The Women’s Health Diet pot

You’ll be stunned to discover just how much food your body needs to lose weight and keep it off.. As you begin to work with your body’s natural metabolic clock, you’ll be shocked to disc

Inside your body, at this very moment, there’s

a war going on No, not because of the leftover

Chinese you dug out of the fridge last night and

inhaled

This is a turf battle on a cellular level, between

the cells that make up muscle and those that

make up fat

On one side (the good side) is Muscle (Don’t

freak: Muscle is not trying to make you bulky.)

Think of Muscle as your closest BFF who loans

you her most flattering going-out top because she

knows that the better you look, the more you both

outshine the wannabes, and the more you both get

noticed

The wannabe, in this case, is Fat Fat is like that

passive-aggressive frenemy who always says no

even when those pants do make your butt look fat

Fat hates Muscle, and the feeling is mutual Fat

wants to get rid of Muscle so it can make room

for more of its energy-sucking, muffin-top making

friends inside your body Muscle wants to do away

with Fat so it can torch all incoming calories and

keep you looking slim and fab

You know which side you’re rooting for But

here’s the problem: In this war, Fat will always

have an unfair advantage The only way Muscle

can win is with your help

The Women’s Health Nutrition System will show

you how to win that battle It will help you build

muscle and burn away fat, while eating the very

best food on the planet and never, ever feeling

hungry It will make you stronger, leaner, and

healthier than you’ve ever been before And it will

start to take effect, well, pretty much from your

very first bite

Ready to dig in?

HOW TO WIN THE WAR ON FAT

As we said above, in the war for your body, fat has the advantage over muscle And for that, you can blame Charles Darwin

When humans first evolved, starvation and deprivation were always a threat So our bodies learned to store fat in lean times, and to burn fewer calories when calories weren’t easy to come by—just like bears preparing for hibernation The problem is that today we no longer have to scratch our way across the savannah, looking for grub to eat Now grub to eat surrounds us, stacked

in 18-foot-high shelves at the local discount store And yet, strangely, we still put our bodies

in starvation mode more than we might expect

We skip breakfast to race to our jobs We work long days, breaking to eat only when our bellies rumble Sometimes, we even go on diets, trying to earn some sort of karmic merit badge by depriving ourselves

But every time you skip a meal or feel a hunger pang? Your body feels it too, and says, “Uh-oh Famine up ahead Better shuttle some of those Doritos down into the belly for good measure.” Literally, every time you feel hungry, you’re telling your body to store fat That’s why The Women’s Health Nutrition System is designed to keep you eating—a lot You’ll be stunned to discover just how much food your body needs to lose weight and keep it off

WHY FAT IS MORE THAN JUST UGLY

The first step to winning any contest is learning

to understand your adversary, whether you’re an attorney in a courtroom or a real housewife of New Jersey So, too, in the fight against fat

The Women’s Health Diet

See, the term “fat and lazy” is pretty accurate

from a scientific standpoint Fat is lazy on a

metabolic level It barely burns any calories at

all For your body to support a pound of fat, it

needs to burn up a mere 2 calories a day Muscle,

on the other hand, is very metabolically active

At rest, 1 pound of muscle burns about 40 to 50

calories a day just to sustain itself—and a lot

of those calories that muscle burns come from

fat’s storage units That’s why fat hates muscle,

because muscle is constantly burning it off

So fat actually fights back, trying to erode

muscle so it can get more of its fat friends into

your body The real bad guy in this internal battle

happening right now, in your body, is a nasty

character called visceral fat Visceral fat is the

kind that resides behind the abdominal muscles,

surrounding your internal organs (viscera)

And visceral fat works its mischief by releasing

a number of substances, collectively called

adipokines Adipokines include compounds that

raise your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes,

inflammation and heart disease And visceral fat

also messes with an important hormone called

adiponectin, which regulates metabolism The

more visceral fat you have, the less adiponectin

you have, and the lower your metabolism So fat

literally begets more fat

And the more visceral fat you have, the more likely

it’s sabotaging your muscles A study published

in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed

that those biologically active molecules that are

released from visceral fat can actually degrade

muscle quality—which, again, leads to more fat

That’s why managing your muscle is so

important, even if you’ve never aspired to fight

crime in a spandex costume or join the cast of

Jersey Shore And that’s why The Women’s Health

Nutrition System puts a premium on building and

maintaining muscle mass Take that, fat!

