Booty Camp PHASE 1 FAQ

Q. Where can I find all the recipes for Phase 1?

A. To find the recipes from our members for all the Phases then go to our albums folder on our Facebook Page located here:

https://www.facebook.com/bootycamp.ie/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums

To find the recipes for Phase 1 specifically then go to the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 494916547283549.1073741832.185876504854223

Q. How long will it take me to reach my goal on this plan?

This is different for everybody and it really depends on a few factors, the biggest being how much weight you actually lose. The more weight you have to shift, the quicker you will lose it at the start – if you stick to the plan. For others who just need to lose 10-14 pounds, it may shift a little slow but it will happen if you focused and committed to the plan. Another variable to consider is the shape your body is in to start with. I don’t necessarily mean aesthetically, more physically and internally. If your diet before this mostly consisted of eating a lot of processed foods and beverages i.e. chips, crisps, chocolate, breads, cereals, diet coke, fanta etc. then you may have what we call a ‘chemical build up’ – this is basically just an accumulation of chemicals that are typically found locked up within our fat stores. In order to be able to use and lose fat we must make it as chemically free as possible for the body to render it safe to use and lose. For some, the process of detoxifying the body can take a little longer but that’s ok because this is the only way of knowing for sure that your body is setting it’s self up to burn fat in the most effective way possible.

Q. I don’t need to lose weight, I just need to tone up and get fitter. Is this still for me?

Absolutely! Our program focuses heavily on nutrition as we believe it is the key to optimal health and fitness. Of course, the other side of our program is all about conditioning, toning and sculpting your body. Our classes are mostly all body weight classes which will have your body and muscles in fighting fit condition.

Q. Is this program more focused on health rather than weight loss?

We are big on both. We believe that weight loss starts with education nutrition wise. Counting calories, points, sins etc doesn’t teach you about anything. In the long run all it does is give you a headache. We believe that when you have the right knowledge about food, your chances of succeeding increase 10 fold. having the correct knowledge and information about food is absolutely key. Our aim is to set you up for life. There is no no way you can go your whole life counting points and calories, you’re just going to end up knackered, stressed and hungry, diasterous combination if you’re trying to stay lean and healthy

Q. Would this be a plan I could do with my family?

Yes, this is totally a plan you can do with your family. It provides adequate nutrition for men, women and children of all ages. The more you can get on board the better.

Q. I have never been able to stick to a plan long term and always ended up putting on more weight than I started off with. Is this more of a long term plan?

This certainly a long term plan! We start off with the intolerance testing as we feel that finding the right foods for your body is the most effective way to lose weight long term. The reason people fail at the best of times is because they follow a one for all system that doesn’t really teach them anything about their own body. The only way to succeed in losing weight and getting your body fighting fit, is to have the correct knowledge about nutrition and we will provide you with exactly that.

Q. I hate exercise. Can I still lose weight by just following the nutrition plan?

Yes, you can definitely still lose weight. In fact, the most important factor to help enable you to lose weight successfully is to follow the nutrition plan. There is a saying: ‘you can’t out train a bad diet.’ Many people think that by training in the gym or by going for a run that they will cancel out all the bad food that they have just eaten and they’re off the hook. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. We say that nutrition accounts for about 80% of how your body looks. The other 20% is what I like to call the fine tuning. This comes from the exercise side of things such as toning and shaping.

Q. I have a lot of weight to lose, will I be able for the workouts as I am carrying quite a bit of weight?

We have had all shapes and sizes here at Booty Camp. Something that we sometimes hear from some of our new members is ‘will I am be able for this?’ ‘will I die?!?!’ ‘I feel like I’m too heavy to be able to do, and benefit, from the workouts’. It is absolutely normal to feel apprehensive about trying something new. The short answer I give to those questions above is ‘yes, no, and if you can move your body then you can hack the workout.’ It doesn’t matter if you can’t finish the workout on your first, second, third or even fourth try you will be doing more now than you ever did before and you are committing yourself to change which is the most important thing.

