Mike Dolce - The Dolce Diet: Living Lean

THE DOLCE DIET LIVING LEAN by Mike Dolce with Brandy Roon Conrad James Books Las Vegas, NV www.conradjamesbooks.com The Dolce Diet: Living Lean 2011 by Mike Dolce. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher. Published by Conrad James Books. First Edition. Electronic Edition Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN 978-0-615-53167-0 Conrad James Books conradjamesbooks.com Edited by Brandy Roon & Sarah Veit Cover Design by Jun Hanawa Ebook Design by Brandy Roon Photos: Tom Hill Photos, TomHillPhotos.com NOTE You should seek medical supervision before beginning any diet or exercise program. Nothing written in this book should be taken as a substitute for medical advice. This book is for information purposes only. The publisher, author and all involved with this book have done so with honest effort and make no representations with respect to the accuracy of its contents. None involved with the production and distribution of this book shall be held liable nor accountable for any loss or damage including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other. Mention of specific organizations, entities, individuals, companies, or authorities does not imply endorsement by the author, publisher or any party involved with this book nor does mention of specific organizations, entities, individuals, companies, or authorities imply that they endorse this book, its author, the publisher or any party involved with this book.

Information within this book is general and offered with no guarantees on the part of the author, publisher or any party involved with this book. Some names, dates and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals . INTRODUCTION Living Lean is an easily adapted approach to enhancing your health and wellness while leading a busy life. Im not going to waste your time with hundreds of pages dedicated to terminology and definitions in an attempt to prove validity while hiding behind science. Its not necessary. I simply tell you what works.

It amazes me how many diet plans are thrust onto the market each year that claim theyre going to save the world - that is, until the next plan comes out. The people who swear by a diet today may lose 40 lbs. in a month, but three months from now most will have gained it back and then some. Just take a look around. The title of this book is The Dolce Diet: Living Lean , but this is not a diet. Living Lean promotes a healthy lifestyle based on the practices and principles of longevity science that I use with todays top athletes.

I wont advise you to drive yourself crazy counting every single calorie, nor will I advise you to universally exclude healthy food groups you already enjoy. Heres why: Those techniques dont work. But wait, you might say. Those techniques do work. What if I consume fewer calories than I expend? Wont I lose weight? Or, what if I stop eating all grains? Ill lose weight then, right? You may lose weight for a few days, maybe even a few weeks, but soon enough the large majority of us simply cannot sustain that type of deprivation and eventually fall off the fad diet wagon. Living Lean is proudly based on ideals derived from my personal experiences, observations and continued results with the worlds most recognized athletes.

Im thrilled to share them here, so you can immediately begin leading a healthier life at your own pace - one positive choice at a time. Epigraph Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it. -Albert Einstein CHAPTER 1 BAPTISM There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting. -Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta The steam in the bathroom was so thick it was hard to see what was happening. I blinked. Yes, this was real.

A baptism was about to take place. The bedroom was pushing 95 degrees. Christian music pumped through the sound system, and there was a constant parade of smiling faces popping in to say hi. The athlete was submerged to his chest in a steaming bath with lavender-eucalyptus bubbles floating like swans all around him. Words were spoken that I couldnt quite hear. I didnt have to.

The fighter was rejoicing. Hed already lost 30 lbs. during training camp and today had to lose just eight more. In this situation, some people would look like they were suffering. But as the priest made the sign of the cross over the fighters head, he beamed the smile of a young boy. This wasnt just a weight cut.

This was a spiritual moment during which I couldnt help but think: How did I get here? Weight has been my main focus for more than twenty years; as a competitor, as a coach and as a consultant. I purposely drove my body weight to 280 lbs. as powerlifter to achieve my goal of squatting over 800 lbs. Three years later, I set the record for fastest knockout in the International Fight League while competing as a 170 lb. mixed martial artist. while maintaining a vibrant level of health and vitality. while maintaining a vibrant level of health and vitality.

Now, as a peak performance coach, I continue to develop these methods while working with the most elite athletes in mixed martial arts. Id like to share them here with you. ***** THIRD GRADE It was the end of a typical school day for me. I could hear the pounding of waves on the beach a few blocks away as I made my way home from school. I tossed my backpack on the dining room chair and headed straight for the refrigerator. Thats when I noticed the prevailing silence.

In a house with four kids, silence is rare. The backdoor was open, but the screen door was shut. I could see my mother in the yard hustling toward the stairs, toward me. All I could think was, Uh, oh. What did I do? Hold your father, she yelled. Thats when I saw my dad sitting on the back stairs, tilting awkwardly to the side, incoherent.

The minutes that followed were a blur of emergency sirens, color and people. Our next door neighbor was a police officer and the first emergency responder on the scene. Then came the ambulance and the craziness. Neighbors from up and down 8th Avenue flooded our driveway offering support, but mostly asking what had happened. I didnt know. But later, I found out my father suffered a stroke.

I was nine. A stroke is caused by the rupturing or the blockage of an artery. This prevents part of the brain from receiving oxygen, and in minutes, brain cells begin to die, resulting in brain damage, disability and death. Studies show up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented simply by reducing risk. My father was a first generation Italian immigrant who began smoking cigarettes before he was a teenager and continued to do so for nearly twenty years before he quit. He remained smoke-free for another twenty years before his stroke.

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of stroke along with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes conditions that are predominantly influenced by lifestyle; notably poor diet and lack of exercise. Not surprisingly, these same conditions are the leading causes of heart disease and obesity. My father looked like he was in great shape. But his insides were a different story. He cooked with butter, ate fried foods regularly, and usually unwound with a few beers at night. He routinely skipped breakfast, but always grabbed a Thermos full of coffee before he left the house.

His sixty-hour work schedule kept him away from meaningful exercise and increased his level of stress. He was a solid provider and an excellent father. He always took great care of us, but in turn, he did not take care of himself. ***** A few months after the stroke, my mother and I stopped by the local 7-Eleven for a gallon of whole milk and a loaf of Wonder bread. Like most kids would do, I began scanning the shelves for a candy bar, but my eyes caught on something else. I remember the moment perfectly.