Get ready to dig in!

PRINCIPLES OF THE

WOMEN’S HEALTH NUTRITION SYSTEM

The Women’s Health Nutrition System is designed

to melt away pounds not by cutting down on the

amount of food you eat, but by packing your day

with nutrient-rich foods that are both filling and

delicious As you’ll discover, all of our guidelines

are about eating more food, not depriving yourself

of food (And the stuff we do ask you to cut down on? Stuff you’re eating that’s not actually food, stuff like chemicals that have been shown

to promote weight gain without giving you any nutritional benefit.)

Plus, we’ll explain that when you eat is almost

as important as what you eat As you begin to work with your body’s natural metabolic clock, you’ll be shocked to discover how easy it is to lose weight with the Women’s Health Nutrition System, and how fast our plan begins to take effect

To help you achieve your ideal body, you’ll focus

on goal-driven eating that eliminates the need

to count calories In fact, we’ve made this plan insanely flexible by giving you an easy-to-digest breakdown of seven key food groups—we call it The Science of Seven—and a wide variety of ways

to enjoy and indulge in them

The rules are simple, and amazingly effective.

RULE #1: Eat Protein With Every Meal

At any given moment, even at rest, your body

is breaking down and building up muscle, says Jeffrey Volek, Ph.D., R.D., a nutrition and exercise researcher at the University of Connecticut

Substitute the word “protein” for “muscle,” and you quickly understand just how dynamic your body is, and how your muscle content can change considerably in the course of just a few weeks But muscle doesn’t come just from lifting weights or hauling groceries up the stairs Eating protein triggers muscle growth In fact, every time you eat at least 10 to 15 grams of protein, you trigger a burst of protein synthesis And when you eat at least 30 grams, that period of synthesis lasts about 3 hours—and that means even more muscle growth Here’s a quick look at what those numbers translate into when they actually hit your plate:

Now think about it: When would you typically eat

most of your protein? At dinner, right? That means

you might be fueling your muscles for only a few

hours a day, mostly while you’re watching Chelsea

Lately The rest of the day, you’re breaking down

muscle, because you don’t have enough protein

in your system “The single most important diet

upgrade for people who want to lose weight is to

eat protein for breakfast,” says Louis Aronne, MD,

director of the Comprehensive Weight Control

Program at New York/Weill Cornell Medical

Center “I’ve had clients lose a bunch of weight

just making this one change.”

Your plan: Eat protein at all three meals, which

can include meats and eggs, or other options such

as cheese and milk You need to boost your protein

intake to between 0.54 and 1.00 grams per pound

of your goal bodyweight in order to preserve

calorie-burning muscle mass

Important note: We said goal bodyweight Why

is that a big deal? Well, if you calculate your

protein intake based on your current weight, you

likely won’t see the scale budge Say you weigh

150 pounds and want to lose 20 pounds Your

goal bodyweight would be 130 pounds and you’d

want to aim for between anywhere from 70 to 130

grams of protein per day That translates roughly

to 30 grams of protein at your main meals with

filling options like a chicken breast, a burger, or

a filet of fish For snacks, at least 10 to 15 grams

of protein, such as 2 hard-boiled eggs, a serving

of Greek yogurt, or even a classic peanut butter

sandwich on wheat bread

RULE #2: Eat Two Breakfasts

When you wake up in the morning, your body is

fuel-deprived It’s been 7 to 9 hours (or more) since you last ate Your insulin levels have dropped, your protein stores are empty, and your muscles are desperate for food Your body needs food to restore its balance “The bulk of your calories should come at breakfast,” says David Grotto, RD, national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, adding, “When you shift calories to the morning you lose weight and keep it off.”

Unfortunately, neither our stomachs nor our schedules are always flexible in the morning, which is why gulping down a cup of coffee behind the wheel is about the best many of us can do So break your breakfast into two meals This allows your morning meal plan to adjust for broken alarm clocks, anxious bosses, screaming kids, and the occasional hangover

Your plan: Eat the bulk of your daily calories—30

to 35 percent of your total intake—in the morning

by splitting breakfast into two meals The key is

to match proteins and whole grains with produce and healthy fats For example: fried eggs on whole grain toast when you wake up, and a protein and fruit smoothie an hour later

RULE #3: It’s Not What You Eat, It’s When!

