CONTENTS ❶ Introduction

- Index - Introduction

❷ Guidelines

- Best Body Plan - Breakfast Options - Lunch Options - Dinner Options - Snack Options - The New Pyramid - Meal Planning and Shopping Lists - Buying Organic Foods - Successful planning - Things to Avoid: What NOT to do! - Dining out - Helpful Tips and Tricks - Handling Cravings - Endorsement

Disclaimer Information contained in this plan is provided for information purposes and is not tailored to the needs of your personal situation. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other health care professionals. Nutritional benefits differ from person to another and the information contained herein is to help you make better choices and be more informed about your health and general wellbeing. The ideas contained herein are not in any way a diagnosis for any disease or health problem. If you suspect you have a medical issue please contact your health care practitioner. My Wellness Fix Pty Ltd neither assumes legal liability nor makes any warranty or guarantee, either express or implied, regarding the completeness, accuracy, usefulness or currency of this information. It is the responsibility of the reader to check for updates to the information contained in this document.

CONTENTS ❸ Exercise

- Fat Burn Power Walking - Best Body Challenge (12 week Challenges)

❹ Supplements

- Understanding Supplements - Recommendations

❺

Professional Advice - Exercise Advice - Skin Advice - Heart Health - Pregnancy Advice

❻

Meal Plans & Shopping for success

❼ Endorsement ❽ FAQs ❾

Final Words - References

FROM THE AUTHOR Understanding the Best Body Diet Plan Following a healthy eating plan and clean lifestyle can lead to dramatic results. With many thousands of people trying this way of life, including myself, the results are difficult to argue. Eating the right foods, in the right combinations and the right portions can help you get the body that you have always dreamed of! In order for the results to be maximized, you must think about this as a way of life—not a diet. Most diets are impossible to maintain for a long period of time, which is why then tend to be more like “12-Week” plans or some other defined time frame. This guide will help you to make long term lifestyle changes that will help you get the body you want—and keep it! Why work so hard to get something that you won’t be able to keep for long? Most diets have high rebound rates, but these guidelines can change your life! Starting this plan is the first step toward a healthier lifestyle and a fantastic body. So, read these guidelines, clean out your cupboards and pantry and head to the health food store! I’m here to help you every step of the way, whether you need ideas, motivation, recipes or just simply some support. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter for regular tips and advice! Both men and women stand to benefit from the great bodies that come from clean eating and clean living. All you have to do is take the first step—begin to follow a pattern of clean living—and the rest will fall into place once you start to see the results, watch your body transform, feel more energised and become healthier!

INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing my Best Body Diet Plan. And, congratulations on taking the first step toward a healthier you! Following this eating plan will help you look and feel better than ever before. Soon you will be well on your way to having the body you have dreamed of! I will be here for you along the way, to answer questions and provide guidance. In addition to that, I am offering special deals to you, ones that will hopefully help you reach your goals. You will find professional nutritionists and dieticians to help you with food choices. You will regular communication to help you stay on track and give you tips for clean living. You will also receive certain discounts from our dedicated sponsors to help you on your journey. Welcome to the program, I believe that you can reach your goals! I want you to believe this, too!

GUIDELINES We are all constantly bombarded with fast foods, processed foods, artificial ingredients, preservatives, pesticides and more. Losing weight and getting a great body can be a real challenge. But, there is hope! Making changes to your lifestyle and learning how to eat foods that will fuel your body without causing harm or adding unnecessary things into you can help you get dramatic results. This is not a diet and should not be confused with one, it is much more of a way of life. You will learn to love foods and be able to enjoy healthy foods with rich, savory flavors, foods that are loaded with vitamins and other nutrients, and essentially enjoy food in the way nature intended it—naturally! You won’t find yourself starving or having endless cravings once you learn how to fill up on healthy foods! Your body will be transformed into a healthy and sexy form that you may not have ever experienced before. And, you will be able to maintain this healthy lifestyle and great body by sticking to these simple guidelines. Purchasing this book is only the first step that you will take to revolutionise yourself and your body. As you read through the book and learn about the different ways to change your eating habits and change your lifestyle, you will become excited about what lies just ahead—a healthy body that you will be proud of! As soon as you finish this book (or while you are reading it!), one of the most important steps that you will need to take is cleaning out your pantry and fridge!Although this might seem like a difficult step, it is one of the most important! Remove the unwanted foods from your refrigerator and pantry, and make room for the healthy, whole foods that you will be consuming daily for meals and snacks. You will also need to learn how to develop a weekly eating plan, one that includes meals and snacks. This will help you with your shopping and ensure that you have the right foods on hand so that you are not finding yourself unprepared. As with any endeavor, failing to plan often equates to planning to fail. Understanding that this is not a short term undertaking, it is a way of life that you will be embracing as a whole, means sustaining your results and your great body by continuing to make healthy choices. After you get the results that you were hoping for, it is important that you continue to follow the guidelines of clean eating so that you continue to have an efficient metabolism and keep the unwanted toxins out of your body. It’s also important to engage with us and ask questions to ensure you get the most out of the program so please post your questions in the forum or on my Facebook page, and you will get the answers that you need, while also being able to hear from others who are learning about getting the best of their body too. You can never learn too much! I look forward to this journey with you and to helping you transform your body into the body of your dreams! If you are reading this book, then there is a high probability that you have already tried many different diets over the years, and many different workout plans, in an effort to lose weight and create the body you want. These countless hours are not necessarily wasted, but less

GUIDELINES productive than they should have been. With my tips and guidance, you will get more out of your nutrition plan, more out of your workouts, and get that beach ready body that you have always wanted! It is not about more exercise, it is about changing our lifestyles and understanding the ways in which your body responds to foods and gets energy and fuel that really will matter when it comes to getting results that involve maximum weight loss and a beautiful body! Clean eating is based on eating primarily whole foods, foods that are unprocessed and in their natural state, containing no artificial ingredients or chemicals that will interfere with the healthy functioning of our bodies. Although many of us have consistently tried to lean toward healthy choices, many of those choices are actually quite deceiving—and unhealthy. Take for example 99% fat-free yogurt. Sounds healthy enough, right? Well, what do you think is in the yogurt to make it taste like yogurt and have the texture of yogurt, if it has been changed so much? If you guessed chemicals and artificial ingredients, you would be right! This is often why you might not feel energized and healthy after eating something like this. Although it sounds like it is good for you, this is a highly processed food that is filled with artificial ingredients. If you consistently feed your body with unhealthy foods and chemicals, you are going to feel sick, sluggish and have low energy. You might have difficulty concentrating. You might have problems with regulating your moods, feeling like you are cranky or irritable often. You might even notice a difference in your hair and nails, that they do not appear as healthy as you would like them to. You won’t be able to put the hard effort into workouts, and you won’t get the same results. Eating clean means removing all of these unhealthy foods from your body and keeping them out! This book will help you to learn not only about healthy foods, but why avoiding processed foods is important. All in all, it is not a complicated concept, but an important one to learn about. This book is not intended to be overloaded with jargon and scientific terms, but it is intended to provide you with a basic understanding of how your body works to process foods and lose weight. This book should help you with developing a healthy shopping list and choosing healthy recipes to assist you with transforming your body into something spectacular, with a few simple lifestyle changes. When it comes to your metabolism and how your body processes foods, your liver plays an important role. The liver is the place where foods and alcohol are metabolised, and toxins are removed. The liver works hard to take care of these important tasks, and it could use some help! Clean eating is the perfect way to help your liver better process and metabolise foods. Instead of feeding your body chemicals, artificial ingredients, artificial colors, preservatives, and processed foods, which will make the liver work overtime, feed your body foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals and other nutrients, so that the liver does not have to go into overdrive to take care of you. When the liver works too hard, your body becomes inefficient, and you will find that you have decreased energy and perhaps feel sluggish, like something is dragging you down. If you buy a brand new car, you would not put bad or better yet the wrong fuels into it, would you? It would not run well or even at all! The same goes for your body. When you put the wrong foods (fuel) into it, it will not work as well and it will eventually breakdown.

GUIDELINES Avoiding Sugar

A common misconception is that a person needs to lower fat intake to lose weight. While a low fat diet, filled with lean proteins and “good” fats is important, fat is not the only culprit involved. Many people don’t realize what a huge role sugar plays when it comes to weight control— and overall health and well being. Processed sugars come with many different names, and are often hiding in your foods with labels like maltose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, molasses and even honey. Sugar has little to no nutritional value, and it is something that we should try hard to avoid. Because there are no nutrients, vitamins or minerals in sugar, we are simply making our bodies (and our livers) work harder for no good reason to process this ingredient. This is effort that we want our bodies to put toward processing good foods, ones that will benefit us in some way, like burning fat and building muscle. Not only will sugar redirect precious resources in our bodies, it can affect us in other ways, too. It will cause spikes in blood sugar levels, which will be followed by a drop in insulin levels. This type of quick swing is one thing that can contribute to energy swings, mood swings and appetite swings. Many people will experience a craving for something sweet when their blood sugar level drops, thinking that will help them with their sudden energy “low.” Then, we are likely to eat something we don’t need, and not be motivated to do anything that will help to burn those extra calories. Our bodies will change sugar into 2-5 times more fat than it will starch. Think about that! In short, you should avoid sugar as much as possible. It is usually the biggest culprit when it comes to weight loss! There is no nutritional benefit to eating sugar, and avoiding it is a big part of a good Best Body Plan. Instead, look for foods that contain plenty of nutrients and other things that your body needs to be a high efficiency machine.

GUIDELINES Understanding the Difference Between Good and Bad Fats We know more than ever about how our bodies work. People are becoming more educated about nutrition and the importance of having balanced and healthy lifestyles. One thing that has been highly researched is fat. Many popular diets in the past focused on limiting or eliminating all fats from the diet. As it turns out, there are fats that are considered to be “good” fats and ones that your body needs. So, thinking about a diet that eliminates all fats may not be a healthy choice. Instead, choosing an eating plan that incorporates the right amounts of healthy or “good” fats is important, if you want your body to run well. Good fats include unsaturated fats, such as the kinds that can be found in tuna, salmon, nuts (flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, Brazil nuts), avocados and olives. These fats contain large amounts of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, which are both important components of a healthy body. These fats help to improve memory and concentration, help you have great, clear skin, and will help to lower cholesterol levels. Make sure you get enough of the “good” fats in your Best Body Plan! On the other hand, there are fats that should be avoided on any Best Body Plan. These fats are generally the saturated type, and may be called “trans fats” on some nutrition labels. These are the types of fats that increase cholesterol and can lead to clogged arteries, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a host of other serious health problems. They are not only NOT good for you, but they will contribute to weight gain, too. These fats will often be found in foods such as packaged chips, icings, fried foods, buttery popcorn and margarines.

GUIDELINES Carbs and Proteins

In order to provide your body with the nutrients it requires to run efficiently, burn fat and build muscle, you need to put the right fuel into it. This means eating a balanced diet of whole foods that includes important carbohydrates and proteins, along with good fats. Each of the meals that you will find in this book will provide you with a balanced combination that will help you achieve clean eating, good health and a great body! It is important to be aware of and often limit carbohydrate intake. Most of us get plenty of carbohydrates without really trying, as they are in many foods naturally. However, it is important to get enough complex carbohydrates into our bodies, as this is a major source of energy and fuel, as well as being an important source of many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Our bodies cannot function properly without the right carbohydrates! But, if we eat too many carbs, they will be converted into fat, make us feel sluggish and basically contradict our other efforts. Carbohydrates are naturally found in yogurt, fruits, vegetables and beans, as well as many other foods. Steer clear of carbohydrates that come from sugar sources, especially simple sugars such as biscuits, chocolate, soft drinks, candy, etc. There is no room for these foods on a good Best Body Plan, and you will thank yourself for avoiding them! Protein also plays a significant role in how our bodies function. Protein is required for our bodies to repair, rebuild, replenish and maintain healthy organs and muscle tissue. Each cell in our bodies needs protein to function. Protein plays an important role in helping our liver function well and control our metabolism. A breakfast that is rich in protein is a terrific way to start the day, and has been proven to boost your metabolism by nearly 30% for the next 12 hours. A protein rich breakfast will also help to limit fluid retention, and will help us feel fuller longer, reducing cravings and giving us the energy we need to be active and healthy. Protein will also help the body take energy from fat stores and burn that for energy. It will help to build muscle, and muscle tissue will burn more calories than fat tissue, so we want to be sure to build muscle! Be sure that you are getting enough lean protein in your Best Body Plan, and balance it with the right amount of complex carbohydrates!

GUIDELINES Changing When We Eat and What We Eat

Most people plan their entire day around the dinner meal, thinking that this should be the largest and most filling meal of the day. But, this is the time of day when our bodies tend to slow down some, and begin to settle for the evening. As a result, more of the calories that we take in during the dinner meal are not transformed into energy, instead, they can end up being transformed into fat tissues. Many people also think that if they skip breakfast, they are somehow avoiding a bunch of unnecessary calories and that this will help them lose weight. These two common misconceptions are two of the biggest roadblocks for people who are trying to lose weight. If you want your body to function most effectively, and become as fit and sexy as possible, you have to change your ways of thinking and understand that putting the most nutrients into your body early in the day (e.g., breakfast) and gradually have smaller meals throughout the day, with dinner as the lightest meal, makes far more sense for weight control and metabolism balance.

