I realize most people have busy schedules that make it difficult to eat healthy meals around the clock. This section will give you some basic advice on how to plan your daily eating habits and fit healthy foods into your tight work and social schedules.
Now that you are familiar with the best food sources of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins and with kinds of food to buy, it is time to put this information to practical use. Specifically, you need to know how to choose and combine these foods to plan and schedule your meals to maximize the fat burning effect of your hormones. Here are two main categories of meals presented in this article : (1) the Magic Window Meal, which contains starchy carbohydrate or sugars, and can only be eaten right after exercise, and (2) the Standard Meal, your sources of healthy protein and fats, and high-fiber vegetables, which you should eat several times a day.
I recommend that you eat four to six times per day if at all possible—one Magic Window Meal and the rest Standard Meals. Many smaller meals throughout the day are essential to keep your blood sugar and insulin levels balanced and to avoid some of the fattening effect of insulin. You should never go longer than four hours during the day without eating in order to give your body a steady supply of nutrient and protein throughout the day to help preserve and stimulate your muscles.
The Diet and Health food Aisle
Many “health” foods are loaded with starch and sugars, the worst offenders being “diet” shakes and rice cakes. Most diet shakes are made up of little more than sugar, a few vitamins, and a tiny amount of protein, and will not give you the nourishment you need to control your appetite. Rice cakes are highly counterproductive to your diet, as they raise insulin levels more than almost any other kind of food.
While not an ideal food, protein bars make good snacks for people who have very busy schedules or who travel a lot. Stick to the protein bars that have 30 grams of protein, less than 5 grams of sugar, and less than 300 total calories per bar. Other type of food to look for in this section are sources of friendly bacteria and enzymes that help your gut digest and absorb food. Many people overeat simply because their body doesn’t properly absorb the necessary vitamins and minerals in their food and hunger returns quickly. Good sources in this section include tempeh (a fermented soy product), kefir, and natural sauerkraut.
The Bakery Section
Most baked goods should be eaten only during the magic window because they are usually loaded with unhealthy sugars, starches, and trans-fatty acids. Exceptions are the baked goods that are truly whole grain, containing ingredients such as whole wheat, rye, or pumpernickel, with visible whole grains. Many allegedly “whole-grain” products are about as sugar and carbohydrate laden as white bread. Make sure that white flour is not an ingredient on the label and that the only source of flour comes from whole grains. Rye products are a good choice for people with allergies to wheat, and there are even rye crakers available that relatively low in starch and high in fiber.
The Snack and Sweets Aisle
Most snack foods are loaded with sugar, starches, and unhealthy fats. Anyone serious about the Hormone Revolution program should avoid this section of the grocery store as much as possible. If you are really crazy about some of these foods, allow yourself to eat a few servings once or twice a week, but only as a Magic Window Food. The only exceptions to this rule are sugar-free gelatin snack that have only 10 calories per serving and no carbohydrate or fats. The calories come from gelatin protein, which is beneficial for repairing and rebuilding your joints and cartilage.
