The Nutritional Program for the Twenty-first Century

Regain Your Focus through Proper Nutrition
New Orleans boasts one of the finest cuisines in the world. Unfortu-
nately, the high fat content of these savory dishes can be very hard on
one’s health. I once had a client named Kirk who ran political cam-
paigns, which, as you can well imagine, involves a great deal of wheel-
ing and dealing at fund-raising banquets and a good deal of
entertaining in top restaurants. It also involves a high degree of stress,
since politics in New Orleans is unusually cutthroat.
When Kirk came to me he was already obese, with a waist meas-
urement and body fat percentage well over the norm. Since I worked
with many athletes and clients who are constantly on the road, I had
become an expert at how to eat nutritiously in restaurants. I coached
Kirk in the nutritional principles outlined in this chapter, teaching
him how to use food to keep his energy levels consistent. When his
blood sugar levels stayed at a healthy and steady level, he dealt better
with stress because his brain, which is the biggest user of glucose in
the body, always had a steady supply. He was able to stay focused and
make quick decisions in what we in New Orleans call “political war.”
By eating a healthier food plan, he lost seventy-five pounds and
decreased his body fat percentage, thereby lowering his disease risk
factors.
Today Kirk is a happier, calmer, and healthier man through
proper nutrition. And he intends to stay that way.
The first step in my program for greater health and performance is
proper nutrition. Whether you need to lose weight, gain weight and
greater muscle mass because you are underweight, or seriously change
your nutritional lifestyle to reduce your risk of diseases such as heart
attack, high cholesterol, hypertension, or type 2 diabetes, this chap-
ter will provide you with a food program that will meet your nutri-
tional needs. Once you begin following a food plan that shows you
how to eat the appropriate number of calories for your performance
and nutritional needs, and the proper types of food from the three
main food groups, you will begin to see marked results in as few as
thirty days. Your scale weight will drop an average of two pounds per
week, your body fat will decrease, you will see a thinner waistline and
more lean muscle. For optimum results in health, stamina, and
strength, you should follow any food and exercise program for a
minimum of twelve weeks.
Keep in mind, however, that this is not a fad diet, which, by defi-
nition, is a calorically deprived food regimen that no one could
remain on for very long without significant health ramifications,
stress, and hunger. This is a food program you can follow for a life-
time. Coupled with my stress reduction and exercise programs, this
nutritional program for the twenty-first century is designed not only
to help you achieve your ideal weight and body composition goals,
but also to dramatically increase your health, performance, energy
levels, and longevity. The thousands of elite athletes and ordinary
men and women with whom I have worked for more than twenty-five
years are living proof of this program’s effectiveness.
The State of Nutritional Health in America
One has only to examine the terrible health ramifications that result
from the large number of Americans who are overweight to see that
most people do not understand the basics of proper nutrition. At
present, 59.4 percent of adults over the age of 20—approximately 97
million people—are overweight or obese.
Contrast this figure to the one from 1900, when only 5 percent of
the population was obese. Back then, people ate a healthier diet
comprised of whole foods. There were no supermarkets filled with
Today Kirk is a happier, calmer, and healthier man through
proper nutrition. And he intends to stay that way.
The first step in my program for greater health and performance is
proper nutrition. Whether you need to lose weight, gain weight and
greater muscle mass because you are underweight, or seriously change
your nutritional lifestyle to reduce your risk of diseases such as heart
attack, high cholesterol, hypertension, or type 2 diabetes, this chap-
ter will provide you with a food program that will meet your nutri-
tional needs. Once you begin following a food plan that shows you
how to eat the appropriate number of calories for your performance
and nutritional needs, and the proper types of food from the three
main food groups, you will begin to see marked results in as few as
thirty days. Your scale weight will drop an average of two pounds per
week, your body fat will decrease, you will see a thinner waistline and
more lean muscle. For optimum results in health, stamina, and
strength, you should follow any food and exercise program for a
minimum of twelve weeks.
Keep in mind, however, that this is not a fad diet, which, by defi-
nition, is a calorically deprived food regimen that no one could
remain on for very long without significant health ramifications,
stress, and hunger. This is a food program you can follow for a life-
time. Coupled with my stress reduction and exercise programs, this
nutritional program for the twenty-first century is designed not only
to help you achieve your ideal weight and body composition goals,
but also to dramatically increase your health, performance, energy
levels, and longevity. The thousands of elite athletes and ordinary
men and women with whom I have worked for more than twenty-five
years are living proof of this program’s effectiveness.
The State of Nutritional Health in America
One has only to examine the terrible health ramifications that result
from the large number of Americans who are overweight to see that
most people do not understand the basics of proper nutrition. At
present, 59.4 percent of adults over the age of 20—approximately 97
million people—are overweight or obese.
Contrast this figure to the one from 1900, when only 5 percent of
the population was obese. Back then, people ate a healthier diet
comprised of whole foods. There were no supermarkets filled with
low-calorie, low-fat, or processed foods. Fad diets had barely been
invented, and significantly fewer people had jobs that forced them to
be physically inactive.
These days 40 percent of all women and 25 percent of all men are
dieting, and about one out of three people are trying to maintain their
weight. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, most
of these programs fail in the long run. Most people who diet do lose
pounds, but on average the majority gain back 67 percent of their lost
weight within a year and the remainder within five years. These indi-
viduals spend approximately $30 billion per year on commercial
weight loss programs and about $6 billion on weight loss products.
Medical treatments and workdays lost because of obesity-related
illnesses cost us over $100 billion per year. Even if you are a person
who takes good care of yourself through proper nutrition and exer-
cise, you will still end up absorbing these expenses due to rising
insurance costs in your company health plans.
There is hope, however, that we can turn this trend around. Even
though more than 250,000 deaths a year are caused by obesity-
related health problems, obesity is the second greatest preventable cause
of death in the United States. (As stated in chapter 8, heart disease is
the first.) As we have seen, many major risk factors for disease are
directly related to weight issues, such as waistline circumference,
high cholesterol, BMI, and body fat percentage.
The Seven Myths about Weight Loss
The first step toward good nutrition is to separate the myths and mis-
conceptions about food, weight loss, and health from the simple
facts of proper food programming. Much of the information we read
and watch in the media is not founded on truth or on sound scien-
tific thinking. Let’s begin by looking at some of our culture’s widely
held notions about metabolism, weight loss, and caloric needs.
Myth 1: You can only lose weight if you eat fewer calories. The less you eat, the
more you lose. While it is true that eating fewer calories than your
metabolism requires will initially help you to lose weight, any low-
calorie diet will eventually result in diminishing returns. The reason
for this is evolutionary. For most of their history human beings have
been hunter-gatherers whose food supply was directly proportional
to their success at hunting or foraging. During times of food short-
ages, the human body learned to slow down its metabolism and store
fat as a protective hedge against starvation. According to Dr. Ann de
Wees Allen of the Glycemic Research Institute, whenever a woman
eats fewer than 1,200 calories a day or a man fewer than 1,650, fat-
storing enzymes in the body are automatically triggered.
If you eat a low-calorie diet for any extended time, several
unpleasant side effects will result. First, as the body strives to adjust
its needs to what it perceives as famine, weight loss will stop. Eventu-
ally, your starved body will start feeding off its own muscle tissue to
receive essential nutrients, creating an increasing ratio of fat to lean
muscle. If you try to exercise while on a very low-calorie diet, you will
not have the nutritional support necessary to repair and build mus-
cle tissue. A low caloric intake will also cause fatigue and irritability.
Myth 2: Scale weight is an accurate indication of how thin you are. Many
people think that simply having a low scale weight automatically
ensures that they are healthy. But a low scale weight is not an accu-
rate indicator of whether or not you have a healthy body composi-
tion. It is possible to weigh the “right” amount for your height and
body type yet still have an unhealthy amount of body fat. My nutri-
tionist, Molly Kimball, calls those types of individuals “skinny fat
people.” Many vegetarians, who eat relatively little protein, are thin
but have a high body fat content. One woman who is five feet eight
inches weighed only 158 pounds, but she had a body fat percentage
of 34.25, which made her technically obese and at risk for significant
health deterioration as she got older.
Many people do not gain weight as they age, but they lose lean
tissue and begin to collect fat in the abdominal area. One seven-year
study cited in the Canadian Journal of Diabetes Care showed that even
though the subjects’ scale weight and BMI remained the same as
they got older, there was a significant increase in their waist measure-
ments, accompanied by a 30 percent increase in abdominal fat. This
greater waistline and body fat percentage made them prime candi-
dates for diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, I know of people who are overweight but
carry a significant amount of muscle tissue in relation to their body
fat. They have low cholesterol, good triglyceride levels, and high
energy and performance levels because they exercise regularly and
have learned how to eat nutritionally. While it would be optimal for
them to lose some of that weight, overall they are actually healthier
and have a higher level of cardiovascular fitness than the skinny per-
son who has low muscle mass and high body fat content.
How much metabolically active tissue—lean muscle—you have is
more indicative of your health profile than the mere appearance of
thinness.
Myth 3: You can still lose weight if you don’t exercise. Many diet books
downplay the importance of exercise, claiming that all you need to
do to lose weight is to eat a nutritional, low-calorie food plan. Studies
have shown, however, that unless you make exercise a part of your
lifestyle, it is likely that you will gain back all your lost weight within
six months of going off the diet.