T S A F K A BRE DINNER LUNCH

GUIDELINES Breakfast Choices

You want to have a good balance of lean protein and carbohydrates for your breakfast meal. Here are some great tips regarding some of the best options: Eggs: Egg whites contain a large amount of protein. Egg yolks also contain protein, but they also contain the fat in the egg, and may be unnecessary. More than two yolks per day is probably too much. Prepare the egg whites (as much as you want) any way you prefer. Frying is even acceptable, as long as you choose to use coconut or avocado oil, instead of olive oil. Add as many veggies as you like. Meat can be added, if you like, as long as you steer clear of low-quality mince. If you get some top quality mince from the butcher, this can be acceptable. Sausage is a no-no, unless made from kangaroo meat. Rolled Oats: Oats can be prepared any number of ways. Some popular choices include soaking them in water with blueberries, which adds a wonderful sweet taste without adding any calories or sugar. Soak the rolled oats prior to preparing them, or else they will be difficult to digest because they tend to remain dry, even when in your stomach. Consider adding cinnamon for flavoring—this is actually known to be something that can help regulate blood sugar levels and this helps to regulate your energy throughout the day, too. Avoid sugar, including honey. Because rolled oats are a great source of carbohydrate energy and they are fibre-rich, they help start your day in a healthy way. To add protein to your rolled oats breakfast, consider a hard-boiled egg or add a scoop of protein powder to the oatmeal for a boost.

GUIDELINES Protein Shake: There are plenty of different protein shakes that are currently on the market to choose from. It is important that you read the labels carefully and select one that is low in carbodyrates and sugar. However, it is also important that you find one that you like, because if it doesn’t taste good to you, you won’t be able to eat it. For those of you looking for a clean eating treat, consider adding chocolate protein powder to boiling water for a delicious (and nutritionally acceptable) hot chocolate! Protein Smoothie: Smoothies are an excellent option for getting a well-balanced breakfast that has plenty of protein, carbohydrates and fibre, as well as plenty of wonderful nutrients from fruits and vegetable. Here is a suggestion for a great day-starting smoothie that can actually be enjoyed at any time of the day! 375ml Coconut Water 100ml Organic Apple Juice ¼ Avocado (fantastic for the smooth consistency) ½ cup berries, use fresh preferably (frozen if no alternative) 1 scoop of protein powder 1Tablespoon of full fat organic natural or Greek yoghurt (optional ingredient, but gives the smoothie a creamy consistency) 1Tablespoons chia seeds 1 Tablespoons coconut oil Combine the above ingredients with ice and blend together until it reaches the desired consistency. You will enjoy the wonderful flavors, and feel satisfied. This smoothie recipe provides plenty of protein and carbohydrates, and the chia seeds add to the calcium, fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as add a boost of iron. Coconut oil is considered to be a “good” fat, so this is an added boost, too!

GUIDELINES Toast: Toast can be a great breakfast option, if you choose your bread and your spreads carefully. If you are using this Best Body Plan to lose weight, then you might want to avoid bread completely. But, whole grain, high fibre breads can be an important part of a healthy diet, as they provide plenty of good nutrients. Keep your bread intake to two slices or less per day and choose breads with a low glycemic index, such as brown rye. Choose spreads such as natural peanut butter or natural almond butter. Avocado is great, too, and provides plenty of fibre and healthy fats—just don’t overdo it!

Yoghurt: Yoghurt is a wonderful source of protein and calcium, as well as an important probiotic. Those yoghurts that contain active cultures are best, as this will help your digestive system along with your immune system. Full fat Greek yoghurt is considered to be one of the best, since it contains larger amounts of probiotics and “good bacteria” than traditional types of yoghurt. Always opt for the organic versions and the full fat versions, as other types may contain unwanted chemicals or artificial sweeteners. Protein Pancakes: Regular pancakes lack protein and are full of processed carbs. They will not keep you full, but this great variation will do the trick as it’s packed with protein and is still so tasty! ¼ cup of egg whites 1 egg yolk 2 Tbsp almond milk ½ banana (ripe one!) 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground flaxseed Blend the above ingredients together to create the pancake batter. Cook on griddle until golden brown. Top with berries, or create a syrup using berries, protein powder and water to pour over the top. Greek yoghurt is another delicious way to top these nutrient-filled pancakes, and will help fill you up, too!

GUIDELINES Lunch Options

Lunch is a great time to get back to lean meat basics. Here are some guidelines to follow as you prepare your healthy lunches.

Tips for Meat:

❶ Always include meat with your salad or vegetables to ensure you are getting enough protein. A balance of meat and greens for lunch is ideal.

❷ It is important to choose high quality meats. Non-organic meats may contain unwanted

chemicals such as artificial hormones and other additives that are harder for your body to digest and interfere with your plan of clean eating. This is especially true for chicken, as this meat is notorious for containing hormones. Free-range meats or fish that come from sustainable farms are going to be best.

❸ When choosing meats, one of the healthiest and leanest choices is readily available here in our own country. If you have not yet tried kangaroo, you will not only find that it has a great flavour, but you will reap the benefits of choosing this lean red meat that contains the highest protein content available.

❹ Beef, turkey, or chicken mince can be a part of the Best Body Plan, but this option is less

desirable than those listed above. If you opt for mince, then at least choose the premium varieties with lower fat content and higher protein.

❺ Choose red meat three times per week or less if you are trying to lose weight (kangaroo

meat is an exception, as it is unusually lean and has a very high protein content). Fish should be a part of your meals at least twice weekly. For the rest of your meals, chicken, turkey and duck are excellent choices!

❻ A portion of meat is the amount it takes to cover the palm of your hand. More than that is

going to be overloading, and will not only interfere with your weight loss efforts but lead to an unhealthy balance in your diet.

GUIDELINES Tips for Vegetables:

Without the real vitamins, minerals, nutrients and fibre that are found in vegetables, our bodies cannot function properly and efficiently. Although many swear by vitamin supplements, there is no substitute for whole foods and clean eating! Make sure that your plate is loaded—at every meal—with plenty of beautiful veggies! Vegetables metabolise in our bodies quickly, and the nutrients are quickly delivered to our organs. Once you boost your calcium, magnesium, vitamin B, and every other wonderful vitamin found in these colorful foods, you will find that you feel fuller, more alert and happier! You will have fewer cravings and need to snack less throughout the day, which will help you with your weight loss goals and help you get to that sexy body that you ARE craving!

❶ Select at least three veggies for every meat you choose. This will help to give you a wide range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

❷ The more colourful, the better! Decorate your plate with veggies that are rich in colour,

such as spinach, broccoli, eggplant and capsicum. Usually, the more rich the color, the more nutrients there are.

❸ Understand that there is no such thing as eating too many vegetables! ❹ Choose raw or lightly cooked versions—the closer the veggies are to their natural form, the more nutrients are preserved. Lightly steaming, while keeping the vegetables crunchy, is a great way to enjoy many different types.

GUIDELINES Tips for Lunch Alternatives:

❶ Wraps/Bread: You don’t have to settle for salad at lunchtime every day. Sometimes a little variety is welcomed! Meals such as wraps are attractive options, but should be limited as we are generally trying to avoid most forms of breads with our Best Body Plan—especially if you want to lose weight. If you must have bread, then choosing true rye bread is your healthiest choice. When selecting your wraps, make sure that you carefully review the nutrition information to ensure that you are eating something that has low sugar content.

❷ Rice: White rice is a

no-no, but if you really like rice, then you can opt to occasionally eat small amounts of brown rice. This is not a terrific choice for weight loss, but it can help you maintain energy throughout the day—particularly those engaging in significant amounts of physical activity or endurance events. A great alternative to rice is grated cauliflower. Put the cauliflower in a food processor or blender and then steam lightly before serving. Add spices to your liking, and you will find that this is a great substitute for rice!

❸ Chickpeas and Lentils:

These are terrific sources of protein and a great alternative to meat, especially for vegetarians. They mix well into salads, or make a great side dish all on their own.

❹ Dressings and Sauces:

Most prepared dressings and sauces are filled with sugar, and will interfere with your body’s ability to burn fat. Cheese is also a culprit! Instead of sugary and fatty dressings and toppings, choose a mixture of lemon or lime juice and olive oil, seasoned with pepper for a flavourful option!

❺ Organic Meats and Veg-

etables: Organic food not only tastes better but it contains more nutrients than non-organic versions. Also, it is more easily digested by our bodies, making it a more efficient nutrition source because the full range of vitamins and minerals will get to the right places. Some shy away from eating primarily organic foods because it can be more costly, but the benefit will generally outweigh the disadvantages when you find out how much of a difference it will make for your body!

GUIDELINES Dinner Options

Dinner should typically be the smallest meal that you eat all day. But—just because it is small does not mean that it is not nutritionally important or critical for keeping your metabolism functioning in a healthy manner!

❶ Dinner should resemble lunch, just in smaller portions. ❷ Always include lean protein, but even fewer carbohydrates during dinner as compared with your other meals.

❸ Remember that our metabolisms slow over the course of the day, and overeating at din-

ner time will interfere with weight loss efforts, since you will have less time left in the day to burn the calories that you take in. This is the main reason for avoiding carbs late in the day.

❹ Add fish oil capsules to your meal, at dinner as well as the other meals you have through-

out the day. Follow recommended dosing amounts as presented on the labels. Fish oil has many benefits for our bodies!

GUIDELINES Snack Options

TheBest Body Plan is intended to nourish your body, not put it into starvation mode. You want to focus on putting clean, healthy, whole foods into your body and filling up with nutrients, fibre, vitamins and minerals. This does not mean that snacking is not allowed! Just make sure that your snacks are in line with this overall plan and you will feel satisfied, energized and healthy, while enjoying delicious foods. Your metabolism will be working at full capacity and be very efficient. Choose high protein snacks for best results. Here are some great ideas:

❶ Protein shakes ❷ Avocado ❸ Tuna ❹ Homemade Tzatziki dip ❺ Guacamole ❻ Beetroot dip ❼ Low fat cottage cheese ❽ Hard boiled eggs ❾ Almonds, walnuts or Brazil nuts  Green apples  Berries  Celery with organic peanut butter  Full fat Greek yoghurt  Natural tofu  Homemade juices, using beetroot, celery, carrot, green apple, ginger, parsley and lemon  Any of the meats listed in the meal choices above 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Enjoy any of these with Ryvita crackers, to add some healthy whole grain carbs—just try to aim for consuming the carbs in the earlier part of the day. Also, even though fruit contains natural sugars, you want to consume these earlier in the day rather than right before bedtime so that the sugars are properly metabolised. Keep some healthy snacks handy at home, at work or in your hand bag so that you are not tempted by unhealthy choices.

Variations:

❶ Mix low fat cottage cheese with chocolate protein powder, and blend to make a delicious mousse!

❷ Slice a hard-boiled egg, layer with spinach leaves and sprinkle some lemon juice over the

top. Serve on Ryvita crackers with some fresh ground black pepper, and you have yourself a delicious midday treat!

❸ If you are feeling that you are often tempted to snack, try drinking green tea—it is a great

alternative and provides tons of antioxidants and nutrients, and will help to keep you properly hydrated as well.

GUIDELINES The Pyramid

When it comes to clean eating, you have to rethink the food pyramid that you have seen for most of your life. What has been considered healthy may not be the best way to get the body your desire! The Clean eating food pyramid clearly shows that your focus, and most of your food consumption, should be on water, vegetables, beans and legumes. Foods like dairy products should be farther down the food pyramid, and consumed in a much smaller amount than you may be used to. This is not because dairy products are not good for you, they just contain more natural fats and natural sugars than are welcomed in the Best Body Plan. Take a look at this “revised” food pyramid and review the way that you should be thinking about your eating plan:

Clean Eating food pyramid

Dairy

Healthy Fats

Fruits & Whole Grain

Lean meats Vegetables

Beans & Legumes

WATER

GUIDELINES Meal Planning & Developing Your Shopping List Preparing for the Best Body Plan does take some effort. You have to have the right foods on hand, and know when and what you are eating to avoid making unhealthy choices. When you plan your meals and your shopping list, you will always know what you are going to eat. You can certainly mix it up and make switches, but they should always be within the best body guidelines if you want the results you are aiming for. Create a template that will help you to “fill in the blanks” when it comes to your meals. Each week, you can choose maybe two breakfast options, two lunch options, two dinner options and several snack items. When you stick to similar meals for a week, it makes your shopping list much easier to manage, Here is a great example: Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

saturday

Breakfast

2 Egg white + 1 full egg, Spinach, spring onion & cottage cheese omelette with protein shake

Protein pancakes with smoothies and a banana

2 Egg white + 1 full egg, Spinach, spring onion & cottage cheese omelette with protein shake

Protein pancakes with smoothies and a banana

2 Egg white + 1 full egg, Spinach, spring onion & cottage cheese omelette with protein shake

Protein pancakes with smoothies and a banana

2 Egg white + 1 full egg, Spinach, spring onion & cottage cheese omelette with protein shake

Snack 1

Apple

10 nuts

Apple

10 nuts

Apple

10 nuts

Apple

Lunch

100g fish cooked in teriyaki sauce with a side of Asparagus & a grilled tomato

100g steamed chicken cooked in chili and ginger, served with spinach leaf salad

100g fish cooked in teriyaki sauce with a side of Asparagus & a grilled tomato

100g steamed chicken cooked in chili and ginger, served with spinach leaf salad

100g fish cooked in teriyaki sauce with a side of Asparagus & a grilled tomato

100g steamed chicken cooked in chili and ginger, served with spinach leaf salad

100g fish cooked in teriyaki sauce with a side of Asparagus & a grilled tomato

Snack 2

Avocado, Cottage lemon juice cheese on & Himacarrots layan salt on Ryvitas

Avocado, lemon juice & Himalayan salt on Ryvitas

Cottage cheese on carrots

Avocado, lemon juice & Himalayan salt on Ryvitas

Cottage cheese on carrots

Avocado, lemon juice & Himalayan salt on Ryvitas

Dinner

100g lean beef with steamed veggies

2x Kangaroo snags with steamed veggies

100g lean beef with steamed veggies

2x Kangaroo snags with steamed veggies

100g lean beef with steamed veggies

2x Kangaroo snags with steamed veggies

100g lean beef with steamed veggies

Snack 3

2-3 protein balls

Protein shake or raw dessert

2-3 protein balls

Protein shake or raw dessert

2-3 protein balls

Protein shake or raw dessert

2-3 protein balls

GUIDELINES Once you have developed a sample meal plan for the week, it is time to develop your shopping list so that you have everything you need. Take the time to make sure that you have included all of the ingredients that are necessary to make the meal and snacks that you have planned! Here is an example of a shopping list for the above weekly meal plan: • Eggs (for breakfast) • Spinach (for breakfast/lunch) • Spring Onion • Cottage cheese (for breakfast/snack/clean ice cream/clean chocolate mousse) • Nuts (for breakfast/snack) • Bananas (for breakfast) • Greek yoghurt (for smoothies) • Chocolate Toned (for breakfast/shake/smoothie/protein balls/clean ice cream/clean chocolate mousse) • Frozen berries (for smoothies) • Apples (for snacks) • 400g fish fillets (for lunch) • Lemon (for lunch/morning lemon water) • Sweet potato (for lunch or breakfast) • Salad toppings of choice (for lunch) • 300g chicken fillets (for lunch) • Chilli (for lunch) • Ginger (for lunch) • Ryvitas (for snacks) • Carrots/Celery (for snacks) • 400g lean beef (for dinner) • 6x Kangaroo sausages (for dinner) • Greens of choice – steamed/boiled (for dinner) • Dates (for protein balls) • Almond meal (for protein balls) • Cacao Powder (forproetin balls/raw cake) • Coconut oil (for cooking)

