Last week I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil to teach trainers, athletes and fitness buffs how to build a better body. On my day off I flew to Rio de Janeiro to check out the sun, surf, and bikinis.

While I was roaming around Ipanema Beach in a somewhat dehydrated state, I was relieved to see a cool little stand that sold coconut water, straight from the source. After mumbling through enough Portuguese to get my order across to the distracted Brazilian dude working the hut, he grabbed a young coconut, chopped off the top with what appeared to be a machete, and stuck a straw in the opening. I handed him a few reais and off I went because I didn’t want to find out what other uses he might have for that machete.

Coconut water is readily available in Rio and it’s as much a part of their culture as iced tea is to America. In Brazil, there aren’t any outrageous claims with regard to the purported health benefits, and that was a refreshing change from what I’ve been seeing around Los Angeles.

I’ve been prescribing fresh coconut water as part of my athlete’s daily nutrition program for years and the results have been excellent. But as soon as marketers get their hands on a product with a few health benefits, everything goes to hell.

I was reminded of this fact when a friend recently told me that she tried coconut water and it “didn’t do anything.” I’m not exactly sure what she intended it to do, but it’s likely that she read some outrageous claim like it can fix cancer, obesity, diabetes or something along those lines. And it doesn’t help matters when ConsumerLab found that two of the leading brands made label claims that didn’t hold up under testing, as reported last year by the NY Times.

Nevertheless, coconut water’s role is simple: hydration. Now, I believe that coconut water benefits your body and performance beyond hydration, but I’d only be guessing what those other benefits could be since it’s too early to say. However, I know it’s better than water and any other popular sports drinks that are tainted with neon coloring and chemical additives. And don’t believe the sparse research from obscure journals that claim water, coconut water, and sports drinks are the same since they all equally restored the amount of body weight that was lost through training.

Adequate hydration is considerably more complex than just restoring your body weight. Blood tests should have been performed to measure electrolytes, as well as tests of reaction times, cognition, etc. to get a clearer picture. Those are the factors that matter when it comes to performance, and fresh coconut water surely ranks best when compared to water or neon sports drinks.

How can I say this? Because the nutrients in fresh coconut water are in their natural form, paired with all the other known and unknown compounds that increase assimilation. This is why it’s shown that people who eat a lot of citrus fruits are healthier than those who take a lab-made multivitamin with similar nutrients.

Dr. Marian Neuhouser summed it up best when she said, ”The vitamin C in a multivitamin is likely just not as effective as the vitamin C in a citrus fruit, where it’s also surrounded by fiber and flavonoids and carotenoids. All these nutrients working together is what really keeps you healthy.”

And this is exactly why fresh coconut water beats regular water or Jolly Rancher flavored sports drinks. It’s also the reason why the only multivitamin that I use with clients is plant-based. You can find that excellent multivitamin at this link.

Is coconut water perfect for athletes? Probably not since it doesn’t contain enough sodium to replenish your needs when you’ve been sweating heavily. Indeed, sodium is the electrolyte we lose most when sweating and coconut water doesn’t contain much of it. But the solution is as simple as adding a pinch of salt to each 16 ounce bottle – that’s what I have my athletes do before and after intense training.

The catch, however, is that we all don’t live on Ipanema Beach where fresh coconut water is readily available in little huts. Nevertheless, Whole Foods and some other progressive health food stores sell what I consider to be the best tasting coconut water on the market: Taste Nirvana’s Real Coconut Water.

If you want to know what coconut water is supposed to taste like, pick up a glass-bottled version of Taste Nirvana. There’s nothing in it but pure coconut water, unlike those sour-tasting versions that are sold in gas stations and liquor stores that contain additives to preserve shelf life.

When I’m working with athletes that are in an intense training phase leading up to a competition, I’ll have them start their day with 16 ounces of fresh coconut water with a pinch of salt added. You can also use it before and/or after intense training when you sweat a lot.

Finally, the time I consider coconut water to be invaluable is immediately after my fighters weigh-in for a competition. As soon as he or she steps off the scale, 32 ounces of coconut water with a few pinches of salt jumpstarts rehydration and ensures that they’re one step closer to being able to fight with fury the next day.

Stay Focused,
CW

To burn stubborn fat, all your organs and glands must be able to work at their peak. These days thyroid problems are rampant, and that’s no surprise. Your thyroid can take a serious beating in your quest to sculpt a lean physique.

