Inside your body, at this very moment, there’s a war going on. No, not because of the leftover Chinese you dug out of the fridge last night and inhaled. This is a turf battle on a cellular level, between the cells that make up muscle and those that make up fat. On one side (the good side) is Muscle. (Don’t freak: Muscle is not trying to make you bulky.) Think of Muscle as your closest BFF who loans you her most flattering going-out top because she knows that the better you look, the more you both outshine the wannabes, and the more you both get noticed. The wannabe, in this case, is Fat. Fat is like that passive-aggressive frenemy who always says no even when those pants do make your butt look fat. Fat hates Muscle, and the feeling is mutual. Fat wants to get rid of Muscle so it can make room for more of its energy-sucking, muffin-top making friends inside your body. Muscle wants to do away with Fat so it can torch all incoming calories and keep you looking slim and fab. You know which side you’re rooting for. But here’s the problem: In this war, Fat will always have an unfair advantage. The only way Muscle can win is with your help. The Women’s Health Nutrition System will show you how to win that battle. It will help you build muscle and burn away fat, while eating the very best food on the planet and never, ever feeling hungry. It will make you stronger, leaner, and healthier than you’ve ever been before. And it will start to take effect, well, pretty much from your very first bite. Ready to dig in? HOW TO WIN THE WAR ON FAT As we said above, in the war for your body, fat has the advantage over muscle. And for that, you can blame Charles Darwin. When humans first evolved, starvation and deprivation were always a threat. So our bodies learned to store fat in lean times, and to burn fewer calories when calories weren’t easy to come by—just like bears preparing for hibernation. The problem is that today we no longer have to scratch our way across the savannah, looking for grub to eat. Now grub to eat surrounds us, stacked in 18-foot-high shelves at the local discount store. And yet, strangely, we still put our bodies in starvation mode more than we might expect. We skip breakfast to race to our jobs. We work long days, breaking to eat only when our bellies rumble. Sometimes, we even go on diets, trying to earn some sort of karmic merit badge by depriving ourselves. But every time you skip a meal or feel a hunger pang? Your body feels it too, and says, “Uh-oh. Famine up ahead. Better shuttle some of those Doritos down into the belly for good measure.” Literally, every time you feel hungry, you’re telling your body to store fat. That’s why The Women’s Health Nutrition System is designed to keep you eating—a lot. You’ll be stunned to discover just how much food your body needs to lose weight and keep it off. WHY FAT IS MORE THAN JUST UGLY The first step to winning any contest is learning to understand your adversary, whether you’re an attorney in a courtroom or a real housewife of New Jersey. So, too, in the fight against fat. The Women’s Health Diet See, the term “fat and lazy” is pretty accurate from a scientific standpoint. Fat is lazy on a metabolic level. It barely burns any calories at all. For your body to support a pound of fat, it needs to burn up a mere 2 calories a day. Muscle, on the other hand, is very metabolically active. At rest, 1 pound of muscle burns about 40 to 50 calories a day just to sustain itself—and a lot of those calories that muscle burns come from fat’s storage units. That’s why fat hates muscle, because muscle is constantly burning it off. So fat actually fights back, trying to erode muscle so it can get more of its fat friends into your body. The real bad guy in this internal battle happening right now, in your body, is a nasty character called visceral fat. Visceral fat is the kind that resides behind the abdominal muscles, surrounding your internal organs (viscera). And visceral fat works its mischief by releasing a number of substances, collectively called adipokines. Adipokines include compounds that raise your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, inflammation and heart disease. And visceral fat also messes with an important hormone called adiponectin, which regulates metabolism. The more visceral fat you have, the less adiponectin you have, and the lower your metabolism. So fat literally begets more fat. And the more visceral fat you have, the more likely it’s sabotaging your muscles. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that those biologically active molecules that are released from visceral fat can actually degrade muscle quality—which, again, leads to more fat. That’s why managing your muscle is so important, even if you’ve never aspired to fight crime in a spandex costume or join the cast of Jersey Shore. And that’s why The Women’s Health Nutrition System puts a premium on building and maintaining muscle mass. Take that, fat! Get ready to dig in! PRINCIPLES OF THE WOMEN’S HEALTH NUTRITION SYSTEM The Women’s Health Nutrition System is designed to melt away pounds not by cutting down on the amount of food you eat, but by packing your day with nutrient-rich foods that are both filling and delicious. As you’ll discover, all of our guidelines are about eating more food, not depriving yourself of food. (And the stuff we do ask you to cut down on? Stuff you’re eating that’s