Eating at the right time can turn every workout into the best workout of your life A recent study

by European scientists found that exercisers who ate a protein- and carbohydrate-rich meal right before and right after their workouts gained twice as much lean muscle as those who waited

at least 5 hours to eat Not only does the timing help nourish your muscles, it also maximizes your ability to burn fat

Your plan: Eat 1 serving of carbohydrates plus 1

serving of protein within 30 minutes before your workout, and another serving of carbohydrates plus 1 serving of protein 30 minutes after

30 Grams of Protein

1 4-oz hamburger patty

1 large chicken breast

1 4-oz sirloin steak

1 3-egg vegetable omelet with 3 strips bacon

20 large peel-and-eatwild shrimp

1 lobster

1 haddock filet

1 6-oz pork chop

1 6-oz serving tempeh

10-to-15 Grams of Protein

1 fruit-and-yogurt parfait w/granola

2 medium carrots w/ ½ cup hummus

¾ cup chili con carne

1 10-oz spaghetti w/ meat sauce

1 pouch chunk light tuna

½ cup oatmeal with 1 cup 2% milk

12 oz lowfat chocolate milk

6 oz Greek yogurt

2 Tbs peanut butter on whole wheat

Bonus: Eat your cake, and see your abs too! After

you lift weights, your body’s fat storage pathways

are shut off while your fat-burning mechanisms

are turned on So now’s the time to indulge in

carbs, even sugars if you crave them You won’t

use your stored protein for energy, you’ll rely

instead on the carbs to replenish you And the

food you eat will not only help you sculpt a sexy

midsection, but also develop more lean muscle

RULE #4: Muscle Grows on Trees

And bushes, stalks and vines, as well In other

words, if it grows on a plant, eat it Fruits and

vegetables should be included in every meal By

loading your body with the maximum amount of

nutrients for the least number of calories, they’re

a dietary bargain Now, a caveat here: Eating

“vegetable chips” or “veggie sticks” or drinking

“fruit-flavored punch” is not the same thing If the

fruit or vegetable in question won’t wilt after a few

days of hanging out on your countertop, then it’s

a processed food It didn’t grow on a tree, it grew

out of some scientist’s imagination

Your plan: Eat at least 1 serving of fresh fruits or

vegetables at every meal And when it comes to

the calorie-free vegetables, you can eat as much

as you want to help satisfy cravings

Bonus: Eat your fruits and vegetables first! Not

only will you consume more vegetables and

fewer calories from other foods, but the fiber

content will lower the glycemic load of your meal,

helping you sidestep those swings in blood sugar

that lead to hunger Try at least one new fruit or

vegetable each week and make sure that salads

and fruit salads have at least four different colors

For example: romaine lettuce, yellow peppers,

tomatoes, and carrots, or pineapple, blood

oranges, kiwi, and grapes

RULE #5: Include Folate and

Omega–3s every day

Folate, a B vitamin found primarily in leafy greens,

is like the canary in the coal mine It’s the nutrient

that reveals how healthy your diet really is If your

folate levels are low, chances are your diet needs

some tweaking Folate deficiency is linked to most

of the major diseases of our time: It leads to an

increased risk of stroke, heart disease, cognitive

impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and depression, as well as a decreased response to depression treatments and increased weight gain The best food sources of folate provide at least 20 percent of the daily value per serving, like romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, endive, collard greens, and Swiss chard

Some experts argue that omega-3s should be labeled essential nutrients as necessary to health

as, say, vitamins A and D “They’re involved in the metabolism of each individual cell,” says Artemis

P Simopoulos, M.D., a physician and the president

of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health

in Washington, D.C “They’re part of your body’s basic nutrition.” Studies show that this healthy fat may not only reduce a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke but also possibly help prevent ailments as diverse as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorder—and those are just the A’s Plus, on top of its mood-boosting, heart-saving, brain-enhancing powers, those who consume the most omega 3-rich fish a week live longer and less abdominal fat than those who avoid seafood And scientists from Quebec found that omega 3s improve protein metabolism, meaning that more of the protein you eat is synthesized in your muscle Sure it sounds cool, but even better, this means faster muscle growth You’ll find this healthy fat in fatty fish like salmon and tuna as well as flax seed and walnuts, and in grass-fed beef and chicken

