This section is jam-packed. This is everything you need to know about eating the DAMY Lean way for life. It isn’t meant to be complex. Start with the basics below and get used to these few guidelines. It won’t take you long to get comfortable.

Here’s what the rest of this section includes:

• Detailed Nutrition Guidelines 
• Free Foods
• Condiments
• Dietary Restriction Information
• Month 1 – Portion Sizes, Notes and Snacks
• Month 2 – Portion Sizes, Notes and Snacks
• Month 3 – Portion Sizes, Notes and Snacks
• Members Only Site Recipe Notes
• Meal 6 Information
• Sample Menu
• DAMY Grocery List

THE BASICS – HOW TO EAT ON PLAN

Welcome to the nutrition pillar. You are going to get used to eating this way very quickly. Give yourself some time to settle in. Here are a few of the key principles to keep in mind. Read these first, get started on your program and then go deeper.

So, glancing over the nutrition section there are a few general rules that if you just follow you will start to lose weight.

When I first started working with women one thing I wasn’t prepared for is that any program can be interpreted in a series of ways. Make sure to follow these general rules and you will be on track.

GUIDELINES FOR A LEAN LIFE:

1) Generally speaking we are only going to be eating during the day – when the sun is up we eat and when it is down we don’t. See the intermittent fasting section for more info about 13 hour circadian rhythm intermittent fasting.

2) You are going to be eating three meals and two snacks per day.

Now, for some that will be too much food. If you feel it is too much and you aren’t having serious cravings at night cut back the portions or take out one of the snacks. If you do take something out and then the next day you have cravings please add the food back in. That is how we judge if you need more or not. No calorie counting. Just listen to your body.

3) Everything you eat should be whole, real foods. As little packaged food as humanly possible. Use only foods that nourish your body, mind, spirit and make you feel energized from the inside out. Use only food that your body knows what to do with. Food your body can use to heal and mend and go out into the day and work it like a warrior.

4) For breakfast we are going to have a healthy carb, healthy protein (maybe some hemp seeds for that protein if you are vegan) and fruit and/or veggies. If you don’t like sweeter in the morning you can always go for the omelette route or a tofu scramble route. Veggies are never off limits.

You will see that I have placed a 1 cup portion size on veggies but that is just a general recommendation. Rarely can you eat too many veggies and only in the more special circumstances can you eat too much fruit. I have met someone who could eat a whole bag of apples and that was a problem. Unless you are a compulsive binge eater eating too much fruit and veggies is just not possible.

I know a lot of us were raised on the atkins where they tricked us into thinking that watermelon will make us fatties but a protein bar with 20 different chemicals and chocolate chips in it will make us have abs? You know? It is insane.

Don’t ever feel bad about eating too many fruits or veggies on this program. As long as you are not having fruit at night.

So, breakfast is a healthy carb, veggies, fruit and protein. Done. If you want to add in chia seeds or hemp seeds or tofu or whatever protein options, awesome.

5) For our snack we are going to have a combination of nuts, fruit smoothie or any of the options in the lists provided. Just keep it healthy and rational. If you have a favorite food that is made of whole foods go for it. If your local place has a smoothie made of fruits and veggies that is fine.

6) For lunch we are going to have a ton of veggies, a protein and a healthy carb.

7) For our afternoon snack and we are going for less of a fruit route and more of a savory snack direction. Sometimes for me I just have a little bit of leftover lunch. If I had roasted chickpeas on my salad at lunch I will put 1/2 cup aside and use them as a pick-me-up mid afternoon. That works for me and it might for you as well.

8) For supper we are just going to keep it very lean. This is key. No “B” foods (carbs) after 4PM. We are going to have roasted veggies, salad, a protein and please make sure to have a healthy fat. I like avocado here or if any added-on healthy fats don’t sound good to you try 1 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil as a salad dressing (great option).  

We use fats for supper for recovery and healing. During the day we are only consuming small amounts of fats during snacks but at night it is time to stop our carb intake and boost our fats.

Now you are set. Read through the rest of this section and become familiar with the different food categories, portion sizes and timings.

Follow these 8 general principles and your nutrition will be set for life.

 

*Before you begin

Getting started today.

