The Best Diet for Weight Loss

Yeah, the great british breakfast is NOT it, but goodness me, does it taste good. 

So, seriously, if you avoid the Western Lifestyle (high-carb, processed food diets) eating habits that tempt you on a daily basis, and live according to the Fat Loss Lifestyle, you can lose fat and gain muscle.

I'm going to tell you one of the best ways to eat for fat loss and muscle gain on a 2200 calorie per day diet. Many clients have used this diet to make dramatic changes in their bodies, losing a lot of fat in a short amount of time. Make it a goal that you will start today with at least one healthy nutrition change. Choose one healthier food option per day that will get you one step closer to your lean body. For example, don't have a muffin for breakfast (that's practically just a mini slice of cake). Instead, have an apple and some almonds. That gives you fiber to fill you up, as well as a small amount of protein and healthy fats.

Here are the general guidelines used with clients to help them get maximum fat loss results in minimum workout time.

- 8 meals per day

- Remove all sugar from diet.

- Eat around 0.8g to 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight (up to a maximum of 200 grams per day)

- Have 5 servings of fruit per day (sticking to high-fiber fruits such as apples or grapefruit and high-antioxidant fruits such as berries)

- Drink at least 4 cups of Green Tea

- Follow Dr. John Berardi's 90% rule - if you eat according to the guidelines 90% of the time, you can cheat 10% of the time and still make incredible body changes.

Here's a sample plan we've used with the typical Men's Health reader.

Meal 1:

3 Omega-3 eggs

1 oz cheese

1 cup broccoli

6g fish oil

2 cups Green Tea

2 cups filtered water

Meal 2:

1 cup plain yogurt

Chocolate protein powder to taste

¼ cup blueberries

1 apple

1 cup Green Tea

2 cups filtered water

Meal 3:

1 chicken breast

2 cups mixed green salad + ¼ cup strawberries

1 cup raw vegetables

1 cup asparagus

2 cups Green Tea

2 cups filtered water

Meal 4:

Protein shake (20g)

1 oz almonds

1 grapefruit

2 cups filtered water

Meal 5:

Protein shake (20g)

1 oz almonds

1 cup Green Tea

2 cups filtered water

Workout
- Combination of strength training and interval training. The workout is finished in less than 45 minutes. There is little rest between strength exercises. Only multi-muscle exercises are used. Train 3-4 days per week. On off days, participate in an enjoyable activity (sports, walking, etc.) for at least 30 minutes. Always take 1 full day of rest per week. Drink 2 cups of water while training.

Meal 6:

- 1-2 cups chocolate milk
or

- 1 scoop protein powder plus 8-12 ounces Gatorade or juice
2 cups water

Meal 7

6oz salmon

1 potato or 1 yam

1 cup asparagus

2 cups mixed green salad + ¼ cup strawberries

1 cup raw vegetables

2 cups water

Meal 8:

1 cup plain yogurt

Chocolate protein powder to taste

1oz walnuts

1 cup water

That's it. It's an entirely different lifestyle than most people eat. But you need to avoid hot dog stands at lunch, processed meat sandwiches, donuts, cake, chips, and soda if you want to lose weight.

Replace that junk with whole, natural foods and you'll be 80% of the way to a great physique. Change your workouts from slow cardio to high intensity strength and interval training and you'll be 100% on the way to your best body ever.


Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment hit the link on one of the ads at the side.