The Metabolism Plan is really easy if you have everything ready to go. On the other hand, scrambling for items at the last minute can get those stress levels up. So in this chapter, you’re going to learn exactly how to lay the groundwork for success. Your 30 days will go smoothly if you can take a few days before beginning to put your starter kit together, get your kitchen all set up, and make sure you understand exactly how your Metabolism Plan is going to work.
Let’s get the logistics out of the way, so you can focus on your success.
You need just a few items to start your Metabolism Plan. Each is relatively inexpensive and easy to find. Have these ready to go before Day 1 of your Plan.
• A digital bathroom scale: Every morning, you’re going to weigh yourself so that you can find out whether the previous day’s food and exercise are things your body likes. I know that over the years, you’ve learned to hate the scale, but starting today, the scale is your new best friend. Not only will you be losing weight quickly; you’ll love the information that the scale provides. If your weight goes down, you’ve done something that works for your body. If it goes up, you’ve done something that doesn’t work, at least right now. If you stabilize, you are moderately reactive and you won’t have that food during your 20 days. I would suggest waiting to retest that food after your 20 days when you start to make your own menus. A reliable scale that measures your weight precisely will give you the best possible information about what is going on with your body, as well as alerting you to any sources of inflammation that might be driving your weight upward.
You want a digital scale that is more accurate than one that just measures to 0.1 pound because even a 0.2-pound deviation can have huge ramifications for your data. I recommend the EatSmart Precision Premium digital scale, which runs about $35.
Do you think your current scale is good enough? Then do me a favor. Step on and off it four times. If you get the exact same reading every time, you are fine! But if it gives you a different number even once, you are going to need a better scale. I don’t want you to put in all this commitment and get inaccurate information!
• A digital thermometer: If your scale helps you measure your degree of inflammation, your thermometer helps you gauge your thyroid function. As we saw in Chapter 2, you’ll be taking your temperature every morning to see how your thyroid is responding to your diet, exercise, sleep, and stress. No waiting for your blood work to come back from the lab—the thermometer means you can find out instantly how your thyroid is doing.
• Cooking utensils: No need to get fancy here, either. During your first 30 days on The Metabolism Plan, you’ll whip up delicious food that’s surprisingly quick and easy, so that your focus can be on testing food and exercise. Later, if you like, you can cook elaborate gourmet meals (and you can find some great recipes in The Plan Cookbook, too!). However, don’t underestimate how delicious “quick and easy” can be. I can’t tell you how many people have taken the recipes from the first 30 days and used them for dinner parties!
The list of what you need is short and sweet:
• roasting pan or large baking dish
• soup pot
• grater
• sharp un-serrated knife.
I also recommend the following three optional items.
• Crock-Pot: Great when you’re pressed for time. You can make your soups in it, and you can even roast a whole chicken. (See here.)
• Spiralizer: A handy little device that creates long spiral swirls out of vegetables like zucchini. Spiralizer-zucchini pasta is super fun and easy to make, and a spiralizer will run you only $15 to $30. Zucchini pasta tastes even better after four or five days, so feel free to use your spiralizer to make a big batch and then keep it in the fridge for the week. If you don’t want to invest in a spiralizer, just sub in sautéed yellow squash or zucchini on the days that call for zucchini pasta.
• A notebook, journal, or weight-loss tracking sheet from my website, www.lyngenet.com: It’s vital to keep a record of the data you collect, since that will be the blueprint for your new way of life. You can do it by hand, or keep your weight-loss tracking sheet handy on your computer to update daily. Here’s what the tracking sheet looks like.
YOUR METABOLISM PLAN WEIGHT-LOSS TRACKING SHEET
Health goals for the next 30 days
Weight goals for the next 30 days
Supplements you are on
Reactive foods
Friendly foods
Foods to retest
NOTE: Always list your weight with the number of the day before. Your weight is a reflection of what you ate the day before.