Your plan: At every meal try to include either a

folate-rich green or omega-3-rich food The best way to up your folate intake is to eat leafy greens with as many meals as you can, and eat them first

As for omega-3s: Eat fish for dinner twice a week; sprinkle ground flaxseed on your morning cereal; opt for grass-fed beef and free-range or omega-3–enriched eggs; and load up on walnuts every chance you get

RULE #6: Eat for Variety

They say that variety is the spice of life, but it also might be a secret to additional fat loss We’ve already told you that the key to the Women’s Health Nutritional System is to eat more food But that doesn’t mean eating the same meals every day

You see, every food that you eat contains

micronutrients, including—but not limited to—stuff

like vitamins and minerals Some foods are high

in some micronutrients and low in others When

you eat the same foods, you build up deficiencies

that can lead to sickness, chronic disease, or slow

fat loss One study compared diets that were

equal in terms of caloric consumption But one

group ate with more variety, while the other group

consumed the same foods all the time To the

surprise of the researchers, those who mixed up

the foods they ate at each meal experienced more

fat loss—even though they consumed the same

number of calories!

Your plan: Run the gamut of the Women’s Health

Shopping List (below) If there’s something

you haven’t tasted, don’t understand, or can’t

pronounce—try it! It’s probably packed with

weight-loss nutrients your body is aching to

discover

MEET THE SEVEN SUPERFOOD GROUPS

The Women’s Health Nutrition System is built on

Seven Superfood Groups—anything you eat that

doesn’t fall into one of these categories probably

isn’t good for you To maximize muscle growth and

fat burn, just hit these serving goals You’ll fuel

your body with all the nutrients it needs, and you’ll

crowd out the bad foods in the process

1 Meats and eggs

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Protein is the basic building

block of the entire human body, and meat and

eggs are the best source of it While eating more

protein is a key component of building muscle,

it’s also your best friend in terms of dramatic

body transformation and overall health Protein

does everything from giving you enviable muscle

tone to trimming inches from your waist That’s

because your body burns a lot of calories when

it’s digesting protein—about 25 calories for every

100 calories you eat (Compared to only 10 to

15 calories for fats and carbs.) That’s called the

thermic effect of eating, and it’s where up to 30

percent of our calories get used up So the more

you eat, the more you burn!

THE SCIENCEY STUFF: Protein is made of amino

acids, which can be split into two types: Essential and non-essential The best forms of protein include all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t naturally produce Based on this, ideal protein sources include: Beef, pork, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, and oats Other sources such

as beans, seeds, and cornmeal provide a shot of protein, but the amount of essential amino acids

in these foods fall slightly below your body’s needs Foods like breads, rice, pasta, and potatoes contain protein, but they don’t contain the

essential amino acids, and thus are incomplete sources A diet that primarily consists of proteins from complete sources will provide the best results

Your goal: 2-3 servings per day, especially

focusing on breakfast Be sure to eat something from this category (or from the protein-rich dairy category) as part of your pre-workout and post-workout meals

2 Vegetables

THE HIGHLIGHTS: If there’s one food in the

Women’s Health Nutrition System that has almost unlimited benefits, it’d be vegetables Packed with supernutrients that can improve heart health, elevate your mood, burn off calories, and do everything from protecting your eyes to boosting your sexual health and pleasure, vegetables are the best nutritional bargain in the universe Eat them, wherever and whenever you see them

THE SCIENCEY STUFF: The caloric value of

most vegetables is so low, that the simple process

of eating and digesting greens burns as many calories as what’s contained in the food Need more proof? Researchers in New York surveyed more than 2,000 dieters and those who were most successful, felt the fullest, and lost the most weight ate at least 4 servings of vegetables per day Plus, vegetables, especially green, leafy vegetables like spinach and Brussels sprouts, are packed with folate As you read above, folate, a B vitamin, is the holy grail of nutrients—scientists believe that the best way to tell if you’re eating

a healthy diet is to measure your levels of this nutrient Folate—which, by the way, is harder and harder for Americans to come by as we move away from vegetables and toward more packaged

and processed foods—has been shown to fight

depression and weight gain Indeed, in one study,

dieters with the highest levels of folate lost eight

and a half times as much weight as those with the

lowest levels

Your goal: At least 3 servings of vegetables each

day, including fresh and frozen varieties (But

we’d prefer you eat more—vegetables are like a

“get out of the hospital free” card, so eat them

whenever and wherever you can.)

