Flat Belly Forever

Table of ContentsHow It All Started ............................................................................................................................ 3Skipping to the End Research Findings and What You Can Do ..................................................... 6Introduction to Digestive Bacteria .................................................................................................. 8When Bacteria Go Bad .................................................................................................................. 12It might not be the fault of your current diet ............................................................................. 16The Antibiotic Weight Gain Connection ........................................................................................ 19

Antibiotics Everywhere ............................................................................................................ 21Mending a broken gut ................................................................................................................... 23Introduction to the Microbolic Rebalancing Program .................................................................. 25

Phase 1 .................................................................................................................................... 25Phase 2 .................................................................................................................................... 26Phase 3 .................................................................................................................................... 26The Flat Belly Forever Nutrition Calculator .............................................................................. 27

The 12-week Microbolic Rebalancing Protocol ............................................................................ 29Phase 1 Weeks 1 and 2 ......................................................................................................... 30Phase 2 - Weeks 3 6 ............................................................................................................. 36Phase 3 - Weeks 7 12 ............................................................................................................ 42

Probiotic Supplements ................................................................................................................. 51Calculating BMI ........................................................................................................................ 54

Recommended Foods List The Prebiotic and Probiotic All Star Food list .................................... 55Yogurt ...................................................................................................................................... 55Kefir ......................................................................................................................................... 56Coconut Kefir ........................................................................................................................... 56Dark chocolate ......................................................................................................................... 56Cheese ..................................................................................................................................... 57Miso ......................................................................................................................................... 57Sourdough Bread ..................................................................................................................... 58Kombucha ................................................................................................................................ 58Beer & Wine ............................................................................................................................ 59Tempeh .................................................................................................................................... 59Bananas ................................................................................................................................... 59Coffee and Tea ......................................................................................................................... 60

Flat Belly Forever Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 61FBF Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................................... 62

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How It All StartedHow It All Started

It would be easy for me to say that this story starts in your belly, and this would be

mostly true. However this story really begins in a small pub just outside of Cambridge

University in Cambridge England. It was September of 2009 and I had just flown in from

Canada to meet with a gentleman by the name of Aubrey De Gray.

I had spent 8 hours in a plane flying to England to see Aubrey because he was a leader in

the field of longevity as his book Ending Aging implies, his goal was, and still is, to

help people live forever. Aubrey is a visionary. He doesnt want to help people live to 150

or 200, no, hes aiming for somewhere in the 1,000s.

Aubrey was an intimidating figure long hair and an even longer beard on a thin and

wiry body that made him appear to be very withdrawn and intense. It was an

appearance that I imaged to be of an early philosopher, very stoic and always appearing

to be thinking and judging. However, luckily for me he was actually very personable and

eager to talk about his work.

On the day before the beginning of his conference I was able to steal some time with

him at a local pub. Over a couple of pints of beer he told me that the way he thought we

could help people live forever was (among other things) through the manipulation of

bacteria from the soil.

Bacteria? I thought. Yuck.

Up to that point, I had always thought of bacteria as being bad. Bacteria made me think

of germs and bugs and the reason we carried around hand sanitizer. The very word

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made me think of runny nosed little children and sneezing and coughing. Bacteria, I

always thought, makes us sick - plain and simple. Besides, my background was in

nutrition and I was convinced if we were going to help people live longer lives, it would

be by changing their diet, not by harnessing the power of some microscopic bugs.

But after listening to Aubrey talk so passionately about using the power of bacteria and

their possible role in extending human life, I began to think he was right that the

microcosm trillions upon trillions of microorganisms that inhabit this earth, are a lot

more important to optimizing human health than I realized. After all, the beer I was

drinking would not exist without bacteria, neither would the bread or butter on the

table in front of me. The thought stuck with me, and when I arrived back home I began

my research on the possible connection between our gut bacteria and our health.

Specifically I was exploring the idea that our gut bacteria are somehow connected to our

ability to gain weight.

My goal was to answer two seemingly simple questions:

1) Could bacteria be helping to make us fat?

2) Could bacteria help make us thin?

Over four years of research later it is now apparent to me that the germs or bacteria or

whatever you want to call the microorganisms in and around our bodies are not only the

building blocks of all life on earth, but also occupy an indispensable role in human

health.

In fact, Im now convinced that it is NOT necessarily a change in our diet, but improving

the interaction between what we eat and the microorganisms in our body that will one

day cure obesity, and that the major flaw in almost every single diet in existence is that

they ignore this single fact We do not feed the machine as people like to say; we feed

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the machines that then feed us. These machines are actually a highly complex network

of trillions of microorganisms that live in our guts.

If you keep these microorganisms happy and healthy then you will be happy and healthy,

but if they become even a little unhealthy, it paves the way for obesity and a whole host

of life ruining diseases.

In the following pages you will discover what I now consider to be the next frontier in

human health - how to use the power of the bacteria living in your gut to lose weight,

improve your health, build muscle and maybe even save your life.

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Skipping to the End Skipping to the End Research Findings andResearch Findings and

What You Can DoWhat You Can Do

Im a science author by trade who specializes in writing about weight loss, so writing a

hundred pages on the science of weight loss is second nature to me. However, I

understand that most people who buy a book about weight loss want to lose weight first

and read the science second. Therefore, I will first briefly explain the outcome of my

findings. If you do not wish to read further after this chapter, you may skip to the

chapters detailing the exact protocol I prescribe for improving your gut bacteria, losing

weight and changing your life and health for the better.

Research Findings

After 4 years of research I can tell you that I believe I have answered both of my

questions. YES, your gut bacteria can influence your tendency to gain weight, and YES

your gut bacteria also holds the ability to help you lose weight quicker and easier than

you may have otherwise thought possible.

Your gut microbiota has a profound influence on your health, immune system,

hormones, and even your brain chemistry. And, possibly most importantly, your gut

bacteria can be altered by what you eat.

Gut Bacteria Richness

A gut that is unhealthy has a low richness of gut bacteria. This is called dysbiosis.

Having an unhealthy gut can lead to inflammation, insulin resistance, obesity and a

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whole host of diseases. Whereas a gut that is healthy or has high richness is associated

with health and protection against weight gain.

Many different things, including overeating and the typical western diet high in

processed foods, fats and sugars, can cause a dysbiotic gut or a gut with low richness.

This lack of richness can also be caused by many environmental factors as well.

In fact, in my opinion the evidence suggests that your gut bacteria are under attack on a

daily basis, and that the accumulating damage from these attacks can led to a low gut

richness which leaves you prone to weight gain.

Luckily, I have found that this problem can be corrected through diet and this correction

is directly associated with weight loss.

What To Do

The bottom line is that eating in a way that can improve the richness of your gut bacteria

can help you lose weight. This exact system of eating can be found in the What to Do

Part 1 - Microbolic Rebalancing 12 Week Diet Program chapter of this book. There you

will find the entire protocol described in great detail.

Now, on to the science behind how your gut bacteria can help you lose weight...

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Introduction to DigestiveIntroduction to DigestiveBacteriaBacteria

At least 70 million people in the U.S. suffer from some sort of digestive illness, and

stomach and digestive problems are said to account for nearly 10% of all health care

spendingi. As an author of a weight loss book I can tell you that the questions I get asked

most often almost always include the words stomach or belly. Truly when we think

about health our gut is always front and center in our minds, so it goes without saying

that within the medical community, your gut is big business.

In medicine and nutrition, the word gut usually refers to our stomachs and intestines.

Up until recently, digestion was simply the combination of chewing your food, then

having the acids and enzymes in your stomach break down your food. This overly

simplistic view of how we handled our food was accepted because initially

microbiologists thought that the stomach did not contain nor need bacteria at all, and

that any bacteria detected were simply transient introduced to your gut when you ate

improperly washed foods.

In fact, bacteria were viewed as the enemy, an enemy that needed to be eliminated in

order to prevent illnesses and restore health. Increasingly powerful weapons in the form

of disinfectants, antibiotics and food preservatives were created to fight the imagined

health-robbing bacteria that plagued our foods and our kitchens. We washed

countertops, hands, utensils and even our foods with disinfectant, and added

preservatives to prevent bacterial growth and to keep the food from going bad. We did

everything in our power to make sure we were bacteria free.

