Reduce the Risk of Stroke, Heart Attack, and Cancer; No Calorie Counting, No Portioning, No Starving; Don't Spend Your Spare Time in the Gym.

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4. TABLE OF
CONTENTS
A. WHAT’S THIS GUIDE ABOUT?
B. HOW TWO HORMONES REGULATE YOUR BODY
C. THE 7 PRINCIPLES TO BALANCE HORMONES
D. 30-DAY CHALLENGE PLAN
E. WHAT’S NEXT?

5. WHAT’S THIS
GUIDE ABOUT?
I’m Stephan, and I struggled with my weight for decades despite
being on multiple sports teams and exercising daily.
The truth is that it’s not your fault if you haven’t been able to get into
the physical and mental shape you and your loved ones deserve.
Food and pharma lobbies have educated us for decades, and the
common perception of health is just plain wrong.
Your body is not a diesel engine. Instead, it’s regulated by hormones.
Putting in any diesel based on calories will get you modern diseases.
I did the research for you to save you time and re-defined “health” to
guide you in an actionable way based on scientific evidence.
A

6. WHAT’S IN FOR YOU?
The Benefits of Completing This Guide and the 30-Day Challenge
A
More Quality Time
With Family &
Friends
A More Dynamic
and Confident
Appearance
The Power
to Reduce
Risk of Disease

7. I CAME FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND
STAYED FOR LONGEVITY SINCE
BOTH PROBLEMS SHARE
UNDERLYING ROOT CAUSES.

8. HOW TWO HORMONES REGULATE YOUR BODY
We Aim at Insulin and Cortisol Because They Directly Cause Weight Gain
INSULIN
• Regulates blood sugar, stores excess energy as fat and inhibits
breakdown of stored fat for energy (Meijssen et al. 2001)
• Factor in top death causes – Alzheimer’s (Ferreira et al. 2018),
Parkinson’s (Athauda et al. 2016), cardiovascular diseases
(Herman et al. 2017), diabetes and cancer (Orgel et al. 2014)
• High insulin levels and, consequently, insulin resistance – the
deficient ability to process insulin – are primary drivers of
metabolic syndrome and obesity (Kong et al. 2013)
• Insulin and the insulin-like growth factor one (IGF-1) are major
contributors to the aging process (Van Heemst 2010)
CORTISOL
• Mobilizes energy in the form of blood sugar to cope with stress
• Consequently, long-term stress elevates blood glucose resulting
in high insulin levels independent of diet (Whitworth et al. 1994)
• The fat storage enzyme HSD re-activates inactive cortisol in fat
cells, stimulating fat storage within the cell (Ayachi et al. 2006)
• Too much cortisol promotes mood swings, depression, anxiety,
premenstrual syndrome, body fat, appetite, and cravings …
• … and decreases muscle mass, bone density, sex drive, the
ability to learn and memorize (Talbott 2007)
The Obesity Code
B
The Cortisol Connection

9. 7 PRINCIPLES TO BALANCE YOUR HORMONES
Your Natural Path to Improve Mood, Lose Weight, and Live Longer
#1:
Eat Less
Often
#2: Eat High-Fat,
Medium-Protein,
Low-Carb
#4: Avoid
Fructose
#6: Counter Stress
#7: Exercise less,
but smarter
#5: Avoid Lectins
#3: Stop Counting
Calories
C
Improved Mood, Sustainable Weight Loss & Improved Longevity

