A strenuous few weeks of hardcore training awaits you, so why not make your life a little easier by dropping that extra weight on your belly (they’re going to make you carry a bunch already). If you need to trim up and shed some fat, then this diet plan will definitely help.
One of the many problems with diets is that people make them complicated when they don’t really have to be. One person is telling you to watch your serving portions and the other is asking you to count your calories; that’s all a bit of a headache if you ask me. This diet is for non-vegetarians, however, vegetarians can use it too by tweaking and substituting things here and there (i.e. legumes for meat, etc).
Assuming that we have 8 weeks before “ship off,” let’s get started by cleaning out your fridge and cupboards! Make sure all boxed and packaged items are trashed. All those wheat thins, low fat oatmeal raisin cookies, and carb-filled pancake mixes must vanish.
Toss out anything colored beige that is boxed or wrapped in plastic: bagels, wheat bread, tortillas, oats and such. Yes, I know that whole wheat, millet, barley, and oats have fiber and protect your heart, colon, arteries, etc. but they also carry three nasty anti-nutrients that can cause havoc if consumed in abundance.
You want to replace beige food for more dark greens and colorful fruit, being careful to eat more greens and vegetables than fruit. Fruit can be problematic when it comes to losing fat because it is extremely easy to overeat.
A quick little explanation: beige foods (grains) tend to be very high in sugar (referring to the breakdown of carbs and glucose), spiking insulin higher then you want it to be. Chronic grain consumption can cause fat gain effortlessly. In order to stop this, we need to avoid high insulin spiking foods, which mostly come from grains, but also from sweets and refined carbs.
I know what you are thinking (it’s the same question I get asked everyday), “so what am I going to eat then?” Those who usually ask aren’t very good cooks or haven’t made anything other than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (much like myself before I learned the benefits of cooking fresh meals). In order to help you out, I put together this brief list of meat, nuts/seeds, vegetables, and fruits to broaden your horizon in the world of real food:
MEAT
• Beef
• Chicken
• Salmon
• Buffalo
• Shrimp
VEGETABLES
• Kale
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Collard Greens
FRUIT
• Apples
• Pears
• Avocado
• Kiwi
• Persimmons
NUTS/SEEDS
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Pistachios
• Pumpkin seeds
• Macadamia nuts
• Peacans
Notice that these are whole foods and are not processed or refined. Now its time to put it all together and make some tasty meals. To the right you’ll find a few samples to get you started that have good sources of proteins, carbs, and fat.
BREAKFAST
Option 1:
Almond-Meal
½ cup of raw almonds
½ cup of water
1 medium-sized apple
Mix in a blender. Pour into pot to simmer.
Option 2:
Traditional
3 Eggs
3-5 Bacon (fresh cut)
1 large orange
Snack (if needed)
Option 1:
Apple and almond butter
Option 2:
Handful of macadamia nuts
LUNCH
Option 1:
Tuna Salad
1 ½ can of tuna
Black olives
Jalapenos
Avocado
Tomato
Onion
Lettuce
Toss it all together. Add oil and vinegar to taste.
Option 2:
Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry
Chicken
Red cabbage
Mushrooms
Beets
Green squash
Grill the chicken with coconut oil and seasoning of your choice. Stir fry the rest with coconut oil, salt and pepper.
Snack (if needed)
Option 1:
1-2 Hardboiled eggs
Option 2:
Apple with almond butter
Dinner
Option 1:
Beef Ribs (oven)
Beef ribs
Green collards
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Cook the beef ribs in the oven with pepper, sea salt, and basil. Stir fry the green collards, mushrooms, and asparagus with coconut oil, salt, and pepper.
Option 2:
Carne Asada
Carne asada (marinated flank steak)
Avocado
Tomato
Onion
Cabbage
Yellow squash
Grill the Carne Asada. Mix the rest of the vegetables into a salad with oil and vinegar dressing.
Get the idea? Get creative with your meals! Learn how to throw a nice mix of protein, carbs, and fats together and watch your waistline shrink. Lose the fat now and boot camp will be a breeze, well, maybe not a breeze but you will be lighter and more agile than before. To perform your best you need optimal nutrition. Drink plenty of water, avoid empty calories such as sweets and baked goods, and refrain from reaching for that whole wheat bagel with cream cheese!
Article Information:
This article was featured in the June/July 2011 Issue of the My Mad Methods Magazine. "8-Week Diet Plan: What to Eat Before Boot Camp" was written by Jon Celis. Learn more about the My Mad Methods Magazine by Clicking Here
Contributor Information:
Jon Celis is an elite fitness professional who specializes in real world fat loss. His degree in Kinesiology and reputable certifications has led to his success in becoming one of the newest yet profound trainers in Southern California. Find out more.
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