GUIDELINES Separating the shopping list into sections will help expedite your shopping experience and keep you organized while you are shopping. You should find that you do most of your shopping at the grocery store around the perimeter and in the health foods or organic section, which is where the fresher, healthier foods are found. Spend little time in the middle aisles, as this is often where the more processed and prepared foods are found. Here is a sample for you to use as a starting point: Fruits and Vegetables

Spinach (for breakfast) Sweet potato (for lunch or breakfast) Bananas (for breakfast) Frozen berries (for smoothie) Apples (for snacks) Lemon (for lunch/morning lemon water) Spinach leaves (for lunch) Spring onion (for breakfast) Salad toppings of choice (for lunch) Carrots/Celery (for snacks) Greens of choice – steamed/boiled (for dinner)

Meat

300g chicken fillets (for lunch) 400g fish fillets (for lunch) 400g lean beef `(for dinner) 6x Kangaroo Sausages (for dinner)

Dairy

Eggs (for breakfast) Cottage cheese (for breakfast/snack/clean ice Greek yoghurt (for smoothie)

Cooking ingredients/ Other Miscellaneous Items

Cinnamon (for smoothie) Almonds (for breakfast/snack) Teriyaki sauce (for lunch) Ginger (for lunch) Cacao Powder (raw cake) Dates/Figs (raw cake) Coconut oil (for cooking) Ryvitas (for snacks)

GUIDELINES Buying Organic Foods Foods that are produced without the use of any artificial ingredients or additives. These are foods that are natural and are not grown with the assistance of any chemical fertilizers, pesticides, solvents, or chemical additives. Many foods in the grocery store today contain these added chemicals. Other processes, such as chemical ripening or genetic modification, even irradiation, can change the composition of foods and affect the nutritional value. Organic foods are not only better for your body, but they are also better for the environment! When farmers avoid the use of chemicals, there is less waste material that must be absorbed by the environment, less energy is used to produce the foods and the farmlands are protected. What happens when foods are produced organically and grown in rich soil is that they taste better, they have a higher vitamin and mineral content and they lack anything artificial—and, since you want to enjoy wonderful foods and avoid putting anything artificial into your body, organic is always going to be a better choice. For your health, and for the environment. Eating foods in their whole and natural forms is so much better for your health, and it will also get you closer to your dream body faster. Fruits and vegetables that are grown organically stay firmer longer and retain their flavor, compared to their boosted counterparts. This means that you can enjoy them longer and they will be more flavorful. Here are just a few of the wonderful benefits of eating organic foods: • Organic foods have higher levels of minerals • Organic foods have more antioxidants, including phenols and salicylic acid (both are known to help protect your body and decrease the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health problems) • Organic animal products have higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help to decrease the risk of heart disease and raise levels of “good cholesterol” • Organic foods are farmed sustainably and are not mass produced and stored for lengthy periods of time (which is why non organic foods contain less minerals) • Organic foods contain nearly no pesticide residues • Organic vegetables and plant products have more dry matter • Organic vegetables have far lower levels of nitrates (high levels of nitrates are thought to cause many serious health problems, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s and some cancers) It has really only been in the last decade or two that the benefits of eating organic foods have really been explored. One of the main reasons for this is that the agricultural industry has been making changes that will help increase food production, and this means that they have developed farming practices as well as chemicals and additives that help them to produce higher quantities of foods—but this has not led to higher quality of foods. Unfortunately, most of the chemicals that are used, and the processes that are used, have not been fully tested for safety, and the long term effects are not yet fully understood. This is definitely a very good reason to choose organic foods whenever possible! Check out www.homefreshoragnics.com.au one of the largest selections and buying local doesn’t have to break the bank.

GUIDELINES Success Reminders Any time you embark on a new plan or lifestyle change, it is important to remember your goals and continuously aim to reach them. With that said, it is also important to remember that we are all human, and that following any plan perfectly is quite a stretch. There will be slip-ups and mistakes, and times of weakness, but these things are all part of being human! Change can be difficult, at any time, and understanding the process of change and what it takes, in terms of commitment, patience and dedication is critical to the success of any change. Don’t worry too much about the times you feel overwhelmed. Instead, take things one step at a time. As you seek your beautiful bikini and beach-ready body, focus on staying on track, or getting back on track when you do slip up, so that you can get back to your healthy lifestyle. Here are some things that you can do any time that you feel overwhelmed by the commitment to achieving the healthy, best bodyyou are working towards: • Drink a large glass of water as soon as you wake up each morning. Squeeze some lemon in for flavor. This helps to jump start your digestive system and your metabolism each day, and it helps to keep you hydrated, as well, which is critical for your good overall health. • Make sure to drink 2 litres of water each day. Add an extra litre for every hour that you exercise, to stay properly hydrated. If you get tired of drinking plain water, it is a good idea to add some lemon juice or lime juice for flavor. When you drink enough water, this helps to flush toxins out of your body and help turn it into an efficient, beautiful machine. Your skin will become flawless and radiant, as well! • Eating regularly is not bad for you! As long as you eat the right foods—clean, whole foods. Eating the right amount is also important! • Never skip breakfast! This is the most important meal of the day when you are striving for your best body. Stick to the whole, healthy foods that we have discussed, and steer clear of most breakfast cereals, as even those which claim to contain plenty of protein typically contained processed ingredients, artificial ingredients, and too much sugar. Always read labels to know what you are putting into your body. If you enjoy breakfast cereals, try oatmeal instead, especially rolled oats prepared as described in other sections of this guide. • Eat something every 2-3 hours throughout the day. This will help your metabolism keep going strong all day long. When you skip meals, your body starts to think it is being starved and it will store fat, rather than burn it. Learn everything you can about healthy snacks and stick to clean choices! • Don’t work out on an empty stomach! Eat a banana or a scoop of protein powder mixed with water. • The best way to lose weight is to completely eliminate sugar from your diet. Even fruit contains sugar, although it is the natural variety which is better for you than processed types. Limit your fruit intake to one piece per day, and aim to have it early in the day. Bananas or berries are great choices! • Speaking of fruit, the dried varieties are not good for you! These are often filled with added

GUIDELINES sugar and often have added ingredients and preservatives. • Avoid white bread at all costs! If you must eat bread, choose the brown rye versions. Even multigrain breads, touted as being healthy, are just white breads with seeds added. Limit your bread intake to only one slice per day, and, like fruit, have it in the morning if you want to lose weight. An occasional wrap for lunch is not going to hurt you, as long as you already haven’t enjoyed toast for breakfast. As with any other food you eat, read the labels carefully and ensure that you are choosing the wraps that contain the smallest amounts of carbohydrates, sugars, and sodium. • Nuts are great for you, and make wonderful snacks. But, limit your intake of nuts to the amount that can cover only three of your fingers. Choose almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts over cashews, macadamias or peanuts. • Any time that you get the urge to have a snack or nibble on something, have a glass of water first. Wait about 20 minutes, then decide if you are actually hungry. Often our bodies mistake thirst for hunger, and a glass of water may stave off that hunger for a while longer and keep you from packing in the unhealthy snacks. You might actually be craving water! Not only will that extra glass of water possibly hold off your hunger, it will also help to keep you hydrated and not add any extra calories. • Always be conscious of the amount of food you have eaten. This will help you to avoid overeating. Keep in mind that it takes our brains about 20 minutes to realize we are full. It is possible to keep eating for an extra 20 minutes after we are full! • Never skip meals! Regular meals and snacks are necessary to keep your metabolism running like a smooth machine. • Monitor portion size carefully. Never eat a meat serving larger than the size of your palm. Cut off excess fat, as this is completely unnecessary. • Learn about good fats and bad fats. Eating good fats, like avocado, nuts and oily fish will provide your body will the omega fatty acids that are essential to good health. Avoiding trans fats that can lead to heart disease, diabetes and other serious, chronic health concerns is important for your overall health. Olive oil is a healthy fat, but vegetable oil is not. • Choose fresh foods over frozen whenever possible. Frozen foods are okay, as long as they are flash frozen and retain their antioxidants and nutrients. • Steam vegetables when you can, keeping them crisp and full of color and nutrients. • Choose organic foods whenever possible. Organic foods will not add toxins to your diet like chemicals, pesticide, preservatives and artificial additives, and are metabolised at a faster rate than non-organic foods. • Fish oil supplements can have great benefits for your body. Check dosage instructions on the package, and choose high quality fish oil. • Green tea tablets are another great supplement, with many benefits, especially if drinking green tea is not terribly appealing to your. Again, follow the recommended dosage on the packaging and buy quality brands. • Understand that knowledge is power! The more you learn about clean eating and how your body works, the more power you will have as you move forward on your journey toward a beautiful, healthy body! • Join forums and discussion groups. Inevitably, you will have questions. And, also inevitably, someone else has had the exact same question. There is strength in numbers, and power in sharing knowledge. Likeminded people who join forces can change the world!

GUIDELINES Things to Avoid: What NOT to do! When you are following a Best Body Plan, the key is to consistently make the healthiest choices possible. You want to truly optimise the way that your body functions naturally, and this means that there are certain things that must be avoided in order to accomplish this. Here is a list of things that you should consider completely off limits if you want to follow the Best Body Plan. • Flavoured Drinks: While fluids are critically important, not all fluids are created equal, as you should realize by now. Flavoured drinks are almost always high in sugars, artificial sweeteners, and plenty of ugly chemicals that give them their flavor. Even juices! Some will be sold under the guise of being “naturally sweetened,” and even these are not good for you. Don’t be fooled by labels that state “no artificial ingredients,” either. Sugar is always sugar, even in its natural forms. Remember, sugar helps to build fat in your body and interferes with your healthy metabolism, and it will interfere with your weight loss goals and your quest for your desired body. • Pasta: Unfortunately, pasta is quite a staple for many people. But, it contains far too many unhealthy carbohydrates, and plenty of sugars, making it off limits for any Best Body Plan. Most people who eat pasta will eat it at the dinner meal, meaning that they are stocking up on carbohydrates and sugar at the time of day when their metabolism is slowing naturally. This allows the pasta to become stored as fat—not what you want! A great alternative is Mungbean Pasta, healthy, tasty and full of good ingredients! • Processed Mince and Sausages: Sure, there are some processed minces that are lean and high quality. But, generally speaking, this is the meat that is left over after the best, leanest parts are removed. This means that you are getting the lower quality meat, the fatty parts. If you must use mince, then at least choose high quality types that you can get directly from the butcher. When it comes to sausages, only Kanga Bangas are acceptable—these happen to be high quality, lean sausages that will give you tons of protein without added fat or other unwanted ingredients. • Cheese, Custard and Ice Cream: Hard cheeses are filled with tons of sugars and sweeteners, which can seriously interfere with your body’s metabolism and get in the way of you reaching your goals! • Sauces: Most sauces are filled with artificial ingredients and contain tons of sugars, additives and preservatives. Sauces include salad dressings, tomato sauces, mayonnaise, marinades, barbeque sauce and any type of prepared sauce that comes in a can or a jar. This does not mean that you have to eat your food dry! You can be quite creative and develop your own sauces from natural, healthy ingredients to make your food very tasty! Try mixing different spices with olive oil or coconut oil, and you will be delighted with the results. • Dried Fruit: As we discussed earlier, this seems like it should be a healthy choice, but this is a treat that is also loaded with sugar and other artificial ingredients and preservatives. Not worth it! • Takeaway Foods: Takeaway foods, especially the fast food varieties, are definitely going to be off limits if you want to get to yourbest body goal. Just one serving of takeaway can add more sugar and fat than you need in an entire week! These foods tend to be overloaded with sugar and trans-saturated fats, both things that you want to avoid for clean eating purposes! • Alcohol: Do you realise how much sugar content is in alcohol? Keep this in mind the next time you are tempted to tip back a glass of beer or wine. Alcohol is notorious for containing sugar, chemicals, additives and other ingredients that are high on the list of “no-nos.” Steer clear of alcohol for a healthy lifestyle!