However this was an error in judgment and the war on bacteria led to an attack not only

on truly bad bacteria (such as salmonella and other bacteria that cause food

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poisoning), but also on the good bacteria the bacteria that are absolutely essential to

human health. The bacteria you literally cannot live without.

We now know that your gut includes trillions of living microorganisms working in

harmony with your immune system, nervous system and hormonal system to regulate

your metabolism, physiology and health. They are an ever-changing community that are

every bit as much a part of you as your eyes or your heart. In fact gut bacteria cells

outnumber us 10 to 1. In other words there are ten bacteria cells for every 1 human cell.

Or put more visually, you are 90% bacteria, 10% human at the cellular level! This doesnt

seem to make sense until you realize that bacterial cells are much smaller than human

cells, so trillions of them can easily fit inside us.

Most microorganisms that live in your gut (collectively called your microbiota) play a

beneficial role in maintaining your health. The gut microbiota protect us against

dangerous pathogensii,iii, they also help extract nutrients and energy from the food we

eativ,v, and they are essential for a healthy immune systemvi. The gut microbiota are also

responsible for managing inflammation levels within your body, and chronic low-grade

inflammation has been identified as a link between many diseases associated with

obesity.

A healthy gut is a gut that is full of good microorganisms acting like a fermentation tank

inside of your body, constantly orchestrating complicated chemical reactions with the

foods you eat that your body simply cannot do on its own. They survive on food that

passes through our bodies, creating energy from the parts that we cannot digest

ourselves. They occupy space along our intestinal walls where disease-causing

pathogens might otherwise attach themselves; they also produce substances that

protect against invading pathogens and behave as low-level antigens, inducing intestinal

lymphatic tissues to churn out natural antibodies that prevent bad bacteria from

invading.

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In other words they do everything in their power to keep you healthy and free of

disease. In this sense our relationship with our gut bacteria could be considered highly

cooperative the gut bacteria keep our bodies and metabolisms healthy as long as we

keep feeding them the foods they like to eat.

Our gut bacteria vary depending on our age, gender, diet, exercise choices, geography,

hygiene, stress (both physical and mental) medication use, birthing method (whether

you were born via a c-section or vaginal delivery) and the foods choices you were first

given as an infant (breast milk vs formula). You inherited most of the initial microbes in

your gut community from your mother, but other bacteria are picked up from your

environment.

The bacteria in your gut are continually reading the environment and responding they

can communicate with one another and change very quickly. In fact, bacteria can trade

DNA almost in the same way we trade text messages, picking the pieces of information

they need and sharing it with their friends to improve the outcome of their community,

doing their absolute best to not only change and adapt to the new environment at a

speed far greater than we could ever accomplish on our own, but to also directly cause

changes in the rest of your body too.

These microorganisms arent only responsible for helping you absorb the nutrients in

your food, they can also influence many of your brain neurotransmitters affecting your

learning abilities, memory, sense of hunger, and stress responsesvii. They can also affect

hormone levels and how your body reacts to hormones, including many of the

hormones that are responsible for bodyweight regulation, such as Insulinviii, Ghrelinix and

Leptinx. And recently its been discovered that your gut microbiota may even hold a

strong influence over your metabolic ratexi.

In fact the human/microorganism interaction is so important to the future of health and

nutrition that there are massive large scale studies going on right now to try and decode

our microbial blueprint. The Human Microbiome Project and the European

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Metagenomics of the Human Intestinal tract are multi-million dollar research initiatives

that have made substantial progress in helping us understand the symbiotic

relationships between our gut microbes and our healthxii,xiii.

It is the recent advancements in these studies and others like them that have finally

shed light on the other important role that your gut bacteria play in your health The

prevention of weight gain, and how having sick or dysfunctional gut bacteria (often

called dysbiosis) could very well be the leading causes of obesity that until now nobody

knew about.

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When Bacteria Go BadWhen Bacteria Go Bad

I mentioned earlier that Aubrey De Gray was the first person I ever heard suggest that

optimal human health could be derived from bacteria, but he certainly wasnt the first to

say it. Nobel Prize winner Ilya Mechnikov was the first to propose the use of live

microorganisms to maintain bowel health and prolong life, and he did so before the end

of the 19th century. Yet, even though the idea has been around for over a century its

only been in the last 18-24 months that research has really begun to unravel the startling

connection between the microorganisms in your gut and your health, and now your

ability to gain and lose weight.

Culture-based studies suggest that all healthy adults share most of the same gut

bacterial species a core set of microbiota essential to proper human digestion and

overall healthxiv. But despite the consistency of this core group of bacteria, their relative

proportions and the different types of species present vary between individuals. So

while at first glance we all have very similar gut microbiota, on closer inspection there

can be remarkable differences from person to personxv.

In fact, entire populations can be separated by the differences in their gut microbiota.

For example, Italian children have a different microbiota from children from rural Africa,

and both children and adults from the United States have a very different microbiota

from populations in Malawi and the Amazonas state of Venezuelaxvi,xvii. So gut bacteria

can vary from person to person, depending on where a person lives and most likely the

foods they typically eat.

Your gut bacteria can also vary as a consequence of changing what you eat,

environmental factors or even travel. Sometimes these variations protect you against

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gaining weight and from falling victim to several different diseases, but other times the

variations hurt you. When your gut microbiota becomes a source of disease and weight

gain we call this dysbiosis.

Dysbiosis usually begins when your gut microbiota begins to favor one type of

microorganism over another. Instead of being a healthy blend of organisms, one group

starts to take over. We call this having a low richness of gut bacteria.

Low richness of gut microbiota has been reported in patients with inflammatory bowel

disorder (IBD)xviii ,xix,xx, people suffering from chronic fatigue syndromexxi, and has also

been reported in the elderly with inflammationxxii and people who are overweightxxiii and

has even been linked to diseases like Multiple Sclerosisxxiv and Autismxxv.

Its often said that before obesity comes inflammation and before inflammation comes

gut dysfunction and in this case I couldnt agree more. It seems that the mircobiota of

your gut are central in helping to regulate inflammation in your body, and when

inflammation goes unchecked because of dysbiosis, your entire immune system begins

to crack under the immense pressure of trying to maintain your health.

The main job of your gut is to allow the essential building blocks for your body to enter

into your body by passing through the lining of your gut and entering into your

circulation, while at the same time making sure that nothing dangerous gets into your

body. Basically it is constantly picking out the good pieces from a sea of bad pieces. But

when inflammation begins to set in then Hyperpermeability follows Hyperpermeability

(Often called leaky gut) - is the beginning of many illnesses.

The idea of a leaky gut used to be very controversial, once thought to be an actual

phenomenon by alternative health practitioners. These days it is a widely accepted

physiological condition. A leaky gut is exactly what it sounds like the walls of your gut

are compromised and things that would otherwise never make it into your circulation

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now begin to leak in. This leaking has been implicated as the starting point for many

diseases including those linked to obesity like Diabetes. This is characterized by altered

microbiota and disruptions in the immune system converging to promote something

called autoimmune islet cell destruction which is the beginning of irreversible

diabetes.xxvi,xxvii

A leaky gut has also long been linked to ulcers, inflammatory bowel diseasexxviii, and

chronic liver disease and the promotion of certain types of cancerxxix. And while a leaky

gut is definitely not something you would ever want, its not the only way gut dysbiosis

can negatively affect your health.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is what scientists call an endotoxin - a toxin that in certain

cases is released by bacteria into your gut. When these endotoxins are able to enter

your body through your leaky gut they can cause chronic low-grade inflammation, and

ultimately insulin resistance.xxx Other toxins secreted or created by dysbiosis include

certain toxins that have been linked to the development of atherogenesisxxxi and

rheumatoid arthritisxxxii.

When endotoxins from your gut are able to enter your blood stream it creates a

condition called endotoxemia. At its worst, endotoxemia can lead to septic shock if the

immune response is severely pronouncedxxxiii However even at low levels endotoxemia is

associated with insulin resistance and obesity.xxxiv Basically, when your gut bacteria are

unhealthy and dysbiosis occurs they can actually produce toxins that enter your body

and push you towards insulin resistance and weight gain.