not actually food, stuff like chemicals that have been shown to promote weight gain without giving you any nutritional benefit.) Plus, we’ll explain that when you eat is almost as important as what you eat. As you begin to work with your body’s natural metabolic clock, you’ll be shocked to discover how easy it is to lose weight with the Women’s Health Nutrition System, and how fast our plan begins to take effect. To help you achieve your ideal body, you’ll focus on goal-driven eating that eliminates the need to count calories. In fact, we’ve made this plan insanely flexible by giving you an easy-to-digest breakdown of seven key food groups—we call it The Science of Seven—and a wide variety of ways to enjoy and indulge in them. The rules are simple, and amazingly effective. RULE #1: Eat Protein With Every Meal At any given moment, even at rest, your body is breaking down and building up muscle, says Jeffrey Volek, Ph.D., R.D., a nutrition and exercise researcher at the University of Connecticut. Substitute the word “protein” for “muscle,” and you quickly understand just how dynamic your body is, and how your muscle content can change considerably in the course of just a few weeks. But muscle doesn’t come just from lifting weights or hauling groceries up the stairs. Eating protein triggers muscle growth. In fact, every time you eat at least 10 to 15 grams of protein, you trigger a burst of protein synthesis. And when you eat at least 30 grams, that period of synthesis lasts about 3 hours—and that means even more muscle growth. Here’s a quick look at what those numbers translate into when they actually hit your plate: Now think about it: When would you typically eat most of your protein? At dinner, right? That means you might be fueling your muscles for only a few hours a day, mostly while you’re watching Chelsea Lately. The rest of the day, you’re breaking down muscle, because you don’t have enough protein in your system. “The single most important diet upgrade for people who want to lose weight is to eat protein for breakfast,” says Louis Aronne, MD, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “I’ve had clients lose a bunch of weight just making this one change.” Your plan: Eat protein at all three meals, which can include meats and eggs, or other options such as cheese and milk. You need to boost your protein intake to between 0.54 and 1.00 grams per pound of your goal bodyweight in order to preserve calorie-burning muscle mass. Important note: We said goal bodyweight. Why is that a big deal? Well, if you calculate your protein intake based on your current weight, you likely won’t see the scale budge. Say you weigh 150 pounds and want to lose 20 pounds. Your goal bodyweight would be 130 pounds and you’d want to aim for between anywhere from 70 to 130 grams of protein per day. That translates roughly to 30 grams of protein at your main meals with filling options like a chicken breast, a burger, or a filet of fish. For snacks, at least 10 to 15 grams of protein, such as 2 hard-boiled eggs, a serving of Greek yogurt, or even a classic peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread. RULE #2: Eat Two Breakfasts When you wake up in the morning, your body is fuel-deprived. It’s been 7 to 9 hours (or more) since you last ate. Your insulin levels have dropped, your protein stores are empty, and your muscles are desperate for food. Your body needs food to restore its balance. “The bulk of your calories should come at breakfast,” says David Grotto, RD, national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, adding, “When you shift calories to the morning you lose weight and keep it off.” Unfortunately, neither our stomachs nor our schedules are always flexible in the morning, which is why gulping down a cup of coffee behind the wheel is about the best many of us can do. So break your breakfast into two meals. This allows your morning meal plan to adjust for broken alarm clocks, anxious bosses, screaming kids, and the occasional hangover. Your plan: Eat the bulk of your daily calories—30 to 35 percent of your total intake—in the morning by splitting breakfast into two meals. The key is to match proteins and whole grains with produce and healthy fats. For example: fried eggs on whole grain toast when you wake up, and a protein and fruit smoothie an hour later. RULE #3: It’s Not What You Eat, It’s When! Eating at the right time can turn every workout into the best workout of your life. A recent study by European scientists found that exercisers who ate a protein- and carbohydrate-rich meal right before and right after their workouts gained twice as much lean muscle as those who waited at least 5 hours to eat. Not only does the timing help nourish your muscles, it also maximizes your ability to burn fat. Your plan: Eat 1 serving of carbohydrates plus 1 serving of protein within 30 minutes before your workout, and another serving of carbohydrates plus 1 serving of protein 30 minutes after. 