However, the thyroid is probably the most misunderstood parts of your body when it comes to fat loss. It’s absolutely essential to have your thyroid working for you, not against you, as is typically the case with most dieters out there.

Last week I interviewed nutrition expert, Ori Hofmekler, about post-workout nutrition. The response was so large and favorable that I invited him back to discuss thyroid function and how to maximize it.

With this information you’ll be one enormous step closer to finally burning off your most stubborn fat.

CW: Ori, thanks for coming back to talk with us. First, explain why the thyroid is so important for fat loss and overall health.

Ori: My pleasure, Chad. The thyroid hormones regulate your body’s energy utilization, metabolic rate, body heat and they also regulate how sensitive your body is to other hormones. Hence, your thyroid hormones affect your capacity to produce energy, burn fat, and sustain a healthy metabolism.

CW: That explanation alone should make people realize just how crucial thyroid hormones are for fat loss. What happens when the thyroid isn’t working like it should?

Ori: Impairment in thyroid hormone production, such as seen in the case of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), leads to a sluggish metabolism, intolerance to cold, and a diminishing capacity to break fat storage for energy. The principle thyroid hormones are T4 (tyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). T3, the active hormone, is 7-10 times more potent than T4, which is actually a pro-hormone.

CW: So the key hormone here is T3. We need to convert as much as possible from T4, right?

Ori: Yes. In a healthy body up to 80% of T4 is converted to T3 by peripheral organs such as the liver, kidney, and muscle.

CW: And this is why I always say that to burn stubborn fat you need to make sure your organs are working at their peak. So what causes hypothyroidism?

Ori: An underactive thyroid condition is mainly caused by thyroid suppressing chemicals.

CW: Give us some examples.

Ori: Those chemicals include: drugs, plasticizers, industrial iodides, petro-chemicals, antiseptics, selenium salts, and many thyroid inhibiting substances that are found in the foods we eat. Hypothyroidism is also a result of extreme low calorie restriction, inferior protein intake, and a deficiency or excess in iodine and selenium. One of the most typical factors of hypothyroidism is an impairment in the body’s capacity to convert T4 to T3. This impairment is largely caused by chronic calorie restriction and amino acid deficiencies.

CW: In the past when I suspected an imbalance of thyroid hormones with my clients, I sometimes put them on iodine and selenium supplements since those nutrients were purported to support thyroid health. But in many cases their symptoms got worse. 

Ori: The thyroid is a highly evolutionary conserved organ which evolved to support the primordial shift of organisms from the sea – the iodine-rich habitat – to more iodine deficient grasslands and woodlands that were the early human habitats. What this means is that the human species evolved to do well on a moderate to low iodine diet. By effectively trapping and storing iodide ions from foods that contained little iodine, the human body has been capable able of utilizing this mineral for hormonal production and optimal organ functions.

As is the case with most substances, either too little or too much can cause a problem. About 100 years ago, populations in certain world areas suffered from epidemics of underactive thyroid due to iodine and selenium deficiency in the soil. Since then, iodine and selenium supplementation became a mandatory method to prevent hypothyroidism.

The problem is that in the past 50 years supplementing with iodine and selenium has turned out to be utterly counter-effective.

CW: That’s definitely what I experienced with my clients. What was the problem?

Ori: The reason for your lack of results is due to an excess of iodine and selenium. Soil areas that were previously deficient in iodine and selenium are now plugged by an excess of these minerals due to the deposition of industrial waste and agricultural chemicals. So there’s actually too much iodine in our food and soil. Accumulating evidence indicate that excess iodine can increase the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease, hypothyroidism, and even thyroid cancer. And excess selenium has been linked to an underactive thyroid, shattered metabolism, obesity, and mental disorders.

CW: Wow, that’s a frightening list of disorders. So how can people determine if their thyroid needs help?

Ori: There are five symptoms of an underactive thyroid:

1. Sensitivity to cold.
2. A lower body temperature. Check your body temperature upon rising. If it’s below 97.5 degrees you may suffer from an underactive thyroid.
3. Abnormally high TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) as determined by a blood test. A TSH value over 1.50 means that your thyroid isn’t functioning properly and as a consequence your body over pumps TSH to compensate. Many doctors mistakenly regard a TSH value of 2.50 as borderline high. But based on recent research, the true high limit of TSH is 1.50.
4. Chronic fatigue.
5. Difficulty losing weight and leaning down.

