Free Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit and Healthy for Life by Chris Kresser

dry, boneless, skinless chicken breast for a luscious pork chop or a nice juicy steak.
A little cheat here and there can’t hurt, right?
    Once you’ve figured out your ideal diet, I’d agree with that. But as I said above, this isn’t the time to cheat. Don’t do it. It’s not worth it.
    By removing the foods that most commonly cause problems, you allow your body to rest and recover from whatever symptoms those foods have been provoking. Just one cheat could trigger a whole new cascade of reactions. A single piece of bread or one glass of milk could restart the inflammatory process and throw your body back into the chaos that led you to the Personal Paleo Code program in the first place. Some of the greatest benefits of the Reset Diet don’t kick in until the third week—right when the finish line is in sight. At some point, you won’t even miss those foods you think you can’t live without now. So don’t cheat. It could set you way back. If you go thirty days, it will get easier. I promise.
Shouldn’t I be counting calories and calculating macronutrient ratios?
    Relax—no calculators. (The only exceptions here are for people with specific health conditions; see below.) In Step 3, I’ll discuss how to determine the optimal amount of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins to eat based on your individual circumstances. In the Step 1 Reset, we’re focusing more on the
quality
of macronutrient than the quantity. That said, you can use the following ranges as a starting point during the Reset:
    •   Fats: 40 to 70 percent of your total daily calories (that’s 115 to 200 grams for a moderately active male eating 2,600 calories per day, and 100 to 155 grams for a moderately active female eating 2,000 calories per day)
    •   Carbohydrates: 15 to 30 percent of your total daily calories (that’s 100 to 200 grams for a moderately active male eating 2,600 calories per day, and 75 to 150 grams for a moderately active female eating 2,000 calories per day)
    •   Proteins: 10 to 20 percent of your total daily calories (that’s 65 to 130 grams for a moderately active male eating 2,600 calories per day, and 50 to 100 grams for a moderately active female eating 2,000 calories per day)
    Don’t overanalyze what you’re eating. Enjoy your food. Make cooking fun and leave time to savor your creations. You’ll find recipes and meal plans in chapter 21 . There are also more recipes on the website. You’ve got real, delicious, nutrient-dense foods to choose from.
Can I juice?
    If you juice with whole fruits or veggies with water, unsweetened nut milk, or half a cup of coconut water with no sugar added, you should be fine, although some of my patients say that they tend to feel hungrier when they drink their meals. Focus on the veggies and the lower-sugar fruits, like berries. And avoid prepared juices or smoothies, which often contain large amounts of natural sugar or processed sugars like high-fructose corn syrup, which you should avoid completely on the Reset.
This is too hard. How can I make it easier?
    No man (or woman) is an island. Change is hard, and the more support you have in doing this, the easier it will go. Try enlisting your spouse, your significant other, or a good friend to do this with you. (People may not be eager, but they’ll thank you later.) Have a Personal Paleo Code potluck. Invite friends over to cook with you. Connect online withothers who are following this approach. Be sure to check out my website’s online forum, where you can discuss your dietary changes with fellow adventurers. Ask questions. Get help.
    Instead of thinking about what you can’t have on the Thirty-Day Reset Diet, focus on what you’re getting: That looser waistband. Not feeling exhausted in the middle of the afternoon. Seeing a clearer complexion in the mirror. Your knees not being so achy anymore. Feeling sharper, less moody. Your digestion running more smoothly. Knowing that you’re on your way to feeling better than you