You can begin the DAMY Lean nutrition pillar at your next meal. Here’s what you need to know.

Key Concepts:

1. No carbohydrates (grains & fruit) after 4pm.
2. No fat with meals before 4pm.
3. Fast for 13 hours every night
4. Don’t skip meals. Don’t skip food groups. Vary the types of things you eat.
5. Follow the portion sizes recommended below.

 

DAMY LEAN – Nutrition for life.

Like all things new on first glance this program can seem more confusing than it really is. It is actually very simple.

FOOD COMBINING – the basis of this program is food combining – ***eat specific foods at specific times in the proper portions and do not worry about counting calories.

On the next page look under meal format to choose the meal you are going to eat and see under combination which food categories you will be combining.

Select your foods from the appropriate categories listed on the following page. Use the portions listed under your current week’s portion sizes (also listed below) to create your meal.

Again, the basics:

Our program is considered a food combining program which avoids calorie counting and makes creating a long-term sustainable lifestyle easy. Below we will highlight how to follow the program and some of the basic rules involved.

• Each letter represents a category of food. They are loosely as follows: A – protein, B – carbs, C – low glycemic fruits/veg, D – high glycemic fruits/veg, E – fats.
• An example for how it works – If breakfast is A+B+(C or D) it means to eat one serving of protein, carbs, and one serving of either low glycemic or high glycemic fruits/veg. Follow the portion sizes listed below (they are very important to the success of your program).
• Only consume 1-2 treats per week – treats include portion sizes larger than what is listed or combinations outside of your protocol (ex – having carbs at supper).
• Fast for 13 hours every night (not more than 13). Do not eat at night. Stop eating between 6-8pm and have breakfast 13 hours later. If you are hungry consider turmeric tea, herbal tea, rooibos tea, water, etc.

 

FOOD COMBINING – THE DAMY LEAN

Meal Format	Combination
Meal 1 (Breakfast)	A+B+(C or D) (No Fat)
Meal 2	*Snack (morning)
Meal 3 (Lunch)	A+B+(C or D) (No Fat)
Meal 4	*Snack (afternoon)
Meal 5 (Supper)	A+C+E (No Fruit or Grains)

 

A Foods

Chicken

Flank Steak

Ground Turkey

Salmon

Fresh Fish

Eggs

Edamame

Egg Whites

White Turkey

Non-Fat/No Sugar Greek Yogurt

Tuna

All White Fish

Scallop/Shrimp

Crab/Lobster

Natural Protein Powder

1% Cottage Cheese

Tofu

Pork/Red Meat (once per week

Hemp Seeds

B Foods

Quinoa

Brown Rice Cakes

Sweet Potato

Chickpeas

Lentils

WG/Brown Rice Pasta

WG Couscous

100% WG Wrap

Canned Pumpkin

Steel Cut Oatmeal

Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Quinoa Flakes

Beans

Ezekiel Bread/Wraps

Brown Rice

Squash (all)

Brown Rice Wraps/Bread/etc

Spaghetti Squash

C Foods

Apple

Grapefruit

Kiwi

Raspberries

Blueberries

Strawberries

Broccoli

Water Chestnuts

Cauliflower

Cucumbers

String Beans

Green Beans

Spinach

Zucchini

Leafy Greens (Lettuce, Kale, etc)

Pear

Eggplant

Radishes

Spaghetti Squash

Cabbage

Raw Carrots

Brussels Sprouts

Asparagus

Tomatoes

Free Foods

D Foods

Raisins

Squash (all)

Pineapple

Banana

Grapes

Peaches

Oranges

All Melons

Mango

Papaya

Pea Pods

Dried Fruit (only 1/4 cup)

Cooked Carrots

Corn

E Foods

Goat Cheese

Olives

Natural Nut Butters (Peanut, Almond, etc)

Oils (healthy) – Udo’s, Olive, Coconut, Avocado

Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, etc)

Avocado

Hard Cheese

Babybel Cheese/String (1 packet)

 

Free Foods:

These can be added to any meal. They can be used as a side salad at any meal. Feel free to load these on.

