Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Green Veggies Only	Green Veggies Only	Carb Night	Green Veggies Only	Green Veggies Only	Carb Night	Moderate Carbs

This diet was developed for people who like to work hard in the gym, want to be lean, but have large appetites and like to eat an excess of foods that are not the healthiest choices. Yes, other methods of flexible dieting allow you eat "whatever you want", but it must fit within your macronutrient guidelines for the day. This means maybe you can fit a donut into your day if you plan accordingly. What if you want to eat a burger and fries and then 6 donuts?! Plan #1 was designed for the person that eating one donut is just gonna piss you off! The reason we say that you need to be sub 18% body fat for men and sub 23% body fat for women is that you start running a higher chance of not responding to carbohydrates as well when you carry an excess amount of body fat. Excess body fat can sometimes lead to insulin resistance, and that does not mesh well with this diet. If you don't handle carbs well, you could potentially ruin all of your hard work. So be honest with yourself: Do you go hard in the gym? Are you really under the recommended body fat?

The split of this diet is two days of very low carbs. The third day you will stay very low carbs, but that night you have a 4 hour window to eat whatever you want. We say 4 hours because for most people that gives you the opportunity to eat a huge meal, some dessert, digest for a couple of hours, and then have another snack if you want. It's long enough to get your eat on, but not so long that you can destroy your hard work. You will repeat this 3 day cycle then the last day of week is a moderate carb day. On the moderate carb day you will get to eat some carbs, but are required to choose more nutrient dense options. It's designed to work around most peoples week. Carb night Wednesday and Saturday, then a moderate carb day on Sunday. That way if you really can't give up drinking on the weekends, Saturday is your night. And Sunday you can allow yourself to eat normal when spending time with family and friends. With that said, it makes the most sense to structure the diet around your training. Assuming you are training 6 days a week when you choose this diet, make sure the moderate carb day is your rest day and the rest will fall into place.

The only carbs you are allowed to eat on your green veggies day are, you guessed it…… green veggies. Actually there are a few that aren't green that will fit the diet. Your grocery list includes a list of approved veggies for this day. Make sure you are paying attention to everything you are putting on your food on these days. Picking the wrong salad dressing can add 30 carbs to your day very quickly. Mistakes like that will really hinder your progress on this diet.

Your body becomes more efficient at digesting any macronutrient the more it becomes exposed to it. At first, you may not want to dive straight into eating all of the recommended protein for the day. It could be hard to digest if you do not regularly eat large quantities of protein. If you regularly consume more than 50 grams of protein less than what your diet prescribes, it is a good idea to start lower than the recommended amount. Start with .9 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Add 3 grams of protein every day until you reach the recommended amount.

Linking training with this plan

This plan was developed to work perfectly with your training plan. Many times we see people having a high carb day on their hardest training day. Your high carb day will have the most impact on the day after you train. If you choose this plan, our goal is for you to be depleted of muscle glycogen when you enter your core and cardio days. Muscle glycogen is your body's storage of carbohydrates. Being very depleted of muscle glycogen going into your core and cardio day is going to force your body to utilize more fat for fuel. You don't want to be completely depleted on lifting days because this will have a negative impact on your performance. After your core and cardio are completed, you will have a night of eating whatever you want. This will refuel your upcoming workouts.

Macronutrients Explained

Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Every gram of each macronutrient contains calories. Protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, and fat contains 9 calories per gram. The way your body responds to each macronutrient is very different. Although protein and carbohydrates have the same amount of calories per gram, the effect on your body is not the same. This is why just counting calories is not an effective way of dieting. Eating carbohydrates, especially high glycemic carbs, increase the levels of the hormone insulin. Chronically high insulin levels can make the cells more resistant to insulin, leading to weight gain and diabetes.

Also, some foods burn more calories to digest than others. This is called the thermic effect of food. Animal protein and leafy greens take much more energy to digest than white bread and candy. This is why counting macronutrients is so important. It is a way to make sure your calories are coming from foods that will help you be lean and support muscle repair and growth. In your grocery list you will find tons of examples of proteins, carbs, and fats.

Protein

Protein is a vital macronutrient, and the most important macronutrient to build muscle. Protein is a class of nitrogen-containing compounds formed by amino acids. These amino acids are used by our bodies to repair, and build muscle tissue. A high concentration of amino acids in the blood stream is imperative to keeping your body in an anabolic (muscle building) state. This will allow your body every chance to repair and build muscle. This also will reduce day to day recovery time and reduce muscle soreness. This is why we recommend consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. In this plan your protein intake is based off your desired bodyweight. This amount of protein will ensure speedy recovery and muscle growth.

It is best to get all recommended protein for the day from whole foods. This doesn't mean that protein supplements aren't great, but they have more purpose for post workout recovery and should not be used to replace a meal unless it is a last resort. Grass fed beef, free range chicken and eggs, wild caught fish, and wild game are top picks for protein sources. These sources are the best for health, vitality, longevity, and quality of life. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and have a low inflammatory response. With that said, history has proven that muscle can be built eating canned tuna, canned chicken, etc.. We know that these types of foods are very convenient, and are sometimes necessary when eating 4-5 meals a day and living a busy lifestyle.