To summarize, your gut can compromise your health in at least three ways. Firstly, a

dysbiotic gut can affect your metabolism and your hormones, specifically the hormones

involved in hunger and fat storage. Secondly, through a leaky gut, you can develop low-

grade inflammation. Third and finally, through the production of endotoxins, all sorts of

unwanted consequences can occur.

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All of these scenarios lead to an altered metabolism, having deleterious effects that

create the perfect storm for the development of unwanted weight gain and obesityxxxv,

a perfect storm that many of us have fallen victim to, not by poor diet choices, genetics

or lack of exercise, but by this unbelievably common, yet unseen villain.

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It might not be the fault ofIt might not be the fault ofyour current dietyour current diet

There is no doubt that obesity has become a worldwide health concern. Since the early

1950s we have been attempting to solve obesity as a national priority. However our

attempts have been met with limited success.

When it comes to gaining unwanted weight, we know something about the modern

western lifestyle is at the heart of the problem. And, we also know that there is some

genetic control over how susceptible a person is to gaining weight over their lifetimexxxvi

When you force groups of people to overeat in scientific studies, its no surprise that

they all gain weight, but what is surprising is the large variability in how much weight is

gained. Some may gain 3 or 4 pounds, while some gain over 10 pounds in the same time

period.xxxvii In fact even in studies where identical twins are forced to overeat there is a

difference in how much weight and fat is gained between each identical twin.xxxviii

The basics of gaining and losing weight are well understood. We know that people are

capable of gaining weight, and we know that there is a large degree of variability

between people when it comes to how much weight they gain. We also know that

everyone is capable of losing weight, but again there is a large degree of variability

between people when it comes to how much weight they can lose in a given period of

time and how easily they lose that weight.

Surprisingly, much of what we thought to be true about weight gain is actually false. As

an example, obesity researchers have discovered that people who are overweight are

not lazy like many people believe. In studies comparing obese areas of North America

with non-obese hunter-gatherer tribes they found that the amount of energy expended

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between the two populations was very similar.xxxix And, in other studies comparing the

energy expenditure of people of different body weights and body fatness from all

around the world it was found that there wasnt much difference in the amount of

energy an obese person expends in a day versus that of a lean person.xl The point is that

people dont become overweight simply because they are lazy.

Weve also discovered that while it is true that people who are overweight do typically

also overeat, its not nearly to the extent that many people think they do. From our best

guesses the amount of food people eat per day has increased by over 400 calories since

the 1970s.xli This is a LOT of calories, but it doesnt support the idea that people who are

gaining weight are simply eating a lot more than their non-obese friends.

To be clear, 400 extra calories a day is enough to cause weight gain in anyone, but it does

not explain the large variability in the amount of weight people gain over a similar

period of time while eating similar amounts of food. And this is what we are truly

concerned with the variability of weight gain. We are trying to figure out why some

people seem to be protected against gaining weight while others are extremely

susceptible to it. Everyone gains weight, and everyone loses it. But, why is there such a

wide range in how much some people can gain or lose? The easy answer is that its a

lack of self-control or that people are simply lying about how much they eat. Yet, this

same variability happens in well controlled scientific studies Studies that not only

control how much people eat, but also how much exercise they do.

The truth is, if weight gain was simply a mathematical equation of calories in and

calories out, we would be able to estimate weight gain with amazing accuracy but we

cant. And this raises the question Calories in and calories outof what?

After all, calories dont count just because theyve entered your mouth; they only count

once theyve entered your systemic circulation. This is where the bacteria in your gut

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bacteria can exert an influence over how much weight you will gain and how quickly you

gain it or lose it.

When you eat food it is your gut bacteria that you are feeding first. Once they have

taken the energy they need to survive they then feed you. They do so by liberating

energy from your foodxlii as well as by altering nutrientsxliii and making vitamins that you

require but cannot make on your ownxliv. If weight gain is calories in and calories out of

your system, the question becomes What happens when your gut bacteria are factored

into the equation?

We know that there is a difference between the bacteria in a lean persons gut and the

bacteria in an overweight persons gut.xlv We also know that when an overweight person

loses weight the diversity in the bacteria improvesxlvi and we know from animal studies

that when you take the bacteria from an obese animals stomach and put it in a lean

animals stomach the lean animal starts to become obese (and vice versa).xlvii

This research clearly shows a link between your ability to maintain your weight and the

type of bacteria that is in your gut. When you improve their health, weight loss occurs,

and when you gain weight their health worsens. In fact, its more than just a link - there

is a direct correlation between the health of your gut bacteria and your weight. Knowing

this connection, our next step is to figure out what are the major factors that contribute

to changing your gut bacteria, and they are as follows:

1. Diet

2. Exercise

3. Antibiotics

This program will show you how to use diet and exercise to change your gut bacteria and

thus metabolism into fat burning mode vs. fat storage mode, however its worth noting

and understand how antibiotic use has contributed to a truly global weight gain problem

by dramatically changing your gut bacteria for the worse.

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The Antibiotic WeightThe Antibiotic WeightGain ConnectionGain Connection

Antibiotics are medicines used to treat infections or diseases caused by bad bacteria.

Probably one of the most well known antibiotics is penicillin, but any product or

compound that is able to kill bacteria is some kind of antibacterial agent.

Now, it is important to keep in mind that antibiotics can be lifesavers. If you're sick with

a bacterial infection, taking an antibiotic may be the appropriate course of action.

However, the unfortunate side effect of antibiotics is that they may be playing a much

bigger role in our obesity epidemic.

The composition of the microbial communities in your gut are generally considered to

be stable, but this stability can be altered by antibiotic therapy7,xlviii. For example, a one

week treatment with antibiotics has been shown to alter gut bacteria for up to 4 yearsxlix.

Other studies support this finding showing one week of antibiotic use changing gut

bacteria for 2 years after treatmentl. Antibiotics could very well be the link that explains

why obesity is known as a disease of the western industrialized world. You see,

everyone in industrialized countries have one thing in common, and that is that at some

point in their lives they have been on antibiotics, and what is less obvious, they are

probably being exposed to antibiotics right now.

Children in North America receive, on average, between 10 and 20 courses of antibiotics

before they turn 18. And antibiotic use in early childhood may be able to affect the

richness of your gut bacteria, leading to an increased risk of becoming overweight later

in lifeli To put it simply, we now know that it is incorrect and foolish to assume that your

gut can self-regulate and return to normal after you stop taking antibiotics.

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Research has consistently shown that in men and women, adults and children,

Antibiotics have the ability to cause long-term unwanted changes to our gut microbiota.

These changes can increase your chances of gaining weight, and make it more difficult to

take that weight off, even when you are constantly dieting to lose weight.

Within the United States of America, the States that have the highest use of antibiotics

also have the highest rates of obesity. It could be that obese people need more

antibiotics than lean people, however it also could be that the antibiotic use is directly

adding to the development of obesity.

To start, we have research showing that when adults are given antibiotics it rapidly alters

their gut microflora, and that their gut microflora STAYS altered for long periods of

timelii.

Then we have A 2013 New York University study that found that antibiotic use in the first

six months of life was linked with obesity later on. In this study, scientists looked at

statistical data collected from nearly 11,000 children in Avon, England. The researchers

found that children who were given antibiotics in their first six months had a higher

incidence of obesity later in life.liii

Finally we have a research study that showed when 48 subjects were given antibiotics,

there was a definite increase in their weight during their treatmentliv.

The bottom line is that antibiotic use alters your gut microflora, and your gut microflora

can either protect you from, or lead you towards obesity. By having control over

hormones like Insulin, Leptin, and many of the hunger hormones like Ghrelin and

Peptide YY, your gut and the trillions of microbiotic partners you have living in your

gut - are your first line of defense against obesity.

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Even if youve never taken any antibiotic treatments in your entire life, they could still be

affecting your ability to lose weight.

Antibiotics EverywhereIt is estimated that Americans take more than two times the amount of antibiotics than

necessary. And while this fact alone is concerning, medical prescriptions are not the only

way we are exposed to antibiotics.

