When you think of the Reloading Time Zone, just imagine your muscles literally filling up with nutrients. You’ll not only be able to feel your muscles become tighter and fuller, you’ll probably notice the changes in the mirror. Why? Because you’ll be replenishing your glycogen stores by eating a hefty dose of carbohydrates. At the same time, this influx of carbs will raise your insulin levels, which drives even more nutrients—such as the high-quality protein that you eat—to your muscles. The result is a dramatic surge in muscle growth. And even better, all of this occurs without causing your body to store fat. The reason: Whenever you enter the Reloading Time Zone, your glycogen levels will be low, due to the time you’ve spent in the Fat-Burning Time Zone. This prepares your body to embrace high-carb foods, without the negative consequences that occur when your glycogen tank is overflowing.
You’ll probably notice that many of the Reloading Time Zone foods are similar to those in the Fat-Burning Time Zone. For instance, meat, cheese, and eggs are all excellent sources of muscle-building protein, which makes them ideal for both Time Zones. However, since there’s no need to watch your carb intake in the Reloading Time Zone, the approved list of high-quality protein sources expands to include yogurt, kefir, and milk. The same goes for produce: In addition to the options you have in the Fat-Burning Zone, you can now eat as much fruit as you want and add starchy vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and corn to your meals.
The main change between the Fat-Burning Time Zone and the Reloading Time Zone is that you’ll now emphasize healthy, high-carbohydrate foods, such as grains and beans, and de-emphasize foods that are high in fat. But again, the key is to keep the diet simple. And you can do just that by following the nutrition tactics below.
1. Eat any combination of the Reloading Time Zone foods—along with the approved condiments and beverages—until you feel satisfied, but not stuffed. Again, don’t overthink this; just eat. By following the general guidelines that we’ve laid out here, you’ll automatically avoid junk food, the universal downfall of all diets.
2. Try to eat high-quality protein at every meal and every 3 hours, if possible. The goal is to provide your muscles with a steady supply of amino acids, in order to ensure that they have the nutrients they need to grow. Think of it as if you were constructing a new house: If you don’t have all of the necessary building materials on hand, even the best builder can’t make progress.
3. Consume carbohydrates at each meal. This shouldn’t be too hard, since it’s in line with the way most people are accustomed to eating. The idea is to boost your insulin levels at every meal, in order to drive nutrients to your muscles. So during the Reloading Time Zone, besides vegetables, you can enjoy pasta, sandwiches, cereal, and pancakes, as well as snacks such as fruit, popcorn, and pretzels.
4. Go easy on extra fats. The reason is simple: You can only eat so many calories in a day without gaining fat. And since you’ll be increasing your intake of carbs, that doesn’t leave a lot of room for additional calories from sources such as nuts, seeds, and butter. This doesn’t mean you should eliminate fat altogether, only that your intake should be incidental. So limit your diet to the fat that’s naturally found in meat or cheese, or the kind needed to cook with, like olive oil.
5. Avoid added sugar and refined grains. Primarily, this means foods that are made with sugar—regular soda, cake, cookies—or with flour that isn’t 100 percent whole wheat, like white bread and white pasta. Technically, these carbohydrates are allowed in the Reloading Time Zone, when the purpose is to raise insulin levels. However, we highly encourage you to eat quality sources of carbohydrates. That is, carb-rich foods that are also packed with nutrients, such as 100 percent whole grain products and high-fiber beans. These are what we call nutrient-dense carbohydrates.
THE RELOADING TIME ZONE FOODS |
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| HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN | FRUITS AND VEGETABLES* | NUTRIENT-DENSE CARBOHYDRATES | |
| Beef | Asparagus | Apples | Beans |
| Cheese | Broccoli | Bananas | Bread |
| Eggs and egg whites | Carrots | Berries | Cereal |
| Fish | Corn | Grapes | Flour |
| Kefir | Onions | Melon | Oats |
| Milk | Peppers | Oranges | Pasta |
| Pork | Potatoes | Peaches | Quinoa |
| Poultry | Spinach | Pears | Rice |
| Yogurt | Tomatoes | Pineapple | Tortillas |
*These are just a few common examples of fruits and vegetables; just about any type of produce imaginable is acceptable.