3 Fruits

THE HIGHLIGHTS: As a good rule of thumb,

the more colorful your diet, the healthier you’re

probably eating That’s because color = nutrition

And the easiest (and tastiest) way to get color

into your diet is to eat a variety of fruits—yellow

pineapples, green kiwis, red strawberries, orange,

um, oranges Different colors represent different

nutrients, so the wider the variety, the better

THE SCIENCEY STUFF: Fruits contain natural

sugars that, when broken down by your body,

are synthesized in your liver This may sound like

technical nonsense, but it’s an important benefit

for your waistline Because the sugar is processed

in your liver, it doesn’t spike your insulin levels,

meaning you’re less likely to store this energy as

fat Select any of your favorite fruits—either fresh

or frozen—and use them as a daily snack or as an

energy boost before or after your workout

Your goal: 2-4 servings of fruit each day,

including fresh, frozen and dried fruit This is not

hard Have some raisin bran, eat an apple, and

grab a couple of pieces of pineapple off the salad

bar You’re done

4 Oils and Other Healthy Fats

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Eating fat won’t make you fat

any more than eating money will make you rich

And the right kinds of fats can actually make you

slimmer Your body is designed to burn fat for

energy So by timing your fat intake, you’ll not only

trigger weight loss, you can fuel your workouts

more effectively—and see even greater gains in

the gym

THE SCIENCEY STUFF: The fats we want you

to concentrate on are: monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), the healthy oils found in olives, nuts, seeds, avocado, acai, and even chocolate; and omega-3s fatty acids, which are found in cold-water fish, grass fed meats, nuts, seeds, and some fruits These fats can lower your risk of heart disease, protect cells from damage, help encourage muscle growth, and increase the amounts of valuable nutrients available from other foods But more shockingly, scientists in Italy found that people who ate diets with higher amounts of fat burned more blubber during exercise

Your goal: 2-3 servings per day That might

include some guacamole, some pasta with olive oil, some salad dressing Note: You’ll also be getting healthy monounsaturated fats from nuts (see the next item) While you want to eat plenty

of those, make sure you’re also getting enough healthy fats from the above sources as well

5 Nuts, beans, legumes

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Nuts, beans, lentils, and

peanuts are like little weight-loss pills Every time you pop one, you’re getting closer to your goal Try to think of them that way, and you’ll find yourself noshing almonds, enjoying some bean dip, ordering bean burritos, or spreading peanut butter on everything

THE SCIENCEY STUFF: One study found that

people who eat ¾ cup of beans daily weigh 6.6 pounds less than those who don’t eat beans, even thought the bean eaters consumed 199 more calories per day (See? Eat more, weigh less.) And researchers from Georgia Southern University found that eating a high-protein, high-fat snack, such as almonds, increases your resting calorie burn for up to 3.5 hours According to a study

in the Journal of Nutrition, you can snack on nuts without worrying about accumulating extra pounds, because the body doesn’t absorb all the fat in nuts

Your goal: Shoot for at least 2 servings a day

from this category

6 Grains

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Do you react to carbs the way

citizens of Tokyo react to Godzilla? Relax! There’s

nothing inherently wrong with carbohydrates,

unless food scientists get ahold of them and

turn them bright orange, electric lavender, or

fluorescent green Healthy carbs like whole

grains, pasta, pitas and the like can and should be

a staple of your daily diet They provide energy and

help facilitate the muscle building process Whole

grain breads, pastas, brown rice are obvious

choices But don’t be afraid to branch out: Quinoa

and oats are packed with fiber and so protein-rich

they practically count as meat!