The American College of Sports Medicine says that making exer-
cise and cardiovascular training a part of your lifestyle significantly
increases your metabolism, helping you to lose unwanted weight
faster and to build more lean muscle tissue. According to several of
the studies they have published, it is the only way to keep off lost
weight over the long term.
Myth 4: Eating carbohydrates will make you gain weight. Many popular
diet plans warn people to stay away from carbohydrates because they
are “fattening.” Whether or not a food is a carbohydrate is irrelevant.
Everyone needs a certain percentage of fats, proteins, and carbohy-
drates in their daily diet. What matters is what kind of carbohydrate
you choose, simple or complex, which determines how quickly or
slowly a carb digests and how long it takes to release its food energy
in the body. Simple carbohydrates such as sugary desserts digest
quickly. Therefore a higher percentage of these types of food will be
stored as fat, since the body cannot use them so fast. On the other
hand, complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, bran muffins,
brown rice, yams, and multigrain bread digest very slowly and there-
fore can be more fully utilized as an energy source.
Myth 5: Fats make you fat, so avoid them. Everyone needs a certain per-
centage of fats in their daily food program to keep them healthy and
nutritionally balanced. In fact, fats are an excellent energy source.
Not all fats are created equal, however. For example, you should
choose monounsaturated fats such as olive oil above saturated fats
(see page 117 for a thorough discussion of fats).
Most people do not realize that the low-fat foods they buy in the
supermarket are not “health foods.” They are actually filled with hid-
den sugars such as honey, molasses, maltodextrin, and fructose.
Otherwise, they would have no flavor. So don’t avoid fats. Just learn
to eat the proper amounts and types.
Myth 6: Some people are simply doomed to be overweight because of genetics.
Many people believe that they are overweight because they have
inherited the dreaded “fat gene.” Often these individuals can even
point to their overweight families as proof of the hopelessness of
their condition. While there are those rare individuals who are heavy
because of genetic factors, such as someone with a family history of
thyroid problems, most of the time one’s genetic heritage does not
give the whole picture.
In my experience, environmental factors such as lifestyle, quanti-
ties and types of foods ingested (too much or too little), how much
sleep you get each night, your stress level, how frequently you eat,
and how much you exercise should always be evaluated if you have a
chronic weight problem. I almost always find that people who
believe they simply cannot lose weight do not have a clear under-
standing that real and permanent weight loss is a lifestyle issue made
up of many factors working in tandem.
Myth 7: Low-calorie foods are good for you. Many people believe that low-
calorie food products are generally more healthy than ordinary
foods—and supermarket shelves are filled with processed foods
labeled “low-cal.” The danger, however, is that low-calorie often
means “empty calories”—a lot of food volume with limited nutri-
tional value. Eating these types of foods may fill you up temporarily,
but they will not adequately support your body’s nutritional needs.
In fact, eating too many low-calorie foods usually triggers a higher
level of food cravings as your body tries to signal its need for more
nutritionally satisfying foods.
Calories are not the enemy. They are simply heat-energy units
that the body uses either as an energy source or to repair tissue. Each
person has a particular daily caloric requirement, based on what he
or she needs for bodily repair, daily activity, and exercise. If you do
not ingest enough calories to adequately fuel and support your
metabolic functions, your body will eventually begin to cannibalize
its own muscle tissue to get the nutrients it so desperately needs.
Now that we have separated the facts about nutrition from some of
the most common myths, let’s take an in-depth look at the basic
components behind a well-designed food program.
Food Programming versus Dieting
I am often amazed at how little understanding people have of the
roles played by all three food groups—carbohydrates, proteins, and
fats—in the maintenance of physical health. Popular diet books only
add to this confusion. Some diet authors advocate an almost total
avoidance of carbohydrates and a large intake of protein. Some give
readers the idea that all fats are bad. Others downplay the importance
of choosing unsaturated fats such as olive oil and soy butter, over satu-
rated fats such as dairy butter and cheese, by including recipes with
heavy, creamy sauces in their food plans. You could probably lose
weight on any of these diets, since most people eat so inconsistently
that almost any routine food program will have a positive effect on the
body’s metabolic processes. But no one can stay on an extreme or
unbalanced food program for long and expect to remain healthy.
The key to maintaining weight loss, eliminating health risks,
increasing energy levels, maintaining performance, improving your
moods, and increasing your longevity is to follow a food program
that can become a lifestyle. This type of food program must have sev-
eral basic characteristics:
• It must be intelligently balanced among carbohydrates, pro-
teins, and fats, based on the evidence presented by nutritional
science.
• It must adequately satisfy your body’s daily caloric require-
ments.
• If you need to lose weight initially, it should never put your
daily caloric intake so low that you will feel undue hunger,
physical or emotional stress, or loss of energy.
• It should provide you with three balanced meals and at least
two snacks per day to keep your energy levels consistent.
• It should have a certain amount of flexibility built into it to
allow for your individual nutritional needs, since we are all a
bit different from one another. For example, a man or woman
who is very athletic will require more protein than your aver-
age person.
Generally, I have found that the percentages that work best for
most people are 55 percent low-glycemic carbohydrates, 20 percent
lean protein, and 25 percent acceptable fat. Allowing for individual
differences, Dr. E. C. Henley, Ph.D., R.D., executive vice president
and director of nutritional sciences for Physicians Pharmaceuticals,
the experienced nutrition researcher and counselor who has
designed the food program in this chapter, has built a bit of flexibil-
ity into that range. I guarantee that every reader who follows this
food program will experience, in as few as thirty days, significant fat
loss, an increase in lean muscle, lowered cholesterol, decreased
health risks, and a marked increase in energy levels. But I also
encourage you to listen to your body and observe its performance
levels. For example, you might find that as you increase your level of
exercise, you may need a somewhat higher percentage of lean pro-
tein. Or you may discover that you are an individual who is at his or
her most energetic when you stick with 55 percent acceptable carbo-
hydrates—or maybe even a bit more.
Let’s take a look at the three food groups and the role each nutri-
ent plays in the body.
Carbohydrates
In my experience, many people find a food program consisting of 55
percent carbohydrates an intimidating amount. This is because many
of the popular diet books out there have caused people to shift their
dietary fears from fats to carbohydrates. The key is not to be afraid to
eat carbohydrates, but to learn how to manage your intake of carbs rel-
ative to your activity level. We all know of people who have lost a great
deal of scale weight on low-carbohydrate diets, but it’s a sure thing
that they felt irritable, headachy, and fatigued while on that diet. To
maintain the brain and central nervous system, the body needs a cer-
tain amount of glucose, which it gets from sugars and starches, the by-
products of carbohydrates after digestion. The body stores this
glucose in the liver and in the muscles. When you do not ingest a suf-
ficient amount of carbohydrates in your daily diet, the body has to get
its supply from somewhere. At that point, the body will begin break-
ing down its own muscle protein to synthesize glucose to provide your
vital organs with an adequate supply. The weight you will lose on a
low-carbohydrate diet will be muscle tissue, not fat, because your
body cannot break down its fat stores into glucose.
The goal of any good weight loss program should always be to
lose as little muscle as possible in comparison to fat loss. For every
gram of muscle tissue you lose, you lose 4 grams of water. For every
gram of fat lost, you lose only 1 gram of water. Water weight is not
true long-term weight loss, because water is the easiest thing in the
world to gain back. If, after losing weight on a diet, you start eating a
larger amount of carbohydrates during times of stress, the body will
quickly regain its lost muscle tissue and its associated water weight.
Remember, the goal of any nutrition program should be to spare
lean muscle tissue at the expense of excess body fat. Keep in mind
also that a pound of fat is four times the volume of a pound of lean
muscle, so losing pounds of fat will create the greatest transforma-
tion in your physical appearance. So don’t be afraid of carbohy-
drates. This does not mean, however, that you can eat all the
carbohydrates you want. A recent study at Stanford University
School of Medicine showed that eating a diet extremely high in car-
bohydrates caused triglycerides (bad fats) to go up. It is possible to
have too much of a good thing. The key is balance.
Remember, all carbohydrates are not created equal. Complex
carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, yams, brown rice, and whole
grains will be utilized more efficiently by the body than simple sugars
such as candy and cakes. I’m not saying that you can never again
indulge your sweet tooth, but it is important to eat desserts in mod-
eration. Make them a special treat, not a daily occurrence.
Another factor to consider when choosing appropriate carbohy-
drates is their rating on the Glycemic Index. Foods with a high glycemic
rating stimulate a higher than normal production of insulin in the
body and tend to stimulate fat storage. Foods that have a low glycemic
rating do not significantly elevate insulin or stimulate fat storage.
High glycemic foods should be avoided or eaten in moderation.
The following are the twenty carbohydrate foods most frequently
eaten by Americans and their Glycemic Index, followed by a list of
acceptable glycemic foods. These lists were provided by the Glycemic
Research Institute.
