Restaurant and Grab-and-Go Recommendations
What If I Don’t Reach My Goal Weight?
Phase 2 Shopping Lists (online at www.alwayshungrybook.com.)
Shopping List Templates (online)
Meal Planning Worksheet (online)
Weekly Prep Worksheet (online)
Congratulations, you’ve finished Phase 1, the most challenging part of the program!
If you are like the majority of our pilot program participants, you’ve lost between 1 and 5 pounds so far, but the amount doesn’t matter much right now. With calorie-restricted diets, weight loss occurs relatively easily for only a few weeks (and much of that is from body water or lean tissue, rather than fat). Then the real work starts, as you struggle to keep the weight off. In contrast, the Always Hungry Solution becomes progressively easier with time. If in the last two weeks you’ve experienced decreased hunger, fewer cravings, longer-lasting satiety after eating, or improved energy (and ideally, a combination of them), you can have confidence that the program is working from the inside out.
When people are deprived of calories in research studies, they of course lose weight. But when the study ends, weight usually pops right back up. After a period of force-feeding, the opposite happens—weight naturally drops back to where it started. These observations have led researchers to think in terms of a “body weight set point” that differs among people based on genes (see here). However, set points aren’t set in stone. Our genes haven’t much changed in the last few decades, as obesity rates have skyrocketed. And many of us gain weight continuously from teenage through late middle age. Clearly, factors in the environment must combine with genes to determine the set point for each individual, at each point in time.
The program is designed to lower body weight set point by targeting insulin resistance and chronic inflammation—through food quality, sleep, stress, and activity level.* With this approach, your weight may decrease more slowly at first than with conventional diets, but you’ll be working with, not against, your body. You won’t have to struggle with rapidly rising hunger and fading motivation.
Phase 2 may range from a month or two, to six months or more, based on your starting weight and other individual factors. In time, you’ll find that you need more food to control hunger and feel satisfied after eating. Your rate of weight loss will slow down. These are signs that your body has burned much of its excess fat stores and now must rely on the food you eat for an increasing proportion of your calorie requirements. Your weight may continue to drift down for a bit longer, and other health benefits will continue to accrue, but visible changes will become more subtle. From this point forward, the goal is sustainability—to make a healthful diet and lifestyle easy, enjoyable, and natural… for the rest of your life. Whatever the optimal weight for your body might be, the Always Hungry Solution will help you get there (Phases 1 and 2) and stay there (Phase 3).
Phase 2 meals share the same basic components as those in Phase 1, but allow you to choose from a wider range of foods for greater flexibility and sustainability. As shown in the figure here, you will slightly decrease fat (to 40 percent of your calories) and increase carb intake (to 35 percent). The percentage of protein will remain the same (25 percent). You can now add moderate portions of intact whole grains, starchy vegetables (except white potatoes), and tropical fruits and melons. And you can opt to have a touch of natural sweetener (such as honey or maple syrup) in desserts or coffee/tea.
Now that you’ve been living the Always Hungry Solution for a couple of weeks, you’re probably starting to feel the benefits of your new movement, sleep, and stress-relief strategies. Perhaps you have more energy and look forward to your daily passeggiata. You’re hopefully feeling more rested and less stressed. In Phase 2, we’ll continue to build on the practices in Phase 1 to accelerate weight loss.
As you know from chapter 5, the Always Hungry Solution emphasizes enjoyable physical activities to tune up your metabolism, rather than burn a lot of calories. In Phase 2, you’ll continue the passeggiata—your daily walk after dinner—and in addition include 30 to 40 minutes of enjoyable, moderate to vigorous physical activity three or four days a week (depending on your physical fitness and doctor’s advice). You can add another walk at a more vigorous clip, go for a gentle jog or hike in nature, take a Zumba or yoga class, work in the garden, play tennis—whatever you enjoy. Aim to engage in an activity that makes you breathe a bit faster, so that you can still carry on a conversation but would find it difficult to sing. Consider which activities will be the most rewarding and absorbing. Do you find yourself losing track of time dancing, playing a sport, or taking a swim?