THE SCIENCEY STUFF: Researchers at Penn

State University compared people who ate whole

grains to those who ate refined grains, and found

that whole-grain eaters lost 2.4 times more belly

fat than ones who ate refined grains The high

fiber helps, but these results go beyond simple

satiety Whole grains more favorably affect

blood-glucose levels, which means they don’t cause wild

swings in blood sugar and ratchet up cravings

after you eat them Plus, the antioxidants in whole

grains help control inflammation and insulin (a

hormone that tells your body to store fat)

Your goal: 2-4 servings per day, aiming to eat

at least 1 serving both before and after your

workouts

7 Dairy

THE HIGHLIGHTS: Turns out that milk does a

body good…and so does cheese, yogurt, and even

ice cream Most people know that the calcium

in dairy strengthens your bones, but the list of

benefits is longer than the cheese menu at a

snooty French restaurant Something as simple

as drinking a glass of milk per day can help stave

off a heart attack and stroke In one study, British

researchers found that subjects who drank milk

at least once per day had a 16 percent decrease

in heart disease risk and were 20 percent less

likely to suffer from a stroke The calcium found

in dairy lowers your blood pressure and creates a

healthier environment for your heart

THE SCIENCEY STUFF: According to a report in

the Archives of Internal Medicine, experts believe that up to 77 percent of Americans are vitamin

D deficient Vitamin D is important because a deficiency can make it harder for you to lose weight So drink your milk, but don’t be afraid to reach for the whole milk The smoother, tastier version not only suppresses your appetite, but it’s also healthy for you A major review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found

no association between the saturated fat in whole milk and clogged coronary arteries And don’t sweat the calories: The difference between whole and low-fat milk is a paltry 20 calories

Your goal: 2-4 servings per day Be sure to eat

something from this category (or from the protein-rich dairy category) as part of your pre-workout and post-workout meals

The Superfood Daily Cheat Sheet

Meats and Eggs = 2-3 servings Vegetables = 3 or more servings Fruits = 2-4 servings

Oils And Other Healthy Fats = 2-3 servings Nuts, Beans, Legumes = 2 servings

Grains = 2-4 servings Dairy = 2-4 servings

A WORD ABOUT COUNTING CALORIES

No matter how healthy you eat, consuming more calories than your body burns is a surefire route to weight gain That’s why many diet plans are based

on counting calories, using very tightly managed caloric calculations to ensure that dieters never

go over their allotted food intake

At Women’s Health, we’ve spent the last decade studying calorie-counting systems, using the absolute best science and soliciting the finest mathematical minds, and boiling these intensely intricate scientific findings into an equation anyone can understand The ultimate calorie intake

formula looks like this:

Caloric intake x BMI2/waist circumference – (3500/24 + 7) = $%#*&@ BORING!

Look, we know you’re busy Who wants to whip

out a calculator each time you sit down to a

well-deserved meal? It’s far more effective in the long

run to train your brain to recognize correct portion

sizes so you learn to eat mindfully After all, diets

made from gimmicks don’t work; and in the end

counting calories is simply a gimmick

It’s going to take some practice, because

over the past 30 years, food marketers have

tricked out their offerings, burying normal-sized

servings in biggie sizes and “extra value” meals

that don’t look at all like portions are supposed

to The problem is most egregious at America’s

restaurants, where they now market meal-size

plates as appetizers, family-size platters as single

entrees, and small kiddie pools as beverages A

2008 study by the USDA found that Americans

eat an average of 107 more calories each time

they choose to eat at a restaurant And a 2002

study looking at restaurant portions found that

the average restaurant pasta dish was nearly

five times bigger than the USDA’s recommended

serving! Steaks and bagels were more than

three times as big as one serving should be, and

hamburgers more than double

So how can the average woman defend herself

against calorie counts and serving sizes that are

ballooning faster than the national debt? How

can you become a nutritional Tea Party of one,

cutting down on excess caloric spending while still

getting the fat, protein, fiber and other nutrients

you need? And how can you do it all the same way

you pick out a new nail polish—by eyeballing it?

The answer is in the palm of your hand Literally

For solid foods, a serving size is equal to:

Meats: The size of your palm

Vegetables and fruits: As big as a tight fist

Oils And Other Healthy Fats:

A teaspoon is equal to the end of your thumb,

from the knuckle up

Nuts, beans and legumes: Whatever fits in the

palm of your hand

Grains: The size of a tight fist

Dairy: The size of your palm

THE WOMEN’S HEALTH NUTRITION SYSTEM

IN ACTION

Here’s a quick look at your diet plan

(Yep, it’s a lot of food!)