Q. Will this plan work for my husband also or is it just for women?

Yes, this program works for men and women so if you can get your husband on board, it would make things a lot easier on you. One of the biggest struggles we face is trying to stick to a plan when those around us seem to be eating everything under the sun. It would be a massive help to you to try and get your family on board with this or at least explain to them what you are doing and why you are doing it. When they understand this, they will hopefully give you the support that you need to succeed.

Q. What is the best way to prepare yourself for phase 1?

We say in our manual that the best way to prepare for phase 1 is to get rid of the food that’s not in your plan. Clear out the fridge, the sweet press and the bread bin. Of course this is not an easy thing to do. If you’re living with other people. S you will have to do your best to avoid them. Another great strategy when you start something like this is to batch cook your meals. That way, when you’re hungry throughout the week and you’re just too tired to cook, instead of eating something you shouldn’t, you can simply take one of your meals from the freezer and reheat it. Don’t over look this strategy, it really is the key to success. Preparation is everything when trying to lose weight.

Q. I have an old knee injury/back injury, will I still be able to do the exercises?

It will depend on how the injury is now. If you’re not feeling any pain with the exercises, then it is fine, keep doing your workouts. If you were advised not to train then we would recommend that you heed the doctor’s advice. If you find that some exercises aggravate your old injuries then leave them out and do what you can do. As said above, nutrition plays a massive part in weight loss so really focus in that if you are unable for the exercises.

Q. Can I do my own workouts with this plan? I have a good regime with that, it’s just the food that I need to tackle

If you have a good routine going for yourself, exercise wise, then we would recommend to stick with that. It would be a good idea to try and get one or two of our workouts in during the week as well.

Q. I just had a baby and am wondering if this plan is ok to do while I’m breast feeding?

Our nutrition manual also offers adequate nutrition to mothers who are breast feeding. We understand as a new mum that you might be feeling a tired than usual so we allow you to go straight to phase 4 where you will have the option of including carbohydrates to your diet.

Q. Do I have to stick to the recipes given in the plan or can I find my own?

No you don’t have to use our recipes. They are there to give you ideas and help you stick to the plan. We encourage to create your own meals and recipes that work for you and most importantly keep you on track and stay focused. Putting your time into creating and finding recipes that are easily batched and frozen is the way to go. That way you can be prepared for what ever life tries at you and you don’t end up saying ‘to hell with this’ and go on a crazy eating splurge. This often happens when we are really hungry and too tired to cook. I would say that finding recipes that you can manage is one of the most important factors to succeeding at Booty Camp.

Q. I’m not use to eating only 3 times a day and as a result I am feeling very hungry come night time. Will this pass as I get more and more use to the plan?

When starting out on this plan you have to remember that retraining your appetite is like trying to deal with a toddler that throws a temper tantrum every now and then. There is a part of our brain that controls our desire for food, in particular simple sugars (all the nice stuff) and carbohydrates which is essentially just another form of sugar. This part of our brain loves sweet things and anything that tastes good to us. When we eat something tasty, our neurotransmitters send out pleasure waves throughout our brain which makes us want to eat more. In actual fact, sugar has the same effect on the brain as cocaine. The only difference is it doesn’t make us high, it makes us hungry and craving more and more. Now if you think of feeding a toddler loads of sweets in colourful wrapping and letting them go at it, what do you think is going to happen if one day you strip them of all their nicies and say ‘no…no more.’ The same thing that happens to your brat brain, well maybe you won’t start screaming and shouting or sit down and hold a protest in the supermarket aisle until you get your kinder surprise. But your brain will make you feel the same emotions such as feeling sad, upset, irritable and just pissed off.

