THE “ECO DIET” Lean and Clean in 4 weeks!
A Summer Body the A-list way
By Vanessa Coyne

Vanessa Coyne
Nutritional Consultant
MSHN (Masters of Science In Nutrition) - USA

Weight loss in itself is pretty simple, eat less, and move more, the law of thermodynamics always applies. There really isn’t any magic to it, whether you follow a low carb diet, low fat diet, vegan diet, liquid diet, detox diet, 6 meals or one meal, they all basically work in the same way, to make you reduce your overall calorie intake. Simple maths. You could be losing water, fat, muscle, a combination of these and even your mind.

We also know that ideally we would like to lose FAT and maintain lean body mass as much as possible, this requires a different macro-nutrient ratio altogether, coupled with some resistance exercise… Skinny Fat doesn’t look good on anyone.

The right ratios of nutrients and not FOOD per se are what we should be looking at. In my personal belief, the body looks for nutrients, and not calories in order to function optimally, we also don’t want the result of all out hard work to be only weight loss.

We want to feel good, look good, have a great sex drive, we want to have energy, great skin and hair, a strong immune system, a positive outlook, zest for life and to be able to sustain whatever we are doing. Think long term, and also focus on a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix. Empower yourself and get nutrition savvy once and for all.

Consistency is the key to success!

If it were all this simple, why is it that obesity is a rising epidemic of mass proportion?

Firstly we don’t always eat out of “hunger”; emotionally there can be some issues that we need to address.

What this article is really about is the nutritional component. This part of the equation we can take responsibility for and change almost instantaneously, Our food today is loaded with chemicals, hormones, food additives and multiple process methods that in short not only alter our body chemistry, but our taste buds, so we eat and eat and eat! Some foods and substances, like sugar, are also highly addictive, which then affects our endocrine system, our brain and body chemistry and floods the body with chemicals that it really doesn’t know what to do with it

Your entire body is made from the food you eat and the water you drink. The human body is roughly 63% water, 22% protein, 13% fat, 2% minerals and vitamins. Eating the highest quality food in the right quantity helps you to achieve your highest potential for health, weight control and vitality.

This is a holistic approach in terms of nutrition and lifestyle; I am a strong believer that a healthy self regulating body and mind is naturally slim!

This approach starts by identifying toxins present in the body and in the foods you consume daily, which inhibit your desired results, for example, you may suffer from water retention, have uncontrollable cravings, feel lethargic and depressed, have allergies and intolerances to food, you could also be lacking zest for life, in need of stimulants & sugar to get you through the day, these are all clear signs that the body is not functioning at its peak and is out of balance.

The first step is cleansing the body of these toxins, supporting it with cutting edge nutrition and supplements which then create the optimum condition to 'lean' the body thro

ugh the correct nutritional and exercise regime.

It’s not a case of telling people ‘don’t do this, or don’t eat that’, but providing achievable alternatives.

The more natural, fresh & whole your food is the better it is for you, not only for your waistline, but your overall health and wellness which is really what we all should be focusing on. The cleaner you eat the leaner you’ll be. Remembering the law of thermodynamics and making sure we create a calorie deficit. The truth is that when we eat food in its natural state, or whole foods, you will automatically eat less as they are less calorie dense. Think, lean proteins, fruit, an abundance of vegetables, some whole grains and essential fats. You can’t go wrong. We always build health first so if you’re body is healthy you’re going to be lean.

Looking good is available to everyone, even the time-stressed and overworked! It really isn’t that complicated and there is no magic to it either! You don’t have to starve, you don’t have to drink broccoli juice or spend endless hours on a treadmill. When we understand the basics, commit to follow through and keep it simple, there is no way results cannot be achieved in record time!

Equip yourself with the best knowledge and tools, you can’t go wrong!

The fastest and quickest way to looking good is to be healthy from within. It shows in your hair, your nails and your skin and in how you feel and function! .So beauty and health go hand-in-hand. I am a strong believer in the link between what we put in our body and how we end up looking. There is scientific evidence that the food we eat alters our body and brain chemistry, our mood and even our addictions, especially these days where food is laced with chemicals, sugars and hormones.

