2 Meal 30 Day Challenge

Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

Important Please Read First

Disclaimer and Waiver of Liability The full content of this document are for informational purposes only and does not provide any medical advice. Statements within have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This content is intended for use only by healthy adult individuals. All individuals are specifically warned to seek professional medical advice prior to initiating any form of weight loss exercise or nutritional program. Use of any of the information contained within is at your own risk. The author does not accept any responsibility or liability for damages of any kind from any actions you take from the information provided. By continuing to read this document and all pages you agree to all terms as stated above. To sum up, use any information at your own risk! Personal Usage License I enjoy being able to spread knowledge to people like yourself about how to free you from eating obsessions (and get lasting results). Once you have paid for this product, you have a personal use license only. I would appreciate it if you do not redistribute this document (nor any parts without consent) to any other individuals or share on the internet. To do so, is against the personal usage policy. If you would like others to know about this program, please send them to the main site at www.theiflife.com so they may purchase their own copy and in turn help support the ongoing efforts at the IF Life in trying to spread this information to the general public. Thank you for your support and enjoy the material! Mike O'Donnell, The IF Life (www.theiflife.com). Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

2 Meal 30 Day Challenge

Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

The Rules

Here we go! The rules are pretty simple and straight forward. I've also included much more information in this report to help you understand the real food choices you should be making for your health and weight loss. Get your body working better, and it will want to burn more fat too! On your IF/2 Meal days: Eat 2 meals (I think you knew this one, but just starting off) Eat real foods and as much as you like in your 2 meals Avoid flour, breads, pasta (unless rice based), cereals, desserts Have nothing (foods or drinks) with added sugar No snacking before, between, after meals. You eat meals, not graze. Use natural fats (butter, olive oil, coconut oil) Carbs only from real foods (potatoes, rice, corn, etc), keep intake lower if weight loss is the goal and have more body fat (usually also higher insulin resistance comes with that, so you handle excess glucose less effectively) and are less active (especially with more intense/glycolotic exercise) No calorie counting or focusing on %s allowed! Drink mostly water, tea. Avoid calorie/sugar loaded and diet drinks.

On the other (non-IF) days Eat 3 meals as you may do normally Food choices are yours to make, real foods are always encouraged Don't go overboard or binge on purpose

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I recommend starting with the 2 meals about 2-3x a week for first couple weeks to gauge how you respond before moving into a more daily (5x) approach. Moving into more daily should only happen also after you start eating more real foods and do not experience any negative effects. Other Tips: If you have much weight to lose, reduce/eliminate fruit for first 2 weeks (cutting out fructose to help give your liver a break, a major fat burning organ) Keep your caffeine intake lower on IF/2 meal days Eat the whole real food meats. Full eggs, not just egg whites. Natural red meats (beef, bison) with the natural fat rather than no-fat chicken. Eat fatty fish higher in omega 3s to help balance inflammation factors such as salmon, herring and sardines 2-3x a week. Look for grass (not grain) fed meats to help reduce excess omega 6 intake (pro-inflammatory). Grain fed chicken, turkey and pork are higher than beef. Don't worry about being low carb or low fat, just eat real foods. Buy in bulk, stock up, learn to cook quick and simple. Enjoy this process and relax from traditional dietary OCD behavior. Eating doesn't have to be stressful or complicated. Don't worry about perfection. Move on if you mess up. No more diet shame allowed. Go out and eat, hang with friends and enjoy your social life too!

The above guidelines are not only there to help you lose weight through effortlessly eating less, but also to help reverse metabolic dysfunction/insulin resistance and inflammation (the biggest things to probably worry about). The rest of this report will go into more details about the benefits of real foods. Enjoy the challenge and the foods you eat!

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Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

The One Simple Rule to Remember

You can leave behind all hundreds of diet books out there with their complicated and contradictory plans...once you just understand the one simple eating rule you really need.

How Were You Meant to Eat? There are plenty of examples of past and modern day civilizations of people who have had great health and longevity for generations. They have strong bones, little to no incidences of degenerative diseases that are ever increasing today (like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease), no mental issues with aging (Alzheimers, ADD, Autism) and live long and functional lives. Even the elders are still physically active and sharp as a tack mentally. What do all those civilizations with good health have in common? They still follow their own ways of eating that have been passed down by their ancestors. They still used the same kinds of preparation, cooking and foods found in their own natural environment, rather than being made by some food manufacturing company.