• Lettuce (all kinds)
• Onions
• Cucumbers
• Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Kale
• Celery
• Spinach

Condiments:

They are to be used at 1 tbsp per meal (except for hummus and salsa), they must be minimal ingredients, oil based salad dressings, and NO creamy fatty dressings or mayo.

• Ketchup
• All spices
• Mustard 
• Real Oil Based Salad Dressings
• Relish
• All Vinegars
• All seasonings
• Extracts
• Honey Mustard
• Stevia
• Hummus (1/4 Cup)
• Salsa (1/4 Cup)

See DAMY’s Homemade Salad Dressings complete approved sauces and spices list here: http://www.damyhealth.com/2010/09/spices-and-sauces-oh-my/

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Other Dietary Restrictions

*Please check your section on the Member’s Only site frequently for updates – found here.

If you are vegetarian or vegan your main differences are in the A column (protein). Where some of these options will contain more carbohydrates you may have to make changes to portions as you go along. Reducing the size of the portion (but not completely cutting any one food) is optimal if you aren’t achieving ideal results. For now, make straight substitutions with the vegetarian protein options.

Non-Meat Protein Options (A Column) – The ‘A’ for Vegetarians.

• Edamame (1 cup)
• Veggie meat (3-5 oz)
• Temph (3-5 oz)
• 1% Cottage Cheese (1 cup)
• Chickpeas (1 cup)
• Black beans (1 cup)
• Tofu  (3-5 oz)
• Protein powder (brown rice, hemp, soy, whey)
• Greek yogurt (1 cup)
• Eggs and Egg Whites (4-6 whites)
• Quinoa (1 cup)
• Hummus (1/3 cup)
• White Fish (3-5oz) – If you eat fish.
• All Seafood (3-5oz) – If you eat seafood.
• Hemp Seeds (3 Tbsp)

For baking vegans can substitute eggs with 1/4 ground flax and 1/4 cup water. Set this mixture aside for a few minutes before adding it to your recipe. It works great!

*For gluten free, grain free, dairy free and all other dietary restrictions go here for more info.

Month 1 Portion Sizes:

A Foods: (please try to vary your choices during the week)

• 3-4 Ounces (Meats) – This can be weighed or measured by your palm
• Whole Egg – 1 + 3-4 Egg Whites
• Egg Whites – 4 or more if you’re hungry
• Yogurt – ½ Cup
• Protein Powder – 1 Scoop unless otherwise advised on label

B Foods: (all measurements are for cooked carbohydrates)

• ½ Cup Sweet Potato 
• 1 Slice Toast 
• 1 Pita/1 Small Wrap
• ½ Cup Pasta
• ½ Cup Oatmeal
• ½ Cup Beans/Pumpkin
• ½ Cup Brown Rice

C Foods:

• 1 Cup Berries or 1 Piece of Fruit
• 2  Cups Veggies
• Salad – unlimited!

D Foods:

• 1 Cup Fruit or 1 Piece of Fruit
• 1 Cup Veggies

E Foods:

• 12 Nuts
• 1 Tbsp
• ½ Avocado

Nutrition Notes for Month 1.

• You should be drinking 3-4 liters of water spread out throughout the day. Coffee and tea are allowed. You may have coffee at a maximum of two cups per day and herbal tea is unlimited. No sugar or sweeteners in the coffee and no cream!
• Stick to the portion sizes. There will be portion size changes and some foods eliminated at the 4 week and 8 week mark.
• Watch your sodium.
• Make sure the condiments you use are measured and are low in sugar. There are no creamy dressings.
• Eat every three hours.  Keep in mind your body needs to adapt to the changes.
• For the first 4 weeks you may have 1 treat per week.  Make this a reasonably healthy treat and an appropriate portion!
• Steel cut oatmeal (or Old Fashioned Oats – for protein pancake), egg whites, and berries with one tbsp of flax is your number one breakfast choice (see DAMY Health Protein Pancake Recipes).
• Have fun and vary your food choices.
• Stick to the plan.  Don’t cut things or add things. There is a method to the madness!
• Supper Tips – Make your favorite meals substituting pasta, rice, and/or wraps with smart on-plan choices.

