CHAPTER 3

Prepare to Change Your Life

You know that losing weight and resolving midlife symptoms while you’re on the Galveston Diet will make you healthier. The very good news is that once you’re well into the program, you can substantially reduce belly fat, hot flashes, fatigue, brain fog, bad moods, and more. I’ve seen women just two weeks into the program begin to experience these positive changes. So every effort you make is going to be rewarded!

That said, I know you’re eager to begin your new lifestyle. But before you actually jump in, I want to caution you to ease into the plan. Take at least a few days or a week to read through this book. It’s important that you know exactly what is going on in your body at this stage of your life, that you understand why the program contains what it does, and that you see how the three components work together. You need to understand what the meal plans entail and why they are constructed as they are.

Let this information really sink in. When you arm yourself with nutritional knowledge, you will be more successful with the lifestyle changes and will make greater progress toward reducing disease risk and becoming healthier.

So, again, my first piece of advice is to not rush. Take time to invest in yourself. You have the rest of your life to master the plan! That said, here are several preparatory steps that will help you be successful.

Know Your Measurements

You won’t know how very successful you’ve been unless you have a clear vision of where you started—where you are now. So, it’s important to take certain bodily measurements and occasionally use your scale to gauge your results.

1. Check your beginning weight. I teach my students on the Galveston Diet to “break up” with their scale. I know this feels scary, so let’s talk about it. The scale is helpful, but it’s not the only measure there is, because it doesn’t really assess how healthy you are. Remember, the main goal of this program is to get you as healthy as possible. It is common for women on this program to lose inches, especially around the waist, without any weight loss registering on the scale. This occurs because they are most likely gaining lean muscle while losing body fat, and muscle generally weighs more than fat. Plus, muscle takes up less space on the body. It’s okay to consider the number on the scale in your overall assessment, but do not allow it to be the final word.

So, weigh yourself today, write down that weight in a little notebook along with the date, and keep that notebook handy. Just remember that your weight is only one data point to gauge your progress; don’t get obsessed with what the scale says.

2. Take your body’s circumference measurements. Buy a cloth tape measure and measure your hip, abdominal, and inner thigh circumferences. Write the measurements down in your notebook where you’ve recorded your weight measurement.

Here are some tips for measuring:

• For accuracy, take your measurements in the nude first thing in the morning, prior to breaking your fast, so as to avoid any post-meal bloating.
• Breathe normally and don’t “suck in” to get a better number. You want your measurements to reflect your true stats.
• Measure yourself in front of a mirror to ensure that your tape measure is held straight.
• For your waist circumference, stand up straight and exhale. Measure around the smallest part of your waist; for many women, this is just above your navel, but yours might be higher.

Note: Your waist measurement is one of the most important assessments of your overall health. Too much fat around the waist indicates that you might be carrying excess visceral fat. Visceral fat presents significant health risks. Ideally, you should have a waist circumference of below 35 inches.

• For your hip circumference, measure the distance around the widest part of your buttocks. Although everyone varies, the hip measurement is about 7 inches below the waist.
• Pull the tape so that it is snug but not too tight.

3. Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio. Your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is the gauge of your body weight distribution, particularly in terms of health. In fact, it is the most important assessment you’ll take on the Galveston Diet because it indicates how healthy you are, as well as pointing to any health risks you may be facing. As your WHR improves, your health will improve—which is the number one goal of this program.

Now, to calculate your WHR, divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. Record the WHR and add it to your little notebook.

4. Take a photo of yourself. It may feel uncomfortable or daunting to do, but trust me, later on you will love being able to see your results as you progress through the program.

Following the plan, you will again measure yourself after four weeks and will recalculate your WHR. Expect to be totally inspired by the inches and pounds you’ve trimmed off your body—a sign that you’re burning pure fat and improving your overall health.

Your WHR and Your Health

A very large body of scientific evidence shows that a high WHR can forecast cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, gallbladder disease, even cancer.

Menopausal women often see a significant increase in their WHR—which implies that they are at significant risk for heart disease, hip fracture, and certain cancers (including breast cancer and endometrial cancer). On a positive note, researchers have also found that decreasing your WHR is associated with greater health benefits and lowered risk of developing these diseases.

