4 Week Fat Flush 2.0 - Cheat Sheet

Before we get started, let’s do a simple science lesson on how weight loss works.

Weight loss only occurs when you consume less calories than you burn each day. The

technical term for this is to create a calorie deficit.

Imagine a car that is going on a long road trip that needs 60 litres of fuel, but you only put in

40 litres. That’s a 20 ltr deficit. In the case of a car, it will run out of fuel and conk out.

Now imagine Sally burns 2000 calories over a 24-hour period, but she only consumes 1500 calories. Sally’s 500 calorie deficit will come from her reserve energy tank… stored body fat. It will be burnt and used as energy. How cool!!

It’s a perfect system that keeps humans alive in times of famine.

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Body fat is simply excess calories that you consumed at some stage in the

past, but have not used yet.

Instead of saying “I have 10kgs to lose”,

say “I have 70,000 spare calories to use up over time.”

If that sounds too daunting, please split your goal up into smaller chunks.

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It doesn’t matter what program you follow… paleo, clean eating, vegetarian, meal

replacement shakes, running marathons, weight watchers etc.

• Calorie deficit = weight loss (no matter what food choices)

• Calorie balance = weight stable

• Calorie surplus = weight gain (even if eating healthy foods)

• 7000 calorie deficit = 1kg weight loss

• 7000 calorie surplus = 1kg weight gain

The total number of calories you consume determines weight loss or gain. (Quantity of

calories)

What you spend it on determines health, blood sugar management, how full vs hungry you

will feel and whether you will lose fat or muscle. (Quality of calories)

I want you to think of the number of calories you consume as your budget. (Kind of like your

money budget).

I want you to think of protein, carbs and fat as what you get to “spend” your budget on.

Example - 1500 calorie budget per day

You might “spend” your budget on the following…

• 500 calories - protein

• 400 calories - fat

• 600 calories - carbs

This is important because they each have a different “job” to do in your body.

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Compare this to your money budget.

Example $1500 a week

You might “spend” it as following…

• $500 - Rent / utilities etc

• $400 - Groceries / living expenses

• $600 – Entertainment / miscellaneous

Protein, vegetables and healthy fats are like your important bills.

When you aim to reduce your “budget” you can only lower these items so much. Most of

the reduction of your calorie budget will come from your carbs. They are like the

“entertainment / miscellaneous” portion.

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In this program, you will be doing 3 things…

1) Consuming less calories. In a way you enjoy, whilst getting adequate macronutrients

(protein, carbs and fat). Weirdly enough this doesn’t always mean less food. If you

choose well, you often end up eating more food that is lower in calories and higher

in nutrients.

You can read more about that HERE – How to eat MORE food and lose weight (with

awesome pictures)

2) Burning more calories. In a way that you enjoy and that doesn’t drain you or leave

you injured.

3) Avoiding calorie surplus, as it results in weight gain. However please know, 1 calorie

surplus day is not the end of the world. It is a tiny step backwards on a journey filled

with lots of steps forward (and some on the spot).

I talk about this in more depth HERE – How much weight can I lose or gain in ONE

DAY.

We are going to focus on the amounts of protein, carbs and fat you consume each day. In

turn, creating a calorie deficit as a by-product of the plan.

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Ok, enough with the science lesson. Let’s get onto the nuts and bolts of the program.

You ready??

Instructions…

1) Carbohydrates. Consume 1.5 grams X your body weight in kgs. Maximum. You can go

slightly lower if you are truly not hungry. Please ensure to check food labels and count

everything except non-starchy vegetables. Sauces, drinks, milk, flavourings, coatings,

etc.

Carbohydrates closest to their natural state will keep you fuller and be higher in

nutrients. E.g. 30 grams of carbs from a potato will keep you much fuller than 30grams

of carbs from potato chips. That doesn’t mean you can’t include the potato chips

sometimes, but know that you will be hungrier, which makes sticking to the plan

harder.

2) Protein. Consume 1.5grams X your body weight in kgs. Minimum. You can go slightly

higher if you are still hungry. Please ensure to check and count the protein in all foods.

