Overview:
How to Start the Program That Will
Change Your Life

My Diabesity Challenge is based primarily on the mini-fast with exercise program that we have been using with resounding success at the Whitaker Wellness Institute. In fact, my inspiration for this challenge is the profoundly positive feedback we’ve received from those who have participated in the mini-fast with exercise regimen. In a nutshell, when you mini-fast, you simply:

Get up in the morning, drink a glass of water, and, if you want to, have a cup of coffee or tea with a little creamer and/or low-calorie sweetener like xylitol or stevia. But don’t eat or drink anything else.

Be sure to take any medications as directed by your doctor. (If you’re on insulin, be sure to monitor your blood sugar as it may drop too low and require an adjustment in medication.) You can also take your daily multivitamin and/or other nutritional supplements, provided they don’t upset your stomach. If they do, then take them later with meals.

Next, put on your workout gear and do some aerobic exercise. You can walk briskly, jog, or cycle; use a treadmill, stair-stepper, mini-trampoline, or stationary bike; or take an aerobics class or work out with an exercise video at home. The important thing is that you exercise, building up to 30–45 minutes with moderate effort. (Don’t go overboard. You don’t want to burn yourself out before you get started.)

After you exercise, get on with your day, but continue fasting until lunch. Drink water, of course, and feel free to have coffee or tea. Don’t worry about being too hungry to make it through the morning. You may have to try this to believe it, but this fasting/exercise combo seriously dampens your appetite, and the caffeine in coffee and tea helps blunt hunger as well. (There are also a few targeted supplements you can take for extra support, particularly when you’re first getting started. See below for details.)

At lunchtime, break your fast and eat normally for the rest of the day. Get plenty of lean protein (i.e., skinless poultry, fish, and tofu) and low-fat, low-glycemic carbohydrates (i.e., vegetables and beans). You don’t have to count calories, but you don’t want to pig out at lunch or dinner, either. Fortunately, you’ll find that eating sensibly for two meals a day requires far less discipline than cutting calories all day long, and sticking with this routine is much easier over the long haul.

Supplements Offer Added Support

While the exercise-enhanced mini-fast protocol I just described is the cornerstone of my Diabesity Challenge, I also encourage you to add a few nutritional supplements that are great adjuncts to this program. These supplements certainly aren’t a prerequisite for success, but they do give you added support by helping to take the edge off hunger and/or by speeding up fat burning. They include:

• Glycine: an inexpensive, pleasant-tasting amino acid that stimulates fat burning and reduces appetite. It triggers the release of glucagon, a hormone that turns on fat burning in the liver, and generates pyruvate, a substance involved in energy production that enhances endurance and fat burning. To use, simply mix 1 teaspoon (5 grams) in water and take before your morning exercise.
• Brindall Trim: a combination of hydroxycitric acid (HCA), extracted from Garcinia cambogia (also called brindall berry), and L-carnitine. HCA turns on fat burning in the liver and boosts production of ketones (byproducts of fat burning, which are used as sources of energy in the absence of carbohydrates). It also helps maintain normal blood sugar, which puts the breaks on hunger. Ample amounts of the amino acid L-carnitine are required for HCA’s thermogenic (fat-burning) activity and, together, these two substances turn your “furnaces” up and your appetite down. The recommended dose is 4–8 capsules prior to exercise. (Heavier people can take the higher dose.) You may take another 4 capsules during your post-exercise fast, as this helps with hunger control.
• Metabolic Essentials: a special blend of botanical extracts that includes green tea, amla, and ivy gourd, along with magnesium and vitamin D. This unique supplement supports thermogenesis, helps promote weight loss, and supports normal blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipid levels. The suggested dose is 2 capsules twice daily with meals.

If you would like to add these supplements to your daily routine, you can order them by calling (800) 810-6655. Metabolic Essentials is also available by clicking here.

Daily Routine at a Glance

Obviously, if you have any serious medical conditions, check with your doctor before beginning any fasting/exercise program.

• Engage in a mini-fast. (No food before noon; however, water and coffee or tea with a little creamer and/or low-calorie sweetener are okay.)
• Continue taking all of your medications. If you’re on insulin, monitor your blood sugar as it may drop too low and require an adjustment in medication.
• Continue taking your daily multivitamin and/or other nutritional supplements. If they upset your stomach, take them later with meals.
• Take 5 grams of glycine mixed in water and 4 capsules of Brindall Trim prior to exercise (optional).
• Build up to at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (brisk walking, jogging, stair-climbing, etc.) first thing in the morning. Exercise five or more days a week.
• Eat a healthy lunch and dinner (low fat, low-glycemic carbohydrates; lean protein; moderate amounts of caffeine and alcohol are allowed). “Dieting” is not required, but overeating will sabotage any weight loss program.
• Take 2 capsules of Metabolic Essentials with meals twice a day (optional).
• Record your exercise sessions, evaluate your diet (poor, fair, or good), and track your weight on the Compliance Log (optional).

For other tips and advice, visit my blog. For general health recommendations, sign up for my free E-letter.

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