Lean_Body_Diet by Shin Ohtake

By Shin Ohtake

© 2008-2011. Shin Ohtake / MAXWorkouts.com. All Rights Reserved.www.MaxWorkouts.com • [email protected]

THE LEAN BODY

DIETHOW TO EAT FORMAXIMUM FAT-LOSS

By: Shin OhtakeAuthor of MAXWORKOUTS

http://www.MaxWorkouts.com







mailto:[email protected]











Table of Contents

Note: This Table of Contents is clickable! Clicking a page number will take you straight to that page.

LEGAL STUFF! 4

Disclaimer! 4

Important Copyright Notice! 4

INTRODUCTION! 6

ALL CALORIES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL! 8

Sugar Makes You Fat (And It’s Hidden In More Foods Than You Think)! 9

How To Reduce Inflammation For Optimal Health! 12

Eat To Slow The Aging Process! 14

Anti-Nutrients: Common Foods with Toxic Effects! 16

Why Fiber Makes You Thin! 18

Acidic & Alkaline: The Yin & Yang of Food! 19

Pre & Post Workout Nutrition! 21

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR DAILY CALORIE NEEDS! 22

Protein: The Building Blocks of a Lean, Strong Body! 22

Carbohydrates: How Low Should You Go?! 25

Fat Doesn’t Make You Fat! 28

Calculating Your Daily Calorie Intake (An Example)! 30

5-Step Quick Summary! 34

15 Insider Tips For Rapid Fat-Loss! 35

THE LEAN BODY DIET -- THE 90-DAY PLAN! 37

LIST OF HEALTHY FOODS CHOICES! 39

Proteins (Meat, Poultry, Seafood)! 39

THE LEAN BODY DIET • 2

© 2008-2011 Shin Ohtake / MAX WORKOUTS. You may not copy, reproduce, post or forward this document in any format.

Proteins (Eggs, Dairy)! 41

Carbohydrates (Non-Starchy Vegetables)! 43

Carbohydrates (Fresh & Frozen Fruits)! 45

Fats (Oils)! 47

Fats (Nuts & Seeds)! 48

Other Foods (Miscellaneous)! 49

Food Diary! 52

SUPPLEMENTS! 53

Vitamin & Mineral Supplements! 53

Protein Supplements! 53

The Truth About Weight-Loss Supplements! 54

MEAL PLANNING! 55

Before You Start! 55

Healthy Breakfast Dishes! 56

Healthy Lunch Dishes! 57

Healthy Dinner Dishes! 58

Healthy Snacks! 59

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS! 60

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE 90-DAY PROGRAM! 62



LEGAL STUFFThank you for noting these important points prior to continuing on.

DisclaimerThe advice and information contained in this document may not be appropriate for all individuals. Therefore, I cannot be responsible for any injuries or health conditions that may result from my advice, opinions, and programs represented in this document. The information expressed in this document are my opinions and are not a replacement for medical advice. You should consult a physician before starting any diet or exercise program.

Important Copyright Notice

Important! Do not skip.What you CANʼT do: This book is protected by domestic and international copyright laws, making it illegal for you to give away, email, sell, auction, reprint, or otherwise distribute copies, whether in digital or physical format. No part of this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, emailing, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission from the author. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Copyright infringement is a serious crime with fines starting at $150,000 and up, including potential imprisonment upon conviction.

What you CAN do: You may print this book out for your own personal use and I also encourage you to make a backup of this PDF file. In the event that you lose your copy due to a computer outage, please contact me and I will be happy to replace it for you.



About The AuthorBorn in Tokyo, Shin was raised in diverse cities across the globe, including London, New York City, Toronto, and various places in California. Growing up in an extremely athletic family, he was always passionate about fitness and competitive sports. When he was a young child, he ran track and field, and swam competitively, at a national and international level, for more than a decade.

Shin attended McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada where he received his Bachelorʼs of Science degree in Biochemistry. After graduating, Shin was a varsity swim coach and stayed active in swimming and various other sports. He wanted to continue learning about the effects of sports and athleticism on the

body, so he attended Palmer Chiropractic College West to become a licensed chiropractor. He specializes in soft tissue chiropractic medicine, specifically focusing on Active Release Technique (ART), an integral method in the athletic world.

After spending seven years focused on chiropractic medicine, Shin also became a sports conditioning coach. He's been training clients, including local athletes and triathletes in the Los Angeles area ever since. “I love interacting with people and helping them achieve what they never thought they could,” he says. “No matter how big or small the goal, whether itʼs helping a client lose those last 10 pounds or improving their time in a triathlon, itʼs incredibly fulfilling to be a catalyst in helping them reach it.”

Shin also feels compelled to educate the public on proper training and workout techniques. “Practicing as a chiropractor made me realize that thereʼs a lot of misinformation in the public realm,” he says. “I feel obligated to show people the right way to train and get measurable results.”

Shin is an athletic-style trainer, with a friendly demeanor that is inspiring to be around. “Shin is extremely knowledgeable and challenging, yet his workouts are really fun,” says Level 10 Owner Meredith Miller. “I love working out with him because heʼs calm, cool and collected, yet pushes you to reach your fitness goals and gives you an amazing, memorable workout.”

Shin lives in San Francisco, California with his wife, Susan, and their dog, Peanut.



INTRODUCTIONYou are what you eat. Itʼs as simple as that.

Or is it?

Unfortunately, things arenʼt always what they seem. Most people think they eat well, but thatʼs usually not the case...not even close. Thereʼs an underlying problem thatʼs caused our society to have a skewed definition of what “healthy” eating really means. Chances are you fall into this category, but itʼs not your fault.

Sadly, most foods you see in your grocery stores are not healthy. Youʼve been misinformed and brainwashed into thinking that much of the foods you buy and consume are healthy.

The pictures, graphics, colors and the words on these packages are carefully chosen to trigger “proper” psychological responses so you feel good about buying these products. Not to mention, the millions of dollars spent on ads and commercials to sway your opinion.

Itʼs marketing at itʼs best and weʼve all fallen victim to it at some point or another (myself included). But when you canʼt trust the sources that are supposedly looking out for your best interests, it becomes a serious problem.

Even the USDAʼs food pyramid is completely wrong. In fact, it should be upside down...literally. The foods represented on the base of the pyramid are actually one of the main reasons why the rate of obesity has exploded in the last 2 decades!

So why is the government still pushing this supposedly healthy eating recommendation? Perhaps money? Perhaps the deep pockets and the ties that major food companies have with the government? Who knows why. But one thing is certain - whatʼs being promoted as healthy isnʼt working.

Eating healthy isnʼt hard, but finding the right information can be daunting. Itʼs difficult to know who to trust when you have the multi-billion dollar diet industry pumping out propaganda on one end and the food industry spreading false information on the other. There are way too many sharks out there waiting to take advantage of misinformed and overwhelmed consumers.

This is why I decided to write this simple and sensible eating plan. By following this guide youʼll avoid all of the common pitfalls associated with “dieting”. Youʼll get all the information you need to become well-informed so you can start making healthier decisions for yourself.



“Successful, healthy and permanent weight loss starts from a change in your mindset.”

Losing weight has become Americaʼs favorite past time. We have prime time TV shows based on it, we have former celebrities getting paid ridiculous amounts of money to endorse diet programs that donʼt work, and we even have fast food chains that have successfully created semi-celebrities (e.g. "Jared" from Subway) as part of their marketing campaigns...all because of our obsession with losing weight.

Well, guess what?

Obsessing over anything only makes things worse, and that includes weight-loss. Instead of focusing on how many pounds you want to lose, shift your focus on being healthy and leading a balanced lifestyle.

Losing weight will happen if you eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly. It won't happen overnight, but gaining weight doesn't happen overnight either. Gaining weight usually happens because of slow and insidious increase in calories and a gradual decline of your physical activities. A pound here and a pound there, and before you know it you can't fit into your jeans anymore.

Successful and sustained weight-loss happens when you decide to change your habits...when you commit to a healthy lifestyle to improve everything about your health. That means taking care of your body by eating healthy, exercising, getting enough rest and managing stress. These are all important variables in your life that greatly affect the outcome of your fat-loss goals.

When you learn to focus on eating for health, the weight comes off almost automatically. Iʼm going to show you how to fuel your body with foods that fight disease, slow the aging process, increase your metabolism and help you function optimally. The Lean Body Diet is a permanent fat-loss solution through making healthy eating a lifestyle - so you look great and feel great for life!



ALL CALORIES ARE NOT CREATED EQUALThe first step in getting healthy and successfully losing weight is to change the way you look at food. Losing weight isnʼt just about reducing calories. Where your calories come from is equally important.

Food communicates with your body and tells it what to do and what not to do, all depending on the types of food you ingest. Eating well fuels your body for optimal function, whereas eating poorly keeps you going, but causes all kinds of problems, minimizing the quality of your life. Itʼs kind of like putting gasoline in your car. Regular will make the car go, but Premium will enhance itʼs performance and lengthen the life of the engine.

Food triggers hormonal responses that control metabolic processes in your body, such as the amount of fat burned OR the amount of fat stored. By eating the right foods, you can trigger favorable hormonal responses that elicit desirable metabolic processes, such as increasing your bodyʼs ability to burn fat and lose weight.

Eating the right foods can greatly enhance the positive effects on your body, but too much of a good thing is still too much. So, you do need to keep your caloric count in mind. That being said, when you eat healthy it's much harder to over consume calories. For example, protein is naturally low in calories and helps suppress your hunger, so you feel full faster and for a longer period of time. Vegetables are very low in calories and have high fiber content, which makes it almost impossible for you to over consume calories! It's things like bread, pasta, cereal and other starchy foods, which have been processed and refined, that cause you to overeat.

Refined and processed foods are jam-packed with calories and provide relatively little nutrient value. Consuming these foods triggers unfavorable hormonal responses that cause undesirable effects such as increased body fat, weight gain and overall compromises your health. So, it should come as no surprise that our bodies function optimally ONLY when we eat nutritious, unrefined whole foods - foods that are naturally grown, not processed or refined.

One particularly powerful hormone that gets triggered by refined food is insulin. Insulin is responsible for many important biochemical processes and one of them is to enhance your body's ability to store fat, causing you to gain weight. If that's not bad enough, when insulin is repeatedly activated by eating refined foods (like bread and pasta), it can eventually lead to serious diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Bottom line: Stay clear of ALL refined and processed foods. Instead, replace them with natural, unrefined whole foods that provide your body with all the essential nutrients for optimum health and enable you to burn fat easier and get lean faster. Even though successful weight-loss isn't just about “calories in” (how many calories you eat) vs. “calories out” (how many calories you burn), keeping your caloric intake in check won't be hard to do when you start eating natural, unrefined whole foods.



Sugar Makes You Fat (And Itʼs Hidden In More Foods Than You Think)

“A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.”

Sadly, the saying isnʼt far from the truth, especially when it comes to consuming refined carbohydrate foods.

