Authors: Phil McGraw

Tags: #Health & Fitness, #Diet & Nutrition, #Diets, #Weight Loss

The 20/20 Diet (17 page)

In a medium pan, scramble the egg with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin

olive oil and 1½ cups fresh spinach. Pair with 1 small (about 2 ¾)

apple of your choice (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny

Smith), skin on.

Phase 1: The 5-Day Boost |

Breakfast Salad

Crush or finely chop 1/4 cup shelled pistachios; set aside. In a

small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard with 1 teaspoon

water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic.

Add 2 cups mixed greens and toss to coat well. Transfer greens to

a plate. Sprinkle greens with pistachios and top with 1 la
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rge egg,

scrambled, sunny-side up, poached, or hard boiled, or 1 serving

(1/5 of a 14-ounce package) pan-warmed extra-firm tofu.

Lunch/Dinner Options

Apple Coconut Salad

Crush or finely chop 1/4 cup shelled pistachios; set aside. Chop a

small apple (about 2 ¾) of your choice (Red Delicious, Golden

Delicious, Granny Smith), skin on, a
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nd toss with 1/2 tablespoon

lemon juice. Sauté in 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil over medium

heat until tender. Top 2 cups fresh mixed greens with sautéed

apple and sprinkle with pistachios.

Dried Plum and Coconut Smoothie

In blender, combine a single-serve container of nonfat (0%) vanil a

Greek yogurt (made with real sugar, not artificial sweetener), 5 dried

plums, 1/4 cup unsweetened whey protein powder, and 1/4 cup water.

Whip until smoo
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th. Add 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, 1/4 teaspoon

cinnamon, and a handful of ice, and whip to desired consistency.

Egg Salad on Rye Crisp

In a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard with 1 teaspoon

wat
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er, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic. Toss

with 1 chopped hard-boiled egg. Spoon egg salad over 2 whole-

grain rye crackers. Enjoy with 1 small apple (about 2 ¾) of your

choice (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith). (Option:

replace egg with 1/5 of a 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, diced.)

100 | The 20/20 Diet

Lentil Walnut Salad

Lay 14 walnut halves on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated

350°F oven for 8 minutes to toast. Chop toasted walnuts and set

aside. In a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard with 1 tea-

spoon water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon minced gar-

lic. Add 1/2 cup cooked lentils (boiled, steamed, or canne
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d; drained

and rinsed) and toss to coat. Spoon lentils over 2 cups fresh mixed

greens and sprinkle with walnuts. (Option: leave walnuts raw.)

Greens Over Almond Cod

Chop 1/4 cup whole unsalted raw or dry-roasted almonds; set

aside. In a shallow dish, bake 4 ounces of fresh cod fillet at 350°F

for 10 minutes, or until fish easily flakes with fork. Sauté 2 cups

mixed greens in 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon

minced garlic. Place cod fillet on pl
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ate, cover with sautéed greens,

garnish with chopped almonds, and serve with fresh lemon.

Chilled Cod Salad

Crush or finely chop 2 tablespoons unsalted raw or dry-roasted

almonds; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons Dijon mus-

tard with 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 tea-

spoon minced garlic. Toss with 3 ounces cooked, chilled, flaked

cod fillet, 1 cu
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p finely chopped spinach, and the chopped almonds.

Spoon onto 2 rye crisps.

Cod Cakes

In a medium bowl, lightly mash 1/2 cup chil ed lentils (boiled,

st
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eamed, or canned; drained and rinsed). Add 1/4 cup chopped spin-

ach, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon lemon

juice, and 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic. Fold in 3 ounces cooked, flaked

cod fil et and 2 crushed rye crisps. Form into three round cod cakes

and bake on a cookie sheet (lightly misted with olive oil nonstick

spray) in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 minutes on each side.

Phase 1: The 5-Day Boost | 101

Snack Options

PB&P

Spread 1 tablespoon al -natural peanut butter on 2 whole-grain rye

crackers. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and enjoy with 5 dried

plums. (Option: slice dried plums and place on top of peanut butter.)

Roasted Chickpea Picnic

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss 1/2 cup chickpeas (boiled o
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r canned;

rinsed and drained) with 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil and

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic. Spread out on cookie sheet and roast

for 10 minutes. Serve with a small apple of your choice (Red

Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith) and 2 whole-grain

rye crackers. (Option: chickpeas can be roasted ahead of time,

stocked in fridge, and enjoyed chilled.)

Spinach Hummus

In a blender or food processor, puré
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e 1/2 cup chickpeas, 2 tea-

spoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 table-

spoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, and 1/2 cup fresh spinach

(add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed). Serve hum-

mus with wedges of a small apple of your choice (Red Delicious,

Golden Delicious, Granny Smith), skin on.

Easy Breez

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y Raisins and Almonds

Enjoy 1/4 cup each raisins and unsalted raw or dry-roasted almonds.

