The 10/60 Diet: How to Lose 10% of Your Body Weight in 60 Days. (2 page)

There you have it. Is it too good to be true? Try it and within one week, your progress will encourage you to continue. Speaking of progress, you must
get into the habit
of recording it and bragging about it. It keeps you on track. Weigh yourself every morning before breakfast and record it. Be proud. By bragging (especially on The 10/60 Diet Facebook page), you’ll inspire others. Consider it part of your duty on this healthy trip to
bring along some passengers
.

Now, hit the store and get started. I suggest starting on a Sunday or Monday, that way you can splurge on the typical day (Saturday), which usually coincides with food-fueled gatherings.

Good luck and I can’t wait to hear about
your new body
.

Phil

Shopping

I make interesting observations while shopping now that I know to
check the labels
. The best food you can eat usually comes from the outer lanes of the grocery stores (excluding the bakery area). Spend most of your time there. Typically, you’ll have numerous options when selecting a food item. Hold them side-by-side and compare the carbs to protein ratio. It’s crucial that you also note what the serving size is so you are comparing items fairly. Don’t completely avoid frozen food, as there are some good options. Still, most prepared (microwavable) meals are exceptionally high in carbs and you should avoid them.

Here are some of my observations with carb grams per serving:

· Cheeses are all low in carbs, so they aren't as bad as you'd think. Don’t overdo it because there’s lots of fat. The harder cheeses are better than soft ones like brie. A little grated parmesan occasionally won't hinder the diet.

· Pickles are good snacks but stick with dill because the sweet ones have sugar (carbs).

· Most hot sauces are low-carb.

· Heinz makes reduced-sugar ketchup, which is preferable.

· A1 sauce isn’t bad, but go easy on it.

· Most basic salsas are low-carb and go well with egg whites.

· Definitely stay away from dried fruit, which is usually 33g or more of carbs per serving.

· Beans are all good except sugary baked beans. The best are butter beans, black-eyed peas, and green beans.

· Basic tomato sauce is OK (4g carbs per serving), but Ragu isn’t (10-14g).

· Chili is bad as it is 35g of carbs or more.

· Soup isn’t great as it is 17-22g carbs per serving, but some low-calorie versions are around 12g, which is OK.

· Practically every cereal option is bad, even the healthy ones. They range 25-50g carbs per serving with Raisin Bran being the worst. In addition, you’ll add even more carbs with milk.

· Organic oatmeal is OK as it is 18g compared to 32g for most Quaker oatmeal.

· Crackers are bad, 22g and up for a small serving.

· Cookies are bad at 8-10g per cookie!

· Rice snacks aren’t good either at they are 20g per serving.

· Raw almonds and pepitas (seeds) are excellent snack choices at 4g.

· Most frozen dinners are poor choices. Lean Cuisine – 40g, Healthy Choice – 70g, Hungry Man – 60g. Smart Ones had a few chicken options around 11g.

· Gardein makes meatless chicken wings (barbecue and buffalo), both 4g of carbs with 15g of protein, and they’re tasty too.

· Smart makes a meatless ground beef, high in protein and low (6g) in carbs. It’s tasty and I often add it to my morning omelets.

· Beef jerky (11g protein, 7g carb) and turkey jerky (15g protein, 3g carb,
Wow!
) are both good snack options but be careful with all of the sodium.

· Chips are all bad at 15g per small serving.

· Soy and almond milks add carbs (8-11g) per serving.

· Yogurts are bad at 33g with even the low-calorie ones around 20g.

· Pasta is all bad, 44g and higher!

· Pesto is a good sauce/flavoring choice as it is 3g carbs per serving.

· Cream cheese is surprisingly low-carb at 2g, but be careful with all of the fat. Feta and goat cheese is even lower, 1g.

· Hummus is a great choice for snacking at 4g.

· Naked juices, although full of healthy vegetables and fruit, have 33-37g of carbs, which means they’re poor choices.

Vegetable Choices

Almost any vegetable you eat will help your diet because most vegetables are low-carb and will help fill you. Get in the habit of eating a salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar (or lemon juice) before dinner. Raw vegetable options are usually better, when possible. Avoid potatoes because they are exceptionally high in carbs as are corn and lima beans. Most other beans are OK as long as they are not in a sugary sauce.

Many grocery stores have cleaned and prepared veggie mixed that you can buy. I usually pick a container up every week and use the veggies in an egg white omelet. You can also visit the salad bar (the earlier in the day, the better, for freshness) and make a salad combo that can last three meals. You want to take the most convenient route so you’re not discouraged or inconvenienced and tempted to replace the good stuff with fast food.

Eat these:

· Asparagus

· Avocado

· Broccoli

· Cauliflower

· Celery

· Cucumber

· Eggplant

· Endive

· Jicama

· Mushroom

· Okra

· Olives

· Palm Hearts

· Pepper

· Radish

· Spinach

· Tomato

Avoid these, if you can:

· Artichoke

· Brussels Spout

· Cabbage

· Carrot

· Corn

· Cowpea

· Kale

· Onion

· Parsnip

· Pea, Green

· Pumpkin

Don’t eat these:

· Garbanzo Bean

· Lima Bean

· Parsnip

· Potato

· Soybean

· Squash

· Sweet Potato

· Tomato, Sundried

· Yam

Fruit Choices

You’ll find the best results when you
avoid fruit altogether
. This includes fruit juices, which are all very high in sugar. If you crave fruit, some are better options because they have fewer carbs. Dried fruit is very sugary and the worst option. Avocados (boy, do I love guacamole) and coconuts (including coconut water) in moderation won’t hurt your diet.