30 Grams of Protein 1 4-oz hamburger patty 1 large chicken breast 1 4-oz sirloin steak 1 3-egg vegetable omelet with 3 strips bacon 20 large peel-and-eatwild shrimp 1 lobster 1 haddock filet 1 6-oz pork chop 1 6-oz serving tempeh 10-to-15 Grams of Protein 1 fruit-and-yogurt parfait w/granola 2 medium carrots w/ ½ cup hummus ¾ cup chili con carne 1 10-oz spaghetti w/ meat sauce 1 pouch chunk light tuna ½ cup oatmeal with 1 cup 2% milk 12 oz lowfat chocolate milk 6 oz Greek yogurt 2 Tbs peanut butter on whole wheat Bonus: Eat your cake, and see your abs too! After you lift weights, your body’s fat storage pathways are shut off while your fat-burning mechanisms are turned on. So now’s the time to indulge in carbs, even sugars if you crave them. You won’t use your stored protein for energy, you’ll rely instead on the carbs to replenish you. And the food you eat will not only help you sculpt a sexy midsection, but also develop more lean muscle. RULE #4: Muscle Grows on Trees And bushes, stalks and vines, as well. In other words, if it grows on a plant, eat it. Fruits and vegetables should be included in every meal. By loading your body with the maximum amount of nutrients for the least number of calories, they’re a dietary bargain. Now, a caveat here: Eating “vegetable chips” or “veggie sticks” or drinking “fruit-flavored punch” is not the same thing. If the fruit or vegetable in question won’t wilt after a few days of hanging out on your countertop, then it’s a processed food. It didn’t grow on a tree, it grew out of some scientist’s imagination. Your plan: Eat at least 1 serving of fresh fruits or vegetables at every meal. And when it comes to the calorie-free vegetables, you can eat as much as you want to help satisfy cravings. Bonus: Eat your fruits and vegetables first! Not only will you consume more vegetables and fewer calories from other foods, but the fiber content will lower the glycemic load of your meal, helping you sidestep those swings in blood sugar that lead to hunger. Try at least one new fruit or vegetable each week and make sure that salads and fruit salads have at least four different colors. For example: romaine lettuce, yellow peppers, tomatoes, and carrots, or pineapple, blood oranges, kiwi, and grapes. RULE #5: Include Folate and Omega–3s every day Folate, a B vitamin found primarily in leafy greens, is like the canary in the coal mine. It’s the nutrient that reveals how healthy your diet really is. If your folate levels are low, chances are your diet needs some tweaking. Folate deficiency is linked to most of the major diseases of our time: It leads to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and depression, as well as a decreased response to depression treatments and increased weight gain. The best food sources of folate provide at least 20 percent of the daily value per serving, like romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, endive, collard greens, and Swiss chard. Some experts argue that omega-3s should be labeled essential nutrients as necessary to health as, say, vitamins A and D. “They’re involved in the metabolism of each individual cell,” says Artemis P. Simopoulos, M.D., a physician and the president of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health in Washington, D.C. “They’re part of your body’s basic nutrition.” Studies show that this healthy fat may not only reduce a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke but also possibly help prevent ailments as diverse as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorder—and those are just the A’s. Plus, on top of its mood-boosting, heart-saving, brain-enhancing powers, those who consume the most omega 3-rich fish a week live longer and less abdominal fat than those who avoid seafood. And scientists from Quebec found that omega 3s improve protein metabolism, meaning that more of the protein you eat is synthesized in your muscle. Sure it sounds cool, but even better, this means faster muscle growth. You’ll find this healthy fat in fatty fish like salmon and tuna as well as flax seed and walnuts, and in grass-fed beef and chicken. Your plan: At every meal try to include either a folate-rich green or omega-3-rich food. The best way to up your folate intake is to eat leafy greens with as many meals as you can, and eat them first. As for omega-3s: Eat fish for dinner twice a week; sprinkle ground flaxseed on your morning cereal; opt for grass-fed beef and free-range or omega- 3–enriched eggs; and load up on walnuts every chance you get. RULE #6: Eat for Variety They say that variety is the spice of life, but it also might be a secret to additional fat loss. We’ve already told you that the key to the Women’s Health Nutritional System is to eat more food. But that doesn’t mean eating the same meals every day. You see, every food that you eat contains micronutrients, including—but not limited to—stuff like vitamins and minerals. Some foods are high in some micronutrients and low in others. When you eat the same foods, you build up deficiencies that can lead to sickness, chronic disease, or slow fat loss. One study compared diets that were equal in terms of caloric consumption. But one group ate with more variety, while the other group consumed the same foods all the time. To the surprise of the researchers, those who mixed up the foods they ate at each meal experienced more fat loss—even though they consumed the same number of calories! Your plan: Run the gamut of the Women’s Health Shopping List (below). If there’s something you haven’t tasted, don’t understand, or can’t pronounce—try it! It’s probably packed with weight-loss nutrients your body is aching to discover. MEET THE SEVEN SUPERFOOD GROUPS The Women’s Health Nutrition System is built on Seven Superfood Groups—anything you eat that doesn’t fall into one of these categories probably isn’t good for you. To maximize muscle growth and fat burn, just hit these serving goals. You’ll fuel your body with all the nutrients it needs, and you’ll crowd out the bad foods in the process. 