Examples:

• Instead of Pasta – use spaghetti squash
• Instead of Rice – use cauliflower rice
• Instead of WG Wraps – use lettuce wraps

 

Month 1 Snack Options

Morning Snacks – (Easy to grab)

• 3 Hardboiled Eggwhites/1 Banana/Water
• 1 Cup Non-Fat Plain Yogurt (Greek)/ ½ cup Strawberries/Water
• 2 Brown Rice Cakes w/ 1 tbsp Almond Butter/Water
• 1 Scoop Protein Powder/ ½ cup Blueberries/Almond Milk/Water
• 1 Banana/1 Tbsp Natural Almond Butter
• ½ Cup Any Veggies/1/4 Cup Hummus
• 12 Almonds/1 Apple
• 1 Yogurt/½ Cup Grapes
• 1 Cup Berries/1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Small Brown Rice Wrap/ ½ Banana/ 1 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
• 1 Cup Chopped Mixed Fruit or one piece of fruit (Banana, Apple, Grapefruit or Pear)

Morning Snacks – (Member’s Only Site) – Click the links to view the recipes

• DAMY Health Green Juices & Smoothies
• Larabar
• 2 DAMY Quinoa Omelette Cups
• Brownie Batter on a Stick
• 2 Turkey Muffins
•     1/3 Cup DAMY Healthy Nutella Mousse/1Sliced Apple
• 2 of any DAMY Protein Balls
• 1 DAMY Protein Eatmore Bar
• ¼ Cup DAMY Hummus/1 Wrap worth of DAMY Ezekiel Chips
• 1 DAMY Sushi Wrap
• DAMY Protein Pancake
• 1 Cup of Roasted Chickpeas
•     2 Cups Cheesy Kale Chips
•     Healthy Nori Chips

For a ton of more healthy snack ideas go here (see notes at the bottom of each recipe).

Afternoon Snacks – (Easy to grab)

• 1 Apple/12 Almonds
• 1 Cups Celery/1Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
• ½ Can Tuna (or vegan tuna)/½ Bell Pepper
• 1 Brown Rice Cake/1 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
• Basic Smoothy (1 Scoop Protein Powder/½ Cup Berries/1 Cup Skim Milk)
• 4 Squares Dark Chocolate/7 Walnuts (Max once per week)
• 1 Cup Red Pepper/1/4 Cup Hummus
• 1 Piece of Fruit (orange/grapefruit/apple/banana/etc)
• ½ Tin Water Packed Canned Tuna (or vegan tuna)/Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 oz Grilled Chicken Breast/Sliced Cucumber/ ½ Pear
• Hardboiled Eggwhites/Sliced Tomatoes/ ½ Pear
• 1 Cup Sliced Cucumbers (and/or Carrots)/ ¼ cup Hummus
• ½ cup Non-Fat Cottage Cheese/Chopped Kiwi and Apple (half) 
• ¼ Cup Guacamole/1 Cup Cut up Veggies
• 2 Hard Boiled Eggs/Chopped Fresh Veggies
• 1 Cup Edamame
• 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt/1 Tbsp Peanut Butter/Stevia/Cinnamon

Afternoon Snacks – (Member’s Only Site) – Click the links to view the recipes

• DAMY Health Green Juices & Smoothies
• Brownie Batter on a Stick
• 2 Cups Cheesy Kale Chips
• 2 Turkey Muffins
• 2 DAMY Quinoa Omelette Cups
•     1 Cup of Roasted Chickpeas
•     Healthy Nori Chips

For a ton of more healthy snack ideas go here (see notes at the bottom of each recipe).

 

Month 2 Portion Sizes – only change if weight loss plateau occurring.

A Foods:  (vary your choices during the week) – (We are eliminating yolks and milk)

• 3 Ounces (Meats) – This can be weighted or measured by your palm
• Egg Whites – 4 or more if you’re hungry
• Yogurt – ½ Cup
• Protein Powder – 1 Scoop unless otherwise advised on label

B Foods: (we are eliminating pasta, wraps, and bread)

• ½ Cup Sweet Potato 
• ½ Cup Oatmeal
• ½ Cup Beans/Pumpkin
• ½ Cup Brown Rice
• ½ Cup Quinoa

C Foods: (portions of veggies/fruit are smaller)

• 1 Cup Berries or ½ Piece Fruit
• 2  Cups Veggies
• Salad – unlimited!

