each and every week. Use them. Q: Do you recommend the use of any damage control supplements for the Cheat Day? Some people will try to use insulin-mimicking substances such as ALA or r-ALA on their Cheat Days as a means of damage control so to speak, but I am of the opinion that these substances may potentially interfere with the natural upregulation of leptin and other hormones that we are trying to achieve. That, and I dont see any real benefit to supplementing with anything on your Cheat Day. Just eat and let your hormones naturally do what they know to do when you provide your body with surplus calories. Q: Im a vegetarian/vegan; can I still do this diet? What alterations do I need to make, if any? 2009 and Beyond [Link] and Joel Marion Fitness Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 46
Of course! Youll have to get a bit creative with your food selection, however, to ensure you are getting enough protein. For meals in which you do not consume a portion of protein directly (because of the absence of meat in your diet), try adding some tofu and increasing the legume and nut content of the meal as both of these food types contain substantial protein. Also, youll need to rely more on protein supplements than most. The highest quality protein powder that I know of is Prograde Nutritions Prograde Lean , which can be purchased at [Link]. I even got my friend and Director of Research and development at Prograde Jayson Hunter, R.D. to hook you up with a 15% discount on your entire first order. Just use the coupon code cheat15 at checkout (all lowercase without the quotes).
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7:00 am Breakfast 10:00 am Mid-morning Snack 12:30 pm Lunch 3:00 pm Mid-afternoon Snack 6:00 pm Dinner 9:00 pm Pre-bedtime Prograde Lean Nutrition Shake
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Zero portions of carbohydrates per meal/snack One pre-bedtime protein shake Free veggies* as desired
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Core Phase Option #2 The 3-2-1 Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low Carb Wed Low GI/GL Thur Low GI/GL Fri Higher GI/GL Sat Cheat Day
Core Phase Option #3 The Double Triple Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low Carb Wed Low GI/GL Thur Low GI/GL Fri Low GI/GL Sat Cheat Day
Core Phase Option #4 The Camel Hump Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low GI/GL Wed Low GI/GL Thur Low Carb Fri Low Carb Sat Cheat Day
Core Phase Option #5 The Low Carb Approach Sun Low Carb Mon Low Carb Tues Low Carb Wed Low Carb Thur Low Carb Fri Low Carb Sat Cheat Day
Here is an example week within the maintenance phase: Sun Low Carb Mon Low GI/GL Tues Higher GI/GL Wed Higher GI/GL Thur Low GI/GL Fri Higher GI/GL Sat Cheat Day
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