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Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

In the United States and most Western countries, diet-related chronic diseases represent the single largest cause of morbidity and mortality. These diseases are epidemic in contemporary Westernized populations and typically afflict 5065% of the adult population, yet they are rare or nonexistent in hunter-gatherers and other less Westernized people. Although both scientists and lay people alike may frequently identify a single dietary element as the cause of chronic disease (eg, saturated fat causes heart disease and salt causes high blood pressure), evidence gleaned over the past 3 decades now indicates that virtually all so-called diseases of civilization have multifactorial dietary elements that underlie their etiology, along with other environmental agents and genetic susceptibility. Coronary heart disease, for instance, does not arise simply from excessive saturated fat in the diet but rather from a complex interaction of multiple nutritional factors directly linked to the excessive consumption of novel Neolithic and Industrial era foods (dairy products, cereals, refined cereals, refined sugars, refined vegetable oils, fatty meats, salt, and combinations of these foods). These foods, in turn, adversely influence proximate nutritional factors, which universally underlie or exacerbate virtually all chronic diseases of civilization: 1) glycemic load, 2) fatty acid composition, 3) macronutrient composition, 4) micronutrient density, 5) acid-base balance, 6) sodiumpotassium ratio, and 7) fiber content. However, the ultimate factor underlying diseases of civilization is the collision of our ancient genome with the new conditions of life in affluent nations, including the nutritional qualities of recently introduced foods. Source: Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century (by Loren Cordain, S Boyd Eaton, Anthony Sebastian, Neil Mann, et al)

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Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

The #1 (And Only) Nutrition Rule You Need To Remember What if I told you that you could possibly live longer and healthier, while feeling and looking better than you do now with one very simple guideline? Both Michael Pollan and Jack LaLanne have quotes that I think perfectly sum up what to eat: "Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize" Michael Pollan (author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma") "If man made it, don't eat it." Jack LaLanne (health and fitness icon) and to sum it up in three simple words:

"Eat Real Food!"

Real Food Rules Lets keep it simple: Eat real foods, preferably in their most natural state. I think its pretty easy to figure out what is food and what isnt. A few things to remember: Real Food grows and dies. It isnt created. Real Food rots, wilts, and becomes generally unappetizing, typically rather quickly. Real Food doesnt need an ingredient label (and probably isnt in a package either). Real Food doesnt have celebrity endorsements. Real Food doesnt make health claims.

If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't. Avoid foods you see advertised on television Real Food does not come through the window of your car
Eat Real Foods, not nutrients

Keep in mind, there is no such thing as Junk Food, there is just Junk and then there is Food. It's your choice what you eat.

2 Meal 30 Day Challenge

Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

Cooking at home is the lost art form that we need to bring back and enjoy with friends and family (especially the younger generation)

Lessons From The Past Your grandparents knew this rule. Your great-grandparents knew it too. They ate real meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fresh milk (not the processed milk you find today), butter and eggs. They cooked at home, didn't eat take-out or fast-food regularly and didn't eat from 24-hour quickie-marts or gas stations. They knew how to use fresh ingredients and cooked slow over a stove, rather than in a microwave. The fats they used were stable and non-toxic. There was no overload of chemical additives to the foods. They didn't need artificial flavoring and coloring. The meat came from animals that were raised how they were meant to be raised (like cows eating grass and roaming pastures). Heck they wouldn't even recognize the majority of the so called "foods" sitting on shelves that you will find in most all grocery stores. Grocery stores from long ago didn't have 30 aisles of boxed or canned food, if you still want to call it food that is.