Part One: EAT THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY

Breakfasts: When you shift calories to the

morning, you lose weight and keep it off So eat the bulk of your daily calories—30 to 35 percent

of your total intake—in the morning by splitting breakfast into two meals If you usually skip breakfast, you’ll discover that you’ll actually eat fewer calories and gain less weight simply by eating two breakfasts every day That’s right— you’ll lose weight if you eat more

1st Breakfast: You’ll jumpstart your morning

metabolism and begin burning fat right away with a combination of calorie-burning, muscle-enhancing protein, and some carbohydrates to keep you full for hours The meal can be a simple grab-and-go infusion of energy to start your day, such as a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt The protein and carbs in dairy slow muscle protein breakdown, which promotes muscle growth, fat loss, lessens muscle damage and reduces inflammation And, according to Australian scientists, drinking milk for breakfast limits afternoon and nighttime binges Want to cook? Have fried eggs on whole grain toast with your morning cup of coffee

2nd Breakfast: Give your brain and your body

a boost an hour later by eating a protein-packed meal that includes vegetables or fruit for mood-boosting brainpower Have walnut flax oatmeal with some yogurt and blueberries for a shot of omega-3s and brain-busting antioxidants If you’re about to hit the gym, a protein-packed smoothie combining fruits and a scoop of whey powder might be your best bet

NOTE: Part of the reason we’re giving you two

breakfasts is to fit this diet into your lifestyle more easily, and to reduce your stress levels If you’re

an early rising, make-the-most-of-your-morning kind of person, then enjoy a big breakfast and grab a snack on the way to work If you’re always stressed and rushed in the a.m., just chug a glass

of milk, and then swing by the drive-through for an egg sandwich, or keep cereal and fruit stashed in

your desk.

Lunch: Lunch is a pit stop to allow you to take on

the fuel you need to power through the afternoon

Aim for at least three servings of vegetables—

which are mainly water, fiber, and vitamins, so

they will keep you hydrated and full with healthy

calories Then add in quality proteins, healthy fats,

and whole grains So choose thick vegetable-rich

soups, bean dip or hummus sandwiches loaded

with raw crisp vegetables on whole-grain bread,

salads with grilled lean meats, or fish dressed

with olive oil and vinegar or spices

Dinner: Studies show that if you start your dinner

with a small side salad dressed with olive oil and

vinegar, or steamed folate-rich vegetables like

kale, spinach, collard greens, or Swiss chard,

you’ll decrease your overall food intake by 12

percent while taking in satiating fiber and

disease-fighting nutrients Plus, folate-rich greens will give

you a mood boost Twice a week, alternate your

main dishes between beans or lentils and whole

grains to ensure variety Bean eaters live longer,

and studies show an inverse relationship between

bean consumption and weight, mostly due to

beans’ high fiber content Twice a week, eat fish,

which is rich in omega-3s Fish will lower your risk

of heart disease, protect your cells from damage,

and increase the amounts of valuable nutrients

available from other foods The rest of the week,

choose between your favorite sources of protein,

such as poultry, seafood, or beef

Snacks: You can’t lose weight and keep it off

unless you snack! In fact, studies show that

people who avoid eating between meals may

end up consuming more calories overall, mostly

because hungry people make bad food choices

Choose plain yogurt and blueberries, red

bell-pepper slices and cottage cheese, and whole-grain

cereal and milk, apples and cheese, guacamole

and tortilla chips, and walnuts and raspberries

Part Two: EAT THIS ON WORKOUT DAYS

Do you have to work out? No

Then again, do you have to save for retirement?

No Do you have to check the tires on your car for

safety? No Do you have to spend time with your

in-laws? No You don’t have to do anything if you

don’t want to Go lie down on the couch, pour a glass of wine, and keep up with the Kardashians if you want

But you’re a grown-up You understand that choices have consequences You realize that investing today—in your body, in your financial future, in your family—will pay off later So we’ve created an exercise program that will help you see a lifetime of gains, and begin paying off immediately (and probably a lot better than your 401k does) You’ll read about it elsewhere in this missive

But actually getting your sweat on is only part of the strategy If you want to see the most dramatic changes to your body, it’s important that you time your meals around your workouts This simple trick will allow you to eat more calories to fuel muscle enhancement without gaining excess fat In fact, exercisers who eat a protein-and-carbohydrate-rich meal right before and right after their workouts build twice as much muscle as those who wait at least 5 hours to eat