1. Meats and eggs THE HIGHLIGHTS: Protein is the basic building block of the entire human body, and meat and eggs are the best source of it. While eating more protein is a key component of building muscle, it’s also your best friend in terms of dramatic body transformation and overall health. Protein does everything from giving you enviable muscle tone to trimming inches from your waist. That’s because your body burns a lot of calories when it’s digesting protein—about 25 calories for every 100 calories you eat. (Compared to only 10 to 15 calories for fats and carbs.) That’s called the thermic effect of eating, and it’s where up to 30 percent of our calories get used up. So the more you eat, the more you burn! THE SCIENCEY STUFF: Protein is made of amino acids, which can be split into two types: Essential and non-essential. The best forms of protein include all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t naturally produce. Based on this, ideal protein sources include: Beef, pork, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, and oats. Other sources such as beans, seeds, and cornmeal provide a shot of protein, but the amount of essential amino acids in these foods fall slightly below your body’s needs. Foods like breads, rice, pasta, and potatoes contain protein, but they don’t contain the essential amino acids, and thus are incomplete sources. A diet that primarily consists of proteins from complete sources will provide the best results. Your goal: 2-3 servings per day, especially focusing on breakfast. Be sure to eat something from this category (or from the protein-rich dairy category) as part of your pre-workout and post- workout meals. 2. Vegetables THE HIGHLIGHTS: If there’s one food in the Women’s Health Nutrition System that has almost unlimited benefits, it’d be vegetables. Packed with supernutrients that can improve heart health, elevate your mood, burn off calories, and do everything from protecting your eyes to boosting your sexual health and pleasure, vegetables are the best nutritional bargain in the universe. Eat them, wherever and whenever you see them. THE SCIENCEY STUFF: The caloric value of most vegetables is so low, that the simple process of eating and digesting greens burns as many calories as what’s contained in the food. Need more proof? Researchers in New York surveyed more than 2,000 dieters and those who were most successful, felt the fullest, and lost the most weight ate at least 4 servings of vegetables per day. Plus, vegetables, especially green, leafy vegetables like spinach and Brussels sprouts, are packed with folate. As you read above, folate, a B vitamin, is the holy grail of nutrients—scientists believe that the best way to tell if you’re eating a healthy diet is to measure your levels of this nutrient. Folate—which, by the way, is harder and harder for Americans to come by as we move away from vegetables and toward more packaged and processed foods—has been shown to fight depression and weight gain. Indeed, in one study, dieters with the highest levels of folate lost eight and a half times as much weight as those with the lowest levels. Your goal: At least 3 servings of vegetables each day, including fresh and frozen varieties. (But we’d prefer you eat more—vegetables are like a “get out of the hospital free” card, so eat them whenever and wherever you can.) 3. Fruits THE HIGHLIGHTS: As a good rule of thumb, the more colorful your diet, the healthier you’re probably eating. That’s because color = nutrition. And the easiest (and tastiest) way to get color into your diet is to eat a variety of fruits—yellow pineapples, green kiwis, red strawberries, orange, um, oranges. Different colors represent different nutrients, so the wider the variety, the better. THE SCIENCEY STUFF: Fruits contain natural sugars that, when broken down by your body, are synthesized in your liver. This may sound like technical nonsense, but it’s an important benefit for your waistline. Because the sugar is processed in your liver, it doesn’t spike your insulin levels, meaning you’re less likely to store this energy as fat. Select any of your favorite fruits—either fresh or frozen—and use them as a daily snack or as an energy boost before or after your workout. Your goal: 2-4 servings of fruit each day, including fresh, frozen and dried fruit. This is not hard. Have some raisin bran, eat an apple, and grab a couple of pieces of pineapple off the salad bar. You’re done. 4. Oils and Other Healthy Fats THE HIGHLIGHTS: Eating fat won’t make you fat any more than eating money will make you rich. And the right kinds of fats can actually make you slimmer. Your body is designed to burn fat for energy. So by timing your fat intake, you’ll not only trigger weight loss, you can fuel your workouts more effectively—and see even greater gains in the gym. THE SCIENCEY STUFF: The fats we want you to concentrate on are: monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), the healthy oils found in olives, nuts, seeds, avocado, acai, and even chocolate; and omega-3s fatty acids, which are found in cold- water fish, grass fed meats, nuts, seeds, and some fruits. These fats can lower your risk of heart disease, protect cells from