FAQs

Questions?  We have answers below to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Eat Live Thrive Diet.  If you do not find the answer to your question here, please submit it on our private FaceBook group page.

While individual results vary, most women begin losing weight the first week of phase one – the Elimination Phase. They also see many improvements in energy, digestion, concentration and mental clarity.

It is important to know that slow, steady fat-burning is better than losing weight too quickly. Many studies have verified that the female body goes into “protection mode” and slows down fat burning when if a woman loses more than one to two pounds per week. For those close to their ideal weight, two pounds per week may create a similar response. Measuring the full scope of your success by the scale is unhealthy. Choose to evaluate your progress by how your clothes are fitting and how you feel more than what the scale is saying. Weight loss should continue during the Discovery Phase where you’ll realize which foods are causing you weight gain and experience other health issues. Some of these discoveries can change your life in very positive ways.

Yes, the program is easy to follow! It is divided into three phases that help you discover a personal eating plan to meet your body’s specific needs. There are no specialty foods you need to purchase and we provide lots recipes and suggestions to keep your diet tasty and enjoyable through every phase.

Yes! As you will learn in the Eat Live Thrive Diet, many women who gain weight around their middle and cannot seem to lose it are experiencing some level of insulin resistance. The diet will help you unlock the mystery of which foods are holding you back. You will also discover your personal carbohydrate threshold and how to improve your insulin sensitivity so that the only muffin top in your life will be found on the top of one of our delicious, grain free muffin recipes!

As you advance through the first phase of Eat Live Thrive Diet, your cravings for these types of foods should naturally diminish. To support you through that progression we have included some delicious recipes that help satisfy those starchy and sugary cravings. For example, our Snickerdoodle muffins are a favorite as well as our Chocolate Bliss Squares and many more!

Don’t stress about a minor slip up here and there. Just move on and get back to the program as quickly as possible. If you do have a day that is completely off track, consider adding an extra day to your initial week. Don’t quit – just make a fresh start at your next meal.

While calories and carbs certainly do count, it is not important to monitor them when following the Elimination Phase of this program. With the elimination of the troublesome foods – especially sugar and grains – most women naturally reduce their calories. Additionally, the diet is lower in carbohydrates (which trigger a negative insulin response in many women) and therefore the calories eaten are burned more efficiently than a diet high in processed foods. We caution you to have only one tablespoon of honey per day and only two to three fruits. This also reduces your glycemic index and promotes fat burning. So, while you could overeat and you may even feel like you are eating more – you are eating the right foods and will soon discover how big of a difference that can make!

Some carbohydrate-containing foods cause the blood sugar level to rise rapidly (high glycemic), while others have a more gradual effect (low glycemic). This is primarily related to the fiber, starch and natural sugar levels of the food.

High glycemic foods are those that range from 70-100 on the GI (glycemic index). Moderate GI ranges from 56-69, and low range is 55 and below.  High glycemic foods such as bread, pasta and potatoes should be eaten in moderation and are metabolized best if combined with protein and fiber. While on the Elimination Phase of the ELT Diet, you will naturally reduce moderate and high glycemic foods. In the Discovery and Lifestyle Phases, we will give you specific guidelines so you can continue to lose weight or maintain the weight you have already shed while adding a few starches back into your diet in moderation.

Here are two key reasons we eliminate all grains during the first phase of the diet. First, many women have sensitivities beyond gluten and they can easily discover these through elimination followed by testing. Secondly, a large population of women who struggle to lose weight – especially around their middle – have some degree of insulin resistance which is influenced greatly by the amount of type of carbohydrates they eat.

Not only are most women eating way too many high glycemic carbs like grains, they are also eating them in highly processed forms such as crackers, breads, pasta, cookies, and the like. When we remove these completely for 14 days, women are blown away at how quickly they lose excess water weight, burn fat, and begin to feel better. Their bodies are not only responding to the downward significant shift in both calories and carbohydrates, but also a significant decrease in preservatives and additives found in so many of our processed foods.

Our nutritional advisor, Patti Milligan, R.D., M.S., Ph.D. estimates that many women eat 300 to 350 grams of total carbohydrates each day. If you do the math (at 4 calories per gram), that equals up to 1400 calories of carbos! It is likely that most of those are not coming from fruits and veggies. In contrast, during the Elimination Phase, women eat about 80 to 120 carbs and those will come mostly from the two fruits and many vegetable sources. Once you transition to the Discovery and then Lifestyle Phases, your carbohydrate intake can increase a bit. However, to stay lean and healthy most women will do best if they stay under 200 grams of carbohydrates per day and make sure at least half of those are plant based rather than grains and sugars. We discuss in detail in the book.

Absolutely, your family will love some of the recipes included in the program. We have many husbands and boyfriends that have done the program along with their significant other and experienced great results. Men will lose weight more quickly than women, so don’t compare your results. Many of the recipes can be adapted for the rest of your family if they don’t want to eliminate the foods such as pasta or bread. For example, you may be eating zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash during phase one and two of the program and the rest of your family might eat a whole grain pasta instead. Or they may love spaghetti squash like we do!

The plan allows you to use simple ingredients that are easy to get from your local grocery store. There are a few recipes that may include an ingredient that is not in your pantry. For example, we recommend NuNaturals LoSweet Monk Fruit extract to increase the sweetness in some of our muffin and dessert-like recipes. You can use other healthy non-caloric sweeteners if you prefer. If you can’t find it at your local grocery, we provide links on our support website to order online.

Yes you can. We have included quite a few restaurant suggestions in the book and different styles of restaurant food that work well within our plan Our clients find eating out quite easy to do and very enjoyable while still getting results.

The Eat Live Thrive Diet is not just for weight loss. It can greatly impact your overall health, vitality and longevity. While on our program, you will not only discover what holds you back from weight loss, but also what foods may have detrimental effects on your health. We have found that many of our clients greatly improved in areas such as joint health, digestive issues, auto immune and inflammatory issues, emotional health, skin tone and more.

Eat Live Thrive Diet is for all women. We welcome women of any belief system or background to journey through our program and to join our community.  While our Christian faith is important to us and we share a few biblical principles and teaching – we believe they are relevant to all women no matter what their belief. 

The primary focus of this book is focused on helping women discover a new way of eating and a healthier lifestyle that not only leads to lasting weight loss, but a more energetic and ageless body. We truly believe you can turn back both the scale and the clock.