Since this topic is very important, letʼs take a closer look at how carbohydrate foods affect your body. The better you understand how they affects you, the easier itʼll be to avoid refined carbohydrate foods and choose unrefined carbohydrate foods instead.

Carbohydrates Are Sugar!

Carbohydrates are foods that can be broken down into simple forms of sugar, such as glucose, fructose and mannose, which are utilized for fuel (energy).

For our purpose, carbohydrates can essentially be divided into 2 categories:

1) Unrefined - all natural, whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains* and legumes* (Iʼll talk about the starred items in more detail in a later chapter)

2) Refined - all refined grains such as breads, pasta, rice, cereal and other starchy foods

When you eat carbohydrate foods, the carbohydrates get converted into sugar as theyʼre digested. When sugar reaches your intestine it gets absorbed through your intestinal wall (your gut) and then goes to your liver. Along the way, sugar passes by your pancreas where insulin is secreted in response to how much sugar is present. The more sugar present, the more insulin is secreted.

Insulin has many important roles and one of them is to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. In most cases, insulin does a great job of making sure that sugar is metabolized so that it doesʼt stick around in your bloodstream and increase your blood sugar level. This is a good thing since an elevated blood sugar level can severely alter metabolic processes in your body, which can lead to serious diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

However, in cases where sugar is constantly being consumed, it can overwhelm your pancreas and liver, eventually leading to insulin insensitivity. This is a situation you want to avoid at all costs. Lack of insulin sensitivity means higher blood sugar levels, which leads to weight gain and more fat - especially around your belly (for men), hips and thighs (for women) along with a slew of potential health problems.

Now that you know sugar stimulates the production of insulin, which is needed to maintain consistent blood sugar levels, let's take a look at how sugar gets metabolized and used in your body.



When sugar enters your liver, it has three possible paths it can take depending on how much sugar needs to be metabolized. Hereʼs how the process works:

1) The first path of sugar is to provide immediate energy for various metabolic processes.

2) Sugar that's not needed for immediate energy is then converted to glycogen and stored for future use in your muscles and liver.

3) Any excess sugar that can't be stored as glycogen gets converted to triglycerides (fat). Fat is then combined with cholesterol to form VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein). However, it doesn't stay as VLDL for too long as it drops off the triglycerides (fat) at various fat storage sites, at which point it turns into LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein). The LDL is also known as the "bad" cholesterol that increases your risk of heart disease.

To summarize, sugar can be used for immediate energy, stored for later use or converted to fat to be stored and used for even later use (if ever). Sugar is energy, but depending on how much energy is required and how much sugar is consumed, all energy that's not immediately needed gets stored away as either glycogen or FAT.

Here's the real kicker though...your body only has limited room for glycogen storage - 200 grams to be exact. Therefore, anything over 200 grams gets converted and stored as fat! Think about that for a second. That's like 3 bagels or 2 Starbucks blueberry muffins! How many people do you think consume at least 200 grams of sugar in day?

Now, this doesnʼt mean you canʼt ever eat sugar again. Itʼs just means you have to get your sugar from the right food sources. As mentioned earlier, carbohydrate foods can be divided into refined and unrefined. Although they both eventually break down into sugar, the rate at which they break down has a very big impact on your body...

Unrefined carbohydrate foods (i.e. vegetables and fruits) get broken down much slower since their natural whole food structures are intact. The longer it takes to break down the better, as not to overwhelm your body with large amounts of sugar that needs to be metabolized at once. Vegetables in particular are great because they have such low sugar content. Fruits are good as well, but they have higher sugar content, so I recommended them in moderate amounts. Consuming these foods allows sugar to be utilized for immediate energy and glycogen storage without any excess being converted and stored as fat.

On the other hand, refined carbohydrate foods such as breads, pasta, rice and other refined grain products get broken down much quicker since their whole food structure has already been processed and refined. These foods also contain much higher sugar content and when consumed, quickly overwhelm your pancreas and liver with large amounts of sugar. This forces more insulin to be secreted and demands that your liver work harder to metabolize all the sugar. Eating these foods causes your blood sugar level to fluctuate up and down, putting great stress on your body. And more often then not, there's too much sugar in your body to be stored as glycogen, causing all the rest to be stored as FAT!



Unfortunately, consuming large amounts of refined carbohydrate foods on a daily basis has long become the norm in our country (and many parts of the world), which explains why the rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes are the two fastest growing health problem in the United States. Avoiding refined carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta, rice, pastries, cereal and other starchy foods and replacing them with unrefined carbohydrate foods (vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit), is the most effective way to lose weight and achieve optimal health. Bottom line: Sugar makes you fat!



How To Reduce Inflammation For Optimal Health

Food allergies and food intolerances are similar but slightly different reactions to food. Neither one of them are good since they both produce ill effects ranging from minor annoyances to serious allergic reactions.

The physiological difference between a food allergies and food intolerances are as follows:

1) A food allergy is an immune response. The body doesnʼt recognize the substance (usually protein) and produces an immune response to defend the body against what it sees as a foreign substance.

2) A food intolerance is a digestive response. The food ingested irritates the digestive system and is unable to break it down and digest it properly.

Nowadays both reactions are becoming more common, largely due to the abundance of heavily refined and processed foods which contain commonly allergic and intolerant foods like gluten, eggs, dairy, and nuts.

Surprisingly, most of us donʼt even know that we have food allergies and intolerances. Outside of serious allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock) to certain foods like nuts and shellfish, most symptoms arenʼt commonly thought of as being caused by the foods we eat, which is why symptoms are commonly ignored or tolerated.

Hereʼs a list of some common ailments caused by food allergies and intolerances:

• Sinus problems

• Phlegm

• Headaches

• Aches and pains (in your joints and muscles)

• Fatigue

• Skin irritation (e.g. acne, rash, dryness, itchiness)

• Digestive problems (e.g. nausea, indigestion, irregular bowel functions, acid reflux)

All foods that youʼre allergic or intolerant to can cause inflammation in your body. The symptoms are just a result of an inflammatory process thatʼs wreaking havoc on your metabolism. This is why inflammation caused by food allergens is also known to cause weight gain.

The best way to avoid inflammation is to eliminate foods that youʼre allergic or intolerant to. The easiest place to start is by eliminating all foods that have been refined or processed. Instead, replace them with



unrefined whole foods. These are foods that are in their natural, unaltered state with no additives. This way you know exactly what youʼre putting in your body. Even with unrefined whole foods, itʼs best to avoid those with high incidences of allergies and intolerances such as eggs, dairy, gluten and nuts to begin with. If your body reacts favorably to the elimination, you can slowly reintroduce the these foods back into your diet one at a time to see which ones you can tolerate. Keep repeating this process until you discover which foods youʼre allergic or intolerant to.

Once you figure out which foods to eliminate, keep them off your food list permanently. This way your body can cool down the inflammation and re-establish the homeostasis (balance) back into your metabolic processes so your weight loss efforts arenʼt being hindered.



Eat To Slow The Aging Process

Aging is a natural process, part of which is caused by oxidation. Oxidation occurs when oxygen is utilized during a metabolic process (any function in your body that requires oxygen)...itʼs part of life. Paradoxically, the by-products of oxidation, known as free radicals, are quite damaging to your body.

Free radicals damage your tissues, causing negative effects like faster aging and wrinkles. When too many free radicals accumulate in your body, they can even cause enough damage to cause serious illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Free radicals can also slow your metabolism and cause you to gain more weight.

Fortunately, your body has a built in mechanism that fights off free radicals to keep you in a healthy state of balance. Free radical production is neutralized by molecules called antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent and slow down the oxidative process and act as free radical scavengers to stop the free radical damage from getting out of control.

Some antioxidants are produced internally and some are supplied through foods. Foods that are rich in micronutrients such as beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E are powerful antioxidants commonly found in fruits and vegetables.

Problems occur when your body gets out of balance and more free radicals are produced than antioxidants. Although free radicals are part of our normal metabolic process, their production can be increased through an unhealthy lifestyle. Stress and diet are the two of the biggest factors that influence the production of free radicals. Stress causes your body to secrete cortisol, which is a vital hormone needed for survival, but too much stress can cause overproduction of it, resulting in serious damage to your body. Poor diet is another major cause of free radicals. Foods high in refined carbohydrates and trans fats are the worst offenders, they accelerate the free radical productions so much that the antioxidants simply canʼt keep up to neutralize the extensive oxidative damage.

Unfortunately, in our present high stress, high sugar, trans fat laden-fast food culture, free radicals are running amok. This is causing pre-mature aging and an increase in the rate of serious diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The most effective way to neutralize free radical production and re-establish a normal rate of oxidation is to minimize (or better manage) stress and eat foods rich in phytonutrients, which are full of anti-oxidants.

Below is a list of anti-oxidant rich foods that can help you fight free radicals and stop the effects of pre-mature aging.



32 Age-Defying, Anti-Oxidant Rich Foods

Fruits Vegetables / Plants Nuts & Seeds Sea Vegetables

Wild Blueberries Spinach Coconuts Kelp

Cranberries Kale Walnuts Wakame

Blackberries Broccoli Pecans Spirulina

Raspberries Cabbage Almonds

Acai berries Brussel Sprouts Cashews

Goji Berries Carrots Hazelnuts

Mulberries Bok Choy Macadamia nuts

Strawberries Maca Sunflower seeds

Plums Wheatgrass Pumpkin seeds

Cherries (acerola) **All dark green vegetables

Grapes



Anti-Nutrients: Common Foods with Toxic Effects

Foods contain a variety of nutrients, which are substances that give living organisms energy to run all of their metabolic processes in order to grow and sustain life. Nutrients can be divided up into two major categories:

1) Macronutrients - nutrients required in large quantities, which are your basic proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

2) Micronutrients - nutrients required in small quantities, like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Although food provides essential nutrients to nourish our bodies, some also carry potentially toxic and harmful substances known as anti-nutrients. Anti-nutrients contain digestive enzyme blockers and toxic proteins called lectin. Anti-nutrients are not usually cause for concern since theyʼre present in such small quantities in most foods. However, there are foods that contain high levels of anti-nutrients in their raw form, such as grains, legumes (i.e. beans) and potatoes.

The purpose of anti-nutrients is to protect the seed until it germinates. It terms of evolution, itʼs protecting the survival of itʼs kind. This is why when you soak the seeds and they sprout (germinate), some of the toxic substances that are inherently present to protect the seed are released. However, even after germination, anti-nutrient properties still exist. For this reason, it's best to eliminate all grains and legumes from your diet.

In particular, grains are foods that need to avoided as all costs. Of all the foods in our diet, grains are by far the most abundant. Breads, pasta, rice, baked goods, and pretty much anything that's processed since they all have some type of wheat or barley flour in them. That's a lot of food...and it's not a good thing since grains are also the most destructive to your digestive system and overall health.