10. #1:
EAT LESS
OFTEN
• WHEN we eat is the bigger lever than WHAT we eat in Western
society – we forgot about fasting traditions thanks to campaigns
telling us to eat breakfast, 6+ meals a day, more snacks, …
• Since all foods raise insulin, abstaining from food is most effective to
tap into body fat for energy while maintaining muscle due to growth
hormone (Heilbronn et al. 2005)
• Intermittent fasting lowers insulin levels, fights insulin resistance,
boosts metabolism, the immune system, cell renewal, and cancer
prevention (Antunes et al. 2018)
• Fast from 8 PM till noon to extend the period of low insulin levels –
breakfast is a learned habit encouraging you to eat more and more
often (Reeves et al. 2014)
• Stick to plain water, green tea, and coffee to stay hydrated,
suppress cravings and reap the full benefits of fasting while the body
maintains blood sugar levels (Merimee et al. 1974)
• Generally don’t eat (snack) when you’re not hungry and ideally
schedule a quarterly 48-72+ hours fast for cell renewal – the human
body can fast for 365+ days (Steward et al. 1973)
WHY:
TOOLS: The Complete Guide to Fasting, Fasting & Hunger, The Fasting Cure
HOW:
C

11. #2: EAT
HIGH FAT,
MEDIUM
PROTEIN,
LOW CARB
• The low-fat myth has never been backed by science and caused
incredible harm – fat is rather protecting against weight gain and
modern diseases than causing them (Willet 2002)
• The latest research suggests that it’s the restriction of protein, not
overall food intake what extends the lifespan of many species and
also reduces the risk of cancer and diabetes (Levine et al. 2014)
• Non-fiber carbohydrates and lean protein stimulate insulin secretion
and support fat gain and diseases risk (Nuttall et al. 1991)
WHY:
• Focus natural saturated, monounsaturated and omega-3 fats from
coconut oil, MCT oil, olive oil, avocados, grass-fed butter & beef,
naturally-fed pork, free-range eggs, pecans, walnuts, macadamia
• Reduce carbohydrate intake to protective fiber from organic
vegetables, read labels to avoid hidden sugar in its many forms, and
prefer the fatter cuts of meat and wild-caught fatty fish
• The transition to burn fat as primary fuel can take weeks – check
your blood ketone (fat energy) levels with urine test strips or a
ketone monitoring device to ensure progression (Mercola 2017)
TOOLS: Eat Rich – Live Long, Fat for Fuel, Fat for Fuel Cookbook
HOW:
C

12. #3: STOP
COUNTING
CALORIES
• Hormones control the body set weight and regulate energy
expenditure through basal metabolic rate – calories IN and OUT are
not independent, and a calorie isn’t a calorie (Feinmann et al. 2004)
• The total daily energy intake per person increased by 570 calories
between 1977 and 2006 – that would be an impossible average
weight gain of 600 pounds every 10 years (Duffey and Popkin 2011)
• A fully functional endocrine system can even turn 1000 excess
calories into heat instead of storing it as fat due to non-exercise
activity thermogenesis (Levine and Eberhardt et al. 1999)
WHY:
• Embrace high-caloric meals rich in wholefood fats which trigger the
satiety hormones CCK, peptide YY, leptin, or GLP-1 helping you to
stop cravings, get and stay full for longer (Austin et al. 2009)
• Don’t fall for the moderation myth, focus on real foods – calories
from refined carbohydrates, trans fats or fructose will harm your
health slowly like, for example, smoking does (Bremer et al. 2012)
• Focus on effect instead of energy – protein reduces appetite (Weigle
et al. 2005), the fiber in whole foods (Chandalia et al. 2000) and fat
protect against glucose and insulin spikes (Collier et al. 1983)
TOOLS: The Calorie Myth, The Obesity Code, Stanford Hospital on Calories
HOW:
C