GUIDELINES Advice For Dining Out For many, dining out is a social activity that can be a big part of our lives. It is important, if you are following a Best Body Plan, that you find plenty of healthy alternatives to the usual offerings, if you want to lose weight and get the body you desire. Obviously avoiding dining out entirely can significantly help your efforts, but this may be a lifestyle change that you are not willing to completely embrace. So, we should talk about how to dine out without totally derailing your excellent efforts. When dining out in a restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions and changes to meals that will help you stick to your Best Body Plan. Although some restaurants may give you a hard time about this, most will be dedicated to providing you with good service—which means providing what you are requesting whenever possible. Don’t let one meal ruin an entire week of healthy eating! Here are some helpful tips that can save you hundreds (maybe thousands!) of calories, tons of fat and many unnecessary additives and ingredients when you are dining out: Breakfast:

❶ Eat eggs with brown rye bread or with kale. Many restaurants and cafes will offer you options like spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes to add to the eggs.

❷ Choose fresh vegetable juices or choose smoothies that have no added sugars. ❸ Veggie omelettes make a great choice. Just don’t forget to ask that they make the omelette without milk!

❹ Smoked salmon with avocado with rye bread. Delicious! Lunch:

❶ Order grilled fish with a salad and lemon wedge (instead of battered) ❷ Meat and salad wraps with no added dressings can be a healthy option. ❸ Vegetarian patties are usually very healthy choices (made from chickpeas but taste great!). ❹ Order a steak with steamed veggies on the side, or a large salad. ❺ Try the roast of the day. These are often prepared in a healthy manner, with little in the way of unhealthy additives. Order extra veggies instead of gravy.

Dinner:

❶ Order skinless chicken breast with vegetables on the side or a large salad. ❷ Stir-fry vegetables with a side of brown rice (avoid the brown rice if you can and have more veges!)

❸ Grilled fish with a side salad or large serving of vegetables will make a terrific option. ❹ Most seafood choices are on the healthier side, including oysters, prawns, tuna, scallops, tuna and salmon. Make sure that the seafood is prepared without batter.

GUIDELINES ❺ Salad, with the exception of Caesar salad, is usually a healthy choice when dining out. Order the dressing on the side so that you can control the amount. Instead of ordering a rich dressing, choose olive oil and vinegar, this will help get some healthy fats in. Opt for adding pepper and lemon juice for added flavour, rather than more dressing.

❻ Remember, mustard is good for you and makes for a great healthy dressing. It contains

omega-3 fatty acids as well as magnesium, while being low in calories and fat. A perfect sauce or dressing!

Dessert: Well, when it comes to dessert, we should probably choose to avoid it most of the time. But, often there will be a fresh fruit option available, and this can be a good choice. Eating out should be a rare occurrence, which means that the occasional dessert may not be completely detrimental, but I certainly do not want to see your incredible efforts towards achieving that dream body be derailed! When you choose the meals that are high in nutrients and in alignment with thebest body guidelines we have discussed, you will find that you do not feel deprived by not ordering dessert!

Helpful Tips and Tricks • Try adding a teaspoon of cottage cheese to your omelette to make it creamier and thicker, and add some additional flavor • Use organic almond butter and blueberries as a topping for crepes, as an alternative to ice cream or sugary syrups • Use coconut oil for sautéing veggies or toss over salad to add some healthy fats • Choose rye wraps instead of pastries or breads • When eating fresh fish, drizzle a little olive oil and lemon juice over the top for a zesty effect • Use wraps as pizza dough, lay flat and add toppings instead of rolling them up • Choose turkey or chicken mince, or use very lean beef mince for a tasty cottage pie • Full fat yoghurt or cottage cheese mixed with chocolate protein powder makes for a yummy treat as a clean chocolate mousse • Include protein in every meal • Use egg whites, which contain plenty of protein, although the yolks are good fats they do contain a lot of it, so consume no more than two egg yolks per day (for weight loss goals) • Drink water with a splash of lemon juice when you wake up in the morning, before you even eat anything. This helps to jump start your metabolism and get your digestive system ready • Make sure you get 2 litres of water per day, for adequate hydration. Add one litre per hour of exercise • Eliminate all sugar, including large amounts of fruit, and completely avoid dried fruit varieties • Have a meal or snack every 2-3 hours throughout the day to keep your metabolism running strong and efficient • Instead of cheating when temptation strikes, try having a cup of peppermint tea • Remember that it takes your brain 20 minutes to register that your body is full, so eating slowly and drinking enough water with every meal can help prevent overeating

GUIDELINES • Monitor portion sizes and make sure that your meat servings are no larger than the palm of your hand. Trim fats and any rinds from meats • Eat your biggest meal of the day in the morning; a big breakfast will fuel your body for much of the day. Avoid cereals, as these are generally loaded with excess amounts of sugars and processed wheat’s that your body finds difficult to process • Avoid breads. Limit yourself to no more than one slice per day, and choose dark brown rye whenever possible • Snack on nuts to keep yourself full. Choose almonds, walnuts or Brazil nuts, and avoid cashews, peanuts and macadamias, as well as any salted or flavoured varieties • Enjoy the good fats found in avocados, certain types of nuts and oily fish meat. Only eat enough nuts each day to cover three fingers, and no more than ¼-½ an avocado • Cook with olive oil or coconut oil, and avoid vegetable oils • Never work out on an empty stomach; have a quick snack of a banana or scoop of protein powder for energy • Choose fresh fruits and veggies as often as possible; frozen berries are acceptable but fresh is better • Never skip meals • Steam vegetables, or boil them; avoid cooking them in oily pans • As you become committed to clean eating, it is important to avoid any processed foods as your body will have difficulty digesting them properly and may have digestive reactions • Limit your dairy intake, especially milk, custards and creams (including soy milk, skim milk and rice milk). Use almond milk instead but use it sparingly • A fat burning walk first thing in the morning will Kick-start the metabolism considerably. Keep the intensity low to get the most fat-burning effects. Aim for about 45 minutes whenever possible • Choose green veggies first, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Broccoli, spinach, beans and peas are great choices (though peas do contain higher amounts of sugar, so use these sparingly) • Choose plain tuna over flavoured varieties • Choose berries as your fruit preference (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc.) • Black coffee or green tea is acceptable, as long as you do not add milk or sugar. Add a scoop of chocolate protein powder to your black coffee for a tasty mocha version • Eat about 100-200g of yoghurt per day (with fruit as your snack is ideal) • Consume foods that have no more than 2-4g of sugar content • Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so don’t be tied to the scale. Instead, pay attention to how your body feels, how your clothes fit and how you look • Get rid of anything that might be a temptation for you. When it is not available, you won’t be able to cheat • The first week will be the roughest, as you and your body adjust to the Best Body Plan. After that, it gets significantly easier • Be sure to have some Best Body Plan meals available for those times when you may be rushed. Make extra and freeze meals so that you have something ready • Avoid comparing yourself and your progress to others. Everyone is unique and will have different responses and results. It is, however, wise, to ask questions of others following a similar lifestyle and eating plan—this can give you support, answer your questions and give you some great ideas • Be positive about yourself at all times! Enjoy and love your health, and your results will be faster and more dramatic • Follow a healthy sleep routine. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night is recommended. Learn your sleep patterns and make an attempt to have your waking time occur during your most optimal cycles. You will feel more refreshed and have more energy during the day.

GUIDELINES Handling Cravings

Everyone gets cravings, for different things and at different times. How you handle those cravings can have a significant impact on the success of your Best Body Plan. Certain cravings may indicate certain deficiencies in your body, and you may be able to control the cravings when you understand what it is that your body actually needs and you find a healthy way to handle them. Here are some helpful tips for handling cravings without totally losing control of your healthy lifestyle.

❶ When you are craving sweets and candy, it may be because your body needs chromium, carbon phosphorous, sulphur or tryptophan. Instead of sweets, try eating some grapes, chicken, broccoli, fresh fruit, liver, eggs, fish, beef, nuts, dairy, cranberries, legumes, kale, cabbage, horseradish, sweet potatoes, turkey or spinach. You’ll get the minerals you need, while avoiding cheating.

❷ When you are craving bread, you may be actually needing nitrogen in your system. You

can get nitrogen into your system by eating high protein foods, including lean meats, fish, nuts or beans.

❸ When you are craving fatty snacks, you may be lacking calcium. Curbing these cravings may be handled by eating broccoli, mustard, kale, sesame seeds or legumes.

❹ When you are craving carbonated drinks, you are probably low on calcium. Try the same

options as those listed for when you crave fatty snacks. If your craving is specific, you may have an addiction to a certain drink.

❺ When you are craving coffee, you are probably needing phosphorous, sulphur or iron.

To replenish your supply, eat chicken, beef, liver, dairy, eggs, fish, red peppers, sea salt, onions, garlic, apple vinegar, greens, black cherries or seaweed.

❻ When you are craving salty foods, you are probably lacking chloride. To curb these cravings, eat high protein foods like fish, goat’s milk cheese or unrefined sea salt.

❼ When you are craving cigarettes, this is usually related to an actual addiction. Although

this may require real help to kick the habit, try increasing the amount of silicone and tyrosine in your diet by eating more nuts, seeds, citrus fruits and green vegetables.

❽ If you are having PMS-related cravings, you are probably craving zinc in your diet. Try eating more seafood, leafy vegetables, red meats, root vegetables or vegemite.

EXERCISING Fat Burn Power Walking Sleeping ultimately leads your body to fast overnight. This is normal. When you wake up in the morning after an 8-12 hour fast, your body’s stores of glycogen are somewhat depleted. Glycogen is a by-product of glucose (or carbohydrate). This means that your body is producing low levels of insulin at this time, resulting in your body using fat as its primary source of fuel. This is great because as soon as you wake up, you are essentially a fat-burning machine until you eat something (i.e. carbohydrates). Hence if you eat immediately before a workout, you will have to burn off what you just consumed first, before your body will start using stored body fat as fuel (insulin is also elevated). A Power Walking for Fat Burn is done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach when your blood sugar and insulin levels are at their lowest as you have fasted overnight. This is your optimal time to burn fat stores as fuel. Low intensity exercise is best in the morning because if you do high intensity exercise at this time of day (before breakfast) you will use glycogen from muscles, as converting fat

to energy is too slow and is an inefficient process for high intensity exercise. You need to do a fast paced walk at a low intensity. Doing this on an empty stomach ensures that you are burning fat and not the food in your stomach. You need to do it for approximately 45 minutes as anywhere after 20 minutes is when your body starts to burn fat. When doing your Power Walking for Fat Burn on a treadmill, look at using a slight incline to increase the intensity but stick to a lower speed – it is not a jog or run. Calculate your maximum heart rate (220 - your age = MHR) and if the treadmill has a heart rate monitor use it to reach approximately 60% of your optimum heart rate and then sit there for 45 minutes on those settings. It is the same principal for a bike or cross trainer. Before your Power Walking for Fat Burn in the morning, have a glass of water with lemon juice squeezed into it. This will help to jump start your metabolism and have that working together with your fat stores to burn unwanted weight.

EXERCISING Brisbane Best Body Challenge The Brisbane Best Body Challenge is a 12 week challenge that involves group fitness sessions conducted by certified personal trainers. Anyone can participate, no matter what budget or schedule they have. The Best Body Challenge offers 3 differently priced packages with central locations for your convenience. You will do regularfitness testing and have the continuinginspiration and support from your Best Body challenge trainers and also the fellow participants. We have designed 3 different packages to suit every budget and every goal. The Essential Pack $37.95 per week (Inc GST) 3x 45 minute group sessions of your choice Online support Tracking and testing of results BBBC T-Shirt Entry to BBBC Competition

The Achieve Pack $59.95 per

The Transformation Pack $94.95

week (Inc GST)

per week (Inc GST)

3x 45 minute Indoor personal

1x week 1 on 1 Personal Training

group sessions of your choice

Session

Unlimited outdoor sessions

Unlimited group sessions (both

Accountability 1 on 1 45 minute

indoor and outdoor)

session with your trainer every 6

Accountability 1 on 1 45 minute

weeks

session with your trainer every 6

Online support

weeks

Tracking and testing of results

Online support

BBBC T-Shirt

Tracking and testing of results

Entry to BBBC Competition

BBBC T-Shirt Entry to BBBC Competition

At the Best Body Challenge you pay around $10 per exercise session. This is great value for money as you not only get fantastic training but we also provide you continual support and advice to help you ensure you achieve your health and fitness goals now and for the long term. For more information go to www. brisbanebestbodychallenge.com.au.

After-burn Effect or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) When you do aerobic exercise in the morning, your metabolism stays elevated for a period of time after the workout is over. It has been proven that EPOC does increase with the intensity (and duration) of the exercise. According to Wilmore and Costill in “Physiology of Sport and Exercise,” the EPOC after moderate exercise (75-80% of maximum) will amount to approximately 0.25 kcal/min or 15 kcal/hour. This would provide an additional expenditure of 75 kcal for that workout. So complete your set cardio in the morning or at the very least, not just before you go to sleep. This is because once asleep, your metabolic rate decreases as you go back into a fasted state.