All grains have proteins called lectins (an anti-nutrient). Lectins are toxic proteins that are very harmful to your body. The problem begins in your digestive system. Lectins can't be properly digested and they attach themselves to certain transport receptors in your gut, hitching a ride across your intestinal wall. Once they get across your intestinal lining they wreak all sorts of havoc. Since theyʼre not digested, lectins are seen as "foreign bodies" and are attacked by your immune system. In normal situations, your immune system makes "anti-bodies" against foreign molecules to destroy them, which is what itʼs supposed to do. BUT, these lectin proteins closely resemble proteins in your body, so your immune system mistakingly starts attacking your own body! This is known as an autoimmune reaction, where your own body attacks itself and causes major damage. Worse yet, these lectins eventually cause enough damage to your intestinal lining, allowing even more proteins to "leak" through, amplifying the condition. This is commonly known the "leaky gut" syndrome and has been associated with all sorts of autoimmune diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Autism and many more.



Another nasty protein found in some grains is gluten. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barely, and millet. For people who are intolerant to gluten, it causes a disease known as Celiac Disease, which is also an autoimmune disease. Even though itʼs a different protein, the same damaging process occurs.

Some nutritional experts believe that grains should not be part of the human diet. Grains only entered the human food chain 10,000 years ago when agriculture was first introduced as a cheaper and more accessible alternative to essential foods like meat, vegetables and fruits. From the looks of it, I think they're right. Stay away from grains and you'll be healthier and thinner!

Legumes and potatoes also contain anti-nutrient qualities, such as toxic proteins and digestive enzyme inhibitors, which cause very similar digestive problems to that of grains. I recommend you stay away from legumes and potatoes for the same reasons.

Eliminating grains, legumes and potatoes altogether from your diet wonʼt in anyway compromise your health. Rather, this will help enhance your health and help you lose more weight faster.

Note: “Sweet potatoes” are not part of the potato family and they are okay to eat.



Why Fiber Makes You Thin

Although fiber is probably the least sexy aspect of nutrition, it's one of the most important, yet often overlooked part of healthy eating for effective weight-loss.

Fiber is indigestible content found in plant foods commonly known as "roughage". Since fiber is not digested, it's not absorbed and doesn't provide any energy to your body.

So what's it good for?

It provides motility in your digestive system to keep you healthy and running smoothly, literally. Just think of fiber as the Roto-Rooter of your colon.

There are technically two types of fibers: soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber, when mixed with liquid, forms a gel in your stomach and prolongs the time it takes to empty. It also absorbs fat, lowers cholesterol and slows down the absorption of nutrients, which is particularly helpful for insulin because it slows down the rate of sugar absorption.

Insoluble fiber is exactly as the name suggests, insoluble. It doesn't mix with liquids and pretty much stays intact throughout the entire course of the digestive system, until it's excreted. Insoluble fiber is what helps with motility and moves bulk through the intestines, thereby helping prevent constipation and other digestive problems. It also helps maintain an optimal pH environment in the colon, thereby protecting it from toxic cancerous substances.

Most fibrous foods contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. Even though they provide different functions, eating fibrous foods will provide you with the benefits of both.

The recommended amount of daily fiber is 30-50 grams a day. That may seem like a lot considering the average fiber intake in the US is only about 10-12 grams per day! No wonder constipation and other digestive issues are such a wide spread problem.

Foods that have high fiber content are dark green leafy vegetables, fruits with skin, seeds and nuts. If you have a hard time eating enough fibrous foods to get 30-50 grams worth of fiber, you can always take fiber supplements like psyllium husks, ground flax seeds and Metamucil amongst others.

Here's another great reason to add more fiber to your diet: It's a natural hunger suppressant. In fact, it's so effective at suppressing hunger that many diet programs are primarily based on taking fiber supplements to ensure that you are able to sustain a lower caloric intake without experiencing too much hunger.



Acidic & Alkaline: The Yin & Yang of Food

Maintaining a neutral pH environment in your body is extremely important for your health. The way you achieve this is to eat a balance of acidic and alkaline (basic) foods.

Unfortunately, most people's diets consist of too many acidic foods and not enough alkaline foods. This type of imbalanced eating pattern can cause undue stress on your body since acidic foods leach vital minerals like calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium from your bones and vital organs in an effort to neutralize the acidity. You can imagine the stress this process puts on your body. These mechanisms are in place as part of a survival mechanism and shouldn't be part of a regular metabolic process.

When there's a persistent imbalance of acidic to alkaline food intake, it can lead to serious health problems such as osteoporosis, muscles pain, joint pain and immune deficiencies just to name a few. Since all protein foods are acidic in nature, it becomes even more important that you eat enough fruits and vegetables (which are the only alkaline foods) to balance your pH.

Keep in mind that grain products like bread, rice and pastas are all acidic as well and eating these foods in combination with other highly acidic foods like meat, dairy, cheese and eggs can double the amount of stress you're already putting on your body!

Here's a list of common foods that have been analyzed and given an acidic or alkaline value. PRAL stands for Potential Renal Acid Load. A negative (-) PRAL score means the food is basic (alkaline) and a positive (+)PRAL score means the food is acidic. A PRAL score of zero means the food is neutral. The PRAL score is in parenthesis below the listed food item.

Bottom line: Eating unrefined carbohydrates (i.e. vegetables and fruits) instead of refined carbohydrates helps balance your pH.

Meat Fish Dairy/Eggs Nuts Vegetables Fruits Grains Sweets

Chicken (8.7)

Cod (7.1)

Whole Egg (8.2)

Hazelnuts (-2.8)

Asparagus (-0.4)

Apples (-2.2)

White Bread (3.7)

White Sugar (-0.1)

Lean Bee(7.8)

Herring (7.0)

Egg White (1.1)

Peanuts (8.3)

Broccoli (-1.2)

Apricots (-4.8)

Rye Bread (4.1)

Honey (-0.3)

Turkey (9.9)

Haddock (6.8)

Egg Yolk (23.4)

Walnuts (6.8)

Spinach (-14.0)

Bananas (-5.5)

Wheat Bread (1.8)

Lean Pork (7.9)

Trout (10.8)

Hard Cheese (19.2)

Cauliflower (-4.0)

Cherries (-3.6)

Oats (10.7)



Meat Fish Dairy/Eggs Nuts Vegetables Fruits Grains Sweets

Lunch Meat (10.2)

Gouda Cheese (18.6)

Carrots (-4.9)

Kiwi Fruit (-4.1)

Wheat Flour (8.2)

Hot Dog (6.7)

Cheddar Cheese (26.4)

Tomatoes (-3.1)

Oranges (-2.7)

Rye Flour (5.9)

Salami (11.6)

Cottage Cheese

(8.7)

Zucchini (-2.6)

Peaches (-2.4)

Brown Rice (10.8)

Sour Cream (1.2)

Lettuce (-2.5)

Pears (-2.9)

White Rice (1.7)

Whole Milk (0.7)

Peppers (-1.4)

Pineapple (-2.7)

Spaghetti (6.5)

Plain Yogurt (1.5)

Onions (-1.5)

Strawberry (-2.2)

Raisins (-21.0)

*This table is adapted from the Remer and Manz study and each PRAL score is based on a 100g portion of food.



Pre & Post Workout Nutrition

Not everyone needs pre and/or post workout nutrition. However, if youʼre lacking in energy, pre-workout nutrition is recommend. If youʼre looking to gain more lean muscle mass, you can do pre and post OR just post workout nutrition. Pre workout nutrition will help boost your energy level prior to the workout and post nutrition will help you replenish your glycogen, keeping your muscles out of the catabolic (muscle wasting) state after your workout.

If you want to enhance your lean muscle gain or are feeling sluggish because you've lowered your carbohydrate intake, you can consume a 1:3 protein to carb ratio (drink or snack) 30 minutes before your workout and/or within the first hour after working out.

Pre and post-workout nutrition is the the only time you can consume simple, refined carbohydrates such as fruit juice, sports drinks, protein bars, etc...

For easy digestibility and quick absorption, liquid form is the easiest and most effective. Protein supplements (such as whey protein powder) mixed with fruit juice is one of the easiest and most convenient drinks to make. If you have a bit more time, blend a protein supplement (e.g. whey protein powder) with real fruits (e.g. blueberries, blackberries, bananas, etc...) along with some ice water for a delicious and healthy shake.



HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR DAILY CALORIE NEEDSMacronutrients are nutrients required in large quantities. These are your proteins, carbohydrates and fats. There are optimal amounts of each that you should consume, however, these amounts vary from person to person. In this chapter, I will explain the benefits of each macronutrient and show you how to calculate your daily needs for maximum fat-loss.

Protein: The Building Blocks of a Lean, Strong Body

Protein provides the building blocks for your muscles and other structures in your body, so it's imperative that you get enough protein in your daily diet. Protein is commonly under consumed, since most people eat a heavily starch-based diet.

Protein is composed of a chain of amino acids. There are more than a hundred different amino acids that are available on this planet, but only 20 are necessary for your body. These amino acids are classified as "essential" and "non-essential" amino acids. There are 11 non-essential amino acids, which are amino acids that your body can make on its own. There are 9 essential amino acids, which are amino acids your body canʼt make. The following is a list of essential and non-essential amino acids:

Essential:Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Valine

Non-essential:Alanine, Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Cysteine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Glycine, Proline, Serine, Tryosine

The essential amino acids must come from protein in your diet. The best kind is animal protein from foods like red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy*. These food provide “complete” proteins since all 9 essential amino acids are available. Plant proteins, on the other hand, do not provide all of the essential amino acids (with the exception of soy and quinoa). These are also known as “incomplete” proteins and are found in foods such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Foods with “incomplete” proteins contain different combinations of essential amino acids. If you combine the right types of plant foods (e.g. brown rice and peas), you can get all 9 essential amino acids. However, the bioavailability of proteins from plants is not nearly as good as protein from animal sources. Unless youʼre a vegetarian, itʼs best to get your essential amino acids from foods that provide “complete” protein like red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy*.

* If you are lactose intolerant, you should not consume dairy.



How Much Protein Do You Need?

The amount of protein you need on a daily basis depends on two factors: 1) your body size and 2) your activity level. The bigger you are, the more muscle content you have and more protein you need to sustain the muscular and structural integrity of your body. The more active you are, the more you "damage" your muscle tissues, which means more protein is required for repair. The "damaging" process of your muscle is a natural process that occurs when you exercise, like lifting weights. It's the repeated process of damaging and repairing your muscle tissues that results in building more muscle.

How To Calculate Your Lean Body Mass

The first process in figuring out how much protein you need is to calculate your lean body mass. In order to do that, you need to find out what your body fat percentage is. There are a several ways to get your body fat percentage. Here are some of the most common methods:

• The Skin Caliper Test - Special calipers are used to measure folds of skin around specific spots on the body. This is a popular and fairly easy method, but the accuracy depends on the person administering the test. I recommended that you have someone who’s experienced perform the test to get an accurate measurement.