Q. Am I eating too many eggs?

NEVER! Like we say in our manuals, ‘EGGS GONNA GET YOU SKINNY!’ Eggs have the perfect balance for optimal nutrition. I have often heard people say ‘oh, eating too many eggs will send your cholestrol way up! eat less, eat less’. Well I say ‘eat more, eat way more!’ What a lot of us don’t realise is that we have many different types of cholestrol within our bodies, Good cholestrol and bad cholestrol. Eggs help to raise our good cholestrol and does not effect our bad cholestrol at all. Eggs contain all the estential fatty acids that goes to repairing our brain, sheathing of the nerves and to repairing and rejuvenating bodily cells. They are essential building blocks for a healthy fit body #GetThemIntoYaCynthia

Q. Is it advised to have a treat day even if you don’t really feel like it?

The reason that we have the treat day in place is so that you have something to look forward to on the weekend. We understand that life can be hectic and a little crazy, so for some people knowing that a treat day is coming can keep them on track for the week. However, this is totally optional and only something you should do if you feel like it. For many, the thrill of seeing the numbers drop on the scales or inches come down on the measuring tape is enough of a treat. This is when motivation is at an all time high and the feeling of getting slimmer out weighs wanting to have a treat day. Some feel that this could hinder their progress and they would just prefer to stay focused and stick to the routine they have created.

Q. Sometimes I don’t feel hungry enough for dinner. Is it ok to skip a meal if I just don’t feel like it?

Yes, you can definitely skip a meal if you don’t feel like it. I want to dispell the myth that your metabolism slows down when you skip a meal. Many of us believe this for the simplereason that our metabolism speeds up when we eat naturally to aid the digestion process. Our metabolism does not go on to burn fat after that like we are led to believe. By constantly eating our metabolism just burns the food that we consume instead of burning our fat stores. Metabolism is just a very good buzz word that is used by a lot of marketers that lead us to believe that we have some magical fat burning furnace and in a way yes it is a fat burning furnace but the information that we have been given about the functionality of our metabolism has been misconstrued.

Q. What do I do if I slip up on the nutrition plan in the first week?

The main thing is that you don’t let one slip up turn into a crazy bender. The worst thing about slipping up is that you’ll allow yourself to think ;oh well, I’ve messed up so the whole day is going to be a failure, I may as well just write it off and eat what ever I want, there’s no point in trying to fix it.’ Although slipping up is not ideal and you can be really angry with yourself for allowing it to happen, the most important thing is not to turn that slip up into on of many, because that’s where the real damage happens. Instead of feeling guilty, angry and sorry for yourself, shake it off and just put it behind you because real damage is done when you’re upset and decide to go on an all ut eating spree. Get yourself back on course as quickly as you can . The best way to avoid messing up after a slip up is to have a plan in place for your next meal. Make sure it fits into the plan. That will help you from jus eating junk for your next meal.

Q. How do I get back on track after having a blowout? It always turns into breaking bad for a couple of days before I cop on.

We often get this question. When you break bad, it really is hard to stop and we totally understand that. This most commonly happens on a friday and follows through to a Sunday. A lot of us think that by making a bad slip up that that’s it. That day, or that weekend is ruined. You can use this as an excuse to continue the splurge and you just write the day/ weekend/week off. This isn’t about having will power to stop. I think of it as being more at an emotional crossroads when you have that first slip up. On one side, you have a slippery road filled with guilt, anger, regret, defeat, sadness and irritability. On the other side you have the road to redemption, you accept your mistake and you carry on that road which leads you to your goal. An exercise that I get my members to do after they have a binge and they feel just terrible, I get them to write down absolutely EVERYTHING the ate and how they felt after it. Often times, the pain of going through this process is enough to stop them from wanting to go through it again. These binges tend to stem from emotional reasons rather than anything else. We are all emotional eaters at some point but it’s those of us who can identify emotional eating and choose not to go down the path of destruction, who are winners in the end. Emotional eating just leaves you in a bigger hole than you started off in.

Q. I was always under the illusion that fruit is healthy and aided weight loss. Am I wrong?

Some of our ladies are a little shocked to see that we limit fruit in our nutritional manual. we don’t say fruit is bad, we just want you to be aware that it’s not the best thing to be eating if you want to lose weight. Fruit actually contains a lot more sugar than we think. It has what we call a ‘health halo’ which means it is protected by all of these advertisements that say ‘get your 5 a day’ etc. so we would never think to stop or cut down on our fruit intake. We say in the manual that there are no minerals or vitamins in fruit that you can’t find in vegetables.