D Foods:

• ½ Cup Fruit or ½ Piece
• ½ Cup Veggies

(Limit to once per day in the earlier part of the day. Portions of veggies/fruit are smaller)

E Foods: (try to use healthy oils as much as you can)

• 12 Nuts
• 1 Tbsp
• ½ Avocado

 

Nutrition Notes for Month 2.

• Fruit will be eaten twice per day. 
• Protein: Try to choose white fish and chicken as much as you can. 
• Veggies: Try to stick to all green veggies and peppers. 
• Fruit: Your best choices are berries, apples, and grapefruit. 
• Fats: They should be reserved for almonds or healthy oils.
• Snacks will change and are listed. 
• Portion sizes also are changed.

Month 2 Snack Options

Morning Snacks – (Easy to grab)

• 3 Hardboiled Eggwhites/1 Banana/Water
• 1/2 Cup Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt/ ½ cup Strawberries/Water
• 1 Brown Rice Cakes w/ 1 Tbsp Almond Butter/Water
• 1 Scoop Protein Powder/ ½ cup Blueberries/Almond Milk/Water
• 1 Banana/1 Tbsp Natural Almond Butter
• 1 Cup Red Pepper/1/4 Cup Hummus
• 1/2 Cup Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt/½ Cup Grapes
• 1 Cup Berries
• 1 Cup Chopped Mixed Fruit
• Baked Kale Chips
• 1 Cup Roasted Chickpeas

Morning Snacks – (Member’s Only Site) – Click the links to view the recipes

• DAMY Health Green Juices & Smoothies
• Larabar
• 2 DAMY Quinoa Omelette Cups
• Brownie Batter on a Stick
• 2 Turkey Muffins
• 1/3 Cup DAMY Healthy Nutella Mousse/1Sliced Apple
• 2 of any DAMY Protein Balls
• 1 DAMY Protein Eatmore Bar
• Healthy Nori Chips

For a ton of more healthy snack ideas go here (see notes at the bottom of each recipe).

Afternoon Snacks – (Easy to grab)

• DAMY Health Green Juices
• 1 Apple/12 Almonds
• 1 Cups Celery/1Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
• ½ Can Tuna (or vegan tuna)/½ Bell Pepper
• 1 Rice Cake/1 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
• Basic Fruit Smoothy (1 Scoop Protein Powder, ½ Cup Berries, 1 Cup Skim Milk)
• 1 Cup Red Pepper/1/4 Cup Hummus
• 1 Piece of Fruit (grapefruit/apple/etc)
• ½ Tin Water Packed Canned Tuna (or vegan tuna)/1/2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 oz Grilled Chicken Breast/1/2 Cup Sliced Cucumber/ ½ Pear
• 3 Hardboiled Eggwhites/Sliced Tomatoes/ ½ Pear
• 1 Cup Sliced Cucumbers (and/or Carrots)/ ¼ cup Hummus
• ½ cup Non-Fat Cottage Cheese/Chopped Kiwi and Apple (half) 
•     ¼ Cup Guacamole/ 1 Cup Chopped Veggies

Afternoon Snacks – (Member’s Only Site) – Click the links to view the recipes

• DAMY Health Green Juices & Smoothies
• Brownie Batter on a Stick
• 2 Cups Cheesy Kale Chips
• 2 Turkey Muffins
• 2 DAMY Quinoa Omelette Cups
•     1 Cup of Roasted Chickpeas
•     Healthy Nori Chips

For a ton of more healthy snack ideas go here (see notes at the bottom of each recipe).

 

Month 3 Portion Sizes – only change if weight loss plateau occurring.

A Foods:  (vary your choices during the week) – (We are eliminating yolks and milk.)

• 3 Ounces (Meats) – This can be weighted or measured by your palm
• Egg Whites – 4
• ½ Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Scoop Protein Powder

B Foods: (we are eliminating pasta, wraps, and bread. Your best choices for these last four weeks are sweet potato, oatmeal and quinoa)

• ¼ Cup Sweet Potato 
• ¼ Cup Oatmeal
• ¼ Cup Brown Rice
• ¼ Cup Quinoa

C Foods: (portions of veggies/fruit are smaller)

• ½ Cup Berries or ½ Piece Fruit
• 2 Cup Veggies
• Salad – unlimited!