• Electrical Impedance Test - This method involves a device that sends harmless radio frequencies through your body to measure water content. This provides an estimated value of your body fat. However, because it depends on your body's water level, exercising and drinking liquid directly before the test can distort results. For this reason, the test is considered only moderately accurate.

• Hydrostatic/Full Body Immersion Test - This is considered the gold standard of body fat measurements. The test requires you to submerge your entire body (including your head) under water while exhaling all the air from your lungs. Although the method is very accurate, you need a facility that performs this test and the test itself can be difficult for some people.

If none of the above methods are available to you, you can calculate your body fat percentage by using the equation below. This equation requires you to plug in a few body part measurements, which you can take using measuring tape. Although it's certainly not the most accurate method, it's easy and does help you get started.

Here are the measurements (in inches) you need:• For men you need to measure your height, waist and neck

• For women you need to measure your height, waist, hips and neck

Once you have your measurements, plug them into the equation below:



(Developed by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984 and later updated by Hodgdon and Friedl in 1999 at the Naval Research Center)

After you find out what your body fat percentage is, calculate your body fat mass by multiplying your weight by your body fat percentage. For example, if your body fat percentage is 19% and your current body weight is 140 pounds, the calculation would be:

140 x 0.19 = 26.6 pounds of body fat

After you get your body fat mass, you can take that value and subtract it from your current body weight to get your lean body weight:

140 - 26.6 = 113 pounds (round to the closest whole number)

Now that you have your lean body weight, you can see how much protein you should consume each day based on your activity level (see chart below).

* Note: If you are on the MAX Workouts program, your activity level is considered “Active”

Activity Level Grams of Protein Needed Per Pound of Lean Body Weight

Grams of protein to consume daily (Example continued from above)

Sedentary

Moderately Active

Active

Very Active

0.35 - 5 grams 113 x (0.35 to 0.5) = 40 to 57 grams

0.6 - 0.8 grams 113 x (0.6 - 0.8) = 68 to 90 grams

0.8 - 1.0 grams 113 x (0.8 - 1.0) = 90 to 113 grams

1.0 or more grams 113 x (1.0 or more) = 113 grams

Once you figure out how much protein you need, it becomes much easier to figure out what you need to eat. In order to reach the required protein amount, you'll need to consume protein at each meal, including snacks.

Men:% body fat = 86.010 x log10(abdomen - neck) - 70.041 x log10(height) + 36.76

Women:% body fat = 163.205 x log10(abdomen + hip - neck) - 97.684 x log10(height) - 78.387



Carbohydrates: How Low Should You Go?

I've already covered how carbs breakdown into sugar and how sugar is metabolized in your body for fuel. But here's a quick recap before we figure out how much carbohydrate foods you should be eating:

All carbohydrates break down into sugar and sugar is used for energy. BUT, excess sugar ALWAYS turns into fat! Your insulin hormone controls many vital metabolic processes in your body, which includes how much fat to store. Insulin is driven by sugar, so too much sugar promotes fat. That's really the take home message here. If you eat too many carbs you get fat. It's just that simple.

Much like proteins, it partly depends on your level of activity. If you're an endurance athlete that trains 2-6 hours a day, you'll need to consume more carbohydrates than someone who trains an hour or less per day. But, if your goal is to lose weight, burn fat and get lean with short duration, high-intensity workouts as in my MAX Workouts program, you can follow the carbohydrate guidelines outlined below.

The recommendations below are based on the findings of Mark Sisson, Health & Nutrition Expert as well my own research and findings.

300 grams or more per day - On course to obesity and serious diseases

This is a dangerous range to be in. Youʼre bound to be overweight and your insulin is probably not working optimally. You'll experience compromises in your health and potentially face serious health problems in the future including obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.

200 - 300 grams per day - Steady weight gain

Sadly, this is the range recommended by the USDA. As seen by the explosion of overweight, obese and diabetic population, it's quite evident that this recommended amount is clearly too high. At this level of high carb intake, you will eventually lose insulin sensitivity and experience gradual and steady weight gain.

150-200 grams per day - Initiating weight gain or maintaining weight with longer duration activities

At this range, you're at the tail end of weight maintenance and at the beginning of weight gain, depending on your body and activity levels. At this range, losing weight and burning fat will be more difficult, especially if you're consuming refined carbs, due to higher insulin activities.

100-150 grams per day – Bodyweight maintenance

This an optimal range for maintaing your current bodyweight. At this range you can participate in short, high-intensity activities like the MAX Workouts program and continue to see fitness gains, such as increased strength and lean muscle mass while burning more fat.



50-100 grams per day - Steady weight loss

This range of carbohydrate intake significantly reduces insulin activity and increases fat metabolism. By lowering your insulin activity, your body is able to free up stored fat and use it for energy instead! This is why it's much easier to burn fat and lose weight while consuming carbs in this range. At 50-100 grams of carbs per day, the majority (if not all) of your carbs will come from vegetables and some fruits. This is great for your health since vegetables have the highest nutrient content and the lowest sugar content.

0-50 grams per day – Aggressive fat burning and weight loss

At this range, you're switching the body's main metabolic process to ketosis. Ketosis is a natural process that your body goes through in cases of extremely low carbohydrate intake. During ketosis, protein is converted to glucose for energy in the liver. This process is called gluconeogenesis and it's fueled by fat. Contrary to popular belief, ketosis is completely safe. Your body can function quite well in ketosis. The by-product of gluconeogensis are compounds called ketones, which provide fuel for your brain and heart. In fact, ketones are the preferred fuel for your heart! The only drawback is that it's hard to maintain such low carb intake for long periods of time. You'll need to make sure that you're consuming sufficient amounts of protein and fat in order to get enough calories. It's ideal for aggressive weight loss in the initial phases of a diet, but you'll need to make sure that you don't rebound on your carb intake as you gradually reintroduce them back into your diet.

Effective Carbohydrate Count

Eating low carbs is not difficult -- as long as you're eating the right kinds of carbohydrate foods. If you stick to eating unrefined carbs (i.e. vegetables and fruits), you won't have any trouble keeping your carb intake range between 50-150 grams per day. Further, you only need to worry about the actual sugar content in each carbohydrate food. Here's what I mean by that: All carbohydrate foods turn into sugar, but they all have fiber content as well and fiber doesn't count since it has no effect on your hormones, especially insulin. So, when you look up a carbohydrate food, let's say an apple, the total carbohydrate in grams takes into account the fiber content of apple as well. The actual amount of carbohydrate content that turns into sugar equals the total carbohydrate content minus the total fiber content.

In the case of a medium sized apple, it has on average about 19 grams of total carbohydrate content and 3 grams of fiber. Therefore, the actual amount of carbohydrates that turns into sugar is 16 grams (19 - 3). This is known as the Effective Carbohydrate Count or ECC for short.

This is another reason why eating foods high in fiber content such as fruits and vegetables are also really good in terms of keeping your sugar intake low while enabling you to eat more carbohydrate foods. However, this is not the case when you start to include grains into your diet. Since most grains are very dense in calories, low in fiber and much too high in sugar content, they readily activate your insulin and makes it much harder to lose weight and easier to gain weight. This is why you're far better off staying away from grain based foods such as bread, pasta, cereal, baked goods and rice as much as possible so you can maximize your weight loss efforts and optimize your health.



Note: If you are concerned about glycogen storage when eating a lower carbohydrate diet, it's important to note that your body has the ability to make up to 200 grams of glycogen per day from proteins and fat alone. Also, your muscle (which is where the majority of your glycogen is stored) only has room to hold 200 grams of glycogen. So even with zero carb intake, your body can make enough glucose to keep your glycogen levels in your muscle full.



Fat Doesnʼt Make You Fat

Fat is essential, yet it is the most misunderstood macronutrient out of them all. I think it's because of the name. Can you blame people? Who wants to eat fat when you're trying to lose fat? But, here's the key to eating fat while losing weight: Eat sufficient amounts of protein while keeping your carb intake fairly low. When you do this, you shift your body's main source of energy from sugar to fat.

Fat has gotten a bad rep because it was falsely associated with increasing cholesterol and heart disease. As it turns out, it wasn't fat to blame after all, but rather a combination of eating foods high in refined carbs and bad fat. I'll talk about good fats and bad fats in a minute, but just to be clear, healthy fat is completely okay to eat. In fact, as I stated above, when you combine good fat with proper amounts of protein and carbs, fat increases you body's ability to burn stored fat more effectively!

Hereʼs a breakdown of healthy fats:

• Saturated Fats - stable fats found in foods like animal fats and coconuts. Chemically, they have the most stable structure, which allows them to be used in high temperatures (i.e. cooking) without breaking down or going rancid. They provide many health benefits including calcium absorption and boosting immune function. They’re also an important source of good cholesterol, which helps strengthen your cell membrane structures.

• Monounsaturated Fats - moderately stable fats found in foods like avocado and in many healthy oils such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, sesame seed oil and sunflower oil. Their chemical structure is less stable than saturated fat, but can still be heated for cooking. Technically, most of the healthy oils mentioned above are combinations of both monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fats, with higher percentages of monounsaturated fats than polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats help lower "bad" cholesterol (LDL) without lowering the good cholesterol (HDL) and helps promote a healthy heart.

• Polyunsaturated Fats - the least stable of the three. This makes polyunsaturated fats very susceptible to going rancid quickly when heated. They’re found in grain products, soybeans, peanuts and fish oils. When they go rancid, they produce free radicals, which as we know, causes havoc on your body. However, when certain polyunsaturated fats are properly kept to avoid oxidation, they provide many health benefits. For instance, fish oils contain omega 3's, which have strong anti-inflammatory properties to combat chronic inflammation commonly caused by poor diet and stressful, unhealthy lifestyle.

All of the fats mentioned above have great health benefits, especially when combined with proper amounts of protein and carbohydrates. However, there is one type of bad fat that needs to be avoided at all costs...trans fat. Trans fats shouldn't even be considered fat, since theyʼre not even natural. Theyʼre chemically manufactured and added to foods to extend shelf life. When ingested, they causes serious damage to your body. Long term exposure to trans fats have been associated with obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and chronic inflammatory diseases, just to name a few. The good thing is, trans fats are fairly easy to avoid. Stay away from processed foods and prepackaged foods. Stick to eating natural whole foods and you won't need to worry about getting exposed to the harmful effects of trans fats.



Determining how many grams of fat you should eat per day depends on your calculated calorie intake, which is described in detail in the next section.



Calculating Your Daily Calorie Intake (An Example)

How many calories you need to eat per day depends on four main factors:

1) You goal weight

2) Your body weight

3) Your lean body weight

4) Your activity level

Keep in mind that there are other variables such as metabolic factors, genetic factors, age, hormonal profile, muscle mass, body type and general lifestyle factors such as stress, how much you sleep, etc... that need to be accounted for on an individual basis as well.

Before you decide on your goal weight, it's important to keep a few key things in mind:

• Be realistic about your goals - I want you to be ambitious, but I don’t want you to set yourself up for frustration or failure by choosing an incredibly difficult goal.