This category is the same as in the Fat-Burning Time Zone, but with three additions: milk, yogurt, and kefir. Also, you may now choose any type of cheese, including cottage cheese and ricotta. For the best results, follow these guidelines:
Similar to yogurt, this fermented dairy beverage is made by culturing fresh milk with kefir grains.
Why it’s healthy: Because kefir contains gut-friendly bacteria, it’s been shown to lower cholesterol, improve lactose digestion, and enhance the immune system. In addition, University of Washington scientists recently demonstrated that kefir is more effective at helping people control hunger than fruit juice.
Where to find it: Look for kefir in the health food section of your local supermarket, or in the dairy aisle of health food stores, such as Whole Foods.
For the Reloading Time Zone, we can’t think of a fruit or vegetable that you shouldn’t eat. We’ve provided a short list below, but in general, eat as much produce as you desire—even if it’s not on the list.
A few additional details:
THE RELOADING TIME ZONE–APPROVED VEGETABLES |
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| Alfalfa sprouts | Cauliflower | Mushrooms | Spaghetti squash |
| Artichokes | Celery | Okra | Spinach |
| Arugula | Corn | Onions | Summer squash |
| Asparagus | Cucumber | Peppers (any color) | Sweet potatoes |
| Bean sprouts | Eggplant | Potatoes | Tomatoes |
| Bok choy | Endive | Radishes | Turnips |
| Broccoli | Green beans | Sauerkraut | Watercress |
| Brussels sprouts | Kale | Scallions | Zucchini |
| Carrots | Lettuce (any type | Snow peas | |
THE RELOADING TIME ZONE–APPROVED FRUITS |
||
| Apples | Cranberries | Peaches |
| Apricots | Grapefruit | Pears |
| Bananas | Grapes | Pineapple |
| Blackberries | Honeydew melon | Plums |
| Blueberries | Kiwifruit | Raspberries |
| Boysenberries | Mangoes | Strawberries |
| Cantaloupe | Nectarines | Tangerines |
| Cherries | Oranges | Watermelon |
Here’s the reality: In the Reloading Time Zone, it really doesn’t matter what type of carbohydrates you eat. At least not in terms of how much fat you lose or how much muscle you build. That’s because, eventually, carbohydrates in the form of sugar and starch are all broken down into sugar in your digestive tract. (See “Carbohydrates … Explained” on page 64.) So to some extent, your body doesn’t know the difference between the carbohydrates in a slice of whole grain bread and those found in a piece of angel food cake. Both will fill your glycogen tank equally well and raise your insulin levels, which is what you want to do to create a surge of muscle growth.
However, we’re concerned with more than just body composition. To achieve the maximum benefit for your health, we advise that you limit your consumption of added sugars—those that aren’t found naturally in a food—because they have no other nutritional value. Likewise, the same can be said for foods that are high in starch but low in fiber and other nutrients—such as refined grains as opposed to whole grains.
Our philosophy is that choosing “whole foods” is the best approach because they usually come with a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other natural anti-inflammatories. These nutrients can help ward off disease, give you more energy to train, and ensure that you have less downtime due to illness. Think of a high-performance racing car: It can run on basic 87-octane fuel, but you’ll get more horsepower from the engine if you feed it cleaner 93-octane fuel. The same can be said for your body and the food you eat. When you consume carbohydrates from added sugars and refined grains that have little nutritional value—other than simply providing carbohydrates—you’re essentially putting cheap gas in your high-performance body.
For that reason, we focus on “nutrient-dense” carbohydrates. These are carbohydrates derived from sources that are closest to the way they’re found in nature—for example, you should always choose bread made with 100 percent whole wheat flour instead of white flour, which has been highly processed and stripped of valuable nutrients.
