LG Diet FAQ

Below are some common questions on your diet, training and cardio. Make sure you read all of them.
Note: Perhaps you have received a special document outlining your progression for weight training if you choose
muscle gain as your priority. If so, the weight training related questions here might not apply. They are instead
covered in full in your progression guide. However, you should read the Training section in this FAQ anyway, as there
are other training related questions that apply to everyone.
For fat loss, the weight training guidelines are covered on your Training Principles sheet in your Excel file, and all the
weight training related questions in this FAQ apply.

Diet
Q: I dont like (insert random food item here), what can I eat instead?
A: Everything in the plan is exchangeable and can be replaced with something else with similar caloric/macronutrient
values. Chicken breast may be replaced by another type of lean meat, and broccoli may be replaced by another
fibrous vegetable, for example. Or something else entirely (i.e veggies can be replaced with lentils/pasta/potatoes,
meats with any other protein item, liquid or whole etc). Volume/quantity of the food need not be the same, but the
meals should match calorie/macronutrient wise.
If you have a look at the Diet Guidelines sheet, there is a collection of recommended protein, fat and carbohydrate
foods for different days (Recommended food choices for). Look here for ideas. Key point is that you stay close to
the calorie/macronutrient intakes given for each respective day.
Use common sense when trading foods in your sample meal plan. You do not trade veggies and fruit for white bread,
for example. Go with filling foods, first and foremost. You want to maximize satiety throughout your diet, and I have
set up your diet with this in mind. But if you find yourself stuffed and bloated/not feeling well eating that much, go for
more calorie dense food exchanges (i.e protein shakes instead of whole food protein, rice instead of lentils, fruit or
starch instead of veggies, and so forth).

Q: You only included sample menus for Monday and Tuesday? *

A: That's right. One sample meal plan for training days, one for rest days. Sometimes, a third sample meal plan for
Rest Day B/C. I have shown you how to set up a meal plan in order to meet the calorie and macronutrient intake for
those days. You hardly need a meal plan for each single day of the week, as you only have two different
calorie/macronutrient setups to follow. It is up to you to vary it and swap foods that are more in line to your personal
preferences.
*there may be more in your meal plan depending on complexity/calorie cycling. Check the hyperlinks on Client sheet.

Q: What supplements should I be taking?

A: Each day, take a multivitamin, 500 mg calcium* and 3 g fish oil with either of your meals. No particular brands
recommended. Generic is often just as good as pricier alternatives. Also, consider taking 2000 IU of Vitamin D3 (the
more common form av Vitamin D, other one is called D2 and is far less potent). This is not essential by any means,
but may have benefits for general health and bone metabolism.
For additional/optional supplements (fat loss, performance etc), see this post:
http://www.leangains.com/2010/01/supplements-you-might-actually-find_09.html

Q: Can I have protein shakes?

A: You can substitute some of the whole food proteins with protein shakes, but this is generally not something I would
recommend doing on a diet. Liquid calories should be minimized as they provide little satiety in comparison to whole
foods, and protein shakes are no different in this regard. This is especially important for clients with a low
maintenance intake; theres more leeway for protein shakes for the 225 lbs male client, than for the 135 lbs female
client, for example. Go with whole food protein first hand.
Include shakes only if you a) have a problem eating the amount of protein from whole foods in your sample meal
plan, or b) its needed for practical reasons.

Q: Can I have a whey shake instead of (whole food protein) in meal 3?

A: For the last meal of the day, you need a slowly absorbing protein to provide you with amino acids for a prolonged
time period. Protein from casein and other whole food sources, like egg protein, is absorbed slowly, with rates
ranging from 2-5 g per hour. This is desirable for the fast. With whey, absorption is very rapid (10 g/hr), which is far
from ideal when you wont be eating for 16 hrs.
Therefore, stick with cottage cheese, egg protein or meat and veggies for meal 3. If you have to consume whey
protein, use it during meal 1 or 2.