• Calories are important, but it's just as important (if not more so) to watch what you eat. Remember, not all calories are created equal. Each food you ingest triggers hormonal responses that can either be helpful and healthy or negative and unhealthy to your body. Think before you eat!

• Successful and sustained weight-loss comes as a result of a combination of both healthy eating and an effective exercise program. By following this nutritional guide and doing MAX Workouts, you are setting yourself up for great success!

To easily figure out how many calories to eat in a day, multiply your goal weight by 10. For instance, if your goal weight is 140 pounds, then your total daily caloric intake should be around 1400 calories (140 x 10). Now remember, this is a ball park figure and you may need to adjust your total calories depending on variables mentioned above.

Now that you've gotten a general idea of what your daily caloric intake should be, you'll need to figure out how much of each macronutrient you should be eating:

Each macronutrient has the following caloric value:

• Proteins have 4 calories per gram

• Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram

• Fats have 9 calories per gram



To determine how much of each macronutrient you need to consume per day, I'm going to use the following example for illustrative purposes:

• The person currently weighs 160 pounds

• Has 30% body fat

• The goal is to lose 20 pounds and reach a bodyweight of 140 pounds

Daily Calories from Protein

To calculate this personʼs daily protein requirements, we'll first need to calculate the lean body weight. This allows us to figure out the total lean muscle mass, which will give us a rough estimate of how much protein is needed to maintain the current muscle mass.

Current Weight x Body Fat Percentage = Body Fat

30% body fat equals: 160 x 0.3 = 48 pounds of body fat.

Using the current bodyweight (160 pounds) and calculated body fat (48 pounds), we can then calculate the lean body weight (160 - 48) to be 112 pounds.

The next thing we need to determine is the activity level. This gives us an idea of how much muscle this person will breakdown so we can estimate how much protein is needed to be able to repair it (the muscle building process). The more active the person is, the more muscle is used, and the more protein is needed to consume to make sure that the muscles are getting enough protein to fully repair themselves.

Let's categorize the personʼs activity level as high, which means that about 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight is needed. So, in this case about 112 grams of protein are needed per day.

Since each gram of protein equals 4 calories, at 112 grams of protein, this person should consume 448 calories (112 x 4) from protein each day.

When you're figuring out how many calories you need from each macronutrient, don't reduce the calories you get from proteins. The reason is this: Protein is absolutely necessary in order to maintain your lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism. Having a high metabolism is key to successful weight loss and more importantly, keeping it off. All too often people lose weight, but they lose precious lean muscle along the way. This slows down your metabolism and eventually hinders your ability to stay lean in the long term.

Daily Calories from Carbohydrates



If you're going to reduce calories, carbs are the best place to start. Just by cutting out calorie dense unrefined carbohydrate foods and replacing them with unrefined carbohydrate foods that are healthier and less calorie dense, you automatically cut down your calories. The other great thing is that vegetables and most fruits are so low in calories and high in fiber that you probably couldn't reach the recommended caloric intake no matter how much you eat. Imagine that...eat as much as your heart desires and you still can't get enough calories!

The other reason why you should reduce caloric intake from carbohydrate foods is to minimize your insulin involvement. The less your insulin is involved, the better your body will be able to burn fat. As mentioned in the previous section on carbs, insulin is basically your fat storage hormone and is triggered by sugar. Since all carbohydrate food turns into sugar, fewer carbohydrate means less sugar. Reduction of sugar means little insulin involvement, which ultimately means less fat!

As mentioned in the carbohydrate section, the recommended range for effective fat loss is between 50 - 150 grams of effective carbohydrate count. Going back to our example, let's say that the person decides to limit their carb intake to 100 grams per day. Although that may seem low, eliminating all refined carbs will enable this individual to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits and easily staying within that range.

Since each gram of carbohydrate is 4 calories, at 100 grams of effective carbohydrates, this person will be able to consume 400 calories (100 x 4) from unrefined carbohydrate foods each day.

Daily Calories from Fat

So far we've calculated the calories from protein and carbohydrates. The total so far is 848 calories (448 + 400). Since we did a quick estimation of the personʼs total daily calories (which was the goal weight of 140 multiplied by 10) to be 1400 calories, this leaves 552 calories (1400 - 848) to be consumed from fat.

Since each gram of fat has 9 calories, at 552 calories, that's 61.3 grams of fat (552 / 9). The total amount of fat that can be consumed is 61.3 grams each day.

Here's the overall breakdown of calories per macronutrient:

• Protein = 112 grams (or 448 calories)

• Carbohydrates = 100 grams (or 400 calories)

• Fat = 61.3 grams (or 552 calories)

• Total caloric intake = 1400 calories

Keep in mind that this is just an example and an approximation. As I mentioned before, everyone is different and each individual situation will vary according to metabolic factors, genetic factors, age, hormonal profile, muscle mass, body type, activity levels and so on. However, it's a good sample to follow when you're figuring out your daily needs.



Now, if you find that your calculated total calorie is too restrictive, you can play around with the macronutrient numbers until you find what works best for you. My recommendation when increasing caloric intake is to increase your protein and fat intake while keeping your calories from carbohydrate the same.



5-Step Quick Summary

1) Calculate Your Daily Calorie Intake: The quick and easy way to calculate your daily calorie intake is to multiply your goal weight by 10. This number is a rough estimate, so you may need to adjust it to your individual needs, but it's good place to start.

2) Macronutrients: Calculate how much of each macronutrient (protein, carbs, fat) you need to eat. Your protein and carb intake are especially important. Once you figure those out, the rest of your calories can come from fat.

3) Calculate Your Daily Protein Intake: First, calculate your body fat percentage. Then, use that value to calculate your lean body weight. Once you know your lean body weight, you can calculate your protein intake based on your activity level. While doing the MAX Workouts program, you can estimate about 1 gram of protein for each pound of lean body weight

4) Calculate Your Daily Carbohydrate Intake: When you're calculating your daily carbohydrate intake, it's important to keep in mind that the type of carbohydrate foods you eat makes a big difference. Avoid refined carbs since they have a higher sugar content, which readily stimulates your insulin hormone and activates your fat storage process. Instead, stick to unrefined carbs since theyʼre lower in sugar and higher in fiber, which minimally affects your insulin, helping you to avoid excess fat storage. Keeping your carbohydrate consumption around 100 grams per day will allow your body to shift it's main energy source from carbs to fat. This will help enable your body to start burning off body fat more effectively and efficiently. Keep in mind that when you lower your carb intake, you will feel sluggish and have low energy initially...but it will pass! Stick to the diet and once your body switches it's dependency from carbs to fat, you will regain your energy and then some!

5) Calculate Your Daily Fat Intake: Once youʼve figured out your protein and carb intake, you can calculate your daily fat intake. Just subtract the total estimated daily calories from the sum of the calories from protein and carbs. Donʼt skimp out on the fat. Eating fat won't make you fat! In fact, it'll help you burn even more fat as long as you're eating plenty of protein and keeping your carb intake fairly low by eating unrefined carbs like fruits and vegetables.



15 Insider Tips For Rapid Fat-Loss

1) Protein Satisfies Your Hunger Craving: The best way to suppress your hunger is by eating more protein. High protein foods are not only fairly low in calories, but they are also effective at keeping you feeling full for longer periods of time.

2) Fiber Makes You Thin: If you want to lose weight, you must eat fiber! You should consume 30 -50 grams of fiber per day. Fiber is also a great way to suppress your hunger and keep you full longer. It's plays a vital part in keeping your digestive system healthy as well. If you're not getting enough fiber from all the vegetables and fruits, you can use fiber supplements to meet your daily requirements.

3) Keep Your Meals Simple: Pick three or four of your favorite healthy meals and repeat them until you get tired of them and then switch it up. The most successful dieters eat the same few meals over and over again.

4) Make Better Choices When Eating Out: If you eat out, keep in mind that almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes. Remember, consuming refined carbs is a sure way to halt your weight loss. You can enjoy eating out, just watch your refined carb intake.

5) Avoid Emotional Eating: If you know that youʼre an emotional eater, when you feel hungry drink a large glass of water first and wait 5 minutes. Oftentimes your hunger will subside if it's triggered by emotion and not your stomach. If youʼre still hungry afterwards, then you can eat.

6) Eat Slow: Take your time eating. Chew well and really enjoy the food. If youʼre still hungry after finishing your meal, wait 20 minutes. Thatʼs about how long it takes before your stomach can tell your brain that youʼve eaten. You'll be surprised at how satisfied you feel after waiting a little bit. Keep in mind that your goal is to feel satisfied and not full after each meal.

7) Take a Fiber Supplement To Avoid Late Night Snacking: Drinking a glass of water with a fiber supplement will fill you up and keep you full, so you don't indulge in any late night snacking that can ruin your hard earned body!

8) Shop the Perimeter: The best, most healthy and nutritious foods are located along the perimeter of your grocery store. Thatʼs where all the fresh veggies, fruits and meats are located. The inner isles are mostly jam-packed with processed and refined foods so steer clear!

9) If It Comes In a Box, Donʼt Buy It: Generally speaking, most foods that come in a box are likely laden with trans-fat (i.e. preservatives) and are full of refined carbs (e.g. wheat flour, barley flour, etc...) as you will see on their labels. Remember, the healthiest foods donʼt have labels!



10) Always Be Prepared: There are going to be times where you get hungry and arenʼt able to find a healthy meal. Keep a small snack on hand at all times for these situations. For example, carry a small bag of nuts and some beef jerky.

11) Stay Away From High-Calorie “Health” Bars: Most so-called health bars are sugar-laden and should be classified as overpriced glorified junk-food!

12) Donʼt Have An “All or Nothing” Attitude: Itʼs unrealistic to think that youʼre going to eat well 100% of the time, so donʼt punish yourself. If you can eat well 90% of the time, youʼll have great success.

13) Shop, Stock Up & Prepare Food For The Week: Pick one day a week to shop and prepare as much food as possible for the upcoming week. Wash all fruits and vegetables and store them in an air tight containers so you have easy access to them anytime youʼre hungry. Pre-cook enough proteins (fish, seafood, poultry, beef) and freeze them so theyʼll be ready for any meal.

14) Keep a Food Diary: Most people grossly underestimate how much they eat. In the beginning, itʼs really important that you keep track of your daily intake of calories, protein, fat, and carbs so you know whether or not youʼre staying on target. Overtime, youʼll become accustom to your needs and wonʼt need to keep a log.

15) Clean Out The Cupboards & Fridge: Get rid of the bad stuff! Having junk food around the house will only make temptations worse and is a recipe for failure. Leave yourself no choice but to eat healthy, nutritious food.