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Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

The Benefits Of Real Foods While the standard modern diet is loaded with sugar, rancid fats and other chemicals that are detrimental to your health, filling your kitchen with real foods is supportive of health. Check out some of the benefits of Real Food: More natural antioxidants to help fight off age-increasing free radicals and oxidative damage. Optimal balance of the essential fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6 to help fight off inflammation and protect the heart. Naturally occurring stable fats for optimal cell health, regeneration, and protection. More natural vitamins and minerals, in their most absorptive and balanced state (like potassium and sodium naturally balanced, which manages blood pressure). Fewer anti-nutrients that deplete vitamins & minerals from our body. Fewer unstable and destructive fats that promote oxidative damage at the cellular level, especially in the arteries, which can lead to a build up of plaque and arterial blockage. Fewer chemicals and additives that not only promote cellular destruction but also overload important organs such as the liver that have to deal with them (and the liver is a vital organ especially for fat burning!). A healthier gut for the bacteria that fight off infections and digest your food to help you absorb more nutrients. A body that is primed for optimal working condition at every cellular level (including the brain!).

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Mike O'Donnell The IF Life

 An simple yet effective eating plan that will not have you worrying about counting calories and portion sizes! So instead of heading down a possible road of aging and suffering from manmade diseases, why not just age naturally and healthfully by following the simple rule of just eating real foods?

Changes Can Happen Fast (For The Better) In a society that wants quick results on everything, there is good news. A recent study done on short term changes to a diet to more real foods shows what can happen: Background:The contemporary American diet figures centrally in the pathogenesis of numerous chronic diseases'diseases of civilization'. We investigated in humans whether a diet similar to that consumed by our preagricultural hunter-gatherer ancestors (that is, a Paleolithic type diet) confers health benefits. Methods: We performed an outpatient, metabolically controlled study, in nine non-obese sedentary healthy volunteers, ensuring no weight loss by daily weight. We compared the findings when the participants consumed their usual diet with those when they consumed a Paleolithic type diet. Conclusions: Even short-term consumption of a paleolithic type diet improves BP and glucose tolerance, decreases insulin secretion, increases insulin sensitivity and improves lipid profiles without weight loss in healthy sedentary humans. Source:Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a Paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet; L A Frassetto, et al; European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online publication, 11 Feb 2009

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Sugar Is NOT Your Friend Sugar is seen everywhere in our drinks and foods, but is it really the "friend" you may think it is? Not really. Excess sugar may just decrease your overall health and make you age quicker. How's that for a friend? Aging is just a fancy word for the body breaking down quicker than it can repair itself, as that is what happens when you get older. Aging is also accelerated by degenerative diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease and cancers. We are all going to get older, but it doesn't mean that you have to "age" quicker. Let's see what else sugar may lead to: Increased fat storing and obesity Increased inflammation (joint pain and heart diseases) Deficiencies in essential minerals/vitamins (sugar is an anti-nutrient) Destroying the "good" bacteria and feeding the "bad" bacteria in your gut, causing a serious bacteria imbalance which affects your health and your digestion Increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, Alzheimer's, MS, Stroke, various cancers and other diseases.

Does this sound like something you want or need? Remember one thing when you are about to eat something loaded with sugar...just tell yourself: I don't want to burn fat for the next 3-4 hours. That is exactly what you are telling your body on a hormonal level! Vitamin And Mineral Deficiencies Vitamins and minerals are essential to optimal health and metabolic function. If there are deficiencies in certain vitamins or minerals this could compromise our overall health and fat burning efficiency. These essential nutrients are involved in everything from bone formation/density and carrying oxygen to cells to hormonal levels and various enzyme functions. Things like Vitamin B6, Magnesium, and Zinc and many others could be vital to
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making our fat-burning environment efficient.

Are you taking more pills to make up for lack of real nutrients found only in real foods? It is not the same.

Not only that but antioxidants (like Vitamins A,C & E) will help combat damage from free radicals in the body for optimal cell function. Healthy essential fatty acids (like the omega-3s found in fish) will increase cell membrane function and keep inflammation in check. When it comes to nutrients, it is how much you actually absorb that matters. You can get the maximum amount of vitamin and mineral absorption from real whole foods, not processed ones. Taking a multivitamin daily is also not going to replace healthy foods, as you are probably just peeing out (not absorbing) most of it anyways. But A Steak Is A Steak...Right? Not when you compare the quality of the meat provided based on how the animal was raised. For example let's take beef from a typical grain-fed animal and compare that to the beef from a grass-fed animal. When you do that you will see that the grass-fed meat typically is: Much lower total fat (leaner)
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Higher in fat soluble vitamins/anti-oxidants such as Vitamin E and BetaCarotene. Higher in Anti-inflammtory omega-3s and lower in pro-inflamatory Omega-6s Higher in the healthy fat CLA (a cancer fighter) Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium

grass-fed has higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, essential fats and less imbalances of omega-3:6 ratios. Graph source: "Dietary supplementation of vitamin E to cattle to improve shelf life and case life of beef for domestic and international markets." G.C. Smith; and Eatwild.com