Scientists have found antibiotic residues in meat, milk, chicken, shrimplv, ready-to-eat

saladslvi and even some herbal supplementslvii. Until recently, antibiotics were even used

on some organic fruits and vegetableslviii. Many chemicals are added to food during the

processing to kill any bacteria or funguses that would otherwise shorten a product's

shelf life. The food industry calls them preservatives, but in essence they act as

antibiotics, preventing bacteria and molds from making a food go bad.

While it may not surprise you that there are antibiotic residues in many of the food we

eat, it may surprise you to know that there are also antibacterial components in many

household products your are exposed to on a daily basis (sometimes multiple times per

day) like the antibiotic Triclosan that is found in toothpaste and soaps.

In fact Triclosan is an antibiotic added not just to toothpaste and soaps but also to your

clothing, kitchenware, furniture, highchairs for children and even toys. It also may be

added to some cosmeticsproducts regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) lix.

A recent survey reported that 76% of liquid soaps from 10 states in the US contained

Triclosan and approximately 30% of bar soaps contained triclocarbanlx. Many cleaning

compounds contain hidden antibiotics these compounds have very long chemical

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names and they are often not easily recognized as antibacterial agents on packaging

labels.

Even if somehow you have managed to never take antiobiotics AND you have avoided all

of these products, the truth is recent study results suggest that Triclosan is a previously

unrecognized contaminant of U.S. water nationwide, likely ranking in the top 10 in

occurrence rate and in the top 20 in maximum concentration among 96 organic

pollutants that were examinedlxi.

The bottom line is that we are surrounded by antibiotics and are exposed to their

residues on a daily basis. Even if youve never taken an antibiotic medicine in your life,

you (and your gut bacteria) are being exposed to subclinical doses of antibiotics on a

daily basis. Most importantly this research shows that exposure may be affecting your

ability to lose weight.

The bottom line is, in a perfect world our gut microbiota would work exactly the way its

supposed to, in perfect cooperation with the rest of our body. But unfortunately for

some of us, our microbiota has been compromised due to the reasons explained above.

And until now youve likely never heard about this issue and certainly never been shown

how to fix it. Weve just been expected to carry on with life and never address the

problem, even if this meant living with a body that was much more prone to gaining

weight.

The good news is we now know how to get our gut bacteria back to a healthy balance

that promotes fat burning instead of fat storage. This is outlined in the what to do

chapter.

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Mending a broken gutMending a broken gut

It is now obvious that an unhealthy gut contributes to obesity, and my theory is that it

also contributes to the large variability in how much weight people are capable of

gaining, as people with more variability in their microbiota have a better resilience

against weight gain.

We also know that our gut bacteria can be altered by many environmental factors, and

thankfully one of those factors is the food you choose to eatlxii. Quite simply, we have

the ability to mend a broken gut with the foods we eat.

In a recent scientific study published in Nature, researchers looked at the gut bacteria of

123 non-obese and 169 obese individuals. Many of the obese people had lower

bacterial richness, insulin resistance and elevated markers of inflammation compared to

the non-obese people, and were also prone to more weight gain.

When the obese individuals with low gut bacteria richness reduced their calorie intake

for 6 weeks, the researchers observed a dramatic improvement in their gut bacteria

richness, and this improvement remained even after these people went back to eating a

normal maintenance amount of calories. They also saw improvements in insulin

sensitivity and markers of inflammation.lxiii

The diet these subjects followed was not extreme by any means. It was slightly higher in

protein than average (roughly 120 grams per day), with slightly lower than average fat

intake (about 25% of total calories) and an average carbohydrate intake. Truly a diet that

could be endorsed by most weight loss experts and easily maintained by most people.

However, while a higher-protein, calorie-restricted diet can improve gut bacteria

richness, it is only a partial improvement. Since we now know that food choices can have

23

a dramatic affect on your gut microbiota, this opens the door to the suggestion that

calorie restriction plus altered diet choices could result in further improvements.

The evidence has shown us that the health of your gut bacteria can be improved by

limiting exposure to foods that contain high amounts of antibiotic residues and

antibiotic resistant bacteria, and by lowering calorie intake as well as by choosing foods

that support the growth of your healthy bacteria, including both prebiotic and probiotic

foods.

In the next chapter I will outline a method of healing your gut and getting you back to a

fat burning metabolism with what I call Microbolic Rebalancing.

Micro to remind you that we are dealing with microorganisms that are beneficial to

our health.

Bolic - to remind you that the health of these microorganisms can have a profound

affect on your metabolism and hormones.

Rebalancing - to remind you that we are not trying to wipe out, replace or remove gut

bacteria but instead to try and undo some of the damage that may have been caused by

man-made interventions like exposure to antibiotics, antibiotic residues, processed

foods and an overabundance of sugar in the diet.

Microbolic Rebalancing is meant to introduce you to a way of eating that has the ability

to improve your gut microbiota richness, help you lose weight, and introduce you to a

wide variety of foods that will nourish your gut microbiota and hopefully make weight

loss easier than it ever was before.

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Introduction to theIntroduction to theMicrobolic RebalancingMicrobolic Rebalancing

Program Program

The Worst Food For Weight Gain

Sugar is the worst food item you can consume for weight gain because it preferentially

feeds your unhealthy bacteria and leading to food cravings for sugar and fat, increased

toxin output and systemic inflammation. Its really a triple whammy. For these reasons

youre going to attempt to avoid sugar as much as possible for duration of this programs.

Avoiding Vegetablesfor now

For the first two weeks of this program youre even going to avoid most of the high fiber

vegetables. These are things like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower and many of the

other items you would assume to be healthy and expect to see in a diet program. For

the first two weeks of this program its essential to reduce total fiber until we can reset

your gut bacteria to a healthy balance. Then after this initial phase we will start

reintroducing all of these healthy higher fiber foods.

Phase 1The core of the 12-week Microbolic Rebalancing is an initial 6-week phase of corrective

eating that has been shown in research studies to improve the bacterial richness in

people who are suffering from low richness. [Remember that high bacterial richness is

the state you want to be in for efficient fat burning and weight loss.]

25

This period will also include the temporary removal of many of the trouble foods that

may also influence your gut richness, including the removal of any foods known to have

a high load of antibiotic resistant bacteria, such as chicken and ready-to-eat salads. We

will also temporarily remove almost all fiber, as fiber is considered to be bacteria food

feeding the bacteria itself. At this first critical stage our goal is to remove the bad

bacteria so that means even removing fiber from your diet for a short while (dont

worry, fiber will be gradually added back into your diet after these 6 weeks).

During this 6 week period you are also going to avoid heavily processed foods, and do

your best to lower saturated fat intake and simple sugar intake.

There will also be a list of common household items and cosmetics to limit your

exposure to that include Triclosan. While you do not need to avoid ALL of these items, Id

like you to do your best to limit your use of these items wherever possible during the

first 6 weeks of this program.

Phase 2In the next phase of Microbolic Rebalancing you will introduce many different types of

support foods into your diet. We like to commonly call these Prebiotics and Probiotics

Prebiotics are bacteria food - non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth

and/or activity of bacteria in the digestive systemlxiv.

Probiotics are foods that contain microorganisms such as fermented foods with specially

added active live cultures, such as in yogurt, kefir, bread, cheese, beer, wine, cultured

butter and some dietary supplementslxv.

Phase 3Finally in the last phase we will re-introduce all of your favorite foods that you like to eat

on a daily basis. This last step is critical. The goal of this 3rd phase is to get back to eating

the foods you love to eat, and the foods that you eat on a regular basis. To be frank, a

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healthy gut can handle the foods you like to eat. It can handle a low-carb diet, a high

carb diet, all sorts of fats and proteins. You can eat the foods you enjoy eating and not

only maintain your weight loss, but also lose even more weight. However, this promise

comes with two caveats:

1. Included with the foods you love to eat, I also want you to continue to eat many

of the foods that support good bacteria health.