Top Twenty Carbohydrates
Ingested by Americans Glycemic Index
1. Potatoes High
2. White bread High
3. Cold breakfast cereal High
4. Dark bread High
5. Orange juice High but acceptable in 1⁄2 cup serving
6. Banana High
7. White rice High
8. Pizza Very high
9. Pasta Acceptable
10. Muffins High
11. Fruit punch High
12. Coca-Cola (regular) High
13. Apple Acceptable
14. Skim milk Acceptable
15. Pancakes High
16. Table sugar (sucrose) High
17. Jam (containing sugar) High
18. Cranberry juice High
(containing sugar)
19. French fries High
20. Candy High

Acceptable (Low) Glycemic Foods
Apple Reduced-fat ice cream
Applesauce (unsweetened) Spaghetti and meatballs
Blueberries Hot and sour soup/Egg drop soup
Blackberries Chicken lo mein
Cherries Pound cake (one slice)
Orange Sweet potatoes
Peach Swiss Miss hot cocoa, no sugar added
Pear Diet VeryFine Ice Tea Mix
Libby’s Natural Lite Pear Halves Newman’s Own All Natural Salsa
Avocado salad Shrimp cocktail with sauce
McDonald’s scrambled eggs Curried chicken salad
Smucker’s Natural Creamy Sponge cake (two slices)
Peanut Butter Ravioli, meat filled
Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine Hellmann’s Creamy Caesar Dressing
Chicken Primavera

For a more extensive list of high and low glycemic index foods,
please see my book Lose Your Love Handles.
Proteins
I suggest a daily intake of 20 percent lean protein. Good sources of
protein are chicken breasts, all types of fish, beef with a low fat con-
tent (in moderation), and soy products. Protein is a stabilizing food
that assists in insulin management, as well as serves other vital roles
in normal body function. Because protein is not stored, a person
requires three balanced meals and two or three snacks that include
protein per day to suppress their hunger and mobilize their body fat
for burning during physical exercise. A good protein to ingest as a
snack would be soy-based foods such as Personal Edge soy protein
powder, which you can find in many health food stores or General
Nutrition Center stores in your area. Research has shown the great-
est benefits occur from ingesting at least 20 to 25 grams per day. I
suggest adding your soy powder to low-fat milk or unsweetened fruit
juice and having it as a midmorning and midafternoon snack.
Soy products have always been a part of my nutrition programs
because of their many benefits. Research studies have shown that an
overabundance of the amino acid lysine increases the level of bad
cholesterol in the body, while the amino acid arginine decreases it.
Compared to animal protein, soy has a more favorable ratio of argi-
nine to lysine. This lower ratio decreases the body’s production of
insulin and increases its production of glucagon. What this means is
that eating soy every day helps you to shift your metabolism from fat
storage to fat mobilization.
Soy products also help to lower the risk of coronary disease. And
when used in conjunction with a properly balanced nutrition and
aerobic exercise program, they are an important tool for lowering
your body fat and cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that soy
foods also lower the risk of hormone-related cancers.
In addition to soy-based powders, there are many delicious soy
food products available, including soy burgers and hot dogs, many
delicious varieties of tofu, soy cheeses, and soy milk. Soy products
can be a nutritional mainstay for vegetarians faced by the challenge
of getting sufficient protein in their daily diet.
When choosing other protein sources, always choose lean meats
and low-fat dairy. First-choice protein sources include skim milk; fat-
free cheese and cottage cheese; yogurt made from skim milk; 95 per-
cent lean ground beef, turkey, or encased meats (e.g., sausage and
bologna); white-meat, skinless chicken; white-meat tuna in water;
egg whites; and nonfried fish and seafood.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating fish
daily decreases insulin levels, increases glucose production, lowers
triglyceride (bad fat) production, and increases the level of HDL
cholesterol (good cholesterol), reducing your risk of cardiovascular
disease. For this reason, it is important to eat cold-water fish such as
salmon, mackeral, and halibut at least twice a week.
The current RDA recommendation for protein is 0.8 grams per
kilograms of body weight, but this does not provide enough for the
dietary needs of individuals involved in regular exercise. Dr. E. C.
Henley, who designed the food program in this chapter, suggests 60
to 100 grams of protein daily. If you want to know how many grams of
protein are in a food source such as packaged meats or fish, nut but-
ters, or soy products, simply read the label.
Getting your proper daily protein allotment is important for
another reason. Based on a study of men between the ages of forty
and seventy published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism, a diet with adequate amounts of protein helps stop the
decrease in testosterone levels that many men experience as they
age. The article goes on to say, “Diets low in protein lead to increases
in sex hormone-binding globulin in older men, potentially reducing
the availability of testosterone and causing loss of muscle mass, red
cell mass and bone density.”
Fats
In recent years, fats have gotten a bad reputation. But what most
people do not realize is that by ingesting a daily diet of 25 percent of
the right kinds of fat enables us to utilize dietary fat to help burn body
fat. The reason for this is that all fats produce 9 calories of energy
per gram and the body uses fats mostly as an energy source, along
with glucose broken down from the digestion of carbohydrates.
There are two different groups of fat. The first, saturated fats,
should be eaten only in limited amounts because they can clog your
arteries, increasing your chances of heart disease. People who eat
diets high in saturated fats also run a greater risk of developing some
kinds of cancers. This types of fat is found in meat and dairy prod-
ucts such as beef, cheese, and butter.
The best kind of fat to include in your daily diet is monounsatu-
rated fat, which is found in plant products such as vegetable oils,
nuts, and avocados. Your body uses this type of fat to strengthen cell
membranes, support nerve and hormone function, and produce
hormonelike substances called prostaglandins, which have been
linked to the prevention of heart disease and cancers.
Essential Fatty Acids Decrease Health Risks
Two kinds of unsaturated fats are necessary for your very survival.
These are the essential fatty acids omega-6 (linoleic acid) and
omega-3 (linolenic acid). Since your body cannot manufacture these
fatty acids, they must be obtained from the foods you eat. Omega-6 is
fairly common and is found in most of the vegetable oils sold in the
grocery store. I suggest, however, that you try to buy your vegetable
oils in health foods stores, if possible. Most typical grocery store oils,
which are processed for mass distribution, are often filled with free
radicals and bad fats called trans-fatty acids. Omega-3 is found in soy
oil, walnut oil, flax oil, and canola oils and in dark green, leafy veg-
etables. I suggest that you purchase all oils in dark-colored green or
amber bottles, since clear bottles tend to make the oils go rancid
after a time due to chemical changes caused by exposure to sunlight.
It is especially important to make sure that you supplement your
food plan with enough omega-3 fats, since the American diet is usu-
ally deficient in this nutrient. While the ideal ratio of omega-6 oil to
omega-3 should be between 3:1 and 4:1, a recent study showed that
for most people their level of omega-6 is 20 times their level of
omega-3.
The benefits of ingesting the proper amount of unsaturated fats
and essential fatty acids include:
• Lowering cholesterol levels
• Lowering high blood pressure
• Decreasing symptoms of heart palpitations and angina
• Preventing significantly the risk of heart attacks and strokes
• Decreasing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis
• Decreasing the pain and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis
• Correcting or markedly improving skin conditions such as
psoriasis and eczema
• Lowering the risk of cancer
There are several other ways to increase the amount of essential
fatty acids in your diet. For example, cold-water fish such as salmon,
mackerel, and trout are rich sources of the essential fatty acid
metabolites DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapen-
taenoic acid). These have been shown to help lower blood pressure,
improve cholesterol levels, and lower one’s risk for cardiovascular
disease. Aside from simply eating fish a minimum of twice per week,
you can supplement your diet with omega-3 by taking fish oil cap-
sules (taken with a meal), available at most pharmacies or health
food stores.
Flax oil is another rich source of omega-3 and all essential fatty
acids, which is why body builders mix it into their protein drinks so
often. It is best taken not in capsules but in liquid form to make sure
that it is fresh and of high quality. The next time you are fixing a
green salad, try using a tablespoon of flax oil as a dressing, or half a
tablespoon mixed with sunflower oil or a little vinegar. You may also
lightly brush it over meat after it has been cooked.
Other acceptable oils or products containing oils include corn
oil, Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise, Kraft Light Mayonnaise, Smart
Balance Soft Spread (no trans-fatty acids), and unsaturated corn oil.
Products such as Promise, Take Control, Fleischmann’s Margarine,
and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! (spray, not solid) are excellent
butter alternatives. If real butter is your only alternative when dining
out, use it in moderation.
Fiber Is Important
Fiber is simply plant food that passes undigested through the small
intestine. There are two basic types of fiber, insoluble and soluble.
Insoluble fibers hold less water and include foods such as vegetables,
most bran products, and whole grains. These types of foods provide
bulk and help to normalize bowel movements. Soluble fibers hold
up to forty times their weight in water, and include such foods as
oats, any type of legume, beans, and psyllium. These kinds of foods
provide the primary food source for friendly bacteria in the intes-
tinal track. Not getting enough soluble fiber in your daily diet can
lead to reduced growth of friendly bacteria, increased growth of
unfriendly bacteria, constipation, and increased risk for colorectal
cancer. Citrus fruits and apples, the most soluble fibers, hold 100
times their weight in water.
