How I wrote my 8-Week Program Meal Plans

The next round of my I Quit Sugar online 8-Week Program starts June 5 and you can sign up now and join the 300,000 other peeps around the world who’ve done it, either via my books or online.

Tandoori Chicken with Indian Rice Salad
The I Quit Sugar Tandoori Chicken with Indian Rice Salad

In this next round you’ll still have the option to choose from two Meal Plans: the standard (meat inclusive) 8-Week Program Meal Plan and the Vegetarian Meal Plan.

If you’re wanting to check it out and ask any questions, or sign up, click here.

One of the questions I get asked constantly, however, is whether the Plans fit with current dietary guidelines. The short answer is: abso-bloody-lutely. The longer one requires that I share how I actually devise my recipes, meals and plans…

1. I prioritise dense nutrition. At every opportunity. I find ways to supply foods with the densest nutrition in every meal. This means:

  • Prioritising (and adding extra) leafy greens and high-quality fat and protein at every meal.
  • Preparing food to preserve (and maximise) enzymes and bacteria for digestion.
  • Minimising toxins (from harmful grains and legumes) and empty calories (from, um, sugar and processed carbs).
Nourishing Breakfast Bowl
The I Quit Sugar Nourishing Breakfast Bowl

How do I do this?

2. I add fat to veggies. At every meal. I replace sugar with healthy fats (which reverses what the processed food companies have been doing for the past 60 years) to satiate, fuel and provide us with fun foods to eat. Fat switches on the right “I’m full” or “off” switch in our brains, so that we do, in fact, get full and stop eating. Also, your body needs fats to be able to absorb the essential vitamins A, E, D and K from the veggies.

Pork and Fennel Meatballs
The I Quit Sugar Pork and Fennel Meatballs

3. I also add fat to protein. Fat is needed for proper protein assimilation. That’s why you won’t see egg white omelettes or skinless chicken dishes in my meal plans!

Peas, Spinach and Feta with Poached Eggs
The I Quit Sugar Peas, Spinach and Feta with Poached Eggs

4. I prioritise veggies. All are good, but my meals prioritise leafy greens (the most nutritious option) over other vegetables (cauliflower, cucumbers) over starchy veggies (peas, sweet potato). There are veggies in almost every meal – 6-7 serves over the course of each day.

Lamb Curry Pie
The I Quit Sugar Lamb Curry Pie

5. I up the amount of enzymes. You’ll find some fermented products in the meal plans – sauerkraut and the like. I include these because they produce a stack of helpful enzymes, which will assist with assimilation of the nutrition in the rest of your meal. There are two types of enzymes that we use to break down food – those in the food itself, and those in our bodies. The more contained in the food, the less we need to use of our body’s enzymes…and enzyme depletion is in fact the aging process! Up the enzymes to look younger!

Middle Eastern Quinoa Stuffed Eggplants
The I Quit Sugar Middle Eastern Quinoa Stuffed Eggplants (from the Vegetarian Menu Plans)

6. My Meal Plans exceed the nutritional guidelines.  And by 500 per cent for some important micro-nutrients. They are also quite low calorie (not that I focus on this at all…), although tmost people find they’re eating more food than they’re used to when doing The Program! I work with dietician Marieke Rodenstein who analyses each Plan in detail to ensure they’re as densely nutritious as possible (she did the same for my recipes and meal plans in I Quit Sugar For Life.) We’ve covered this comprehensively over at IQuitSugar.com. You can read the full post here. But for now, know that Marieke says this, “Both the standard and vegetarian meal plans are nutritionally well-rounded and fit all guidelines for variety, amount and variety of vegetables, protein, healthy fats, omega 3s, red meat, seafood, balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat. The micronutrient profile of both plans gets the thumbs up and tricky nutrients like iodine (which few people get enough of) are adequately included.”

7. I “crowd out”. Which means that I fill you all up on so much of the good stuff that there’s no room for the bad stuff (because we humans are better at doing rather than restricting!). As per above, many participants comment they’re not used to eating so much. Difference is, they are filling up on food that’s healing them, while simultaneously crowding out the crap and cravings!

Sustainable Fish and Chips
The I Quit Sugar Sustainable Fish and Chips

OK. I’ve exhausted myself. Obviously I keep all the above in mind as I formulate the Meal Plans along with the team at I Quit Sugar. But at the end of the day the plans reflect how I personally eat. My whole deal is to share how I personally quit sugar, then to share with others how they can have a crack at it, too. I’m not a fancy eater. I like wholesome, comfort, fun food…

If you’re after more info, click here. We’ve outlined a bunch of FAQs.  Or click on the image below to sign up.

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Of course, if you have any questions for me, post below and myself and the team will try to answer them all. xx

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