Fat

Fat is essential for many functions in the body. Fat is an essential component of cell membranes and nerve fibers, it is our primary energy source in a resting state, and all steroid hormones in the body are produced from cholesterol. Your diet plan allows for enough fat to keep our body functioning at a high level, but are low enough to cut out unnecessary calories that could be holding you back from getting lean. Fat yields the most calories per gram at 9 and because of this, it is very easy to eat too many calories if you consume too much fat.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are turned into glucose (simple sugar) during digestion. Upon the ingestion of carbohydrates, insulin is released and binds to muscle tissue cells to shuttle glucose into the cell to be stored as muscle glycogen. Muscle glycogen is the body's stored source of carbohydrates. Muscle glycogen is stored by skeletal muscle and used as an energy source during exercise. The common mistake made by most people (and the primary reason for the obesity epidemic) is eating carbohydrates all day long. The body can only store a limited amount of carbohydrates as muscle glycogen. Elite athletes have ability to store more than the average Joe, but there is still a limit. Once muscle glycogen has been restored to capacity, all excess carbohydrates must go somewhere. If you are not actively using these excess carbohydrates for energy, they will be turned into fat. This is why cycling carbohydrates works so effectively. You are guaranteeing that carbs are being used to restore muscle glycogen. Not eating carbs all the time also allows your body to become more sensitive to insulin because you are not constantly flooding your body with the hormone.

Meal Prepping

To be successful during this diet it is a good idea to eat 4-5 times a day. The reason for this isn't because it speeds up your metabolism, it is because it will give you a better chance to stay strict on the diet. If all of your meals are planned, there is a better chance you will hit all of your Macro goals. Also, if you eat more regularly you have a better chance to not be so hungry that you make a bad decision. That is the most common reason for slip ups. If you let yourself get too hungry, it is much easier to talk yourself into making a bad decision.

Tips for success

• Prep your meals for the middle of the day. This could be 2-3 meals a day depending on if you are eating 4 or 5 times a day. Most people have time to make breakfast and dinner, and this is where you can add more variety.
• It's a good idea to buy a food scale to help you prep your food. This way you can be sure that you are counting every accurately.
• If there is a chance you might not get your prepping done have some easy accessible protein and vegetable sources on hand - Ex: canned chicken, tuna, canned green beans, etc…
• You can stay on track very easily even if you have to go to a fast food restaurant like McDonalds. Order things like chicken sandwiches in a lettuce wrap, or even a burger in a lettuce wrap if you can fit it in your fat allotment for the day. Another good idea is to order a chicken salad and with a couple extra chicken breasts on the side.

Quick Tips

Eating out

Eating out can be very tricky because you never know the exact amounts each cook/chef is putting into the foods you are eating. Even if there is macro breakdown for each meal, it may not be anywhere near accurate unless the chef is measuring everything exactly every time. To combat this limit eating out as much as possible.

When you do eat at a restaurant, try to estimate everything as closely as you can. Once you begin to track your food and get more comfortable with it you will start to have a better understanding of portion sizes and how much a certain amount of food really is. Always err on the side of caution and guess slightly higher for carbohydrates and fats to ensure you aren't going over.

Ask for vegetables to be cooked without oil/butter, dressings and sauces on the side, and pick the healthiest options that will compliment your nutrition plan the closet. Choose meal options such as: Lean Protein, Green Veggie, & Side of Carbohydrate (rice/potato) OR Salads with lean protein (make sure to pay attention to nuts, dressings, cheese, etc. that may be on top)

Ordering coffee

Pay attention to what you are ordering here - coffee drinks can be deceptively full of carbs, fats, and sugars. Most tasty coffee beverages have upwards of 300 calories & 40g of sugar in them! Stick with simple things, choose an Americano instead of a Latte (water instead of 2% milk), OR always choose nonfat milk to make it a little bit more macro-friendly. Instead of getting sugary syrups, opt for sugar free syrups or splenda (stevia is a great option if you are trying to watch the chemicals). Simple brewed coffee is also a great choice as long as you aren't adding a lot of sugars and cream/milks to it.

	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Sugars
20oz Vanilla Latte	340	9g	46g	44g
20z Americano w/ Sugar free vanilla syrup & 1tbsp half&half	35	1.7g	3.6g	3g
Difference	-305	-7.3g	-42.4g	-41g

Don't Drink your Calories!

This goes along with the above section about ordering coffee. Don't drink your calories. Tons of different beverages out there are loaded with sugars and many people don't even realize it. Be aware of this and check nutrition labels. A 32oz Dr. Pepper contains 108 carbs, and it's not uncommon to see people drinking a couple of these a day. Cutting this out will have a huge impact on your body composition. Always opt for a 0 calorie choice and save your calories for actual food which will keep you full longer and give you more sustenance.

