Stop eating after 8:00 p.m. Your metabolism slows
down at night, and you also have a tendency to binge after
a day of reduced-calorie eating. Don’t give in to that urge.
Have at least 15 grams of protein at every meal
and never eat carbs alone.That will keep your blood
sugar stable, reduce hunger and prevent insulin surges,
which can promote bodyfat storage. If a meal lacked
sufficient protein, I’d have one scoop of Muscle-Link’s Pro-
Fusion in water for an additional 20 grams of micellar-
casein-and-whey protein.
Get most of your carbs in the morning.I ate fruit in
the morning, mostly protein in the afternoon and protein
with green vegetables at night.
Don’t be too strict.I’d have a beer or two, usually on
my weekend cheat day, and even ice cream, but I never
binged. Control is the key—stay strict most of the time.
Eat at least five meals a day.Once again, that keeps
blood sugar stable and prevents insulin surges. (On
nonworkout days have a meal replacement or lower-carb
meal—300 calories, 20 grams of carbs—in place of your
postworkout drink.)
Gradually increase activity.I added running to my
exercise regimen after six weeks. I ran once or twice a
week, usually on days I didn’t go to the gym.
Don’t weigh yourself.Muscle weighs more than fat,
so if you gain muscle and lose fat, your bodyweight will
hover around the same number. That can frustrate people
who don’t understand that a lower bodyweight doesn’t
necessarily mean a better body. I weighed myself at the
beginning of my program, and then near the end; however, I
knew I was making steady progress because my pants were
getting looser and I had to tighten my belt regularly.
Becky Holman’s X-treme Lean Tips