Q. Why are snacks not a good idea to have throughout the day?

Snacking while trying to lose weight is a lose lose situation. there is no such thing as a healthy snack either. It’s just an excuse to eat food no matter what it is. Here’s the problem with snacking between meals. You never allow your body to rest and tap into it’s own energy reservoir (fat) when you’re constantly eating between meals. Being hungry between meals isn’t a bad thing. Your meals should be big enough so you don’t feel like you’re ‘starving’ until you get your next meal. Sometimes I’ll hear ‘what can I eat between meals to keep my blood sugars up?’ Now, unless you’re working in a job that’s very physically demanding or you have a medical issue with your blood sugar level, there is absolutely no need to snack at all. If you’re eating 3 satiating meals a day, don’t worry, you won’t faint if you don’t snack between meals. It’s just a habit you must break and when our

bodies give up something it’s use to i.e a biscuit with your coffee at 11 or a few nibbles of whatever dinner is cooking of course it’s going to make you feel like you’re low on energy. This is just a mechanism the brain has to get you to give into temptation. It will send out all of these rationals which will dominate your thoughts such as ‘oh go on, you deserve it, you’ve worked so hard’ or ‘one bite won’t hurt’ or one of my personal favorites ‘sure you’ll work it off at a class later… go on go on go on!’ We end up having a bit of a Mrs Doyle scenario going on in our heads until we finally say ‘ah sure go on so’. Once you can identify these thoughts as irrational and a hindrance to your progress, you ca learn to say no. Saying no isn’t always as easy so that’s why it’s imperative for successful weight loss to have a good structure in place for your meals and nutrition. Once you can master this, you’re onto a winner.

Q. Is this a suitable plan for vegetarians?

Our plan is suitable for vegetarians with some tweaking from non-vegetarians. Our plan includes a lot of protein rich food, the main source being meat. For our vegetarian members, we allow them to have foods from the phase 4 guide, except for any dairy products. We still want to follow the phase 1 guidelines. The only difference with our vegetarian members is that they can have some carbohydrates for energy if needed.

Q. Can I continue with the supplements I have been taking?

Yes

Q. Are we allowed to eat yoghurt (just plain low fat) this week?

Yogurt is back in week 2. We need to eliminate dairy for at least 7 days to see if our body has any reaction to it.

Q. Are we allowed milk in our tea?

Not until Phase 2

Q. Surely a splash of milk won’t hurt??

No it won’t hurt! But the principle of our nutrition plan is to identify which foods suit us and which don’t. In order to do that we need to eliminate all common allergens, sensitivities, and intolerances. We’ll add them back into our plan one by one. That way we can identify if which foods are hindering weight loss.

For milk we need to do the same. So if you can avoid if for 7 days at least then you can test if it’s okay for you.

Q. Are we allowed Quorn this week?

For vegetarians quorn is okay but otherwise please try to avoid it as all quorn products contain many additives and chemicals.

Q. I have a question about nut granola. I thought i had lucked out when i found some in tescos but when i looked at the back it contained added sugar and honey. I presumed i wasn’t allowed this so left it on the shelf. Where could i buy a nut only granola?

http://eatdrinkpaleo.com.au/our-favourite-paleo-muesli-granola-recipe/

Q. What about Soya milk?

zzzzzzzzzzz

Q. Is stock ok to use? Ready to buy cubes that is

Yep, just make sure that its gluten and wheat free. Knorr Stockpots are good!

Q. Just wondering. As I’m vegan is it ok to go ahead and have chickpeas and quinoa this week

Chickpeas and quinoa are mostly carbhydrate so it may slow your weight loss down a little. Bring them in and if you feel like your weight loss is stagnant then perhaps its best to leave them out

Q. Does anyone know if we can use dairy alternatives in our tea? Almond or Rice milk?!

Yes you can use Almond milk if you’re really struggling in week1. We dont really advise you to do this often…only if you feel like you’re going to crack.

Q. When you say “all nuts” does that include cashews and peanuts?
Yep. All nuts are allowed, including cashews and peanuts. Be careful though…they’re easy to over eat!

