6 WEEKS TO A NEW YOU Getting in great shape is not something you can do in a few weeks. In fact getting in great shape and staying that way is more about adopting positive lifestyle changes rather than going on a diet or joining a gym. Having said that, you need to start somewhere. Maxine s 6 Weeks to a New You is an easy to follow program that will start you on the right track. You can expect to lose about 5 kilos of fat over a 6 week period. We recommend you combine this program with a good exercise program and you should see great results. Getting Started The first step choose a day to get started and go for it! It s usually best to start any diet and exercise program when you can stay on it with minimum temptations and distractions. Don t start your program when you re about to go away on holidays, or you have a busy social calendar coming up. These extra distractions often mean it s almost impossible to stay on track. Monday morning is a good time to start or even have a starting Balanced Meal on the Sunday night. Before starting it s worth taking some measurement to monitor your results. Take some before photos of yourself in your underwear or tight fitting gym gear. Measure your weight and take your body measurements including waist, hips, bust, upper arms and upper thigh. Write down or record these measurements. Keep monitoring your weight every few days to ensure you are heading in the right direction. Weigh yourself at the same time every day, first thing each morning is a good time. At the end of your 6 weeks repeat these measurements and record them.
Getting Started (cont) When starting this 6 week program you have two options: 1 Kick Start with 7 Day Shape Up Plan To really help you start your 6 week program with a bang you can follow the 7 Day Rapid Shape-Up Plan (click here for details) during your first week, then cut over to the 6 Weeks to a New You program described here for the remaining 5 weeks. This approach will really get you losing weight quickly, but it is a hard first week. If you are happy to start hard, then this is for you. If you would rather ease into your program a little easier, go to option 2 below. If you choose to start with the 7 Day Rapid Shape-Up Plan for the first week and then the 6 Weeks to a New You for the remaining 5 weeks then your program will look like this: WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5 WEEK 6 7 Day Rapid Shape-Up Plan 6 Week Program 6 Week Program 6 Week Program 6 Week Program 6 Week Program 2 6 Weeks to a new you Program If you prefer to ease into your transformation a little more easily, simply follow the program described here for the full 6 weeks. Your eating plan for this 6 weeks will include two Thermogenic s per day along with 2-3 healthy snacks and one balanced healthy meal. You will be eating 5 6 smaller meals rather than the traditional 2-3 meals per day: 7.30am 10.00am 1.00pm 4.00pm 7.00pm 10.00pm Protein Thermogenic Shake Healthy Snack Protein Thermogenic Shake Healthy Snack Balanced Meal Healthy Snack (optional)
Why 5 6 meals per day? Many people who are trying to lose weight and BURN Fat make the mistake of starving themselves. When you do this, your body thinks there must be a food shortage and responds by going into starvation mode. Your metabolism slows right down, you become lethargic and you actually use a lot less energy. The result is Fat BURN almost ceases. However science tells us that eating smaller meals more often during your day actually speeds up your metabolism and helps you BURN more fat. Because you are eating regularly you are less likely to feel hungry, you will also have more energy and most people feel great on this type of eating plan. So make sure you stick to your 5 6 meals per day plan, even if you don t feel hungry. The idea here is to eat the same amount of kilojoules over 5 6 smaller meals rather than 2 or 3 bigger ones. Your Balanced Daily Meals Along with your Protein Thermogenic Shakes and Snacks, you will be eating 1 healthy balanced meal each day during this 6 week program. These meals are virtually the same as the meals you may have read in the 7 Day Rapid Shape-Up Plan. To recap, in each meal you will be eating a healthy Protein portion accompanied by a selection of fresh, non starchy vegetables. Meals like: Grilled chicken breast with stir fried garlic, broccoli, snow peas, red capsicum, onion, carrots and baby corn. Season with black pepper, soy sauce and ginger. Baked fish fillet (bake in lemon juice, white wine, oregano, cracked pepper & olive oil) with fresh garden salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, and avocado with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing BBQ d lean beef fillet with steamed seasonal vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, carrot, string beans, etc.) 2 3 egg omelette with sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach.