2. This is not permission to gorge or binge on foods. Once you have completed your

rebalancing you can enjoy a wide variety of foods, pretty much any foods you

want; you just cant eat AS MUCH as you want. Any promise from me to the

otherwise would be dishonest and misleading. Remember calories still count,

but so does your gut bacteria. Your goal is to keep both in a happy, healthy place.

Not only do I think this will help you lose weight, but I also think it will help you

keep the weight off.

Once you have rebalanced your bacteria to a healthy fat burning state you will notice

that you lose many of your cravings for high sugar, fat or salt foods and you will naturally

gravitate to eat a much more balanced diet. In other words, you wont have to worry as

much about eating too much of the wrong things because youll likely lose your desire

for them.

The Flat Belly Forever NutritionCalculator

If you have access to the internet you can go online at the link provided below to access

our Flat Belly Forever nutrition calculator. Simply enter all of your information and the

calculator will give you weekly food charts, daily calorie recommendations, and

supplement dosing recommendations to rebalance your gut bacteria. Following these

recommendations will create consistent sustainable weight loss. Use the nutrition

27

calculator once per week to check if any of your recommendations have changed. You

will find that some weeks it stays the same and other weeks your food choices,

supplement dose, and daily calories will change.

Click Here to AccessClick Here to Access

The Flat Belly Forever Nutrition CalculatorThe Flat Belly Forever Nutrition Calculator

If you dont have access to the internet dont worry, the entire protocol is laid out word-

for-word on the following pages chapter titled The 12-Week Microbolic Rebalancing

Protocol.

A Note about Counting Calories:

While this protocol is designed to help you rebalance your intestinal bacteria which will

help you to speed fat loss and maintain your new healthy weight, it is still necessary to

partake in a caloric intervention to be successful with the fat loss portion of the protocol.

Therefore, it is important that you make every effort not to exceed the prescribed daily

calorie totals for each phase of the program.

Because you will be targeting a specific number of calories to consume each day, you will

need to establish a method of accurately counting the calories in your food. Be sure to

use measuring cups and a digital scale to accurately determine the food portions you will

consume. There are many free resources available online that you can use to find out

the calorie content of the foods you will be eating and to track your calories each day.

Some examples include myfitnesspal.com, sparkpeople.com and

livestrong.com/myplate. If you do not have access to the internet on a regular basis

there are also many books available with lists of foods and their nutritional data.

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The 12-week MicrobolicThe 12-week MicrobolicRebalancing ProtocolRebalancing Protocol

The 12-week Microbolic Rebalancing Protocol is broken down into 3 phases.

Phase 1 Weeks 1 & 2

Phase 2 Weeks 3 - 6

Phase 3 Weeks 7 - 12

Within each phase you will have specific recommendations for calories, protein, fiber,

preferred food choices, daily meal timing/patterns, and recommended cooking

instructions. In the section immediately following called What to do part 2 Probiotic

Supplements you will also find information on how to calculate your recommended

probiotic dose.

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Phase 1 Weeks 1 and 2

Women MenDaily Calories: Height 58 or less 1200 cals/day

Height 59 or more 1500 cals/dayHeight 56 or less 1200 cals/dayHeight 57 or more 1500 cals/day

Protein: (grams/day)

If daily calories are 1200 then protein = 100 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1500 then protein = 130 grams/day

Carbs:(grams/day)

If daily calories are 1200 then carbs = 120 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1500 then carbs = 150 grams/day

Fat:(grams/day)

If daily calories are 1200 then fat = 33 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1500 then fat = 41 grams/day

Daily Fiber Intake:

During this phase of Microbolic Rebalancing your fiber intake will be extremely LOW. You should target 5 grams per day. Reducing fiber content is critical in the first two weeks of this program. Fiber itself feeds the growth of your both your good and bad intestinal bacteria. During these first two weeks the goal is to remove fiber in an effort to starve off and reduce the level of pathogenic unwanted bacteria.

In phase 2 and 3 we will be taking steps to re-introduce fiber, probiotic foods and pre-biotic foods to re-populate and support your healthy bacteria. In this initial stage we also recommend taking a probiotic supplement to start the process of increasing the healthy bacteria content while your fiber intake is low.

This reduction in fiber also helps your gut restore its proper functioning.After this initial two week low fiber phase we will then re-introduce a variety of fiber containing foods which will greatly increase your overall food variety and choices.

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Meal Timing:

I suggest either 2 or 3 meals per day in phase 1. The total food volume is lower on this

phase and because of this the more times you choose to eat the smaller each meal will

get.

I suggest eating more of you calories later in the day and keeping your first one or two

meals of the day smaller. If you choose to eat 3 meals per day I suggest making breakfast

the smallest lightest meal, and lunch or dinner being the largest. In most cases eating

less in the morning and more towards the middle or end of the day will feel the most

satisfying given the food volume and food choices in this phase.

A breakfast meal can be as simple as a coffee and yogurt if youre keeping it small, or

bacon and eggs and toast if you want to eat more in the morning. If you dont feel

hungry at all in the mornings then its perfectly fine to only have coffee, tea or juice as

your breakfast meal and start eating solid food at lunch. This liquid only breakfast is a

common technique of extending the overnight fast in order to give the gut more time to

rest before starting the eating and digestion process again. Many clients I have worked

with find great success with this pattern of a liquid breakfast, followed by a moderate

lunch and larger dinner. In my experience it is the most effective and easiest meal

pattern to adopt for the initial 2-6 weeks of this diet.

The time of day you start eating is your choice as is the amount of time between each

meal. In general a minimum of 4 hours between meals is a good benchmark. Extending

the time between meals is fine and if you choose a 2 or 3 meal per day.

For example I typically have a gap of approximately 6-7 hours between lunch and dinner.

If Im feeling a bit too depleted or low on energy I will have a small snack to break up

that long gap. Most days its fine.

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The key here is to adjust into a pattern that keeps you feeling satisfied throughout the

day and that fits into your weekday and weekend schedule.

Cooking Instructions:

In phase 1 we recommend the majority of both fruits and vegetables to be well cooked.

Cooking helps break down the fiber making both vegetables and fruits easier to digest

and greatly reducing their effect on the bacteria in your gut. A simple way to think of it is

that if you choose to eat a vegetable or a fruit in this phase, it must be cooked well

enough that is very soft to touch when you eat it, nothing raw, nothing crunchy. For

example if you want to have an apple in this phase it must be baked to the point of being

soft like the apples inside apple pie filing. A small amount of raw fruit or vegetable is ok,

however try to avoid it as much as possible.

All meat, poultry and fish should be well cooked in this phase as well. For example raw

fish and meat dishes such as sushi and steak tartare are off limits in this initial phase.

Cooking serves two purposes. First, to eliminate and reduce as much potential

pathogenic bacteria from the diet as possible and secondly to make food items easy to

digest.

The method of cooking is your choice including baking, frying, boiling and grilling.

Steaming is not recommended at this stage as it does not cook vegetables enough to

break them down to an easily digestible form.

Preferred Food Choices Phase 1:

The following chart is a list of our preferred food choices for this initial 2 week phase.

You may notice there are very limited choices from fruits vegetables and dairy. This lack

of variety serves to reduce the total fiber and prebiotic content of the diet in order to re-

set your gut bacteria population and specifically starve off the bad bacteria, as well as

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help restore healthy gut function. If you choose to eat some foods that are not on this

list please attempt to adhere to the cooking instructions (nothing raw, everything well

cooked) and also the fiber instructions (as low fiber as possible). You can add some foods

of your choosing here, just be aware to keep the fiber content as low or near to zero as

possible.

