September 11, 2022 11 min read
Key Outcomes on Day 1: Feeding the gut microbiome, increasing fat oxidation, and spinning down the stress hormone, cortisol.
Different days of the week will play a part in the variations. Monday morning's breakfast would be considered one of the “anchor meals” meaning, you don’t want to miss these.
An anchor meal will help you set up the rest of your week for success. These meals will aid in insulin sensitivity, regulating key hunger hormones, and reducing the stress hormone, cortisol.
Anchor meals for Day 1 are Monday, Wednesday and Friday breakfasts.
These anchor meals will help keep the gut in tune, and set the stage for dinner, Day 2, and the rest of the week.
Day 1 involves a lot of Intuitive eating, which means you can eat without making a plan in advance.
There are many amazing mechanisms behind Day 1, as we will begin to uncover. This will help set us up for success on Day 2, by increasing the potential for longevity, improving gut health, and amplifying the benefits from fasting.
Now let’s dive into each day and explain the options we have at each meal.
Fruits:Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries (these will all help spin down the inflammatory cytokine IL-1), pomegranate, cherries, strawberries, and grapefruit.
Nuts:Walnuts, macadamias, almonds, peanuts, pecans, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts.
Variations on anchor meals:
Feel free to make these meals you own. Perhaps you wake up feeling like eating something very different. This is perfectly alright as intuitive eating is built into this routine.
Let’s look at some possible additions to each meal depending on our satiety and cravings.
PROTEINS:Whey protein, egg whites, plain greek yogurt, steak, hamburger, chicken, fish, plant-based protein powder, etc.
A good quality whey protein powder can go a long way at these anchor meal breakfasts as they help sensitize insulin, increase satiety, and most of all, they help draw down cortisol.
FATS:Eggs, peanut butter, pecans, avocado, olive oil, butter, cheese.
We’re not looking for large amounts here. We are simply looking for flavor and function.
MEALS PICTURED
Let’s look at some different meal combinations for a Monday breakfast.
It’s important to keep our intuitive mind active here.
MONDAY
Breakfast:Raspberries and Almonds
Lunch: Mexican Beef Bowl with avocado, organic corn, black beans, tomatoes, cucumber, and sour cream.
Dinner: Salmon, asparagus, and a greens salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast (Larger Checkpoint Meal): Steak, eggs, 2 pieces of Ezekiel bread or sourdough toast and blueberries.
Lunch: Red and Black bean chili, with avocado and onions.
Dinner:Turkey stuffed peppers with corn, cheese, and onions.
FRIDAY
Breakfast: Fresh pineapple, turkey bacon, and walnuts.
Lunch: Chicken breast, brown rice, and green beans.
Dinner: Pizza
EXAMPLE MEAL OPTIONS:
This meal is a strategic big breakfast. This is a very important anchor meal for many reasons:
Here, we want to introduce some Functional Starches as they:
KEY OUTCOMES
We are looking for about 40% of calories from healthy starches.
We are looking for functional, healthy foods, most of the time. The rest is intuitive eating as we may feel like eating a bit more freely.
BEST OPTIONS:
FUNCTIONAL STARCHES:Steel cut oats, Ezekiel bread, sourdough toast, potato, sweet Potato, english muffins, buckwheat pancakes.
PROTEINS:Greek yogurt, turkey bacon, turkey sausage, smoked salmon, egg whites, steak, chicken, whey protein, pea protein powder.
FATS:Eggs, cheese, avocado, all nuts and seeds, olive oil, butter, pesto.
FRUITS:Banana, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, pomegranate, cherries, strawberries, grapefruit, cranberry, fresh orange juice.
FUNCTIONAL CARBS: Honey and Maple Syrup.
EXAMPLE MEAL OPTIONS
Feel free to swap any combination to make this meal your own. These are just examples to highlight the freedom we have on Day 1.
The main mechanism behind Wednesday’s eating is that we are accounting for fullness and satiety. Stomach distention is very important as this will help bring back up our basal metabolic rate, especially when the meal is in the AM.
FRIDAY: DIGESTION DAY
If Friday will be a night of drinks and going out for food then our eating will reflect this during the day. Portions and caloric intake will be smaller. Here, we are pushing for about 40% of the days calories off to dinner. Smaller meals for breakfast and lunch.
KEY OUTCOMES
Add fruits that aid in digestion.
We are looking to have a repeat breakfast from our Monday options, however, we are looking to sub in Kiwi, Pineapple and Flax to aid in the digestion of proteins.
BEST OPTIONS:
FRUITS:Pineapple, kiwi, papaya, watermelon, apple, oranges, pears, banana, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, pomegranate, red grapes, cherries, strawberries, grapefruit, cranberry, fresh orange juice.
