Eat more, lose more
During the second phase, you’ll replace one smoothie with a healthy, balanced meal each day. Introducing highprotein whole foods like lean chicken one small serving at a time helps the liver and pancreas reacclimate to producing enzymes without risking that the organs become overwhelmed. And since you’re still drinking two smoothies daily, you’re supplying the body with enough enzymes to replenish the supplies that are used up by protein digestion. To keep pounds melting off:
Prime your stomach. “A dose of apple cider vinegar stimulates the body’s pH to aid protein digestion,” says clinical nutritionist Michelle Schoffro Cook, Ph.D. And by lowering the pH of the stomach, apple cider vinegar also kills off bad bacteria, which will ease digestion even after you discontinue the tonic. Just combine 2 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar, 8 oz. of warm water and up to 1 tsp. of honey and sip the tonic 30 minutes before your whole-food meal.
Make smart protein picks.
For your whole-food meals, rely on easy-to-prepare dishes with either
3 oz. of lean poultry, 3 egg whites, 6 oz. of shellfish or fish or 1⁄2 cup of beans.
Round out your meal with 2 cups of veggies and 3⁄4 cup of cooked brown rice or ancient grains. “You’ll experience no deprivation,” says Pasternak. “You’ll never feel hungry because you’ll be filling yourself with foods that are as satisfying as they are delicious.”
Move a little. As a fitness trainer, Pasternak knows exercise is integral to weight loss—and also great for digestion. German researchers report that taking a brief, 15-minute walk after a meal boosts digestion and promotes weight loss more effectively than a 45-minute walk not timed to a meal. Instead of strolling in the steamy heat, aim to take your post-lunch walk at an air-conditioned mall or grocery store.