D Foods:

• Limited to ½ Cup Per Day

E Foods: (try to use healthy oils as much as you can)

• 12 Nuts
• 1 Tbsp
• ½ Avocado

Nutrition Notes for Month 3

• Things really tighten up here!  We choose certain foods for you to eat because of their nutrition density where you are consuming less food. 
• Veggies should be mainly green.
• Fruit should be mainly berries.
• Snacks change.  See listed snacks for details.
• For your goal week (week 12) watch that you are eating every 3 hours. Make sure your veggies are in most meals. Make sure you are drinking all your water and watching your sodium. Get a spray tan 1 day before your goal. We would love to see an after photo!

 

Month 3 Snack Options

These snacks should be heavy in fruits and vegetables. The more natural and simple these snacks the better.

• DAMY Health Green Juices & Smoothies
• Healthy Nori Chips
• 2 Cups Cheesy Kale Chips
• 3 Hardboiled Eggwhites/ ½ Cup Berries/Water
• 3 Eggwhite scramble  (peppers, mushrooms, onions, 1/4 cup salsa)
• ½ Can Tuna (or vegan tuna)/ ½ Apple/ 1/2 Cup Chopped Celery/Water
• 1 Brown Rice Cake w/ 1 tbsp Natural Almond Butter/Water
• 1 Apple/1 Tbsp Natural Almond Butter
• 1 Cup Red Pepper/1/4 Cup Hummus
• 1 Cup Berries
• 1 Cup Roasted Chickpeas
• 3 Oz Chicken/1/2 Cup Cucumber
• 1 Apple/12 Almonds
• 1 Cups Celery/1Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
• ½ Can Tuna (or vegan tuna)/½ Bell Pepper
• 1 Piece of Fruit (grapefruit/apple/etc)
• ½ Tin Water Packed Canned Tuna (or vegan tuna)/Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 oz Grilled Chicken Breast/Sliced Cucumber/1/2 Apple
• 3 Hardboiled Eggwhites/ 1/2 Cup Sliced Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Sliced Cucumbers (and/or Carrots)/ 1/4 Cup Hummus
• 2 Cups Steamed Veggies with 1 Tbsp Dressing

For a ton of more healthy snack ideas go here (see notes at the bottom of each recipe).

*Recipes on the DAMY Members Only Site

http://www.damyhealth.com/damy-recipes

Many of the recipes added to the Members-Only Site fit into the meal category they are in BUT some are added as whole family recipes.

I want to provide recipes everyone in your family can eat. So if you look at your DAMY Health plan and you see there is a food group in a recipe that you are not supposed to have at that meal (lets say it is supper and there is pasta in the recipe) you just don’t have the pasta.

You can still make the meal for your family. You have everything else but the pasta. You just add a salad and green veggies for you.

If is it lunch and there is not a healthy carb in the recipe just add one!  Remember to always stick to your portion sizes on your plan.

*For DAMY Members Only Lunch Recipes go here.

*For DAMY Members Only Supper Recipes go here.

Your DAMY plan meal format comes first and your meal selection comes second. All the recipes in the private site are healthy but some just need to be tweaked to fit certain meals. It will get easier to get it down. It becomes second nature.

Extra Notes: The basics you need to know:

1. All meals have a lean protein (A Food).

2. Lunch is A+B+ a C food OR a D food. Want both in a recipe? Just break your portion of the C and D foods in half so they equal one serving together. So for lunch you have a protein, a healthy carb, and a veggie and/or fruit. With lunch or dinner you can add salad and your free foods (for dressings see the private site for the full lists).

3. Supper is A+C+E. So this is your protein, veggie from the C column and a healthy fat from the E column. Here you can always have your free salad and free foods (see list)!

SAMPLE MENU – (Please download document linked above to view sample grocery list)

Notes: Changes need to be made at the 5 week mark and the 9 week mark. Please follow your portion sizes and adjust the meal plan as needed. For sample days go here.