We’ve been presumptuous here, and imagined that you work out at lunchtime In that case, your 2nd breakfast becomes your pre-workout meal, and lunch becomes your post-workout meal But if you work out in the evening, then make your afternoon snack your pre-workout meal, and dinner your post-workout meal Morning exercise? Breakfast one becomes pre-workout, breakfast two becomes post-workout Maximum flexibility for maximum results—that’s what this program is all about

Pre-workout When you eat before a workout,

those calories go towards fueling your body to work optimally during your time in the gym—plus you’ll improve your mood and give yourself the burst of energy you need to motivate you to exercise Dutch and British researchers found that eating before your workout speeds muscle growth

by blunting your body’s receptivity to cortisol,

a fat-storing stress hormone That speeds fat loss during your workout, and for an additional

24 hours, according to scientists at Syracuse University Just make sure to include a balance

of protein and carbohydrates Eat 1 serving of carbohydrates with 1 serving of protein within 30 minutes before your workout A great way to do this with minimal fuss? Drink a protein smoothie

Post-workout After your workout, consuming

protein helps your body recover by providing a

fresh infusion of amino acids to repair and build

muscle And carbohydrates will raise your insulin

levels, which slows protein breakdown and speeds

muscle growth after your workout Eat 1 serving

of carbohydrates with 1 serving of protein 30

minutes after working out BONUS: After you lift

weights, your body’s fat storage pathways are

shut off while your fat-burning mechanisms are

turned on So if you like the occasional cookie or

cupcake, now’s the time to indulge You won’t use

your stored protein for energy; you’ll rely instead

on the carbs to replenish you And the food you eat

will not only help you see your toned midsection,

but also build lean muscle

THE WOMEN’S HEALTH DIET SHOPPING LIST

Meats and Eggs

Chicken, ground beef (preferably 15% fat or less),

sirloin steak, top round, pork, eggs, turkey, turkey

sausage, tuna, salmon, sea bass, tilapia, trout,

cod, flounder, halibut, grouper, mahi mahi, orange

roughy, shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, whey

protein powder, casein protein powder

Vegetables

Fresh: scallions, sprouts, beets, kale, Swiss

chard, collard greens, tomatoes, garlic, bell

peppers, romaine lettuce, celery, spinach, carrots,

artichoke, asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage,

cauliflower, cucumber, garlic, green beans, leeks,

mushrooms, onions, radish

Frozen: Broccoli florets, peas

Fruits

Fresh: Bananas, cantaloupe, mangoes, lemon,

lime, apples, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears,

melon, pineapple

Frozen: Blueberries, mixed berries

Dried: Raisins, prunes, apricots

Oils and Other Healthy Fats

Avocado, olives, olive oil, grapeseed oil, sesame

oil, canola oil

Nuts, Beans and Legumes

Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, sunflower

seeds, sesame seeds, ground flax seeds, black beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, red lentils

Spreads: Peanut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter (no salt or sugar added), black currant jam, black bean dip, hummus

Grains

Fresh or dried pasta, instant oatmeal (no salt or sugar added), oats, grain cereal, whole-grain bread, whole-wheat flour tortilla wraps, whole-wheat English muffins, whole-wheat pita chips, long-grain rice, quinoa, bagels

Dairy

Whole milk or 1-2% milk, chocolate milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, string-cheese sticks, ice cream, cottage cheese

Miscellaneous foods

Use these herbs, spices, and sauces to add rich flavors to your meals: Basil, parsley, cilantro, cayenne, watercress, cumin, curry powder, chili powder, cinnamon, red-pepper flakes, low-sodium soy sauce, red-wine vinegar, cider vinegar

SAMPLE WOWOMEN’S HEALTH DIET 5-DAY MEAL PLAN

NOTE: We’ve given you a plan that supposes you’ll work out three times a week, at lunchtime But maybe your life doesn’t run that way Maybe you need to get up early to exercise, or you can’t hit the gym until your workday is done Not a problem—again, the Women’s Health Nutrition System is all about maximum flexibility for maximum muscle enhancement (and maximum fat burn)

Just remember two rules:

1 Always eat a little something before you work out

2 Always eat a lot of something after you work out

So if you need to make breakfast #1 small, then work out, then eat a bigger breakfast #2, great If you want to have a bigger breakfast to start the day, then a small second breakfast pre-workout,