NUTS/SEEDS: Flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia, walnuts, macadamia, almonds, peanuts
EXAMPLE MEAL OPTIONS:
Feel free to create new combinations with foods listed on Monday’s breakfast.
DAY 1 LUNCH: MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY
We will look at meals for both making at home and healthy options on-the-go. Lunch requires a lot of intuition as these are not necessarily anchor meals. It’s important to eat healthy here close to 50% of the time. We have lots of flexibility in our meal options. Keep the intuitive mind active as Day 1 will be offset by Day 2.
KEY OUTCOMES
BEST FOOD OPTIONS
FUNCTIONAL STARCHES:Black beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, white potato, sweet potato, brown rice, barley, spaghetti squash, organic corn.
VEGETABLES: Shallots, onions, garlic, asparagus, mushrooms, peppers, hot peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, leafy greens.
FAT:Feta, swiss, parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar cheese, avocado, olive oil.
PROTEIN:Chicken, steak, roast beef, turkey, tuna and salmon.
MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS:
This meal aims to include about 25-30% of total days calories.
Eat Healthy and Functional 50% of the time.
FUNCTIONAL MEAL IDEAS:
ON THE GO MEALS:
TACO PLACE LIKE CHIPOTLE:
Double chicken, Double beans, Onions, Peppers, Salsa and optional hot sauce.
Chicken Quesadilla or some Soft tacos.
Not to worry, Day 2 is meant to offset all of this. Only have to nail the functional and healthy meals 50% of the time on Day 1.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Turkey or chicken wrap with onions and assorted veggies.
Salmon or Tuna sushi.
Chicken shawarma with chickpeas, onion and garlic.
Lettuce wrapped burger with cheese, onions, tomato, mustard, pickles.
DAY 1 DINNER: MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY
Lean Protein
Cruciferous or assorted seasonal vegetables.
Eating whatever you feel like is not a big deal on Day 1 as Day 2 will be an offset day. It truly depends on your goals, feelings and intuition as we move forward through the week.
Make sure you ask yourself honestly;
What do I feel like eating?
How can I find a way to work these foods in?
CALORIC GUIDELINES:20-25% of days total calories including BMR + Activity.
BEST GUT HEALTHY OPTIONS:
VEGETABLES:Green beans and asparagus (preferably raw or lightly cooked), shallots, cauliflower, fennel, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, onions, garlic, brussels sprouts, leafy greens, squash and zucchini, olives and capers.
PROTEINS: Garbanzos/chickpeas, chicken (any kind), lean steak/beef, cod, halibut, haddock, tuna, salmon, vegan protein alternatives; Tofu/tempeh/natto.
GOOD OPTIONS:
COMPLEX CARBS: Potatoes, chickpea/lentil pasta, Ezekiel bread, fresh orange juice
SOMETIMES IT’S NEEDED: Pizza, pasta, burgers and fries, or any favourite indulgent meal.
DINNER EXAMPLES:
Portions are typically a bit smaller as it's all set up by our bigger more functional breakfast, especially on a Wednesday. Friday dinners tend to be a bit larger if we are in a more social environment so it is always important to factor in our weekend plans.
Meal replacement protein shake with some added fibre like psyllium husk, fresh orange juice and fish oil (good to drop body fat).
MORE VARIETY BUT LESS STRICT:
START OF DAY 2: THE AMPLIFIED FAST
TUESDAY, THURSDAY, SATURDAY
Our goals for Day 2 are; to lower insulin output, sensitize insulin, down-regulate growth pathways like MAPK and IIS and up-regulate longevity pathways like AMPK and SIRT1.
We will be doing this through functional and healthy fats that will sensitize insulin by stimulating the incretin and adiponectin hormones.
Day 2 also works to help regulate hunger and satiety signalling, like the hormones; leptin and ghrelin.
It will offset weight gain. This occurs through increased fat oxidation while we sleep and of course by turning down insulin, making less of this fat storing hormone. It will also slow down the rate of aging.
DAY 2: BASIC CALORIC PATTERN
You will restrict your calories slightly on this day. You’re looking for about 80-85% of total calories including BMR + activity.
This strategic caloric restriction is highly functional and achievable.
The idea is to fast for about 4 hours after waking, typically fasting until 12pm.
You will have 4 meals at roughly - 15-17% of your total calories. All spaced out about 2-2.5 hours apart, depending on your hunger.
Dinner will be a larger meal for satiety, consisting of about 35-40% of your days total calories.
BMR + ACTIVITY EXAMPLE
If you have a 2000 calories a day BMR + your activity. We want to take 85% of that for our estimate and guide of how much we’ll be eating. 2000 x 0.85 = 1700 calories on Day 2 only.