Pure Food

Organic, unadulterated whole foods have formed the basis of the human diet through the ages. Only now in the 20th century has the human race been subjected to countless man-made chemicals found in food and the environment.

One foundation of health is to eat foods that provide exactly the amount of energy required to keep the body in perfect balance. A good deal of energy is wasted trying to disarm these alien and often toxic chemicals, some of which are incapable of elimination and accumulate in body tissue. It is now impossible to avoid all such substances as there is nowhere on this planet that is not contaminated in some way from the by-products of our modern chemical age

Eat organic food as much as possible, if this isn’t possible don’t sweat it, just make sure all your animal products, including chicken, meat and dairy are all hormone free, Make sure at least half your diet is raw fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, the rest coming from lean, hormone free protein sources and some wholegrain.

Toxins! What’s the deal? Is it true the body clings onto fat?

Don't believe the myth that the human body clings on to fat – it doesn't, because it knows that's not the way it functions best. However, when you eat or drink processed foods, alcohol, bad fats, too much caffeine and refined sugar your body becomes overloaded with the toxins they contain. It's these toxins, and not your body, that cling on to the fat. And because of this, you end up with squidgy bits of flesh around the thighs and hips and on your back, plus rolls of padding around the waist, as well as a distended tummy that becomes more bloated throughout the day.

If your body was lean and light you'd feel pretty amazing. You wouldn't need coffee or a muffin packed with sugar to help you function in the morning. You wouldn't get that crashing tiredness in the afternoon that only more coffee or a chocolate biscuit can (briefly) keep at bay. And you wouldn't have that insatiable desire for something sweet after lunch and dinner, or any time in between. Instead, you'd wake up after a good night's sleep, feeling energised and refreshed. Your energy levels would be high, as would your concentration levels, sex drive and mood.

• Remember natural, unprocessed food is nutrient dense – Processed food is calorie dense
• Your body looks for nutrients and not calories, so make sure you feed it correctly!

So your job now is to make the decision to take action and stick to it. And I'm going to show you how to do it: how to eat, how to exercise and how to ensure that you stay motivated.

You don't have to follow every single rule religiously – its better that you stick wholeheartedly to those you can manage and which make the most difference to your energy levels, waistline and life. Just try to stick to as many as possible, and you'll be blown away by the results. When you follow the diet and exercise advice I have laid out, you will reach your goal, a shape that makes you look great in the mirror and a level of health and fitness that makes you feel great – in short a body that is perfect for you!

The Lean and Clean approach is non-gimmicky and is straightforward. It works from the inside out, clearing the body and the mind.

Your diet is 90% of your results, so there is no need to do endless hours of exercise. Your nutrition is the key to fat loss. So many people make the mistake of over exercising expecting the results to come from all the output, when in truth, your diet takes care of the fat loss, and exercise sculpts your body, most especially effective and well performed resistance training. Make no mistake, cardio plays a crucial role in health and your cardiovascular system, but its efforts in terms of fat loss are less efficient, unless you an athlete, most of us sit at our desk all day, so diet is really what we need to focus on.

Be in the best shape ever - mentally and physically.

Your 4 week plan at a glance

• Three meals a day, plus one snack
   One cup of organic coffee or tea each day.
• Up to 3 cups of green tea a day.
• At least 2.5 litres of still, filtered water each day.
• No alcohol or fizzy drinks.
• Minimum 20 minutes of exercise every day
• Spirulina
• Omega 3
• Calcium , magnesium and zinc combination formula

In terms of supplements and whole foods, I am a huge fan of Spirulina; I swear by it and believe it to be an extremely important supplement. If there is one thing you absolutely should be taking its spirulina, I like research and real human clinical trials, so I always make sure with any supplement that it can really hold its own ground and do what it claims!

So what am I going on about?
For one, it’s the richest and most complete source of nutrition in the world. It contains over 100 nutrients and the full spectrum of all of the essential amino acids, chlorophyll, enzymes and antioxidants. Virtually everything you need for a healthy body and active lifestyle. It’s a “whole food” natural vitamin. 99% of Vitamins on the shelf are completely synthetically,manufactured. The assimilation of nutrients from whole foods is superior and how nature intended humans to ingest vitamins and minerals!