Now does that mean you can’t enjoy a piece of cake or a bag of gummy bears in the Reloading Time Zone? No, it just means those aren’t the optimal choices for your health. The truth is, the Reloading Time Zone is the best time for you to “cheat” on the diet (see “The TNT Guide to Cheating” below). But because we have to live with ourselves, we’re going to tell you how to make the healthiest food choices; the rest is up to you.
1. Choose 100 percent whole grain bread, pasta, and rice. This includes bread products, such as bagels, tortillas, and English muffins. Don’t be fooled by products—often breakfast cereals—that just state, “Made with whole grains.” This claim simply means that at least 51 percent of the flour it’s made with is from a whole grain source. But the rest of the flour can come from refined grains—and likely does. If it’s really “100 percent whole grain,” it usually says so on the package. Check the ingredient list: Any flour that doesn’t start with the word “whole” isn’t. And it’s either whole grain rice or it isn’t. Also, ingredients are listed in descending order of the amount used.
2. Opt for products that have the fewest ingredients. As a general guideline, this is one of the best ways to choose foods. Think about it: A vegetable or a piece of fruit has only one ingredient—why shouldn’t you strive for the rest of your carbohydrates to meet that criteria?
Full disclosure: Because the objective of the Reloading Time Zone is to replenish glycogen and raise insulin levels, it’s the absolute best time for you to indulge your cravings for junk foods such as candy, chips, regular soda, and even take-out pizza. Again, we don’t recommend these foods for your health, or for optimal results. But we do realize that most people won’t follow the guidelines of this diet—or any other diet—100 percent of the time. So by limiting all intake of these foods to the Reloading Time Zone—when your glycogen levels are low—you’ll be able to eat them without significantly sabotaging your progress. This strategy also ensures that you’re eating healthy foods most of the time.
All of this is provided, of course, that you don’t overdo it. After all, junk foods are high in calories and taste good, which means they’re easy to overeat. Down too much of them, and you’ll fill your glycogen tank, priming your body to store fat. Sure, you could overeat whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, too, but it’s not likely—especially in the duration of the Reloading Time Zone. So as a general guideline, limit junk foods to one meal during the Reloading Time Zone. For instance, that might mean a take-out pizza night for one guy, and “lunch” at an ice cream shop for another.
Throughout this book, you’ve read a lot about carbohydrates. But you might still be wondering: What exactly are they? The simple answer is sugar, starch, and fiber. Which, of course, leads to three more questions:
What’s sugar? The most basic types of sugar are: glucose, which is the form of sugar your body uses for energy; fructose, which is found naturally in fruit and honey; and galactose, which combines with glucose to form lactose, the sugar that gives milk its sweetness. However, when most people talk about sugar, they’re typically referring to sucrose, or table sugar. Table sugar is composed of nearly equal parts of two simple sugars, glucose and fructose. Since glucose circulates in your bloodstream, it’s already in the form your body needs. So it’s easily digested and quickly raises blood sugar and insulin. Fructose, however, has to be processed in your liver, where it’s either converted to fat or to glucose. This slows down the rate that it’s digested, and reduces its impact on your blood sugar.
What’s starch? Remember how glycogen is your body’s stored glucose? Well, starch is a plant’s stored glucose. In fact, think of starch—the primary carbohydrate in bread, rice, pasta, and other flour-based foods—as a bundle of glucose molecules, held together by weak chemical bonds. These bonds start to dissolve the moment they make contact with saliva, immediately freeing the glucose to be absorbed into your bloodstream. So to your body, starch is simply a hefty dose of sugar in the form of glucose. As a result, starch has an even greater impact on blood sugar than sucrose.
What’s fiber? Fiber is the structural material of plants, which is found in their stems, leaves, roots, and skins. It’s known as a “nonavailable” carbohydrate because humans can’t break it down for energy. So in a sense, it fills your belly without providing calories. (Fiber does contain calories, but your body can’t access them.) Our inability to digest fiber is why people often talk about “net” carbs: It refers to the total amount of carbohydrates in a food, minus the fiber, since, practically speaking, it doesn’t count. The satiety fiber gives is one reason why whole grain bread is better than white bread, which has been stripped of its fiber and other nutrients through processing. (See “From the Field to Flour” on page 66.)
