Has your weight loss stalled? Frustrated about regain? A weight loss REBOOT can help.

I go to this when I am on a plateau for a long time or when I have picked up some weight, like I did during early COVID. I have been a successful weight loss surgery patient for 20 years. With many adjustments made over time, I have found this has served me well when I needed it.

*Please Note: I am not giving you medical advice. I’m sharing my friendly insight that I’ve learned over the years that may be helpful to you as well. If you are concerned about following this or have other medical issues, you should check with your physician first. ALWAYS follow your doctor’s medical instructions.

*Individual results will vary.

Objective

This Reboot is designed to give you a metabolic boost and get your body back into the “burning” mode. It’s primarily for our weight loss surgery patients who need a little boost, but it can be useful for anyone struggling to lose weight.

Give this reboot a try when you think you are mentally ready to put some energy into your reboot so you can get back on track. Do not start this during a high stress period in your life – set yourself up to be successful.

Also, be kind to yourself, you don’t have to be perfect – just jump in and don’t overthink it. You’ll improve as you go and as you start to feel better. You’ve already been successful once… you can kick start it into action again!

“Get Ready” Week

Things to Prepare you for Success: Disclosure: As a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

• Download a food tracking app to your phone or computer (MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, or any other app you prefer).
• Track every bite you presently eat and/or drink. This is important so you can know what your starting point is. No one will see it except you, but by logging everything you consume for this prep week, you’ll easily be able to know where you may possibly need to tweak or modify to get success.

• If you don’t have time to input into the app right then, take a picture of what you’re eating with your phone and text yourself the photo. It will give you a time stamp so you can log it later. It’s too easy to forget even 10 minutes afterward, so make it a habit to instantly log into the food app or text yourself to keep your intake accurate.

• Sometimes, as you’re reducing your carbohydrate intake, you may experience symptoms from “carb withdrawal”, such as headaches, overall fatigue, or muscle cramps. I have found in my experience, when I boost my level of exogenous therapeutic ketones, using a supplement, the symptoms of carb withdrawal are greatly reduced.

• If you choose to order and keep some ketones on hand, here are the links to the products I personally use or have used in the past. They are not necessary; you can just do the reboot “as-is”.  Perfect Keto Brand (4 flavors) – https://amzn.to/3EKHpBz Sports Research Keto Plus (2 flavors) – https://amzn.to/3AXCCvn

• When you eat carbohydrates, the cells in your body that store carbs for future energy use are surrounded by water. As you are doing a lower carb protocol, your carb cells will be depleted, as well as the water/sodium/minerals that is surrounding them. The electrolyte powder will help you stay in balance, prevent leg cramps and symptoms of carb withdrawal.

• If you don’t want to use Electrolyte Powder, you can put a pinch or two of good quality salt in your water (ex: Himalayan Pink Salt).  If you are on a low salt regime, then you want to check with your doctor. 

• Electrolyte Powder – Many people like the “Liquid IV” or the “Drip Drop” brands. Just make sure whichever one you get does NOT have added sugars (carbs) – https://amzn.to/3VyjgFD

• Make a healthy meal plan and shopping list for the next week. – don’t shop without a list!!!
• There are many apps and recipes out there for low-carb or keto friendly eating, so it should be easy to find a variety of choices to help keep you motivated. You know what foods you particularly like, so choose and calculate your own preferences and try to make it fun.

• Slow cookers are perfect so you can throw everything together in the morning and come home to an already cooked meal or use an InstaPot for quick cooking meals. InstaPot’s have become incredibly affordable and we highly recommend them. If you don’t already have one there are some great deals on Amazon – https://amzn.to/3UnhfdW

• Meals and snacks throughout the day should be no more than 40g total carbs (20-30g NET carbs) for the entire day. Here’s a video with an explanation on how to calculate NET carbs.

• As a rule, it is suggested to aim for a target of 60-80 grams of protein (for women) or 80-100 grams of protein (for men). Water consumption is equally important. Staying hydrated makes you feel less hungry throughout the day and is imperative for proper body function. The general rule is to drink 6-8 8 oz glasses of water per day (48-64 oz of water/ day). But in reality, you should be drinking ½ oz of water PER POUND of body weight per day. (Ex: If you weigh 200 lbs, you should be drinking 100 oz of water/day). Any Electrolyte, Ketone, Broth or Protein drinks are all included in your daily liquid count.You want to stay away from sugary, high-caloric liquids (such as your favorite Starbucks concoction), as this will definitely sabotage your success.

