Newbies

Good Morning. I am heading to the grocery store today and will get foods I need to start this exciting plan. I am a little confused as to how many of each food group..i.e. carbs, proteins, etc. that I am supposed to consume each day. I have looked at the menus and Week 1-8 and it looks fine for me. I just need to know how many of what to plan my weekly meals..maybe I am missing something? Thanks in advance.. Waynette in Savannah, GA

Hi, Slrivera. Food for Life makes an excellent one (https://www.foodforlife.com/product/cereals/ezekiel-49-sprouted-whole-grain-cereal). Another option is Kashi (https://www.kashi.com/our-foods/cold-cereal/kashi-organic-promise-sprouted-grains). These and others are available at Amazon.com, as well as their brick-and-mortar Whole Foods Market.

Hi, Kathy. I have forwarded your query to Customer Service. Someone will get back to you soon.

Hi, Kathy. Creamy grain cereals are fine, but those big brands tend to be quite processed – to begin with, the grains are refined. I would encourage you to find whole grain versions, if not whole food alternatives.

Hi, Huston. I have forwarded your query to tech support. Someeone will get back to you soon.

Hi, Kathy. Bisquick cocntains some raher unhealthy ingredients (including hydrogenated oil, refined flour, and aluminum), but there are good mixes out there, if you want the time-saving and taste advantages. For example, Bob’s Red Mill – see ingredients list below for an example of what we encourage:
Organic stone ground whole wheat pastry flour, buttermilk powder, wheat gluten, cane sugar, baking powder (monocalcium phosphate, bicarbonate of soda, cornstarch), sea salt.Ingredients organic stone ground whole wheat pastry flour, buttermilk powder, wheat gluten, cane sugar, baking powder (monocalcium phosphate, bicarbonate of soda, cornstarch), sea salt.

Hi, Kathy. Absolutely 🙂

Hi, cwinters. I’m glad you’re feeling well. The fact that you’re not gaining is a great sign, as is the fact that you’re not suffering from hunger.
The most reliable (and healthiest) way to give your body a boost here is through physical activity. This is not just because of the extra energy it burns, but also because it protects and strengthens your most important fat-burning asset, muscle tissue.
If you are new to exercise, please let us know, and we can assist you with resources on getting started if you wish—note that you don’t have to dive headfirst into anything strenuous, and that there are helpful exercises to fit all ability levels and time schedules. Even just walking in place in front of the TV for the length of a sitcom is great—if you feel like you’re “out of shape,” just start with 5 minutes each time, and work your way up to 30 minutes, then twice per day if you need.
If you recently started exercising, the number on the scale may not be reliable at this stage. Since you are now swapping fat for muscle, which is much heavier, you may be getting healthier while the number of pounds or kilos stays the same. In this case, pay more attention to how you’re looking and feeling, how your clothes are fitting, etc. You may be pleasantly surprised!
If you have been exercising all along, the muscles you usually use may have become complacent and don’t burn energy the way they did at the beginning. In this case, we suggest to introduce new exercises, even swapping them out for the old ones for a little while, to wake up new muscles. The best results have been reported with introducing weight training—again, it doesn’t have to be super strenuous, just something you can do on a regular basis. Even just lifting filled food cans in front of the TV counts. Another option is to mix up the rhythm by adding bursts of higher intensity movement to a steady aerobic regime. This can be something like 30 seconds of jogging or going uphill every 5 minutes during a regular walk.
Regardless of your situation, it is recommended to you discuss your plans with your health care provider to be sure any needed safety steps are taken.
Another recommendation would be to have your thyroid function tested, just to be sure that isn’t holding you back.