As a general guide, here’s a commonly used chart to give you an idea of what your current waist-to-hip ratio might foreshadow.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Health Risk	Women
Low	0.80 or lower
Moderate	0.81–0.85
High	0.86 or higher

Get a Nutrition Tracker

Since founding the organization and creating the Galveston Diet in 2017, I’ve observed that the women who are the most successful with the program monitor their micronutrients and macronutrients (the “macros”).

Macronutrients are the three categories of nutrients you eat the most and that provide you with most of your fuel: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Micronutrients, on the other hand, are vital nutrients your body uses in smaller amounts: vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. You can track both of these via a phone app.

My favorite nutrition tracking app is Cronometer. This app has a comprehensive and extensive nutritional database that helps you develop the habit of refocusing your fuel. Other good tracker apps are Carb Manager, MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, Lose It!, and MyNetDiary. You’ll need a smartphone, of course. After downloading the app of choice, you use the database to start gaining control of your nutrition choices and become more mindful of your intake. Using these apps is akin to using cash or a debit card rather than a credit card to pay for something; you always know exactly where you are in your nutritional “budget.”

It’s a good idea to make sure the app you choose can track customized macro percentages and net carbs (total carbs minus fiber; see page 106 for more on why this is important). As an experiment, use your chosen app to start keeping track of what you eat this initial week.

Of course, you won’t be tracking or counting calories on the Galveston Diet. As mentioned earlier, counting calories isn’t the best approach to weight loss—and here’s why. Calories are not created equal; different foods have vastly different effects on your hormones, energy expenditures, and feelings of hunger. When you eat low-quality, processed foods that are high in empty calories, your body never feels satisfied. It continues to ask you for more food, in the hope you’ll keep feeding it and supply more nutrients. Translation: you overeat and you gain weight.

The opposite happens when you enjoy high-quality, nutritious foods. You’re less likely to overeat because you’re nourishing your body with what it needs, in the appropriate amounts. For most people, simply changing their food selections to those on this plan will support weight loss, burn fat, discourage cravings, and build health.

Start a Daily Journaling Practice

I’m a strong believer in daily journaling. The practice of sitting down and recording your thoughts each day helps you focus on setting and achieving your goals (mental, physical, dietary, activity, and so forth). Such contemplation also leads to practicing gratitude for help or encouragement you’ve received from others. Journaling is essentially a way to hold yourself accountable. Your journal is also a great place to document your body measurements and WHR. You can also use the first couple pages of your journal to record your personal health and weight goals.

The amount of journaling you choose to do is individual, and by all means feel free to write about whatever is on your mind. But in terms of the program, here are some topics to consider each day:

• Today I am grateful for:__________________________________
• Two self-care practices I will do just for me:___________________
• Today’s victories or celebrations:____________________________
• My daily intentions:_____________________________________
• (Note: These are personal commitments, such as “I will try something challenging today,” “I accept myself as enough,” “I believe I am beautiful,” “I will develop a healthy relationship with my body,” “I will commit to my meal plan,” and so forth.)
• Today, I am letting go of:_________________________________
• (For example, grudges, certain negative thoughts, regrets, self-imposed stress, and so forth.)
• My exercise plan today:__________________________________
• My fasting window:_______ (Such as 8 p.m. to noon the next day.)
• My daily macros: carbs ________ fats ________ protein ________

You don’t need any fancy book to journal—just a notebook if writing by hand, or a dedicated file on your laptop or iPad. For further ideas, see the Daily Recharge Journal that I also created, available on my website. It has spaces for each of these topics every day.

Consider Certain Supplements

A lot of people ask me about the value of taking nutritional supplements. My response is always to emphasize, above all, that supplements are just that—they are meant to supplement your diet, not to replace foods. Your nutrition should come primarily from whole, natural foods, not from pills. Fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods contain nutrients and other substances not found in pills or capsules. You just can’t get that synergistic benefit from a supplement.

That said, the average American diet leaves a lot to be desired. Studies show that our meals are lacking in a number of important nutrients, including magnesium, vitamin D, and fiber. True, many of these nutrients are difficult to obtain through diet alone, and I’ve struggled with this issue myself.