13. #4: AVOID
FRUCTOSE
• Fructose – the sweetening molecule besides glucose in table sugar
– is a liver toxin like alcohol, leads to the same diseases, and
contributes to insulin resistance and fat gain (Tappy et al. 2010)
• Fruit sugar encourages cravings – it inhibits the satiety hormone
leptin and stimulates the hunger hormone ghrelin (Teff et al. 2004)
• Fructose metabolism’s waste product uric acid fosters insulin
resistance and inhibits nitric oxide – a chemical critical for the
functioning of our brain and blood vessels (Young et al. 2012)
WHY:
• The recommended intake of fruit has been one of the biggest
marketing campaigns of all time – you are better off with green
vegetables in terms of vitamins and electrolytes (Fettke 2017)
• Keep your hands off any refined sugars and soft drinks – It’s
fructose’s sweetness what’s getting you 8 times as addicted as
cocaine due to its psychological feedback-loop (Lenoir et al. 2007)
• Ideally, you want to limit your fruit intake to avocados – if you need
to fight cravings try fat bombs, or stick to one cup of berries per day
since they are nutrient-dense and low in fructose as well as glucose
TOOLS: Dr. Robert Lustig on Fructose, Dr. Gerry Fettke on Fruit, Fat Chance
HOW:
C

14. #5: AVOID
LECTINS
• Lectins are plant proteins causing resistance to parasites (Macedo
et al. 2015) – they can lead to autoimmune diseases by inducing
anti-body creation against healthy human cells (Saeki et al. 2014)
• Especially lectins found in grains (WGA, gluten) can cause leaky gut
(Dalla Pellegrina et al. 2009), bind to insulin (Shechter 1983) and
leptin receptors (Kamikubo et al. 2008) promote severe weight gain
• Lectins can travel your nervous system from gut to brain fostering
Parkinson’s (Zheng et al. 2016) and encourage histamine release
leading to excess stomach acid production (Pramod et al. 2007)
WHY:
• Avoid any grains & bakery, any legumes (beans, peanuts), potatoes,
milk, yogurt, rice, soy, cashews, tomatoes, peppers, chili, zucchini,
eggplants, pumpkins, sugar, oils (corn, rape, soy, sunflower, peanut)
• Eat any cabbage, asparagus, artichokes, broccoli, brussels sprouts,
cauliflower, kale, kimchi, sauerkraut, spinach, lettuce, kohlrabi,
onions, leeks, garlic, mushrooms, flaxseeds, brazil nuts, pistachios
• If you still want to eat legumes, grains (and pseudo-grains like
quinoa) despite wheat, oat, rye, and barley get a steam cooker since
lectins are resistant to conventional cooking (Gundry 2017)
HOW:
TOOLS: The Plant Paradox, Dr. Paul Mason – How Lectins Impact Your Health
C

15. #6:
COUNTER
STRESS
• Make use of the energy mobilized by cortisol (fight or flight
response) and counteract the bodies preference to store it as fat in
the abdominal region (Rosmond et al. 1998)
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction decreases stress symptoms
while increasing sleep and overall quality of life (Carlson et al. 2004)
• Modern-day psychological stress can cause flat cortisol rhythms
encouraging fat storage, fatigue, brain shrinking (Adam et al. 2017)
WHY:
• The most effective method to prevent high cortisol levels is getting
sufficient (8-9 hours) sleep (Leproult et al. 1997)
• Go for a short run or hit the gym when feeling stressed – it breaks
the stress feedback loop to the brain, keeps cortisol levels in check,
and improves your mood (Ratey et al. 2008)
• Join a yoga class (Pascoe et al. 2017), implement a meditation habit
(e.g., daily after wake up – 10 minutes) using an app to stick to it, or
incorporate one of these additional stress management techniques
HOW:
21 Activities, The Cortisol Connection, Headspace, Sounds TrueTOOLS:
C