So why would you settle for grain-fed meat that is higher in fat, lower in all vitamins/anti-oxidants, higher in pro-inflammatory omega-6s, lower in antiinflammatory omega-3s, and comes from a sick fat animal? Is it really any wonder why people are taking so many vitamins, pills, and medications to make up for poor food choices in the first place? It's your choice, pay for quality food now...or pay for it later with your health.

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Health Starts (Or Ends) In The Gut Our "gut" (the digestive system) is probably the most overlooked and overworked part of our body with all the responsibilities it has. It is even called the second brain by some. A living environment of nerve endings, carefully balanced bacteria, and tightly woven cells that are responsible for digesting food and absorbing its nutrients to be used throughout the body. Without it, you cant supply the body with what it needs to build and repair at the cellular level, which is the key to health and staying alive! So what can go wrong? A lot! First our nicely balanced bacteria environment can be disrupted. A bacterial imbalance, along with other factors such as food allergens, toxins, and chemicals can lead to the gut getting inflamed and not working properly (plus increasing the potential for autoimmune diseases). Some of the signs that you could be experiencing gut issues can include: fatigue, bloating, headaches, skin rashes, muscle pain/cramps, joint pain, abdominal pain, heartburn, mood swings, food allergies, depression, bloating, and anxiety. If left untreated a toxic or leaky gut can lead to much more serious conditions (autoimmune especially) down the road. Some usual culprits can include: alcohol, stress, prescription medicines, NSAIDS (aspirin), antacids, steroids, antibiotics (kills off all bacteria in the gut, good and bad), poor diet (sugar feeds bad bacteria growth, lack of essential fatty acids and nutrients for good bacteria growth), excess grains (gluten intolerance and inflammation), allergens (wheat and dairy being the top two), and parasites (how clean is your food?). So the saying is true...all health begins (or ends) in the gut, which is determined by what you eat and drink and how the gut reacts to it.

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Cooking Healthy

What you eat and cook with are the building blocks for your cells and body. Do you want a strong stable one or one that easily falls apart and gets damaged?

The Stability Of Fats Is Important If you are eating or cooking with fats that are very unstable, then you are going to create a more destructive environment internally. Many fats can become destructive when exposed to heat, light and oxygen. So what, you may ask? Well your cell membranes are made up of the fats you eat. So if you eat unstable fats, you will have weaker cell structures. This can lead to cell corruption and destruction. These unstable fats also increase the free-radical production, creating more attackers on your cells. Cooking With Good Fats (And Avoiding The Toxic Ones) There are quite a few types of fat that have sustained humans throughout the ages. Until about 100 or so years ago, vegetable oils from corn, soybean, and canola were NOT among them. Since the dawn of civilization, people have been rendering lard, tallow, and schmaltz from animals, including pigs, cows, chickens, geese, and ducks.

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Butter has been used as long as humans have been milking cows (approximately 5,000 years). People living in tropical regions have used coconut and palm fruit for their highly saturated fats for ages. So you're told to eat lots of healthy vegetable oils, made up of lots of healthy poly-unsaturated fats (PUFAs). These vegetable oils react with heat, light, and oxygen as free radicals break down the PUFAs into rancid fats capable of attacking your body at the cellular level. Even if not heated, these fats are easily oxidized in the body and cause much damage within. High levels of polyunsaturated fats can actually compromise your immune system, overstress your liver and lead to more inflammation and scarring in your arteries.

Fat Is Not the Enemy You Think It Is A few decades ago, people decided saturated fats (especially from meat), the same fats humans have eaten for eons, were bad. And the food industry pounced, introducing highly processed vegetable fats that had the same cooking properties as the healthy saturated fats people had been using. But was that really the truth or did we just create a new monster? "Actually, we know one of the mechanisms whereby colon cancer is initiated, and it does not involve meat per se. Colon cancer occurs when high levels of dietary vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats, along with certain carcinogens, are acted on by certain enzymes in the cells lining the colon, leading to tumor formation. This explains the fact that in industrialized countries, where there are many carcinogens in the diet and where consumption of vegetable oils and carcinogens is high, some studies have correlated meat-eating with colon cancer; but in traditional societies, where vegetable oils are absent and the food is free of additives, meat-eating is not associated with cancer."