I have designed the Galveston Diet to be high in fiber, vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, and other essential nutrients. In Chapter 7, you’ll learn how to select the food sources with the most nutrition. Still, you may not obtain all you need. In that case, supplements can be a buffer, making up for what might be lacking. Although you do not need supplements to be successful on the Galveston Diet, consider taking the following three supplements—just to cover your bases.

Fiber Supplements

It can be difficult to obtain all the fiber you need for good health from food alone. Trust me, I’ve tried! All of us need between 25 and 30 grams of fiber daily. That is a lot, so supplementation is a great option. Another reason I recommend fiber supplementation is personal. I had an uncle who died of colon cancer at age 51. He was diagnosed with the disease in his forties, and he fought it for many years before succumbing. I also have aunts, uncles, cousins, and two brothers who died of cancer. I believe something genetic is going on and that I may have a predisposition for it—which is why I want to be in the best possible position to fight cancer, should I be diagnosed with it.

Fiber may be protective against cancer. A large body of literature suggests that eating a variety of foods containing high fiber has a protective effect against colon cancer, for example. Evidence also indicates that a high fiber diet may be protective against breast, ovary, endometrial, and gastrointestinal cancer.

There are many fiber supplements available, and I offer one on my website (see Resources on page 261 or access the link there for more information). If you’re considering taking a fiber supplement, here’s what to look for when choosing a product:

• Check that it contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.
• Be aware of the fiber source. Some fibers are derived from natural ingredients while others are synthetic. It is better for your health and digestion to supplement with natural fibers. When formulating our company’s fiber supplement, I chose natural gluten-free fibers such as buckwheat (both soluble and insoluble), chia seeds (soluble), millet (insoluble), amaranth (insoluble), and quinoa (both soluble and insoluble). Other good natural fiber sources are pectin, a soluble fiber found in fruits and berries, and psyllium, a soluble fiber from the husk of the Plantago genus of plants.
• Read the labels for sugar content. Many flavored fiber supplements—including powders and gummies—can contain an appalling amount of sugar. One very popular brand of psyllium husk fiber contains 16 grams of sugar per dose—that’s equivalent to 4 teaspoons! You can avoid all that extra sugar by opting for sugar-free versions of powders (make sure they’re sweetened with monk fruit or stevia, not chemical sweeteners).

A word of caution: If you’re not accustomed to taking fiber supplements, start slowly. Adding a lot of fiber to your diet right away can trigger some uncomfortable side effects, like bloating, cramping, and gas. Gradually build up how much you take, perhaps starting with half the recommended dose for one to two weeks, before taking the full daily dose. It also helps to take fiber supplements with a large glass of water and to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Vitamin D

The body requires sunlight to manufacture vitamin D, but as a nation, we are deficient in this vitamin. One reason for this is that we’re eating fewer dairy products, which are good sources of vitamin D. Also, more and more people are sitting inside (in offices or in front of home screens) every day and not getting outside much. If you live at a latitude where sunlight is limited for part of the year, you likely won’t get the vitamin D you need during that time. Or, if you live where there are long days of daily sunshine, you may be using lots of sunscreen and staying out of the sun to avoid skin cancer. And, finally, if you have darker pigmented skin, you don’t absorb as much sunlight, which means you have less sunlight to convert vitamin D to its active form.

The recommended form of vitamin D is vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, because the body absorbs it more easily.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements

I have an ongoing love affair with omega-3 fatty acids because they offer so many powerful benefits for your body and brain; I discuss these at length in Chapter 7.

Although omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods—fish, seeds, and nuts, most prominently—it can be difficult to obtain all their health benefits from food alone. This is why I recommend supplementation.

When choosing a supplement, make sure it contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These are the most effective omega-3 fats, and they are found in fatty fish and algae.

There are no official guidelines for the intake of omega-3s, but respected health organizations generally recommend a 500 mg minimum of combined EPA and DHA per day, unless instructed otherwise by a health professional.

Hot Flash: Three Things to Do—Starting Now!