Are you sleeping more soundly after the first fourteen days on the program? Do you find you’re more rested and peaceful? In Phase 2, continue to refine your pre-sleep routine according to your needs, so that it becomes naturally incorporated into your life. Remember that sufficient high-quality sleep is one of the best things you can do to tune up your metabolism and safeguard your health.
Has the 5-minute stress reduction practice helped you to feel more peaceful throughout the day? Stress reduction works with sleep, physical activity, and diet to help fat cells calm down, open up, and release their excess store of calories back into the body—making weight loss virtually automatic. In Phase 2, it’s time to add a second session. Space them out through the day, one in the morning or early afternoon and one in the evening, for sustained benefits.
If you’re having trouble being consistent with this practice, experiment with a different method. Stress reduction doesn’t have to involve sitting cross-legged in silent meditation. Consider listening to recorded guided imagery, reading inspirational poetry, or taking a short walk in nature during the most stressful time of day. Anything to disconnect from the frenetic outside world and soothe your nervous system. No matter how busy your day is, you deserve a few moments for yourself.
Connect with Your Big Why. Have you already experienced some benefits from the program, such as increasing energy level, more stable mood, and weight loss? If so, you’re probably already feeling motivated! However, to make lifestyle changes stick for the long term, continue to connect with the most important reasons for losing weight and becoming healthier—your Big Why. If you haven’t found your Big Why amulet yet, take a moment to do so now. You might simply write a few words on a sticky note and post it on your bathroom mirror. Keeping your Big Why front and center will help you avoid self-defeating behaviors and keep you on track to your goals.
Assess Your If-Then Plans. How are your if-then plans working? Take a few moments to analyze any obstacles you’ve encountered and create additional if-then plans for those scenarios.
Keep on Trackin’. Have the Daily Tracker and Monthly Progress Chart helped you notice patterns in your response to the program? Are your hunger, cravings, energy level, and weight beginning to tick in the right direction? Don’t stop tracking now. These tools play an increasingly important role as you continue through Phase 2 and enter Phase 3.
Embrace the Teaching Moment. Nobody’s perfect. There will inevitably come a time when you overindulge, eat too much of the wrong foods, and have a negative reaction. Perhaps you splurged at a party on cake and ice cream. Or just grabbed a bagel for breakfast in a rush, instead of something more balanced and nourishing. Soon thereafter, you might feel physically uncomfortable, experience a fall-off in energy level, become irritable, or maybe even develop a headache. A couple of hours later, you might get excessively hungry and battle food cravings. At these times, it’s important not to be too hard on yourself. Don’t engage in self-blame. Remember—getting back on track is just one meal away. Instead of judging yourself severely, think of these small slips as natural experiments—opportunities to learn about how your body responds to variations in food quality and discover more about what your body actually needs. (The Daily Tracker and Monthly Progress Chart are intended to help you do this.) With mindfulness, these teaching moments can be powerful guides on the path to optimal health.
In this section, you’ll find a complete 7-day meal plan to help you shift easily to the new protein (25 percent), fat (40 percent), and carbohydrate (35 percent) ratios of Phase 2. You’ll also find detailed guides and other tools, as you begin creating meals for yourself and negotiating the challenges of eating out.
In this phase, the carbohydrates go up a bit, fat goes down a bit, and food choices become more flexible. In addition to the carbohydrates in Phase 1, you can add whole-kernel grains (see the Guide to Cooking Whole Grains, Appendix C, here) and starchy vegetables (except white potato). Phase 2 meals follow this general design.