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"The most likely causes of increased heart disease in America are the other changes in our diets-huge increases in consumption of refined carbohydrates and vegetable oils, particularly hydrogenated vegetable oils; and the decline in nutrient levels in our food, particularly minerals and fat soluble vitamins-vitamins found only in animal fats." Source: "It's the Beef"; by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD; Weston A Price foundation (www.westonaprice.org)

The bottom line is this: the more saturated a fat is, the more stable it is. Saturated fats are very stable, Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) are still pretty stable, and Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are the most unstable of the lot!

Over the last 100 years we use less butter and more margarine...and our health is rapidly declining. Coincidence? I think not.

So ditch all sources of the PUFAs (such as margarine, vegetable oils, processed foods) and get back to eating & cooking with natural healthy fats found in real butter (from grass-fed cows ideally), meat & eggs (grass-fed ideally), coconut oil, and
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even stable MUFAs like extra-virgin olive oil and avocados. (Note: MUFAs should not be heated to high heat due to the unsaturated bond, although it is more stable than PUFAs.) Link Alert>> If you want even more detail on more healthy cooking oils/fat options, click here for an article on cooking and fats at Scott's site called "Naked Food Cooking". How To Shop For Real Foods You've heard it before: "stick to the perimeter of the grocery store". That rule definitely applies with only a very few exceptions. On the perimeter of the store, you find meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. In the center aisles, 98% of what you find are highly processed, sugary, salty foods made of the Big Three: corn, wheat, and soy. The only exceptions that I can think of are olives, bagged or bulk raw nuts, the various healthy oils (coconut and olive), and the vinegars (like balsamic, rice, and apple cider). To make things easier, you will find a quick and easy shopping list in the back of this report to print off and keep with you. Where To Shop For Real Foods But there are other places that you can shop that typically provide fresher and healthier foods. For instance, find your local farmer's market every Saturday (or whatever day of the week it falls on) to stock up on your weekly produce and grab whatever meats the local farmers have on sale. Also since the local market produce is usually all from within a few hours of your city, it is fresher and less contaminated with preservative chemicals than what you'll find on the grocery store shelves, which was shipped in from around the world. You'll find an ever-changing selection of seasonal foods and discover vegetables that you've never eaten before. This is your chance to branch out. The farmers are always more than willing to help you figure out how to cook things if you're unsure...so get out, ask around and talk to people!
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You can also use sites like Eat Wild (www.eatwild.com) and Local Harvest (www.localharvest.org) to help find farmer's markets and local farmers. Another good idea is to look for wholesale buying clubs (or CSAs) in your area that use the power of "buying in bulk" to reduce the prices of foods that support your health.

Use Nature's Flavors...And Be Healthier Too! Maybe doctors should hand out spice racks instead of medicines. There are lots of natural herbs/spices out there that not only taste great but provide real health benefits. Unleash your own inner chef and mix up your own creations when you cook for the most natural flavors! Herb/Spice Ginger Basil Cilantro Garlic Parsley Turmeric Cinnamon Cayenne Oregano Benefit anti-inflammatory anti-fungal/antioxidant heavy metal detoxifyer anti-bacterial/fungal blood purifier anti-inflammatory anti-fungal/blood sugar regulator anti-inflammatory/blood circulation anti-bacterial/fungal

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Transform Yourself

Are you ready to become the strong and healthy person you know is inside of you?

Time To Do Some Elimination It is a good idea to reduce/eliminate the things that have crept into your life little by little and may be a strain to your total health (allergens, toxins, stressors). Once you eliminate them, then you can start to allow the body to catch up on some much needed internal repair, healing and rebuilding. This is not some Hollywood detox quick weight loss scam. This is about getting your body back into good health. After all, if you want to burn fat more efficiently, then you are best to focus on having a healthy metabolism, including all the organs and hormones involved. You need to eliminate the reasons that the body wants to keep fat around, which could be anything from excessive storage of toxins, to hormonal imbalances and mixed signals. Eating real food is the biggest step to allow your body to get back to a natural state of balance (and cleaning up everything involved in your fat burning metabolism!).