The Low Down:

• Spirulina has 300% more calcium than whole milk
• Spirulina has 2300% more iron than spinach
• Spirulina has 3900% more Beta Carotene than carrots
• Spirulina has 375% more protein than tofu

It’s a key Building block for muscle tissue, necessary in diet

A study out earlier this year confirms that nature may have been keeping secret the key to training harder and burning more fat.

Research shows that the blue-green algae Spirulina increases fat oxidation by 10.5% and should be an essential part of your training regime and could help you achieve your fitness goals. On top of the new research, which shows Spirulina increasing the time to fatigue and fat metabolism, it is already established that Spirulina is rich in important nutrients and protein. The high protein it contains is seen to be alkaline in nature and therefore a good alternative to many of the acidic protein sources and supplements available.

The exciting new research in the leading journal 'Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise' has just shown that as well as being full of protein, Spirulina has surprising benefits when it comes to exercise performance….

A study done in Greece which was released this year and printed in “The Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise Journal”, which is the official journal of The American College of Sports Medicine.

The Studay is called “The Ergogenic and Antioxidant Effects of Spirulina Supplementation in Humans.”

MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE JOURNAL

Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 142–151, 2010.

Spirulina has long been used for energy and endurance as well as many other health benefits such as immunity, eye health and cardiovascular health. New research published in the Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine shows that Spirulina may be the perfect nutrient for athletes and validates its positive effects on energy and endurance.

This double blind human clinical study compared treadmill endurance of subjects taking Spirulina versus placebo and found significant improvement in only four weeks of supplementation at a dosage of 6 grams per day. The researchers concluded: “We report for the first time that supplementation of Spirulina for 4 weeks increased exercise performance, possibly through an increase in fat oxidation rate and increased glutathione levels.” (Kalafati et al, 2009

A natural product that makes you train harder and burn more fat during your training sessions... sounds a bit too good to be true?

Moderately trained participants took part in the double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Each subject received either the natural supplement spirulina or a placebo for 4 weeks. They were then asked to run on a treadmill at an intensity corresponding to 70%-75% of their VO2max for 2 hours and then at 95% VO2max until exhaustion. Exercise performance was measured and blood samples were drawn before, immediately after, and at 1, 24, and 48 hours after exercise.

The results showed a clear advantage in those taking spirulina. Time to fatigue after the 2 hour run was significantly longer after spirulina supplementation (2.05 minutes ± 0.68 minutes vs 2.70 minutes ± 0.79 minutes – around a 25% increase). Furthermore ingestion of spirulina significantly decreased carbohydrate oxidation rate by 10.3% and increased fat oxidation rate by 10.9% during the 2 hour run compared with the placebo trial.

The study used only relatively small amounts of spirulina of just 6g a day, making these very achievable results for all of us in training.

What does this mean for your training?

• Spirulina enhances exercise performance by increasing levels of glutathione in the body. It also shows that       spirulina decrease lipid peroxidation.
• Spirulina supplementation induced a significant increase in exercise performance, fat oxidation, and attenuated (weakened/ decreased) the exercise-induced increase in lipid peroxidation.

It’s role as a whole food:

One of the key aspects for me is that is compensates for deficiencies in the diet and stimulates the metabolism.

You receive essential nutrients in a concentrated form without excess calories. It balances your blood sugar levels and gives you the energy you need during weight loss, which once you start restricting calories, most often than not you start to feel listless, tired, irritable and hungry!

Considered the most complete naturally cultivated nutrient in the world:

Approx. 60% complete digestible protein Contains every essential amino acid
• More carotenoids than any other whole food
• Rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, chlorophyll and enzymes

The National Research Council Committee on Diet and Health recommends that we eat 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Even for a person who eats well, that’s a challenge.

Spirulina’s concentrated nutrition makes it an ideal food supplement for people of all ages and lifestyles.