Read how protein helps with your fat loss goals HERE

3) Include one teaspoon of healthy fats with each meal. If your protein choice contains fat

(most meats and dairy do), then you won’t need to add extra fats to that meal.

This may include avocado, nuts, oils, butter, etc.

4) Unlimited non-starchy vegetables are allowed and encouraged. Choose your favourites

and add them to everything. You can check out some tips to include more vegies HERE

E.g. 80kg Sally needs…

• 80 X 1.5 grams of carbs = maximum 120 grams of carbs each day.

• 80 X 1.5 grams of protein each day = minimum 120 grams of protein each day

• A small portion of healthy fats with each meal.

• Unlimited amounts of non-starchy veg.

• Adequate water, but no need to go overboard

*** Please don’t get obsessive and super strict about reaching the EXACT numbers. This

is a guide. Near enough is usually good enough.

5) Eat when you are “fairly hungry”, stop when you are “satisfied” not full. Choose

balanced filling meals that follow the portion plate guidelines.

6) Eliminate snacking as much as possible. I believe that constant snacking and grazing

creates more hunger. Get on team #MealsNotSnacks

7) Move more, sit less. Particularly around eating times if possible. 5 minutes here, 10

minutes there. It does add up over time. The move more instruction is separate to your

exercise sessions.

8) Exercise 3 X week in a way that you enjoy and that a) uses all your muscle groups and

b) gets you huffing and puffing. Do not compensate or reward yourself for your

exercise sessions otherwise some of the benefits will be negated.

** Video exercise instructions are provided if inspiration is needed.

9) Include 1 – 2 non-consecutive lower calorie / lower carb days to accelerate your

progress. (Optional). This is of particular importance if you have had a “blow out” day

(calorie surplus day).

10) Do a simple meal plan at the start of each week. Pick 5 meals that you and your family

enjoy. They should follow the portion plate guidelines. Make extra for lunches and

other dinners.

11) Weekends. Your body is still counting, even if you are not. No more “What the Hell”

effect. You don’t get a clean slate the next day. That doesn’t mean you must be super

strict on weekends, but don’t go for a complete pig out either.

** Weekend weight loss tips included in week 1 instructions

12) A slip up is not a set-back. Ensure your next meal is lighter and get back on track. We

are always looking at a weekly average. Not micro managing each meal or each day

13) Alcohol is to be counted as a carb. 1 standard drink = 10 - 15 grams carbs.

14) Get quality sleep. It makes sticking to the plan SO MUCH EASIER.

15) The feeling behind the action is more important than the action itself. Please make

changes from a place of loving and respecting your body and wanting to treat it well.

Not from a place of shame and punishment.

16) Please view the initial phase of “counting everything” as a short-term learning strategy.

I will guide you on how to transition from counting to a simpler approach as we

proceed through the 4 weeks together.

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Customising Your Plan

Let’s face it. We are all creatures of habit. Most of the things we do today, we did

yesterday. Most of the thoughts in our head, the places we go, the people we see,

the actions we take, the clothes we wear, and of course, the food we eat, is a result of habit.

We might like to kid ourselves that we actually enjoy an exciting, varied diet – after all,

there’s so much out there to choose from! But if you really sit down and think about it,

most of us probably make the same boring food choices over and over again. Not all of them

are bad of course, but not all are good either, and most of them are made without much

thought. In fact, it’s been said that most people probably choose between 3 different

breakfasts, 5 different lunches, and 9 different dinners, eating the same things for weeks on

end, simply rotating them around without much variation.

I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty true for me.

This section is about acknowledging this fact and using it to your advantage when you

customise your eating plan for this program. The truth is, by planning your meals around

your current eating habits and including foods that you regularly enjoy and are easy to

prepare, you will be much more likely to stick with your plan for the long term. And that’s

important to the success of life changing goals like this one.

A ) Write down all of the meals you currently cook or purchase to eat on a regular basis. Try

to remember as many different meals/items that you can. And be specific.