16. #7:
EXERCISE
LESS, BUT
SMARTER
• Greater volume of exercise doesn’t lead to greater results and can
even harm your body without proper rest (Carpinelli et al. 1998)
• Scientists at Stanford University found that intensity of effort is more
important than the quantity of energy output to prevent hypertension
and premature mortality (Paffenbarger et al. 1997)
• Working more complex muscle fibers increases breakdown of stored
fat for energy and counteracts obesity (Izumyia et al. 2008)
WHY:
• Use eccentric (focusing on muscle extension instead of contraction)
one-sided exercises with less duration and frequency, but more
resistance to maximize the hormonal benefits (Reeves et al. 2009)
• You don’t even need to join a gym since most of these eccentric
exercises can be done at home or in the office without equipment
• If you prefer cardio machines turn up the resistance and do shorter
but more intense intervals or join a HIIT class since intensity is key
to fight insulin resistance (Babraj et al. 2009)
• Do 1-2 sessions of 30-60 minutes per week – the sore won’t permit
more if done correctly and spare time is better spent on fun things
HOW:
TOOLS: Eccentric Exercises, Muscle Contraction, Body by Science, HIIT
C

17. The 30-Day Hormone Balance Challenge PlanD
HOW IT’S DONE:
1. On Sundays you are reading the necessary background information for the upcoming week
2. On weekdays ongoing routines/habits are introduced that will last for the whole challenge
3. On Saturdays you ensure following all present routines – ideally write them on a routine list when introduced
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
ROUTINE CHECK:
No sweetened drinks,
16/8 fasting, no added
sugar, real food, high-
fat, low-carb, Wi-Fi
ROUTINE CHECK:
Drinks, fasting, no
sugar, real food, high-
fat, minimal carbs,
Wi-Fi, meditation/yoga,
no fruits, no lectins
ROUTINE CHECK:
Drinks, fasting, sugar,
real food, high-fat, min
carbs, Wi-Fi, no fruits,
no lectins, exercise,
meditation/yoga
Break-Fast
Week
Food
Awareness
Week
Plant&
Mindfulness
Week
Smarter
Exercise
Week
Read
the introduction and
#1: Eat less often
Exclude any soft drinks,
diet sodas, juices, and
smoothies from your
diet
Read #1: Eat less often
Read
#2: Eat high-fat,
medium-protein,
low-carb and
#3: Stop counting
calories
Focus on raw wholefood
ingredients and start to
eat real food whenever
possible - cut
processed food out of
your diet
Read
#4: Avoid fructose,
#5: Avoid lectins, and
#6: Counter stress
Introduce a 10 minutes
app-guided meditation
routine after waking up
OR join a weekly yoga
class
Exclude fruits and the
foods negative list (#5)
from your diet in
exchange for the
positive list (#5) and
healthy fats (#2)
Enjoy Sunday with
family & friends :)
Start a 30-minute
eccentric exercise or
cardio high-intensity
routine at home/gym
(#7) or join a HIIT class
Start to switch off your
Wi-Fi and get your
hands off your phone at
10 PM daily
Enjoy Sunday with
family & friends :)
Keep going another 14
days to ensure you and
people around you can
see and feel the results
Start to read labels
before buying food, build
awareness and ensure
to avoid added sugars in
your diet
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Start to drink a glass of
water after wake up and
reduce breakfast to
coffee/tea with butter,
coconut, or MCT oil
Limit snacking to the
period from noon to 8
PM and prefer fat
bombs, nuts, berries
Start to drink your daily
coffee/tea plain in the
morning to set up a
fasting window from 8
PM until noon
ROUTINE CHECK:
No sweetened drinks,
16/8 intermittent fasting
Introduce more natural
fats from #2 in
exchange for
carbohydrates and
proteins into your diet
[OPTIONAL] Check
your daily ketone levels
with test strips or a
monitoring device - you
start to burn fat between
0.5 to 3 mmol/L
Start to switch off your
Wi-Fi and get your
hands off your phone at
11 PM daily
[OPTIONAL] Get a
steam cooker if you still
want to keep some
lectin-containing foods
on your meal plan (#5)
Make sure to stick to
your new healthy habits
and keep going :)
Read #7 : Exercise
less, but smarter
[OPTIONAL] If you
experience a very
stressful day go for a
30-60 minutes run to
lower cortisol levels and
increase mood
Make sure to stick to
your new healthy habits
and keep going :)
Repeat your routine
from day 23 or stick to
your HIIT class
schedule