CW: That’s excellent information, Ori. What steps can people take to prevent hypothyroidism?

Ori: First, stay away from substances that suppress thyroid hormone activity.

CW: What are some examples of those substances?

Ori: Thyroid suppressing chemicals include: petro-chemicals, PCBs, pesticides, industrial iodides, chemical detergents, parabens, chlorine-containing substances, cobalt, and cadmium paints.

In addition, you should avoid: chronic extreme caloric restrictions, high glycemic foods, chlorinated or fluorinated water, and thyroid suppressing (goitrogenic) foods.

CW: Tell us some foods that fall into that category.

Ori: Thyroid suppressing foods include: soy products, uncooked cruciferous vegetables, parsnips, cassava, millet, and Brazil nuts.

And certain drugs such as diuretics, iodide antiseptics, and histamines are thyroid suppressors.

CW: So what’s your position on supplementing the diet with iodine and selenium?

Ori: Iodine and selenium supplements suppress the thyroid. They should be avoided.

CW: Wow, that will come as a shock to many people. Tell us what supplements support the thyroid.

Ori: The most proven and effective thyroid supportive herb is commiphora mukul, the active ingredient in gugglesterone. Other thyroid supportive herbs are shilajit, milk thistle, and bacopa monavari.

I recommend that people supplement their diet with thyroid enhancing herbs to help counteract the effects of common thyroid inhibiting substances.

CW: Once again, Ori, thanks for your outstanding information.

Ori: You’re welcome, Chad.

If you suspect that you suffer from hypothyroidism and you’ve been struggling to lose stubborn fat, I highly recommend that you try Thyrolyn, Ori’s herbal support formula for the thyroid. My clients have experienced excellent results with his formula and it definitely helps burn stubborn fat. Take 6 pills on an empty stomach in the early afternoon each day.

Stay Focused,
CW

Two years ago I started reading Ori Hofmekler’s work. I was late to the game since he’d been writing for more than a decade, but as the saying goes: better late than never. I was not only fascinated by Ori’s knowledge of biology and human physiology, but his recommendations were also in-line with some of the more progressive research I was seeking out on gut health and hormones. Especially during the period after exercise when we need to maximize post-workout nutrition.

Since the spring of 2010 I’ve been implementing Ori’s unique principles and supplements with myself and my clients. The results were so impressive that it was time I met the man in person to talk shop. Listening to Ori speak about nutrition must be what it feels like to sit in a room with Bill Gates and hear him discuss computer technology.

Yep, I was blown away by the meeting. And since we all try to maximize post-workout nutrition, I wanted to share what Ori Hofmekler had to say.

I’m honored to have Ori here in this exclusive interview.

CW: Ori, throughout the majority of my career I’ve recommended fast-acting carbs with protein powder in the post-workout meal in order to get an insulin spike and shuttle amino acids into the muscles for growth and repair. But after consulting with you I’ve realized that I might have been wrong with this approach.

Can you explain the problems with ingesting simple carbs such as raisins or cherry juice immediately after training?

Ori Hofmekler: First off, after training your muscle becomes temporarily insulin resistant. That’s due to tissue micro-injuries which impair the mechanism that utilizes glucose in your muscle. Putting a high glycemic fuel in your muscle right after exercise will jeopardize energy utilization and disrupt your insulin sensitivity. High glycemic fuel includes all kinds of sugars, dried fruits and refined flour.

One of the biggest misconceptions is the idea that an insulin spike is necessary for boosting protein synthesis in the muscle. The truth is quite different. The real factor is not insulin spike but rather insulin sensitivity.

It has been proven that as long as insulin sensitivity is high, even low (fasting) insulin levels along with amino acids will be sufficient to trigger mTOR/AKT – the cellular pathway that deposits protein in the muscle towards repair and growth.

Overly spiking insulin with simple carbs immediately after exercise impairs insulin sensitivity and diminishes your capacity to sustain a healthy metabolism and a lean, strong physique.

CW: We all know that the few hours after training are important to maximize for muscle growth and fat loss. What’s the best approach to post-workout nutrition when a person is trying to add muscle without inhibiting fat loss?