START WITH A HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN…
Higher protein/higher fat:
-fatty meat or fish, poultry with skin (4 to 6 ounces)
Higher protein/lower fat:
-lean meat or fish, poultry without skin (4 to 6 ounces)
-cold cuts (4 to 6 ounces)
-protein powder (about 1 ounce)
Lower protein/higher fat:
-tempeh, tofu (4 to 6 ounces)
-eggs (3)
-cheese (3 ounces)
BULK UP THE PROTEIN IF NEEDED…
For lower-protein items, add another source of protein:
-Greek yogurt (½ cup)
-beans (½ cup)
-cheese (1 to 2 ounces)
-nuts or nut butter (2 to 3 tablespoons)
POUR ON THE FAT…
For lower-fat items, add a larger portion of fat:
-dressings and sauces (1 to 2 tablespoons)
-oils (2 to 3 teaspoons)
-heavy cream or canned coconut milk (1 to 3 tablespoons)
-nuts or nut butter (1 to 2 tablespoons)
-? avocado
For higher-fat items, add a smaller portion of fat:
-dressing and sauces (2 to 4 teaspoons)
-oils (1 to 2 teaspoons)
-heavy cream or canned coconut milk (2 to 4 teaspoons)
-nuts or nut butter (2 to 3 teaspoons)
-avocado, few slices
INCLUDE NONSTARCHY CARBOHYDRATES…
If your meal doesn’t already have a carbohydrate, add one serving of the following:
-beans or bean soup (½ cup)
-vegetable soup (e.g., carrot) (1 cup)
-fruit (non-tropical) (1 cup)
Note:
Include as many extra nonstarchy vegetables as you like (e.g., salad or cooked vegetables).
THEN ADD A STARCHY VEGETABLE OR WHOLE-KERNEL GRAIN
-whole-kernel grain (brown rice, wheat berries, quinoa, barley, steelcut oats,* etc.)
-sweet potato or yams (but not white potato)
-winter squash (acorn, butternut, buttercup, kabocha)
Note:
Serving size is about ½ cup.
* Steel-cut oats (in contrast to rolled oats) have much of the grain structure preserved, and are considered an acceptable option.
In Phases 2 and 3, snacks are optional, based on individual needs. Some people will do best continuing with one or two a day, whereas others may need them only occasionally. As always, let your hunger be your guide. Dependable options include:
• Full-fat (4%) cottage cheese with fruit
• Full-fat Greek yogurt, berries, and a dollop of peanut butter (a personal favorite!)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs and a few grapes
• Cold cuts (regular or vegetarian) and mayo wrapped in lettuce, with carrots
• A handful of roasted nuts
Or choose from these snack recipes, appropriate for all program phases. (These items also work as side dishes or appetizers.)
• Cucumber Boats with Turkey and Feta (here)
• Cold-Cut Lettuce Boats (here)
• Smoked Salmon and Dill Cream Cheese on Cucumber Rounds (here)
• Basic Hummus (here)
• Edamame (here)
• Trail Mix (here)
• Handful of Spicy Pumpkin Seeds (here)
• Herb-Roasted Chickpeas (here)
• Cheesy Pinto Bean Dip (here)
• Slice of leftover Dr. Ludwig’s Favorite Frittata (here)
When you’re traveling or too busy to prepare a home-cooked meal, follow these suggestions to help stay on track.
• Protein (meat, fish, chicken, eggs, tofu—4 to 6 ounces)
• Veggies cooked in olive oil
• Salad with full-fat dressing
• Beans and/or small serving of whole grains
• Soup (optional)
• Dessert: fresh berries with dark chocolate and nuts
• Fresh fish, chicken, or meat (not breaded)
• Vegetable side dishes cooked or dressed in olive oil
• Hummus or lentil salad (no pita—eat with fresh carrots, celery, radishes, sliced red pepper, or other “snappy” vegetable)
• Olive tapenade
• Olives and feta
• Greek salad
• Tabbouleh (with bulgur wheat)
• Caprese salad (with fresh mozzarella)
• Dessert: fruit with unsweetened Greek yogurt and a touch of honey (optional)
• Curry with tofu, meat, chicken, or fish (no rice!)
