Diet According To Your Sex

There are many books on diet and exercise plans, but it may be hard to find the one that's right for you.

Author John Gray explained on The Early Show that part of the problem may be that men and women are assuming all diets fit both sexes, and they aren't focusing on the different things they need to achieve their desired weight and lifestyle.

Known for authoring "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus," Gray's new book, is "The Mars and Venus Diet and Exercise Solution." In it, he writes that just as there are physical and emotional differences between men and women, there are also differences in the way the two sexes should diet and eat to be in peak form.

In order to diet and exercise properly, we need certain chemicals in our brain to be at our optimal level, according to Gray. He says once that happens, everything else will fall into place and you will be able to stop food cravings, maintain your ideal weight, have lots of energy and get along with your partner.

Women need to monitor their serotonin and men need to watch their dopamine, and everything else falls into place once a man or a woman has achieved the proper balance of chemicals in their brain, says Gray. Additionally, Gray believes that many things such as allergies and ailments are caused by poor diet, but by following his plan and listening to your body, you can actually rid yourself of these sicknesses or allergies.

Gray's Diet and Exercise Steps

Drink Water: Gray says we must all drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water throughout the day. Start off your day with a glass of "activated water" in addition to drinking the above amount throughout the day. Activated water consists of (per 8 ounce glass of water) juice from 1/2 a lemon, teaspoon of honey or juice for sweetness, the suggested portion of a high-quality ionic plant source trace mineral supplement and an ounce of aloe vera juice. Gray says this activated water assists your body in cleansing itself efficiently and producing the necessary brain chemicals.

Bounce and Shake: This is how we are supposed to begin and end each exercise session that we do, says Gray. The bounce and shake routine gets your heart pumping and your body moving so that your metabolism starts working. Follow the following steps to do the bounce and shake:

• Standing with knees slightly bent, feet comfortably apart, bounce up and down easily without lifting heels off the ground
• As you bounce, let your arms hang, relaxed, by your side. Shake your hands
• Nod your head up and down in a comfortable range of motion, 2 to 4 inches
• As you nod back and look up, breathe in through your nose to the count of 5, and then exhale to the count of 5 as you lower your head
• During the first minute, breathe through your nose; During the second minute make a noise originating from the base of your throat - like snoring; Then breathe in through your nose, and out through puckered lips, as if blowing out a birthday candle
• Stop bouncing and shaking. Take a moment to feel the vibrations you have created throughout your body

After the bounce and shake, Gray suggests doing breathing exercises and any other type of exercise that you do as part of your routine. Then, finish with another bounce and shake.

Breakfast Shake: Since this whole routine is being done in the morning, it's fitting that step three can also be achieved before going to the office, says Gray. He recommends having a breakfast shake each morning, rather than a traditional breakfast, because the important vitamins and minerals and nutrients that we need can be easily found in pre-made mixes. Gray says when we skip breakfast, we run out of brain chemicals at the end of the day. A high calorie breakfast will tell your body to slow down the metabolism and hold on to extra fat. A low calorie nutrient-dense breakfast will burn your extra fat to get energy.

Gray suggests following a healthy diet, using the 50-30-20 rule that applies to each sex, in terms of carbs, proteins and fats. Your Mars and Venus shake will contain the ingredients your body needs to produce the proper brain chemistry:

• Carbohydrates: Total carbohydrate calories should be 50 percent. If you weight train intensely, more carbohydrates may be required. Gray says fruit or fruit juice will provide the carbohydrates in your shake
• Protein Powder: Protein should be at least 30 percent of total calories for men, and 20 percent for women. Protein powder in your shake will make sure you are getting all the essential amino acids
• Flaxseeds with Omega-3 fatty acids: Gray recommends 20 percent good fats for men, and 30 percent for women
• Enzymes: The shake should have high quality full spectrum plant source enzymes
• Vitamins: A high quality multi-vitamin, with a full range of B vitamins, Vitamin C and Folic Acid. A chromium supplement can help curb sugar cravings.
• Ionic Plant Source Trace Minerals: A generous portion of plant source trace minerals and calcium/magnesium supplements.
• Water and Ice: Gray says ice makes the whole drink taste better, and will help activate your system for losing weight