Q. Why are we allowed cashews and peanuts?

Zzzzzzzz

Q. Lunch was just plain chicken and salad – no dressing….anyone have a dressing that sticks to our plan

Olive oil, balsamic, lime or lemon, mustard and garlic.. I love it!!

Q. Is almond butter allowed? The only ingredients are organic roasted almonds and sea salt so I’m crossing my fingers for a green light

zzzzzz

Q. Is barley allowed?

Barley is out, there is too much of a risk with cross contamination from wheat and gluten. Its best just to keep it out for now.

Q. Hi guys, is flavoured water allowed?

Unfortunately its not allowed. There are way too many hidden sugars in shop bought flavoured waters. Feel free to make your own by flavouring with fresh lemon or lime and maybe some mint and grated ginger? Delicious and very thirst quenching!

Q. I’m starving! What are people snacking on please?

A. Booty Member Jenna says “The only day I had a headache was the one where my meals were clearly too small. I was eating pre-Booty meal portions but obviously not enjoying the snacks between meals so was simply hungry from eating so much less than usual. I increased portion sizes and have not had a headache or felt hungry  since. Not sure if that helps but it was definitely what was causing my headache”

Q. Any ideas of breakfast that don’t involve eggs?

Lisa Clooney says  Might be pushing the boundaries a bit, but how bout a bowl of chunky soup?!

Antoinette Ryan  – week one is hard.. Maybe try a different kind of eggs..scrambled with smoked salmon? Omelette or the egg muffins?!

Sinead Reilly says – Smoked salmon tomatoes and spinach!

Caroline Scanlan says – I have half a bowl of soup-its strangely satisfying, really does keep u full til lunch too!!

Naomi Redmond says – Smoked rasher with tomatoes.. Mmm!

Q. Is it ok to drink an oxo? Haven’t had one but was just wondering?

If its gluten free and dairy free then sure, go ahead.

Q – Anyone else had headache?

A- The only day I had a headache was the one where my meals were clearly too small. I was eating pre-Booty meal portions but obviously not enjoying the snacks between meals so was simply hungry from eating so much less than usual. I increased portion sizes and have not had a headache – or felt hungry – since. Not sure if that helps but it was definitely what was causing my headache.

Q. On Sunday do we just choose one treat to have or can we have a couple?

On Sunday we treat it as a treat day, meaning you can have your treats whenever as long as you stick to the guidelines. If you want to lean up fast, i would keep it to 1 treat, either as a meal of a part of a meal.

Q. Are we allowed organic coconut flour- its just made from coconut

Coconut flour is allowed, its just ground coconut.

Q. what about honey or agave?

We don’t allow any added sugar for the first week. Honey is a better option than agave for future references, Agave is much sweeter than honey.

Q-HI JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE KNOWS CHEAPEST PLACE TO BUY COCONUT FLOUR. THANKS

I saw some in the health food shop on grafton St for €5-6 for 500g. I believe asian markets do them a little cheaper and also you can buy a bigger amount from them.

Q. This might be a stupid question, but can you have too many eggs in a day/week? I love them but am conscious of the old cholesterol warnings. If we’re having them for breakfast every morning, should we avoid for the rest of the day?

Cholesterol warnings regarding eggs is old school information now. Eggs have no effect on your ‘bad cholesterol’ levels. The only thing that impacts on this is processed foods containing vegetable oils and refined sugars.

Q. Hummus?

Hummus is allowed in week four as it is a chickpea based product which mean it contains carbohydrates. Apart from it containing carbs, shop bought hummus also contains vegetable oils which we want to avoid.

Q. What is the best type of alcohol to drink (obv i know that none is the best kind). I normally drink vodka soda water nd lime wedges is that ok?

Red wine is the first best option after that i would suggest a spirit such as vodka or gin with soda water and wedges of lemon or lime. White wine is okay, but it tends to give you the munchies so it may lead to over-eating. Beer/stout/Ale is out of the question. These contain barely and gluten so we need to keep them out.