SUPPLEMENTS Understanding Supplements The Best Body Challenge Team have sought for many years a high quality, low in artificial flavouring, yet still enjoyable supplement. We are pleased to partner with Urban Muscle and the team at Ada St Supplements to bring you the finest in Sports Supplementation to aid you in all aspects of your health and fitness. Urban Muscle, after more than a decade of Research and Development, released its ground breaking range of sport supplements onto the world market. The range is at the pinnacle of the supplement industry and we will continue to release unrivalled supplements in a relentless bid to remain the world’s most effective supplement brand. The products are synergistically designed to be taken in conjunction with each other using research tested doses of clinically proven ingredients. Push your body further than you could possibly imagine with Urban Muscle as your training partner.

Recommendation

Urban Muscle Platinum Blend Not only is this a terrific protein supplement, but it is delicious, too! It’s hard to believe, but this extremely hi-tech blend of 5 proteins with its fast-medium-slow release mixes instantly and tastes better than a milkshake. Platinum Blend is a precise blend of the highest quality WPI (2 forms), WPC, Egg Albumen and Caseine. Urban Muscle has also added extra BCAA’s to the mix at the maximum allowable levels. It took our team of experts over a year to get this superior protein blend tasting as smooth and delicious as it does and we are sure you’ll agree it was worth the wait. Platinum Blend makes having protein shakes a very pleasant experience so you will actually want to take them as often as you should. In a nutshell, the world has never experienced anything like this before, the perfect protein with a sensational taste.

SUPPLEMENTS The Ultimate Protein Blend! We believe that this Platinum Blend of Ion-exchange WPI, Ultra Filtered WPI, Ultra Filtered WPC, Ultra Filtered Caseine and Egg Albumen is the best possible combination as a standalone protein throughout the day and night. Our meticulously chosen blend is based on 15 years research and development, combining vast experience with supplementation, input from top professional and amateur athletes and consultation with Top Australian Food Scientists. This has proven to us that the multi blend of proteins out performs all other single proteins to ensure the optimum levels of amino acids in your blood stream at all times. A closer look at the proteins: Ion Exchange WPI - The purest form of protein available with an exceptional amino acid profile, the highest biological value and the highest efficacy ratio of all protein sources. Ultra Filtered WPI - Super fast absorbing protein with a very high biological availability which is perfect for rapid absorption of amino’s. Ultra Filtered WPC - Easily digested full spectrum Whey Protein Concentrate has a high biological value and is naturally high in branch chain amino acids (BCAA’S). Ultra Filtered Casein - Anti-catabolic protein with a very slow absorption rate that keeps amino acids releasing into the bloodstream for many hours. Egg Albumen - Egg Protein is considered a nearly perfect source of protein because its amino acid pattern best matches that needed by humans.

Recommendation

Platinum Blend is designed to be absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream and keep feeding hungry muscles for up to 8 hours! This will ensure the maximum possible results! You’ll see results quickly and find your lean, toned body in no time.

SUPPLEMENTS 100% WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE WPI 100% Whey Isolate is ideal for those looking for an incredibly lean protein source for dieting/fat loss, maintaining/increasing lean muscle, and enhanced recovery from strenuous activity. It is the perfect supplement for those looking for a toned, tight body! WPI has the highest percentage protein and lowest carb and fat ratio available. Because this is the purest form of protein with the highest Biological Value, it provides an exceptional amino acid profile including a very high source of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s), and the highest efficacy ratio of all protein sources. WPI is a super fast absorbing protein making it perfect for rapid uptake of aminos that are necessary to stimulate protein synthesis helping increase lean muscle and reduce recovery times. Biological value (BV) is a measure of the proportion of absorbed protein from a food which becomes incorporated into the proteins of your body. It summarises how readily the broken down protein can be used in protein synthesis in your body’s cells. A high BV helps WPI be an extremely well absorbed source of protein.

Recommendation

Ideal after strength training sessions as an immediate high source of protein for optimal recovery. Ensure you get this formula into your system within 30 minutes of completing the workout. UM GH Catalyst A natural HGH supplement that will have you feeling on top of the world in no time! HGH or Human Growth Hormone is a protein hormone made up of 191 amino acids and is secreted by cells located in the pituitary gland called somatrophs. The human body continues to produce the same amount of growth hormone for its entire life; however, the aging pituitary cells release less and less as we get older. GH release declines at a rate of about 14% per decade,

which greatly contributes to the aging process and is directly associated with symptoms such as wrinkling of the skin, decreased energy, graying hair, reduced sexual function, increased body fat, cardiovascular disease, poor sleep and many more. Because HGH is the master hormone in the body, it controls all other hormone levels including the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. What can higher GH levels do for me? – Improve sleep quality (particularly REM sleep) – Decrease body fat – Elevate mood – Increase energy and vitality – Increase bone strength – And much more! Urban Muscle’s GH Catalyst is based on the formula discovered by Italian researcher A.Isidori, M.D., at the University of Rome in 1981. In the study, 15 male volunteers were given an oral dose of a combination of two amino acids (1200mg. l-arginine-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate & 1200mg l-lysine hydrochloride) on an empty stomach. This provoked a release of pituitary somatropin (natural HGH) at very significant level and was found to be easily reproducible. The study showed a massive 700% increase in growth hormone levels within 90 minutes of administration and levels were still elevated by over 300% 8hrs later. Why You Should Use Urban Muscle GH Catalyst ? Don’t mess with perfection. UM GH Catalyst is a pure amino acid duplication of the formula used in the study performed by A.Isidori, M.D.

Recommendation

It is very important that this formula is taken on an empty stomach as other amino acids can prevent this very special amino combination from doing its job.

SUPPLEMENTS Urban Muscle Incel CreatineNitrix Booster. When you want power, strength and endurance beyond belief, you need to turn to IN-CEL, the most powerful pre-training nitric oxide boosting creatine EVER to hit the world market! Thousands of hours of research and development have gone into INCEL’s very unique performance intensifying pre-training formula. Precise amounts of the very best ingredients have been used to deliver a massive boost to your body for MIND BLOWING PUMPS and MASSIVE PERFORMANCE GAINS that have to be experienced to be believed. No other N.O. Boosting Creatine comes close to INCEL’s strength and performance-enhancing ability, not in Australia, the USA, or anywhere else. Urban Muscle’s dedication to making the strongest supplements has culminated in a product so far advanced from its competition that it deserves its own category.

Recommendation

Take before a workout and feel the naturally occurring increases this supplement provides to anyone to get the best out of their session, every time. Urban Muscle LT4 Finally, a heavy duty fat burner that is actually healthy! That’s right folks, the cutting edge ingredients in LT4 (unlike 98% of other fat-loss products) are not only NOT BAD for you but they have been proven to have many positive health benefits too! Urban Muscle’s LT4 is a combination of nutrients with lipotropic properties, which will assist in the removal of fats from the liver, and support the metabolism of fats and cholesterol in the body. LT4 also contains acetyl l-carnitine which assists in the transport of fat across the cell membranes in muscle tissue for use as an

energy source and supports exercise capacity, endurance and stamina.

Recommendation

LT4 supports healthy weight and body composition and helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels by supporting the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream into cells. RESURRECT is a recovery formula like no other, combining the most powerful compounds into one incredibly powerful supplement. For those looking for a quick recovery after an especially strenuous workout, you will find that recovery from intense training sessions has never been so easy. Anticatabolics and muscle synthesizers known to man, HMB,L-Glutamine, BCAA’s and Taurine, at doses that will drastically reduce muscle soreness and recovery times, greatly increase lean muscle growth in strength trainers and vastly improve performance in endurance trainers. The performance gained from faster recovery can be measured in speed, strength and endurance....and the ability to back up and do it all again tomorrow! RESURRECT BREAKDOWN: L-GLUTAMINE - Arguably the most important amino acid when it comes to recovery. L-Glutamine makes up approximately 62% of skeletal muscle and is shared between the recovery system and the immune system. Glutamine can be synthesized by the body from other amino acids so it is classified as a “non-essential” amino acid, but the fact that the body has to break down or catabolise muscle tissue to do this, is reason enough for this amazing amino to be at the top of your list. HMB -HydroxyMethylbutyrate is a metabolite of the amino acid l-leucine and is the strongest of all anticatabolics. However, the actual mechanisms of HMB metabolism are

SUPPLEMENTS not known. One hypothesis suggests that HMB directly inhibits the catabolism of muscle proteins during stressful events such as exercise. Another possibility is that HMB is a structural component covalently linked to tissues or cell membranes and is destroyed when under stress. Thus, supplementation with HMB may both prevent muscle breakdown as well as accelerate tissue repair after exercise. One thing everyone agrees on is, that HMB works like nothing else to reduce recovery times. BCAAs - Branch Chain Amino Acids are the “Building Blocks” of the body. They make up 35% of your muscle mass and must be present for molecular growth and development to take place. Besides building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies, they are part of the enzyme & hormonal system; they build RNA and DNA and they carry oxygen throughout the body. TAURINE - is a powerful cell volumiser and helps shuttle nutrients into your muscles. For best results, take immediately post-training and then again 12hrs later.

Recommendation

One of the favourite supplements of the BBBC Team. This stuff is amazing, throw out sugary post workout recovery drinks and drink something that actually works on helping your body, not hindering it. Urban Muscle 100% Pure L-Glutamine Naturally Fermented. Urban Muscle uses only the absolute highest quality naturally fermented Glutamine to ensure the best possible results for recovery and/or lean muscle growth. Glutamine is the most common amino acid found in your muscles - over 61% of skeletal muscle is Glutamine. Glutamine consists of 19% nitrogen, making it the primary transporter of nitrogen into your muscle cells.

During intense training, Glutamine levels are greatly depleted in your body, which decreases strength, stamina and recovery. It could take up to 6 days for Glutamine levels to return to normal - and Glutamine plays a key role in protein synthesis. Studies have shown that L-Glutamine supplementation can minimize breakdown of muscle and improve protein metabolism. Glutamine plays key roles in protein metabolism, cell volumizing, and anti-catabolism. Glutamine also increases your ability to secrete Human Growth Hormone, which helps metabolize body fat and support new muscle growth. Glutamine’s anti-catabolism ability prevents the breakdown of your muscles. Glutamine is needed throughout your body for optimal performance. Your small intestines requires the most Glutamine in your body, and your immune system also needs Glutamine because Glutamine levels become depleted during workouts, which is why bodybuilders are more susceptible to illnesses. L-Glutamine supplementation is so important, not necessarily to gain more muscle, but for the ‘maintenance’ effects of L-Glutamine.

Recommendation

This supplement is especially useful for people who are trying to ‘cut down’. This is especially common during summer when you’re trying to get rid of some body fat without losing any muscle. Meal Plans and Shopping Lists for Success! The 5 P’s are the key to your success when planning your meals for the week (Perfect Preparation Prevents Poor Performance). You would know by now that skipping meals is a big NO NO, it slows your metabolism down, tells your body to store fat and your body will go in the opposite direction. Therefore to avoid busy times when we “forget” to eat, we need to prepare.

SUPPLEMENTS The way to ensure perfect performance is to plan your entire week for success. Then all you need to do is go shopping once (or have it delivered if you’re really busy!) This avoids last minute “can’t be bothered buying and then having to cook” takeawaysand other excuses. So plan your meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner and write down (or type up) the ingredients needed in each meal. Then simply use this as your shopping list! Here’s an example: Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Lemon Water

Lemon Water

Lemon Water

Lemon Water

Lemon Water

Lemon Water Lemon Water

Vegetable/ Salmon Omelette 4 eggs 3 mushrooms ¼ Capiscum ¼ Red Onion Spring onion 1 tbsp. Cottage cheese

Vegetable/ Salmon Omelette Home made seed 4 eggs Smoothie crackers 3 mushrooms - See recipe 1 boiled egg ¼ Capiscum Smoked Salmon ¼ Red Onion Spring onion 1 tbsp. Cottage cheese

Protein Pancakes ¼ cup of egg whites 1 egg yolk 2 Tbsp almond milk ½ banana 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground flaxseed

Smoothie - See recipe

- Protein Shake - Handful almonds - Piece of fruit

1x Megaburn Health bar

- 1x Ryvita with - Handful almonds 1x Megaburn 20g smoked salmon, cottage - Piece of fruit Health bar cheese, avocado & tomato

Avocado, kale Left over Parsnip and egg salad Leftover Farmers Leftover Stir-fry sushi Pie - See recipe

Farmers Pie (cook enough for 6-8)

Left over Farmers pie

Carrots & Celery Left over Farmers sticks pie

Warm Lamb Salad

Chicken/Beef Stir-fry (cook for 2 extra ppl)

Glazed Salmon, Broccolini & Asparagus - See recipe

Saturday

Mango and Coconut Chia pudding - See recipe

- Protein Shake - 1x Ryvita with 20g smoked salmon, cottage - Piece of fruit cheese, avocado & tomato - Handful almonds

Left over Glazed Salmon, Broccolini & Asparagus

Left over Kangaroo Mince & Mungbean Pasta

Egg Salad Wrap: 1 serving Avocado 1 Boiled egg (sliced) 2 cups mixed spinach leaves 1x grated carrot 5 cherry tomatoes (sliced), 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Left over Stir-fry

Carrots & Celery sticks

- Protein Shake - 1x Ryvita with 20g smoked salmon, cottage cheese, avocado & tomato

Kangaroo Mince with Mungbean, homemade tomato sauce, herbs (fresh)

100g lean steak with steamed vegetable

Parsnip Sushi (cook for 2 extra) - See recipe

SPECIAL TIP: Another fantastic way to save time is to cook a meal fit for an army on a Sunday night and use this as your lunch for the 3-4 days of the week! And cook dinners for an extra 2 people and use them And to be extra good…Spend the time researching all your favourite meals (gather 30 dinners, 5-10 breakfasts, 10-15 lunches and snacks and simply rotate the meals in a monthly plan) It may take time at the start, but once you’ve got it all down it’ll be easy and you’ll super successful!