Q: What kind of protein supplement do you recommend? I'm about to order and need some input.
A: Milk protein isolate (consists of 20-25% whey/ 75-80% casein) is the hands down best allround choice. Works as a
meal replacement. Is more satiating than whey, and some might argue more satiating than casein. It's thicker and
mixes well with water - you can make a great protein pudding out of it for that reason.
Although I don't think that shakes, or supplemental protein like BCAA, is necessary if you had a pre-workout meal, it
works well enough as a post-workout shake.
Works very well as a bed time protein, due to the relatively high amounts of casein.
So, if you want to buy just one type of protein, make it a milk protein isolate. I'm not too familiar with international
brands, as I personally use a local brand (Eiselt, DoublePro). I know True Protein has some cheap and good tasting
powders, so you might want to look into that, or browse some forums to see what other people would recommend.
For whey and casein, see the recommendations in the blog post linked earlier.

Q: Why is protein so high?

A: Protein is kept high for three reasons.

1) Highest TEF* of all macronutrients; 20-25% of the energy gets wasted as heat, making the true metabolic impact
closer to 3,25 kcal/g** (carbs and fat have a TEF around 2-4%, making the effect negligible).
* = Thermic Effect of Feeding.
** = Livesey. Metabolizable energy of macronutrients. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Nov;62(5 Suppl):1135S-1142S
2) Greatest effect on satiety.
3) Spares muscle protein stores. While, 1 g/lb may be adequate assuming energy balance, it is not so during dieting
conditions. In a calorie deficit, de novo gluconeogenesis, which is the conversion of dietary protein or muscle protein
to carbs, is greatly accelerated. Having an ample supply of protein available from the diet, ample in this case being
much more than enough (>1 g/lb), prevents amino acids from muscle being used in the DNL process.
A high protein intake will therefore result in faster fat loss, greater satiety and muscle preservation. Its a key
component of an effective diet.

Q: I am having problems with gas, any suggestions?

A: If youre eating according to the sample meal plans, odds are that the intake of fiber, via fibrous veggies, is a lot
higher than what you are used to.
This gets a lot better over time, as does adjusting to the protein intake. If the problem persists, and you find it
unbearable, the best course of action is simply to reduce vegetable intake a bit. Replace with more protein and carbs.
For example, if youd like to cut broccoli intake in half, say to 300 g, that yields 60 kcal (9 g protein, 6 g carbs) that
you should add to your diet in place of the veggies. You could do that by adding 50 g lean meat (10 g protein, 1-2 g
fat) to one of your meals, for example. Or add half an apple (12 g carbs).

Gradually bump veggie intake back up when digestion catches up to speed. If you're coming off a low carb diet, this is
quite common - especially if veggie intake was kept on the low side for a longer time period.
Q: There is no way I can eat this much protein. I don't feel hungry. I will go for the protein shakes. As I don't
feel hungry, I will be buying whey. Milk proteins are very rare here and the one I found was extremely
expensive, same with casein.
A: Good. If you're not feeling hungry, fat loss will be a breeze. That's one of the secrets behind the success I've had
with so many clients.
Remember, you don't need to eat meat and it's ok to sub meat for protein shakes. No need to force-feed, and it's
even ok to skimp a little bit on the protein grams until you get used to it. However, I suggest you eat the protein first
handand try to cut down on carbs and fat if you feel too stuffed.
Now, as for protein substitutions, whey is ok, but for the last meal of the day, try to get some slow digesting protein in
- cottage cheese, egg protein or meat with some vegetables (to slow down protein digestion, since meat is
considered a fast protein when eaten on its own). Whey absorption is rapid about 10 g/hour, and youll want
something slower that will prevent protein catabolism during the 16 hour fast that follows the last meal. You could still
add some whey to the last meal, but make sure you add something to slow absorption (i.e veggies). Thats important.