Low Carb/Sugar Sauces to Add Variety

Use some creativity in the kitchen to add some variety into your meal choices. Adding in lower sugar/carb sauces can be a great way to mix up your meals so they don't all taste the same. Things like teriyaki sauce, barbeque sauce, or marinara can be great additions to your meals. Make sure to shop around and find the lowest sugar, most macro-friendly option you can and track what you are using in your meals.

Spices

Spices are a great way to add flavor to your dishes. Some spice blends contain sugar. That is really the only thing you need to look out for. Other than that, add whatever spices you want to your food.

Click here for Macro-friendly Recipes

Choosing a healthy body weight for your plan

If you carry a lot of bodyfat and have a lot of weight to lose, it is best to pick a healthy weight for your height. This is not an exact science. But if you need to lose a lot of weight and you list a desired body weight that is still relatively high, it could throw your macros off.

Example: Female 5'3" weighing 260 pounds - desired body weight - 200 pounds. Although this is a great goal to lose 60 pounds, a bodyweight of 200 pounds is not healthy for a 5'3'' female and this would have her eating way more food than she needs. Below we have listed a some body weights that would be considered healthy for your height. For women specifically the weights are on the high end of what is healthy with a substantial amount of muscle. Below we have listed a some body weights for men and women that are at the higher end of a weight that would be considered healthy. If you are unsure, make sure the weight you choose is close to the weight listed below for your height.

Height	Body Weight
5'0	148
5'1	153
5'2	158
5'3	163
5'4	169
5'5	174
5'6	179
5'7	185
5'8	190
5'9	196
5'10	202
5'11	208
6'0	213
6'1	219
6'2	225
6'3	232
6'4	238

Example meals

Below are a few meal examples of what your days will look like on this diet. We do you not give you exact meal plans because this does not work long term. There are so many foods you can choose to fit into your day. Learning what foods contain a lot of fat, are high in protein and low in fat, are really high in carbs, etc… is the best way to be successful long term. At first it may seems like a task to check nutritional labels all the time and track your food, but after a few weeks you will start to have it down. It will turn into knowledge you can use for the rest of your life, and make eating healthy easy. Notice on the example meals that the macros are not exactly perfect. There will be a little variance here and there. It is hard to hit every goal to the exact gram. Make sure to not go over on carbs and fat, and make sure you get all of your protein. If you go over a little on protein that is fine. Also, we give you a list of macros for your carb night. Make sure to hit the protein goals for that day, but you really don't have to count anything that night. Just make sure you keep it to a 4 hour window of eating.

Myfitnesspal is a great way to track your daily macro goals. There are a ton of features, but the easiest way to use it is to simply put in the foods you are eating and make sure your macros line up. We have factored in all of your exercise to fit your macros, there is no need to track that in myfitnesspal.

Recommended Supplements

Protein - As stated above, try to get all of your protein through whole food sources. The way this diet is structured, only use protein shakes for post workout recovery and as a last resort to replace a meal. Because we are only using shakes post workout, do not count this protein toward your macronutrient goals for the day. Make sure to count the carbs and fat. You are not going to gain body fat from eating too much protein when you are working out this hard. If you choose to use shakes post workout, whey protein is a great choice. If you cannot tolerate whey, hemp protein is the next best. For post workout consume 20% of your bodyweight in grams. That equals 40 grams of protein for a 200lb male, roughly 2 servings of most whey protein brands. It doesn't need to be exact, just get close. It is a good idea to find a protein supplement that is very low in carbs and fat. This will help you to stick to your macros easier.

Creatine - Creatine is probably the most well researched supplement available. Studies have shown supplementing creatine can lead to enhance muscle gains, strength gains, power production and even decrease bodyfat. Loading creatine can help to top off the levels of creatine faster, but taking a maintenance dose will also top off the levels in your body in about a month. For loading take .12 grams of creatine per pound of bodyweight. Then continue to take .025 grams per pounds of bodyweight for maintenance.

Beta Alanine - Beta alanine increases the amount of carnosine stored in the muscle. Carnosine helps the muscle contract with more force and helps to balance the PH in the muscle by eliminating hydrogen ion build up in the during exercise. What does this mean for you? More work capacity. Take .025 grams per pounds of bodyweight daily. Make sure to break this up into 2-3 doses. Taking too much Beta Alanine at once can cause a flushing effect that can be very uncomfortable.

Fish Oil - In studies, fish oil has shown to help increase muscle mass, decrease soreness, decrease body fat, improve brain function, and many other things. Unless you are eating wild game, wild caught fish, and grass fed animals as your primary sources of protein, it is a good idea to add fish oil to your routine. Not all fish oil is great. The amount of omega 3s in your fish oil supplement is very important. Some labels read 1000mg of fish oil, but the omega 3 content is only 300mg. Make sure to buy a quality fish oil with a high amount of omega 3s. Shoot for half your body fat percentage in omega 3s per day. This may seem like a lot if you have a high bodyfat percentage, but it is even more beneficial if this is the case. If your body fat is in a category of obese, there is a good chance your cells do not respond well to insulin. Consuming high amounts of omega 3s can change the structure of your cells, leading to better insulin sensitivity.

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