The SOF Plateau Breaker Diet

If you’ve been on a diet and stopped losing weight for more than 2 weeks then this is the diet for you! There is nothing more frustrating then putting in the work and not seeing results. Stored fat is your body’s last line of defense so to speak. In the event you don’t have access to food your body will use your stored body fat as a fuel. Many of our ancestors survived partly because they were good at storing body fat in times of abundance. They survived famines and food shortages when others did not and as a result they lived to pass on their genes. With an abundance of food in modern times we are now faced with a new challenge of having too much food available. You’re body’s metabolism becomes extremely effective when it’s in a significant caloric deficit. In other words, if your body feels like you are starving it will slow down certain metabolic processes to stifle burning through your fat reserves too quickly. This my friends is why many of us hit weight loss plateaus while previously having great success on a diet. My guess is if you’re reading this then you’ve hit a plateau. So now what? Fret not, we have a few plateau busting tricks up our sleeves here at SOF!

 

Plateau Breaker Diet

Guidelines

1. Eat whole(real) foods only.
2. Always maintain proper portions and do not overeat.  Always chew your food thoroughly. This will aid in digestion and help you avoid overeating.
3. Eat 4 properly portioned meals/snacks a day. You should be eating roughly every 4 hours that you are awake.
4. Do not eat complex/ starchy carbs.
5. Do not eat carbs for the first 2 meals of the day.
6. Do not eat fruit or any type of sugar.
7. Do not add any sodium/salt.
8. Do not drink alcohol.
9. No dairy.
10. No junk food. It goes without saying that we are eliminating candy, fried foods, baked goods and desserts, chips, soda, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and anything else in the junk food category.
11. No cheat / treat meals
12. Make sure you drink an ample amount of water throughout the day. To determine the amount of water you should drink daily, divide your body weight in half and convert that number to ounces. For example if you weigh 130 pounds, then you should be drinking roughly 65 ounces of water daily. Cutting out soda, processed juices, and other high calorie and unhealthy beverages is a great way to cut calories.
13. Eat macronutrient balanced meals as often as possible. You must include all three macronutrients—carbohydrates, protein, and fats—in a healthy diet. For this diet we suggest a macronutrient breakdown of approximately 40/25/35 (Protein/ Carbs/ Fats).
14. Meal planning and grocery shopping is absolutely essential for your success on this diet. If you try to wing it you’re most likely going to fail. You should prepare extra meals in advance to eat when you are busy and on the go.
15. Only use no calorie seasonings and spices.
16. Only weigh yourself once a week.  We suggest every Monday morning right after you wake up
17. Get 3 to 4 SOF workouts in each week. You should also do so to 25 minutes of interval training cardio 2 to 3 times a week on the days we don’t train. Weight training and cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart rate up and your blood pumping is ideal for burning calories.
18. Get between 5 and 8 hours sleep each night.
19. Add probiotic rich foods or supplements at least twice a day
20. No red meat. Only eat extra lean fish, eggs and poultry.

 

Food Suggestions Selection Menu

 

Protein Choices

Animal Proteins

Fish: Wild Caught Albacore Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Rainbow Trout, Mackerel, Freshwater Coho Salmon, Herring, Red Snapper, Sea Bass, Tuna, Anchovy, Flounder, Trout, Grouper, Perch, Sole, Cod, Halibut, Mullet, Shark, Swordfish, Mahi Mahi etc…

Poultry: Egg, Turkey, Duck, Chicken, Game Hens, etc..

Carbohydrate Choices

Non Starchy Carbs

Leafy Green Vegetables: Artichoke, Collard Greens, Parsley, Watercress, Brussels Sprouts, Endive, Romaine Lettuce, Cabbage, Spinach, Chives, Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Iceberg Lettuce

Green Vegetables: Asparagus, Leeks, Broccoli, Okra, Celery, Scallions, Green Peppers, Alfalfa Sprouts

Yellow/White/Red/Orange/ Purple Vegetables: Cauliflower, Yellow Bell Peppers, Hot Peppers, Spaghetti Squash

Root Vegetables: Jicama, Beets, Kohlrabi, Turnips, Onions, Radishes, Parsnips, Rutabaga

Sea Vegetables: Seaweed, Nori, Kelp, Dulse, Arame, Wakame, Kombu

Spices: Oregano, Ginger, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Turmeric, Garlic, Nettle, Aloe Vera, Echinacea, Ginseng

Healthy Fat Choices

Vegetables: Avocados

Seeds: Pumpkin, Flax, Sesame, Chia, Hemp, Sunflower

Nuts: Almonds, Walnuts, Cocoa Nut (Dark Chocolate), Pistachios, Cashews, Peanuts, Brazilian, Macadamias, Pecans, Soy