Below are some examples of protein absorption of a few common protein sources. This has been measured on an
empty stomach. When you have foods digesting from other meals, like you would have during meal 3, absorption is
slowed. Same when you eat the protein source with other foods.

Protein Absorption Rate (g/hour)

Cooked Egg Protein 2.9
Pea Protein 3.5
Milk Protein 3.5
Soy Protein Isolate 3.9
Casein Isolate * 6.1
Whey Isolate 8-10
Meat ** 10.0

*Casein isolate = shake, not cottage cheese. Absorption of cottage cheese is a lot slower.
** Meat is tricky, since they used a liquid solution in the studies. And thats obviously not how people consume meat.
Absorption would depend on how well you chew the meat and whether you eat it with veggies or not. Since people
normally eat meat with veggies or other foods, I think absorption would be in the 3-4 g/hr range (studies on whole
meals and amino acid appearance in the blood suggests this).

Q: I LOATHE cottage cheese. This is the first time I've ever eaten it, and honestly, it's disgusting to my
palette. However, I've spent a lot of time trying to find nutritionally equivalent foods, and after some
analysis, I can see what makes cottage cheese so healthy. Unable to choke it down for much longer, I need
an alternative

A: Of course. Meat and veggies is an alternative. Meat is generally a fast protein but the added fiber from veggies
slows it down. Egg protein is really slow and perfect - it's actually way slower than casein. So any other whole food or
casein based protein source is basically fine. I use cottage cheese by default since most people like it. You can
always add some calorie free sweetener or berries to it. Goes down a lot easier that way.
Q: Im having trouble at some of the meals to eat everything, especially the post workout meal. 500 g of
potatoes is on the edge of being too much. How to proceed? I have no hunger problems at all.
A: You'll get used to it. You can replace the carb source with something with higher carb density - rice or pasta, for
example.

Q: What are your thoughts on maltodextrin/protein shakes post-workout? I usually have 40g protein and 100
g of carbs (maltodextrin) in my post-workout shake. Can I still have this?

A: Like protein shakes, maltodextrin is unnecessary, and in the end counterproductive during dieting. Maltodextrin is
far worse than protein shakes.
The only benefit maltodextrin has in comparison to a lower GI whole food carbohydrate (potatoes, pasta, rice etc) is
in the form of faster glycogen replenishment, when muscle glycogen is measured at the 8-12th hour mark. And this is
completely irrelevant unless you plan on training the same muscle group in the morning. Which you wont. Doesn't
enhance muscle growth or improve recovery, it just shuttles carbs for storage a little bit faster. Relevant for elite
athletes doing multiple sessions a day, completely useless for someone working out 3-4x/week.
In the end maltodextrin is just a shitty high GI carb that tastes like shit and won't fill you up for shit. Stay the hell away
from it if you want to get lean and stay full and satisfied during the diet. Why would you want to gulf down such a
perverse amount of calories when they can be eaten instead?
That being said, yes, you can have it. Just like it says in the plan, you may swap foods in whatever fashion you like,
as long as you stick to the calorie and macrocomposition guidelines for the day (and stick fairly close to the ones
given for the meals).

Q: What are your thoughts on using creatine during dieting?

A: Creatine is one of the few supplements that actually works and provides a noticeable boost in performance (for
most people - 10% are non-responders). However, some people will retain water on it - how much depends, but
enough to mask fat loss during dieting if you're unlucky. This might be frustrating and mess with your head. For this
reason, it might be unwise to start creatine supplementation during a dieting phase - or at least be aware of the fact
that water retention may occur, and not freak out because of it.
I should note that for most people, water retention isn't a big deal, and usually results in an initial weight spike after
which body weight starts dropping again if you're dieting.
If youre already taking it, I would advise continuing usage and see how, and if, it affects weight loss on the scale and
mirror. It will likely not have a great impact, but if it does, and you feel it is discouraging, consider discontinuing usage
(and be aware that some strength loss usually occurs when you stop taking it).
Q: When I log the foods in the sample meal plan into FitDay, I get slightly different values than the ones you
have. What should I do?
A: Depending on factors like brand name, food database and cooking/preparation, values will be slightly different.
This is also true for basic foods like lentils, beans, meats, fruit and vegetables; broccoli, for example, is 20-30
kcal/100 g depending on where you look. This has never been an issue. Stay close to the calorie intake and
macronutrient amounts Ive given in the sample meal plan and youll be fine.