THE LEAN BODY DIET -- THE 90-DAY PLANIn this chapter I have outlined a 90 day carb reduction plan that you can follow while youʼre on the MAX Workouts program (each level coincides with the levels in MAX Workouts). In a previous chapter, you calculated your daily macronutrient needs (protein, carbs and fat). However, the most important variable is your Effective Carbohydrate Intake (ECC). Your calculated protein and fat needs should stay consistent throughout the program.

This program will help you progressively reduce your carb intake, which varies throughout each cycle and the entire program. This ensures that your carbohydrate intake stays fairly low throughout the program and that you're always shifting your total calories, which forces your metabolism to be in a constant state of adaptation and keeps it running at a much higher rate.

Calculating Your Effective Carbohydrate Intake

When you look up a carbohydrate food, let's say an apple, the total carbohydrates in grams takes into account the fiber content of apple as well. The actual amount of carbohydrate content that turns into sugar equals the total carbohydrate content minus the total fiber content.

In the case of a medium sized apple, it has on average about 19 grams of total carbohydrate content and 3 grams of fiber. Therefore, the Effective Carbohydrate Count (ECC) is 16 grams (19g - 3g).

* Please note that when you go on a low carbohydrate diet, your body goes through a period of adaptation during which time you will experience periods of low energy and sluggishness. This should pass in 1-3 weeks time (the range varies with each individual). During this time of transition you may find yourself having a hard time pushing yourself through the workouts. To minimize your sluggishness and ensure that you're able keep working out with sufficient intensity, make sure that you consume proper pre and post workout nutrition. This is the only time that you can consume refined carbs as part of your diet. Having refined carbs such as fruit juice will provide your body with quick energy and help replenish your glycogen quicker.

** If you can't follow the planned schedule or for the sake of simplicity, keep your carb intake around 100 grams for fast, effective fat-burning.



Level 1: ECC (Effective Carbohydrate Content)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Week 1 150 150 150 150 150 150 150

Week 2 125 125 125 125 125 125 125

Week 3 100 100 100 100 100 100 100


Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)


Week 4 125 125 125 125 125 125 125

Week 5 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Week 6 100 100 100 100 100 100 100


Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)


Week 7 75 75 75 75 75 75 75

Week 8 125 125 125 125 125 125 125

Week 9 100 100 100 100 100 100 100


Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)

Total ECC(grams)


Week 10 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Week 11 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Week 12 100 100 100 100 100 100 100



LIST OF HEALTHY FOODS CHOICES

Proteins (Meat, Poultry, Seafood)Note: Watch out for mercury levels and other contaminants in fish. Whenever possible, choose meat and poultry from animals that haven't been treated with any hormones or antibiotics.

Food Protein (grams) Carbs (grams) Fat (grams) Total Calories

Roasted skinless, chicken thigh

(chopped - 1 cup)36 - 15 293

Roasted skinless, chicken breast

(chopped - 1 cup)43 - 5 231

Roasted skinless, chicken drumstick (chopped - 1 cup)

40 - 8 241

Roasted chicken wing (1 wing)

6 - 2 43

Beef sirloin tri-tip:broiled (3 oz.)

25 - 13 225

Beef brisket:braised (3 oz.)

23 - 17 247

Lean ground beef: pan browned (3 oz.)

22 - 5 139

Tenderloin (lean):broiled (3 oz.)

23 - 9 185

Top sirloin (lean):broiled (3 oz.)

29 2 7 180

Wild atlantic salmon: (3 oz.)

22 - 7 155




Canned pink salmon: (3 oz.)

17 - 5 118

Sockeye salmon: (3 oz.)

23 - 9 184

Bluefin tuna: (3 oz.)

25 - 5 156

Yellowfin tuna: (3 oz.)

25 - 1 118

Canned white tuna: in water (3 oz) 20 - 3 109

Canned tuna: in water (3 oz)

22 - 1 99

Tilapia: (3 oz.) 15 - 1 85

Wild rainbow trout: (3 oz.)

19 - 5 128

Wild halibut:(3 oz.)

21 - 3 119

Haddock:(3 oz.)

21 - 1 95

Shrimp (cooked):(3 oz.)

18 - 1 84

Alaskan crab:(3 oz.)

16 - 1 82

Dungeness crab:(3 oz.)

19 - 1 94



Proteins (Eggs, Dairy)Note: These foods are only recommended for people that do not have any intolerances to eggs or dairy products. Your best sources of eggs and dairy are from free-range chicken and cows that have NOT been treated with hormones or antibiotics.


Egg omelet:(3 eggs)

18 - 13 189

1 large egg:(hard boiled)

6 - 4.5 65

1 large egg:(fried)

6 - 7 87

Scrambled eggs:(3 eggs)

18 - 13 189

Liquid egg whites:(1/4 cup)

6 - - 24

Whole milk:(1 cup)

8 11 8 146

2% milk:(1 cup)

8 11 5 102

Cottage cheese:(1/2 cup)

13 4 5 110

Cottage cheese reduced fat:

(1/2 cup)14 3 1 81

Plain yogurt:(8 oz.)

9 11 8 149

Plain yogurt reduced fat:

(8 oz.)13 17 4 154

Plain greek yogurtreduced fat:

(8 oz.)24 9 3 160

Tera's wheyorganic:

(1 scoop)20 6 1 110




Jay Robb whey:(1 scoop)

25 1 - 110

Jay Robb egg white:(1 scoop)

24 4 - 120

Warrior Whey:Defense Nutrition

(1 scoop)10 6 1.5 75

The Organic Whey:(1 serving)

15 3 - 82



Carbohydrates (Non-Starchy Vegetables)Note: When possible, choose organic vegetables or vegetables from a local farmer who doesn't use pesticides or other hazardous chemicals.

FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fat (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Total Calories

Fresh spinach:(1 cup)

1 1 - 0.4 0.6 6

Spinach:steamed or boiled

(1 cup)5 7 - 4.3 2.7 31

Spinach:frozen (1 cup)

6 7 1 4.8 2.2 33

Fresh broccoli:chopped (1 cup)

3 6 - 2.3 3.7 27

Boiled or steamed broccoli medium

stalk4.3 13 - 6 7 45

Kale:chopped (1 cup)

2 6.7 - 1.3 5.4 26

Boiled kale:chopped (1 cup)

2 7.3 - 2.6 4.7 23

Boiled asparagus:(1 cup)

2 3.7 - 1.8 1.9 12

Boiled swiss chard:chopped (1 cup)

3.3 7.2 - 3.7 3.5 27

Mustard greens:chopped (1 cup)

1.5 2.7 - 1.9 0.8 9.2

Boiled collard greens:

chopped (1 cup)4 9.3 - 5.3 4 32

Boiled brussels sprouts: (1 cup)

2 5.4 - 2 3.4 18

Cabbage:shredded (1 cup)

1 3.9 - 1.6 2.3 13



FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fat (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Total Calories

Red cabbage:shredded (1 cup)

1 5.2 - 1.5 3.7 19

Fresh Cauliflower:(1 cup)

2 5.3 - 2.5 2.8 15

Boiled cauliflower:(1 cup)

1 2.6 - 1.7 0.9 8

Tomato(medium size)

1 4.8 - 1.5 3.3 17

Cherry tomatoes:(1 cup)

1.3 5.8 - 1.8 4 17

Fresh green beans:(1 cup)

2 7.9 - 3.7 4.2 21

Boiled green beans:(1 cup)

2.4 9.9 - 4 5.9 33

Frozen green beans (1 cup)

2.2 9.4 - 3.5 5.9 33

Carrots:1 med size

0.6 5.8 - 1.8 4 18

Frozen carrots:boiled (1 cup)

0.6 11.3 - 4.8 6.5 28

Green bell peppers: chopped (1 cup)

1.3 6.9 - 2.5 4.4 23

Red bell peppers: chopped (1 cup)

1.5 9 - 3 6 30

Cucumber:sliced (1 cup)

0.3 1.9 - 0.3 1.6 8

Arugula:(1 cup)

0.3 0.4 - 0.2 0.2 2

Fresh onions:chopped (1 cup)

1.5 16 - 2 14 70



Carbohydrates (Fresh & Frozen Fruits)Note: When possible, choose organic fruits or fruits from a local farmer that doesn't use pesticides or other hazardous chemicals.

FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fat (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Total Calories

Frozen blueberries:(1 cup)

0.7 19 - 4 15 63

Fresh blueberries:(1 cup)

1 21 - 3.5 17.5 74

Fresh raspberries: (1 cup)

1.5 15 - 8 7 34

Frozen raspberries:(1 cup)

2 16 - 8 8 40

Fresh blackberries:(1 cup)

2 14 - 7.6 6.4 30

Frozen blackberries: (1 cup)

1.8 22 - 7.5 14.5 62

Fresh cranberries:(1 cup)

0.4 11.6 - 4.4 7.2 30

Fresh strawberries:(1 cup)

1 11 - 3 8 36

Frozen strawberries:(1 cup)

0.6 13.5 - 3 10.5 44

Fresh cherries:(1 cup)

1.2 18.8 - 2.5 16.3 70

Frozen cherries:(1 cup)

1.4 17 - 2.5 14.5 64

Apple:(1 medium size)

0.4 19 - 3.3 15.7 64

Peach:(1 medium size)

0.9 9.4 - 1.5 7.9 35

Plum:(1 medium size)

0.5 7.5 - 1 6.5 28



FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fat (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Total Calories

Nectarine:(1 medium size)

1.4 14.4 - 2.3 12.1 54

Orange:(1 large size)

1.7 21.6 - 4.4 17.2 75

Pink grapefruit:(1 large size)

1 13.4 - 1.8 12.6 54

Red/Green seedless grapes:(1 cup)

1 29 - 1.4 27.6 114

Kiwi fruit(1 large size)

1 13.3 - 2.7 10.6 46

Raw coconut meat:shredded (1 cup)

2.7 12.2 27 7.2 5 274

Cantaloupe:cubed (1 cup)

1.3 13 - 1.5 11.5 51

Honeydew melon:cubed (1 cup)

1 16 - 1.4 14.6 62

Watermelon:diced (1 cup)

0.9 11.5 - 0.6 10.9 47

Banana:(1 medium size)

1.3 27 - 3 24 101

Avocado:cubed (1 cup)

3 13 21 10 3 213



Fats (Oils)Note: When you're choosing oil, keep in mind what you'll be using it for. Each oil has it's own smoke point, and beyond that it goes rancid. The oils listed below are just some of the more common healthy cooking oils with a high smoke point, so that it won't go rancid when cooking with high heat. Some common oils to avoid: canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, grape seed oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil. These are notoriously claimed as being healthy, but many of them are refined or processed in order to increase their smoke point. In doing so, they get combined with bad fats (e.g. trans fats) to chemically make them more stable. Bottom line: Best to avoid them when you can.