damage, help encourage muscle growth, and increase the amounts of valuable nutrients available from other foods. But more shockingly, scientists in Italy found that people who ate diets with higher amounts of fat burned more blubber during exercise. Your goal: 2-3 servings per day. That might include some guacamole, some pasta with olive oil, some salad dressing. Note: You’ll also be getting healthy monounsaturated fats from nuts (see the next item). While you want to eat plenty of those, make sure you’re also getting enough healthy fats from the above sources as well. 5. Nuts, beans, legumes THE HIGHLIGHTS: Nuts, beans, lentils, and peanuts are like little weight-loss pills. Every time you pop one, you’re getting closer to your goal. Try to think of them that way, and you’ll find yourself noshing almonds, enjoying some bean dip, ordering bean burritos, or spreading peanut butter on everything. THE SCIENCEY STUFF: One study found that people who eat ¾ cup of beans daily weigh 6.6 pounds less than those who don’t eat beans, even thought the bean eaters consumed 199 more calories per day. (See? Eat more, weigh less.) And researchers from Georgia Southern University found that eating a high-protein, high-fat snack, such as almonds, increases your resting calorie burn for up to 3.5 hours. According to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, you can snack on nuts without worrying about accumulating extra pounds, because the body doesn’t absorb all the fat in nuts. Your goal: Shoot for at least 2 servings a day from this category. 6. Grains THE HIGHLIGHTS: Do you react to carbs the way citizens of Tokyo react to Godzilla? Relax! There’s nothing inherently wrong with carbohydrates, unless food scientists get ahold of them and turn them bright orange, electric lavender, or fluorescent green. Healthy carbs like whole grains, pasta, pitas and the like can and should be a staple of your daily diet. They provide energy and help facilitate the muscle building process. Whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice are obvious choices. But don’t be afraid to branch out: Quinoa and oats are packed with fiber and so protein-rich they practically count as meat! THE SCIENCEY STUFF: Researchers at Penn State University compared people who ate whole grains to those who ate refined grains, and found that whole-grain eaters lost 2.4 times more belly fat than ones who ate refined grains. The high fiber helps, but these results go beyond simple satiety. Whole grains more favorably affect blood- glucose levels, which means they don’t cause wild swings in blood sugar and ratchet up cravings after you eat them. Plus, the antioxidants in whole grains help control inflammation and insulin (a hormone that tells your body to store fat). Your goal: 2-4 servings per day, aiming to eat at least 1 serving both before and after your workouts 7. Dairy THE HIGHLIGHTS: Turns out that milk does a body good…and so does cheese, yogurt, and even ice cream. Most people know that the calcium in dairy strengthens your bones, but the list of benefits is longer than the cheese menu at a snooty French restaurant. Something as simple as drinking a glass of milk per day can help stave off a heart attack and stroke. In one study, British researchers found that subjects who drank milk at least once per day had a 16 percent decrease in heart disease risk and were 20 percent less likely to suffer from a stroke. The calcium found in dairy lowers your blood pressure and creates a healthier environment for your heart. THE SCIENCEY STUFF: According to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine, experts believe that up to 77 percent of Americans are vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D is important because a deficiency can make it harder for you to lose weight. So drink your milk, but don’t be afraid to reach for the whole milk. The smoother, tastier version not only suppresses your appetite, but it’s also healthy for you. A major review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no association between the saturated fat in whole milk and clogged coronary arteries. And don’t sweat the calories: The difference between whole and low-fat milk is a paltry 20 calories. Your goal: 2-4 servings per day. Be sure to eat something from this category (or from the protein- rich dairy category) as part of your pre-workout and post-workout meals. The Superfood Daily Cheat Sheet Meats and Eggs = 2-3 servings Vegetables = 3 or more servings Fruits = 2-4 servings Oils And Other Healthy Fats = 2-3 servings Nuts, Beans, Legumes = 2 servings Grains = 2-4 servings Dairy = 2-4 servings A WORD ABOUT COUNTING CALORIES No matter how healthy you eat, consuming more calories than your body burns is a surefire route to weight gain. That’s why many diet plans are based on counting calories, using very tightly managed caloric calculations to ensure that dieters never go over their allotted food intake. At Women’s Health, we’ve spent the last decade studying calorie-counting systems, using the absolute best science and soliciting the finest mathematical minds, and boiling these intensely intricate scientific findings into an equation anyone can understand. The ultimate calorie intake formula looks like this: Caloric intake x BMI2/waist circumference – (3500/24 + 7) = $%#*&@ BORING! Look, we know you’re busy. Who wants to whip out a calculator each time you