• When thinking of planning your meals, picture a plate divided into 4 equal sections, or use a Portion Control Plate. Two out of the four, should primarily be green veggies and a little fruit (berries are the best choice), the third section should be protein and the fourth section should be complex carbohydrates (in the form of whole grains and/or legumes). No white flour or starchy veggies such as potatoes or corn. We found this nice Bamboo Portion Control Plate on Amazon for under $16.00 – https://amzn.to/3ENYr1q

• Be sure to keep in mind the following: Keep your total NET carbs under 20-30g a day. Aim for a target of 60-80 grams of protein (for women) or 80-100 grams of protein (for men). Incorporate high fiber, good quality foods, such as: green leafy veggies, whole and sprouted grains, Chia Seeds, and Flaxseed Meal. If you have any grains or carbohydrates – make sure they do NOT have enriched flour. Sprouted whole grain bread like Ezekiel Bread is a good choice. Steel Cut Oats (no more than 2-3 times/ week) is another good option as a whole grain. Adding Chia Seeds, Flaxseed Meal, and Hemp Seed Hearts are excellent sources of Omega-3’s.

Cilantro Lime Chicken (This is a GREAT InstaPot and slow cooker recipe).

Avocado Chimichurri (This is HANDS DOWN our MOST FAVORITE recipe and we make it ALL THE TIME)!

Cheese Crackers (Low-Carb option for Tuna or Egg Salad, or even just a slice of cheese. Also wonderful when paired with the Avocado Chimichurri above).

Aromatic Indian Spiced Low Carb Chicken Wings

Reboot “Get Ready” Week – Continued:

• Use your food tracking app and input in advance what you’re planning for meals next week. It will help you calculate your carbs, calories, fiber, and fat projections. Winging it doesn’t work…Have a good, solid plan in place.

• Meal prep on Saturday or Sunday to prepare for the week ahead. Having things chopped up and ready to cook, makes it less likely you will deviate from your menu.

• Do your chopping (onions, garlic, veggies, etc.), wash your lettuce/greens and put everything into Ziploc’s with a paper towel, or use Refrigerator Storage Containers designed to keep your produce fresh. This way they are ready to grab. After a long day of work, the last thing anyone wants to do is have to chop, prepare, and cook an entire meal quickly. By doing this, you are less likely to throw your hands up and order a pizza.

• Be mindful of your carbohydrate intake this week – try to start dropping your carbs in preparation for next week (and onward). Instead of having a sandwich with 2 pieces of bread, maybe have an open-faced sandwich, a lettuce wrap or use a low carb tortilla or a whole wheat pita instead.
  
  • If it takes a couple of days to get the carbs down, just keep heading in the right direction. Don’t give up. Track your carbs by reading labels and using Google to get the specific food nutrition facts BEFORE choosing to eat it and don’t forget to log it in your app once you do eat it.

• If you must rely on protein drinks, such as Premier Protein and/or protein bars, like the popular Quest Brand, you can, but it is better to get in the habit of eating whole foods instead of processed items. The whole foods will keep you satiated longer and make it less likely that you’ll want to “graze”. The protein drinks and/or bars are still handy in those situations where you “must have” something right away and is definitely a better choice than grabbing an unhealthy option.

• A note about snacking: Your body needs a break in-between meals. To rev-up your metabolism for optimal performance, it is best NOT to snack. We seem to think we need to eat every 3 hours, when, we can go days without eating, as long as we are well hydrated. If you feel like you really need a snack, drink a very large glass of water first, then wait 15 minutes. You will more than likely find that your feeling of hunger was dehydration.

Official Start Week (Week 1) and Beyond

• Week 1 – This week will, hands down, be the hardest. Stay with it! You can do it!

• Use the meal plan that you created. Do not deviate. Keep tracking your food and liquid intake. This is important so you stay on track with your Reboot.

• Create a meal plan, shopping list and shop for the following week (use your food tracking app). If any meal plan was successful, then be sure to keep it and recycle for future weeks. Don’t forget to meal prep on Saturday or Sunday.

• At the end of 7-10 days or so, you should feel like you have a better handle on the lower carb eating, portion sizes and your body should start losing weight again. Just remember: Carbohydrates fuel hunger and cravings. Once past the carb withdrawal phase, many of us feel like the pouch begins to tighten and cravings are significantly reduced.

• If you feel you need a reward at the end of the week for sticking to your plan, do NOT use food as your reward. Allow yourself to be pampered – a manicure perhaps?

• If you are still struggling after the first 10-14 days, another option would be to do a 36-48 hour liquid only fast. This helps shrink your stomach tissues and boost your metabolism. Please contact us if you need further help.

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