Q: I have been playing around with different foods for variety's sake when I noticed something. Somehow the
numbers don't add up. I think I'm correct to understand that (4*grams of protein) + (4*grams of carbs) +
(9*grams of fats) = total meal calories?
Somehow this numbers don't add up in the diet. One example is my post workout meal
p: 78.7 grams
c: 148.6 grams
f: 13.1

Kcal: 1075
If I crunch the numbers correctly it adds up to 314.8+594.4+117,9=1027.1. Which is a deficit of 47.1 compared
to what it says in the excel. What am I missing?
A: The total calories per 100 gram rarely adds up on nutritional labels due to rounding. Let me give you an example.
Ice cream sorbet 100 gram = 28 g carbs = listed as 122 kcal, but should be 112 gram if you count the macros as
listed.
However, sorbet often contains sugar alcohols which in most cases is not listed as a macronutrient on the label, yet
provides 2 kcal/1 g to the total.
Another factor: protein can be listed as "trace" or "zero" on the label, due to rounding, while in reality sorbet might
contain 0.5 g per 100 g. So that adds up to another 5 kcal from protein for a 250 g container.
So these small things add up, thus macronutrients can "disappear" from the equation i.e 250 g sorbet should be 270
kcal but becomes 305 kcal on the sheet.
You can go down to the supermarket and look at any random nutritional label and you'll see the same thing there
especially on processed foods etc.
Q: I couldnt eat my last meal until 11 pm yesterday, even though my feeding window is set to 1-9 pm. Does
this mean I should fast until 3 pm tomorrow?
A: No, you stick to 1-9 pm as usual. Sometimes life happens and your feeding window will be longer, your fast
shorter, or whatever. This is to be expected and you shouldnt stress or think too much about it. Do not be rigid or
neurotic about keeping an 8 hr feeding window and 16 hr fast every single day.
Key point is you stick to your calorie/macros for the day and break the fast at 1 pm as usual the next day. You do not
move the feeding window just because you had a meal outside your feeding window.

Q: Im going to dinner with a few friends in the weekend. Any advice on how to handle social situations like
this without breaking the diet?
A: If at all possible, try to keep it similar to what you normally would be eating. Go for lots of lean meat/protein and
filling stuff like veggies, potatoes, and so forth. No, it won't be exact with regards to what you should be eating on
your diet, but that's how you have to do it to keep your sanity and not alienate yourself just because youre on a diet.
Key point is you dont use the dinner as an excuse to pig out. You know what constitutes good dieting foods, and you
know what you should be eating. Adhere to that as good as circumstances allow.
One strategy to use on days with social eating during dieting is to create a buffer for fat and carbs. Depending on how
many meals you eat this day, make all meals that are under your influence (i.e the ones before and after the social
meal) , high protein, low everything else. This way you create a buffer for the other macros/calories during the dinner.
Think
Meal 1: veggies and lean meat
Meal 2: Dinner
Meal 3: veggies and lean meat or lean protein like cottage cheese etc.

For occasions involving alcohol, use the approach described here if possible:
http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html
Of course, you can also use a more moderate approach. If you have a glass of wine or a beer, just account for it
calorically, as usual. Log the calories as carbs.

Q: Do I need to worry about fructose/sucrose in the post-workout meal and is there an upper limit for the
amount allowed?
A: No. This is not an issue unless your whole post-workout meal consists of refined shit you shouldnt be eating in the
first place. I would actually encourage a sugary treat post-workout, in moderation, and have probably included a little
something in your sample meal plan. The post-workout period is a good time to have some off limit foods, as it
serves as a good psychological motivator (and contributes to glycogen replenishment).