Protein Food Guidelines Protein is normally associated with animal foods like steak, chicken and eggs, however protein occurs naturally in many foods including vegetables, rice and pasta. The quality of protein is measured in a number of ways, basically it is a gauge of how well we humans use it to repair and grow tissues in our bodies such as muscle, skin, hair and nails. Animal sources generally rate higher than vegetable sources. Incidentally, pure Whey Protein, the main constituent of Thermogenic Protein formula, has the highest rating of any Protein available. Most animal protein like meat, eggs and even fish generally contain some fats, so it is important not to over indulge in these foods. For females a serving size of about 100-150g (uncooked) is recommended. This will vary a little based on your size and metabolism. As a general rule, each portion should be no bigger than the size and thickness of the palm of your hand. For a list of good protein foods please refer to our food tables.
Vegetable Guidelines The general rules for choosing vegetables are to select the fibrous and leafy vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, celery, spinach and capsicum, but avoid the starchy vegetable like potatoes, pumpkin and peas. This is because these starchy vegetables contain relatively high levels of carbohydrates, which you are trying to reduce. You will still have a huge selection of vegetables to choose from, so with a little imagination and some good recipes, you can make delicious and nourishing range of dishes to accompany your protein serve. You will find a list of vegetables that are good choices at the back of this guide. This is not a complete list as there are many other vegetables available. Just ensure the choices you make don t include starchy vegetables. If you don t know, it s best to avoid the vegetable until you can find out. Raw vegetables in salads are probably the healthiest way to eat. You can use a dash of dressing such as oil and balsamic vinegar, or some of the many varieties you find in the supermarket. Try to avoid heavy creamy dressings. When cooking your vegetables make sure you don t overcook or you will lose a lot of the goodness they contain. Steaming, microwaving and stir frying are the recommended ways to cook. You can season with herbs and garlic and use a little olive oil, but go easy as it is fattening if you use too much (a few teaspoons are ok). The quantity of non starchy veggies you can eat is generally unlimited, unless otherwise stated. You should try to have at least 3-4 cups of these vegetables daily. As a general guide, your meal plate should be about ¼ protein food (chicken, steak, fish) and ¾ vegetables. For a list of suitable vegetables please refer to our food tables on our website.
Healthy Snacks We recommend you eat 2-3 snacks daily. There are a range of tasty foods you can choose for snacks. The general rule is to avoid foods that are high in sugar or carbohydrates. However on the maintenance program you can include moderate levels of healthy carbs in your snacks. Fruits are great snack choices, however some fruits have higher levels of sugars and so we recommend no more than 2 serves per day. You should also be careful with your intake of fatty foods as snack. Cheese is a great snack food in moderation but can be high in fat. Cottage cheese is a great choice as it is high in protein and low in fat. If you get hungry in the evening after dinner, then you have the option of eating a further snack before bed. For your optional evening snack, as long as you have had a good day and stuck to your diet, you can reward yourself with 2 squares of Dark Chocolate. Look for chocolate with at least 70% Cocoa solids which is very high in antioxidants and beneficial nutrients. 2 squares are only about 50 calories which is 210 kilojoules. Remember Chocolate is God s way of saying he loves us! Here are some healthy snacks you can choose from: 1 serve = 2 Dessertspoons, of Thermogenic 1 Thermogenic Protein Bar Nuts 25g (small handful) Vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, capsicum, etc.) with 30g low carb dips like Hummus, Tzatziki, or cottage cheese. 4 rice crackers with 30g low carb dips like Hummus, Tzatziki, or cottage cheese. Small piece of fruit (small apple, pear, orange, etc.) and 6 almonds to slow digestion of fruit sugars ½ cup berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.) with 2 tablespoons of natural unsweetened yogurt ½ cup fruit salad and 2 tablespoons of natural unsweetened yogurt Small tin of flavoured tuna and 4 rice crackers Slice of tasty cheese, slice of tomato and olive, wrapped in a lettuce leaf or a slice of ham 1 Rice cake spread with peanut butter and cottage cheese Hardboiled egg, but only one per day There are lots of other alternatives. The general rule of thumb is to avoid foods that are mainly carbohydrate based like bread, biscuits, cake, rice and cereals. For more snack ideas visit the website. Read the nutrition panels on food labels and look for foods that contain low levels of carbs and sugars. Refer to the Reading Food Labels section on the website.