Best ChoicesGRAINSCorn grits (not polenta), well cookedCouscousCrackersMacaroniPlain white PastaPotato no skinRice breadSoy flourWhite bread, no bran, no sugarWhite rice, well cooked

DAIRY & EGGSAlmond MilkCultured ButterEggsYogurt with no added sugar

MEATS, FISH & POULTRYBacon, well cookedBass fillet, well cookedBeef, all cuts or groundChicken, well cookedCrab, well cookedFish fillet, any white fish, well cookedHam, well cookedLambLobster, well cookedMussels, well cookedOctopus or squid, well cookedOrange roughy fillet, well cookedOysters, well cookedPork, all cuts, well cookedRed snapper fillet, well cookedSalmon, well cookedSausageShrimp, well cookedSmoked SalmonSnapper fillet, well cookedSwordfish fillet, well cookedTurkey, well cooked

FRUITS & VEGETABLESApple, bakedAvocadoCantaloupe, rawCarrots, cooked onlyCucumberMelon, rawOnions, cooked onlyPeach, bakedPear, bakedTomato sauce, no sugar addedTomato soupTomato, cookedWatermelon, rawZucchini, well cooked

Limit Expose Do Not eatWhole GrainsSeedsOatsLentilsLegumesLeafy GreensDried FruitsCheeseBranBeansRaw FruitsRaw Vegetables

Artificial sweetenersHormone or antibiotic treated eggsHormone or antibiotic treated poultryHormone or antibiotic treated meatsProcessed CheesesProcessed foods (including canned or boxed foods)Processed MeatsSaturated FatSugar

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Here are two samples meal plan days for a suggestion. These samples will give you an

idea of how to use the foods in the preferred foods list to structure meals and a day of

eating in this phase.

Sample DaySample DayBreakfast

Breakfast Soup Calories:278Ingredients:1/2 Pieces bacon2 oz. turkey sausage1 oz. ground beef1/4c. Vegetarian vegetable protein (TVP), rehydrated and drained1/8c. white onion, diced1/8c. celery, diced1/8c. carrots, diced1c. chicken broth1/16 tsp. black pepper

Preparation:In a lg. nonstick skillet, over medium heat, cook the bacon until it begins to brown. Add the sausage and beef to brown, breaking up the meat into small bits with a spatula or spoon (about 7 minutes).Stir in the TVP and vegetables. Cook 5 minutes until vegetables beginto soften.Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, skimmingoff excess fat from the surface of the liquid.Season with salt and pepper to taste.

LunchButterflied Leg of Lamb Calories:336

Ingredients: slice white bread1/2 lbs. leg of lamb, butterflied1/8 tsp. salt1/16 tsp. pepper1/8 tsp. fresh rosemary, sliced1/16c. Dijon mustard1/4 garlic cloves1/16c. sliced fresh parsley

Preparation:Heat oven to 200F. Place bread in oven for 15 minutes, or until driedbut not browned. Raise oven temperature to 375F.Place bread in a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Rub lamb with salt, pepper and rosemary. Place lamb in a roasting pan and spread mustard over lamb.In a small bowl, add bread crumbs, garlic and parsley. Gently pat crumb mixture over lamb. Cook 45 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 135F on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.

DinnerGrilled Top Sirloin Steak with Mushroom Gravy Calories:276

Ingredients:6 oz. Top sirloin beef steak1 Serving Mushroom Gravy (1/4 c.)

Preparation:Heat grill.Season the steak to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.Grill to desired degree of doneness.Top with heated mushroom gravy.

SnackTropical Smoothie Calories:309

Ingredients:1/2c. unsweetened coconut milk4 oz. silken tofu2 tsp. granular sugar substitute (Stevia)1/8 tsp. coconut extract, to taste

Preparation:Add coconut milk, tofu, sugar substitute (if desired) and coconut extract in a blender; blend until smooth. (If you want to remove the seeds you can strain the mixture through a sieve then return it to the blender.)With the machine running, add 3 ice cubes, one at a time, and blend until smooth.Pour into a tall glass, and garnish with whipped cream if desired. Serve immediately.

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Tofu-Kefir Smoothie with Almonds Calories:390Ingredients:1 C. Kefir4 oz. firm tofu3 oz. frozen raspberries (1/3 c.)25 whole almonds

Preparation:Add kefir, tofu, raspberries and almonds in a blender with about 1 c. of ice (optional).Blend until smooth and creamy.

Lunch

Grilled Red Snapper Calories:136Ingredients:1/16 C. extra-virgin olive oil1/8 tsp. hot paprika1/16 tsp. ground black pepper1/8 tsp. salt1/16 C. fresh lemon juice1/16 C. dry white wine1/16 C. sliced fresh parsley1/16 C. sliced fresh basil2 red snapper fillets, 4oz. each1/8 medium lemon, cut into 8 slices1/8 cooking spray

Preparation:Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, add the oil, paprika, pepper and salt. Add the lemon juice, wine, parsley and basil; whisk until combined.Prepare the fish: Place snappers in a lg., shallow glass baking dish. Coat fish, inside and out, with the marinade. Insert 2 lemon slices into the cavity of each fish, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for1 hour.Heat grill to medium-high, following manufacturers instructions for indirect cooking. Coat the grill rack with cooking spray. Arrange fish on rack. Cover, and cook for 15 minutes (do not turn fish). The fish is cooked through when it can be flaked with a fork. Carefully loosen the fish with a lg. spatula, and transfer to a serving platter. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, and garnish with chives, if desired.

Dinner

Italian Seafood Salad Calories:343Ingredients:1/4 lbs. mussels, scrubbed and beard removed1/8 lbs. octopus or squid, cut into rings or pieces1/8 lbs. medium shrimp, shelled and deveined1/8 lbs. cooked crab meat1/2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil1/4 tbs. white wine vinegar1/4 garlic cloves, pushed through a press1/8 tsp. salt1/16 tsp. ground pepper1 1/3 lettuce leaves1/3 tbs. sliced fresh parsley1/8 lemon, thinly sliced

Preparation:Bring 1 c. of water to a boil over high heat in a lg. saucepot with a cover. Add mussels; cook 10 minutes. Remove mussels from their shells and transfer to a lg. bowl. Discard any unopened mussels.Bring a quart of lightly salted water to a boil. Add octopus; cook 45 seconds, just until opaque. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with shelled mussels.Cook shrimp 2 to 3 minutes just until cooked through. Remove with aslotted spoon and add to bowl. Mix in crab.Add oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to seafood. Stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate 2 hours for flavors to develop.To serve, place 2 lettuce leaves on each of the 4 plates. Mound seafood salad over lettuce; sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon slices.This recipe makes 4 servings. Calories indicated are for 1 serving.

Snack

Fresh Frozen Margaritas Calories:130Ingredients:3/4 tsp. lime zest3/4 tbs. granular sugar substitute (Stevia)4 1/2 oz. white tequila1/4 C. fresh lime juice1 1/2 tbs. fresh orange juice1/2 medium lime, in 4 wedges

Preparation:Place lime zest and sugar substitute in blender. Add 3 cups ice, tequila, lime juice and orange juice, and blend until smooth.Pour into glasses, and garnish with lime wedges.This recipe makes 4 servings. Calories indicated are for 1 serving. Today you may have 2 servings.

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Phase 2 - Weeks 3 6

Women Men

Daily Calories: Height 58 or less 1200 cal/dayHeight 59 or more 1500 cal/day

Height 56 or less 1200 cal/dayHeight 57 or more 1500 cal/day

Protein: (grams/day)

If daily calories are 1500 then protein = 95 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1800 then protein = 115 grams/day

Carbs:(grams/day)

If daily calories are 1500 then carbs = 185 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1800 then carbs = 225 grams/day

Fat:(grams/day)

If daily calories are 1500 then fat = 41 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1800 then fat = 50 grams/day

Daily Fiber Intake:

During this phase of MicroBolic Rebalancing your fiber intake will be MEDIUM (between 10 and 20 grams per day).

In this second phase of the program we are re-introducing a wider variety of foods and specifically fruits and vegetables. We still prefer most of it is cooked vs. the raw form. I suggest 70-80% of all your vegetable and fruit intake still be cooked in this phase with only 20-30% in raw form. This also means staying light on salads at this point. We are still attempting to heal the gut as well as keeping digestion easy. The increase in fiber is going to help feed the good bacterial populations and further bring your gut bacteria up to a healthier balance.

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Prebiotic and Probiotic Foods: - cup per day

We are now introducing prebiotic and probiotic foods into your diet plan. Prebiotic foods

feed your healthy bacteria helping them to grow and restore gut functioning moving you

towards a more efficient fat burning metabolism. Probiotic foods have live active healthy

bacteria in them, such as yogurt and cheese, which help further rebalance your gut

bacteria ratio. Youll see these in the Dairy and Prebiotic food list.