Q: My weight has increased 4 lbs. This is probably a product of being trained

down to a very low 156 lbs prior to this plan. With more carbs, my muscles seem
fuller. Does this make sense to you? I anticipate that the weight gain will level
off to a more gradual amount of weight gain.
A: Switching from a low carb diet to higher carbs will almost instantly put a few pounds on you, as muscle glycogen
stores become fuller. So yes, it makes a lot of sense that you're now a bit heavier, but your body weight will move up
at a much slower pace now (or go down, had fat loss been your priority).

Q: When and how should I weigh myself?

A: Weigh yourself first thing in the morning, after emptying your bladder/bowels (if you have the need). Do this as
often as you can. Add the numbers together, divide by occasions, and you get the mean weight. This is the number
Im interested in.

Q: a) I havent lost any weight this week. Is it time to drop calories?

or
b) I have gained 1 lbs this week and Im really freaking out! How can I gain weight when Im dieting?
A: There are some cases where you might find yourself not losing weight linearily or even gaining, in spite of
dieting. I see this all the time, but just because the weight isnt moving down on the scale, it doesnt mean that youre
not losing fat.
This is more common the leaner you are, and the longer youve been dieting. For example, while having initially lost
on average 1 lbs per week the first five weeks, you might lose zero lbs week 6, but 2 lbs week 7. Which is why I am
not too quick to change things, and only revamp plans when body weight is unchanged across a 2-week span.
Basically, some weeks might look like this (let's assume the prognosis is set to 1 lbs/week)
Week 5: 185 lbs

Week 6: 185,2 lbs

Week 7: 183 lbs ("catch up" weight loss occurs, also referred to as the "whoosh"-effect).
With women, I have seen this effect extend to three weeks; for example, stalling at 135 lbs week 4-6, then dropping 3
lbs over night in week 7.
Lyle McDonald has written about this phenomenon, though no one knows for sure why it occurs.
Whats going on? Back during my college days, one of my professors threw out the idea that after fat cells had been
emptied of stored triglyceride, they would temporarily refill with water (glycerol attracts water, which might be part of
the mechanism). So there would be no immediate change in size, body weight or appearance. Then, after some time
frame, the water would get dropped, the fat cells would shrink. A weird way of looking at it might be that the fat loss
suddenly becomes apparent. That is, the fat was emptied and burned off days or weeks ago but until the water is
dropped, nothing appears to have happened.
For nearly 20 years I looked for research to support this, I was never sure if it was based on something from the 50s
or he just pulled it out of thin air as an explanation. Recently, one paper did suggest that visceral fat can fill up with
water after massive weight loss but thats about it.
More here: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

Training
Q: Im not sure what weights I should use for the various rep ranges in the plan. Any ideas?
A: The rep ranges arent crucial for the first sessions, key point is you do the movements with good intensity from the
start. Then you can increase weights each week until you reach the rep interval noted for the movement in your plan.
Dont go this was lightoops already 8 reps, gotta stop!.
For example, if your plan has Bench Press (2 x 6-8), and youre unsure what weight to use, rather start too light and
do a few extra reps, than too heavy (i.e a weight you can only get 5 with). Then you can increase the weight gradually
for the next sessions and lean into the noted rep range in your plan.
For example
Bench Press (2 x 6-8)
Week 1
200 x 10
180 x 11
Week 2
210 x 9
190 x 10

Week 3
220 x 7 (you found the right weight, now dont up this until you get 8)
200 x 8 (up this by 5 lbs for next session)
Week 4
220 x 8 (up this by 5 lbs for next session)
205 x 7 (dont up this until you get 8)

Q: One confusion that I have after reading all the documents is about the intensity: should the sets be done
to failure, or should I leave one rep in the tank?
A: This is covered in the sheet called Training Principles. Unless stated otherwise, this applies "...you should apply maximum effort, while not compromising form."
That's basically a nice way of saying go to failure but don't do something stupid. In this case failure meaning that you
think you will fail on your next rep if you attempt it.