• Sashimi (rather than sushi, which includes sweetened white rice)
• Vegetable stir-fry
• Miso or coconut milk–based soup
• Sautéed greens
• Brown rice (if available)
• Dessert: fruit
• Fajitas, using lettuce leaves instead of tortillas
• “Deconstructed burrito”—a bowl with beans, chicken, veggies, cheese, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream
• Chili or black bean soup topped with sour cream and/or cheese
• Guacamole with radishes, fennel, cucumbers, jicama, or any other “snappy” vegetable
• Brown rice (if available)
Over a bed of romaine, spinach, or other greens, add:
• Chicken, tuna, tofu
• Sardines (or stash a can in your bag for emergencies)
• Smoked salmon
• Boiled egg
• Any and all nonstarchy vegetables
• Nuts
• Beans (chickpeas, hummus, lentils, black beans)
• Avocado
• Olives
• Shredded cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Whole grains (e.g., wheat berries or quinoa)
• Full-fat dressings (without added sugar)
• Soups (not potato based)
• Dessert: fruit (pour cream from the coffee station on top)
• Mixed nuts
• Cold cuts or hard-boiled egg, full-fat cheese stick, and apple
• Smoked salmon on lettuce leaf with cream cheese, tomato, and onion
• Unsweetened Greek yogurt, blueberries, and package of cashews
• Hummus (topped with olive oil), with carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, and/or bell peppers
Depending on your starting weight and other individual factors (see here), you might remain on Phase 2 for a significant amount of time. Once you become comfortable with the basic approach, experiment as much as possible with new ingredients and recipes to keep things fresh. (Check out www.alwayshungrybook.com for regularly updated recipes.)
Enjoy intact whole grains. Have up to three servings daily, but no more than one per meal. A serving is about ½ cup cooked whole grains, such as brown rice, steel-cut oats, or quinoa. Until Phase 3, avoid processed grains like bread, pasta, white rice, and crackers (including products made from whole-grain flour).
Serve up starchy vegetables (if you’d like). You can enjoy a serving of about ½ cup cooked corn (technically a grain), yams, or sweet potatoes a day. Hold off on white potatoes until Phase 3. Beans don’t count as starchy vegetables and you can have them as often as you like.
But don’t combine starchy vegetables and grains. Have either ½ cup grains or ½ cup starchy vegetables at a meal, but not both. (Or have half portions of each, such as ¼ cup peas mixed with ¼ cup cooked quinoa.)
Use a touch of honey or maple syrup (if you’d like). Have up to 3 teaspoons daily in Phase 2. These sweeteners have a stronger flavor—so you don’t need to use as much—and they also contain a few beneficial phytonutrients. Avoid white sugar and the other highly processed sweeteners for now. Stevia, a non-calorie herbal extract, is OK in small amounts, but the effects of high doses on metabolism haven’t been adequately examined. And any high-intensity sweetener might interfere with the process of getting unhooked from sugar.
Make “like” substitutions. As in Phase 1, you can substitute foods with similar content of the major nutrients: apples for pears, quinoa for brown rice, tofu for chicken, etc. (See Program Foods Phase-by-Phase here for more specifics.)
To start, follow the 1-week Phase 2 meal plan closely. You might even repeat the meal plan an extra time, to learn how to hit the right combinations of nutrients and foods.
Then, begin to branch out. After following the meal plans for a week or two, start to create your own meals, as described here. You can always return to the meal plan—for a single meal or an entire day—whenever you like.
Experiment with portions. In Phase 2, practice paying attention to your body’s key feedback signals of hunger, satiety, and energy level. As we saw in chapter 5, young children register and respond naturally to these internal signals. But in our modern, supersized food environment, we seem to lose touch with them over time. Experiment with portion sizes to achieve just the right balance—satisfied but not over-full after eating. In this way, you’ll rediscover how much food your body actually needs, and how to adjust this amount for differing circumstances (for example, if you’ve been especially active one day). Ask yourself:
• Am I pleasantly hungry before each meal? Am I satisfied afterward?