SUPPLEMENTS BREAKFAST

Breakfast 1 Mango and Coconut Chia pudding Ingredients 400ml can of coconut milk 1.5 cups frozen mango 8 tbsp. chia seeds Toppings of your choice (for example fresh berries, nuts or bee pollen) Combine coconut milk and mango in a blender until smooth Mix in the chia seeds Pour into portion containers and leave in the fridge overnight Breakfast 2 Smoothie Ingredients 1 tbsp. Avocado 1 handful of spinach leaves 1 cup frozen or fresh berries 1 scoop protein powder 1 tbsp. psyllium husk 1 small scoop Spirulina 1 cup coconut water (or more depending on what consistency you like) Place all ingredients in a blender Blend well until done

Breakfast 3 Home made seed crackers with favourite toppings (crackers can be made in advance and stored for up to 2 weeks) Ingredients Crackers: 1 cup sunflower seeds 1 cup sesame seeds 2 tbsp. Psyllium husk ½ cup linseed ¼ cup coconut oil 2 cups boiling water Himalayan salt to taste Topping suggestions Avocado with lemon and a dash of Himalayan salt Sliced boiled egg Hot smoked salmon Natural nut butters Method: Preheat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius Mix all the dry ingredients Melt the coconut oil if not already in liquid state. Combine coconut oil and water in a separate bowl Pour the oil and water into the dry ingredient bowl Mix well

SUPPLEMENTS LUNCH

Spread a thin layer (1-2 mm max) on a lined baking tray. There are enough ingredients to do approximately 2 trays depending on how thin you spread them. Cook in the oven for 45-60 minutes Remove from oven and cut into size with a pizza cutter Turn down the heat to 80 degrees Celsius Put the crackers back in the oven and let dry for a couple of hours Let cool Serve with your favourite toppings

in a bowl. Add a dash of unsweetened almond milk (or soy) Season with salt and pepper Heat up a frying pan to medium heat Add the coconut oil When the pan is hot, add the diced onions. Cook until tender Add mushrooms and tomato and cook until tender Add spinach leaves and egg mixture Stir constantly until the scrambled eggs have reached a consistency of your liking

Breakfast 3 Scrambled eggs

Lunch 1 Avocado, kale and egg salad

Ingredients 1 egg 3-4 egg whites ½ tsp coconut oil Dash of unsweetened almond milk (or soy) ½ onion, diced 1 tomato, diced 3-4 mushrooms sliced 1 handful of spinach leaves Himalayan salt Pepper

Ingredients 2 boiled eggs, diced ½ avocado, diced ½ punnet cherry tomatoes 2 stalks of kale. Stem removed and leaves finely sliced ½ cup grated carrot 1 tbsp Lemon 1 tbsp Olive oil Himalayan salt Pepper

Method: Lightly whisk the eggs and egg whites

Method: Mix all ingredients in a bowl Season with salt and pepper

SUPPLEMENTS DINNERS

Lunch 2 Chicken mash-up on bed of Spinach Ingredients 1 chicken fillet ½ cup Sheep’s milk yoghurt 1 tbsp. Curry powder (more or less after your liking) 2-3 small Gherkins ½ red onion, diced ½ green apple, diced ½ red capsicum diced 1 tomato, sliced 1 handful of baby spinach Himalayan salt Pepper Method: Preheat oven to 180 deg Cook the chicken fillet in the oven until done all the way through Remove from the oven and let the chicken fillet cool down Once cool cut into small dices Add sheeps milk yoghurt, curry powder, gerkhins, red onion, apple and capsicum in a bowl. Mix well. Stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper Serve the chicken mash up on a bed of baby spinach and sliced tomato

Lunch 3 Cottage cheese Pikelets Ingredients 1 egg 100 gr cottage cheese ¾ tbsp psyllium husk ½ tsp coconut oil Tiny pinch of Himalayan salt Method: Mix all the ingredients well with a stick blender Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Add coconut oil to frying pan Add the mixture into the pan and form 4 small pikelets. Cook the pikelets until they are golden and easy to flip. Flip and repeat on the other side Serve as is or with your choice of topping Dinner 1 Glazed Salmon with Broccolini & Asparagus Ingredients Salmon Broccolini Asparagus Himalayan salt Pepper

SUPPLEMENTS DINNER

Dried chilli flakes Juice from 1 lemon Coconut oil Method: Preheat oven to 180 deg. Place the salmon in aN oven proof dish Season with Himalayan salt, pepper and herbe de provence Put in oven for approximately 20 mins or until cooked Meanwhile, lightly steam broccolini and asparagus Once slightly tender, drain from water. Heat up a fry pan to medium heat Add coconut oil Once frying pan is hot, place drained broccolini and asparagus in the pan. Add lemon juice, Himalayan salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Gently toss for approx. 1 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve the greens with the salmon Dinner 2 Warm lamb salad (serves 4) Ingredients 400g lamb backstrap 1/4 cup olive oil

160g dried dessert figs, chopped 1/4 cup pine nuts 2 garlic cloves, crushed 100g baby rocket leaves 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 3/4 cup kalamata olives 120g feta cheese, crumbled 1 large lemon, rind finely grated, juiced 1/4 cup mint leaves, shredded 2 tbsp Olive oil Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoons coconut oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook lamb, in 2 batches, for 4 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 teaspoons oil to pan. Add fig, pine nuts and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until pine nuts are light golden. Transfer to a large bowl. Add rocket, onion, olives and feta. Toss gently to combine. Slice lamb into 1cm-thick slices. Add to rocket mixture. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon rind, 1/4 cup lemon juice and mint in a jug. Pour over salad. Toss gently. Season with salt and pepper.

GUIDELINES DINNERS

Dinner 3 Dinner 4 Spring Vegetable and Chicken soup Parsnip Sushi Ingredients 1 Roast Chicken (free-range) 1 tbsp coconut oil 2 leeks, washed and chopped 100g green beans, cut into lengths 1 large zucchini, diced 1 broccoli 1.2l vegetable stock 1 handful of Basil, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, deseeded and chopped 400g can cannellini beans

Ingredients Sushi rice: 4-5 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped 2 tbsp almond butter (tahini would be lovely, too) 1 tbsp tamari or namashoyu 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 2 tsps apple cider vinegar (rice vinegar would also be great) Pepper to taste Sushi roller Nori sheets (seaweed)

Method: Heat the oil, then fry the leek and garlic until softened. Add the green beans, broccoli and zucchini, then pour in the stock and season to taste. Cover and simmer for 5 mins. Stir the tomatoes, basil and cannellini beans into the soup pan, then simmer for 5-10 mins more until the veg are just tender. Place strips of the roast chicken into the soup and serve

Suggested fillings: Fresh Tuna Fresh Salmon Tuna in Brine (Only buy “Pole caught”) Coriander Carrots, julienned Cucumber, julienned Avocado, sliced Tuna in brine, drained Ingredients Place parsnip in a food processor and process till it’s quite broken down, but not quite “rice” sized in texture yet. Add remaining sushi rice ingredients,

GUIDELINES DINNER

and then pulse until the mixture does resemble rice. Prepare all the fillings Follow regular sushi recipes for instructions on how to fill and roll your sushi Dinner 5 Farmers pie (serves 6) Ingredients 1 tbsp. coconut oil 4-6 cloves fresh garlic, chopped 1.5 kg ground grass-fed beef 2 cups (300 g) onions chopped 2 cups (250 g) carrots, peeled and sliced 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 cups chopped mushrooms 1 handful chopped spinach leaves 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped fine 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 small can (6 ounces) tomato paste 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar Splash of fish sauce 6 cups (1½ L) Mashed Cauliflower (see recipe below) Method: 1. Preheat oven to 175 deg. 2. Heat a large fry pan over medium/medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of the oil and once hot, stir in the garlic, being

careful not to burn. 3. Add in the beef and stir, combining with the garlic. Cook until the meat is browned. 4. Remove the beef/garlic mixture from the pan, then add in the onions, carrots, celery, mushroom, rosemary, and thyme. 5. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots and celery softened. 6. Add the meat mixture back into the pan, and stir in the tomato paste, spinach, balsamic, and Worcestershire and bring to a simmer. Simmer until any residual liquid is evaporated. 7. Pour meat/vegetable mixture into a baking pan, and with a rubber spatula spread a layer of the Mashed Cauliflower over the top, forming a solid layer of the mash. 8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the mashed cauliflower is slightly browned on top. Dinner 6 Mashed Cauliflower served Lean Meat (lean chicken or beef) Ingredients 1 large head cauliflower 5 large cloves garlic Salt

GUIDELINES DINNERS

2 tablespoons grass-fed butter ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper to taste Method: Bake the chicken or beef on a low heat until cooked. Whilst the chicken/beef is cooking steam the cauliflower and garlic until tender Drain Add cauliflower, garlic, butter and seasoning into a food processor, blend untl smooth Serve with your choice of protein

ENDORSEMENT The Best Body Diet Plan is about promoting a clean eating lifestyle and raising conscious awareness of food choices. Lean protein, quality carbohydrates & essential fatty acids are the cornerstone of these guidelines. The guiding principles are straightforward, healthy and simple to follow. They work toward encouraging the body’s own metabolic pathways to promote ideal, healthy body composition whilst at the same time, supporting lean muscle tissue maintenance and hypertrophy. With healthy options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and even desserts – it is a comprehensive plan that is adaptable to any lifestyle. They continue to impress with an entire section dedicated to the important and often over looked area of supplementation and of course a section entitled ‘Things to Avoid: What NOT to do’ which informs the reader of certain foods which could be detrimental in their fat loss and best body endeavours. If you or someone you know is interested in achieving optimal health & vitality through nutrition then my advice would be to give the Best Body Diet Plan a try as a general starting point. I endorse these guidelines because they cover all bases, and have principles that are based on nutritional science and are delivered in an easy to understand way. Laura Boersma Bachelor Health Science (Naturopathy) Accredited and registered Naturopath Qualified member of the National Herbalist’s Association of Australia

EXERCISING FAQ’s - Advice Fromthe Paddington Personal Training Team When it comes to following a Best Body Plan to get a toned, lean, muscular body, getting professional advice is usually wise. In the following section, we will address many of the “Frequently Asked Questions” that come up, hopefully you will find helpful answers to many of your questions! What are the fundamentals that I need to know when training with the goal of gaining lean muscle and a toned body? The most important things to understand is that a lean, toned body comes from discipline and diet. You have to be consistent in order to be successful. Many people work hard to reach their goal weight, then tend to become impatient when they don’t see further results. Once you lose the focus and discipline, it becomes much harder to make progress, so stay consistent, eat clean, and you will see ongoing success and results. Is there an ideal time to exercise when trying to gain lean muscle mass and tone my body? Cardio is best done in short, sharp intervals when you are trying to gain lean muscle mass. When you get in a cardio workout that lasts 45 minutes, at 60% of your optimum heart rate (this can usually be achieved by a fast walk or slow jog) or a cardio workout of 20 minutes at 60% of your optimum heart rate of high intensity interval training (HIIT) with one minute on, one minute off, alternating sprinting and walking, you will see fast results. If you are using weights in your workout, choose a comfortable weight and do many sets of reps with short breaks. This will help to keep your heart rate up and help boost the weight loss effects. What is more important for toning, cardio or weights? Definitely weights! What is more important for toning up, diet or exercise? Diet is more important than exercise for toning up, but both are necessary for best results. About 80% of your weight loss and muscle gain can be achieved through a clean diet, with the remaining 20% coming from exercise. What are the best exercises that can be done at home, if I can’t get to the gym, to tone my body and gain lean muscle? The best exercises involve big muscle movements. There are plenty of exercises you can do right in your own home: squats, lunges, pushups, burpees, sit-ups and crunches, just to name a few. Try to always maintain short, sharp intervals and engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Why does my scale keep going up when I am toning my body and becoming more lean? One big rule when trying to tone up and gain lean muscle mass is to NOT look at the scale

EXERCISING regularly. When you rely on the scale to measure your progress, you are not getting accurate information. Not only does your weight tend to fluctuate considerably during the day, your body does not respond immediately to exercise with weight loss. You may initially gain a few pounds as your body and your metabolism learn to re-regulate and function more efficiently. Also, muscle weighs more than fatty tissue, so the scale is not a good way to measure your progress toward your bikini body. What tips and tricks can you recommend for safe and fast lean muscle gain and toning? Keep in mind, there is no real shortcut when it comes to having a lean, toned body. It is closely related to your discipline and commitment! The fastest way to get your body bikini ready is to follow a Best Body Plan and exercise your body effectively. Hire a personal trainer at your gym to help with the details and develop a training plan that will get you the best personal results. Are supplements helpful for gaining muscle and toning? Supplements may be helpful for gaining muscle and toning your body, if you are fit and healthy. Beginners should use caution when it comes to using supplements. When you are first starting out with your program, you should be concentrating on giving your body the proper food and fuel that it needs, along with plenty of water. As you progress, you may find that adding certain supplements can help you maintain as well as continue to make forward progress in your fitness. What are the biggest food “no-nos” when trying to gain lean muscle and tone my body? Think of white foods as the biggest culprits, the “four white devils” of salt, white flour, which sugar and white dairy products. In addition, you should always avoid all processed foods. Avoid alcohol and take out foods, as well, if you are trying to gain lean muscle and get toned. Do women have different requirements from men when it comes to choosing the most effective exercises for maintaining weight, gaining lean muscle and getting toned? For both men and women, “big” movements are important. Include squats, sit-ups, pushups, burpees, lunges, crunches and dead lifts for maximum muscle gain. Add any incidental exercise that you can, such as taking the stairs, parking farther from the entrance, etc. Engage your core throughout the day, whether sitting or standing.

