The 20/20 Diet (28 page)

get as fatigued by everyday physical tasks.

4. Sharper Mind:
Junk food and fast f
BOOKS,

ood have been shown in studies to

impair brain function. Think about that for a second: the food you eat has a direct impact on how your brain works. Eating healthier could not only affect your weight but may help you to feel less “foggy” and to think more clearly.

5. More Energy:
Eating healthy and exercising could also help you feel more energetic. Carrying around extra weight could be one of

the reasons you feel worn out. For example, if you are 20 pounds

overweight, just imagine picking up a 20-pound piece of furniture,

strapping it to y
STREET

our back, and hauling it around everywhere you go.

That’s basically what you’ve been doing with the extra weight. So as

you lose weight, you might find the get-up-and-go that you’ve been

missing all this time.

6. Better Sleep:
Studies suggest that people who eat healthy are more likel
BIRD

y to sleep better. Regular exercise is also an important factor in

helping you rest easier.

7. Blood Pressure:
Lowering your sodium intake and adding plenty

of whole fruits and vegetables to your diet may help you maintain a

healthy blood pressure. Exercise can also have an effect on your blood

pressure.

Your Return to Health | 179

8.
Cholesterol:
Healthy eating and exercise can also be an important part of maintaining a healthy cholesterol.

9. C-Reactive Protein:
This test is an indication of how much inflammation there is in your body. Doctors now believe that inflammation

is at the core of most modern-day diseases, including heart disease,

diabetes, cancer, and more. A healthy, balanced diet and exercise

could have an effect on your C-reactive protein level.

10. Blood Sugars:
Bad food habits such as large portions, er
INC.

ratic meal

schedules, and high-fat, high-sugar, low-fiber foods can all wreak havoc on your blood sugar. Like other effects on health, healthy eating and

exercise can help support your blood glucose levels and help your body

process sugar and insulin.

Acknowledge and Attribute

In chapter 3, we talked about observin
BOOKS,

g yourself succeeding at some-

thing, acknowledging that you are living to your potential, and making

a positive attribution to yourself regarding that competency. Right now, I want you to observe and acknowledge that you are doing something

good for your health by committing to losing weight.

Think about any health-related changes you have experienced

since starting this diet, such an overall sense of feeling better. Write it down, and then recognize that you are someone who has made their

health a priority.

What’s Age Got t
STREET

o Do with It?

Ask any woman over the age of 40 if it’s harder to lose weight (and eas-

ier to gain it) and you will hear a resounding YES! It’s an unfortunate

fact o
BIRD

f life that aging, and specifically the fluctuations in hormones

associated with aging, has a drastic effect on weight, particularly in

women.

Yes, changing hormones make women’s bodies more likely to

store fat and harder for them to lose it. If you’re “of a certain age”

180 | The 20/20 Diet

and carrying around a lot of extra weight, you should be aware that

research shows you’re at an even
higher
risk of type 2 diabetes, various cancers (including colorectal and breast cancer), and heart disease

than when you were younger.

So just like with weight loss resistance that I discussed in chap-

ter 11, if you are older and worried about being able to lose weight,

I recommend that you talk to your doctor about the be
INC.

st course of

action.

Even though it might not be as easy to drop 10 pounds as it was

when you were 20 years old, with the help of your doctor, you
can
do it.

But What if Fat Is in My Genes?

As scientists continue to discover more about the human genome,

they’re finding out that we have genetic predispositions for numer-

ous health risks, and obesity is no e
BOOKS,

xception. Lately, there has been

some buzz in the media about something referred to as the “fat gene,”

or “obesity gene.” It’s actually an extremely common genetic variant,

which more than a third of the American population carries. But our

genes are not the sole determinants of our destiny. Far from it!

Even if you carry this gene variant, and even if you are overweight

or obese, there were a lot of other factors that had to exist in order for you to get that way. Your environment and your decisions about food,

exercise, and life
STREET

style, also likely played a role at how you arrived at

this point. Your genetics may have given your body the green light,

but ultimately,
you
were driving that car.

But, studies suggest that healthy eating and exercise can play an

important role in helping you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

In one meta-analysis of 45 studies on over 200,000 adults, research-

er
BIRD

s found that of people who have the obesity gene, those who were

getting even a little physical exercise were at a 27 percent lower risk of being overweight or obese. That’s all very encouraging!

So you see, your genes do not control you. Even your DNA

shoudn’t stand in your way of a healthier, happier life.

Your Return to Health | 181

Living Life to the Ful est

Returning to health means being able to live your life to its fullest

potential now and in the future. So take control over your health now

and start implementing this plan. I don’t want you to miss out on all

the incredible things life has to offer, and all that
you
have to offer the world, because you were too scared to make a change.

Don’t you wonder what amazing things you could acc
INC.

omplish if

you turned the tide on your life, lost weight, and allowed your body

systems to function at a higher level? Stop wondering and start trans-

forming. It could be the best decision you’ll ever make.

BOOKS,

STREET

BIRD

182 | The 20/20 Diet

14

CONCLUSION:

THE NEW YOU
INC.

Ibelieve we can create moments in time in which all things wrong

can be made right. In this book, I
BOOKS,

’ve told you what you have to be

willing to do in order to succeed at righting the wrongs when it comes

to your weight, your health, and your self-image, and hopefully, you’ve

already started doing those things every day.