Q. I have read the manual a few times now, just to get my mind in tune with the diet, it says you must eat 3 meals a day, does it matter on the time? I was out all evening and didn’t get my last eaten til 10.30, i wasn’t even hungry.

Having your meals at the same time every day at the start is important to try and get your body into the new routine. If its a case like yours, where you find yourself not feeling hungry for dinner or its too late by the time you get around to having it, then you don’t have to eat it. 

Q. When is the treat day?!

Every Sunday! We have it on a Sunday because you’re back into your routine monday morning and there isn’t a chance for you to turn it into a weekend long bender!

Q. Are we allowed black pudding? (Think I know the answer but hoping anyhow)?

Clonakilty do a really really great gluten free pudding that comes in white and black. If you can hang in there till phase 4, you can promise yourself some black pudding for breakfast the Sunday of that week. If you cook it on a low heat and just let it melt and sizzle in kerrygold butter it actually tastes like fried bread on the outside #heaven!

Q. My back is out what can i do?
 


Hey Katie ! First of all I’m really sorry to hear that! Okay so instead of stressing or worrying about not getting workouts done now that your back is out, you’re going to have to really focus on the nutrition side of things because that’s what’s still going to get you results. The best advise I could give you right now is instead of allocating 30 mins to your workout, allocate 30 mins to building your recipe repertoire and getting your food and meals down to a T. That way when your back is better and you feel like you’re good to go again, you’re not going to have to think about meals and what to eat and you can just get stuck into the workouts and give it your all.

Q. Hi, I’m Havin some trouble keeping motivated and I don’t no why!!?

Hey Cara , I know how you’re feeling. Having the goal doesn’t always get your bum into gear and get you moving on it so you have to set yourself up for success by thinking outside the box a little. I think the best motivator of all is to strip down, get someone you feel comfortable with take a before photo for you. Then you’re going to go to the notes section in your phone or you can use a little diary or notebook, take a couple of minutes to think of three things that you’re unhappy with and would like to change. Then when you have done that, imagine how you would like to see yourself on your graduation day. This could be feeling proud of yourself, feeling great about your body or wearing a lovely new dress that shows off your new beautiful figure! The reason I say to do this on your phone is so you always have it to hand when you’re feeling like you’re going to crack. Just take a few minutes, relax and read over what you have written. Then after that, hopefully it will set you on the straight and narrow and give you a little boost when you need it most! Hope this helps! !

Q. Morning all! Does anyone have any picnic ideas?

Try roasting some almonds or Brazil nuts or whatever nut takes your fancy (as long as it’s within the phase ) with a teenchy bit of olive oil and spice of your choice (BBQ is great with roasted

Q. Can I have XYZ foods???

The way to get the best results from the course is to stick to the food list. If there are certain foods that you want to add then first look at the Master Food List. Is your food there? Meaning does it come back at a later date?

If not then do the following test. For every food there is an easy way to know if you should have it. Look at the ingredients list and see if there is anything on there that looks like a chemical, is difficult to pronounce, or is very unfamiliar to you.

If that’s the case then you need to avoid it.

If the ingredients list looks pretty good then go ahead and have the food. Just don’t do this very often.

Q. Can you eat as many eggs as you like throughout the day? Can you have them for breakfast and for lunch?

A. Yes that’s absolutely fine. There’s a lot of misconceptions around eggs and the fact that they contain cholesterol. The reality is that there is good cholesterol as well as “bad” cholesterol. The yolks in eggs contains the good type of cholesterol that our body needs.

The most important part is that you try to get the best quality eggs that you can. Organic eggs are a good choice.

Q. I don’t ever eat breakfast, I’m up at seven and I’m never hungry at that time is it ok if I just skip it?

If you can, try and get some breakfast in the morning, even if it’s just something small and quick. In general, if we don’t eat in the morning then we will tend to eat a lot more at night time and that can lead to weigh gain.

You can eat absolutely anything that’s on your food list.

Q. I don’t eat eggs. Can you offer any alternatives? Especially for breakfast.

Again you can have anything that’s on your food list. One problem that many of us have is that we tend to think that we should only eat “breakfast items” at breakfast, but the reality is that there is no such thing as a “breakfast” item! You can eat whatever is on your list.

