You’re going to need to make some modifications to your life and to your schedule over the course of the next two to plus weeks, but they’re easy and very powerful. Jorge Cruise, the creator of the Cruise Control technique, was asked to explain how he has assisted hundreds of customers in reaching healthy weights and feeling confident about themselves. It’s your time now.
Before You Start
Intermittent fasting, commonly referred to as time-restricted eating or interval eating, is the foundation of our weight-loss strategy. This means that you only consume food and liquids within a certain period of time. Our schedule calls for eight hours of eating. We worked with Jorge Cruise on the eight-hour plan because it’s a good way to be more conscious of your choices without feeling totally restricted—and he’s got clever ways to “cheat” your fast too, below. Other types of intermittent fasting call for longer fasting times or entire days with very low calorie intake.
Why 19 days?
It gives you just enough time to learn a new eating strategy and start seeing results. If you jump in and out of intermittent fasting every few days or take a break on the weekends, it won’t be as effective as if you stay with it for the full 19 days, which will help you discover foods you enjoy and show yourself that you can do this.
Will you get thinner?
According to a recent Nutrition and Healthy Aging study, when 23 obese adults restricted their eating to the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 12 weeks, they consumed about 350 fewer calories daily than a control group. Additionally, they experienced weight loss and a decrease in systolic blood pressure.
Going somewhat extended periods without eating appears to activate the body’s fat-burning processes and prevent blood sugar spikes. According to Courtney Peterson, Ph.D., assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, “those two factors together mean you’re reducing the blood sugar highs and lows that make you hungrier.” She continues, “Time-restricted eating also controls appetite by lowering levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin.”
Is it beneficial?
Intermittent fasting is generally safe and can even increase longevity and good health for the majority of people. According to Michael Roizen, M.D., emeritus chief wellness officer at Cleveland Clinic, “What we know is that it seems to be beneficial for biomarkers of ageing and even for extending the life of our bodies’ repair systems.” Downward changes in blood sugar, however, might not be safe for you if you have diabetes or take medication that affects your glucose level. (Anyone should consult a doctor before making changes to their health, but diabetics should take note.)
What It Does
The Blue Zone and the Red Zone, as Jorge refers to them, will now divide your days (and nights). Observe the following:
Blue Zone: These are the eight hours per day that you spend eating. There are suggestions for selecting foods in advance, but for the best results, plan your meals for those hours. Setting your eating window to include the morning hours is advised by Dr. Roizen. If you consume the majority of your calories before 2 p.m., you will lose more weight than someone who consumes the same number of calories later in the day. This is because our bodies make us more insulin-sensitive in the morning.
Red Zone: This is a period of fasting lasting 16 hours, some of which will be spent sleeping. Consume only coffee, tea, or water. You must allow your body to finish burning off fat before interfering with it in any way.
Your 19-Day Dietary Schedule
What will you be eating for the next 19 days? You can’t eat anything you want, but there isn’t a magic meal or shake that will do the work for you either. You won’t get the nutrition you need from a day of cheesecake and french fries, and it won’t keep you full when you’re in the Red Zone. You don’t need to count calories, according to Jorge, but you should follow these recommendations to make healthful decisions for your body.
How to assemble your meal
Consider assembling a diverse plate of flavorful foods that will truly satisfy you whenever you eat. Greek salads, portobello mushroom pizzas, and cashew chicken with vegetables are a few of Jorge’s go-to meals. These recipes from Cruise are included here along with a tonne more. But first, the essentials
- 50% HEALTHY FATS as in olive oil, nuts, and avocado 30% carbs from veggies and whole grains
- 30% CARBS from veggies and whole grains
- 20% PROTEIN from chicken, eggs, salmon, and other lean, nutrient-dense foods
Drink plenty of water; it’s simple to become dehydrated when you eat less frequently. Carrying a water bottle or setting reminders on your phone to drink up can help you avoid that energy-draining fate.
What to avoid
Sugar, excessively processed carbohydrates, and foods high in saturated fat are the usual culprits. You may have attempted to eliminate these in the past, but this time will be simpler for the following reasons: Why waste your eight hours of food on something that won’t give you energy? Two hours into the Red Zone, you don’t want to be starving! Take advantage of your Blue Zone time to eat delicious foods that will support your efforts to lose weight.
How to ‘cheat’ at fasting
The key to adopting Jorge’s Cruise Control eating pattern is to eat when you should be fasting. Of course, not just anything, but a treat that will taste good and be simple to digest. Drink a Cruise Control coffee (coffee with a tablespoon of cream and a tablespoon of butter) or a chia smoothie made with water and a plant-based sweetener like stevia.
Top 5 snacks
In the Blue Zone, Jorge has you covered between meals with crunchy, creamy, salty, and sweet options.
- Frozen grapes
- Toasted chickpeas
- Macadamia nuts
- Avocado sprinkled with sea salt
- Strawberries and whipped cream
Get the book
There’s more from Jorge in his New York Times best-selling guide, The Cruise Control Diet, now updated and out in paperback. On jorgecruise.com, you can also sign up for a free week of coaching.
Also Read ABout 4 Science-Backed Ways to Stick to Your New Diet