While the average person eats 16 to 17 grams of fiber per day, the
National Cancer Institute recommends an average of 25 grams daily. A
recent study by the American Dietetic Association, however, has
caused the American Dietary Association to begin increasing its
dietary recommendations of fiber. This study indicated that people
with diabetes could significantly reduce their blood sugar by eating up
to 50 grams of fiber per day. Other benefits of this high-fiber diet were
an improved cholesterol level, lowering the participants’ risk of heart
disease, which is a major cause of death among people with diabetes.
A long-term study published recently in the Journal of the Ameri-
can Medical Association stated that eating a high-fiber diet also helps
to fight obesity. On average, young adults who ate at least 21 grams of
fiber per day gained eight pounds less over a ten-year period than
those who ate the least amount of fiber. When you consider that a
bowl of high-fiber cereal can contain up to 25 grams of fiber, it is not
difficult to get sufficient fiber in your daily diet.
High-fiber foods include the following:
• Raw or lightly cooked vegetables.
• Cereals, rolls, and bread made from whole grain flour.
• Nuts, beans, peas, lentils, potatoes, and yams (with the skins
on).
• Whole grains, such as whole wheat, brown rice, whole or
rolled oats, buckwheat, amaranth, and brown rice.
• Raw fruits such as apples (with the skins on).
• Dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, dates, and prunes. (Buy
organic dried fruits, since the drying process concentrates the
level of fungicides and pesticides already present in nonor-
ganic fruits.)
When you increase your daily intake of fiber, do it slowly to avoid
discomfort and flatulence. Make sure to take a multivitamin, since
fiber speeds digestion and might deplete the body of certain vitamins.
Assess Your Weight and Nutritional Habits
Now that you understand some of the nutritional basics, you are
ready to take a questionnaire designed by E. C. Henley, Ph.D., R.D.,
an experienced nutrition researcher, professor, and counselor. This
brief test will enable you to easily evaluate whether you are the right
weight for your frame size and whether you are following a healthy
food plan.
Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire
1. Use the following guidelines to evaluate these statements:
I am at my ideal body weight.
I have an even distribution of fat in both my
upper and my lower body.
Estimate Your Ideal Weight
If you are uncertain about your ideal body weight, you can estimate
as follows:
Females: For the first 5 feet of height (60 inches) estimate 100
pounds. For each additional inch, add 5 pounds. So for a woman
who is 5 feet 5 inches, an ideal weight would be about 125 pounds.
Answer: __________.
Males: For the first 5 feet of height (60 inches) estimate 106
pounds. For each additional inch, add 5 pounds. So for a male who
is 5 feet 10 inches, an ideal weight would be about 156 pounds.
Answer: __________.
Estimate Your Frame Size
Your frame size will make a difference in estimating your ideal weight.
Consider the figure calculated previously as the proper weight for a
medium-size frame. If you have a small frame, your ideal weight could
be about 10 percent less. If you have a large frame, your weight could
be about 10 percent more.
Here’s a rule of thumb for determining your frame size. Encircle
the wrist of your opposing arm at the narrowest place with your
thumb and index finger. If the two fingers overlap, your frame size is
small. If they just meet, then your frame is medium. If there is a gap,
your frame is on the large side. My frame size: __________.
Calculate Your Hip-to-Waist Ratio
The value of the hip measurement compared to the waist measure-
ment is that it gives you some idea regarding the dangers associated
with where your fat is stored. You have probably already heard
that having a pear-shaped body is less dangerous than having an
apple-shaped body. Fat that is stored around and above the waist
results in a higher risk for diabetes and heart disease. The person
with upper body fat distribution (the apple) loses fat quicker than
the person with lower body fat distribution (the pear), but a smaller
amount of fat stored above the waist is more dangerous than a larger
amount of fat stored below the waist.
Here’s how to determine your shape. Measure your waist at its
narrowest circumference and your hips at their widest. Then divide
your waist measurement by your hip measurement. For example, if
you have a waist of 30 inches and a hip measurement of 42 inches,
your hip-to-waist ratio is .71. For women, the preferred ratio is below
.80 and for men below .95. Keep in mind that this measurement
does not tell you anything about your total body weight or body com-
position. It just gives you an indication of where your excess fat is
located and, therefore, your health risk relative to fat deposition.
My waist ratio is __________. My hip ratio is __________.
My hip-to-waist ratio is __________.
Yes
No
2. I look for ways to increase physical activity in
my lifestyle.
I regularly exercise thirty to sixty minutes per day.
Exercise lowers your risk for cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, obe-
sity, high blood pressure, and other diseases. Look for ways to incor-
porate more physical activity into your daily life such as taking the
stairs; parking far away from your destination; and walking with your
children, spouse, or dog. Bicycle to work if possible. Your exercise
program should include aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercises.
Yes
No
3. I am a nonsmoker.
If I drink alcohol, I do so in moderation.
Quitting smoking is the single most important step you can take to
safeguard your health. The American Institute of Cancer Research
estimates that stopping smoking can drop cancer incidence by 30
percent. While drinking in moderation, especially red wine, has
been linked to elevated HDL (good cholesterol) levels, drinking
even one alcoholic beverage a day has been associated with breast
cancer in women. The health benefits from red wine are attributed
to the phytochemical resveratrol, which can also be found in grapes,
grape juice, raisins, and peanuts.
Yes
No
4. I take care of my teeth, including daily flossing.
I eat at least two calcium-rich foods or take
calcium supplements daily.
Good oral health is essential to enjoying a wide variety of foods. Loss
of bone density can result not only in osteoporosis, but in loss of
teeth as well. Sometimes it is difficult to obtain adequate amounts of
calcium from your daily diet. Therefore, doctors recommend that
you take calcium supplements. Since adequate amounts of vitamin D
are required to enable your body to utilize calcium, be sure your sup-
plement also contains vitamin D.
Yes
No
5. I avoid saturated and trans-fat in my daily diet,
eating mostly unsaturated fats.
(See page 117 for information on fats.)
Yes
No
6. I eat sufficient vegetables, including plant-based
proteins, and have two to three meatless meals
per week.
A diet comprised of significant amounts of vegetables and vegetable
protein is associated with decreased risk of cancer, diabetes, heart
disease, and obesity. If you currently eat animal protein (e.g., milk,
meat, fowl, pork, eggs, cheese, and yogurt) at every meal, make a
goal to have two to three meals per week that are vegetarian. Make
sure, however, that these meals contain a sufficient amount of veg-
etable protein such as tofu or legumes, an appropriate amount of
complex carbohydrates, and a sufficient amount of fats. Simply eat-
ing a big salad is not going to provide you with adequate nutritional
fuel to maintain your metabolic needs and your energy levels. The
American Institute of Cancer Research suggests that meat be used as
a condiment instead of a main course. Be creative and experiment
with beans, nuts, soy protein–based entrées, and whole grains.
Yes
No
7. I include seafood or fish in my diet one to two
times weekly.
Cold-water fish such as salmon and halibut contain omega-3 fatty
acids, which promote a healthy heart and brain, and healthy joints
and lungs. Even one to two servings per week is associated with lower
rates of heart disease. If eating fish is not for you, consider taking fish
oil supplements.
Yes
No
8. I eat broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels
sprouts, onions, garlic, or soy protein daily.
These vegetables are especially important in lowering your risk for
certain cancers. They contain antioxidant vitamins and phytochemi-
cals that researchers are studying alone and in foods to determine
their roles in cancer prevention. Soy protein plays a key role in the
promotion of a healthy cardiovascular system. The FDA recommends
25 grams per day of soy protein for lowering the risk for heart disease.
Yes
No
9. I eat at least two foods high in fiber each day.
Fiber is important in maintaining a healthy gut and is useful in main-
taining blood glucose levels within desirable levels. High-fiber diets
satisfy our appetite and make us feel full, therefore aiding in weight
maintenance. (See page 119 for more on fiber.)
Yes
No
10. I eat red, yellow, and green fruits and
vegetables daily.
Red, yellow, and green fruits and vegetables are rich in the essential
nutrients folic acid, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, as well as other
important minerals and phytochemicals. Folic acid prevents birth
defects and lowers blood homocysteine levels, a risk factor for heart
disease. Potassium lowers the risk for hypertension. Current research
on lycopenes, found in tomatoes (cooked are best), suggests that this
substance plays a role in eye health and the prevention of cancer.
Yes
No
11. I drink at least half an ounce of water per pound
of body weight and two servings of tea daily.
Most of your body is water. Even mild dehydration can lead to
lethargy and constipation. Some evidence indicates that drinking
adequate water may help prevent kidney stones and may be associ-
ated with a lower incidence of colon cancer. Tea, either green or
black, contains polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. Poly-
phenols may lower the risk for cancer of the esophagus. In animal
studies, they have been shown to lower the prevalence of skin tumors.
Yes
No
12. I confide in and often share meals with someone.
Data from survival and longevity studies suggest that having some-
one to socialize with during meals is an important component of
stress management and maintaining feelings of well-being.
Yes
No
13. I know my blood pressure and my blood lipid
numbers.
I practice appropriate eating and exercise
behaviors.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the
United States in both men and women. Elevated blood pressure
causes kidney damage and places stress on arteries in the heart and
the brain, increasing the risk for both heart attacks and strokes.