3. If it has added sugars, skip it. How can you tell? Read the Nutrition Facts label and look under “carbohydrates” for “sugars.” If the food doesn’t contain any fruit or milk (which contain natural sugars) but has sugar, then they’ve added it to sweeten the product. Again, check the ingredient list: Does it list sugar of any kind? (See “Sugar by Any Other Name …” on page 39 for a complete list of sugars.) Mostly, though, by avoiding the foods that you know you shouldn’t be eating in the first place—regular soda, candy, baked goods, ice cream—you’ll cut out most of the added sugar in your diet.
For the most part, this food group includes any grain or product made from grains, including bread, pasta, rice, and flour. (Include quinoa in this category, too; you’ll find a complete user’s guide on page 72.) To make it easier for you to navigate the grocery store aisles, we’ve selected our favorite products in several categories.
Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Products
Bread
Hamburger buns
English muffins
Pocket breads
Tortillas
Why we chose them: These products have no preservatives and are made with 100 percent whole grains. Although they’re harder to find than many other commercial brands, they’re the healthiest breads we’ve found. Go to www.foodforlife.com to locate a store near you. Also, as a close runner-up, we highly recommend the products from Alvarado Street Bakery, which are available in many health food stores and online (www.alvaradostreetbakery.com).
Sprouted grain bread is made when fresh grains and legumes such as wheat, barley, beans, oats, spelt, and millet are allowed to sprout, instead of being ground into flour. Then the sprouts are formed into batches of dough and slowly baked. Products created from sprouted grains have more essential protein, fiber, and B vitamins than those made with refined flour, according to research conducted in India.
Where to find it: Because it has no preservatives, this bread must be kept frozen. Look for the most widely available brand—Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9—in the freezer aisle of your grocery store’s health food section.
Did you ever wonder how far removed a piece of bread is from a kernel of wheat? Here’s an insider’s look, courtesy of Kendall McFall, a flour-milling instructor at Kansas State University.
1. A combine harvests wheat from the fields and removes the whole grain kernels from the stalks. The kernels are then transported to the mill.
2. At the mill, corrugated rollers break open the kernel and scrape the carb-loaded endosperm away from the bran—the high-fiber outer husk—and the vitamin-rich germ, which is the embryo of the kernel.
3. After the rollers pulverize all parts of the grain kernel, they’re fed through sifters, which separate the larger bran and germ particles from the endosperm.
4. The bran and germ are routed into different machines for further processing while heavy rollers smooth the remaining endosperm fragments into a fine powder, or flour.
5A. For refined flour: The grain kernel flour is enriched—as mandated by federal law—with thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, and iron. The flour may also be bleached at this point, before being packaged.
5B. For whole wheat flour: The powdered endosperm, bran, and germ particles are recombined in the same proportion as were present in the whole kernel. This flour is not enriched.
6. The flour is packaged and ready to be made into bread.
—Reporting by Heather Loeb
Barilla Plus
Why we chose it: It’s made with high-fiber flax flour, which contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure that “Plus” is included in the product name, as regular Barilla pasta is made from refined flour. Also, 100 percent whole wheat couscous—which is actually the grain from which pasta flour is made—is a great alternative.
Uncle Ben’s Fast & Natural Whole Grain Instant Brown Rice
Why we chose it: Besides being quick and easy to prepare, it has one ingredient—whole grain rice. Any 100 percent whole grain rice product is acceptable, though, including basmati.
MexAmerica Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
Why we chose them: One of the few tortilla brands made with whole wheat flour that can also be found in most grocery stores. Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain tortillas are a good choice, too, but are less flexible—which makes them good for quesadillas, but not so good for wraps.
Thomas’ Hearty Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bagel
Why we chose them: They taste good, and they meet the 100 percent whole wheat standard. Look for them in your grocery store’s bakery section, not the freezer.
