The Speed of Weight Loss on Cycle 3
So far, you have been dropping weight at the speed of light, or just about. On Cycle 3, expect your weight loss to slow down a bit. I tell you this so that when you get on the scales, you won’t be disappointed, blow your diet big-time, and vow to not
start up again until next January. The goal of this Cycle is to establish healthy eating
habits and produce steady, manageable weight loss. So just relax and enjoy the addition of whole grain breads and pasta, additional fruits and vegetables, fats and snacks and alcohol in moderation (one alcoholic drink a day). Okay, now that I’ve told you your weight loss may slow down a bit over the next 17 days, let me tell you how to speed it up on Cycle 3. You can do this in three ways:
1. Ramp up your aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, biking, or aerobics classes, is the best way to burn fat and speed up weight loss. So if you’ve been doing it at least 17 minutes a day, it’s time to add even more minutes. Aim to do 45 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week.
2. Continue not to eat carbs after During Cycles 1 and 2, I recommend not eating carbs after If you did a good job of replenishing your muscle and liver
glycogen throughout the day—which is what carbs do—then any excess carbs in the later
afternoon and at night—a time when you’re typically least active—will be readily
converted to fat. On Cycle 3, you’re allowed to have carbs at dinner. But if you want to spur weight loss, continue avoiding carbs after
3. Pass on the alcohol.
I know I just gave you the thumbs-up for alcohol on Cycle 3. But please know that
alcohol can throw a complete monkey wrench into weight loss. Alcohol strains your liver, which responds by slowing down on functions like fat-burning. Alcohol is also dehydrating and will cause water-weight pounds to register on the scale. If you want bigger losses on this Cycle, pass up the alcohol option.
Achieve Cycle Guidelines
1. Stay on the Achieve Cycle for 17 days.
2. Because you’ll be eating more food, it’s timeto control your protein portions. Rather thaneat protein liberally as in the two previous Cycles, keep your portions of fish, poultry, and meat smaller—about the size of an average kitchen sponge. In fact, you can use that sponge to sop up any remnants of fat that might have dripped off the protein.
3. Remove skin from chicken and turkey prior to cooking or purchase skinless poultry.
4. Trim all visible fat from meat.
5. You may eat up to two eggs a day. But stick to no more than four yolks per week if your physician has diagnosed you with high cholesterol. Egg whites can be eaten without
restriction.
6. Enjoy fresh vegetables and fruits as much as possible. For convenience, frozen and
canned items are fine, if chosen in moderation. Canned and frozen fruits should be unsweetened.
7. You may have one alcoholic drink daily: 5 oz. wine; 12 oz. beer; or 1½ oz. hard liquor if you
8. Don’t eat more than two servings daily from the natural starches list.
9. Don’t worry about eating all the food you’re allowed each day. If you forget your second dairy or carb serving, or are too full to eat it, that’s okay.
10. Eat slowly and only until full; do not overload your stomach. Use my Hunger/Fullness meter as a gauge to keep you from stuffing yourself.
11. Begin to increase your weekly aerobic exercise. Exercise at least 150 to 300
minutes per week, depending on your physical condition (five 30-minute sessions
or five 60-minute sessions). Achieve Cycle Expanded Food List Where indicated, add foods to your diet, in addition to those you ate on the first 2 Cycles. Proteins Fish and Shellfish (from Accelerate and Activate lists) Lean Meats (from Accelerate and Activate
lists) Poultry (from Accelerate and Activate lists, including eggs and egg whites)
Additional poultry:
Cornish Hen
Quail Pheasant
Reduced-fat turkey bacon or sausage or lunch meat
Canadian bacon
Natural Starches
Breads (1 slice = 1 serving)
Cracked wheat
Fiber-enriched bread
Gluten-free bread
Multi-grain bread
Oat bran bread
Sugar-free bread
Pumpernickel
Rye bread
Whole grain bagel (½ = 1 serving)
Whole wheat pita bread, 1 pocket
Whole wheat tortilla—10”
High Fiber Cereals (1 cup = 1 serving, unless where indicated)
All-Bran
All-Bran Extra
All-Bran Bran Buds
Fiber One
Gluten-free cold cereals
Low-sugar granola (½ cup = 1 serving)
Pasta (½ cup = 1 serving)
Whole-wheat pasta
Gluten-free pasta
Vegetable-based pasta
High-fiber pasta
Udon noodles
Vegetables—Unlimited
All cleansing vegetables
Alfalfa
Broccoli sprouts
Chilies
Cilantro
Fennel
Grape leaves
Jicama
Kelp and other edible seaweeds
Kohlrabi
Nopales (edible cactus)
Pea pods
Radishes
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Summer squash
Swiss chard
Yellow wax beans
Zucchini
Virtually any vegetable
Fruits—2 servings daily*
Apricots
Bananas
Cherries
Currants
Figs
Kiwi
Kumquats
Guava
Mango
Papaya
Pineapple
Pomegranate
Tangerine
Tangelo
Virtually any fresh fruit
* Serving = 1 piece fresh or 1 cup chopped fresh fruit Note: If you are watching your sugar intake, stick to lower sugar fruits. These include apples, berries (all varieties), cherries, grapefruit, orange, peach, pear, and plums.
