DISCLAIMER: Please note that this diet and exercise plan is designed for people in good health and is not suitable for pregnant or nursing women. If there is any reason you think may prevent you following this diet and exercise plan safely, such as an existing health problem, something your doctor has told you, or feeling unwell, please consult your doctor before embarking on the program. The author(s) of this book cannot be held responsible for any health problems experienced as a result of following this diet or for any failure to lose weight. The plan is followed entirely at the participant’s own risk.
So you’re ready to drop a size, we need to …
ON YOUR MARKS
Right! We haven’t got much time to spare if you’re going to drop a size in 2 weeks flat, so read on to find out more about the plan and how to prepare, physically and psychologically, for the next 14 days.
WHY IS THE PLAN GOING TO WORK?
The 14-day plan combines diet and exercise. While weight loss can result from just dieting or just exercise, research has shown that a combination of both is the key to long-term results (it was also the ideal prescription for reducing blood pressure in a recent study). And it means you don’t have to do either to the extreme – as both reduced energy intake and increased energy expenditure contribute to weight loss. Combining diet and exercise also helps to avoid the counterproductive changes to fat metabolism that can occur through dieting alone, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
THE DIET PLAN
The eating plan is a carefully constructed low-calorie diet based on low glycemic index carbohydrates, to prevent the energy highs and lows that can lead to bingeing; dietary fiber, to help you feel satisfied; essential fatty acids for a healthy heart and efficient metabolic functioning; plenty of water-packed fruit, salad and vegetables to insure sufficient vitamin and mineral intake; and protein, essential for tissue repair, maintenance and growth.
The plan incorporates my Starch Curfew, a strategy that restricts carbohydrate intake after 5 p.m. to help you consume nutrients at the right time of day and maximize weight loss. It also has a high content of liquid-based foods, such as soups, stews and juices, because research has shown that these leave you feeling more satiated than a drier diet, even those that involve a high water intake. In one study, women who sipped a broth before they ate lunch consumed 100 fewer calories than those who did not – and felt less hungry later in the day.
The eating plan is easy to follow and clearly explained, with options for cooking at home as well as eating on the run, and while it is a low-calorie diet – providing approximately 1300 cals a day (1600 for men) – you can be assured that it’s nutrient rich.
THE EXERCISE PLAN
Follow the 14-day eating plan and you’ll soon be looking and feeling better. But for total health, vitality and successful weight loss, one crucial part of the jigsaw is still missing – exercise. Physical activity raises resting metabolism, increases calorie-hungry lean body mass, and improves your body’s ability to burn fat as a fuel.
For convenience and simplicity, the aerobic exercise featured in the 14-day plan is simply walking. It’s not only good for your figure but your health, too – recent research has shown that regular walking for as little as an hour a week is associated with lower incidence of heart disease in women. In the plan you will find that 10- to 30-minute bouts of walking are suggested at specific times during the day, but if you really can’t fit them in, then stick to one daily walk. Some research shows that doing repeated bouts of exercise actually burns more calories than doing one prolonged session, due to the effect of exercise on metabolism, but the overall rule is to be as active as you can, as often as you can. There are daily step targets to aim for, to provide a guide to how much walking you need to do during the 14 days to get results. You’ll need a pedometer – these are available for $10–$35 from good athletic equipment stores.
The daily walking is complemented by a targeted 10-minute home routine of abdominal and core stability exercises to tone up your abdominals and improve posture, all helping you to streamline your silhouette.
Alongside the walking and core exercises, try to find time to fit more “lifestyle” activity into each of the 14 days. These are activities that can be easily incorporated into your day and don’t require you to get into your gym clothes and sneakers. Here are some everyday tasks that will help increase calorie expenditure.
Burn 100 calories without exercising by …
Shopping for half an hour
Gardening for 20 minutes
Dancing for 20 minutes
Making the bed 5 days a week
Walking up stairs for 10 minutes
Cooking for 40 minutes
Cleaning for 25 minutes
ARE YOU READY TO DROP A DRESS SIZE?
Before you start, get a piece of paper and write down your answers to the following questions:
Hopefully, the answers to the above questions will have helped focus your mind on the task in hand a little. Research shows that people who have an “intrinsic” or internal motivation to achieve something are more likely to persevere than those who are motivated by “extrinsic” rewards. For example, believing that you’ll feel better about yourself if you drop a dress size is likely to help you stick with the plan more than having to lose weight for your best friend’s wedding. It’s important to be in the right frame of mind – positive, motivated, and confident – before you start and while on the Get a Grip plan. That’s why you’ll find a positive mantra and top tip for each day of your 14-day plan. It’s also equally important to be practically and physically prepared. Make sure you have 14 days in which to commit yourself fully to this