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Just Say No No sugars (yes even artificial sweeteners) No processed foods (including canned items, frozen dinners or anything that is not in its most natural state read the label ingredients as it should not have any additives/additional chemicals) No pasta, breads, cereals, crackers, baked goods, muffins, bagels or anything with wheat (even some sauces have it). No cheap/processed meats like fast food burgers, hot dogs, etc. No fried foods unless you do it yourself in healthy fats, not veg oil No pre-made sauces or salad dressings. Make your own from scratch and flavor with herbs and spices. No vegetable oils ditch the margarine and any vegetable oils for cooking No soda, diet soda, fruit drinks. We both know you need to drink more water (flavor with fresh lemon). What do you say Yes to? Well the simple answer is: Real Food, especially food found in its most natural, unprocessed state, like meats from grass-fed animals and real fruits (not dried or juiced).

You Don't Have to be Perfect Nothing is really off limits forever, and you should enjoy a meal or dessert of choice on occasion...but it should not be an excuse to pig out more than normal (you will not lose weight that way). Enjoy what you want so there is no feeling of deprivation, but listen to how your body responds when it is in a clearer state. You may find that your old cravings for junk go away and you have new ones for healthier options! By eliminating certain foods for a period of time, you will find out for yourself if you feel better without them...and that is a lasting change for your health!
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FAQs

Here are some of the more frequently asked questions

Q: What is wrong with whole grains? Aren't they supposed to be healthy? A: Wheat (and variants of wheat like rye and barley) contain a protein called gluten, which is a gut irritant for many people. Further, wheat contains lectins that can push your body towards leptin resistance, which promotes obesity. The only way to know is to remove wheat completely and see how you feel. Non-gluten grains like rice, corn, and quinoa are better options with fewer antinutrients. Q: Why should I eat less dairy? A: Dairy is a possibly allergen for lots of people, even those that aren't aware of it (especially if you have breathing/asthma issues). Quality should be your focus, opting for less processed options like whole milk (or even raw milk and cheese). Skim milk and reduced fat milks are a no-no as they are highly processed food products (and promote more insulin responses). Fermented milk products like kefir and yogurt are great sources of probiotics that will help heal your gut. I recommend removing dairy as much as possible (100% if you can for at least 2-3 weeks) to see how you feel if/when you slowly reintroduce it. You may be surprised at how much better you feel!
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Q: What about beans? A: Beans are okay, if properly prepared by long soaking first. Lentils have the highest levels of protein, with kidney and black beans close behind. Darker beans, like black beans, have more antioxidants (red and kidney right behind). Q: What about soy (products)? There's lots of controversy around soy. It is not a particularly healthy food as most people eat it (remember that you want to avoid all types of processed foods, which many modern soy based products are). Soy as used by many cultures is fermented to eliminate many of the potential antinutrients (especially phytates). If you eat soy, do so in moderation and go for the fermented versions such as miso, tempeh, natto and tamari. Avoid all other processed versions. Q: What about eating out as I am busy with running around /travel? A: Yes there are still ways that you can aim for real foods and the best quality when out. This includes getting grilled meats (not fried), salads, vegetable sides (French fries don't count), and not having the bread at the table. Most of all, remember that you are in control 100% and probably can get whatever you want at most restaurants, so make up your own meal! Q: What should I snack on during the day? A: Remember that I already talked about losing the snacking mentality as it is usually mindless and not really hunger-based. For some reason, if you do feel you need something, nuts or fruit (like an apple) make an easy item. Watch out though as with nuts the calories quickly pile up, which will hinder weight loss if you go overboard and eat way too many. Q: How about canned foods? A: Look for any canned items that do not have additional salt and no other preservatives (look at label again). Meats like fish/sardines are packed into cans and healthy. Aim for those that are water or olive oil based (not canola or soy).