Your best Drink Choices One of the biggest intakes of sugar in many diets comes from drinks containing high levels of sugars. Most people understand soft drinks like colas, lemonade, etc. contain lots of sugar, however many people don t realize that supposedly healthy drinks like fruit juice, sports drinks and milk also contain high sugar levels. The following drinks are fine to have during your Maintenance program: Water plain, mineral, spring, drink at least 2 litres per day, more if you exercise Tea, with or without milk use artificial sweetener, maximum 3 cups per day Coffee* with or without milk use artificial sweetener, maximum 3 cups per day. *Avoid latte s and cappuccino s as they are mostly milk Diet soft drinks (if you must) maximum 1-2 glasses per day Dry white or red wine, 1-2 glasses 3-4 days per week Beer, 1-2 glasses 3-4 days per week The following drinks should only be consumed occasionally: All soft drinks All juices and juice based drinks All sports drinks and health drinks Cordial (diet is ok, 1 glass per day) All unflavored and flavored milk based drinks Beer and spirits In an ideal world we would like you to go through this entire 6 week program without drinking any of the non recommended drinks. However we understand that sometimes circumstances make it difficult to stay on the straight and narrow. The simple rule of thumb is, the more of these you drink, the more you will slow or stall BURNing your fat. Try to avoid these types of drinks wherever possible. If you are out socializing occasionally, limit yourself to one or two drinks and drink plenty water, mineral water or soda water with a slice of lemon.
Sample 7 Day Diet 6 Weeks to a New You Program The following is a sample diet for one week of the 6 Weeks to a New You program. You can substitute some of the meals and snacks on this program with other meals and snacks listed on this website. DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7 Breakfast Mid Morning 10gm nuts 1 Piece Fruit Protein Bar 10gm nuts 1 Piece Fruit Protein Bar 10gm nuts 1 Piece Fruit Protein Bar 10gm nuts 1 Piece Fruit Lunch Mid Afternoon Protein Bar Berries and Natural Yoghurt Vegetable 10g nuts 20g almonds Rice cake with sticks with 20g Protein Bar peanut butter Hummus dip 1 piece of fruit & cottage cheese Dinner 150g lean steak Garden salad or steamed vegetables 1/2 Grilled Chicken Breast Garden salad or Steamed Vegetables 150g grilled fish fillet Garden salad or Steamed Vegetables Beef and vegetable stir fry 1/2 Grilled Chicken Breast Stir fried Vegetables Chicken and vegetable stir fry 150g grilled fish fillet Garden salad or Steamed Vegetables Evening Snack 1/2 serve 2 squares of 70% dark chocolate 1/2 serve 2 squares of 70% dark chocolate 1/2 serve 2 squares of 70% dark chocolate 1/2 serve
What to do if you slip up Most people who are dieting have the occasional splurge or binge. It may be a weekend of over indulging, a holiday when you let your hair down, a meal or snack where you just can t say no, or a big night out. The fact is that it s not uncommon to eat and drink too much of the wrong thing. If you do this every now and then don t worry too much. Simply tighten up your diet and go back to the principals in this program. However if you make this a regular occurrence, perhaps every weekend, then you need to re-asses you priorities. Is eating, drinking and socializing more important to you than BURNing your fat, getting in shape and feeling great about yourself? It s up to you to set your own priorities and act accordingly. The thing to remember is it s never too late to restart. If it was only a day or a few days it will make little difference. If you have broken your diet and been eating badly for weeks, months or even years then you have a bigger challenge but you will get there if you make a determined effort. If you break it, don t be too disappointed, simply start again. Each time to get back to the Program it becomes a little easier to follow as you are developing new eating habit and a new lifestyle for yourself. The first thing you must do is accept it that you have broken your diet plan or have been eating too much of the wrong thing, then resolve to get back on track. Re-starting with a strong will to change will give you the best chance of succeeding. Set yourself obtainable goals, re-read this guide and get to it!