Extra virgin olive oil:(1 Tbsp)

- - 14 126

Coconut oil:(1 Tbsp)

- - 14 126

Avocado oil:(1 Tbsp)

- - 14 126

Walnut oil:(1 Tbsp)

- - 14 126

Macadamia oil:(1 Tbsp)

- - 14 126

Sesame seed oil:(1 Tbsp)

- - 14 126



Fats (Nuts & Seeds)Note: Most nuts are good for you, but keep in mind that they have a limited shelf life. If kept too long or stored in high temperatures, they can go rancid. When possible, get organic, unsalted nuts with no additives. Also, look at the labels because some nuts are roasted with soybean oil to extend shelf life.

FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Fat (grams)

Total Calories

Almonds:roasted (1 oz.)

6.3 5.5 3.3 2.2 15 169

Brazil Nuts:dried (1 oz.)

4 3.5 2.1 1.4 19 193

Hazelnuts:roasted (1 oz.)

4.2 5 2.7 2.3 18 188

Walnuts:(1 oz.)

4.3 4 2 2 20 205

Pecans:roasted (1 oz.)

2.6 3.8 2.7 1.1 20 195

Macadamia nuts:roasted (1 oz.)

2.2 3.8 2.3 1.5 21.5 209

Flaxseed:(1 tbsp)

2.3 4.1 3.4 0.7 5 32

Pumpkin seeds:roasted (1 oz.)

5.3 15.2 - 15.2 5.5 132

Sunflower seeds:roasted (1 oz.)

5.5 6.8 3.1 3.7 14 163



Other Foods (Miscellaneous)

FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Fat (grams)

Total Calories

Almond butter:unsalted (1 Tbsp)

2.4 3.4 0.6 2.8 9.5 106

Apple juice:unsweetened (8 oz.)

- 27 - 27 - 108

Applesauce:unsweetened

(1 cup)0.4 27.6 2.9 24.7 - 99

Beef jerkyorganic:(1 oz.)

12 6 - 6 1 81

Butter:unsalted (1 Tbsp)

- - - - 11.5 104

Cashew butter:unsalted (1 Tbsp)

2.8 4.4 0.3 4.1 7.9 99

Feta cheese:(1 oz.)

4 1.2 - 1.2 6 75

Goat cheese:soft (1 oz.)

6.1 0.7 - 0.7 8.4 103

Coconut milk:canned (1 cup)

4.8 5.5 - - 50.5 496

Coconut water:(1 cup)

1.7 8.9 2.6 6.3 0.5 36

Coffee:black (8 oz.)

- - - - 0

Espresso:(1 oz.)

- - - - 0

Edamame:frozen (1 cup)

22.2 20 7.6 12.4 11.5 241

Grape juice:(1 cup)

- 31 - 31 - 124



FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Fat (grams)

Total Calories

Lobster:cooked (4 oz.)

23.2 1.5 - - 0.7 105

Orange juice:unsweetened, canned

(1 cup)1.5 24.6 0.5 24.1 - 102

Peanut butter:unsalted (2 Tbsp)

4 3.1 1 2.1 8.1 97

Pineapple:chunks (1 cup)

1.1 20.4 2 18.4 - 78

Pine nuts:roasted (1 cup)

18.5 17.7 5 12.7 92.3 956

Pistachio nuts:dry roasted (1 cup)

26.3 34.1 12.7 21.4 56.6 700

Popcorn: air popped (1 cup)

1 6.2 1.2 5 - 24

Raisins:(1 oz.)

1 22.5 1 21.5 - 90

Brown rice cakes:(1 cake)

0.7 7.3 0.4 6.9 0.3 33

Salsa:(1 cup.)

4 16.3 4.1 12.2 0.5 69.3

Soymilk:unsweetened

(1 cup)7 8 1 6 4 88

Sweet potato:baked in skin

(1 medium size)3.6 37.3 5.9 31.4 0.4 144

Almond milk:unsweetened

(8 oz.)9 5 4 1 4.5 81

Beef jerky natural:(1 oz.)

9.4 3.1 0.5 2.6 7.3 114



FoodProtein (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fiber (grams)

ECC (grams)

Fat (grams)

Total Calories

Turkey jerkynatural:(1 oz.)

19 1 - - 1 89

Stevia(1 packet)

- - - - - 0

Balsamic vinegar(1 oz.)

- 3.8 - 3.8 - 15.2

Corn tortilla shells:(6" diameter)

1.5 14.4 1 13.4 0.7 66

Spectrum's organic mayo - olive oil:

(1 Tbsp)- - - - 11 99

Bacon - pan fried:(1 strip)

3.1 - - - 3.6 45



Food DiaryDate: _________________

Food Protein Carbs Fat Calories

Grand Total:



SUPPLEMENTSIt's unfortunate, but our current economical and environmental situations have severely affected the quality of our food. No matter how healthy you eat, the foods that you consume oftentimes lack the necessary amounts of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that your body needs in order to function optimally. For this reason, I recommend that you supplement your diet with the following vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants along with other beneficial supplements.

Vitamin & Mineral Supplements

• Vitamins: Multi-vitamin, Vitamin C, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin D, Vitamin E

• Minerals: Zinc, Calcium

• Green Food Supplements: Greenfood, Spirulina, Chlorella

• Omega 3 Oils: Fish Oils, Cod Liver Oils, Krill Oils

• Anti-Oxidants: CoQ 10 enzymes, Quercetin

• Digestive Health: Digestive enzymes, Probiotics

Protein SupplementsProtein supplements are great for pre and post workout drinks as well as for a quick nutritional snacks. Here are just a few of many different types of protein supplements available to you:

• Whey Protein - Although it comes from dairy, whey is 95-99% lactose free. Try to get whey produced from organic grass fed cow’s milk. Make sure it’s cold processed and cold filtered since heat damages the protein. Whey protein powder is my personal favorite.

• Egg Protein - Be sure to get egg protein from chicken that hasn't been treated with hormones or antibiotics.

• Brown Rice Protein - Brown rice protein is great for vegetarians as well as for people that have intolerances to whey and egg protein.

• Soy Protein - Soy protein is another great source of protein for vegetarians. It's also the only plant based protein source that provides all of the essential amino acids. However, consuming too much soy can have negative effects on your body, so I recommend mixing up your protein sources. Also, make sure that your soy is non-GMO and that it comes from a reliable source.



The Truth About Weight-Loss Supplements

I strongly advise against taking any weight-loss pills, powders or potions. Most of them are based on increasing your metabolism via stimulants that produce caffeine-like effects. They are notoriously known to cause multiple side effects from minor (e.g. irritability, increased heart rate, etc...) to major, and in some cases, have even been linked to death.

Even though these supplements claim to contain “natural” stimulants, the effects are the same as chemically derived ingredients. Remember, just because something is natural, it does NOT mean itʼs healthy. The effects that stimulants have on weight-loss are short-lived and in the long term, they cause increased weight gain.

Supplements should only be for enhanced health and nutrition (i.e. vitamins). If you are eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, you will have no need for any type of weight-loss supplements. Taking them will only enter you in to the vicious cycle of yo-yo weight-loss. You MUST learn how to eat well for healthy and sustainable weight-loss. There are no shortcuts.



MEAL PLANNING

Before You StartBefore you begin planning your meals, you need to first determine you daily calories needs based on your current weight and your goal weight. How to calculate your calorie needs is described in detail in the How To Calculate Your Daily Calorie Needs chapter. Continuing with the example given in that chapter, Iʼll outline several meal plans for a person with the following information:

• Current Weight: 160 pounds

• Goal Weight: 140 pounds

• Body Fat Percentage: 30%

• Body Fat: 48 pounds

• Lean Body Weight: 112 pounds

• Activity Level: High

How to calculate your calorie needs is described in detail in the How To Calculate Your Daily Calorie Needs chapter. Based on the information in the example above, this personʼs daily calorie needs are:

• Calories From Protein: 112 grams (448 calories per day)

• Calories From Carbs: 100 grams (400 calories per day) *All carbs are ECC (Effective Carb Count)

• Calories From Fat: 61.3 grams (552 calories per day)

• Total Calories: 1,400

Once youʼve calculated your daily calorie needs, you can divide them up amongst meals any way you like. For the sake of this example and simplicity, Iʼve decided to break it up into 3 main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner and 2 snacks: a mid-morning snack and a mid-afternoon snack. Please remember that these are approximations, so allow some leeway in terms of grams and calories per meal.

• Breakfast: 24 grams of protein, 29 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fat

• Lunch: 24 grams of protein, 29 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fat

• Dinner: 24 grams of protein, 29 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fat

• Mid Morning Snack: 20 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat

• Mid Afternoon Snack: 20 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat

On the next few pages I’ve outlined several meal ideas, including the breakdown of calories.



Healthy Breakfast Dishes

Breakfast #1: 24g protein, 27g carbs, 14g fat

• Scramble 1 cup of liquid egg whites (24g protein) cooked in 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (14g fat) and add salt, peppers and chopped up oregano as desired.

• Mix 1 cup of cubed honeydew melons (15g carbs) and 1 cup of cubed cantaloupe melons (12g carbs) for some fruit on the side.


• Scramble 3/4 cup of liquid egg whites (18g protein) cooked in 1/2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (7g fat).

• Pour 3/4 cup of salsa (12g carbs) on the scramble eggs and sprinkle about 1.5 oz of feta cheese (6g protein, 9g fat) on salsa and eggs.

• 1 cup of chopped green bell peppers (4g carbs), 1 cup of chopped red bell peppers (6g carbs), and 1/2 cup of chopped onions (7g carbs) sauteed altogether and add salt, pepper and chopped up oregano as desired.


• Mix 1 cup of organic cottage cheese (26g protein, 8g carbs, 10g of fat) and 1 cup of fresh blueberries (18g carbs) and drizzle 1/2 tbsp of macadamia oil (7g fat).

• Optional: add stevia to sweeten as desired.


• Mix 8 oz. of plain, reduced fat greek yogurt (24g protein, 9g carbs, 3g fat), 1 cup of fresh raspberries (7g carbs), 1 cup of fresh blackberries (6g carbs), 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries (4g carbs) and 1/2 cup of shredded coconut meat (2g carbs, 14g fat).

• Optional: add stevia to sweeten as desired.



Healthy Lunch Dishes

Lunch #1: 28g protein, 29g carbs, 17g fat

• 3/4 cup of chopped up roasted chicken breast (28g protein, 3g fat).

• Prepare 2 cups of chopped up fresh broccoli (8g carbs), 2 cups of chopped up fresh cauliflower (6g carbs), sliced up 2 medium sized carrots (8g carbs) and 1/2 cup of chopped up onions (7g carbs).

• Stir fry all ingredients (chicken and vegetables) together with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (14g fat) and add salt, peppers and dried chili peppers as desired.


• Broil 3.5 oz. of lean ground beef (25g protein, 6g fat) and mix in 1 chopped up tomato (3g carbs), 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (6g carbs), 1 cup chopped pineapple (18g carbs), and 1/2 cub avocado (10g fat). Add salt, pepper and dried red chili pepper as desired.

• 2 large butter lettuce leaves (1g carbs).

• Put the ground beef mix into the lettuce leaves for 2 large beef lettuce tacos.