sit down to a well- deserved meal? It’s far more effective in the long run to train your brain to recognize correct portion sizes so you learn to eat mindfully. After all, diets made from gimmicks don’t work; and in the end counting calories is simply a gimmick. It’s going to take some practice, because over the past 30 years, food marketers have tricked out their offerings, burying normal-sized servings in biggie sizes and “extra value” meals that don’t look at all like portions are supposed to. The problem is most egregious at America’s restaurants, where they now market meal-size plates as appetizers, family-size platters as single entrees, and small kiddie pools as beverages. A 2008 study by the USDA found that Americans eat an average of 107 more calories each time they choose to eat at a restaurant. And a 2002 study looking at restaurant portions found that the average restaurant pasta dish was nearly five times bigger than the USDA’s recommended serving! Steaks and bagels were more than three times as big as one serving should be, and hamburgers more than double. So how can the average woman defend herself against calorie counts and serving sizes that are ballooning faster than the national debt? How can you become a nutritional Tea Party of one, cutting down on excess caloric spending while still getting the fat, protein, fiber and other nutrients you need? And how can you do it all the same way you pick out a new nail polish—by eyeballing it? The answer is in the palm of your hand. Literally. For solid foods, a serving size is equal to: Meats: The size of your palm Vegetables and fruits: As big as a tight fist Oils And Other Healthy Fats: A teaspoon is equal to the end of your thumb, from the knuckle up Nuts, beans and legumes: Whatever fits in the palm of your hand Grains: The size of a tight fist Dairy: The size of your palm THE WOMEN’S HEALTH NUTRITION SYSTEM IN ACTION Here’s a quick look at your diet plan. (Yep, it’s a lot of food!) Part One: EAT THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY Breakfasts: When you shift calories to the morning, you lose weight and keep it off. So eat the bulk of your daily calories—30 to 35 percent of your total intake—in the morning by splitting breakfast into two meals. If you usually skip breakfast, you’ll discover that you’ll actually eat fewer calories and gain less weight simply by eating two breakfasts every day. That’s right— you’ll lose weight if you eat more. 1st Breakfast: You’ll jumpstart your morning metabolism and begin burning fat right away with a combination of calorie-burning, muscle- enhancing protein, and some carbohydrates to keep you full for hours. The meal can be a simple grab-and-go infusion of energy to start your day, such as a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt. The protein and carbs in dairy slow muscle protein breakdown, which promotes muscle growth, fat loss, lessens muscle damage and reduces inflammation. And, according to Australian scientists, drinking milk for breakfast limits afternoon and nighttime binges. Want to cook? Have fried eggs on whole grain toast with your morning cup of coffee. 2nd Breakfast: Give your brain and your body a boost an hour later by eating a protein-packed meal that includes vegetables or fruit for mood- boosting brainpower. Have walnut flax oatmeal with some yogurt and blueberries for a shot of omega-3s and brain-busting antioxidants. If you’re about to hit the gym, a protein-packed smoothie combining fruits and a scoop of whey powder might be your best bet. NOTE: Part of the reason we’re giving you two breakfasts is to fit this diet into your lifestyle more easily, and to reduce your stress levels. If you’re an early rising, make-the-most-of-your-morning kind of person, then enjoy a big breakfast and grab a snack on the way to work. If you’re always stressed and rushed in the a.m., just chug a glass of milk, and then swing by the drive-through for an egg sandwich, or keep cereal and fruit stashed in your desk. Lunch: Lunch is a pit stop to allow you to take on the fuel you need to power through the afternoon. Aim for at least three servings of vegetables— which are mainly water, fiber, and vitamins, so they will keep you hydrated and full with healthy calories. Then add in quality proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. So choose thick vegetable-rich soups, bean dip or hummus sandwiches loaded with raw crisp vegetables on whole-grain bread, salads with grilled lean meats, or fish dressed with olive oil and vinegar or spices. Dinner: Studies show that if you start your dinner with a small side salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar, or steamed folate-rich vegetables like kale, spinach, collard greens, or Swiss chard, you’ll decrease your overall food intake by 12 percent while taking in satiating fiber and disease- fighting nutrients. Plus, folate-rich greens will give you a mood boost. Twice a week, alternate your main dishes between beans or lentils and whole grains to ensure variety. Bean eaters live longer, and studies show an inverse relationship between bean consumption and weight, mostly due to beans’ high fiber content. Twice a week, eat fish, which is rich in omega-3s. Fish will lower your risk of heart disease, protect your cells from damage, and increase the amounts of valuable nutrients available from other foods. The rest of the week, choose