I’ve prepared a lot of meals plans. But you know what? Nobody ever uses them! That said, they do serve as are a great awareness tool. A sample menu is a terrific illustration of what a typical, healthy diet should look like.

I use 3-4 phases for fat loss because just like your training, you need to change up your nutrition to get results. Each nutrition phase is about 4-6 weeks in duration.

Today we’ll focus on Phase 1

The first phase is designed to kickstart your metabolism with food to fuel the body. Most of the time when people come to see me for help, their metabolism is slow and sluggish. It isn’t working properly because of poor food choices and/or a sedentary lifestyle. The first step is to get your metabolism firing. The best indication that it’s working properly is that you feel hunger on occasion. If the opposite is true and you never feel hungry, it may be an indication that your metabolism is slow.

First thing you gotta do is illuminate inflammatory foods: French fries, most takeout foods, many packaged foods, and food high in sugar. All these foods cause fat gain and inflammation. The body will not lose fat when it’s inflamed.

You’ll need to clean out your cupboards, freezer, and fridge

Because if it’s in your house: you, someone you love (or someone you barely tolerate) will eat it.

Look at the ingredient list of your packaged foods in your pantry and fridge. Including crackers, chips, packaged meals, ice creams, frozen meals, “healthy” granola bars. Keep the food only if:

• The ingredient list is less than 7 items
• If you recognize and can draw all of the items in the list

Otherwise, the food goes in the garbage. If a food product has a shelf life longer than your own, you shouldn’t be eating it.

As a side note, there will probably be a feeling of loss

That feeling is real and deserves attention. Take time to morn & acknowledge the loss of food that you love.  In order to say yes to something (aka – a fit, fab bod), you have to say no to something else (junk food).

Did you know that food companies pay scientists to figure out how much sugar, salt & fat to add to food to make it addictive? Yes, they do! Then we use these foods to self-medicate resulting in addictive behaviors. The food companies do not have your best interest at heart, they are only trying to make money.

If you have a habit of consuming too much fast food, that behavior will need to be broken in order to become the fit, fabulous person you want to be.

If you need help breaking this cycle, please contact me so we can work through this obstacle.  It’s complex and difficult to maneuver.

After you’re eating nutritious foods that will fuel you, we can focus on meal planning. If you missed my blog title “what to eat” check it out here. You can find a healthy grocery list and you should be eating from this list.

I should mention that occasionally,  weight loss plateaus are caused by hormonal deficiencies, food intolerances and/or thyroid over or under activity. Those situations are more complex and you might additionally help from a nutritionist or naturopath.

When you download the Phase 1 sample meal plan you may find things you don’t like or can’t eat. But that’s OK, you can modify it using a couple of guidelines that apply to any meal plan designed for performance and physique:

• Every meal contains a protein source
• Processed food containing chemicals and preservatives is limited or non-existent
• There’s enough food to fuel you for workouts

Download your sample Phase 1 meal plan here

A couple of notes:

• You can substitute any protein for another. I provided a list of healthy protein sources in this blog.
• Drink enough water that you pee is clear by noon. Water isn’t specified in your meal plan.
• For fat loss, stop eating if you feel full.  You can reduce the portions slightly.
• The opposite is true, if you feel uncontrollably hungry most of the time, increase portions slightly.

Another point worth noting is that you cannot get the body you want, be fit and fabulous with nutrition alone, you need to train as well. If you need a structured workout plan I’d love to help you out. I absolutely love getting women into there skinny jeans and feeling amazing.

I hope this helps you lose fat and get the body you want. If you need help please reach out to me, that’s what I love to do. Build female machines!

https://janetsalazar.com; 613-282-5267; [email protected]