Finally in week 2 dairy and fruit come back to your food list and that will make breakfast a little easier!

Q. Is soya milk or rice milk allowed? Can’t face another black tea and I am a teaholic!!! It’s the one thing I am finding hardest!!!!

A. Milk comes back in week 2, but if you really can’t wait then use rice “milk” for this week. Of course there’s no such thing as rice “milk”, it’s really rice juice and contains a lot of carbohydrate and perhaps some added chemicals.

Stay away from the soy juice for now. There’s lots of evidence to suggest that soy products make people gain weight because of the hormonal impact that it has on our bodies.

Q. I’m going out this week to a restaurant. It’s unavoidable! What can I eat?

A. Soups and salads are a good choice. Make sure to ask for your dressing on the side. Also try asking for “gluten free”. That will help cut out a lot of the foods that we are trying to avoid.

Q. Is it possible to eat Tofu at this stage?

A. Same as Quorn. If you’re vegetarian then it’s okay. Otherwise you should be avoiding it.

Q. Can I eat sweetcorn, corn on the cob, baby sweetcorn?

A. All variations of corn are starchy carbohydrates, and we bring them back into the nutrition plan in week 4.

Q. Can I eat beans like kidney beans?

All variations of beans are starchy carbohydrates, and we bring them back into the nutrition plan in week 4.

Q. Can I eat lentils and quinoa?

All variations of grains like these are starchy carbohydrates, and we bring them back into the nutrition plan in further weeks.

Q. Are sweet potatoes allowed?

A. No all starchy carbohydrates are off our nutrition plan until week 4.

Q. What about popcorn, can I have that?

It fits in with the corn family, so not this week.

Q. I absolutely have to drink alcohol this week. What are the best choices?

Red wine would be your best choice. Next are other wines. They contain the least amount of chemicals. Next best would be some spirits. Mixers are not a good idea, but f you really have to choose a diet kind. Yes it’s got chemicals.

Q. Can I use other oils, such as rapeseed oil and vegetable oil?

A. No. Oils you can use are coconut, olive, and nut based oils. Check the food list for reference.

Q. I’m a sugarholic!! What can I do??

Try some chewing gum. Cherry tomatoes are quite sweet. If you’re really struggling then have some fruit. If you need some chocolate then have one or two squares but make sure it’s dark and doesn’t have dairy.

Remember that this plan is really just for 6 days. On day 7 you can have some fruit and some dark chocolate. Next week you can have fruit everyday and dairy is also back on the nutrition plan.

Q. Going to cinema tonight would it be the worst thing in the world to have small amount of popcorn? Or is there something else I could have?

Here are a few things: If you are going to follow any program you need to have at least a few times where you eat what you want, or else it’s just too difficult to follow.

In this program we have a “feast day” every Sunday where you can do that – eat whatever you like! This is explained in Phase 2.

This week is the most restrictive, after this you can be a bit more lenient. Most importantly we don’t want to eat dairy and gluten because we need to test for intolerances which will effect your weight loss efforts.

So I’m concerned that the popcorn at the cinema will contain things that could interfere with your efforts. What I will say however is that it’s okay to bring in some treats with you dark chocolate, dried fruit and nuts, sugary treats that don’t have dairy and gluten, and popcorn that you can see the ingredients list that doesn’t have dairy and gluten.

Q. The dark chocolate I got contains soya. Does this matter? It’s 75% cocoa! Saw the organic green&blacks one in Tesco and should probably have gotten that one but had other one bought already!  

I know it contains soya but at the end of the day we have to be able to eat something…it’s difficult to find anything else so go ahead and eat it, no problem.

Q. How much dark chocolate in week 1 Sunday?

You can have up to 100 grams. That’s a lot!

Q. Can I take my supplements? Do they contain chemicals?

Tough question…it really depends on the source. I’m not a fan of supplements, but if you think that it helps you then there should be no problem with you taking it.

The word “chemical” is also a little confusing…I use it universally but what we’re really saying is anything that your body has some type of adverse reaction to is a “chemical”.