Ori: The post-exercise period isn’t just your window of opportunity to build muscle, it’s also your ideal opportunity to burn fat.

What many people fail to understand is that exercise only initiates the first phase of fat breakdown; it does not grant the completion of the fat-burning process.

After exercise there’s a substantial increase in the level of circulating free fatting acids coming from adipose tissue, and unless these are mobilized to the liver and muscle for final utilization, most of them will be re-esterfied into triglycerides and re-deposited back in the fat tissues.

Yes, all your hard work to burn fat will be wasted!

In order to grant an effective completion of the fat-burning process you must manipulate your muscle to suck in the circulating free fatty acids that were released by exercise. And the way to do that is to wait for 30-60 minutes after exercise before having your recovery meal.

CW: So much for the notion that post-workout nutrition must begin as soon as the workout is finished.

Ori: Yes, by waiting 30-60 minutes it will give your body the time needed to remove circulating fatty acids for utilization and thus prevent re-deposit and build-up of fat in your adipose tissue.

CW: So why is the post-exercise period a person’s ideal window of opportunity to burn fat?

Ori: It’s because of empty glycogen reserves. Glycogen is your body’s most immediate and preferred fuel for survival activities, such as the fight or flight response. Hence, your body regards glycogen replenishment as a top survival priority. And that’s what happens after intense training: your body is forced to swiftly convert fatty acids into glucose, via gluconeogenesis, which are then used for glycogen replenishment in your muscle.

What this means is that fat breakdown and utilization reaches a peak, not during exercise, but right after exercise. Importantly, this process can only reach its peak in a fasting state. It will be utterly inhibited by carbohydrate feeding.

CW: Fascinating. I can’t tell you how many times I recommended carbs during and immediately after training to clients who wanted to burn off excess fat. Eliminating carbs during this period has drastically increased my client’s rate of fat loss. 

Ori: You’re right, Chad. I was glad when you told me that you removed carbs from Ronda Rousey’s first post-workout protein feeding as you prepared her for her title fight against Miesha Tate.

CW: Yes, that was a key component for leaning Ronda out so she could drop a weight class. So when is the best time to eat carbs in general? 

Ori: The right time for eating carbohydrates is at night when the muscle is no longer insulin resistant like it is directly after training. For effective glycogen loading, eat slow-releasing complex carbs from whole plants the night before training or competition. Ideal sources are corn, quinoa and oatmeal.

With all that said, you still need to feed your muscle to grant repair and growth in the post-exercise period. And you need to do that without inhibiting the fat-burning process.

Therefore, you should use quality whey protein with no sugar added. This is your best bet. Quality whey protein not only nourishes your muscle with essential amino acids and bioactive immune-boosting nutrients, but it also promotes insulin sensitivity via peptides such as CCK and GLP-1. Importantly, insulin sensitivity is necessary for both muscle growth and fat burning.

CW: So what’s the best approach to post-workout nutrition?

Ori: If your goal is to burn fat and build muscle, you must take advantage of the post-exercise window of opportunity. Avoid feeding for 30-60 minutes after training, and then have 40-60 grams of whey protein with no sugar added for recovery. Three scoops of Warrior Whey is ideal at this time. To further enhance muscle build up, have a second recovery meal – same amount of whey protein – about 60 minutes later.

CW: What if a guy isn’t interested in burning fat? Can he have carbs in the post-workout window?

Ori: Yes, but carbs should only come in the second post-workout feeding. And this is only applicable when you’ve trained hard for more than two hours, such as long, intense sparring session or other very high endurance activities. The first feeding should be immediately after exercise from 40-60 grams of quality whey. This is for people who aren’t worried about burning fat – they need to feed their muscle with fast assimilating proteins to stop the catabolic process and promote recovery.

The second feeding should come 30 minutes later and it should include another 40-60 grams of whey. At this time you could have a handful of organic raisins or a bowl of berries. Fruits are densely packed with antioxidants and yield an alkalizing balance effect on your body, which is typically over-acidic after intense, prolonged training.

CW: Terrific information, Ori. Thanks for your time and incredible insight.

Ori: Thank you, Chad.

Ori’s Warrior Whey is the best protein powder I’ve ever used. Through research and development he has created what I consider not only the most effective protein powder for supporting muscle growth and fat loss, but it also tastes incredible. It’s the only whey protein I currently use.