• Mix 3 oz. canned tuna (22g protein, 1g fat) with 1.5 tbsp of olive oil mayonnaise (16g fat).

• Mix 4 cups of fresh arugula (1g carbs), 2 cups of spinach (4g carbs), 1 cup of chopped red peppers (6g carbs), 1 cup of sliced cucumbers (2g carbs) and 1/2 cup of seedless grapes (red or green) chopped in halves (14g carbs) all together for a salad. Add lime juice, salt, pepper, chopped basil, chopped oregano as desired.

Lunch #4: 24g protein, 27g carbs, 15.5g fat

• Grill 4 oz. of shrimp (24g protein, 1.5g fat) and add spices as desired.

• Mix 2 cups of chopped green bell peppers (8g carbs), 2 cups of chopped red bell peppers (12g carbs), and 1/2 cup of chopped onions (7g of carbs). Saute all together with 1 tbsp of olive oil (14g fat). Add chopped basil, chopped oregano, dried chili peppers, salt and pepper as desired.



Healthy Dinner Dishes

Dinner #1: 25g protein, 26g carbs, 15g fat

• Grill 3.5 oz. wild atlantic salmon (25g protein, 8g fat) and add lemon juice, salt, pepper, chopped basil, chopped oregano as desired.

• Boil 4 cups of asparagus with stalk cut off (8g carbs). Add salt and pepper as desired.

• Grill 1 cup of pineapple chunks (18g carbs) and add chopped basil, chopped oregano as desired. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (7g fat).


• Grill 3 oz. lean sirloin steak and slice it up (29g protein, 7g fat)

• Prepare 2 cups of chopped green bell peppers (9g carbs), 2 cups of chopped red bell peppers (12g carbs), 1/2 cup of onions (8g carbs).

• Stir fry all ingredients (meat and vegetables) together with 1/2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (7g fat). Add salt, peppers and dried chili peppers as desired.

Dinner #3: 25g protein, 26.5g carbs, 15.5g fat

• Grill 5 oz. tilapia (25g protein, 1.5g fat) and add lemon juice, salt, pepper and chopped oregano as desired.

• Prepare 2 cups of boiled or steamed collard greens (8g of carbs), 2 cups of chopped of boiled or steamed cauliflower (2g carbs), 1 cup of boiled or steamed green beans (6g carbs), 1 cup of boiled or steamed carrots (6.5g carbs), 1 cup of boiled or steamed broccoli (4g carbs). Mix it altogether and add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (14g fat). Add lemon juice, finely chopped basil, salt and pepper as desired.


• Boil or steam 4 oz. of dungeness crab (25g protein, 1g fat) and add lemon juice, salt and pepper as desired

• 1 head of bok choy (10g carbs), 1/2 cup of water chestnuts (13g carbs), 1/2 cup of chopped onions (7g carbs). Saute with 1 tbsp of sesame oil (14g fat). Add salt, pepper and dried red chili peppers as desired.



Healthy Snacks

Snack #1: 20g protein, 6g carbs, 8g fat

• Mix 1 scoop of organic whey protein powder (20g protein, 6g carbs, 1g fat), 8 oz. of ice water and drizzle 1/2 tbsp macadamia oil (7g fat) in a blender and mix.

• Optional: Add stevia to sweeten as desired for a tasty protein smoothie.

Snack #2: 22g protein, 9.5g carbs, 8g fat

• 1 oz. of natural turkey jerky (19g protein, 1g carbs, 1g fat).

• 1/2 oz. of roasted sunflower seeds (3g protein, 2g carbs, 7g fat).

• 1 medium size plum (6.5g carbs).

Snack #3: 22g protein, 7g carbs, 11g fat

• 2 oz. of organic beef jerky (22g protein, 7g carbs, 4g fat).

• 1/3 cup of avocado (7g fat). Add a dash of salt for taste.

Snack #4: 21g protein, 6g carbs, 7.5g fat

• 3/4 cup of cottage cheese (21g protein, 6g carbs, 7.5g fat)

• Optional: Add stevia to sweeten as desired.



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it okay to use a microwave to re-heat food?I recommend reheating on your stove top or in the oven. But, I do understand that in certain cases (like at work), that may not be possible. Use natural methods of cooking and heating when possible and use the microwave only when you have no other alternative. Microwaves can damage the nutrients in the food and if youʼre using plastic containers, it can cause harmful chemicals to seep into the food as well. Always use ceramic or glass containers when re-heating your food.

I have a sweet tooth, how can I eliminate sugar? If youʼre used to eating a lot of sugar, this will be a difficult transition at first. Generally speaking, it takes 21-30 days to kick a bad habit. The good new is that as you ween yourself off of the sweets, you will start to crave them less an less overtime. The important thing is to keep in mind that sugar really is the culprit for many of the health problems we see today, including weight gain. If you can control your sugar intake, youʼll feel better, lose the weight and get lean much quicker than you may think!

Can I eat fast food if itʼs healthy? Healthy fast food is an oxymoron. Fast food is not healthy, period..not even the salads. Next time youʼre at a greasy fast food joint, check the nutrition facts label on the dressing that comes with a salad. You will see itʼs loaded with sugar! Rule of thumb: Stay away from ALL fast foods, no matter how “healthy” they claim to be. The vast majority of fast foods are full of trans fats and other preservatives, which are not only harmful to you, but do nothing for you in the weight loss department! Youʼre much better off eating natural unrefined foods that you buy at the grocery store, so you know exactly what youʼre putting into your body.

Is it okay to drink diet soda? No. There are two main reasons:

1) Artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame) have been linked to health problems, so I would stay away from them altogether. Natural sweeteners like stevia and xylitol are fine as long you don't start to depend on them. However, keep in mind that some people get stomach irritability and digestive problems when consuming xylitol and other sugar alcohols.

2) Furthermore, recent studies have indicated that consuming sweeteners (even natural ones) actually increases your cravings for sugar, ultimately leading to further weight gain. Your best bet is to stick with water (preferably filtered). A great way to add some flavor to your water is to add fresh mint leaves (spearmint) or a slice of lemon for a little added zest.



How much water should I drink? You should be drinking plenty of water throughout the day. For years it was recommended that we consume a minimum of 8 glasses (10 oz.) of water a day. However, current studies have indicated that 8 glasses is an underestimated value.

Hereʼs what the Institute of Medicine now advise for men and women:

• Average healthy physically active men consume roughly 3.0 liters (about 13 cups) a day and

• Average healthy physically active women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) a day.

I donʼt have time for breakfast every morning. Is it okay to skip it? Never skip breakfast! Itʼs important to start the day off right with a good, nutritious breakfast. Be sure to include protein with your breakfast as well. Studies have indicated that people that start their day off with a healthy breakfast have significantly better weight loss results than people that skip breakfast. That should be reason enough to make time in the morning to have the most important meal of the day.

I donʼt think I get enough fiber throughout the day. What can I do? If youʼre eating enough vegetables, fruits and nuts as suggested in this guide, you should be getting plenty of fiber. You should be consuming between 30-50 grams of fiber per day. Foods high in fiber will help regulate your digestive system, enhance weight loss as well as maintain optimum health. Fiber also helps slow down the uptake of sugar into your bloodstream and keeps your insulin sensitive. If you feel you're not getting enough fiber in your diet, you can always take fiber supplements, such as psyllium husks, grounded flaxseeds or Metamucil (sugar-free).

I like to snack. What can I snack on? Snacking is great as long as youʼre snacking on healthy unrefined whole foods. Itʼs best to snack with foods high in fiber such as fruits and vegetables along with some protein and fat. The combination of high fiber, protein and fat will keep you full longer, maintain an even blood sugar level and keep your metabolism high.

Is it okay to have dairy products like milk? I generally recommend that you avoid dairy. The majority of adults naturally lose their digestive enzymes that help breakdown lactose (active ingredient of milk) as they age. Itʼs estimated that 75% of all adults in the western hemisphere have some lactose intolerance. You can use unsweetened almond milk or soy milk as alternatives. The one exception is whey protein. Although itʼs dairy based, high quality (organic) whey is 95-99% lactose free and is a good source of protein. However, if you can tolerate dairy and you like dairy, it's okay to consume in moderation.



WHAT TO DO AFTER THE 90-DAY PROGRAM

The MAX Workout Club“What should I do after I complete the 90-day MAX Workouts program?” I get this question a lot and so Iʼve created a special members-only website for customers just like you who want to continue with the MAX Workouts high-intensity program. Inside the club, you get:

• A new workout cycle every 3 weeks (I post the workouts, which include a video of me demonstrating each one!). I’ll show you each exercise, what weights to use, demonstrate the tempo, and show you substitute exercises from beginner to advanced. There’s even a printer friendly version available.

• A video library chock-full of over 120 exercise video demonstrations (and growing!). I walk you through each exercise step by step and explain each movement from start to finish. The library also includes videos on muscle recovery techniques, stretching, rehab exercises for old injuries, and loads more.

• A discussion forum where you can connect with other members (including me). It’s a very active forum with thousands of members - a great place to get solid advice, support and motivation.

• A nutrition facts lookup tool so you can lookup any nutrition label on the planet.

• A fitness diary so you can log your progress and keep track of how you’re doing.

• Cutting edge fitness & nutrition articles and reports to help you separate fact from fiction.

To learn more or sign-up, visit www.maxworkoutclub.com

* Hereʼs a snapshot of the monthly calendar (viewing each workout is as easy as clicking on the day):



http://www.maxworkoutclub.com

http://www.maxworkoutclub.com

What Members Say...

"Hi Shin, I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know I am 9 months into your program and am loving it! I am so grateful to have found a time efficient, effective workout that yields such great results. It has been on a daily basis that I am getting compliments on how "fit" I look. I keep giving your website address out...So, thank you so much for your dedication to fitness and helping others achieve their fitness goals. Sincerely, "

-- Sutten Stephan, WI

“This program has been so effective - I’m hooked! I’ll never go back to the way I was working out before.”

-- Kyle Levitz

"What a great idea by putting the video in for the daily workout. Thank you and I want to let you know that I have been doing the workout for almost two weeks.. I have lost 3lbs and look forward to going into the gym, I use to pay $800 dollars a month for [a personal trainer].. thank you and keep up the great work."

-- Brian Frank, Bartlett, IL

"This site has changed the way I think about health and fitness. You guys rock!"

-- Mel

"I had to write to tell you how much I love, love, love, the online workouts. No more excuses of being bored doing the same workouts. The exercise videos that go with the workouts are the best thing on the internet. I've never seen another program like this."

-- Marlene Williams

"The MAX Workout Club website is like having a personal trainer, but better."

-- Charlie Smith

"Shin, you are going to put personal trainers out of business with this site! Thanks for raising the bar and providing really useful information and as always, great workouts."

-- Tracy Lawson

“I think you all are awesome. I especially love that I ask questions, and I get a response right away. Love it.”

-- Terese



Lean_Body_Diet by Shin Ohtake

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