30-Day Low Calorie Density Weight Loss Challenge

What is Calorie Density (& how will it help me lose weight?)

While many diet plans focus on restrictions, such as “cut calories,” “don’t eat carbs” and “don’t fill up your plate,” a growing body of research is finding that additions, specifically nine or more servings daily of fruits and vegetables, is the best strategy for shedding pounds. That’s because fruits and vegetables have a low calorie density. Low-calorie-dense foods don’t pack a lot of calories per bite. They are stuffed – not with calories – but with water and fiber, making them big and heavy and therefore more filling, “allowing people to lose excess weight without having to live with chronic hunger,” – Dr. Jay Kenney, Nutrition Research Specialist(source: Pritikin.com)

The Rules of the 30-Day Weight Loss Challenge

1. Eat whole plant foods that are under 700 calories per pound

Do not count calories or limit your portions.
It’s important to eat until you’re comfortably full.
Eating under your hunger drive can lead to junk food cravings.
No ‘cheat’ days/meals for the 30 days.

2. Avoid/Eliminate all oils, & processed foods above 700 calories per pound

NO fruit juice/pop
NO crackers/chips
NO bread/
nuts/seeds/nut butter
oily sauces/dressings
protein powder/bars

3. Create a simple ‘go-to’ menu plan of 3 breakfasts, lunches & dinners

Get creative with your favorite fruits, veggies & spices so that you really enjoy the food.
Meal prep to save time and energy.
Allow yourself time for your palate to readjust to whole plant foods.

4. Become a master of your environment. Eliminate temptations – ditch the junk foods

Avoid dining out
Get rid of tempting junk food in your pantry/fridge/freezer
Be honest with your family members – let them know if them eating chips/cookies in front of you causes you to feel tempted.

5. Track Progress week-to-week, not day-to-day
3 things to track : weight, starch and steps.

Weigh yourself on the same day & time each week: i.e. Monday mornings.
Weighing daily can lead to frustration. Water weight and other processes can make you question your progress. (Use the free habit tracker printout provided).
Track 2 wet starches per day (potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, barley, oatmeal, millet, couscous, etc.) and 10.000 steps per day for exercise.

6. Keep it simple

Refer back to these steps and the instructional videos if you feel overwhelmed.
Read the books The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall and The Pleasure Trap by Dr. Alan Goldhamer and Dr. Doug Lisle for more helpful information.
Follow @lowcaloriedensity to get encouragement and meal ideas.
When in doubt about what to eat, follow this 3 step formula for filling low calorie density meals: 1. Wet Starch 2. Beans 3. Vegetables. This can be a soup, sweet potato chili dish, or rice bowl.

Other Notes:

I recommend using the free printout I’m providing to write down 3 easy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners you enjoy. I will make another video going through those – and possibly film a what I eat in a day video showing you a day of those meals. Use this as your FRAMEWORK. These are your go-to meals that you can make easily and quickly.
Habit tracker – print out or use a simple notebook.
Don’t rely on willpower…. prepare, prepare, prepare. This means, don’t have a pantry full of your favorite cookies and chips. Don’t go out without any fruit in your bag if you know you’re going to be out for hours. (Wendy’s has a baked potato – sushi restaurants have oil-free rice – cucumber rolls, etc.)
Afraid to eat fruit? ‘Should I restrict fruit?’ is something I get asked often – here is a video from nutritionfacts.org about why there’s no such thing as too much fruit – very informative video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU_RkeA88DY. Also, the video with Dr. Anthony Lim about calorie density and how important fiber and water content in our food is in helping us be full and lose weight.
Make extra! If you’re not sure how much food will fill you – make extra so you have some more food it ready to eat if you get hungry again in a couple of hours
Treat this 30-Day Challenge like an experiment – Take it one day at a time. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to do a ‘perfect’ job.

Drag and drop this list to your device to print it.

Dr. Anthony Lim’s Calorie Density Webinar:

I highly recommend watching this webinar all the way thorough.

Notice that the low-calorie-dense foods have one other big bonus. They not only fill your plate with a lot of satisfying food, they fill you up with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients. Filling up on nutritious, low-calorie-dense foods is the way to lose excess weight and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and control blood sugars. (source: pritikin.com)