INJURIES Are there any additional tips for gaining lean muscle or toning? In addition to a clean diet, exercise is vitally important. The proper combination can be extremely successful! Are there special guidelines for training while recovering from an injury? Minimize your regular routine, and never train alone. Get advice from a professional, such as a personal trainer, preferably someone with experience in injury rehabilitation. Training when you are injured can make an injury worse and delay healing, if you are not careful. Patience and persistence is critical and will be the key to your rehab efforts. You should continue to improve, but understand that progress can be slow with any injury. Just as an example, a common strain or stress injury can take 12 weeks to fully heal, so have patience! What are some of the most common injuries that happen during weight loss exercise? The most common injuries during weight loss exercise are usually involving the knee, back and shoulder. In the knee, sharp pains may be experienced when your knee is not “tracking right” during your exercise movements, usually due to an imbalance of muscles. In the back, lower back pain is common when

muscles become too tight from being overworked, poor mechanical form during movements, poor core strength and poor posture. In the shoulder, a pinching feeling may occur, or a loss of flexibility. If any of these injuries occur, you should stop the exercise and consult with a professional to determine whether medical attention is necessary. You don’t want to make any injury worse!

do adequate research before relying on any of them to help with your rehabilitation process. Many supplements and medications will claim to have “miraculous effects,” but the only ones that have the research to back up their claims would be fish oil and regular anti-inflammatory medicines. Always consult your physician before adding supplements or medications, especially if you are injured.

Can weight loss be maintained whilst I am injured and unable to follow my regular exercise routines? Yes! Never stop exercising completely. There is always something that you can do for exercise, even if it is simply incidental exercise. Continue to follow a perfectly clean diet. Any time we experience an injury, our core switches off. Make sure that you are still working your core when you can, even by engaging it throughout the day while sitting. You will be surprised and delighted to see that this will help speed your recovery from many injuries.

Are there any tricks to speeding up injury rehabilitation? There are no true shortcuts when it comes to injury rehabilitation. Patience is important! Rushing the process can often make an injury worse, or put you at a high risk for additional injuries. Continue to work on staying fit in any way that you can, to avoid having other muscles become weakened. It takes time to get muscles and ligaments healthy after an injury.

Are there certain supplements, such as creams or pills, or particular medicines that can help to speed up the injury rehabilitation process? There are certainly plenty of supplements out there that will claim to help, but you need to make sure that you

What foods should be avoided while recovering from an injury? Continue to follow your Best Body Plan very closely. Certain foods may be more troublesome than others, like pasta and potatoes, as they are the most difficult foods to metabolise naturally because they are so starchy. Any other special tips for recovering from an injury? Stick to the basics when you

WEIGHT LOSS are recovering, and don’t get crazy and try anything new or too different from what you are used to, unless recommended by your personal trainer. Work on your core, and rest the injured muscles adequately. Are there certain basic training fundamentals that are required for weight loss? Cardio training will burn fat while you are working out. When you use weights, you are teaching your body how to burn more calories all the time. So, if you do cardio for 1-2 hours per day, there are 22-23 hours left where you are not really burning the same calories. While cardio is essential for weight loss, make sure you incorporate weights as well, to maximize the calorie burning that your body can do throughout the entire day. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you will burn and the faster your metabolism will be. How much should I be working out, on average, to get the weight loss I desire? If you are doing high intensity interval training (HIIT), work out for short periods at an intense level, with short rest breaks. Your heart rate will be elevated, you will break a sweat and you will exercise more muscle groups. When aiming for weight loss, should my workout be more

cardio-based or weightbased? You really need a combination for the maximum results. Concentrate on adding resistance to your cardio. What is more effective for weight loss? Diet or exercise? The answer to this question is always going to be diet. Keep in mind that you are probably only exercising for 1-2 hours per day, but you are probably eating 6-8 times per day. When you eat more often, it must be in adherence to a Best Body Plan if you want to lose weight. I work from home. What are the best exercises for me to do when I can’t get to the gym? Focus on big muscle movements and the incidental exercise that you can fit in. You can certainly lose weight without ever stepping foot in a gym, just by eating right and getting some walking exercise. Take the stairs whenever you can. Do squats in your living room. Break a sweat as often as possible. Any type of exercise that raises your heart rate will help. How much weight is a safe amount to lose per week? This amount is going to differ for everyone. If you weigh 120kg and want to lose 50kg, you are likely to lose weight more quickly than someone who only weighs 70kg and wants to lose 5kg. Dropping ½ to 1kg per week is usually considered

to be a safe amount. Use the guide of how your clothing fits to determine your progress, not necessarily the scale. Are there any great tricks for fast and safe weight loss? There are some tricks. One is using fish oil. You will find that when you add fish oil into your diet, you have great muscle recovery from working out, allowing you to do more. It also helps with transporting protein and insulin throughout the body, which will have many health benefits. Are there any special supplements that help with weight loss? Losing weight will require a Best Body Plan. Supplements will not have the desired effect unless you do so. If you are trying to lose weight, you can add L-Carnitine or protein powders, which will boost your protein, make you feel fuller longer and help build lean muscle mass. What foods should I avoid completely when aiming for weight loss? Always avoid starchy carbohydrates, takeaway foods and the four while devils mentioned earlier—salt, white sugar, white flour and white dairy products or pasteurised dairy. Any final tips for exercise or weight loss? Stay away from the scale! Monitor your personal weight

SKIN CARE loss and progress by keeping track of how your clothing fits, how you look and your measurements. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are not coeliac, then consider adding L-Glutamine to aid stomach regulation and liver function. Are there important things to know about how to eat for the clearest skin? Interestingly, “orange” foods seem to have a great effect on repairing skin. Foods like pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, mandarins and oranges contain a variety of enzymes that will help minimize the effects of wearing makeup, sun exposure and daily stress. What foods should be avoided when trying to maintain clear skin? The biggest culprits are sugar, salt and excess alcohol. Some think that sugar and junk foods are the only thing that harm our skin, but this is not true. There are plenty of other harmful things, including weather, allergies, food intolerances, hormones genetics and even beauty products. But, anything that ages your skin should be avoided! What are the other main contributors to bad skin, other than foods?

When it comes to acne, stress can be a big factor. Both adolescents and adults suffer from acne when cortisol levels rise. Breakouts are common during stressful times. Makeup is another culprit, as it can often suffocate skin unless you choose the right products. Invest in a mineral makeup, as this will be healthier for your skin. Always remove makeup before exercising or sleeping. When exercising, sweat helps to eliminate toxins from our bodies and it is more difficult to do this when your face is covered in makeup, as the toxins can become trapped and breakouts will occur. Are there any prescription medications that can help with acne or bad skin? There are not specific medications, but it is often recommended that those suffering from acne or bad skin should take omega-3 fatty acids, such as those often found in fish oil tablets. This can help to clear your skin, as well as help with your weight loss efforts. Our bodies do not produce this compound naturally. What should I look for in foods when thinking about how to get clear skin? The foods that you need for clear skin are whole grains,

water, green tea, omega-3 oils, selenium, antioxidants, fibre and zinc. Healthy fibre can be found in whole grains, such as rye and oats. Antioxidants can be found in green tea and berries. Selenium can be found in Brazil nuts and oily fish. Zinc can be found in pure cocoa powder and dark chocolate, as well as oysters and lean red meats. If a food contains more than 4g of sugar, steer clear! Is exercise good for my skin? Yes! Exercise is great for helping your skin. During exercise, we release adrenalin, which will help to lift your moods and make you feel good, and also help to battle the hormone cortisol, which is a main contributor to acne and breakouts. When we sweat during exercise, we are flushing out toxins. Always shower immediately after exercising, as this will help to rinse any toxins that are remaining on the skin in sweat. Skin care tips? Every day, drink as much water as possible. This will do the most for your skin, more than any other product or medication can. If you can drink 2-3L of water per day, you will hydrate your skin from the inside out, and help to flush out unwanted toxins.

HEART HEALTH Also, always use sunscreen. The sun’s rays will do the most damage to our skin, and you are exposed to them every day, even when it the skies are cloudy. Exposure to sun can cause variance in pigmentation and will have significant aging effects on your skin. What constitutes a hearthealthy diet? A heart healthy diet is one that is well-balanced. Also, including the right amount and type of exercise is important. The best foods for your heart are whole grains, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, good oils and enough water each day. What foods should be avoided when aiming for a heart-healthy diet?

Avoid sugar and salt, as well as alcohol. When you consume these foods, you are not only possibly harming your heart, but you will struggle with weight loss. A healthy heart requires a healthy body! Is there a healthy way to incorporate dairy products into a diet? This is a complicated question, because, although milk is not a saturated fat, those who consume full fat milk will get more than their share of saturated fat daily. If you want to incorporate dairy in a healthy

way, choose no more than 2-3 serves of dairy products per day, and choose cottage cheese instead of cheddar, Greek yoghurt instead of flavoured varieties, etc. What are the effects of excess weight on my heart? Excess weight is a big problem when it is near vital organs. The heart is a muscle, and when you are carrying excess weight, it has to work harder to compensate. This can cause the heart to become enlarged, which can lead to shortness of breath and fatigue. It can ultimately lead to heart failure in extreme cases. Our heart health, and overall cardiovascular fitness, is directly related to what we eat. When we eat the correct foods, in the correct amounts, and get adequate exercise, we can minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart problems. How much exercise do I need to keep my heart healthy? Most cardiologists recommend 30-60 minutes per day of cardio for heart health. This could involve walking, jogging, biking, swimming or any other type of exercise that gets your heart rate up, thereby exercising the heart muscle.

What are the benefits of wearing a heart rate monitor when exercising? A heart rate monitor is a terrific tool to help you exercise more effectively and safely. This can help you lose weight and help you achieve fitness faster. To lose weight, the average adult needs to be exercising at about 65% of their maximum heart rate, for 30 minutes, 5 days per week. Exercising at 50% of the maximum heart rate for 30 minutes 5 days per week will improve general health considerably. When you use a heart rate monitor, you can find out if you are over-training, fatigued or even becoming ill, as any variance in your typical heart rate patterns will be identified more quickly. How do I determine my maximum heart rate? To calculate your maximum heart rate (MHR): subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are 35 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 220-35=185 beats per minute. To find out a more definitive answer, see your doctor for analysis.

PREGNANCY Any other tips for healthy heart habits? Drink plenty of water each day. It is the ideal way to stay hydrated and help all of your organs function more efficiently, especially your heart. What are the most important foods to avoid during pregnancy? Each woman may have different dietary and nutritional needs during pregnancy, so it is important to stick to your doctor’s recommendations. Whilst you are pregnant, you must gain weight to be healthy and to keep your baby healthy. Your baby needs a great deal of nutrition to grow and thrive. On average, most women will gain 12-15kg during pregnancy. You need to avoid dieting during pregnancy, but this does not mean that you should not eat according to healthy habits, especially if you want your previously toned body back after the baby is born. Whilst pregnant, you should always avoid alcohol. Fish is often off-limits, as well, as well as many soft cheeses, cold meats and cold chicken. Each of these could contain Listeria, which can cause an infection leading to miscarriage or stillbirth.

What should I eat during my pregnancy? Make sure you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, lots of protein, calcium and whole grains. These foods will help nourish your baby, helping it to grow strong and healthy. What are the recommended servings of these foods whilst pregnant? One serving of fruit might be one apple, two smaller fruits, or ½ cup of fruit juice (pure type). One serving of vegetables might be one cup of salad, one small potato or ½ cup of cooked veggies. One serving of protein is about 100g of cooked chicken or beef, 2-3 eggs (always cooked), or a handful of nuts (preferably almonds). One serving of calcium would be 250ml of milk, 2-3 slices of cheese, or 200g of yoghurt. One serving of whole grains would be 2 slices of whole grain bread, 1 cup of brown rice or 1 cup of whole grain pasta. Consume 4 servings of fruit, 5-6 servings of vegetables, 1-½ servings of protein, 2 servings of calcium and 4-6 servings of whole grains per day.

How do I follow the Best Body Plan whilst pregnant? You should follow most of the guidelines in the Best Body Plan whilst pregnant, but add in plenty of milk and breads to give your baby the nutrients it needs. Snacking is also important whilst pregnant, as your nutritional needs will increase and you will find that you are probably much hungrier than normal. Plenty of fruit is recommended, as your baby needs the vitamins and minerals, as well as the natural fructose for healthy development. Listen to your cravings, as they may represent nutrients your baby needs. Whilst pregnant, you should generally avoid protein powders in recipes. Are supplements safe during pregnancy? You want to avoid putting anything artificial into your body whilst pregnant, as it will get into your baby’s system. Try to eat foods in their purest form whenever possible. Is exercise safe whilst pregnant? Low intensity workouts are generally safe whilst pregnant, but always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise routines. Walking and light jogging are usually safe, as are yoga

PREGNANCY and Pilates. When you continue to exercise during your pregnancy, you will find that your energy levels stay higher and your cardiovascular fitness will not drop as much. Keeping your heart and lungs strong is important. Yoga and Pilates will help to keep you relaxed and flexible, and they can also help with minor conditions associated with pregnancy, such as morning sickness, constipation and contraction pains. Avoid Bikram yoga, which takes place in a heated room. Raising your body temperature too high can cause birth defects. What are my dietary needs whilst breast feeding, or during post-pregnancy recovery? Whilst breastfeeding (like during pregnancy), you want to consult with your doctor first about your dietary needs. But, in general, you still want to avoid supplements, as these transfer into breast milk and may be difficult for your baby to process and digest. Again, you should avoid dieting whilst breastfeeding, yet focus on a healthy, whole foods diet. Fish is acceptable during breastfeeding, including shark, marlin, swordfish, catfish and broadbill varieties. Eating 150g of fish per fortnight is recommended.