For only $24, you can try Ori’s Warrior Whey. I bet you’ll never use another whey again. You can find out more about Warrior Whey at this link.

Ori’s Post-Workout Protocol for Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
30-60 minutes after exercise: 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water.
60 minutes later (for maximize muscle growth): 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water.

Ori’s Post-Workout Protocol for Extreme Endurance Athletes
Immediately after exercise: 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water.
30 minutes later: 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water with a handful of organic raisins or a bowl of berries.

Stay Focused,
CW

In my first installment of the Waterbury Diet I covered the approach I recommend for fat loss and gut health. Basically, you’ll eat very little during the day, take supplements, and then eat the majority of your calories at night during a 4-hour period. This is essentially what Ori Hofmekler’s Warrior Diet is, and that was the impetus for the Waterbury Diet.

If you haven’t read my first installment, please check it out because it contains the overview of this diet. Without that information, very little of the following will make sense. You can check out the first installment at this link.

The ultimate goal of the Waterbury Diet is simple: improve gut health so your body can use what you put into it. For years, naturopathic doctors and gastroenterologists have been telling us that it’s not what we put in our body that matters: what matters is what our body can assimilate. Proper digestion and absorption are absolutely critical for growth, repair and health.

You will never gain muscle or recover quickly if your gut is unhealthy. I guarantee that 99% of you fall under the category of an “unhealthy gut” or “a gut that’s not as healthy as it should be.” And I’m talking about myself here, too. I always considered myself healthy, but it wasn’t until I started eating this way that I realized just how messed up my GI health really was.

So this brings me to my approach for muscle growth on this diet. One of the primary reasons why most of us hard-training guys and gals have gut problems is because most of the supplements that promise muscle growth are destroying our GI tract. That’s why the system I use for muscle growth builds on the original Waterbury Diet for Fat Loss.

Waterbury Diet for Muscle Growth
There are two primary changes that should be made when fast muscle growth is your goal. First, consume an easily digestible protein source every 3 hours during the fasting phase three days per week to flood your body with muscle-building amino acids. Second, add carbs to your post-workout meal and Feeding Phase.

1. Consume more protein: you already know how important protein is for muscle growth, but you can’t cram crappy protein powders or supermarket beef into your body every few hours and expect your gut to respond well. Frequent meals and high assimilation rates don’t go hand-in-hand. However, our gut can cope with a few, high-quality protein sources.

Which protein sources to use:
1. Whey protein from cattle that were raised without hormones. I prefer Proventive’s Harmonized Protein powder.
2. Vegan protein powders for those who don’t tolerate whey. Sun Warrior’s Raw Vegan protein powder is outstanding. You can find it at this link.
3. Foods that contain milk proteins such as greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I’m only mentioning these because some people get tired of protein powders. However, if you have abdominal distention, or experience any allergy symptoms after consuming milk proteins, remove them from your diet because they’re doing more harm than good.

When to use the protein:
You’ll consume around 20 grams of protein from any of the above sources every three hours, three days per week. Why not every day? Because stuffing protein in your body every day will reduce your assimilation rate and it won’t give your body the fasting phases it needs throughout the week to keep your gut health in check.

Ideally, you’ll consume the protein feedings on the days you lift weights. So if you lift on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, those should be the days you take in extra protein. Just make sure you don’t have the protein feedings two days in a row, even if you lift weights two days in a row.

2. Consume more carbs: it’s extremely difficult to add muscle without a healthy dose of carbs because they release insulin, an important muscle building hormone. This is especially true immediately after your workouts when your muscles are starving for glycogen replenishment. The amount of carbs you need post-workout depends on how much muscle you have. A 250-pound powerlifter needs more carbs than a 150-pound woman.

However, you don’t need a lot of carbs post-workout – just enough to generate an insulin response so the carbs will be shuttled into your muscles. These carbs should be consumed with around 20 grams of protein powder. Here are the recommendations based on your body weight.