The amount of these pre and probiotic foods you need to eat will vary from person to

person however you dont need much. In many cases a quarter to half a cup of any mix

of these foods is enough for the day. You may want to eat more, however be aware that

having too much of these foods may cause some gastrointestinal discomfort. If you eat

too many simply reduce the amount youre eating until the discomfort goes away.

Meal Timing:

In phase 2 the total calories remains low however the addition of fruits and vegetables

allows for larger food volume. Essentially you can eat bigger meals without necessarily

increasing the calorie content. This will feel great!

You can stay with a 2 or 3 meal per day pattern in this phase or even move to 3 meals

and a snack with the extra food volume and variety. Timing between meals remains with

a 4 hour minimum. Likewise if there is a long stretch between meals that feels difficult to

get through you can add in a small snack.

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In this second phase of the program we are re-introducing a wider variety of foods and

specifically fruits and vegetables. We still prefer most of it is cooked vs. the raw form. I

suggest 70-80% of all your vegetable and fruit intake still be cooked in this phase with only

20-30% in raw form. This also means staying light on salads at this point. We are still

attempting to heal the gut as well as keeping digestion easy. The increase in fiber is going to

help feed the good bacterial populations and further bring your gut bacteria up to a

healthier balance.

All meat, poultry and fish should be well cooked in this phase as well (no sushi or steak

tartar). Cooking serves to eliminate and reduce as much potential pathogenic bacteria from

the diet as possible and make all food items easy to digest.

Steaming is now a good option for preparing vegetables along with all the standard options

from phase one including baking, frying, boiling and grilling.


The following chart is a list of our preferred food choices for this second phase of the

protocol. In this phase food choices are greatly expanded with the addition of many fruits

and vegetables that were absent from phase 1. By now your gut bacteria balance should be

much healthier with a significant reduction in unhealthy bacteria. We are now re-

introducing higher fiber foods as well as prebiotic and probiotic foods. At this stage we still

would prefer more of your vegetables to be cooked. A simple rule of thumb would be to

have 70%-80% of the vegetables you eat in the cooked form. Fruits can now be eaten raw.

Meats and fish should still be mostly cooked with raw options such as sushi kept to a

minimum if at all.

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Best ChoicesGRAINSCorn grits (not polenta), cookedCouscousFlax seed mealLow carb all-purpose baking mixLow carb vanilla protein powderOat bran, cookedQuinoaRice breadRolled oats, cookedSoy flour, well cookedTextured vegetable proteinVital wheat glutenWhite no bran, no sugar, breadWhite rice, cookedWhole wheat breadWhole wheat pastry flour

DAIRY, EGGS & PREBIOTIC FOODSAlmond milkCheddar cheeseCoconut KefirCoconut milkCottage cheeseCream cheeseCultured ButterEggs non antibiotic Feta cheeseGoat cheeseGreek yogurtKefirKimchiKombuchaMilkMisoMonterey Jack cheeseOrganic TempehParmesan cheeseRicotta cheeseRomano cheeseSauerkrautSour CreamSoy milkTofu, well cookedYogurt

MEAT FISH & POULTRY Bacon, cookedBass fillet, cookedBeef, all cuts or ground, cookedChicken bratwurstChicken, cooked, non antibiotic Crab, cookedFish fillet, any white fish, cookedHam, cookedItalian sausageLambLobster, cookedMuscles, cookedOctopus or squid, cookedOrange roughy, cookedPork sausagePork, all cutsRed snapper fillet, cookedSalmon, well cookedShrimp, cookedSmoked SalmonSnapper fillet, cookedSwordfish fillet, cookedTurkey sausageTurkey, cooked, non antibiotic

FRUITS & VEGETABLES AppleArtichoke hearts, cookedAsparagus, cookedAvocadoBananasBell pepperBlackberriesBlueberriesBroccoli, cookedCantaloupeCarrots, cookedCelery, cooked CherriesChipotle pepperCucumberFresh gingerGarlic, cookedGreen onionJalapeno peppersLeafy green vegetables, cookedLemonLettuce LimeMushrooms, cookedOkra, cookedOnion, cookedRaspberriesShallots, cookedSpinach, cooked Summer squash, cooked TomatoZucchini, cooked

Moderate Expose Do Not eatBeansBeer - dark and cloudy preferredBranBread - sourdough and sprouted grain preferredDried FruitsFruit jam or preservesHoney - local preferredIce creamLegumes, LentilsNutsOatsOrganic dark chocolate Peanut butterRaw Fruits Raw VegetablesWine - red varieties preferred

Artificial sweetenersHormone or antibiotic treated eggsHormone or antibiotic treated poultryHormone or antibiotic treated meatsProcessed CheesesProcessed foods (including canned or boxed foods)Processed meatsSaturated FatSugar

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Here are two samples meal plan days for a suggestion. These samples will give you an

idea of how to use the foods in the preferred foods list to structure meals and a day of

eating in this phase.


Eggs with Fruit and Sausage Calories:474Ingredients:2 eggs1/2 Hass avocado, sliced1 oz. salsa1 Piece lg. cantaloupe, cut into 8 pieces4 oz. turkey sausage

Preparation:Fry eggs (scramble or poach if desired instead). Layer avocado then eggs then top with salsa. Heat sausage in a medium skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes, until cooked through and nicely browned on all sides.Cut cantaloupe and serve with turkey sausage and eggs.

Lunch

Mashed Turnips with Caraway Calories:337Ingredients: 5 oz. turnips, peeled and cubed 1 tsp. butter 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds salt and pepper to taste 2 tsp. heavy cream

Preparation:Place the turnips in a pot and cover with water; bring to a boil over high heat and cook until turnips turn yellowish orange and are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain water, leaving turnips in the pot.Stir the butter and caraway seeds into the turnips. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use a potato masher to mash turnips to desired consistency. Stir in the cream and mash again, blending well.

Dinner

Pulled Pork with Veggies Calories:435Ingredients:1/2 tbs. canola oil, divided1/4 C. sliced white onion1/4 lbs. pork tenderloin1/8 tsp. dried oregano1/32 tsp. black pepper1 1/2 oz. Barbecue Sauce1 C. Brussels Sprouts2 C. mixed greens1/2 C. cucumber slices1/2 red bell pepper, chopped1 Tbs. Blue Cheese Dressing

Preparation:Heat 1/4 tbs. canola oil in a lg. skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside. Sprinkle pork with oregano, salt and pepper. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat remaining 1/4 tbs. of oil over medium-high heat. Cook pork in batches until lightly browned. Add onions to saucepan and pour in barbecue sauce; combine well. Reduce heat to medium low and cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until porkis tender. While pork is cooking, steam the Brussels sprouts over a double boiler for 5-10 minutes until softened and bright green. Combine mixed greens, cucumber slices and red bell pepper with thedressing. Toss to coat and serve immediately with the pork and Brussels sprouts.

Snack

Mozzarella Salad with Basil Pesto Calories:417Ingredients:1/4 Serving Basil Pesto (1/8 c.)1c. chopped arugula4oz. mozzarella, cut into 8 equal slices1/2 small tomatoes, cut into 8 slices

Preparation:Toss arugula with 2 tbs. of the pesto. Mound onto serving plates.Top with alternating slices of mozzarella and tomato. Drizzle with remaining pesto and serve.

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Scrambled eggs with Cheese and Fruit Calories:415Ingredients:1/2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil1/4 C. chopped white onion1/3 C. sliced mushrooms2/3 C. chopped spinach1/3 C. cherry tomatoes3 lg. eggs1/4 C. shredded Cheddar cheese1/8 tsp. dried thyme1 Serving Tomatillo Salsa1 Piece lg. cantaloupe, cut into 1/8ths2 oz. turkey bacon

Preparation:In a lg. nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the onion and mushrooms in the oil until soft (about 3 minutes). Add the spinach and tomatoes and continue cooking until they are warmed through. Pour in the remaining ingredients and cook until egg is firm. Serve with salsa. Heat the bacon in a medium skillet over high heat. Saut, for about 5 minutes, until cooked through and nicely browned. Serve bacon with cantaloupe wedge and eggs.

