Metabolic Balance: Phase 1

What is metabolic balance?

In a nutshell, this program is not your typical diet.  The program involves a blood test to determine what nutrients your body specifically needs and includes a 40+ page report on the foods you should be eating.  Your individualized meal plans are designed for YOU!  The program also includes food and health coaching from your metabolic balance consultant (that's me!) over the course of your progression.  

The program was developed by doctors in Germany who believe that it isn't a question of how much food we eat but rather one of what we eat.  Improper nutrition is what leads to health issues such as obesity and insulin resistance.  Once insulin resistance occurs, the body experiences food cravings and low blood sugar, additional fat build-up, elevated LDL (the bad ones) cholesterol, sleep disorders, and more health issues.  

The "Diet"

A metabolic balance participant can expect to run through 4 different phases of meal plans in their program.  Depending on how much weight you need to lose and your individual experience with each phase, you may stay at one phase longer than others.

Phase 1 is the cleansing and preparation phase, where you eliminate as much waste as possible to prepare for nutrient absorption.

Phase 2 is the Strict phase, during which your strict food plan must be followed, along with the 8 metabolic balance rules, in order to adjust your metabolism back to a more healthful state.  

Phase 3 is the Relaxed phase, in which more natural foods are allowed and you begin to try some minor treats to see how your body reacts.

Phase 4 is really the point where you are able to live life normally, but still able to stick to your new healthy eating habits.  

My Experience:

Because I am going to be your metabolic balance food coach, I must also go through the 4 phases of the plan in order to give you a really good idea of what you can expect.  My experience will likely be different than yours, as we are different people, but I can help you push through the plan as I'm sure you will have times when you're discouraged, hungry, uncomfortable and just plain unmotivated.  As your coach, that's what I'm here for, to keep you motivated and help you see the positive light at the end of the tunnel!

My Journey:

I have struggled with a few extra pounds for years so I thought I would photograph myself before I begin the program and then again as I progress through to - hopefully - have a record that this program is worthwhile! (This is a huge thing for me to post this here...)

 
So, as I work through the plan, I will be sharing my thoughts and feelings here.  My plan began yesterday and it was a tough one!  First of all, you must drink a 300 ml bottle of magnesium citrate first thing in the morning on Day 1 of Phase 1.  That stuff made me so nauseous for about 6 hours that I had a really uncomfortable morning.  Between that, pulling my back out at the gym before, and my horrible hunger pangs, I was one unhappy camper.  

(Speaking of the gym, for the metabolic balance program, you are told not to exercise for the first 16 days.  I'm trying, I really am, but I have formed a habit and I have a lot of energy for working out still.  My workouts are much less intense than normal because I worry that the hunger will be too awful if I were to burn too many calories each day.)

One of the rules of the program is that you must leave 5 hours between meals without eating; for me, this meant a huge break between my meals as I usually can only manage to go 3-4 hours, especially between breakfast and lunch.  I was miserable 2 1/2 hours away from lunch and really had to struggle through.  Again, 1 1/2 hours before dinner, I was famished and not enjoying life.  Lying in bed last night, I was so hungry that I couldn't fall asleep.  Day 1 was tough!

Today, it's a little over 2 hours from my appointed lunch time and I am doing much better than yesterday.  There is hope!  Phase 2 is pretty much only vegetable soup so I am looking forward to a wider variety of foods tomorrow.

I spent a few hours preparing food for the first 5 1/2 days over the weekend.  Your food portions must be measured exactly as suggested in your metabolic balance report, so I found it very interesting to see just how much food I should probably be eating.  In reality, the protein portions are probably what one should be sticking to but I was surprised to find out that I typically eat about 2-3 times as much vegetables in one meal as what is recommended.  I always thought that was a good thing!

Anyway, my meals are uninspiring for now but I think I'll find some creativity this coming weekend for recipes.  What ever works out, I'll share on my blog too.  

For now, my red vegetable soup is what sustaining me through and hopefully I have enough energy to push through teaching my boot camp classes tonight!