There are effective dietary and pharmaceutical interventions for the
management of both elevated blood pressure and abnormal blood
lipids. Become familiar with your blood pressure and blood lipid
numbers—such as your HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, and triglyc-
eride levels—and track them to monitor the success of your diet
and exercise program. If you need assistance in learning more
about your individual nutritional needs, or have severe health prob-
lems that can improve with proper nutrition, see a registered
dietitian.
Yes
No
14. I know the drug/drug and drug/nutrient inter-
actions of any prescribed or over-the-counter
medications I take.
Drug/drug interactions can be life threatening. Many times, com-
bining one medication with another can make a drug less effective
or more potent or can cause unwanted side effects. Many drugs
should be consumed either with foods or on an empty stomach.
Some medications taken with foods are either not absorbed well or,
conversely, may be absorbed in higher amounts than the manufac-
turer intended. Drug manufacturers have calculated the optimum
dosages for drugs when taken as prescribed. Check with a pharma-
cist about any special instructions related to drug, herbal supple-
ment, or food interactions.
Yes
No
15. I eat slowly, enjoy meals without distractions,
and leave food on my plate.
Eating slowly allows food to be fully absorbed and metabolized so
that your brain can signal you when your hunger is satisfied.
Research shows that when a person eats only the amount of food
required to satisfy hunger, he or she will maintain a normal body
weight. Distractions at meals increase the amount of food eaten, as
they may dull your sensitivity as to whether or not your hunger is sat-
isfied. Learn to listen to your body’s signals and leave food on your
plate when you are no longer hungry. Ironically, the major malnutri-
tion problem in the United States is obesity, and this situation is
increasing among children. Set an example for your children by eat-
ing slowly, enjoying meals without distractions, and leaving food on
your plate.
Eat Healthfully with These Nutritional
Guidelines
The following are Dr. E. C. Henley’s guidelines for a healthy diet.
They dovetail with the dietary recommendations for lowering the
risk of cancer and heart disease recommended by organizations
such as the National Heart Institute and the American College of
Sports Medicine. In addition, these same guidelines are appropriate
for managing weight, as serving sizes can simply be adjusted accord-
ing to your individual caloric needs. Salt should be consumed in
moderation, and foods containing simple sugars, honey, and syrup
should be consumed within caloric needs and not at the expense of
other recommended foods. Nutrient-dense foods such as complex
carbohydrates and soy are especially important when one’s calorie
intake is limited, as in weight-loss diets or food plans for older indi-
viduals. Bon appetit!

Dietary Component Approximate Intake
FOODS CONTAINING PROTEIN 60–100 grams protein
Vegetarian entrées several (3–4 servings) daily
times per week
At least 2 servings of fish per week
25 grams soy protein daily

FOODS CONTAINING FIBER 20–30 grams fiber daily
Beans, whole grains, vegetables,
and fruits with skins and seeds
FRUITS 3–5 servings daily
Red grapes daily; dried cranberries
2–3 times per week; apples, berries,
apricots, dried plums, melon,
bananas, or citrus fruit daily
VEGETABLES 3–5 servings daily
Garlic, cabbage, broccoli, spinach,
onions, cauliflower, beans, peas,
sweet potatoes, squash, greens,
carrots, or 8–12 ounces tomato-based
juice daily
WHOLE-GRAIN FOODS 5–10 servings daily
Oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat
and rye breads/crackers, and
high-fiber cereals daily
FOODS CONTAINING FATS Limit fat intake to 20–30 percent
3–4 servings of nuts per week of calories
Limit trans- and saturated fats
Olives and avocados as desired
within fat-calorie limit
Season and sauté foods with olive oil

Determine Your Caloric Needs
Before I show you some sample food programs incorporating Dr. E. C.
Henley’s recommendations, you need to determine how many calo-
ries your body actually needs by estimating your total daily caloric
expenditure. This figure will include your resting metabolic rate
(RMR)—the number of calories required for basic bodily processes
such as tissue repair, brain function, blood circulation, and diges-
tion—plus the number of calories burned during exercise and nor-
mal daily activity.
Step 1. If you are a woman, use the following formula to
determine your RMR:
655 + (weight in kilograms × 9.6) + (height in cm × 1.8) – (age × 4.7)
To convert pounds to kilograms, divide them by 2.2. To convert
inches to centimeters, multiply them by 2.5. For example, if you are a
forty-year-old woman who weighs 125 pounds and is five feet six
inches, you would divide 125 by 2.2 to get 56.8 kilograms. Then you
would multiply 66 inches times 2.5 to get a height of 165 centime-
ters. You would then get out your calculator and plug those figures
into the equation to get your RMR.
Weight: 56.8 kilograms × 9.6 = 545.28
Height: 165 cm × 1.8 = 297
Age: 40 years old × 4.7 = 188
Total: 655 + 545.28 + 297 – 188 = 1,309 calories (RMR)
If you are a man, use this formula to compute your RMR:
66 + (weight in kg × 13.7) + (height in cm × 5) – (age × 6.8)
Since these formulas factor in gender, weight, height, and age,
they are very precise and should be your preferred method for deter-
mining your RMR. However, if the math seems too much for you, a
simple way to approximate your RMR is to multiply your body weight
by 10. Using this formula, the 125-pound woman in the example has
a resting metabolic rate of 1,250 calories.
Step 2. Since no one sits around all day without moving a muscle,
you need to account for the calories burned during exercise and
physical activity. A good rule of thumb is that a person will burn
about two-thirds of his or her body weight in calories for every
ten minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise. So, our 125-
pound woman would burn approximately 83.3 calories during
every ten minutes of her cardio workout.
To calculate the actual number of calories you will need to
support your daily level of activity, use the following criteria. If
you are moderately active throughout your day, add about 40 to
60 percent of your resting metabolic rate. If your daily activities
are sedentary—for example, if you sit at a desk most of the day—
add only 20 percent of your resting metabolic rate. Let’s look
once again at our example of the 125-pound woman. If her RMR
is 1,309 calories and she has a desk job, she would need to eat
1,309 + 261.8 = 1,570.8 calories daily to maintain her current
weight. If she was moderately active, working out in the gym
twice a week and doing aerobic exercises such as walking or bicy-
cling five to six times per week, she would need to eat 1,309 +
523.6 = 1832.6 calories daily to maintain her current weight.
Keep in mind that these numbers are only an estimate. Sev-
eral factors can affect an individual’s metabolic rate, including
age, genetics, certain medications, and body composition. Mus-
cle is more metabolically active (burns more calories) than fat.
If you simply want to maintain your current weight, then you
need to consume the number of calories you have determined as
your total daily expenditure. If your goal is to lose weight, how-
ever, you’ll need to cut back on your intake.
One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. So, if you create a
deficit of 500 calories a day, you should lose one pound each
week. To accomplish this either increase your level of exercise
and/or cut back on calories. Take care not to slash too many
calories, though, because you don’t want to deprive your body of
the nutrients it needs. Consuming fewer than 1,200 calories per
day is not recommended.
Following are four sample seven-day food plans designed by
my nutritionist, Molly Kimball, based on the guidelines provided
by Dr. Henley. These menus should give you an idea of how
to properly apply these guidelines to a range of daily caloric
requirements.
The 1,200-Calorie-a-Day Weekly Meal Plan
In this food plan, the caloric spread among proteins, fats, and carbo-
hydrates is broken down in the following manner: 20 percent protein
(60 grams), 25 percent fat (30 to 35 grams), and 55 percent carbohy-
drate (165 grams).
Day 1
breakfast
4 egg-white omelette with diced onions, mushrooms, red and yellow
peppers
1 slice 100 percent whole wheat toast
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt topped with sliced peaches
lunch
2–3 ounces baked halibut
Stewed okra and tomatoes with onion, garlic, and
1
⁄
3
cup chickpeas
prepared with 1 tsp olive oil
snack
1 Tbsp soy nut butter on
1
⁄
2
whole grain bagel
1
⁄
2
cup orange juice
dinner
Shrimp and vegetable curry: 2 ounces of shrimp (or tofu) with
vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and onion
with ginger, curry, and 1 Tbsp cashews
1 cup of cooked bulgur
snack
1 cup of skim milk blended with ice and 1 cup mixed berries,
such as blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries
Day 2
breakfast
1 whole grain waffle topped with 1 Tbsp almond butter or
soy nut butter
1
⁄
2
cup sliced strawberries
1 cup skim milk
snack
1
⁄
2
cup of 100 percent grape juice
4 whole grain crackers
lunch
1 cup of tomato basil soup
Veggie burger on whole grain bun
Tossed mixed greens salad, with 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing
snack
1 scoop of soy protein powder blended with water
dinner
2 ounces grilled teriyaki salmon
1 cup spinach sautéed with 1 tsp olive oil, garlic, and onion
1
⁄
3
cup basmati rice
snack
1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt mixed with
1
⁄
2
cup blueberries
Day 3
breakfast
Southwestern burrito: 2 egg whites, scrambled, sprinkle of low-fat
cheddar, salsa, and
1
⁄
3
cup black beans rolled into a small whole
wheat tortilla
1 cup of calcium-fortified rice milk
snack
2 small kiwis
1 ounce roasted soy nuts
lunch
Vegetable salad (zucchini, squash, eggplant, red and yellow peppers,
grilled with 1 tsp olive oil) served over mixed greens
Top with 2 ounces of grilled shrimp and 1 Tbsp reduced fat herb
vinaigrette dressing
1
⁄
2
baked sweet potato
snack
15 red grapes with 1 cup of low-fat yogurt
dinner
1 cup of whole wheat pasta with 1 cup of tomato-based “meat” sauce,
using veggie ground “meat” (or use 3 ounces of at least 93 percent
lean ground beef).