• Am I eating regular meals, or are my mealtimes chaotic and throwing my body off track? Am I hungry late at night?
• If I find myself thinking about specific foods, what am I craving, and what is that craving telling me? (For example: If I’m craving crunchy foods, do I need more fresh vegetables in my diet?)
• Do I develop carbohydrate cravings when sleep deprived, at times of stress, or if my diet has fallen a bit off track?
Remember, you can always go back to Phase 1 meals. Phase 1 meals are fine to enjoy in Phase 2. And some people may do best staying close to this nutrient combination (for instance, if you have prediabetes). However, Phase 2 meals offer greater flexibility, especially when eating out, and will be the easiest to follow for most people over the long term.
Start Phase 2 by following the Meal Plan here. As with Phase 1, at the start of this week, take a look at the Meal Plans or the Menus At-A-Glance chart (online) and modify according to your individual preferences. Then download the Phase 2 Shopping Lists from www.alwayshungrybook.com. These lists can be used for one (such as Sunday) or two (Sunday and Wednesday) shopping trips each week. Feel free to modify this recommendation as needed. In subsequent weeks, you will build your own meal plan using the blank Meal Planning Worksheet and Weekly Prep Worksheet (online).
For the Phase 2 meal plan, you choose your own snacks if hungry between meals. Select higher-protein options for days with main meals that average less than 25 percent protein and vice versa. As with Phase 1, the Meal Plan is designed for two people and described per serving, but can be easily scaled up for families of any size. If you’re cooking just for yourself, either reduce recipes accordingly or refer to the Simplified Meal Plan online.
MONDAY (DAY 1)
Breakfast
Strawberry Fig Yogurt with Nuts
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, 1 cup strawberries, halved, 2 dried figs, cut into small pieces, 1 teaspoon honey, and 2 tablespoons peanuts or other nuts
Prep: Assemble and pack today’s snacks.
Lunch
Cobb Salad
Cobb Salad** (here); 1 cup berries or other seasonal fruit
Protein: 26%
Fat: 41%
Carbohydrate: 33%
Calories: 544*
Dinner
Lamb Shanks, Baked Sweet Potato, and Asparagus
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Lamb Shanks (here) (from Phase 1, Day 14 Dinner); Roasted Sweet Potatoes (here—use baked whole potato variation) (from Phase 1, Day 14 Additional Cooking Prep); 6 to 10 spears asparagus (roasted, blanched, or steamed—here—Guide to Cooking Vegetables)
Additional Cooking Prep:
Make Red Lentil Soup (here) for Day 4 Lunch (make a full recipe, and freeze extra portions for future meals).
Dessert
1 medium pear
Protein: 27%
Fat: 40%
Carbohydrate: 33%
Calories: 673*
Prep: Assemble tomorrow’s lunch—Shrimp over Cracked Wheat Salad (here).
Breakfast
Black Bean Tofu Hash
Black Bean Tofu Hash*** (here) with ¼ cup Ranchero Sauce (here), 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 tablespoon guacamole or a large slice of avocado. Serve with 1 cup fresh fruit.
Prep: Assemble and pack today’s snacks.
Lunch
Shrimp over Cracked Wheat Salad
Shrimp over Cracked Wheat Salad** (here)
Dinner
Marinara Primavera
Marinara Primavera** (tempeh version—here); ½ cup cooked quinoa
Additional Cooking Prep:
Make ¾ cups dry quinoa per person (here—Guide to Cooking Whole Grains). Yields about 2¼ cups. (Use ½ cup cooked quinoa per person for tonight’s dinner. Reserve ½ cup per person for tomorrow’s lunch, and ⅓ cup per person for Day 5 Breakfast. Use the remainder to make Quinoa Salad with Pecans and Cranberries (here) for Day 4 Dinner and Day 5 Lunch.