Probiotics, Dairy, and Dairy Substitutes: 1 to 2 servings daily
Note: Some people don’t like dairy foods, or
can’t digest them properly. If you’re one of them,
try dairy substitutes instead (see below). Try to
eat at least one serving daily from this list while
on the Achieve Cycle.
Probiotic foods from Accelerate and Activate Cycles
Low-calorie cheeses (brie, camembert, fontina, low-fat cheddar, edam
limburger, and part-skim mozzarella) (2 ounces = 1 serving)
Low-fat cottage cheese (½ cup = 1 serving)
Low-fat milk, including skim (1 cup = 1 serving)
Low-fat ricotta cheese (½ cup = 1 serving)
Dairy substitutes: Sugar-free rice, almond, or soy milk (1 cup = 1 serving)
Friendly Fats—1 to 2 tablespoons daily, unless where indicated
Avocado (¼ fruit = 1 serving)
Canola oil (1 tablespoon = 1 serving)
Walnut oil (1 tablespoon = 1 serving)
Light mayonnaise (2 tablespoons = 1 serving)
Mayonnaise (1 tablespoon = 1 serving)
Nuts or seeds, unoiled (2 tablespoons = 1 serving)
Reduced-calorie margarines (2 tablespoons = 1 serving)
Reduced-fat salad dressings (2 tablespoons = 1 serving)
Salad dressings (1 tablespoon = 1 serving)
Trans-free margarines (1 tablespoon = 1 serving)
Optional Snacks
These snacks are all under 100 calories. Plus, they’re filling and fun to eat.
Babybell low-fat cheese—2 disks Frozen fruit bar Fudgsicle, 100 calorie bar
Granola bar, reduced sugar and fat Microwave popcorn, light (4 cups) Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich Sugar-free pudding cup String cheese—1 stick
Meal Planning Made Easy
Each day, for the next 17 days, you’ll eat:
• Controlled portions of protein from an expanded list.
• Liberal amounts of vegetables from an expanded list.
• Two servings of natural starches from an expanded list.
• Two servings of fruit from an expanded list.
• One to two servings from probiotics, low-fat dairy, or dairy substitutes.
• One serving of fat from an expanded list.
• Optional snacks.
• Optional daily serving of alcohol.
Here is a typical day on the Achieve Cycle:
Breakfast
• ½ cup hot whole grain cereal; or 2 eggs or 4 egg whites, prepared without oil; 1 Dr. Mike’s Power Cookie; or 1 probiotic serving • 1 fruit serving
Lunch
• Controlled portions of protein in the form of fish, shellfish, meat, or chicken or eggs; or
vegetables + 1 probiotic, dairy, or dairy substitute serving • 1 serving natural starch
• Unlimited amounts of vegetables
Dinner
• Controlled portions of protein in the form of fish, shellfish, meat, or chicken or turkey
• Unlimited amounts of vegetables
Snacks
• 2nd fruit serving; or • 2nd probiotic, dairy, or dairy substitute serving; or
• Food from optional snack list Additional
• 1 serving (1 to 2 tablespoons of friendly fat to use on salads, vegetables, or for cooking)
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