If you are in perimenopause or menopause, please pay attention. As you begin the Galveston Diet (Part II), you must do three things now for your health:

• Make sure you’re doing the right type and duration of exercise for your body. This is usually a combination of resistance training and cardio. If you’re not currently exercising, join a workout facility, get a trainer, or set up a home workout plan for yourself. Get moving at least three times a week for 45 minutes to 1 hour each session. Studies have shown that many of the changes—both physical and mental—that we associate with aging and menopause are at least partially the result of inactivity.
• Get mentally prepared to change your nutrition. In terms of perimenopause and menopause, be aware of which foods are high in protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and fiber; for example: veggies, fruits, fish, poultry. Add these foods to your diet, if you don’t already eat them on a daily basis. Cut down on empty calories from sugar, junk food, and alcohol. Drink enough water daily, too (around 64 fluid ounces/2 quarts each day). Water carries nutrients, hormones, and oxygen to your cells and disposes of waste products through your bloodstream and lymphatic system (a network of delicate tubes throughout the body). Water also lubricates your joints, enhances your health, and makes you more energetic, physically and mentally.
• Quit smoking. There are countless health reasons why you should stop smoking. But there are even more reasons when it comes perimenopause and menopause. For one thing, female smokers have more hot flashes as they transition through menopause, and smoking can initiate early menopause owing to its impact on reducing estrogen production. The main reason for this has to do with nicotine (from smoking and vaping); nicotine slashes the circulating estrogen levels and leads to early menopause.

  What’s more, smoking during perimenopause and menopause increases the risk dramatically for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. If you’re considering hormone replacement therapy, most doctors will not even prescribe it if you smoke because of smoking’s adverse effect on hormones. So, join a smoking-cessation program or ask your physician for recommendations on how to quit.

It makes sense that when your body is in a time of remarkable change you would want to give it all the additional help you can. These three actions are a great place to start.

Set Up Your World for Success

Your environment—physical and social—can have a big impact on your long-term success and play a huge role in driving positive behaviors. Environment influences your decisions, your choices, and your attitude.

Your social environment is critical for success. For example, it is important to let your family, friends, and coworkers know what you are about to do. I don’t think I could have succeeded, not only in doing my early version of diet but also in developing it, had it not been for the complete support of my family.

Studies show that we reflect the behaviors of the people around us. That means it’s crucial that your social circle is supportive and inspiring. Most important, it should NOT be destructive or negative, or have a tendency to sabotage your efforts. Would you consider doing the Galveston Diet with a friend? Could you find a workout buddy? However you can, surround yourself with people who are also working on improving their health, fitness, and nutrition. A lot of women who have made the Galveston Diet their new lifestyle tell me that they benefited from the support they found on my online community. Get online and join them! See Resources on page 261.

Your physical environment is equally important. Here are some easy suggestions for setting it up to support your success:

• Stock your kitchen with all the essential foods and ingredients used in The Galveston Diet.
• Remove the foods that tempt you and replace them with ones that support your goals. Or, buy the tempting foods only for special occasions and preferably in small quantities.
• Get into the habit of meal prepping, using the meal plans in Chapter 8 as a guide. Prepare meals and snacks ahead of time, for example. Have fresh, healthy whole foods on hand and prepped. If necessary, buy pre-cut veggies. I include some specific meal prep tips in Chapter 8.

Establishing a positive environment is an important way for you to make progress in the program. In doing so, you will control your environment before it controls you. This makes problem behaviors inconvenient and healthy behaviors convenient.

Losing weight, keeping it off, and getting healthier are not quick fixes. Nor will a quick fix keep the weight off. These quick fixes and fad diets can sometimes make the situation worse, and possibly harm your health. Optimally, the only weight you can keep off long term is weight that has been lost slowly, following a healthy diet geared to meet your needs at these midlife stages of hormonal fluctuation. So, focus on eating healthy foods and engaging in fit-friendly activities you enjoy. Yes, you can still love pizza every now and then, and have a glass of wine. Modifying your eating habits isn’t meant to be restrictive; actually, it’s freedom. You make healthy changes you can live with for a happier long term.