between your favorite sources of protein, such as poultry, seafood, or beef. Snacks: You can’t lose weight and keep it off unless you snack! In fact, studies show that people who avoid eating between meals may end up consuming more calories overall, mostly because hungry people make bad food choices. Choose plain yogurt and blueberries, red bell- pepper slices and cottage cheese, and whole-grain cereal and milk, apples and cheese, guacamole and tortilla chips, and walnuts and raspberries. Part Two: EAT THIS ON WORKOUT DAYS Do you have to work out? No. Then again, do you have to save for retirement? No. Do you have to check the tires on your car for safety? No. Do you have to spend time with your in-laws? No. You don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. Go lie down on the couch, pour a glass of wine, and keep up with the Kardashians if you want. But you’re a grown-up. You understand that choices have consequences. You realize that investing today—in your body, in your financial future, in your family—will pay off later. So we’ve created an exercise program that will help you see a lifetime of gains, and begin paying off immediately (and probably a lot better than your 401k does). You’ll read about it elsewhere in this missive. But actually getting your sweat on is only part of the strategy. If you want to see the most dramatic changes to your body, it’s important that you time your meals around your workouts. This simple trick will allow you to eat more calories to fuel muscle enhancement without gaining excess fat. In fact, exercisers who eat a protein-and- carbohydrate-rich meal right before and right after their workouts build twice as much muscle as those who wait at least 5 hours to eat. We’ve been presumptuous here, and imagined that you work out at lunchtime. In that case, your 2nd breakfast becomes your pre-workout meal, and lunch becomes your post-workout meal. But if you work out in the evening, then make your afternoon snack your pre-workout meal, and dinner your post-workout meal. Morning exercise? Breakfast one becomes pre-workout, breakfast two becomes post-workout. Maximum flexibility for maximum results—that’s what this program is all about. Pre-workout When you eat before a workout, those calories go towards fueling your body to work optimally during your time in the gym—plus you’ll improve your mood and give yourself the burst of energy you need to motivate you to exercise. Dutch and British researchers found that eating before your workout speeds muscle growth by blunting your body’s receptivity to cortisol, a fat-storing stress hormone. That speeds fat loss during your workout, and for an additional 24 hours, according to scientists at Syracuse University. Just make sure to include a balance of protein and carbohydrates. Eat 1 serving of carbohydrates with 1 serving of protein within 30 minutes before your workout. A great way to do this with minimal fuss? Drink a protein smoothie. Post-workout After your workout, consuming protein helps your body recover by providing a fresh infusion of amino acids to repair and build muscle. And carbohydrates will raise your insulin levels, which slows protein breakdown and speeds muscle growth after your workout. Eat 1 serving of carbohydrates with 1 serving of protein 30 minutes after working out. BONUS: After you lift weights, your body’s fat storage pathways are shut off while your fat-burning mechanisms are turned on. So if you like the occasional cookie or cupcake, now’s the time to indulge. You won’t use your stored protein for energy; you’ll rely instead on the carbs to replenish you. And the food you eat will not only help you see your toned midsection, but also build lean muscle THE WOMEN’S HEALTH DIET SHOPPING LIST Meats and Eggs Chicken, ground beef (preferably 15% fat or less), sirloin steak, top round, pork, eggs, turkey, turkey sausage, tuna, salmon, sea bass, tilapia, trout, cod, flounder, halibut, grouper, mahi mahi, orange roughy, shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, whey protein powder, casein protein powder Vegetables Fresh: scallions, sprouts, beets, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers, romaine lettuce, celery, spinach, carrots, artichoke, asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, garlic, green beans, leeks, mushrooms, onions, radish Frozen: Broccoli florets, peas Fruits Fresh: Bananas, cantaloupe, mangoes, lemon, lime, apples, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, melon, pineapple Frozen: Blueberries, mixed berries Dried: Raisins, prunes, apricots Oils and Other Healthy Fats Avocado, olives, olive oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, canola oil Nuts, Beans and Legumes Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, ground flax seeds, black beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, red lentils Spreads: Peanut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter (no salt or sugar added), black currant jam, black bean dip, hummus Grains Fresh or dried pasta, instant oatmeal (no salt or sugar added), oats, whole-grain cereal, whole- grain bread, whole-wheat flour tortilla wraps, whole-wheat English muffins, whole-wheat pita chips, long-grain rice, quinoa, bagels Dairy Whole milk or 1-2% milk, chocolate milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, string-cheese sticks, ice cream, cottage cheese Miscellaneous foods Use these