During this phase of the plan, the main goal is to not lose weight, although you may end up losing a couple of pounds due to increased elimination and healthy eating. In simple terms, we are trying to jump-start the purging process, give your detox pathways a bit of a break, and ready your body for later phases of the plan where you start your antifungals, probiotics, and other interventions. This is not a weight loss plan, so you should be eating until you feel full of the various foods that are listed.

To get a sense of your caloric needs, there is a useful equation developed decades ago by researchers to calculate the approximate caloric need to maintain your weight. This is called the Harris-Benedict equation. In order to calculate this, you will need to know the following data points: your age, your height (in cm), your weight (in kilograms), and your average ‘activity level’ on a daily basis. If you don’t know your weight or height in metric figures, these can be simply calculated by converting American figures to metric figures by using an online calculator.

First, you need to calculate your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR). Then, you will multiply this by a factor representing your activity level.

Step 1: Basic Metabolic Rate

BMR (Women) = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight in kg) + (3.098 x height in cm) -(4.330 x age in years)

Step 2: Activity Level

Once you have calculated your BMR, you need to make an adjustment for your activity level. If your activity level is high, you will need more calories to maintain your weight. If it is low, you will need fewer calories. Look through this list and see which level of activity applies to you.

• Little to no exercise
  e.g. walking 30 mins, 1-2 times per week
  => Multiply by 1.2
  
  
• Mild Activity
  e.g. intensive exercise for 20 mins, 1-3 times per week
  => Multiply by 1.375
  
  
• Moderate activity
  e.g. intensive exercise for 30-60 mins, 3-4 times/week
  => Multiply by 1.55
  
  
• Heavy Activity
  e.g. intensive exercise for 60 mins, 5-7 times per week
  => Multiply by 1.7
  
  
• Extreme Activity
  e.g. physically intense jobs, athletes in training
  => Multiply by 1.9
  
  

Step 3: Putting It All Together

Now, multiply your Basic Metabolic Rate by the multiplication factor for your activity level. That should approximate the daily amount of calories that your body requires to maintain your current weight.

Remember these formulas are still estimates. While they are good,scientifically-sound estimates, they may not apply to your own situation. Take your calculated figure with a small grain of salt, and adjust your eating plan if you have raised your caloric intake but are still seeing unwanted weight loss.