The Metabolic Jumpstart is a two-week phase of your overall Calibrate program. It is, quite literally, a jumpstart to your system. It’s a way to help reprogram your body and brain’s craving cycles from the inside out to crave less sugar and processed foods.
Sugar and fast-digesting carbohydrates have similar reactions in our brains as addictive substances. And, without added sugars and refined carbohydrates, your fat cells will begin to transition from storing energy (which leaves you feeling hungry) to burning energy.
In anticipation of the Jumpstart, work with your coach to choose your path and decide on your approach.
You should already have access to a calendar template. (If not, you can find it here.) Your job is to fill in what your approach will be for each meal.
Most people wind up mixing and matching approaches, and this is where having each meal mapped out clearly becomes key. (That said, we know life happens, and it’s perfectly fine to switch your plan around later if you decide you feel like making something else, eating out, ordering in, etc. The point of the chart is just to have a plan to work off so you’re never at loose ends.)
No matter which approach(es) you choose, keep your system nourished with 3 meals and ~2 snacks per day—and listen to your body! If you’re feeling hungry, have a glass of water to make sure you’re not thirsty. Still hungry? Within all three approaches, we’ve included a list of snacks we love for just such occasions.
DIY:
If you’d prefer to plan and prepare your own meals, start here.
The Calibrate Food Triangle: Metabolic Jumpstart
Calibrate Food Finds (stick to foods that work for the new triangle)
Portion Primer (a refresher from Nutrition Basics. Note that your goal here is to get your fast-digesting carbs to zero. You can do this by expanding your portions of vegetables, protein, and fat. For best results, prioritize in that order)
Metabolic Jumpstart Dining Out Guide
Calibrate Meal Plan:
If you want to prepare your own meals, but would prefer a game-plan of simple and foolproof recipes, start here. With the help of Calibrate Food Expert Stephanie Middleberg, MS, RD, CDN, we’ve created a two-week menu divided into a shopping list and recipes for ~3 meals per day, and you can choose your snacks from our snack list. You’ll also see a few links carried over from the DIY section that can be helpful here.
The Calibrate Food Triangle: Metabolic Jumpstart
Metabolic Jumpstart Meal Plan Shopping List
Metabolic Jumpstart Meal Plan (we’ve included prep instructions)
Metabolic Jumpstart Dining Out Guide
Plug-and-Play Meal Orders:
If you’d like to put more of this on cruise control, we’ve included a list of pre-cooked meals and meal kit services that offer options that work with the jumpstart. Some of these services offer three meals per day, while others offer one per day, so you can mix-and-match services or combine with the DIY or Meal Plan approaches. (You’ll also see links from the previous two sections that can provide more context and support.)
Not every meal from these companies will fit the jumpstart, so look at the ingredients of each item you want to select. In a quick scan, the carb:fiber ratio should be at least 7:1 (a goal of 5:1 is even better)—that also means there should be no processed whole grains, no refined grains, no potatoes, and the added sugar content should be < 5g (zero is better!)). You can have one serving of intact whole grains per day (think brown rice, quinoa, farro, amaranth, corn, and millet).
Importantly, while a lot of gluten-free foods will fit the jumpstart, be wary of processed gluten-free foods (crackers, pretzels, breads). Think of them as you would think about processed whole grains.
Also, if you’re opting for this approach, place your order as soon as possible to ensure time for shipping. Lastly, these are just some of the great options out there, so use the quick scan approach above to see if they’re appropriate for the jumpstart.
The Calibrate Food Triangle: Metabolic Jumpstart