Large Caesar salad with 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing
snack
Small grapefruit
Day 4
breakfast
2 scoops soy protein powder blended with 8 ounces soy milk,
1
⁄
2
cup blackberries, 1 tsp psyllium, and ice
1 slice toasted oat bran bread
snack
7 dried apricots
1 mozzarella string cheese
lunch
1 cup of lentil soup
Mixed green salad with fresh veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower,
tomatoes, and carrots topped with balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp
olive oil
snack
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
6 almonds
dinner
2-ounce portion of swordfish baked in tomato-based sauce
1 cup of couscous with diced vegetables
snack
15 grapes
Day 5
breakfast
3
⁄
4
cup whole grain cereal (select a cereal with at least 5 grams of
fiber per serving)
Stir 1 scoop of soy protein powder into 1 cup of soy milk, and pour
over cereal.
Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
snack
1 cup of honeydew melon
lunch
1 cup of gazpacho soup
Large spinach salad filled with 2 ounces grilled skinless chicken
breast, 1 slice of avocado,
1
⁄
2
cup couscous,
1
⁄
3
cup black beans,
and
1
⁄
2
cup grapes.
snack
1 cup of low-fat yogurt
1 cup of baby carrots
dinner
Kabobs made with 2 ounces shrimp, chicken, or very lean beef
skewered with veggies such as onions, tomatoes, mushrooms,
and red and yellow peppers
Serve over
2
⁄
3
cup barley and brown rice pilaf
snack
1 cup of sliced strawberries
Day 6
breakfast
1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1 scoop soy protein powder
4 dried plums chopped into oatmeal
1 carton of low-fat yogurt
snack
1
⁄
2
medium banana
lunch
Roasted chicken salad: 2 ounces roasted, skinless chicken breast over
mixed greens with cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced pears,
1
⁄
3
cup
raspberries, and 1 Tbsp low-fat raspberry vinaigrette
5 whole grain crackers
snack
1 cup of tomato soup with 1 ounce of low-fat cheese
dinner
3–4 ounces tofu stir-fried with portabella mushrooms, water
chestnuts, carrots, onion, and garlic
1
⁄
2
cup tabbouleh
snack
1 cup of chocolate soy milk
Day 7
breakfast
1
⁄
2
cup cooked bulgur mixed with 1 cup of soy milk
Top with sliced apples, dried cranberries, and cinnamon
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt with 2 Tbsp raisins
lunch
Fajitas: 2 ounces grilled shrimp, chicken, pork tenderloin, or tofu with
onions; red, green, and yellow peppers; and 1 Tbsp guacamole
snack
“Pizza”:
1
⁄
2
whole wheat English muffin topped with tomato paste and
1 ounce of part-skim mozzarella
dinner
2 ounces oven-roasted tuna with lime juice, fresh herbs, and 1 tsp
olive oil
Asparagus sautéed with onions
Roasted sweet potato rounds seasoned with cinnamon, ground cloves,
and ginger
snack
1 cup of sliced cantaloupe
The 1,500-Calorie-a-Day Sample
Week Meal Plan
In this food plan, the caloric spread among proteins, fats, and carbo-
hydrates is broken down in the following manner: 20 percent protein
(75 grams), 25 percent fat (40 to 45 grams), 55 percent carbohydrate
(205 grams).
Day 1
breakfast
4 egg-white omelette with diced onion, mushrooms, red and yellow
peppers, and 1 Tbsp diced olives
1 slice 100 percent whole wheat toast
1 small grapefruit
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt topped with sliced peaches
lunch
2–3 ounces baked halibut
Stewed okra and tomatoes with onion, garlic, and
2
⁄
3
cup chickpeas,
prepared with 1 tsp olive oil
snack
1 Tbsp soy nut butter on
1
⁄
2
whole grain bagel
1
⁄
2
cup orange juice
dinner
Shrimp and vegetable curry: 3 ounces of shrimp (or tofu), with
vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and onion
with ginger, curry, and 1 Tbsp cashews
1 cup of cooked bulgur
snack
1 cup of skim milk blended with ice and 1 cup mixed berries,
such as blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries
Day 2
breakfast
1 whole grain waffle topped with 1 Tbsp almond butter or
soy nut butter
1
⁄
2
cup sliced strawberries
1 cup skim milk
snack
1
⁄
2
cup of 100 percent grape juice
4 whole grain crackers
lunch
1 cup of tomato basil soup
Veggie burger on whole grain bun with 1 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
Tossed mixed greens salad, with 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing
snack
1 scoop of soy protein powder blended with water
1
⁄
2
mango
dinner
3 ounces grilled teriyaki salmon
1 cup spinach sautéed with 1 tsp olive oil, garlic, and onion
2
⁄
3
cup basmati rice
snack
1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt mixed with
1
⁄
2
cup blueberries
Day 3
breakfast
Southwestern burrito: 2 egg whites, scrambled, sprinkle of low-fat
cheddar, salsa, and
1
⁄
3
cup black beans rolled into a small whole
wheat tortilla
1
⁄
2
cup of mango, cubed
1 cup of calcium-fortified rice milk
snack
2 small kiwis
1 ounce roasted soy nuts
lunch
Grilled vegetable salad (zucchini, squash, eggplant, red and yellow
peppers, grilled with 1 tsp olive oil) served over mixed greens
Top with 3 ounces of grilled shrimp, topped with 1 Tbsp reduced-fat
herb vinaigrette
1 baked sweet potato with 1 tsp butter
snack
15 red grapes with 1 cup of low-fat yogurt
dinner
1 cup of whole wheat pasta with 1 cup of tomato-based “meat” sauce,
using veggie ground “meat” (or 3 ounces of at least 93 percent lean
ground beef).
Large Caesar salad, with 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing
snack
Small grapefruit
Day 4
breakfast
2 scoops soy protein powder blended with 8 ounces soy milk,
1
⁄
2
cup blackberries, 1 tsp psyllium, and ice
2 slices of toasted oat bran bread
snack
7 dried apricots
1 mozzarella string cheese
lunch
1 cup of lentil soup
Mixed greens salad with fresh veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower,
tomatoes, and carrots, topped with balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp
olive oil
snack
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
6 almonds
dinner
3-ounce portion of swordfish, baked in tomato-based sauce
1 cup of couscous with diced vegetables and 1 Tbsp chopped
walnuts
snack
30 grapes
Day 5
breakfast
1
1
⁄
2
cups whole grain cereal (select a cereal with at least 5 grams of
fiber per serving) topped with
1
⁄
2
cup blueberries
Stir 1 scoop of soy protein powder into 1 cup of soy milk, and pour
over cereal.
Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
snack
1 cup of honeydew melon
lunch
1 cup of gazpacho soup
Large spinach salad filled with 3 ounces grilled skinless chicken
breast, 1 slice of avocado,
1
⁄
2
cup couscous,
1
⁄
3
cup black beans,
and
1
⁄
2
cup grapes
snack
1 cup of low-fat yogurt
1 cup of baby carrots
dinner
Kabobs made with 3 ounces shrimp, chicken, or very lean beef
skewered with veggies such as onions, tomatoes, mushrooms,
and red and yellow peppers
Serve over
2
⁄
3
cup barley and brown rice pilaf with 1 Tbsp pine nuts
snack
1 cup of sliced strawberries
Day 6
breakfast
1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1 scoop soy protein powder
4 dried plums, chopped into oatmeal
1 carton of low-fat yogurt
snack
1
⁄
2
medium banana
lunch
Roasted chicken salad: 3 ounces roasted, skinless chicken breast over
mixed greens, with cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced pears,
1
⁄
3
cup
raspberries, and 1 Tbsp low-fat raspberry vinaigrette dressing
10 whole grain crackers
snack
1 cup of tomato soup with 1 ounce of low-fat cheese
dinner
3–4 ounces tofu stir-fried in 1 tsp olive oil with portabella mushrooms,
water chestnuts, carrots, onion, and garlic
1
⁄
2
cup tabbouleh
snack
1 cup of chocolate soy milk
1 apple
Day 7
breakfast
1 cup cooked bulgur mixed with 1 cup of soy milk
Top with sliced apples, dried cranberries, and cinnamon
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt with 2 Tbsp raisins and 1 Tbsp flaxseed
1
⁄
2
cup of cranberry juice
lunch
Fajitas: 2 ounces grilled shrimp, chicken, pork tenderloin, or tofu
filled with onions; red, green, and yellow peppers; and 1 Tbsp
guacamole
snack
“Pizza”:
1
⁄
2
whole wheat English muffin topped with tomato paste and
1 ounce of part-skim mozzarella
dinner
3 ounces oven-roasted tuna with lime juice, fresh herbs, and 1 tsp
olive oil
Asparagus sautéed with onions
Roasted sweet potato rounds seasoned with cinnamon, ground cloves,
and ginger
snack
1 cup of sliced cantaloupe
The 1,800-Calorie-a-Day Sample
Week Meal Plan
In this food plan, the caloric spread among proteins, fats, and carbo-
hydrates is broken down in the following manner: 20 percent protein
(90 grams), 25 percent fat (50 grams), 55 percent carbohydrate (250
grams).