Eat these, if you must:

· Apricot

· Coconut

· Cranberry

· Lemon

· Lime

Don’t eat these:

· Apple

· Banana

· Guava

· Mango

· Melon, Honeydew

· Orange

· Papaya

· Peach

· Pear

· Pineapple

· Raisin

Dairy Choices

Egg whites are great choices because they are high in protein and low-carb. You can come up with numerous creative ways to prepare your eggs by adding various vegetables, lean meat, and spices. Try to avoid all milk products except for an ounce or two of hard cheese, if you must. Even low-fat versions are typically very high in carbs.

Yogurt has plenty of beneficial contents but they come with a high-carb price. There are other probiotic solutions available, which don’t tag along with all of those sugar calories.

Eat these:

· Eggs – Whites preferably, check the milk/juice section for convenient cartons. Toss one whole egg in if you need more flavor.

· Natural Butter – Go easy, though, as it is high in saturated fat.

Avoid:

· Cheese – If you must have cheese, hard varieties like parmesan are better.

· Margarine and Spray Butters

Don’t eat these:

· Cheese, soft varieties – Cottage, mozzarella, and cheddar.

· Milk – Including skim, soy, and almond.

· Sour Cream

· Yogurt – Including low-fat and soy varieties.

Meat Choices

Try not to replace your carbs with fat. You want to take in more protein and lean meat is a great option. Once you add batter or breading, you’re adding condensed carbs and hurting your efforts. I often order sashimi when I’m out and have gotten used to ordering a lean burger without the bun. Most grocery stores have freshly cooked turkey breast available, which is obviously an ideal choice. Find creative ways to spice up your meals without adding carbs. You will find many delicious hot sauces and seasoning mixes, which will prevent you from becoming bored with bland meals.

Eat these:

· Seafood

· Turkey Breast

· Chicken Breast

· Beef – Lean cuts are better options (strip beats rib).

· Jerky – Be careful about all of the sodium. Drink lots of water.

· Smart (meatless) Options

Avoid these:

· Anything breaded or battered.

· Anything fried.

· Skin, like on chicken and turkey.

· Gravy

Workout Ideas

It’s difficult to advise someone how to work out. The best workout is the one that keeps you motivated to continue doing it. If you become bored and dread working out, the exercise won’t work for you.
Working out needs to become a habit.
Find a workout you enjoy and make specific appointments for yourself. If you can afford a personal trainer or have a workout partner, it will help keep you motivated.

I also found that my body became used to my workout routines in the matter of weeks. I keep it fresh by changing my workouts occasionally.

It’s important to do both resistance and cardio training. Some gurus insist you do cardio work before weight training or vice-versa. I suggest whichever version you feel most comfortable with, just so you do both.

Another habit I got into was using the sauna to loosen up pre-workout and to sweat it out afterward.

Suggestions:

1. 
Circuit Training
– I do a version of this where I go from machine to machine (no free weights) and perform one set of between six and ten reps on each. I limit my resting time between machines to less than one minute and hydrate as I go. (Bring that eco-friendly stainless thermos.) After five or six machines, rest and catch your breath. This is a great place to insert abdominal work. I found this muscle confusion strategy works whether you exercise one body group at a time or mix it up.

2. 
Max Out
– Occasionally, I’ll make two or three attempts at one maximum lift per body part. It’s essential to use a spotter when using free weights. Make sure you loosen up your muscles with lighter reps before attempting the max, or you may injure yourself. Some machines allow you to use your legs to help lift the weight, so you can concentrate of the resistance motion more than the lifting motion.

3. 
Slow Reps
– This is harder than you’d expect. I set the weights on the lighter side, where I know I can do twelve regular reps. Then, I make sure each rep takes four or five seconds up and four or five seconds down (count it out in your head). You’ll probably only be able to do three or four reps, which should be all you need to feel the burn.

4. 
Recreational Sports and Leagues
– I play baseball weekly. While it isn’t the most physically demanding sport, it’s exercise. I found I was in the best shape of my life when I played Ultimate Frisbee. It was fun too because it was coed and regardless of my skill level, it challenged my cardiovascular system as well as my coordination. Soccer and racquet sports are similarly great choices. Check around for fun leagues in your area and try to avoid the post-game beer, which defeats the purpose.

5. 
Shape-up Shoes
– I was skeptical of these until I tried a pair. Now I wear them three times a week. There’s no denying the benefits. They essentially put you off balance, which causes your muscles to fire. You don’t want to be running in them, but try some on at a local store and see what you think.

Testimonial – Phil, Male, 49

1. How much weight did you want to lose before you started?

a. I wanted to get down to 172 from 194 (22 pounds).

2. How difficult was it for you to stay away from carbs?

a. Actually, not as difficult as I expected. I love pasta, bread, and rice and feared I would miss it badly. Having the splurge day helped me because it gave me something to look forward to. Within two weeks I didn’t miss the carbs at all.

3. Did you splurge once a week? If so, how much weight did you typically put on?

a. You bet! I splurged on Saturdays and on the first one, I put on three pounds. It scared me, but it dropped right back off in a few days. After that, I put on between 1.5 and 2.0 pounds on splurge days.

4. Did you notice any side effects?

a. No. I was worried about feeling lethargic, but my energy levels didn’t change.

5. What did you eat for snacks, primarily?

a. Brazil nuts, almonds, jerky, and high-protein bars.

6. When you ate out, what did you typically order?

a. Seafood, steak, burgers, and wings. I got them without the bun and ordered veggies and a salad instead of French fries or rice. Turkey burgers and sashimi both worked well for me.

7. Which types of food did you miss the most?