Can I exercise whilst breastfeeding? You can still exercise whilst breastfeeding. For most women, up to one hour per day of cardio exercise will not significantly affect their milk production. After your baby is 6-8 weeks old, you can slowly increase your exercise time. It is important that you allow your body to recover properly from pregnancy and childbirth, so start slowly and avoid strenuous exercise until you are properly recovered, according to your doctor. Are there foods I should avoid whilst breastfeeding? Coffee is usually on the list of no-nos while breastfeeding. The caffeine will be transferred into your breast milk, and your baby cannot properly process and excrete caffeine the way adults can, so you might find that your baby is irritable and very tired. Chocolate is also something that can be problematic, as it contains caffeine as well. Broccoli, onions and garlic, and often beans, can make your baby gassy and very uncomfortable. Alcohol should be avoided, of course. Peppermint may decrease your milk supply.

Are there certain foods I should be eating whilst trying to fall pregnant? Certainly there are many old wives’ tales regarding foods that can increase your fertility and cause you to fall pregnant. But, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine is the best thing that you can do. A healthy body is more able to become pregnant and carry a baby to term. Why must milk be avoided on a Best Body Plan? Dairy products often contain many unnecessary ingredients. Plus our bodies do not efficiently process and absorb the calcium contained in milk. Milk has excessive amount of sugars and fats, which will interfere with your weight loss goals. It is better to meet your calcium needs by eating plenty of leafy greens, or even through supplements. Why should my fat burning walk only last 45 minutes? See the section describing fat burning walks for a complete explanation of this concept.

GENERAL QUESTIONS Which vegetables are best when trying to achieve weight loss goals? Greens are always going to be the most important foods you eat when it comes to achieving your weight loss goals. Veggies such as broccoli, beans, zucchini and peas are especially good. Other veggies, like carrots, sweet potatoes, snow peas and beetroot are also great. Many people enjoy lettuce and cucumber, which, although not bad for you, are less nutritious than many other choices. Instead of lettuce, choose spinach leaves for a boost of calcium and iron. Is flavoured tuna acceptable on a Best Body Plan? Yes, flavoured tuna is acceptable, but choosing spring water tuna (which contains less sugar and sodium) is going to be a better choices. Always opt for mercury free varieties. These same guidelines apply when choosing salmon. Fresh is always better than frozen or canned, and when you can get it directly from the fish market, this is best.

What are the best fruits for weight loss? The best fruits for weight loss are berries, green apples, bananas, lemons and grapefruits. Small portion sizes are key, and the number of servings of fruit per day should be limited to 1-2 at most because of the high sugar content. Are diet drinks and sugar free drinks acceptable on the Best Body Plan? These should definitely be avoided, for several important reasons. Just because a food contains the word “diet” in the name does not mean is a healthy choice. Most “diet” drinks contain artificial sweeteners and many chemicals that are not good for you. Soft drinks contain sweeteners that act like sugars in your body and can cause your insulin levels to spike, causing your body to gain weight anyway—even though you are consuming fewer calories. Your digestive system is not equipped to handle the artificial sweeteners and this makes it harder for your system to absorb nutrients from other foods. You may find that you crave more calories when you consume diet sodas. Some

research is also now showing a correlation between Australians who consumed diet soft drinks on a daily basis and a higher incidence of stroke and heart attack. Is coffee or tea acceptable? Yes, black coffee is acceptable, but you cannot add milk or sugar. You can add a scoop of chocolate protein powder if you would like a mocha drink, though. Keep the coffee to a minimum, especially before working out. Because caffeine is a stimulant, your liver and kidneys have to work hard to break down the caffeine. When you are trying to detoxify your body, adding caffeine is going to slow the process and make it harder for you to burn fat. Green tea is a great choice. Other teas are also good, as long as you avoid adding milk or sugar. Check the labels on any flavoured teas, as there is often added sugar in these. Any special tips for helping to avoid sugar and reduce my cravings? Keep in mind that it takes about three weeks to change a habit. Think about your cravings, and whether

GENERAL QUESTIONS or not they are physical or emotional. When you keep a food diary, including what you are eating when, and how you feel, you can start to track your cravings, which will help you to control them more effectively. Have patience while trying to establish new habits, it takes your mind and your body a while to adjust! Is it normal to experience nausea, lightheadedness, weakness or headaches whilst on the Best Body Plan? When a person is accustomed to eating processed foods that are higher in sugar, then they may experience some of these symptoms when they first begin the Best Body Plan. As your body detoxifies itself, the toxins are released and you may not feel that great. Once your body has expelled the toxins, it will begin metabolising and processing foods very efficiently and you will be filled with energy and vigor. Sweating during the detox period can be helpful, so get plenty of exercise. Are sauces allowed on the Best Body Plan? No sauces are allowed on

the Best Body Plan. Most sauces are loaded with sugar. Instead when you need a splash of flavour, opt for lemon or lime juice, mixed with herbs, chili, peppers, sea salt, garlic, ginger or other natural flavours. What are the best foods to eat before and after training? For a light cardio workout, you do not need to eat anything. If you can’t fit in your fat burning walk in the morning, then make sure that you do not eat anything for 3 hours before you do the walk. For high intensity and weight training workouts, you should have a small snack before (between 30-60 minutes before working out). A banana or scoop of protein is usually enough. Should I do weights before cardio? Always do your weight workout before your cardio workout. This way, you are using your energy for the weight workout, and then adding a light cardio cool down. Avoid doing high intensity cardio right after a weight workout, as this will prevent the buildup of the lean muscle mass as you burn too many calories.

Are treats meals permitted? It is entirely up to you whether or not you have any treats while on the Best Body Plan. Your decision may depend on where you are in your fitness journey, and what your goals are. If you are at the maintenance stage, then adding the occasional treat will not do too much harm. But, if you are just starting out, particularly if you are still trying to detoxify your body, then the treats and cheats are going to delay your true progress, perhaps significantly. Sometimes people need to give themselves a treat to keep going, as a way of encouragement. Try to find other ways to reward yourself for progress. The cleaner you eat, the quicker you become leaner. What is considered a low sugar content? No more than 2-4g of sugar per serving is generally considered a low sugar content, though this may depend on the food itself. In general, opt for no more than 10g of sugar per 100g of food.

GENERAL QUESTIONS Why is the number on the scale rising when I am eating clean and working out? The scales are not your friend! Unless you are using a scale that measures your percentage of body fat (which are always questionable for accuracy!) and get an accurate assessment of your weight, then steer clear of the scales when you are trying to measure your progress. Muscle weighs more than fat, and as you gain lean muscle mass, you will weigh more—even though you are becoming tighter and more toned. When the number on the scale goes up, this is not necessarily a bad thing! Judge your personal progress by how your clothes fit, how you look and how you feel every day. How do I get started with the Best BodyDiet Plan? Preparation is critical when it comes to sticking to a Best Body Plan. Print out the meal plan and the shopping list template. Compose your shopping list based on the meals you will be eating. Included everything that you will need to prepare each meal and snack, so that you have it on hand. It is helpful if you choose one day of the week or weekend to prepare foods that are easy to grab (healthy muffins, protein balls, etc.). Prepare some of

your meals for the different days of the week, or at least do some of the chopping, etc., to save time later. If you can prepare a few meals ahead of time and freeze them, you will always have something to eat and there will be no excuse for skipping the Best Body Plan! What if I have been eating clean and I am not losing weight? Is there something wrong with me? Probably not! This Best Body Plan is about losing fat, not losing weight, specifically. When you consume a large amount of protein, you will feel full and be building lean muscle mass. More muscle mass will give you a sculpted and toned figure. It will also boost your metabolism and help you to burn fat at a faster rate. While you may not see a huge difference in the numbers on the scale, you will soon see dramatic results regarding your appearance. Can I lose weight without exercising? Technically, about 80% of your results will be from your Best Body Plan, but when you exercise, you will definitely see results more quickly. A daily fat burning walk can make a huge difference. Also, weight training will be helpful for building up the

lean muscle mass that you need to help your body burn more fat. What is the fat burning zone? Is it better to run or walk during the “fat burning walk?” The fat burning zone for most people will be between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. This is calculated by taking 220 and subtracting your age, to determine maximum heart rate, then multiply by 0.6 or 0.7 to get the range. When you run, your heart rate will most likely be higher than this fat burning range, so save your run for later in the day when your body will be ready for more intensity. Stick to your brisk walk in the morning! How many grams of protein should I be aiming for with each serving of protein powder? Aim for 20-25g of protein, with the least amount of sugar content possible, and 1-10g of carbohydrates. Whey isolate protein is the best, and is much better for you than soy protein. How much lemon juice should I add to water to make lemon water? Does it matter if the water is hot or cold? Room temperature water is best, with a good squeeze

GENERAL QUESTIONS of lemon juice. This helps the body absorb it quicker. Aim for around a teaspoon to be added to a full glass of water. Is lemon juice bad for your teeth? Lemon juice is known to eat away at the enamel on your teeth. To minimize the effects, drink your lemon water with a straw and then have a glass of water directly after the lemon water and wash the lemon water away from the teeth. Don’t brush your teeth directly after the lemon juice either as the teeth are softened at this stage and the brushing of the teeth with continue to wear away at the enamel. Wait 30 minutes after washing the teeth clear of the lemon juice. Since I started the Best Body Plan, I am finding that I am constipated. Is there anything I can do? Don’t be embarrassed, this is a common problem! When trying to relieve constipation, avoid using products like Metamucil, since these contain many ingredients that you do not want in your body. Instead, work on getting more fibre into your diet, through fruits and veggies, in particular. Oats are also helpful as a source of fibre. If this is not enough, consider adding 1-2 teaspoons

of pure Colostrum Powder, this is a wonderful nutritious supplement that clears the body and improves the immunity. Peppermint or Green tea may also help with this problem. Are sliced meats from the deli counter allowed on the Best Body Plan? Deli meat tends to be highly processed. It is best to get your meat from the butcher or supermarket and avoid packaged meats. Are pork and lamb acceptable meat choices? Pork and ham tend to be higher in fat and salt, so they should be used sparingly on the Best Body Plan. Lean beef and chicken are healthier choices. Is homemade soup acceptable on the Best Body Plan? Homemade soup is usually fine, if prepared with clean ingredients. For soups with sweet potato or pumpkin, make sure that you eat these earlier in the day so you can process the carbs efficiently. Pack your soups with all kinds of healthy, colourful vegetables. Why is honey not acceptable on the Best Body Plan? Honey is liquid sugar, it can interfere with your weight loss goals by spiking your insulin levels. If you use honey

in your tea try without or at least ½ the amount you use. Hopefully you have found some helpful information in thisBest BodyDiet Plan. I have tried to provide you with solid tips and tricks to not only get you your goals but also provide you the reasons behind what you are doing so that you can have the best results possible. And that is a lean, toned bikini body or Beach ready body in no time! This Best Body Plan has proven results for both men and women so now you too can benefit from the strategies of clean eating and a healthy lifestyle. As you probably realise now, this is a way of life and not a fad diet! Therefore the importance of committing to the entire healthy lifestyle is paramount. The information in this book is years of knowledge, dedication and personal experiencesto achieve exactly what you want. Everybody deserves to have a body that they love and respect, and that they are proud and comfortable in. This plan will help you achieve that, and more. The confidence you will radiate that comes with achieving goals and becoming the fit and healthy, is something that must be experienced.

FINAL WORDS Please remember that more than 70% of your success will come from your diet! The other 30% is related to exercise. I can’t stress enough why you must pay close attention to what you are putting into your body. Diet changes essentially produce the phenomenal results you are seeking, whether you have only a few kilos to lose or a complete lifestyle change the results will astound you. Everyone needs support, and we are here to guide you when needed. You can also rely on others who are taking the same healthy steps toward a healthy lifestyle by comparing notes and sharing ideas. Our Best Body Challenge website is the best place to share thoughts and ask the community. There are days it will be tough to stick to the plan, but, I can assure you that it is all well worth the effort! Follow your progress by taking pictures and paying close attention to how your clothing fits. Throw your bathroom scales in the trash, they won’t be of any use to you as you become lean and fit anyway. This is a process that takes time, so have enough patience and determination to make it work for you. You will have that beautiful, lean, fit body when you stick to the Best Body Plan! Commitment and consistency will not only get you there but ensure you stick at it for the rest of your life! http://authoritynutrition.com/10-disturbing-reasons-why-sugar-is-bad/ http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/ www.homefreshoragnics.com.au http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/physiology-of-sport-and-exercise-withweb-study-guide-5th-edition www.urbanmuscle.com.au www.paddingtonpt.com.au Meal image courtesy of: Glazed Salmon meal http://againstallgrain.com/2013/04/21/asian-glazed-salmon-with-roasted-broccolini-and-asparagus/ Warm Lamb Salad http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=706493&showcomments=true Spring Vegetable and Chicken soup http://www.barefeetinthekitchen.com/2012/09/chicken-vegetable-soup-with-red-potatoes. html Farmer’s Pie http://paleocomfortfoods.com/in-the-kitchen/farmers-pie/ Mashed Cauliflower and lean meat http://nomnompaleo.com/post/1657598867/best-make-ahead-side-garlic-cauliflower-mashed