Diet download: our three-step program is all you need to reboot your body into a healthy, fat-burning computer

Men's Fitness, Sept, 2001 by Myatt Murphy

Proper fat-loss nutrition isn't that hard to understand. After all, supermodels are thin--do you really think they're smarter than you? Upgrading your eating habits doesn't have to be neuroscience; simple, well-placed adjustments can turn your sluggish metabolism into a 24/7 fat-nuking machine.

Okay, so maybe Bill Gates isn't your idea of a fitness idol, but technology and nutrition have a lot in common. Picture your body as nothing more than a six-foot computer (some of us have better hardware than others) and your eating habits as the program it runs on. "You may have the potential to operate like a Pentium-driven PC, but if your diet isn't up to snuff, your body will never show what it's truly capable of," says Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., author of The 90/10 Weight Loss Plan. "Using the right upgrades, you can tweak your eating habits to guarantee you're always running at top speed and ensure a leaner, fitter body."

To start you off, we've devised a simple program called DietPerfect 1.0 that anyone can install. Just run your body through the program's five steps to get your metabolism running more efficiently. Then upgrade your fat-loss potential by adding the tips from version 2.0. Once you can run both systems with relative ease, accelerate your fat-burning by implementing the pointers from version 3.0. Just don't try to jump into the higher program before your body acclimates to the one before it. A crash could mean giving up on your diet completely.

DIETPERFECT 1.0: THE BEGINNING

Most guys cringe at the word diet because they associate it with deprivation. But even if they're resolved to venture into the world of weight loss, there's another factor that throws many men off-track. "Men tend to lack experience when it comes to monitoring their own eating habits," says Steve Lischin, M.S., the head nutritionist for World Gym in New York City and a former nutritionist for the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. DietPerfect 1.0 takes that into account. Not only does the program let you eat more instead of less, but the following commands give the average nutrition-illiterate guy a chance to practice the basic principles of dieting without feeling as if he's on one.

Eat breakfast. "Not eating breakfast can cause headaches and leave you less focused, irritable and sluggish throughout the early part of the day," says Bauer. "[It] can cause cravings for larger amounts of food later on during the day."

A morning meal will also kick-start your metabolism into action after its nightly eight-hour hibernation. Not eating will bog your metabolism down to a snail's pace.

Eat all day long. "Breaking up your daily caloric intake into smaller increments throughout the day not only helps to curb binges, but also to maintain a steady blood-sugar level throughout the day," says Jeff Novick, R.D., L.D., director of nutrition for the Florida Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura, Fla. "Larger meals can raise blood-sugar levels, which can trigger an increase in the release of insulin within the bloodstream." The body's response to this extra insulin is to store any excess calories as body fat.

Snacking doesn't have to be a major production. Munching on a few pretzels, a protein bar, low-fat yogurt, or fruit (dried or fresh) in between meals will do the trick.

Tweak your protein. Rather than swap T-bone for tofu, have your favorite meat cooked the healthiest way possible. Instead of frying or sauteing, bake, broil or grill. (If occasionally you absolutely have to indulge in fatty meats such as bacon or pork chops, try eating only half your usual serving.)

Switch from light breads to dark breads. Have your morning bagel or deli sandwich made from whole grains only. "Whole-grain breads contain substantially more vitamins and minerals than their white, processed counterparts," says Lischin. "They also contain more fiber, which can fill you up faster and leave you eating less at each sitting."

Help yourself to an appetizer. This is not an invitation for nachos, chicken wings or anything beer-battered. "Having a small salad or a serving of low-fat soup 20 minutes before lunch or dinner can prevent you from overeating when the main course arrives," says Bauer. Not only will you have less room in your stomach, but eating in advance sends a signal to the brain that it's already mealtime, a trick that can help turn off your appetite sooner.

UPGRADE: DIETPERFECT 2.0 INCREASING FAT LOSS

Once you've been running 1.0 for a couple of weeks without encountering any bugs or glitches--meaning you haven't cheated--your system's improved efficiency will be ready for the next upgrade, which is designed to push you into fat-burning mode. Version 2.0 requires certain dietary sacrifices and a bit more discretion over what makes its way onto your plate. But don't worry; there isn't any calorie counting required. Just a little common sense and a few modifications to the lessons you acquired from 1.0.

Modify your meat intake. If you typically eat pork or beef, switch to less-fatty cuts (such as the loin and round portions), or, better yet, to chicken. (You should still cook all meat following version 1.0 guidelines.) If you already eat chicken, choose white meat over dark, or eat more fish. "Whichever change you make to your meat-eating habits will still lower your intake of fats and, more importantly, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, which can decrease your risk of heart disease," says Lischin.