Dessert
1 cup chai with 1 to 2 tablespoons soy milk or whole milk and 1 teaspoon honey
Prep: Pack tomorrow’s lunch—Marinara Primavera (tempeh version); ½ cup quinoa.
Store remaining quinoa for Day 4 Quinoa Salad with Pecans and Cranberries and Day 5 Breakfast Scramble.
Breakfast
Overnight Steel-Cut Oats
Warm the Overnight Steel-Cut Oats*** (here). Top with 2 tablespoons nuts and ½ cup blueberries per serving. Serve with 2 eggs scrambled in ½ teaspoon olive oil.
Prep: Assemble and pack today’s snacks.
Lunch
Marinara Primavera
Marinara Primavera (tempeh version—from previous night’s dinner); ½ cup cooked quinoa (from previous night’s Additional Cooking Prep)
Dinner
Mexican Shredded Chicken and Soft Millet-Corn Polenta
Mexican Shredded Chicken** (here); Soft Millet-Corn Polenta*** (here); 1 cup blanched kale or other green vegetable topped with 2 tablespoons Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing (here)
Dessert
1 cup strawberries topped with ⅓ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon honey
Prep: Assemble tomorrow’s lunch—Mexican Shredded Chicken and Corn Salad (see Day 4 Lunch) using reserved portion of Mexican Shredded Chicken; store lettuce separately and add tomorrow before serving.
Freeze additional two portions of Mexican Shredded Chicken for future meals.
Breakfast
Phase 2 Power Shake
Peanut Butter Banana Power Shake (here).
Prep: Assemble and pack today’s snacks.
Lunch
Red Lentil Soup, Mexican Shredded Chicken and Corn Salad with Chipotle Mayonnaise
About 1½ cups Red Lentil Soup (here) (from Day 1 Additional Cooking Prep). For the salad, combine ½ cup Mexican Shredded Chicken (from previous night’s dinner), ⅓ cup corn, ½ cup diced tomatoes, ½ cup chopped red pepper, tossed with 2 tablespoons Chipotle Mayonnaise (here) or Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing (here). Toss with 1 cup salad greens.
Dinner
Broiled Salmon, Quinoa Salad, and Steamed Butternut Squash
Broil 9 ounces salmon per person—use Broiled Fish with Garlic and Lemon** (here—follow Salmon Variation). Serve 5 ounces for dinner and reserve 4 ounces for tomorrow’s lunch. Quinoa Salad with Pecans and Cranberries** (here), using reserved portion of quinoa from Day 2 Dinner Additional Cooking Prep; ¾ cup steamed butternut squash (make an extra ²/³ cup for tomorrow’s lunch).
Additional Cooking Prep:
Make Coconut Cashew Clusters** (here) follow directions for 6 clusters and set aside for tomorrow night’s dessert.
Dessert
Poached Seasonal Fruit (here) (Poached pear goes nicely with this meal.)
Prep: Pack tomorrow’s lunch—reserved portion of salmon, Quinoa Salad with Pecans and Cranberries, and steamed butternut squash; ½ cup fruit.
Soak 1 cup dry brown rice per person (here—Guide to Cooking Whole Grains). Optional: Soak more to use in future recipes.
Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, Tomato, and Quinoa
Scramble 2 eggs in 1 teaspoon olive oil with 1 cup baby spinach leaves, 1 medium tomato, diced, ⅓ cup cooked quinoa; top with 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese. Serve with 1 cup fresh fruit topped with ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt and optional 1 teaspoon honey.
Additional Cooking Prep:
Optional: Cook brown rice to be ready for dinner tonight.
Prep: Assemble and pack today’s snacks.