Day 1
breakfast
4 egg-white omelette with diced onion, mushrooms, red and yellow
peppers, and 1 Tbsp diced olives
2 slices 100 percent whole wheat toast with 1 tsp of yogurt spread
1 small grapefruit
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt topped with sliced peaches
lunch
3 ounces baked halibut
Stewed okra and tomatoes with onion, garlic, and
2
⁄
3
cup chickpeas,
prepared with 1 tsp olive oil
Small baked apple
1 cup of soy milk
snack
1 Tbsp soy nut butter on
1
⁄
2
whole grain bagel
1
⁄
2
cup orange juice
dinner
Shrimp and vegetable curry: 3 ounces of shrimp (or tofu), with
vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and onion
with ginger, curry, and 1 Tbsp cashews
1 cup of cooked bulgur
snack
1 cup of skim milk blended with ice and 1 cup mixed berries,
such as blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries
Day 2
breakfast
2 whole grain waffles topped with 1 Tbsp almond butter or
soy nut butter
1
⁄
2
cup sliced strawberries
1 cup skim milk
snack
1
⁄
2
cup of 100 percent grape juice
4 whole grain crackers
lunch
1 cup of tomato basil soup
Veggie burger on whole grain bun
Top with 1 slice of mozzarella cheese and 1 tbsp light mayonnaise
Tossed mixed greens salad, with 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing
snack
1 scoop of soy protein powder blended with 1 cup of skim milk
1
⁄
2
mango
dinner
3 ounces grilled teriyaki salmon with
1
⁄
2
cup diced pineapple
1 cup spinach sautéed with 1 tsp olive oil, garlic, and onion
2
⁄
3
cup basmati rice
snack
1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt mixed with
1
⁄
2
cup blueberries
Day 3
breakfast
Southwestern burrito: 1 egg plus 2 egg whites, scrambled, sprinkle of
low-fat cheddar, salsa,
1
⁄
8
avocado, and
1
⁄
3
cup black beans rolled into
2 small whole wheat tortillas
1
⁄
2
cup of mango, cubed
1 cup of calcium-fortified rice milk
snack
2 small kiwis
1 ounce roasted soy nuts
unch
Grilled vegetable salad (zucchini, squash, eggplant, red and yellow
peppers, grilled with 1 tsp olive oil) served over mixed greens
Top with 3 ounces of grilled shrimp, topped with 1 Tbsp reduced-fat
herb vinaigrette
1 baked sweet potato with 1 tsp butter
snack
30 red grapes with 1 cup of low-fat yogurt
dinner
1 cup of whole wheat pasta with 1 cup of tomato-based “meat”
sauce, using veggie ground “meat” (or 3 ounces of 93 percent
lean ground beef).
Large Caesar salad, with 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing
snack
Small grapefruit
1 cup of vanilla soy milk
Day 4
breakfast
2 scoops soy protein powder blended with 8 ounces soy milk,
1
⁄
2
cup blackberries, 1 tsp psyllium, and ice
2 slices of toasted oat bran bread
snack
7 dried apricots
1 mozzarella string cheese
1 small bran muffin
lunch
1 cup of lentil soup
Mixed greens salad with fresh veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower,
tomatoes, and carrots, topped with 2 Tbsp golden raisins, balsamic
vinegar and 2 tsp olive oil
1 carton of low-fat yogurt
snack
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
6 almonds
dinner
4-ounce portion of swordfish, baked in tomato-based sauce
1 cup of couscous with diced vegetables and 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
snack
30 grapes
Day 5
breakfast
1
1
⁄
2
cups whole grain cereal (select a cereal with at least 5 grams of
fiber per serving) topped with
1
⁄
2
cup blueberries
Stir 1 scoop of soy protein powder into 1 cup of soy milk, and
pour over cereal.
Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
snack
1 cup of honeydew melon
lunch
1 cup of gazpacho soup
Large spinach salad filled with 3 ounces grilled skinless chicken
breast, 1 slice of avocado,
1
⁄
2
cup couscous,
1
⁄
3
cup black beans,
and
1
⁄
2
cup grapes
snack
1 cup of low-fat yogurt mixed with 10 cherries and
1
⁄
4
cup dry
rolled oats
1 cup of baby carrots
dinner
Kabobs made with 3 ounces shrimp, chicken, or very lean beef
skewered with veggies such as onions, tomatoes, mushrooms,
red and yellow peppers
Serve over
2
⁄
3
cup barley and brown rice pilaf, with 1 Tbsp pine nuts
snack
1 cup of sliced strawberries
Day 6
breakfast
1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1 scoop soy protein powder
4 dried plums, chopped into oatmeal
1 carton of low-fat yogurt
snack
1 slice of 100 percent whole wheat bread topped with 1 Tbsp peanut
butter and
1
⁄
2
medium banana
lunch
Roasted chicken salad: 3 ounces roasted, skinless chicken breast over
mixed greens, with cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced pears,
1
⁄
3
cup
raspberries, and 1 Tbsp low-fat raspberry vinaigrette dressing
10 whole grain crackers
snack
1 cup of tomato soup with 1 ounce of low-fat cheese
dinner
3–4 ounces tofu stir-fried in 1 tsp olive oil with portabella mushrooms,
water chestnuts, carrots, onion, and garlic
1
⁄
2
cup tabbouleh
snack
1 cup of chocolate soy milk
1 apple
Day 7
breakfast
1 cup cooked bulgur mixed with 1 cup of soy milk
Top with sliced apples, dried cranberries, and cinnamon
1
⁄
2
cup of 100 percent grape juice
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt with 2 Tbsp raisins and 1 Tbsp flaxseeds
1
⁄
2
cup of cranberry juice
lunch
Fajitas: 3 ounces grilled shrimp, chicken, pork tenderloin, or tofu and
1
⁄
3
cup black beans filled with onions; red, green, and yellow
peppers; and 1 Tbsp guacamole
snack
“Pizza”:
1
⁄
2
whole wheat English muffin topped with tomato paste and
1 ounce of part-skim mozzarella
1 cup of skim milk
dinner
3 ounces oven-roasted tuna with lime juice, fresh herbs, and 1 tsp
olive oil
Asparagus sautéed with onions and 1 Tbsp sliced almonds
Roasted sweet potato rounds seasoned with cinnamon, ground cloves,
and ginger
snack
1 cup of sliced cantaloupe
The 2,000-Calorie-a-Day Sample
Week Meal Plan
In this food plan, the caloric spread among proteins, fats, and carbo-
hydrates is broken down in the following manner: 20 percent protein
(100 grams), 25 percent fat (55 grams), 55 percent carbohydrate
(275 grams).
Day 1
breakfast
4 egg-white omelette with diced onion, mushrooms, red and yellow
peppers, and 1 Tbsp diced olives
Top with 1 slice of part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 slices 100 percent whole wheat toast with 1 tsp of yogurt spread
1 small grapefruit
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt topped with sliced peaches
lunch
3 ounces baked halibut
Stewed okra and tomatoes with onion, garlic, and
2
⁄
3
cup chickpeas,
prepared with 1 tsp olive oil
1 whole wheat pita, toasted
Small baked apple
1 cup of soy milk
snack
1 Tbsp soy nut butter on
1
⁄
2
whole grain bagel
1
⁄
2
cup orange juice
dinner
Shrimp and vegetable curry: 3 ounces of shrimp (or tofu), with
vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and onion
with ginger, curry, and 1 Tbsp cashews
1 cup of cooked bulgur
snack
1 cup of skim milk blended with ice and 1 cup mixed berries, such as
blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries
Day 2
breakfast
2 whole grain waffles topped with 1 Tbsp almond butter or
soy nut butter
1
⁄
2
cup sliced strawberries
1 cup skim milk
snack
1
⁄
2
cup of 100 percent grape juice
4 whole grain crackers topped with 2 Tbsp hummus
lunch
1 cup of tomato basil soup
Veggie burger on whole grain bun
Top with 1 slice of mozzarella cheese and 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
Tossed mixed greens salad, with 1 Tbsp low-fat dressing
snack
1 scoop of soy protein powder blended with 1 cup of skim milk
Pour over 1
1
⁄
2
cups of cereal
1
⁄
2
mango
dinner
4 ounces grilled teriyaki salmon with
1
⁄
2
cup diced pineapple
1 cup spinach sautéed with 1 tsp olive oil, garlic, and onion
2
⁄
3
cup basmati rice
snack
1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt mixed with
1
⁄
2
cup blueberries
Day 3
breakfast
Southwestern burrito: 1 egg plus 2 egg whites, scrambled, sprinkle
of low-fat cheddar, salsa,
1
⁄
8
avocado, and
1
⁄
3
cup black beans rolled
into 2 small whole wheat tortillas
1
⁄
2
cup of mango, cubed
1 cup of calcium-fortified rice milk
snack
2 small kiwis
1 ounce roasted soy nuts
1
⁄
2
cup of apple juice
lunch
Grilled vegetable salad (zucchini, squash, eggplant, red and yellow
peppers, grilled with 1 tsp olive oil) over mixed greens
Top with 3 ounces of grilled shrimp, topped with 1 Tbsp reduced-fat
herb vinaigrette
1 baked sweet potato with 1 tsp butter
snack
30 red grapes
1 cup of low-fat yogurt topped with
3
⁄
4
cup of whole grain cereal
dinner
1 cup of whole wheat pasta with 1 cup of tomato-based “meat” sauce,
using veggie “ground meat” (or 3 ounces of at least 93 percent
lean ground beef).