Breakfasts, Snacks, Lunches and Dinners

Go on………write it down! Don’t just read it and think “I’ll do it later”. Write it now.

Now look at your entries one by one.

Cross off any meals that…

• you don’t actually enjoy

• your family doesn’t enjoy

• are straight out unhealthy (deep fried, very high in carbs / sugar, too processed)

• are too hard or complicated to cook (especially if you don’t enjoy being in the kitchen)

What remains will help you in creating your personal menu plan. But first, we’ll need to take

them to the next step:

B. Adapting to the Guidelines

Let’s look at the meals left on your list while thinking about the guidelines we discussed

before. Can any of them use a meal make-over? Are there ways you can revise a favourite

recipe in a healthier way?

Here are some tips that might help you accomplish this:

• Reduce the overall portion size – remember 1 handful protein, 1 handful carbs and lots of

salad / vegetable

• Add a lean protein or protein substitute to a meal that contains only carbs

• Decrease the carbohydrate content to a fist size or less

• Bulk up on the vegetable / salad portion of the meal (frozen veggies are fine – I like Heinz

individual steam bags)

• Choose a leaner cut of meat (I like kangaroo, and don’t screw your nose up, until you’ve

tried it!). Lean meat is another great choice

• Hide some grated or chopped up veggies and/or legumes in your mince. Carrot, zucchini,

mushrooms, capsicum, beans and lentils (tinned is ok) are great for this. You’ll also increase

your fibre and nutrient content at the same time

• Change up your mashed potatoes. Add in mashed sweet potato, pumpkin and cauliflower

(this is also great for a fat flush friendly shepherd’s pie topping) • Grill or dry bake instead of

frying

• Season your meal with herbs, garlic, lemon juice or vinegar instead of sauces and dressings

that are usually high in sugar and / or fat

• Use mountain bread wraps instead of sliced bread, or at the very least, swap white bread

for multi grain – the grainier the better! (I like Helga's lower carb bread)

• Choose low fat and low sugar dairy – cheese, milk, yoghurt and cream • Use cabbage or

thinly sliced zucchini instead of noodles in your stir fry meals

• Use Slim Pasta instead of noodles or pasta (it’s actually made from a vegetable and makes

a terrific substitute)

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C. Creating Your Personal Menu

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind while creating your menu:

• Remember to make extra to freeze for another week or to use as lunch or dinner the next

day. You can even write directly into your plan “leftovers” if that’s your selection for that

box.

• Try to group together (in the same week) meals with similar ingredients. Economically it

makes sense and will also save you time. For example, the mashed potatoes you had with

your lean meat on Tuesday could then become the topping for your shepherd’s pie on

Wednesday or Thursday. Similarly, use up your left over baked chicken for a chicken salad

wrap for lunch the next day.

• Plan quick and easy meals for your busy nights of the week.

• Leave 1 “free space” or “new choice” every now and then. Maybe once per fortnight for

you to try out new recipes. This is not the same as a Free Day however! As you discover

more healthy recipes, you can either add that to your food list choices or replace an existing

meal on your list that may not be working for you.

• Plan in a fish meal for omega 3 at least once each week.

• Review your meal plan once a week, usually on the day before you go grocery shopping,

then write your shopping list and only buy what you need. It’s cheaper and better for the

environment. And of course, don’t buy lollies, chips, and chocolate if they are not on your

plan. (They shouldn’t be!)

• Get the whole family involved in planning and preparing the meals. The kids will enjoy the

meal so much more when they take ownership of their food.

• Manage your hunger. If you know you are really hungry at 3pm, but not so much at 10am,

then adjust your plan accordingly. Remember this is a customised plan just for you.

• Define your “non-negotiables.” Meaning, if you know you absolutely cannot live without

something that’s not necessarily fat flush friendly (and I don’t mean doughnuts! Mine

happens to be Weet-bix for breakfast), then please factor that in.

Finally, keep in mind the following tips to ensure your success and provide for potential

slips:

Don’t write down something you don’t like because you think you “should”.

