If you are looking for a simple, get-started-quickly diet program that will help you burn body fat
while conserving lean muscle tissue, this is for YOU
Muscle tissue is the metabolic furnace of the body, so it’s important not to burn it off at the same
time that you are peeling away the fat pounds. In this post I hope to clear out the confusion on
what is healthy eating. All you’ve got to remember about healthy eating is what, how much, and
when. First, let’s look at what you’ll be eating on the program. Imagine your dinner plate divided
into thirds:
Rule of Thirds
Cover 1/3 of your plate with a protein, 1/3 with a carb, and the final 1/3 with a vegetable, salad,
or fruit.
P = Protein Foods
C = Carbohydrate Foods
VSF = Vegetables, Salad, and Fruit
The first wedge will hold your protein: the most important part of every meal. No matter what,
always make sure there’s protein on your plate.
The second wedge will hold your carbohydrates. Important note: Not all carbs are evil incarnate,
and the right ones can actually help burn fat.
The third wedge will hold vegetables, salad, and fruit. And, yes, there will be a little room for
good fats.
This meal plan is based on the balanced intake of the three major categories of nutrients found in
food: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. These nutrients, known as macronutrients, supply the
material your body needs for energy and repair. The plan is moderate in complex carbohydrates,
moderate in protein, and low in fat. Planning meals is as simple as choosing foods from each of
these categories and arranging them on your plate in thirds. Let’s talk about each of these parts in
a bit more depth.
Protein: Muscle Food
Protein builds muscle, so the meal plan includes plenty of protein. It’s important to build your
meal plan with a foundation of protein because protein stabilizes blood sugar (thereby easing
cravings), feeds muscle tissue, and revs up your metabolism. It is also the only macronutrient
that supplies nitrogen, which your muscles need to function properly.
Here’s your Protein list:
• Egg Whites (or egg substitutes) • Chicken Breast
• Turkey Breast • Lean Ground Turkey Breast
• Bluefish* • Cod • Crab • Flounder
• Grouper • Haddock • Halibut • Mackerel*
• Pollack • Red Snapper • Salmon*
• Scallops • Shrimp • Sole • Swordfish*
• Tuna* • Fat-free Cottage Cheese
(*contain higher levels of healthy fat.)
There are some sources of protein you want to avoid. If you need your meat fix, choose the
leanest cuts of beef but keep in mind that only a small handful of cuts fall into that category. You
should limit fatty sources of protein, including beef, pork, lamb, and other meat products,
because of their high content of unhealthy saturated fats.
Carbohydrates:
What separates good carbs from the bad? Simple (bad) carbs are converted to sugar very quickly.
Those bad boys hit the ground running. That’s because simple carbs, if you were to examine
them at a molecular level, have a lot of surface area, which make them easy to break down.
Complex carbs, (listed below) on the other hand, don’t have as much surface area, so they
require more digestion and are broken down more slowly. The release of sugar into the
bloodstream is slowed considerably, which means that insulin levels remain lower. By eating
protein with your complex carbs you’ll slow the carb-to-fat conversion process even more. This
is why you should never eat complex carbs alone; always pair them with protein.
Here’s your Complex Carb list:
• Oatmeal • Whole-grain Cooked Cereal
• Cream of Wheat • Brown Rice • Wild Rice
• New Potatoes • Sweet Potatoes • Corn
• Peas • Rice Cakes • Lentils
• Black-eyed Peas • Whole-grain Pasta*
• Whole-grain Bread* • Corn Tortillas
(*You should limit these carbs)
There is still another way of slowing down the release of carb sugar into your bloodstream. It’s a
method that has been handed down through the generations, and was most often uttered by your
mother at the kitchen table: “Eat your vegetables.”
Essential Fats (The Friendly Fats):
Fat intake might sound like a strange part of a diet plan, but I like to tell people they need to
become fat conscious (aware of the fat content of their foods). As with carbs, there are good and
bad fats. Bad fats contain large amounts of partially saturated, saturated, and trans-fatty acids.
You find these in processed and fried foods, beef, pork, lamb, cheese, cream, and butter. Good
fats, on the other hand, usually contain essential fatty acids (EFA’s), which our bodies can’t
make on their own, and which play a role in virtually every function in the body.
Here’s your Healthy Fats list:
• Flaxseed Oil • Salmon • Mackerel
• Sardines • Fish Oils (check our store)
• Walnuts • Almonds • Cashews • Other Nuts & Seeds
• Avocados • Olive Oil • Olives
You can still get chubby on the over-consumption of good fats. They’re not free foods by any
stretch. But in small amounts, they’re an important part of your diet. To make sure you’re getting
enough good fats in your diet, add a tablespoon of fish oils, flaxseed oil, olive oil, or a small
handful of nuts to two or three of your daily meals. A slice of avocado works great also.
How Much to Eat?
You have the what. Now it’s time for the “how much” part of our meal plan. There is a nobrainer way to make sure you’re dishing out the correct proportions.
1. Protein – The portion of protein at primary meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) should be the size
of the palm of your open hand.
2. Carbohydrates – Your serving of complex carbs at primary meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
should be about the size of your fist.
3. Vegetables and Salad – Good news: no measuring required! You can have as much of these
foods as you like. But remember the rule of thirds, and aim to have this portion be about a third
of your total plate.
4. Fat – Add a tablespoon of fish oils, flaxseed oil, olive oil, or a small handful of nuts to two or
three of your daily meals. A slice of avocado works great also.
5. Fruit – Have a small serving of low-calorie fruit at two or three of your meals for dessert. Or,
you may prefer a scoop of sorbet at lunch or dinner.
Mix and match from the lists of foods, and you have the makings of perfect fat-burning meals! I
hope this gets you on the right track for weight loss and lean tone muscle sculpting
Thank you for reading
Sincerely, Your Coach
Corey Arsenault
Stretch Fitness, 476 Central St, Summerside PEI, C1N 3N7
info@stretchfitness.ca