Large Caesar salad, with 1 tbsp lowfat dressing
nack
Small grapefruit
1 cup of vanilla soy milk with 1 scoop of soy protein powder
3 cups of air-popped popcorn, no oils/butters added
Day 4
breakfast
2 scoops soy protein powder blended with 8 ounces soy milk,
1
⁄
2
cup
blackberries, 1 tsp psyllium, and ice
2 slices of toasted oat bran bread
snack
7 dried apricots
1 mozzarella string cheese
1 small bran muffin
lunch
1 cup of lentil soup
Mixed greens salad with fresh veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower,
tomatoes, and carrots, topped with 2 Tbsp golden raisins, balsamic
vinegar and 2 tsp olive oil
1 carton of low-fat yogurt
snack
1 cup of tomato/vegetable juice
1 cup of steamed edamame, in pods
6 almonds
dinner
4-ounce portion of swordfish, baked in tomato-based sauce
1 cup of couscous with diced vegetables and 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
snack
30 grapes over
1
⁄
4
cup of low-fat cottage cheese, with 1 Tbsp ground
flaxseed
Day 5
breakfast
1
1
⁄
2
cups whole grain cereal (select a cereal with at least 5 grams of
fiber per serving) topped with
1
⁄
2
cup blueberries
Stir 1 scoop of soy protein powder into 1 cup of soy milk, and pour
over cereal.
Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 slice of sprouted grain bread with 1 tsp yogurt spread
snack
1 cup of honeydew melon
3 sheets of Wasa fiber rye crackers with 1 Tbsp almond butter
lunch
1 cup of gazpacho soup
Large spinach salad filled with 3 ounces grilled skinless chicken
breast, 1 slice of avocado,
1
⁄
2
cup couscous,
1
⁄
3
cup black beans,
and
1
⁄
2
cup grapes
snack
1 cup of low-fat yogurt mixed with 10 cherries and
1
⁄
4
cup dry
rolled oats
1 cup of baby carrots
dinner
Kabobs made with 3 ounces shrimp, chicken, or very lean beef
skewered with veggies such as onions, tomatoes, mushrooms,
red and yellow peppers
Serve over
2
⁄
3
cup barley and brown rice pilaf, with 1 Tbsp pine nuts
snack
Parfait: 1 cup of sliced strawberries layered with 1 cup of plain
low-fat yogurt
Day 6
breakfast
1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1 scoop soy protein powder
4 dried plums, chopped into oatmeal
1 carton of low-fat yogurt
snack
1 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 Tbsp wheat germ, 1 Tbsp honey,
and
1
⁄
2
medium banana
On 2 slices of 100 percent whole grain bread
lunch
Roasted chicken salad
3 ounces roasted, skinless chicken breast over mixed greens, with
cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced pears,
1
⁄
3
cup raspberries, and 1 Tbsp
low-fat raspberry vinaigrette
10 whole grain crackers
snack
1 cup of tomato soup with 1 ounce of low-fat cheese
dinner
4–6 ounces tofu stir-fried in 1 tsp olive oil with portabella mushrooms,
water chestnuts, carrots, onion, and garlic
1
⁄
2
cup tabbouleh
snack
1 cup of chocolate soy milk
1 apple
ay 7
breakfast
1 cup cooked bulgur mixed with 1 cup of soy milk
Top with sliced apples, dried cranberries, and cinnamon
1
⁄
2
cup of 100 percent grape juice
snack
1 cup of soy yogurt with 2 Tbsp raisins and 1 Tbsp flaxseed
1
⁄
2
cup of cranberry juice
lunch
Fajitas: 3 ounces grilled shrimp, chicken, pork tenderloin, or tofu
and
2
⁄
3
cup of black beans filled with onions; red, green, and yellow
peppers; and 1 Tbsp guacamole
snack
“Pizza”: Whole wheat English muffin topped with tomato paste and
1 ounce of part-skim mozzarella
1 cup of skim milk
dinner
4 ounces oven-roasted tuna with lime juice, fresh herbs, and 1 tsp
olive oil
Asparagus sautéed with onions and 1 Tbsp sliced almonds
Roasted sweet potato rounds seasoned with cinnamon, ground cloves,
and ginger
snack
1
1
⁄
2
cups fresh fruit mix (cantaloupe, honeydew, papaya, pineapple)
The Wellness Organizer
One of the tools that I give to clients is a Wellness Organizer. This sys-
tem is a variation on the “Skinny Box” initially developed by Hal C.
Becker, Ph.D., my field faculty adviser in graduate school. This Well-
ness Organizer has twelve categories designed to enhance your over-
all wellness profile. The thousands of clients I have worked with are
evidence that if a person uses the Wellness Organizer to its fullest
extent, he or she will lose a minimum of two pounds of fat per week.
The behavioral modification categories included in the Wellness
Organizer are as follows:
Category 1: Calories in the kitchen. Place all food in the kitchen.
Eating only in a designated area such as the kitchen or dining
room will help you to stop eating snacks while watching TV or
relaxing in another part of the house.
Category 2: Four to five per day. Eat at least four to five small meals
daily. Eating meals and planned snacks will stabilize your insulin
level and mobilize body fat to be burned during your exercise
sessions.
Category 3: Eat less. By putting less food on your plate, you
remove the temptation to overeat. Put one bite from your
plate back into the serving dish before you sit down to eat.
Category 4: One-two stop. Eat two morsels of food with proper
chewing, then stop eating before the third bite and put your
fork down. If you consume your meal in less than twenty min-
utes, your brain does not have a chance to get the message that
you are being adequately nourished and you will feel hungry
and frustrated. By eating slowly, you are sending a signal to the
hypothalmus, the brain’s thermostat, that food is in your
system.
Category 5: Eight’s too late. When you eat is also important. Never
eat anything heavy later than 8:00
P
.
M
. because eating late does
not allow your body time to utilize the calories. If you are
hungry after eight, I suggest that you mix a tablespoon of soy
protein powder into juice or water to increase your metabolic
rate. If you must eat after eight because of your busy schedule,
try to allow two hours between your last meal and bedtime.
Category 6: No junk food between. Eating junk food calories
between meals can add unwanted excess fat. Only eat
appropriate snacks between meals.
Category 7: Never when upset. It is always best not to eat when
under any type of stress, since you are not aware of what or of
how much you are consuming when distracted by a stressor.
Many people also eat the wrong types of foods—“comfort foods”
such as desserts and pizza—when stressed.
Category 8: Proper rest. Obtaining seven to eight hours of sleep per
night is a very important part of any successful nutritional or
stress reduction program. Night is your body’s time for
recuperation. Your kidneys also function best in a prone
position. Make sure you are sound asleep before midnight to
achieve the deep REM sleep state that truly relaxes your body
and allows it to recuperate.
Category 9: Drink enough water. To give you the proper hydration
level to keep your kidneys working properly and your body’s
internal insulatory thermostat working properly so that you do
not hoard fat, you should drink between one-half to one ounce
of water per pound of body weight per day. Water is one of your
greatest allies in the business of weight loss.
Category 10: Aerobic zone. You need to exercise in your aerobic fat-
burning zone on a regular basis. (See chapter 13 for my
complete exercise program.)
Category 11: Brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth after each meal
provides a sense of closure, changes the chemistry in your
mouth, and reduces the urge to go back to the table and
overeat.
Category 12: Visualize. Use some form of meditation to help
reduce stress and to visualize your weight loss and exercise goals.
How to Score the Wellness Organizer
Review each of the twelve categories daily and give yourself one
point for each one that you achieve. A perfect daily score is 12 and a
perfect weekly score is 84. Don’t be discouraged, however, if your
first few weeks are less than perfect. Think of this as a tool to help
you see which areas you are strong in and which you need to work on
and keep improving. Remember, you will only lose two pounds per
week if you follow each step faithfully.
I have included the following chart that you can photocopy to
use over and over again.
If you allow the nutritional program in this chapter to become a
part of your lifestyle, you will never again have to experience the
frustration, hunger, and disappointments of fad diets that do not
deliver on their promises to help you take off weight and keep it off.
If you follow my stress management and exercise programs coupled
with proper nutrition, you will be guaranteed not only to lose
unhealthy fat and gain lean muscle, but also consistently to experi-
ence greater health, vitality, performance levels, and longevity than
you have ever dreamed possible.