You will never end up eating it.

Have one or two healthy take away options in your arsenal and keep the menus handy.

If and when the situation arises, you will be ready and prepared instead of thinking only

with your taste buds.

Lean meat + salad (no sauces or cheese) on a wrap is usually a good option when inspiration

is sorely lacking when hungry.

You will find other take-away options on the Facebook page.

Keep one or two emergency frozen meals handy.

If you are unsure about any of your meal / snack choices, please contact me and together

we can work out the best option for you!

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Common Protein and Carbohydrate Gram Counts

I can’t stress enough that, unlike many other programs, you can eat just about anything as

long as you follow the simple rules provided. Again, I don’t want you to think of your plan as

a “diet” but rather an eating plan for good old-fashioned, real food in the correct portion

sizes.

The following lists will help you get started but you can easily find gram counts of foods

online and in many reference books.

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Protein Choices

100 grams weight of food (or a serving about the size of your palm)

• lean beef or lamb 30 grams

• lean kangaroo 30 grams

• lean pork 30 grams

• lean turkey 28 grams

• lean chicken 28 grams

• lean mince – any type, but check label for lowest fat 20-30 grams

• tuna (1 tin is usually 90 – 100 grams) 18 grams

• salmon (1 tin is usually 90 – 100 grams) 20 grams

• fish (usually a hand size including fingers) 20 grams

• prawns 18 grams • tofu 12 grams

• lentils 7 grams

• low fat ricotta cheese 10 grams

• low fat feta cheese 10 grams

• tinned beans (varied) 7 grams

• chickpeas 7 grams

• low fat milk 250 mls 9 grams

• 1 large egg 7 grams

• protein powder – average – 1 scoop 20 grams

Carbohydrate Choices

Average counts are given so please check labels for exact content for your brand

• Multigrain bread (the grainier the better) 2 slices 22 grams

• Wraps - average 21 grams

• Mountain bread wrap 13 grams

• Half a Lebanese bread 22 grams

• 2 Cruskits 9 grams

• White rice (basmati) half cup cooked 24 grams

• White rice (jasmine) half cup cooked 40 grams

• Brown rice – half cup cooked 24 grams

• Pasta – (average) - half cup cooked 21 grams

• Brown / whole meal pasta - half cup cooked 15 grams

• Potato - cooked – approx 1 fist size portion 20 grams

• Sweet potato – cooked – approx 1 fist size portion 19 grams

• Pumpkin – approx 1 fist size portion 8 grams

• McCain’s healthy oven baked fries 100 gr (size of fist) 19 grams

• Cereal – untoasted oats – 30 grams 17 grams

• All bran 30 grams 17 grams

• Weet-bix – 2 22 grams

• Special k - 30 grams 22 grams

• Banana – medium 29 grams

• Cherries - 9 grams

• Apple – medium 14 grams

• Berries – punnet 9 grams

• Orange 100grams 8 grams

• Watermelon 150 grams 9.6 grams

• Mango 100grams 7.5 grams

• Kiwi fruit 100 grams 7 grams

• Pear 150 grams 12 grams

• Grapes 15 grams

• Peach 120 grams 9 grams

• Rockmelon 160 grams 9 grams

Some suggested flavourings and sauces:

• lemon juice

• lime juice

• tomato

• tinned tomatoes

• vinegar, most varieties – including salad dressings – small amount

• fish sauce

• wholegrain mustard – small amount

• oyster sauce • garlic • soy sauce – high in salt – don’t use too regularly

• all herbs and spices

• low fat natural yoghurt – (great to take the place of cream in recipes)

• low fat ricotta smooth cheese (also replaces cream in recipes)

• taco powder

• salsa dip

• ginger

• red wine – small amount

• chilli

DISCLAIMER: The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment

regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the

understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine and does not enter a health-care

practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. The information and opinions provided herein are believed to be

accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the authors. However,

readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail

to consult with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher is not responsible for

errors or omissions.