Q: With only 1-3 sets, sometimes i dont feel i got the most out of it. For example, I didnt feel muscle contact
or stuff like that and it worries me. Any thoughts to cheer me up?
A: Muscle contact" is just part of the pump-and-tone-bodybuilder mythology. Have you gotten strong focusing on
"muscle contact" for the last five years? No. Look at the results me and my clients have gotten: 90% used similar
routines and all got stronger and leaner. Do you believe you are a special little flower to which the rules of
progressive overload does not apply? Do you believe that you will get better results focusing on muscle contact than
if you focus on deadlifting triple body weight for reps or benching 1.5 x bw for reps? Strength is what matters. Get
stronger and your muscles will grow. I haven't wasted a thought on muscle contact for the last ten years and I have
gained muscle just fine.

Q: Why are rep intervals for some movements larger than others? (women only)
A: When you up the weight in certain movements, youre likely to lose a few reps depending on the movement and
the % increase.
Lets use barbell curls (1 x 6-10) as an example. A female might do barbell curls with a 45 lb barbell. In order to
progress, she needs to up the weight when shes able to complete 10 reps with 45 lbs. Considering that 5 lbs (2 x 2.5
lbs plates) would be the minimum increase, that is still more than +10% weight on the bar. Assuming strength is
unchanged, she will lose 1 rep per 2.5-3% weight increase. Such a large increase would therefore cause her to drop
several reps with the new weight, even if strength has increased since the last session.
Example
Week 1
45 x 10

Week 2
50 x 6 (+5 lbs, -4 reps)
Week 3
50 x 7
Week 4
50 x 8
Therefore, I usually list most upper body movements for women in a wider rep interval (x 6-10, x 8-12). Some
movements, like the deadlift, leg press and the squat are listed in tighter rep intervals (x 4-6, x 6-8), since the %
increase would not be as large (5 lbs jumps for 150 lbs squats = +3%).

Q: What grip should I use for deadlifts?

A: I recommend a mixed grip. If youre right handed, use an overhand grip with your right hand and an underhand
grip with your left hand (and vice versa). I also highly recommend that you use chalk to improve your grip if your gym
allows it. That will enable you to use a heavier load, as you are not limited by your gripping strength (which is often
the weak link in training deadlifts).

Q: What is a Pendlay Row?

A: Here is an excellent demonstration of the lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44LJqZX5aIY
And here is a thorough tutorial, along with another video demonstration
http://stronglifts.com/how-to-perform-the-pendlay-row-with-correct-technique/

Q: The Pushdowns. Are they done with V bar or straight bar?

A: Which ever you feel is more comfortable and/or work the triceps better. Personally, I use a straight bar. Try and
see which feels better.

Q: The Seated tricep extensions. Are they done with one dumbbell held vertically or with a barbell?
A: One dumbbell (held with both hands).
Like this: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/DBTriExt.html
Make sure you have proper back support when doing these.

Q: Do I need to warm up for every movement?

A: Its recommended for compound movements, and necessary for movements youre unfamiliar with or havent
trained in a while. Theres specific guidelines for warm ups in Training Principles, but you may use whatever warm up
you feel is necessary to go all out in the sets that call for it. The way your workouts are structured, youll be properly
warmed up for the rest of the workout if you warm up on the first 1-2 movements in your plan.

Q: Can I do these workouts as a circuit, or should I do each exercise and rest the 2 (or 5 mins) between sets?
A: Absolutely not. Doing them in a circuit training fashion, with minimal rest in between movements, would be a very
poor idea as most sets calls for maximum effort (exception of 3 x 4, 3 x 5, 4 x 6, and others if noted). You should be
fresh and rested before attempting the next set. Rest and proceed according to what it says in the plan.