1 Serving of Spirulina = 5 servings of fruits & vegetables

Key Points:

• Increases Fat Oxidation
• Helps fight fatigue
• Cleansing and purifying
• Helps increase energy
• High in plant protein
• Immune booster
• High in protein
• Provides essential Nutrients
• Is equivalent of eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables!
• Contains Vitamin K
• Balances blood sugar levels

Supplement Regime

• Spirulina Consume 3000mg – 6000mg per day for optimal results. Ensure the Spirulina you are using is Hawaiian from Cynotech. They make the purest and best quality Spirulina in the world. I use the Marcus Rohrer brand, which also uses a unique bottle that locks in the potency of the Spirulina. It fits the requirements of a superior multi-vitamin and goes beyond RDA.
 
• Omega-3 fish oil (6g) A High-quality, pure, natural fish oil supplements with no synthetic additives are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which the human body needs to function optimally, yet cannot produce in the necessary levels for good health. Don’t worry too much about Omega-6 and 9 as these two can easily be consumed with the food you eat, i.e. Olive oil, chicken, eggs, avocado and nuts and seeds. The benefits are endless, it is great for skin, it lowers cholesterol, alleviates depression, eliminates joint pain, reduces inflammation in the body, promotes weight loss, increases focus and concentration, reduces soreness with weight training, reduces risk of heart disease and stabilises mood. The list is endless.
 
Ensure it’s a quality product, correctly sealed, without PCB’s and mercury Personally, brands that I recommend are Amipro with the lemon flavour which masks the fishy taste and also doesn’t repeat on you. Also a great brand if you are on a budget is and still want quality is “Real thing”.

• Calcium, magnesium and Zinc combination formula– take 4 before you go to sleep. You should be supplementing your diet with 1000mg Calcium per day as well as 15mg Zinc. A great product I use for convenience sake and is of the highest quality is a Calcium, Magnessium and Zinc combination made by Solgar which I consume before bed.

Make sure your menu is as lean as you want to be!

Upon Waking:     Hot water and lemon with 5 spirulina tablets
Breakfast:          Three egg whites and ½ cup rolled oats & half a grapefruit or 1 Chopped apple or pear 15                          Almonds (raw with skins), 100g Fat free, lain yogurt or cottage cheese
Lunch:                   5 Spirulina Tablets - Grilled or baked/fish or tinned tuna. Have a large mixed salad of your                          choice which included vegetables. 1 Table spoon of cold pressed olive oil.
Snack:               Hummus and veggies or Apple with 15 raw almonds or a tablespoon of Sugar free natural                          peanut butter.
Dinner:               Large raw salad and cooked vegetables with 120g of a lean protein of your choice (ostrich,                          fish, chicken, or a healthy egg white omelet with vegetables) add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or                          flax seed oil.

Salad tips. Get creative with this at meal time. You can make up combinations that suit you and these can change from day to day or be exactly the same day in and out. Try various combinations eat an abundance of veggies, lots of different colours and Look at leafy plants such as lettuces, spinach. Green vegetable such as broccoli, green beans bell peppers , mushrooms , cucumber , onions , raw carrots , tomatoes , pumpkin, go wild, have some fun! While you can eat butternut and potatoes,just be careful as these two vegetables are more calories dense and you can over eat on them. But 100g in a meal is great! It is very difficult to over eat vegetables or salads from a calorie perspective. So if you are feeling hungry serve yourself a bigger portion.

Top Ten Tips:

1) Balance your blood sugar levels – stay away from stimulants and sugar
2) Eat food in its natural state whole state – Avoid over processed food. Your body doesn’t know what to do with it – keep it clean and lean all the way.
3) After 3 pm keep make veggies your carbs – have oatmeal, rye bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, fruit, and quinoa early in the day and salads and steamed vegetables later in the day
4) Eat good fat, especially Omega-3 rich foods
5) Keep your dinner lean – protein and greens
6) Always eat balanced snacks and meals – Eating wholesome carbs, protein and fat in every meal keeps your blood sugar levels from spiking and crashing. This controls energy levels and keeps cravings at bay.
7) Eat & drink food for the soul – in moderation
8) Drink water – stay away from chemical artificial drinks
9) Don’t forget to sleep – 7-8 hours at least!
10) Focus on resistance training 3-4 times a week and don’t forget walking is one of the best forms of cardio you can do!

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