All will be explained as you go through the course. In this case you should continue your normal regime, especially if it is from a professional. We do not give medical advice.

Q. I take XYZ medicine. Should I continue or stop taking it?

You should continue what you’ve been doing regarding this matter. We do not give medical advice.

Q. Can I take artificial sweeteners such as stevia, splenda etc?

A. No one knows (research wise) if artificial sweeteners are okay to take. The general consensus is that you’re probably better off taking table sugar.

From my experience working with people it’s another case of testing it. When you take the artificial sweetener, do you feel okay after it? Does it give you cravings for more sugar?

For most people, eating sugar makes them want MORE sugar, and that’s what we really need to be aware of. I’m sorry this is not a simple Yes/No answer. As with most things when it comes to nutrition, it’s really individual.

Of course at the end of the day you’re probably much better off avoiding it all. But if that’s too restrictive then find what works best for you and use that option.

There’s no scientific evidence showing that the use of diet sodas actually lead to weight loss. On the contrary, studies have repeatedly shown that artificial sweeteners cause greater weight gain than regular sugar.4 Studies have also repeatedly linked artificial sweeteners with increased hunger. For example, one study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior in 19885 found that intense (no- or low-calo‐ rie) sweeteners can produce significant changes in appetite. Of the three sweeteners tested, aspartame produced the most pronounced effects.

Q. But what about my tea/coffee! I really need sugar in my TEA/COFFEE!!!!

OKAY! If you really really need some sugar then just use normal table sugar.

Q. I understand that I should not eat anything that’s not on the food list, but if I absolutely have to break it then what can I eat?

We can’t guarantee that you’ll get the same results, but if you want to eat something not on the list then these options will be the least harmful:

Porridge, potato, fruit, dark chocolate, popcorn (gluten-free).

Q. What about bread, and cracker bread?

A. All types of breads are off at this point. They contain very large amounts of carbohydrate and wheat/gluten proteins.

Q. I’m susceptible to headaches and I’m fine so far but if I do get one is it ok to take nurofen? I know that we’re avoiding chemicals.

A. Please contact your medical professional regarding matters of this nature.

Q. I don’t sleep well so I take sleeping tablets, is it ok to continue with these while on this program?

Please contact your medical professional regarding matters of this nature.

Q. Can I have Uncle Ben’s sauce?

A. Please look at the ingredients list and see if it contains any chemicals. If it does then the answer is not at the moment.

Q. Can you drink green tea whenever you like?

A. Yes.

Q. Is it okay to have porridge one or 2 mornings?

A. Only if you have to. Try to stick to the food list for as long as you can.

Q. I don’t like fruit or dark chocolate. What else can I have this Sunday?

Popcorn would be fine. Every other Sunday you can have lots of other options like ice-cream, crisps, etc.

Q. You say drink wine but isn’t there a lot of sugar in wine?

Yes there is sugar in the wine but it also contains the least amount of chemicals in terms of alcoholic drinks. Also you can add some sparkling water to the wine which will reduce the sugar content and makes a nice drink!

Q. What about fruit juices, and cordial like MiWadi?

A. All sugary/chemical drinks are not good options at this point. The exception is your feast day which will be explained in manual 2.

Q. What about protein shakes?

A. First you must test for dairy intolerance. If you’re not intolerant to dairy then they are fine.

Q. What’s the advice on gluten-free bread, I’m craving toast!

A. No bread at this stage of the program!

Q. If I miss a workout what should I do?

A. Do one of our online workouts if you want. They are all effective so just do the one on whichever day it is. For example if today is Wednesday, and you want to do your workout today then go ahead and do the Wednesday workout.

Q. When is best to eat, before or after workouts?

A. It really depends on how you feel, however in general it’s a good idea to eat after your workout.

Q. I’m finding it difficult to run long distance on this program. Why?

A. Long distance running requires carbohydrates for energy, and since there are very few in this Phase you will have less energy to run. It would be a good idea to stop long distance running while you do this program and you’ll probably end up with far better results.