Starch
¼ cup rolled oats
152
2.9
6.6
25.9
Free food
¾ cup water
Fruit
2.4 oz blueberries
39
0.2
0.5
9.9
Very lean protein
5 egg whites
86
0.3
18
0
Vegetable
3 tbs bell pepper
6
0.1
0.2
1.3
Vegetable
¼ cup diced tomato
7
0.1
0.3
1.5
Vegetable
1 oz white onion
10
0
0
2
MEAL 2
Very lean protein
2 scoops whey protein drink
220
1.5
44
1
Fruit
6 oz cherries
107
0.3
1.8
27.2
MEAL 3
: Combine all the ingredients for a filling salad.
Vegetable
2 cups shredded lettuce
32
0.6
6
2.4
Starchy vegetable
½ cup garbanzo beans
143
1.3
5.9
27.1
Vegetable
½ cup chopped tomato
16
0.2
0.8
3.5
Vegetable
½ cup cucumber
7
0.1
0.3
1.3
Vegetable
1 oz chopped red onion
12
0.1
0.3
2.9
Polyunsaturated
2 tbs fat-free Italian dressing
13
0.3
0.3
2.5
MEAL 4
Very lean protein
2 scoops whey protein drink
220
1.5
44
1
Monounsaturated
1 tbs natural reduced-fat peanut butter
100
6
4.5
6
Fruit
1 cup grapes
104
0.3
1.1
27.3
MEAL 5
: Combine all the vegetables in a sauté pan and cook until softened. Serve over the rice.
Starchy vegetable
1 cup black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
180
2
12
32
Vegetable
1 oz chopped yellow onion
12
0.1
0.3
2.9
Vegetable
2 oz green pepper
11
0.1
0.5
2.6
Starchy vegetable
½ cup summer squash
30
0.4
2.3
6.3
Starch
1.25 cups cooked wild rice
207
0.6
8.2
43.7
TOTAL
1795.8
18.8
157.9
230.3
No dairy, no meat, no poultry, no fish, or egg yolks
Diet based on 1800 Calories / 10% fat / 35% Protein / 55% Carbs
Become a Bag Man
We all know that protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass, but most of us find it difficult to get optimal protein when we’re rushing about during the day. It’s time to rethink that. Healthy eating is possible—no matter how busy you are.
My wife, Annie, has made dieting effortless for me. She has come up with her own creation, and it has revolutionized my ability to stay on track with my nutrition program. If you start following her lead, you will never find yourself without healthy food.
First, you’ll need a food vacuum sealer. It is very simple to operate and will save you time and money because you buy food in large quantities. Annie prepares my “protein packs” once a week. It saves her an enormous amount of cooking/prep time and yields about 21 (6-ounce) servings of protein. I keep some at home and take several to work with me and keep them frozen until ready to use. To cook, I simply make a small cut in the bag, just enough to release steam. I then microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Then I let it stand for 1 minute in the bag before serving. It can be served on a bed of thinly sliced Napa cabbage or brown rice. This same process can be used for cooked brown/wild rice.
I also have several frozen individual servings of vegetables I get at the grocery store, which can quickly be prepared, creating a completely balanced meal: 1 bag of protein, 1 bag of lowglycemic carb (yam, wild rice, or brown rice), and a serving of healthy vegetables.
SALT—HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
Most of us really don’t have to worry about how much salt we eat. About 20 percent of our population is salt-sensitive, and when these people consume salt they retain excess fluid. This extra fluid leads to an increase in their circulatory volume, which, in turn, increases the work their hearts must perform and can also increase their blood pressure.
If you are not salt-sensitive and don’t have a family history of hypertension (high blood pressure), I think you can continue to use salt in cooking and buy foods that have sodium in them as long as you do so in moderation. However, you need to recognize that most men eat way too much salt. I have found that if you do cut down on salt you will begin to appreciate other flavors in foods a lot more and become less inclined to crave processed foods or fast foods.
The Life Plan Recipes
Almost all of these very simple recipes can be used on any of the diets. The following notations indicate the diet plan that applies to each: Basic Health Diet (BHD), Fat-Burning Diet (FBD), and Heart Health Diet (HHD). Unless otherwise noted, all recipes are for single servings, and can be doubled or tripled if you want to prepare your food ahead, or if you are entertaining a friend.
Breakfast Options
EGG WHITE OMELET WITH FRESH HERBS (BHD, FBD, HHD)
4 egg whites with 2 tbs water
1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
½ bunch fresh parsley (½ cup)
1 tbs fresh basil, chopped
4 tsp chopped green onion
2 tsp chopped chives
1 tbs fresh chopped dill
Combine all herbs and spinach in bowl, then mix. Beat egg whites and water until fluffy. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat. Add herb mixture to egg whites and very lightly stir. Pour mixture into skillet and cover. Cook slowly until the egg is almost set. With rubber spatula, fold omelet in half and cook an additional minute. Serve immediately.
MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST (BHD, FBD, HHD)
4 ice cubes in the blender
½ cup of nonfat half-&-half
⅔ cup cold coffee
1½ scoops of Chocolate Protein Powder
1 6-inch banana
Blend for 1 to 2 minutes. This is typically my first meal of the day and I drink it after my resistance training session.
