There are 6 essential habits that you will need to master to have success with your nutrition plan and get the results you want.  

These 6 habits are simple and effective.  Following these 90% of the time you will be able to maintain your results.

Habit #1

Include a lean protein at every meal!

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs are all great sources to include at meals.  Protein will help regulate your appetite and boost your metabolism.

Habit #2

Eat a vegetable at every meal!

Vegetables provide you with the nutrients needed to be a fat-burning machine and will keep you full while keeping calorie counts down.

Habit #3

Avoid starchy carbs unless you have earned them!

The only time you are allowed to eat starchy carbs is within 60 minutes after a strenuous workout, preferably strength- or metabolic-based.
EARN YOUR CARBS!

Habit #4

Drink only green tea, water, and black coffee.

Avoid all calorie-containing drinks such as juice, pop, sports drinks, etc.

Habit #5

Eat mindfully and to 80% full

This can be a tricky one to master, but it is critical to your success. More often than not we are eating mindlessly and as quickly as we can to move on with our lives.  

Take your time eating, don't eat in front of a TV or computer, and pay close attention to how full you are after eating. Set your fork or spoon down after each bite, and even try eating off a smaller plate.  

You should feel satisfied but not stuffed after eating.

Habit #6

Maintain a meal structure and do not skip meals

Having a set meal schedule is crucial to your success. This doesn't mean you have to be rigid and eat at the same time every day.  But you should be within an hour.

For example, if you set your goal to have breakfast at 8AM, then anytime between 7-9AM would be acceptable.

Having meal structure is also very important to regulate your appetite. If you skip meals you will be starving and it is unlikely you will make good food and portion decisions.

What About Cheating?

The word “cheating” should leave your vocabulary! If you look forward to cheating all week, you will never train yourself to enjoy your new healthy lifestyle habits.  

Instead of cheating, plan to break the rules 10% of the time. This means that if you eat 4 times per day, you will be able to break the rules 3 times per week.  And this doesn't mean you can go all out. I have seen people ruin an entire week of progress by eating one “cheat meal.”

This Week's Focus

This week, you will take time to evaluate every meal according to this checklist:
Includes a lean protein
Includes a vegetable
Excludes starchy carbs, unless it is post-workout
Excludes calorie-containing beverages
Eat to 80% full

Track how many of your meals follow these guidelines and how many times you break the rules to see if you are following the 90/10 guidelines.

Best Regards,

Evan and the 2 Tone Family