easily incorporated into your body. Phase 2 literally transforms your body’s composition, building muscle where you need it and torching fat where you don’t, taking the raw materials and creating a beautiful temple called you.
My meat-loving clients really enjoy this phase, and formerlow-carbers are comfortable here, too. If you love a dinner of steak and salad, or pork loin and broccoli, or filet of sole with asparagus, you’ll enjoy this phase. You probably won’t even miss those carbs because you just had so many of them during Phase 1. And remember, Phase 2 only lasts for two days. Those two days will fly by when you think about how much fat you’re Unlock ing and how much metabolism-firing muscle you’re building.
WHAT ADAY LOOKS LIKE—PHASE 2
In Phase 2, you are going to wake up in the morning and have breakfast within 30 minutes of waking. You will have a lean protein and a veggie, such as an egg-white omelet with spinach or turkey bacon wrapped in lettuce leaves.
Two or three hours later, you’ll have a protein snack. You can add green veggies to it if you like. You might choose buffalo jerky or roast beef with cucumber slices or a few pieces of nitrate-free deli chicken.
Lunch consists of another protein and vegetable. You might choosegrilled chicken on salad with lettuce and lots of Phase 2 veggies, or Tuna Salad–Stuffed Red Pepper . And don’t forget that you can also have leftovers from any Phase 2 dinner.
For your afternoon snack, you get to have more protein—maybe more jerky or three hard-boiled egg whites or tuna in celery.
For dinner, you’ll have another protein and more veggies. Maybe you’ll enjoy Broiled Halibut with Broccoli , chicken breast with asparagus, or Pepperoncini Pork Roast with steamed spinach. If you aren’t used to eatinglow-carb, Phase 2 may seem Spartan, but remember, it’s only for two days and it’s doing great things for you! Also, it might be easier than you think because low-carb meals tend to suppress the appetite, as long as you don’t stay on them for too long.
PHASE 2 SUPER-SIMPLE CRASH STASH SNACKS
Turkey Jerky
Canned tuna in water
Smoked salmon with cucumber
Hard-boiled egg whites
For more Phase 2 snacks, see the recipes in Chapter Eleven .
WHAT IF YOU DON’T LIKE LOW-CARB?
And if you don’t love this stage? Phase 2 can feel difficult if you love your fruit, your starches, your morning oatmeal, but it’s just for two days, and you’re going to accomplish a lot. Everything you’ve fed your body in Phase 1 is nourishing your building efforts in Phase 2. Like I said, it’s only two days. You don’t have to be over-the-moon about Phase 2. That’s fine. We’re repairing the metabolism here, not sending you to an amusement park. If it really irritates you to eat like this, go take it out on some really heavy weights. Leave it all at the gym and feel the burn as you sculpt your body.
Think of it this way: if you have to go to physical therapy for an injury, you probably love the massage part, but you might hate the 4,000 daily toe flexes. But both are essential for your recovery. Some parts are tough, but it’s all part of the rehabilitation, so if you find yourself whining, here’s what I have to say to you: I am proud of you for existing outside of your comfort zone. You’re more than fine. You are doing the work that needs to be done to heal. So keep it up.
Besides, it’s time for Phase 3, and you’re going to
love
it there.
PHASE 3: UNLEASH THE BURN—HORMONES, HEART, AND HEAT
YOURPOCKET GUIDE
THE BASICS
This is the high healthy–fat, moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein,low-glycemic fruit phase.
High in healthy fats such as:
Nuts and seeds
Olives
Avocados
Olive oil
Coconuts
Higher-fat proteins in moderate amounts such as:
Salmon
Hemp seeds
Sesame and almond butter
Hummus
Lower-glycemic fruits such as:
Blackberries
Cranberries
Blueberries
Grapefruit
Raspberries
Lemons and limes
Lower-glycemic vegetables such
James Kakalios
Tara Fox Hall
K. Sterling
Jonathan Maberry
Mary Balogh
Elizabeth Moynihan
Jane Hunt
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley
Jacquie Rogers
Shiloh Walker