Sonoma Tofu Salad

Chop 1 tablespoon raw or dry-roasted unsalted walnuts; set aside.

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n a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard with 1 tea-

spoon water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic. Add crumbled tofu (1/5 of a 14-ounce

package extra-firm tofu), 1 tablespoon raisins, and the chopped

walnuts. Serve with 2 rye crisps.

102 | The 20/20 Diet

Meals with Meaning

In chapter 3, I asked you to write down everything you ate for one full

day and what you were thinking about when you ate it. Most of the

time, people tell me they had absolutely no clue how much they were

really eating on a daily basis. Right now, I want you to go back and

look at what you were thinking about when you ate thos
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e foods.

Were you thinking about how stressed out you were? Or how

lonely you felt? Or maybe you were thinking about how much fun

you were having while taking down whole trays of finger foods at a

party. Were you eating out of habit—your regular 3:00 p.m. snack off

the dollar menu? Or perhaps were you totally devoid of thought and

as soon as you wolfed down the food, you seemed to instantly forget

it. Well, my aim is to get you out of these mindsets and into one of

assigning value to the food you are eating.

Before you begin eating each
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meal, I want you to perform a

30-second pre-meal check-in. Use this time to remind yourself of

your goal weight and the core reasons why you’re choosing to eat

healthier and lose weight. Or, think about how this meal will fuel

your body so you can accomplish more, have more energy to spend

time with your family, think more clearly at work, and so on.

Whatever you do, try to assign positive meaning to the food you

are about to eat so you can begin to think of these foods as giving

you a physical and mental
reward
. Each time you put a morsel of

food in your mo
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uth is an opportunity to think about the meaning

behind what you’re doing—returning to health and achieving your

get-real weight, because you now have a personal truth that requires

it of you.

In addition to a 30-second pre-meal check-in with yourself, here

are techniques I first introduced in
The Ultimate Weight Solution
for eati
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ng less at each sitting. In fact, I bet you’ll enjoy each meal more

because you’ll be eating mindfully.

 When you sit down to a meal, wait five minutes to start eating.

 Put your fork down between bites; finish swallowing before

your next bite.

Phase 1: The 5-Day Boost | 103

 Eat slowly, and take a break halfway through the meal so your

brain can register what you’ve eaten.

 Do not eat while on the move; sit down at the table.

 Eliminate distractions that cause mindless eating, such as the

TV, computer, or phone.

 Leave some food on your plate; you can always save it for later.

Where Does Exercise Fit In?

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In chapter 10, you will find out about the 30-Second Burn Burst

Exercise Program. I think you will find it to be highly effective

and easy to integrate into your lifestyle. I encourage you to check

out that chapter before you begin Phase 1.

Moving on to Phase 2: The 5-Day Su
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stain

The first phase is only five days long, and the same goes for the next

phase. Once you’ve completed the three phases, you might return to

Phase 1 if you have more weight to lose; it’s a great and healthy way to jump-start your results.

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104 | The 20/20 Diet

PHASE 2:

THE 5-DAY SUSTAIN

The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile ar
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e, first,

hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.

—
Thomas A. Edison

After you’ve completed the 5-Day Boost, it’s critical that you take

a moment to reflect on how yo
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u’re feeling and to take notice of

the changes occurring in your body and your mind. Right now, flip

back to chapter 4 and write down your weight and measurements now

that you’ve completed Phase 1. It’s also imperative to note the other

changes you’re experiencing. They might be subtle or they might be

quite obvious. Use the questions below to guide your assessment.

Acknowledging Your Progress

Do you notice a
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n improvement in your energy level

throughout the day?

Yes No

Do you feel more mentally focused and alert?

Yes No

Do you notice any improvement in your respiration?

Fo
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r example, are you breathing easier during exercise

than when you first started?

Yes No

Have you noticed a reduction in your hunger and

cravings?

Yes No

105

Are you feeling healthier overall? In other words, have

you noticed an intangible feeling that you might now live

longer and feel better about yourself and your choices?

Yes No

Has your digestion improved? For example, are

you noticing less heartburn, belly bloating, trouble

with bowel movements, stomachaches, etc.?

Yes No

Do you feel more in control of your eating and exercise

habits?

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Yes No

Any progress is good progress, so write down anything else positive

you might be feeling and experiencing. ........................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................................

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......................................................................................................................................................................

Celebrate your improvements and each incremental goal as you

reach it —just not with food of course.

Set Up Your Healthy Reward System

Pop quiz: How have you rewarded yourself when you’ve lost weight in

the past? I ask bec
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ause it’s important to celebrate your achievements

every step of the way, but let’s talk about exactly how you’ve been

rewarding yourself. For instance, have you ever found yourself jump-

ing off the scale, thril ed with your new weight, and then racing to the nearest form of junk food because you’ve “earned a reward”? You might

think, “I’m down 10 pounds! I have got to get me a few slices of pizza!”

H
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ow ludicrous is that? Now that you’re losing weight in the right