Bob’s Red Mill Steel-Cut Oats
Why we chose them: Steel-cut oats are not as processed as the more common rolled oats. They also have a nuttier, chewier taste. Plus, this brand contains no added sugar. They’re simply the inside of the oat kernel, cut into two or three coarse pieces. For comparison, the more popular rolled oats are pieces of the inner oat kernel that have been steamed, rolled, and then steamed again, in order to create a thin oat “flake.”
Nature’s Path Organic Instant Hot Oatmeal (Original)
Why we chose it: The ingredient list, which reads: “Organic rolled oats, sea salt.” Note that the flavored varieties in the Nature’s Path line all contain at least one other ingredient—“organic evaporated cane juice.” In other words, added sugar, which is the norm for any brand of flavored oatmeal.
Triscuit Original Wheat Crackers
Why we chose them: All things considered, it’s not a bad product. It’s made with 100 percent whole wheat, oil, and salt.
This category is simple: We recommend all types of beans with one caveat—the baked variety. That’s because baked beans are typically covered in a sauce made with brown and white sugars. Consider that 1 cup of canned baked beans contains 24 grams of sugar—about the same amount in 8 ounces of regular soda. So they’re not the best choice. Keep in mind that besides black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, white beans, and lima beans—among others—this food group also includes hummus.
Our criteria for choosing cereals is easy: Look for products that are made with 100 percent whole grains and don’t contain any added sugar. Sugar from fruit is acceptable, but if it’s simply being used as a sweetener, skip it. Since these stipulations disqualify 95 percent of the cereals in your supermarket, we sifted through the aisles for you to find the very best choices.
Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Cereal
Where to find: The health food section of your grocery store
Flavors: Original; Golden Flax; Almond; Cinnamon Raisin
Bear Naked All Natural Low Sugar Cereal
Where to find: The health food section of your grocery store. For more information, go to www.bearnakedgranola.com/cereal.htm
Flavors: Triple Berry Crunch; Vanilla Almond Crunch
General Mills Fiber One Bran Cereal
Where to find: The main cereal aisle of your grocery store
Flavor: Original
Post Shredded Wheat Cereal
Where to find: The main cereal aisle of your grocery store
Flavor: Original
Just about every condiment, spice, or herb you could want is acceptable in the Reloading Time Zone, including ketchup and barbecue sauce. We do recommend that you avoid mayonnaise, aioli, and creamy salad dressings (blue cheese, ranch, Thousand Island) when possible, though, since they fall under the category of “added fats.”
Here are some examples of the foods you can have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Just like in the Fat-Burning Zone, this is just a sampling of the meals you might eat at certain times of the day. The only true guidelines are the Reloading Time Zone Nutrition Tactics that were presented at the beginning of this chapter. Remember, the idea is that you focus on the foods themselves, not the quantity.
Cereal with milk and fruit
Whole wheat toast
Quinoa (page 72)
Pancakes
Waffles
Yogurt and fruit
Turkey sausage
Scrambled eggs or egg whites
Omelet or egg-white omelet
Vegetables
Fruit
Popcorn
Pretzels
Milk
100 percent fruit juice
Yogurt
Protein shake
Leftovers from lunch and dinner
Sausage and Red Pepper Pizza (page 116)
Tuna Salad Sandwich (page 101)
Deli sandwich
Hamburger
Grilled chicken sandwich
Peppers with Quinoa Stuffing (page 74)
Pasta
Kielbasa and Lentil Soup (page 115)
Burritos (page 128)
Chicken Stir-Fry (page 105) over brown rice
Breaded Chicken (page 102)
Beef Kebabs (page 118) with Quinoa Salad (page 73)
Rosemary Pork Tenderloin (page 113) with Quinoa Risotto (page 75)
Taco Salad (page 100)
Roasted Chicken (page 108)
Cilantro Flank Steak (page 119) with sweet potato
Steak Salad (page 98)
If you’re like most guys, you’ve never even heard of quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”). That’s a shame because it’s one of the healthiest grains you can eat. Check that: Quinoa is technically classified as a seed, but its nutrient profile is so similar to that of a grain that it’s often confused for one. Regardless, it provides something that’s rare among plant foods: Like meat, eggs, and dairy, quinoa packs all nine of the essential amino acids that your body needs to build muscle. That makes it a high-quality protein. And because it’s also packed with carbohydrates, it may be the ideal Reloading Time Zone food.