Lunch

Arugula with Chicken Salad Calories:420Ingredients:6 oz. chicken breast2 Cups arugula5 cherry tomatoes1 oz. Monterey Jack cheese1 Tbs. Creamy Italian Dressing

Preparation:Season chicken with salt and freshly ground pepper then grill, bake or pan fry until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear. Diceand set aside. Combine arugula, cherry tomatoes, cheese and chicken. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

Dinner

Curried Cumin Potatoes with Chicken Calories:397Ingredients:4oz. potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick pieces 3/4 tsp. olive oil 3/4 tsp. cumin seed 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric 1/4 tsp. curry powder 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro 6 oz. chicken

Preparation:Put whole potatoes into a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until just tender. Drain, and cut potatoes into quarters.Set aside to keep warm.Heat oil in a lg. saut pan over medium-high heat. Saut the cumin, turmeric, and curry powder for 1 minute. Add potatoes, and saut until toasted. Toss potatoes with sea salt, pepper and fresh cilantro, and serve hot.

Snack

Carrot-Nut Muffin Calories:281Ingredients:1/4 C. granular sugar substitute (Stevia)3/4 C. canola oil2 eggs1 tsp. baking soda1 Tbs. water1 tsp. vanilla1 1/2 c. flour1 C. finely chopped almonds1/4 tsp. cinnamon1/16 tsp. salt1 tsp. baking powder1 C. grated carrotsRaisins (optional)

Preparation:Heat oven to 350F. Grease one 12-c. muffin tin; set aside. In a lg. bowl whisk together sugar substitute, oil and eggs. Add baking soda then mix in water and vanilla. To the above add flour, chopped almonds, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, carrots and raisins(if desired). Mix until just combined.Divide batter in muffin tins. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown, and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.Calories indicated are for 1 serving.

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Phase 3 - Weeks 7 12

Women Men

Daily Calories for Weeks 7 and 8:



Daily Calories for Weeks 9-12:



Protein:(grams/day)

If daily calories are 1500 then protein = 95 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1800 then protein = 90 grams/dayIf daily calories are 2100 then protein = 105 grams/day

Carbs:(grams/day)

If daily calories are 1500 then carbs = 185 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1800 then carbs = 270 grams/dayIf daily calories are 2100 then carbs = 315 grams/day

Fat:(grams/day)

If daily calories are 1500 then fat = 41 grams/dayIf daily calories are 1800 then fat = 40 grams/dayIf daily calories are 2100 then fat = 46 grams/day

Daily Fiber Intake:

During this phase of the protocol your fiber intake will remain the same for the first four weeks and then it will increase for weeks 11 and 12. The first four weeks (7 through 10) your fiber intake will remain in the MEDIUM range of 10 to 20 grams per day. For the final two weeks (11 and 12) your fiber intake should be HIGH at over 25 grams per day.

In this third phase of the program we are re-introducing a wider variety of raw foods and specifically fruits and vegetables. Feel free to start eating a large quantity of raw fruits and vegetables. We are now attempting to support your healthy gut with as much prebiotic bacteria food as possible. The increase in fiber is going to help feed the good bacterial populations and further bring your gut bacteria upto a healthier balance.

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Daily Calories:

For this third phase of the protocol your calorie level will increase twice. The first two

weeks (weeks 7 and 8) your calories will increase by 300 calories from the initial 6 weeks

of the program. During the final 4 weeks of the program your calories will increase again

by an additional 300 calories for a total increase of 600 calories per day from where you

started.

Gradually increasing the calories helps you transition to the end of the program without

having any rebound or crash at the end. It teaches you to eat more food without storing

fat, while still allowing you to lose weight.

Also, with a healthier gut bacteria balance your body should be able to handle the

increasing calories while continuing to reduce body fat.

Pre and Pro Biotic Foods: - cup per day

We are now introducing prebiotic and probiotic foods. Pre-biotic foods feed your healthy

bacteria helping them to grow and restore gut functioning moving you towards are more

efficient fat burning metabolism. Probiotic foods have live active healthy bacteria in

them, such as yogurt and cheese, which help further rebalance your gut bacteria ratio.

Youll see these in the Dairy and Prebiotic food list.

The amount of these pre and probiotic foods you need to eat will vary from person to

person however you dont need much. In many cases a quarter to half a cup of any mix

of these foods is enough for the day. You may want to eat more, however be aware that

having too much of these foods may cause some gastrointestinal discomfort. If you eat

too many simply reduce the amount youre eating until the discomfort goes away.

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In this phase you can eat all forms of fruits and vegetables and you can have them in

both the raw and cooked form. There are no restrictions or guidelines on how much of

your vegetables are in the cooked or raw form, however I still recommend that you cook

at least half of the vegetables you eat.

Eating too many vegetables in the raw form can cause serious gastrointestinal distress,

and painful cramping and bloating. Your individual tolerance for raw vegetables will vary

and its something you will have to test over time. You can now eat raw fish such as sushi

and raw meats like steak tartare.

In this stage all forms of food preparation are acceptable. You can bake, fry, boil, steam,

or grill your food as well as eat many fruit and vegetable items raw.

Meal Timing:

In phase 3 your calorie content is increased from phase 2 and it increases again at week

9 as does the total variety of preferred food choices. The higher food volume and food

choices allow for more meals per day if youd like to eat more often. For example you

can now increase to 3-4 meals per day with a snack. Your other option is to stay at 2 or 3

meals per day and make each meal significantly larger.

Also in this phase you can start adding an occasional alcoholic beverage such as red wine

or beer to a meal. The expanded variety and increased calories allow for much more

choice with your meal planning strategy. This is where you will be learning how to eat for

weight loss as well as long term success for keeping the weight off.

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I suggest two general strategies.

1. Workday or weekday eating pattern

2. Day off or weekend eating pattern

As your daily structure changes from the constraints of work or school so will your

freedom to eat in a looser or stricter meal timing pattern.

As an example during the weekdays I follow a 3 meal per day pattern with breakfast

being rather small such as a coffee with eggs and bacon. Lunch is a salad or vegetable

based dish with some sort of chicken, pork of beef added. Then for dinner I have a mix

of veggies, some grains such as rice, potato, or bread, with a lean cut of meat fish or

poultry. Ill also add some sort of fruit yogurt mix as a dessert.

In this pattern I have at least 50% of my daily calories at dinner with the rest split

between a small breakfast and lunch. Ive advised may clients on this same pattern and

it seems to work very well even with the higher calorie amounts during phase 3.

The general meal timing is an even spread between breakfast lunch and dinner based on

when you wake up and when you typically choose to eat dinner. There is no need to try

and calculate exact timing between meals but rather fit them in throughout the day as

they fit your schedule. In most cases you will find that they will space themselves out

relatively evenly without having to really plan for it.

During the week my meal timing is very regular with breakfast landing around 9am every

day, lunch around 1pm, and dinner around 8pm. My workday is over at 5pm, followed

by a workout at 5:30pm. Dinner just fits for me around 8pm.

On the weekends my schedule is much looser and breakfast can happen at the same

time, earlier or later than my weekdays, the same goes for lunch and dinner. Since the

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weekend days are much less structured so are my meals. I simply go with the flow and

adjust my meals to fit whatever Im doing. I suggest you do the same for your days off or

your weekends.


The following chart is a list of our preferred food choices for the third phase of the

program. Food variety and volume is highest in this phase with the inclusion of alcohols,

and even processed foods, sugar and other manufactured food items. All foods are

included in this phase as a method to teach you to eat in a realistic balanced way.

Even though sugar and processed foods are now ok to eat I still suggest keeping your

exposure limited to 10%-20% of your total food intake. This would translate into a few

snacks each week and perhaps one or two meals per week with processed food items or

eating what most people would call junk food. At this stage of the program you should

have a healthy ratio of good bacteria and your system can now handle having all forms

of food including high sugar and processed food without derailing your fat loss progress.

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Best ChoicesGRAINS

Corn grits (not polenta), cookedEgg PastaFlax seed mealLow carb all-purpo

Flat Belly Forever

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