DR. LIFE’S PANCAKE (BHD, FBD, HHD)
½ cup natural oatmeal
1 cup egg whites
1 tbs sugar-free maple syrup
Mix ingredients in blender, then fry in pan with nonfat spray.
Lunch Options
“NOT SO PORTUGUESE” KALE SOUP (BHD, FBD, HHD)
One of my favorite New England dishes is Portuguese kale soup—but it’s high in fat. Try my tasty, healthier version. This recipe will make a large batch that will last for several days if refrigerated, and longer if frozen.
2 large (48 oz) cans of 100% fat-free, low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
1 large yellow onion (chopped)
4–6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1½ tsp crushed red pepper
2 cans cannellini beans (rinsed/drained)
1–2 lb fresh kale (stems removed/cut)
Black pepper and/or paprika to taste
In a large soup kettle, sauté onions in ¼ cup of the broth. Add the remaining broth, red pepper, and garlic. Add the beans and kale, bring to a boil, then stir and lower the heat. Cook just long enough until the kale is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
GRILLED SQUASH WITH ASPARAGUS (BHD, FBD, HHD)
1 large zucchini (washed/cut in ¼-inch diagonal slices)
1 large yellow summer squash (washed/cut in ¼-inch diagonal slices)
1 lb fresh asparagus (diagonally cut into 2-inch pieces)
1 bunch fresh basil
Medium red onion (thinly sliced)
Crushed red pepper flakes
Warm grill to medium heat. Mix veggies together and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes to taste. You can use just a spritz of extra virgin olive oil or spray. Add fresh basil leaves (whole). Place all ingredients in a nonstick grill wok and grill 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often until tender.
LEMON/DILL CHICKEN BREAST (BHD, FBD, HHD)
This recipe can be doubled or tripled and individually portioned and frozen after cooking.
4 (6 oz) chicken breasts (boneless/skinless)
1 lemon (cut in half)
1 teaspoon paprika
8 small sprigs of fresh dill
4 tbs capers, rinsed (to reduce sodium)
Rinse and tenderize chicken breasts. Sprinkle with paprika and squeeze juice from ½ lemon over breasts. Place breasts on aluminum foil. Broil 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip breasts and broil an additional 6 to 8 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from broiler. On each breast, place a few sprigs of fresh dill weed. Next, place 2 or 3 very thin slices of lemon on top of the dill, and 1 tablespoon of capers on top of that. Return to broiler and broil an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Dinner Options
QUICK SESAME GINGER SALMON (BHD, FBD, HHD)
4 lb of wild Alaskan salmon cut into 6 oz portions (approx. 10 servings)
½ tsp of Iron Chef Brand Sesame Garlic Sauce
*
spread over each piece
1 tsp Eden Shake seasoning
*
sprinkled on each piece
Place 1 raw seasoned salmon in each bag and vacuum seal according to directions. Freeze. To prepare the individual serving, simply remove from freezer 15 minutes before cooking. Oven: Broil on high or microwave until fish flakes. Make a small cut in the corner of the bag to release pressure and microwave on high for 2 minutes, then flip and microwave 2 more minutes. (Microwave oven temperatures may vary and can require an extra minute on each side.)
*
Readily available in the international section of most grocery or natural food stores.
BAKED STUFFED WILD SALMON FILLET (BHD, FBD, HHD)
This recipe can be doubled or tripled and individually portioned and frozen after cooking.
6 fresh wild salmon fillets (6 oz each)
4–6 cups fresh baby spinach
4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
½ cup slivered water chestnuts
1 cup thinly sliced white mushrooms
Olive oil cooking spray
Fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix spinach, water chestnuts, garlic, and mushrooms together in bowl. Very lightly spray baking dish or cookie sheet with olive oil spray. Place salmon fillets on prepared dish. Divide spinach mixture evenly on each fillet and roll. Be sure to place seam side down. Top each roll with freshly ground pepper as desired. Bake 8–10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when fork is inserted.
STEAMED TILAPIA FILLETS (BHD, FBD, HHD)
This recipe can be doubled or tripled and individually portioned and frozen after cooking.
1 (6 oz) tilapia fillet
1 tsp fat-free mayonnaise
Juice from fresh lemon
2 sprigs of fresh dill per fillet
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Put approximately 3 inches of water in bottom of steamer pot. Place fillets in top steamer pan. With a pastry brush, spread mayonnaise over fillets. Squeeze lemon juice over each, garnishing with sprigs of fresh dill. Grind fresh pepper to taste.
Place lid on pan and heat on high until water boils and heavy steam begins. Turn heat to medium and steam for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
Snacks
CHOCOLATE BANANA PROTEIN SHAKE (BHD, FBD, HHD)
1–2 scoops (chocolate) Life Plan Shake
8 oz water
4 ice cubes
1 banana
Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds.
SLICED APPLE WITH NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER (BHD, FBD)
1 medium apple
1 tbs natural peanut butter
Wash and slice apple. Spread each apple slice with a little bit of the peanut butter and enjoy. Natural peanut butter has no added sugar or salt. Its only ingredient is ground peanuts. It is available at all natural food stores and many grocery stores. Be sure to keep it refrigerated between uses.
The Life Plan Is Forever