Exercise in Phase 3: when its okay, how to get started and what you should expect.

When entering Phase 3 it is important to not jump straight into an exercise routine. Your body is coming out of a very strict season and you will first want to introduce the new higher calories before doing any exercise including walking. It would be best to make sure your body is settling in to your new calorie counts before beginning any exercise program.

Make sure you are getting within 200 calories of your maintenance calories. If you do not get enough or too many calories in phase 3 you will gain. We get the question a lot of how can I eat so many calories, but if you think about how this protocol works our bodies are breaking down abnormal fat and we are getting a lot more than 500 calories daily. If you stop protocol and do not increase your calories you will go into starvation mode which can cause a gain. You can check maintenance calories here here and please email if you need help getting started Click Here.

Week One Sample Menu:

First week of p3 menu:

Breakfast- 3 eggs and meat/veggies (meat must be sugar free) and try adding in veggies such as bell peppers, onion etc.. or whatever you like.

Snack– 1 scoop of protein.. make sure there is  no added sugars or chemicals or 1- fruit (p2) orange, strawberries, apple, grapefruit. You can add in oils, butter, seeds and heavy whipping cream week one. You can also use almond milk or coconut milk in your smoothies.

Lunch 6-8oz of meat and veggies such as chicken salad you could have 8oz breast on a bed of spinach or lettuce 2-3 cups with tomatoes or other veggies.

Snack– grissini( keep it in a few days a week at least until we add other grains)

Dinner– 6-8 oz protein and veggies.

First begin adding in new protein and veggie sources and then after the first week start adding in healthy fats such as Greek Yogurt, oils, flaxmeal but Carol said keep oils/seeds/nuts to 4T a day… avocado to salad etc will help you get your calories up.  Remember to add one new item per day and monitor the results at the scale.  Problem foods are typically milk, cream, cheese, nuts and any other sugary fruits so be careful and introduce these in small quantities after week one.  After the first 2 weeks the weight become less volatile and by 21 days you will have stabilized.

Adding in exercise after week one would be light walking only.  By week three you can get a more aerobic exercise with a brisk walk and extend it to 40 minutes.

Reasons for Possible Gains with Exercise:

• As you move into p3 stabilized (after 21 days or p4) you need to be prepared if you are doing strength training as you may gain weight, especially in the beginning.  You will need to rely heavily on measurements at this time.  When I was a trainer I would instruct those looking to tone only, to do 20 minutes in anaerobic cardio workout and never lift over 10 lbs with the arms or 30 with the legs.. If you want trim thighs watch how much weight you are lifting with your legs or you will  end up with thunder thighs.  Lower weights in smaller reps of 10-12 are best for toning and not building bulk.
• If you are gaining you might not be getting enough calories.  You need to make sure you get in protein right after you exercise.  This will help with restoring the muscles and help cut down on inflammation and soreness which will effect the scale as water retention.
• No enough sleep.  Dr. Oz (Click Here for Article) recently had a show about the importance of the cortisol that is released during sleep and recommends for our health and weight loss that we get at least 7 hours a night.  Not getting enough sleep can greatly effect your mood, attitude, weight management and cause many health issues.  Let your body restore by giving it enough rest every night.  If you need help falling asleep try the Valerian root tea which is helpful sleepy time tea.  Here is a complete list of foods and tips for helping with sleep.  (Click Here)
• Be careful of hunger which can cause you to eat more than you should and things you shouldn’t.  Sometimes when we are exercising we feel justified to have something as a treat.  Be careful of this mentality as it will get you in trouble quickly.  You need healthy protein and also healthy carbs after a workout.  Not being able to eat those necessary carbs in phase 3 causes issues because the body is not getting what it needs to restore.  Healthy Carbohydrate options for P3 stabilized (after 21 days) are veggies, fruit and even beans such as kidney beans,  black beans, and legumes, and whole grains.
• Exercise might not be burning as many calories as you think.  Be careful to find the right amount for getting enough but not going over calorie intake.

Example:

Elliptical training for 44 minutes/500 cal
Kickboxing for 25 minutes/272 cal
Jogging for 60 minutes/470 cal
Pilates for 30 minutes/119 cal

Exercise may trigger hunger make sure the calories you are consuming are the right ones that will fill you up. Foods high in fiber, protein and healthy fat will keep you from sabotaging your results.

Exercise for the right reasons. Make sure you stay hydrated with your water and lemon water. It will become less about the scale and more about your overall health.  We want you to make this a lifestyle change where you are eating and exercising for other benefits such as reducing your risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

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