Lunch
Broiled Salmon with Garlic and Lemon
Broiled Salmon, Quinoa Salad with Pecans and Cranberries (here), and ²/³ cup steamed butternut squash. Serve with ½ cup fruit.
Dinner
Chicken Stir-Fry with Brown Rice
Chicken or Tofu Stir-Fry** (here)—Follow the Phases 2 and 3—Brown Rice Variation Dessert
Coconut Cashew Clusters (made last night) Serve 1 and reserve remainder for future meals or snacks
Prep: Pack tomorrow’s lunch—Lettuce Wrap (see Day 6 Lunch) using reserved portion of Chicken Stir-Fry with Brown Rice; store lettuce and dressing separately; pack a tangerine.
Breakfast
Grain-Free Waffles with Turkey Bacon
Grain-Free Waffles or Pancakes with Fruit Sauce (reheat reserved portion from Phase 1, Day 13 breakfast) topped with 1 tablespoon Whipped Cream (here); 1 slice turkey bacon
Prep: Assemble and pack today’s snacks.
Lunch
Chicken Stir-Fry Lettuce Wrap with Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette
Divide a lunch-size portion of Chicken or Tofu Stir-Fry with Brown Rice (from previous night’s dinner) evenly among 3 or 4 large lettuce leaves, leaving plenty of room to fold and wrap each leaf around the filling. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette (here) in a shallow container. Dip the wraps in the sauce; serve with a tangerine.
Dinner
Beef, Bean, and Barley Stew
Beef or Tofu, Bean, and Barley Stew (here)*
Dessert
Pear Strawberry Crisp (here)
Prep: Pack tomorrow’s lunch—Beef or Tofu, Bean, and Barley Stew with handful of spinach leaves on the side, ½ ounce dark chocolate, and 1 tablespoon of peanuts (from Sunday’s prep).
* Calorie content provided for descriptive purposes only—not as a measure to limit food intake.
** To serve two people, make a full recipe and store reserved portions to be used in subsequent meals as directed in prep notes.
*** To serve two people, make ½ recipe.
Breakfast
Dr. Ludwig’s Favorite Frittata
Dr. Ludwig’s Favorite Frittata*** (here—follow Phase 2 Variation). Serve with ½ cup black beans topped with 1 tablespoon sour cream, and 1 cup fruit mixed with 2 tablespoons plain whole-milk Greek yogurt.
Prep: Assemble and pack today’s snacks.
Lunch
Beef, Bean, and Barley Stew
Beef or Tofu, Bean, and Barley Stew (here) with handful of raw spinach; ½ ounce dark chocolate, and 1 tablespoon of peanuts
Dinner
Honey Balsamic Marinated Cod, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Kale with Carrots and Currants
5 ounces Honey Balsamic Marinated Fish*** (here); Roasted Sweet Potatoes** (here); Kale with Carrots and Currants*** (here)
Dessert
Poached Seasonal Fruit*** (here) with 3 tablespoons Chocolate Sauce*** (here)
Prep: Pack tomorrow’s lunch.
Store reserved portion Roasted Sweet Potatoes for future meals.
After one or two weeks following the Phase 2 meal plan, it’s time to take off the training wheels! It’s your turn to plan meals, using everything you’ve learned on the program so far. Once a week, on your regular prep/shopping day, fill in the blank Meal Planning Worksheet (download it from www.alwayshungrybook.com), selecting as many meals as possible for the days ahead. (Consider keeping this tool on your refrigerator to note ideas you’d like to try the following week.) Choose from any items on the Phase 1 or 2 Meal Plans. Or design your own meals, referring as needed to the make-your-own meals charts (Phase 1, here, or Phase 2, here), Lettuce Wrap (here), the Restaurant and Grab-and-Go options (here), and the Program Foods Phase-by-Phase (here). Once you’ve completed this blueprint for your week, use the blank Weekly Prep Worksheet (online) to note which sauces, snacks, and roasted seeds/nuts you’ll make, which key ingredients to prep in advance, and which casseroles or other meals you intend to make ahead and freeze. Then record which foods you’ll need to buy on the Shopping List Template (online).