herbs, spices, and sauces to add rich flavors to your meals: Basil, parsley, cilantro, cayenne, watercress, cumin, curry powder, chili powder, cinnamon, red-pepper flakes, low-sodium soy sauce, red-wine vinegar, cider vinegar SAMPLE WOWOMEN’S HEALTH DIET 5-DAY MEAL PLAN NOTE: We’ve given you a plan that supposes you’ll work out three times a week, at lunchtime. But maybe your life doesn’t run that way. Maybe you need to get up early to exercise, or you can’t hit the gym until your workday is done. Not a problem—again, the Women’s Health Nutrition System is all about maximum flexibility for maximum muscle enhancement (and maximum fat burn). Just remember two rules: 1. Always eat a little something before you work out. 2. Always eat a lot of something after you work out. So if you need to make breakfast #1 small, then work out, then eat a bigger breakfast #2, great. If you want to have a bigger breakfast to start the day, then a small second breakfast pre-workout, [...]... future cravings; the cinnamon reduces inflammation; the walnuts and flax add omega3s and satiating healthy fat; and the bananas add heart-healthy potassium Choose oatmeal in the form of whole oats and nothing else, such as Quaker Old Fashioned Oats BREAKFAST 2: Protein smoothie Chocolate whey protein powder, milk, strawberries, and bananas The ultimate cocktail designed to have you ready for the gym Whey... vitamin C, and blood-pressure lowering potassium SNACK: Hardboiled eggs (1-2) and a banana Hard-boiled eggs are most convenient, but it’s also easy to scramble a few in the a.m and scoop them into a microwavable container Don’t sweat the fat: It’s healthy and filling The banana will provide the carbohydrates you need to refuel after your workout and balance your potassium levels to help with recovery...and then chow down at lunch, perfect If you need to move your snack to the end of the day, work out, then go for dinner, that’s fine too Wouldn’t it be awesome if your boss were this easygoing? Day One (workout day): BREAKFAST 1: Walnut flax oatmeal and milk Oatmeal with chopped walnuts, ground flax, bananas, and a sprinkle of cinnamon The milk provides an instant surge of protein, and the oats... oz.) of chocolate milk Refresh and rebuild at the same time A study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition shows that chocolate milk may be the ideal postworkout beverage for building muscle DINNER: Seared wild salmon with mango chutney, eggplant, and Swiss chard Marinate the salmon in a mixture of lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper, and then sear it in a little olive oil On top, add... with yogurt and blueberries Chop a bunch of spinach and sauté it in a little olive oil Stir together one egg and a bit more chopped spinach, pour it over the sautéed spinach, and cook until the egg is set The yogurt provides probiotics, which support weight loss, digestion, and healthy immune functioning The blueberries add antioxidants, which studies suggest can help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related... during exercise, while the milk, strawberries, and bananas provide the electrolyte balance that’s optimal for hydration, muscle growth, and recovery (WORKOUT) LUNCH: Black bean sandwich (black-bean dip, olives, scallion greens, sprouts, tomatoes, and lettuce on 100 percent whole-wheat bread) The black-bean dip provides mood-boosting fiber, heart-healthy fats, and quality protein And the vegetables provide... of your choice in a little canola oil Then add thinly sliced grass-fed beef, a dash of reduced-sodium soy sauce, and slivered almonds Serve over brown rice with a side of steamed kale Starting your dinner with low-calorie, high-fiber vegetables can decrease your overall food intake by 12 percent The beef provides quality lean protein, plus heart-healthy omega-3s The brown rice adds fiber, which helps... toast BREAKFAST 2: Cottage cheese, oatmeal, and an apple Cottage cheese contains all of the benefits of a protein shake without the blend It’s a quality source of protein that will also help you lose weight because of its high amounts of calcium The added oatmeal and apple will boost your energy so you can work harder in the gym and curb hunger during your workout (WORKOUT) LUNCH: Indonesian chicken salad... product continues to rule the gym Mix it with milk instead of water if you want a bit more protein The added fruit not only improves taste, but will offer sustained energy Try Nitrean; it has whey isolate for quick absorption, and casein, which is digested slowly (WORKOUT) LUNCH: Split-pea soup with a fresh baby spinach side salad SNACK: Chicken, turkey, or tuna wrap Toss one of these standbys in a whole-wheat... chard (Note: We strongly recommend wild salmon over the farm-raised BREAKFAST 1: Berry-banana smoothie Combine frozen blueberries, raspberries, and a frozen banana in a blender with yogurt Add some 1 percent milk and peanut butter Blend until smooth Serve with whole-grain English muffin with black-currant jam BREAKFAST 2: Fried egg and cheese sandwich The eggs provides satiating protein to help you power . variety, while the other group consumed the same foods all the time. To the surprise of the researchers, those who mixed up the foods they ate at each. in! PRINCIPLES OF THE WOMEN’S HEALTH NUTRITION SYSTEM The Women’s Health Nutrition System is designed to melt away pounds not by cutting down on the amount