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Q: What is all this talk about saturated fat and butter? I thought it was bad for you? Sadly this is a myth that has actually sent the mainstream in the wrong direction (with all the bad low fat advice and increasing intakes of sugar and vegetable oils in the process). Just look around and you will see how that advice has worked out for our state of health in the last 30 or so years. Long story short, butter is good and vegetable oils (margarine) is bad. You will have higher risks of heart diseases and cancers with increased unsaturated (especially polyunsaturated) fat. Cholesterol in foods is also not the villain it is played out to be. For much more on this you can google lipid hypothesis and cholesterol myths or debunked. Lots of great info out there that many should read. Here's just one quick place to start (with a long and short version) The long version: http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/526-skinny-on-fats The short version: http://www.westonaprice.org/myths-a-truths I always encourage you to read, and come up with your own conclusions based on all the real information (and not mainstream gossip/myths). For me, I enjoy as much natural fats from real foods (and butter) as I can get, and feel great!

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Real Food Shopping List

The following shopping list contains most (not all) of the choices that you should be making for your 2 meals. Clean out the house of the stuff you don't need and stock up on the good foods. Enjoy cooking & eating real foods! Foods To Buy Often Natural Meats (Beef, Poultry, Seafood, Eggs) If not wild or grass-fed (omega 3 eggs) then go for leanest cuts. Variety of Fruits and Vegetables (organic when possible) Various unprocessed (raw and unsalted, preferably) Nuts and Seeds Healthy Fats and Oils (avoid margarine, vegetable oils). Flavorful Herbs and Spices (all kinds) Tasty vinegars like Apple Cider, Red Wine, and Balsamic, which make great homemade salad dressings Drinking lots of Water (spring, mineral, or tap/filtered) Foods To Use In Moderation Dairy (including Whole Milk, Yogurt, Real Cheeses) Grains (including Rice, Corn, Quinoa, Oatmeal) Dried Fruits, Roasted/Salted Nuts Coffee, Alcohol Peanuts (a highly allergenic and moldy food) Things To Limit/Avoid Processed Meats (sausage, hot dogs, etc) Wheat/Gluten (highly allergenic, gut irritant) Candy, Cake, Cookies, and other Bakery items Ice Cream and other desserts Sodas (loaded with sugar and corn syrup) Commercial Salad Dressings (make your own) Commercial sauces and ketchup (high in sugar/corn syrup)

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Vegetables Artichokes Arugula Asparagus Avocado Beets Spinach Broccoli Cabbage Carrot Greens (Kale, Collard, Mustard) Cauliflower Celery Cucumber Eggplant Fennel Bulb Green Beans Green Onions Sauerkraut Kimchi Lettuce Mushroom Okra Olives Onions Peppers Potato Radish Shallots Tomato Zucchini Turnips Yucca Parsley Pumpkin Squash Sweet Potato/Yam Boc Choy/Pak Choi See Vegetables Agar Arame Dulse

Kelp Kombu Nori Seaweed Wakame Fruits Apple Banana Blackberries Blueberries Cherries Cranberries Dates Grapefruit Avocado Peach Pear Pineapple Raspberries Strawberries Tangerine Watermelon Papaya Cantaloupe Grapes Kiwi Kumquat Lemon Lime Melon Nectarine Orange Mango Meats Beef Bison Elk Chicken Duck Quail Turkey Kangaroo

Lamb Ostrich Pork Goar Venison Alligator Goose Calamari Clams Crab Lobster Mackeral Salmon Sardines Haddock Sharks Shrimp Octopus Swordfish Tilapia Tuna Herring Oysters Grouper Scallops Shrimp Mussels Eggs (Chicken, duck, goose) Nuts/Seeds Almonds Walnuts Pecans Brazil Nuts Pine Nuts Cashews Coconut Macadamias Pumpkin Seeds Sesame Seeds Sunflower Seeds

Fats/Oils Butter Lard Coconut Oil/Milk Ghee Red Palm Oil Nut Butter/Oil (Macadamia, Almond, Walnut) X-Virgin Olive Oil Spices Allspice Basil Bay Leaf Cilantro Mustard Seed Nutmeg Oregano Thyme Cinnamon Coriander Seed Cumin Cayenne Pepper Clove Dill Fennel Sage Rosemary Turmeric Ginger Garlic Horseradish Mint Parsley Paprika Pepper Sea Salt

2 Meal 30 Day Challenge

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Mike O'Donnell The IF Life