Oils and Sprays: coconut oil, flax seed oil, hemp seed oil, grape seed oil, fish oils, olive oil

Butters: almond butter, peanut butter, real butter from grass fed cows

Probiotic Rich Foods:

yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, miso, kombucha, pickles, natto

 

Please Note: This is not an exhaustive list of healthy whole foods. There are many whole foods that are healthy to eat that are not on this list so please feel free to explore other healthy whole foods options. Just be sure that they are whole foods that include lean animal proteins, correct carbs like complex carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, nuts seeds and other healthy fats. You will notice the same foods in different categories as they often times fit in multiple categories. For example Quinoa is technically a seed but prepared and served like a grain.  It is high in Protein but is also a great source of Carbohydrates so it goes in multiple categories. Although you do need to include protein, carbs and fat in your daily diet as far as specific foods go you don’t have to eat anything that you don’t want to. The idea is to pick foods that you enjoy. However, don’t be afraid to try new things. You never know you just might like it!

 

Suggested Daily Diet

Meal 1

Protein: 4 to 6 oz of lean animal protein 

Healthy Fat: ¼ cup of nuts and or seeds or 1 ½ to 2 tsp of nut butter of your choice or ¼ to ½ of an avocado

 

Meal 2

Protein: 4 to 6 oz of lean animal protein 

Healthy Fat: ¼ cup of nuts and or seeds or 1 ½ to 2 tsp of nut butter of your choice or ¼ to ½ of an avocado

 

Meal 3

Protein: 4 to 6 oz of lean animal protein 

Carbohydrate: 1 to 2 cup of vegetables

Healthy Fat: ¼ cup of nuts and or seeds or 1 ½ to 2 tsp of nut butter of your choice or ¼ to ½ of an avocado

 

Meal 4

Protein: 4 to 6 oz of lean animal protein 

Carbohydrate: 1 to 2 cup of vegetables

Healthy Fat: ¼ cup of nuts and or seeds or 1 ½ to 2 tsp of nut butter of your choice or ¼ to ½ of an avocado

Key things to remember:

• Maintain proper portions
• No complex/ starchy carbs
• No carbs for the first 2 meals
• No fruit
• No dairy
• Include protein at every meal
• No sugar, sodium, processed foods, junk foods and alcohol
• No snacks in between meals
• No cheat / treat meals
• Add probiotic rich foods or a supplements at 1 to 2 meals a day

 

 

Grocery Shopping List Suggestions

Lean Protein:

1. Fish (wild caught) Albacore Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, Rainbow Trout, Mackerel, Freshwater Coho Salmon
2. Poultry: Eggs, Turkey, Chicken
3. Red Meat: Buffalo (Bison), Venison, Beef, Lean Ground Beef, Lamb  
   

Correct Carbs:

Vegetables (examples):

1. Spinach
2. Brussels Sprout
3. Spinach
4. Kale
5. Beets
6. Asparagus
7. Broccoli
8. Bell Peppers
9. Cauliflower
10. Squash
11. Cucumbers
12. Onions
13. Sweet Potatoes

Healthy Fats:

1. Hemp Seed
2. Chia Seed
3. Crushed Flax Seed
4. Walnuts
5. Almonds
6. Avocado
   

Probiotic Rich Foods:

1. Sauerkraut
2. Kimchi
3. Kombucha

Beverages:

1. Filtered/bottled water
2. All Natural teas/ice teas/green tea
3. All Natural water flavoring

Condiments, Seasonings, Marinades, Dressings and Sauces:

1. no calorie natural seasonings

Supplements:

1. Good quality probiotic
2. Good quality multi-mineral and vitamin
3. Good quality EFA(Essential Fatty Acids) like fish oil capsules, hemp seeds and chia seeds
4. Farmhouse Culture Gut Shot
   

 

Daily Diet (Example)

Meal 1 (6 am)

Protein: 3 scrambled eggs

Healthy Fat:  Yolk from the eggs

Probiotic: 1 oz of Gut Shot

Beverage: Black Coffee

 

Meal 2 (10:30 am)

Protein: 5 oz lean ground

Healthy Fat: Sliced avocado

Beverage: Green tea

 

Meal 3 (3pm)

Protein: 6 oz of chopped and seasoned chicken breast

Carbohydrate: Salad (mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper and onion)

Healthy Fat: Sliced almonds and hemp seeds(sprinkled on the salad)

Beverage: Ice water

 

Meal 4 (7pm)

Protein: 6 oz grilled salmon

Carbohydrate: Asparagus, sweet onion and bell peppers

Healthy Fat: Pine nuts (sprinkled on the veggies)

Probiotic: 1 probiotic pill

Beverage: Zero calorie flavored carbonated water