Quinoa has an addictive nutty flavor, cooks up quicker than brown rice, and can be used to make stuffings, risottos, and salads. The downside: Few guys know where to find it, let alone how to prepare it. But typically, you can locate quinoa in the rice aisle, or the health food section of your grocery store. You can also stock up on it at www.edenfoods.com.
Before cooking, place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse thoroughly. This will remove any residue of saponin, a bitter substance that covers the outside of the seed and that turns soapy in water. (Typically, prepackaged quinoa has already been rinsed, but it’s best to give it a quick wash anyway.)
As for preparation, the simplest way is to cook quinoa like pasta: Fill a large pot or saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add just about any amount of quinoa, turn the heat to low, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow the quinoa to cool. Cook up a big batch, store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator (you can keep it for up to a week), and you’ll have a ready-to-eat side dish that goes with just about any meal. (Just microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to warm.)
Even better, we asked our good friend and Men’s Health resident chef Matt Goulding to provide the recipes and tweaks that follow so that you can turn this simple grain into more than a dozen dishes.
Combine 1 cup cooked quinoa with ½ cup milk and ½ cup frozen blueberries and microwave for 60 seconds. This makes a great alternative to oatmeal.
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the woody ends from the asparagus by gently bending each spear until it breaks—it will naturally snap off at the right place. Lay on a cookie sheet or baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and toss. Roast for 10 minutes.
2. Chop the asparagus into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, combine the asparagus, quinoa, olives, sundried tomatoes, cheese, vinegar, and 1½ teaspoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For other great salads, try mixing cooked quinoa with any of the following combinations:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, and garlic and cook until the tomato is soft and the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, beans, and cumin and cook for another 3 minutes, until the shrimp is just pink and firm. Add the cooked quinoa and cilantro, stir to blend, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Stuff each with half of the mixture. Place in a baking pan and bake 15 minutes.
1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté or saucepan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the quinoa and cook for another 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock, using a wooden spoon to occasionally stir the grains. When the liquid has mostly evaporated (about 10 minutes), add the remaining stock. Continue cooking and stirring until the quinoa is tender (but not mushy) and most of the liquid has evaporated; the risotto should be moist, but not soupy. At the last minute, add the peas and prosciutto and stir to warm through.
3. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Before serving, grate a bit of Parmesan over each portion.
“I cut my body-fat percentage in half.”
Name: Jean-Paul (J.P.) Francoeur
Age: 38
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Weight before: 202
Weight after: 175
J.P. FRANCOEUR HAD FINALLY HAD ENOUGH: His body-fat percentage had just hit 22 percent, a measure that classified him as overweight. And although that’s far from unusual these days, it made him dread going to work.
Why? Because J.P. is a personal trainer—has been for 17 years—and the owner of one of the top health clubs in Little Rock, Arkansas. “One of the most important things a trainer can do is look the part,” says J.P. “I didn’t.”
And at the time, he was also the chairman of the Arkansas Governor’s Council on Fitness. In fact, he even had a hand in Governor Mike Huckabee’s widely publicized 100-pound weight loss.
So how come he couldn’t help himself? His story may sound familiar: Over the previous couple of years, a hectic lifestyle had led to poor eating habits and skipped workouts. “I’m on the go 12 hours a day trying to run the business, then I have 3 hours of mayhem at home trying to keep up with three kids,” says J.P. “Who has time to count calories and fill out food journals?”
That’s when he decided to try the TNT Diet which provided the no-hassle program he needed. “In the first 8 weeks, I lost 20 pounds, and my performance in the gym not only didn’t suffer as it does on most diets, it improved.” Even better, J.P.’s body-fat percentage dropped from 22 percent to 14 percent, and then down to 11 percent a few weeks later. “The best part is that I never felt hungry, and I was eating more healthy vegetables than ever before,” explains J.P. “The downside? I had to go out and buy all new clothes.”