In a book I wrote called
Life Code
, I included a playbook of important strategies, mindsets, tactics, and behaviors to create more of what you want in your life, which I referred to as the “Sweet 16.” The

very first strategy is: you must have a defined “image” and never go out of character.

Since you’v
STREET

e begun losing weight and resetting your health, how

has your defined image changed? Are you projecting a persona of

good fitness because your coworkers and friends see you going to the

gym on a regular basis? Do others perceive you as someone who makes

nutritious, healthful food choices because of the way you order when

you’re at a restaurant? Does your family now understand that your

heal
BIRD

th is a top priority because you create time for yourself in the

schedule?

I’m betting your defined image has shifted in more ways than you

might realize, so now you need to embrace that. Identify your new-

found strengths and commit to the healthy image and statement that

you’re projecting.

183

You do what works for you in your life. The difference between

now and before you started this diet is that you’re seeking a different

end goal. Before, you ate what you ate, thought what you thought,

and did what you did because that worked to generate the same results

they had always generated. That was enough for you then, but it’s not

enough for you anymore. Now, you’ve set your sights on a new weight

and way of life, so you’re doing what works to generate thos
INC.

e
new
end

goals. But it doesn’t mean you’re immune to backsliding, so if you feel

yourself giving up some of your control over your habits and behav-

iors, return to the pages of this book and the phases of this diet to

regain your command.

Another important strategy from
Life Code
is to master the system (be it your workplace, your relationships—anything) and figure out

a way to make it work for you. The better you know the system, the

better you understand the game and how it’s played, thus, the more

likely you are to win. This is true of thi
BOOKS,

s diet. Learn it, understand it,

and make the lifestyle changes necessary to implement it so you can

win at losing weight now and keep winning in the long run.

I want you to get what you want, and then
keep
it and build on it.

By finally losing the weight that was holding you back and doing it in

a healthy manner, you’ve opened the door to brand new opportunities

to live your life, your way. You’ve fundamentally changed your view of

yourself and how you approach everything. Now, you’ve seen yourself

start a diet with habits that last a lifetime, and you can look forward

to a lot of
first
time
STREET

s of new, healthy, positive experiences ahead.

Here’s to the new you!

BIRD

184 | The 20/20 Diet

APPENDIX A

Grocery Lists

Phase 1 Shopping List
(
*
= 20/20 Food)

INC.

DAIRY

Eggs, large*

Yogurt—nonfat (0%) vanilla

Greek yogurts (made with real

sugar, not artificial sweetener)*

FRESH FRUIT

Apples, small (about 2 ¾), your

Lemons

choice (Red Delicious, Golden

Plums, dried*

Delicious, Granny Smith, etc.)*

BOOKS,

Raisins*

FRESH VEGGIES/PRODUCE

Chickpeas, bagged or canned*

Mixed greens, your choice (aru-

Garlic

gula, baby mixed greens, bok

Lentils, bagged, steamed vacuum

choy, endive, field greens, radic-

sealed, or canned*

chio, red leaf lettuce, romaine,

Tofu, extra firm*
STREET
baby spinach, watercress, etc.)*

SPICES AND OILS

Cinnamon

Coconut oil*

Dijon mustard*

Olive oil, extra virgin*

NUTS

Alm
BIRD

onds, unsalted raw or dry

Pistachios, unsalted, shelled*

roasted*

Walnuts, halved*

Peanut butter, all natural*

PASTAS, OATS, AND GRAINS

Rye crisps, whole grain

185

MEATS/PROTEINS

Cod, fresh*

Whey protein powder,

unsweetened*

BEVERAGES

Natural green tea*

Phase 2 Shopping List
(
*
= 20/20 Food)

Keep in mind: This grocery list covers everything in all of t
INC.

he

Phase 2 meals. If there are certain meals you don’t plan to make,

you don’t need to purchase all the ingredients.

DAIRY

Eggs, large*

Yogurt—nonfat (0%) vanilla

Le
BOOKS,

Greek yogurts (made with real

sugar, not artificial sweetener)*

FRESH FRUIT

Apples, small (about 2 ¾), your

mons

choice (Red Delicious, Golden

Oranges

Delicious, Granny Smith, etc.)*

Plums, dried*

Blueberries

Raisins*

Grapes, seedless, your choice (red,

green, black)

STREET

FRESH VEGGIES/PRODUCE

Avocado

Mixed greens, your choice

Carrots

(arugula, baby mixed greens,

Chickpeas, bagged or canned*

bok choy, endive, field greens,

Cilantro

radicchio, red leaf lettuce,

romaine, baby spinach,

Garlic

watercress, etc.)*

Gra
BIRD

pe tomatoes

Mushrooms

Lentils, bagged, steamed vacuum

Spinach*

sealed, or canned*

Tofu, extra firm*

Romaine leaves*

Tomatoes

186 | The 20/20 Diet

FROZEN FRUIT AND VEGGIES

Blueberries, unsweetened

Corn

SPICES AND OILS

Balsamic vinegar

Dijon mustard*

Black pepper

Dill, dried

Cayenne pepper (optional)

Italian herb seasoning, salt free,

Cinnamon

dried

Coconut oil*

Olive oil, extra virgin*

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Vegetable broth, low s
INC.

odium

NUTS

Almonds, unsalted raw or dry

Pistachios, unsalted, shelled*

roasted*

Sunflower seeds