150 pounds: 30-35 grams of carbs with 20 grams protein post-workout
200 pounds: 45-55 grams of carbs with 20 grams protein post-workout
250 pounds: 55-65 grams of carbs with 20 grams protein post-workout

Which carb sources to use post-workout:
1. Organic cherry juice. Research by the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that consuming cherry juice post workout reduces soreness. As an added bonus, cherry juice contains a healthy dose of melatonin so you’ll sleep better.
2. Organic raisins. Raisins are an alkaline food so they help offset acidification from training. Also, they have a high glycemic load so the carbs can be quickly shuttled into your muscles.
3. Fresh pineapple. Pineapple is great post-workout because it contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps your body assimilate protein and reduce inflammation.

To gain muscle, I also recommend that you get plenty of carbs during the Feeding Phase. Your muscles can take a lot more carbs than you gave them post-workout because they haven’t had any for almost a day.

The ideal sources for carbs in your first meal of the Feeding Phase are: rice, potatoes or pasta. Eat as much of those carbs as you want, with protein, until you’re completely satisfied. If you get hungry a few hours after dinner, and if it’s still within the 4-hour Feeding Phase, eat again. At this time mixed nuts, natural cheese or almond butter are good options.

Overview of the Waterbury Diet
As mentioned, there are differences between eating for fat loss and eating for muscle growth. You should read both installments to understand the whole plan. However, the following gives a brief description that shows the difference between the two.

For fat loss: eat very little during the day, consume protein post-workout on the days you lift weights, eat until you’re satisfied during the 4-hour Feeding Phase at night.

For muscle growth (3 days per week): consume protein every 3 hours during the “fasting” phase, consume protein with carbs post-workout, eat until you’re satisfied and include plenty of carbs during first part of the 4-hour Feeding Phase at night.

For muscle growth (4 days per week): eat very little during the day, consume protein with carbs post-workout on the days you lift weights, eat until you’re satisfied during the 4-hour Feeding Phase at night.

Stay Focused,
CW

In the spring of 2010 I started experimenting with the Warrior Diet by Ori Hofmekler and it forever changed the way I approach nutrition. Without that diet, and my subsequent experiments with different versions of it, my clients and I wouldn’t be as lean and healthy as we are today. I won’t delve into why I initially tried the Warrior Diet since I covered most of that in this blog.

This installment covers the nutritional strategies I currently recommend for fat loss and gastrointestinal (GI) health. I’ll tell you upfront that I’m not going to explain why the Waterbury Diet ended up the way it did, or else I’d have to write a book. But I don’t want to do that. Why? There are a few reasons.

First, this version of the Waterbury Diet is similar enough to the original Warrior Diet that I don’t feel right charging people money for it. However, my approach is different enough to justify its own version or else I’d tell you to just follow the Warrior Diet. (Although, reading the Warrior Diet is highly recommended.) Second, since there’s not a lot of research on intermittent fasting (IF) – the key component to this diet – it’s unlikely I’ll be able to reference any new studies you haven’t seen from other experts. Third, it was time I outlined what I’ve been doing since I’m late to the game. My buddy Jason Ferruggia has his Renegade Diet and Dr. John Berardi wrote an excellent piece on this style of eating. Yep, there are many others out there that have their own versions so I thought it was time to outline the approach I use for myself and my clients.

Finally, I must mention that it’s essential for you to consult your physician before embarking on this, or any other, nutrition plan. Now let’s get started.

Gut Health and Intermittent Fasting 
In the early part of the 20th century, Dr. Eli Metchnikoff coined the phrase “Death begins in the gut.” That’s probably the most accurate and important statement you’ll ever hear. Indeed, in 1908 he won a Nobel Prize for his work studying gut bacterial flora. In order to get leaner, stronger, more muscular or healthier, you must improve gut health. This is where intermittent fasting (IF) becomes essential.

In the Warrior Diet, Ori Hofmekler outlines two distinct phases of eating each day. The first phase is the aptly titled “undereating phase” where you consume very few calories. (He also refers to this stage as “controlled fasting.”) The undereating phase lasts 16-20 hours. That’s followed by the “overeating phase” at night where he recommends a specific sequence of foods to get the most benefit. During this 4-8 hour window you’ll consume most of your daily calories.

The effectiveness of this diet stems from the intermittent fasting (IF) stage. When you get it right you’ll burn fat, boost energy and improve overall health by reducing inflammation. Importantly, the terms controlled fasting, undereating phase, and intermittent fasting all refer to the same thing. I’ll be using the term “fasting” to describe this phase.