With this example, our first 4 small meals during the day will range around 250-275 calories each. While dinner will be about 600-700cal total.
Keep in mind that these numbers will change based on your BMR and exercise. Some us will need more and some of us will need less.
The reason these 4 meals, spaced 2 hours apart work so well, is because it meets exactly the body's energy requirement for 8 hours.
THE AMPLIFIED FAST: BASIC SEQUENCE
Day 2 helps amplify fasting signals, especially while we sleep. Fat oxidation is highest during sleep. Meaning, the best way to reverse obesity, aging, boost metabolism and increase fat oxidation, is by boosting these fasting signals during sleep.
When it comes to macronutrient ratios, we have a lot of flexibility on Day 2. This is where our intuition meets function.
MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS:
TIER 1
TIER 2
TIER 3
TIER 4
Any of these macronutrient ratios are suitable for Day 2. This depends on your intuitive mind and how your body is feeling, your cravings and appetite!
MEALS PICTURED
TUESDAY:
Meal 1: Almonds
Meal 2: Walnuts
Meal 3: Eggs
Meal 4: Avocado
Dinner: Large Chicken leafy green salad with avocado, tomatoes, cucumber and olive oil.
THURSDAY:
Meal 1: 2-3 Egg White Bites
Meal 2: Walnuts
Meal 3: Smoked Salmon
Meal 4: Caprese Salad - cheese, tomatoes and basil.
Dinner: Steak, Asparagus, Mushrooms and Peppers.
SATURDAY:
Meal 1: Macadamia Nuts
Meal 2: 1-2 Guacamole packs
Meal 3: Peanut butter and whey protein
Meal 4: Hardboiled eggs
Dinner: Spaghetti squash and meatballs
BASIC MEAL EXAMPLES:
Meal 1: Turkey Bacon and 2 eggs (induces satiety)
Meal 2: Hamburger and cheese (induces satiety)
Meal 3: Avocado (induces hunger)
Meal 4: Walnuts (induces hunger)
*Foods that induce hunger and excellent for fat burning*
Meal 1: Hard boiled egg and cheese
Meal 2: Whey and 1-2 tsp olive oil
Meal 3: Quest bar with nuts
Meal 4: Whey and 1-2 tsp olive oil
ON THE GO:
Meal 1: Hardboiled eggs
Meal 2: Whey w/peanut butter
Meal 3: Quest bar with nuts
Meal 4: Avocado cup / Guacamole
Meal 1: Egg white omelette
Meal 2: Whey with olive oil
Meal 3: Nuts
Meal 4: Whey and cottage cheese
Meal 1: Avocado (hunger)
Meal 2: Walnuts (hunger)
Meal 3: Turkey and cheese (satiety)
Meal 4: Nuts and cheese (satiety)
Meal 1: Steak and eggs
Meal 2: Smoked salmon
Meal 3: Walnuts
Meal 4: Whey and greek yogurt
Vegan based Day 2 is 100% doable and is actually able to amplify fasting signals even further.
AGGRESSIVE FAT LOSS APPROACH:
Meal 1: Greek yogurt and whey (satiety)
Meal 2: Smoked salmon (fat loss)
Meal 3: Whey shake
Meal 4: Avocado
PROTEIN HEAVY:
Meal 1: Egg-white bites with avocado
Meal 2: Roast beef and cheese
Meal 3: Meat and avocado
Meal 4: Tuna streak and eggs
Meal 1: Steak
Meal 2: Chicken kabob
Meal 3: Salmon
Meal 4: Meat and cheese
OTHER PROTEIN OPTIONS:Lamb, roast beef, protein bar, turkey meatballs, chicken drumsticks.
DAY 2 DINNER IDEAS:
VARIATIONS:
MORE FLAVOR / LESS PROTEIN:
HEALTHY CARB OPTIONS:
There is a great deal of flexibility that was built into the 2 day core. By following the basic patterns and filling in the blanks with your favorite meal options, this can make for an amazing fat loss, longevity boosting diet plan that will stand the test of time. Eating freely is built into it all. Reference the master food lists below to get a feel for what you’d prefer to eat.
September 14, 2023
The last image (part 2 master food list) looks wrong. Under ‘fats’ everything listed is a carb.
September 29, 2022
Great article!
This helps bridge the gap further with more food options from what the book offers. It will help me continue the 2 day core for a lifetime. I only do the 2 day core Mon and Tues with amazing results of body fat loss and improved immune system.
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Scotty
November 21, 2023
I agree with Alison Jane about the fats.
I have tried every diet under the sun. As Joel states in his book, no diet is sustainable forever. So glad I have found the info that Joel’s brought to us. I love knowing why I do what I do and he tells us exactly that. It does take time and effort to learn it, but what else do we have to do? Maybe cave to self gratification?