Q: My gym has dumbbells with 1kg increments (e.g 16 kg 17 kg 18 kg etc.) Do you recommend dumbbells
over barbell because of support muscles getting more involved with ROM?
A: I mainly recommend dumbbells over barbell due to the lesser jump when increasing weight. 16 to 17 kg is still
+6.5% increase in load, where as the ideal jump is on the order of 2.5-5% (i.e 100 kg barbell to 102.5 or 105 kg).

Q: If I have to miss a training session for some reason, should I continue with the rest of my routine, or
should I shift the schedule by one day and accommodate the missed session the next day (which would have
been a rest day otherwise)? (this pertains to a setup with deadlifts on A and squats on C)
A: You can train the next day if you can get two full rest days in between A and C sessions.
Tue-A (shifted)
Wed-B
Fri-C is ok

Mon-A
Wed-B
Sat-C is not ok (since you have deadlifts 2 days after squats = only one rest day).
In the above example, I'd suggest switching to a tue-thu-sat setup ideally to allow for two full rest days, so you would
continue:
Tue-A (shifted)
Thu-B

Sat-C
OR (less ideal, but can be done if you would prefer to keep weekends off)
Tue-A
Wed-B
Fri-C then back to your regular Mon-Wed-Fri setup (but 6 days in between dl sessions is tempting faith)

Cardio/rest day activity

Q: When should the brisk walks be performed?
A: At any time of your choosing; fasted, or between meal 1-3. Do it outside, or on the treadmill at the gym.

Q: I hate walking, can I do HIIT instead?

A: Absolutely not. Cardio should be steady state, low intensity, on rest days. There is a reason for this. If you dont
like walking, you may substitute it with the same amount of stationary cycling, treadmill, step up or elliptical trainer*.
No rowing.
*For elliptical, look at the display and go for the same amount of calories the walking is expected to expend + 20%.
This is noted on the right side of additional expenditure on the client sheet (A29, A44). If the number is 250 for 45
min brisk walking, you go for 250 + 20% = 300 calories burned on the display of the elliptical machine. Adding 20% is
necessary, as that is the approximate amount that these machines overestimate energy expenditure by.

Q: What heart rate should I be aiming for during brisk walking?

A: Irrelevant. Walking should be brisk, but it shouldnt be exhaustive. Thats all the guidelines you need for that part of
your program.

Q: Im really itching for some higher intensity cardio. Any way we can add that to the plan? (women only)

A: In my experience though, higher intensity and/or exhaustive cardio affects the appetite of women negatively in the
sense that there is a disproportionate compensatory effect on hunger.
Studies on men and women support this. When exercise is added to their daily routine (aerobic exercise and
resistance training alike) men always lose fat without changing their diet. The compensatory effect on appetite is
absent and if anything men seem to get a hunger blunting effect from it.
Unfortunately this does not apply to women. Females get the opposite effect and it seems appetite regulating
hormones in women are very sensitive to energy deficits created by activity. My experience shows that this is

minimized with less strenous exercise such as brisk walking instead of running or intervals.
But this has to be weighed against the enjoyment you get from the routine. So if you're truly itching for it, you can
replace one of the 45 min walking sessions with steady state
20 min jogging
or 45 min cycling (moderate/low intensity)
and/or one of the 60 min walking sessions with
30 min jogging
or 45 min cycling (moderate/low intensity)

(Option B only)
Q: What happens after my one-week consultation is over?
A: During the consultation week we will deal with all your questions about the plans. You will also be able to test the
diet during the week and let me know if its a good fit for you. If it isnt, I will make changes based on your feedback.
After that you are on your own. By using the Progression Guidelines you will know how to proceed when you face a
th
plateau without my help. I will expect progress pics from you at the 8-12 week mark. If your pics are good enough
for me to add to my client updates on the site, you will be entitled to a secret gift.