Living with Others while Dieting Many of us live with others, either in a family, a relationship or just sharing accommodation. In these situations it s often more difficult to fit your healthy diet in around the eating habits of the rest of your co-habitants. Here are some practical tips to help: Explain the program to your family, partner or housemates. Once people know what you are trying to achieve and what sort of food you can and can t eat, you will usually find everyone is quite supportive. Any diet is often more successful if your partner, friend, relative etc. are eating in a similar way. You can support each other, bounce ideas off each other and in some cases cook for each other. So if your partner, friend, relative, etc., would like to also BURN some fat, introduce them to this program and start it together. It makes the whole process much easier if you can share the experience. Try to fit your diet to what the rest of the household is eating with appropriate modifications. For example, if you or a member of the household is cooking up a big pot of bolognaise sauce and pasta, pass on the pasta and instead use some stir fry vegetables (snow peas, diced carrots, shredded cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bean shoots), microwave and substitute these for pasta. If the food being prepared for the rest of the household will not fit into your diet plans, have some easy to prepare fall-back menu choices. For example scrambled eggs with tomatoes and mushrooms are great standby and you can do a lot with an oven, a can of tuna, some vegetables, herbs and cheese. Buy food specifically for your diet program, put it aside from other foods and explain to the household that it is for your special eating plan. Because most of the food you are allowed to eat on this diet is fresh, healthy and tasty, others may be tempted to sample your pantry. Keep plenty of allowed snacks around. You should keep a selection of cheese, nuts, cold meats, fruit, sliced up vegies, and low carb dips in the fridge. After you have been on the program for some weeks or even months you will start to get a good understanding of foods that are relatively low in carbohydrates, foods that have moderate carbohydrates and foods that have high carbohydrate levels.
6 WEEKS TO A NEW YOU (cont) Summing Up The 6 Weeks to a New You Program is great for anyone who wants to BURN fat and lose weight steadily. You should see excellent results if you simply stick to the program closely every day. Soon you will find your family and friends will start noticing, asking you what you have be doing, telling you that you look great. One day soon you will realise that you have reached your Goal Weight and BURNed of your excess fat, toned up your body and you will be looking fantastic. When you reach the end of this 6 week program it s time to review and asses your results. If you have reached your goal, great. Now it s time to look at continuing this new healthier you for life by following our Maintaining Your Weight Program. If you haven t quite reached your goal, then the best way forward is to stay on this 6 Weeks to a New You program until you do. So again, give it your best shot, stick to it and enjoy your transformation!
6 Weeks to a New You Quick Reference Food Table The following table will give you a general guide of allowable foods and foods to avoid while you are on your Maxine s Burn 6 week program. YES IN MODERATION (3-4 serves a week) EAT OCCASIONALLY OR AVOID ALL TOGETHER Lettuce Tomatoes Zucchini Cucumber Sprouts Mushrooms Onions Radish Broccoli Cauliflower Eggplant String Beans Squash Cabbage Snow Peas Leeks Capsicum Celery Brussel Sprouts Carrot (Moderation) Tofu Lean Steak (fat removed) Lean Pork Lean Veal Lean mince (heart smart) Lean lamb Lean small goods Meat ham/turkey Eggs, 1-2 per serve Seafood / Fish Chicken breast - no skin Turkey breast - no skin Tea & Coffee (not milk coffee like Latte) Water Plain Mineral Water Any salt / pepper / herbs are fine Small Apple Small Orange Half Grapefruit Half Cup Berries (strawberries / blue / raspberries / cherries) Half Small Mango Small Pear Medium Peach 30g tasty or cottage cheese per day (cut 250g block into 8) 1-2 Slices of deli meat e.g. ham avoid salami etc. Small amounts of Italian style dressings Tomato Puree Lemon Juice Soy Sauce / Balsamic Vinegar etc. Small amounts of Olive Oil Sausages Tomato/ BBQ Sauce (moderation) 25g nuts (small handful) Diet Drinks 2 dessert Natural unsweetened yogurt Dark Chocolate 2 squares Potato Sweet Potato Pumpkin Corn Beans Peas Parsnip Watermelon Rock Melon Honey Dew Grapes Tinned fruit in nectar Dried fruits Bananas Pineapple Kiwi Fruit Apricot Bread all types Pasta Rice Biscuits Cake Ice Cream Breakfast cereals Sweet Chilli Sauce Potato chips, etc. Milk Soft Drinks Sports Drinks Fruit Juice Cappuccino / Latte Sweets