Waterbury Diet for Fat Loss – Fasting Phase (20 hours)
From the time you wake up, until four hours before bed, consume 0.5 ounce of liquid per pound of lean body mass. Your lean body mass is your body weight minus your fat weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds and have 20% body fat, you have 40 pounds of fat. That leaves you with 160 pounds of lean body mass. You need at least 80 ounces of liquid during the fasting phase, mostly from water. You can have up to 16 ounces of tea (green and white tea are best) as part of this liquid requirement. Coffee addicts are allowed up to 8 ounces of black coffee, although it’s not recommended.

The fasting phase is the toughest part of this whole diet, especially during the first few days. You’ll be hungry, cranky, and your energy will be lower than ever. I recommend starting this diet on a weekend when you don’t have work demands or when you don’t need to be a social butterfly. It’s never fun to go through detox, and that’s exactly what the fasting phase is. However, after a few days your physiology will shift, the hunger pangs will go away, your skin will start to clear up, and your energy levels will be higher than ever.

What can you eat during the fasting phase? This is where I differ from the original Warrior Diet that says you can have any fruits, fruit juices, an egg or two, or some yogurt. I’ve found the best results are achieved with the least amount of food possible. Look, anyone can go without eating much during the day, especially when you know you can eat until you’re completely satisfied at night.

Fasting Phase Rule #1: Don’t eat unless you’re really hungry.
At first you’ll be hungry within a few hours after you wake up, maybe even as soon as you wake up if you’re like I was. After a week or so you might not be hungry until 2pm. In any case, wait until the hunger pangs are too tough to withstand before eating anything.

Fasting Phase Rule #2: When you do eat, eat as little as possible.
Consume calories during the fasting phase from only five sources:

1. A handful of fresh berries. Any berries will work, but many people favor raspberries since the high fiber content controls hunger.
2. One-half of an organic apple. If it’s a relatively small apple, eat the whole thing.
3. A glass of vegetable juice made from any fresh veggies. V-8 is not recommended since it’s not fresh, but there are worse things to drink.
4. Mix 4 ounces of organic cranberry juice with 8 ounces of water. This adds toward your daily liquid requirement. Thanks to John Meadows for turning me on to cranberry juice – it’s excellent to support liver health and stave off hunger.
5. Drink 8 ounces of fresh coconut water. Because of the carb content in coconut water, don’t drink more than one serving per day. You can add a pinch of salt to the coconut water, thus making it “nature’s Gatorade.”

So whenever hunger takes over during the fasting phase, choose one of the five options above. You can have any of the above choices up to three times during the 20-hour fasting phase, but mix up your choices each day and spread them out as much as possible.

Fasting Phase Rule #3: Take supplements during the 20-hour phase.
Certain supplements will make the fasting phase much easier to deal with. The following supplements support your metabolism, immune system, and reduce inflammation. I always hesitate to mention supplements because there are so many. It’s inevitable that I’ll get hundreds of questions asking if “supplement x” is ok to take, too. What you see below is what I recommend, but you might want to add other things to the mix. Keep in mind that some supplements should be taken with food so they might not fit in the fasting phase.

1. Multi-vitamin/mineral – my two favorites are the “one daily” versions by MegaFood and Biotest’s Superfood. Take either when you wake up.
2. Curcumin/Turmeric – take 500mg of curcumin when you wake up. I use Biotest’s version.
3. Resveratrol – take a 600mg dose when you wake up. Again, I use Biotest’s Rez-v.
4. Probiotics – I recommend one capsule of MegaFlora by Mega Food when you wake up.
5. Herbs for thyroid support – each afternoon around 2pm, when I’m hours into the fasting phase, I take herbs to support thyroid health. The best out there is Thyrolyn by Defense Nutrition. You can get it at this link.

Waterbury Diet for Fat Loss – Feeding Phase (4 hours)
The feeding phase is where the real fun begins. Hofmekler recommends that you eat your foods in a certain sequence during his “overeating phase” at night. Even though I like his approach, I don’t think it’s necessary. Your body has been without any sufficient calories for 20 hours so it’s ready to assimilate what you give it. This is where dieting dogma goes out the window: you can eat the majority of your calories at night, even with carbs, and still lose fat. I’ve seen it countless times over the last few years with clients that range from 24 to 70 years old.