The aim of Phase 2 is to reach a new, lower set point that’s right for your body. For some people, the results will speak for themselves, with progressive weight loss until reaching a personal weight goal in the optimal range for BMI. But for others, weight loss may slow down or stop short of a personal goal. If that happens for you, consider the following questions:
Am I especially sensitive to all carbohydrate? As we will consider in more detail in chapter 8, people vary in their ability to handle highly processed carbohydrate. (Phase 3 is designed to help you find your individual tolerance level for those foods.) But some people—perhaps related to a strong family history of diabetes or other individual factors—may do best limiting all high–glycemic load carbohydrates (see Appendix A, here), even unprocessed whole grains. Did you respond really well in Phase 1 without any starchy foods or added sugar? Have your hunger and food cravings increased with addition of these items in Phase 2? If so, reduce or eliminate grains, potatoes, and added sugar for a while and instead increase fat intake (e.g., nuts, olive oil, etc.). Make sure to have protein at every meal and most snacks. Then see if your rate of weight loss picks up again.
Have I listened to my body’s weight control signals? A fundamental goal of the Always Hungry Solution is to shift focus away from arbitrary external measures (calories) to the body’s internal weight control system. If you give it the right combination of foods, your body can let you know more accurately how much food it needs, and when enough is enough. But it’s important to pay attention. Eat mindfully, aiming to find just the right point at every meal when you feel pleasantly satisfied but not uncomfortably over-full—then stop. Savor a cup of coffee or tea to be sociable (if others are still eating) and help end the meal on a nice note. Some people have lost touch with the body’s weight control signals through the years, so it may take practice. Listen to your body between meals as well. If you feel hungry and the next meal is still a ways away, have a healthy snack. Ignoring hunger for too long sets the stage for overeating later.
Do I have low lean body mass? Most people with high body fat actually have increased lean body mass, as their muscles undergo regular workouts carrying around the extra weight. But some may have unusually low muscle mass for various reasons—very low birth weight, a lifetime of physical inactivity, certain chronic diseases, or long-term use of steroid medications. If you’re in this category, you may tend to have a slow metabolism and, as a result, more difficulty losing weight. Consider increasing physical activities beyond the general recommendation in Phase 2, especially including strength training (body-building exercises) and aerobic exercises.
Am I getting too little sleep or under too much stress? Sleep deprivation can cause stress, excess stress can affect sleep, and both can undermine metabolism and interfere with weight loss. Recommit yourself to the Phase 2 sleep and stress-relief practices. If you’ve experienced any personal or professional life challenges that feel too big to handle on your own, consider seeking help from a trusted friend or a mental health professional.
Am I consuming too much alcohol? Do you drink alcoholic beverages most days of the week, or frequently have more than 1 to 2 drinks per day? Do you rely on alcohol to manage stress? Consider abstaining for a few weeks, and incorporate other ways to unwind and relax into your daily life.
Do I have an underlying medical problem? Consistently poor energy level, excessive daytime sleepiness, extreme sensitivity to the cold, chronic constipation, very dry skin or hair, and (for women) unexplained changes in menstrual cycle can be signs of a medical problem like hypothyroidism or sleep apnea. If you’ve been unable to lose weight despite following the program closely and experience any concerning changes in health, discuss the situation with your health care provider.
Is my personal weight goal realistic? Even under ideal circumstances, of course, some people will always be heavier than others. And norms of beauty have been grossly distorted, through incessant images of ultrathin fashion models in the media (images that have also been distorted by computer manipulation). In addition to weight, consider other changes that may have occurred since starting the program—in energy level, overall well-being, waist size (a better measure of body fat than weight), and chronic disease risk factors. If these are improving, perhaps your current weight is the right weight for your body, at least for this stage of your life.