What can you eat during the feeding phase? Whatever you want that’s not processed or crap. Honestly, we all know what good foods are, so I don’t want to rehash them here. No, you can’t eat a bag of Doritos, but you can have a baked potato with dinner.

The key point is to get a big, healthy serving of protein with dinner. You haven’t had any protein yet so your body is craving it. That protein can come from chicken, fish, beef, turkey, eggs, shellfish, or any other complete protein source.

How much can you eat? As much as you want until you’re completely satisfied. But don’t gorge yourself with food, try to eat at a normal pace in order to give your gut time to tell your brain that it has had enough. Drink as much liquid as you feel you need.

You can have spaghetti with meatballs and a side of asparagus. You can have fish with rice and a side of broccoli. You can have chicken with a baked potato and a spinach salad. Again, there are countless options, just eat a complete meal with whatever good foods sound best to you. Dessert is fine, too. A square or two of dark chocolate or a bowl of fruit are great choices. Half a carrot cake isn’t smart.

I recommend four supplements with dinner, and two of them again later in the evening:

1. Digestive enzyme and/or HCl – my clients and I take 1 capsule of Digest Gold by Enzymedica at the beginning of dinner. During dinner some of them take 200-600mg of HCl in addition to the Digest Gold. Importantly, don’t take HCl if you’re having any alcohol with dinner. HCl is a tricky supplement, and beyond what I want to cover here, so consult with your doctor before taking it.
2. Vitamin D3 – take 2000 IU with dinner.
3. Fish oil – during dinner take two teaspoons (not tablespoons) of Carlson’s liquid fish oil or two Flameout pills from Biotest or two Krill oil pills from Pro/Grade that can be found at this link.
4. Astaxanthin – this powerful anti-inflammatory supplement is probably going to be the next big thing. Take one 4 or 5mg tablet with dinner.

That covers your first meal during the feeding phase. It’s likely that you’ll have a little hunger by the end of it. What should you do? Eat! Again, you can eat whatever sounds good that wouldn’t be categorized as junk. Maybe you want some leftover dinner, or a handful of mixed nuts, or another piece of fruit.

When you eat again at the end of the feeding phase take another serving of fish oil and astaxanthin like you did during dinner along with another 500mg of curcumin.

Before bed, preferably a few hours after your last food intake, I highly recommend that you take a full spectrum mineral supplement. It’s not easy for your gut to assimilate minerals so they should be chelated. Two versions I like are Biotest’s ElitePro Mineral Support and Mega Multi-Mineral by Solaray.

Training During the Waterbury Diet for Fat Loss
It’s best to train right before your feeding phase. That way, all those calories will shuttle into your muscles for growth and repair. However, some of you might train in the morning or earlier in the afternoon. Regardless of when you train (morning, afternoon, evening) take one scoop of protein powder immediately after your workout. Proventive’s Harmonized Protein is an excellent whey from New Zealand. If your stomach doesn’t like whey, Sun Warrior makes an outstanding vegan protein that can be found at this link.

This diet can be used in conjunction with any training program of mine. However, if muscle growth is your primary goal and if you’re on one of my more demanding HFT programs, my next installment might better fit your needs.

Final Words
This version of the Waterbury Diet is for those who need to lose a lot of fat or improve their overall health. I want to be clear that I’m not against a more traditional style of eating with multiple meals per day. This diet isn’t for everyone, especially those who want to have breakfast with their family or power lunches at noon. But if you can make this plan work for at least 6 weeks, I think you’ll look and feel better than ever.

You might think this plan is heavy on the supplements, but honestly, it needs to be. During the fasting phase your body is getting very few calories so the nutrients need to come from somewhere. And during the feeding phase your gut is ready to assimilate whatever you put in it, so make the most of that opportunity with the recommended supplements.

In my next installment I’ll cover the changes I make to this plan for muscle growth with fat loss.

Stay Focused,
CW

References (thanks to Mike T. Nelson)
Gjedsted J, et al. (2007) Effects of a 3-day fast on regional lipid and glucose metabolism in human skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Acta Physiol 191: 205-216.
Johnstone AM. (2007) Fasting – the ultimate diet? Obesity Reviews 8: 211-222.
Aksungar FB, et al. (2007) Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein and Biochemical Parameters during Prolonged Intermittent Fasting. Ann Nutr Metab 51: 88-95.