Healthy Diets That Work

The Good Facts about Protasov's Diet

2007-12-11T05:27:00.000-08:00

Protasov's diet is amazingly good because:

1. DOES NOT LIMIT A QUANTITY OF FOOD, which very well from a psychological point of view. It is more easy to maintain this diet than many others.

2. Protasov's diet restore the metabolism, bring it to the optimal functioning. The absence of carbohydrates with the high glycemic index normalizes the functioning of the pancreas and stops the sweet addiction.

3. Large quantity of dairy products provides the sufficient amount of protein, and also calcium and lactose. This helps to a loss of adipose tissue, while maintaining and even increasing muscle.

4. Diet prescribes to eat a large quantity of fresh vegetables, and these are - vitamins, minerals, microelements, cellulose. Nourishing anf healthy!
It adjusts the work of bowels. If, of course, actually eat a lot of vegetables (more than dairy products).
Some dieters drink three liters of the kefir and eat the pair kilograms of white cheese during the day with the pitiful cucumber - yes, they became sad very quickly.

5. The fats in Protasov's diet are limited, but not eliminated. This is right.

In order to complete initial step and to be freed from the sweet addiction, Protasov's diet can approach. Possible solution - to begin from the third week, and add other fruits to the apples, vegetable oil, something grain and to convert this version into its own model of nourishment.

After the Protasov's Diet

2007-12-06T06:06:00.000-08:00

The Kim Protasov's Diet
Read before you start
Important Notes
Protasov's Diet: Why the Deviations Are Dangerous
Protasov's Diet: Useful information

How to leave from the Protasov's diet?
It is necessary to introduce te changes not all at once, but gradually. Do not add the entire culinary book, but replace something to something for expanding of assortment, satisfaction of taste, addition of vitamins, minerals, microelements. And all this - with the small, if not zero, increase in the caloricity. This is a basis of the exit from Protasov's diet.

Thus EXIT must be slow, uniform, gradual.

step 1. part of the dairy products (not all!) we take entirely fatless (0,5-1%), and for the compensation we add vegetable oil into the lettuces. On the day - not more than 15 g of vegetable oil (this 3 tea spoons).
I.e., the part of the animal fats we replace with an equivalent quantity of vegetable oils. For information: three olives have 1.5 gram of a good fat, in three large almonds is also 1.5. Accordingly, if you ate olives or nuts, then you have to decreased a quantity of other oil. Always we count the fats! Not more than 30-35 g per the day for everything, including fats in the dairy, meat, fish, in the lettuce, and in the eggs (there are 4-6 g of fat in the yolk);

step 2. two apples of three we substitute by some other fruits (but not very
sweet and, of course, not bananas, not mango and not dry dates);

step 3. Now In the morning we eat cereals instead of the vegetables from
the calculation
1-2 table of the spoon of dry cereal to the appropriate volume of water.

step 4. We substitute the part of the dairy products whit the lean meat, chicken and other sources of the protein.

Exemplary menu after the diet:
It is just the suggestion. Is is necessary to slowly introduce carbohydrates and to count fats.

- 6 weeks as 5, but on the less fat from dairy products + of 2-3 spoons of cereals on the water.
- 7 weeks as 6 and we substitute apples by other non-sweet fruits.
- 8 as 7 we add a little of the dried fruit
- 9 as 8 we add the boiled vegetables + we substitute the part of dairy food with the meat
- Week 10 we begin to introduce common products of our life into the ration.

Reducing gradually a quantity of dietary products.

Do not eat at least 1-2 months rice, pasta, bread.

In the period of diet itself so after it the discharge of weight occurs depending on the specific features of each organism.

About the "vegetable aerocolia"

2007-11-19T04:01:00.000-08:00

If to the moment of passage to Protasov's diet you fed "as all people" - with a small quantity of fresh vegetables and fruits and a large quantity of "poor" carbohydrates and products of industrial production in the ration - that in the first 2 weeks of correct nourishment the unpleasant side effect is possible: the abdominal distension. Do not hurry to follow the majority of doctors and to blame fresh vegetables and fruits in this phenomenon. They are not guilty, but that "rubbish", which remained in the bowels after many years of incorrect nourishment. In combination with fruit and vegetable cellulose it gives "explosive" effect. There is the only one medicine: continue to eat fresh vegetables and fruits in the sufficiently large quantity (portion not less than 200-250 g) to the hungry stomach and to collect the patience.

Vegetable cellulose will clean from the bowels a basic quantity of "rubbish" and unpleasant phenomena will cease during 2 weeks. In this case it is necessary to drink not less than 1,5 l of pure water during the day, since cellulose is derived well from the bowels, only with a water.
To probably superfluously recall that salt and large quantity of servicing in the lettuce will lower "clearning" vegetable effect almost to zero.

And of course the described "therapy" is not applied to the people with the serious chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Protasov's Diet: Useful information

2007-11-14T06:31:00.000-08:00

The Kim Protasov's Diet
Read before you start
Important Notes
Protasov's Diet: Why the Deviations Are Dangerous

Useful information:

Basic metabolism

Basic metabolism is the quantity of calories necessary for organism for the right metabolic process in the state of the rest. When organism obtains the necessary quantity (but not more) of the calories it begins to expend on the physical exercises the existing fatty reserves. With an increase in the muscle loading and the retention of the quantity of the obtained calories of the food the organism respectively more intensively expends fatty reserves.

What occurs when we don't give enough calories to the organism? It begins to slow down "eating" of adipose tissue (which is its energy reserve) and begins to eat the muscular tissue (which is not the reserve, but it is material for the construction).
So, the loading in organism remained, but we do not give to it the necessary food. As a result it, organism begins to make reserves from any quantity and qualities of food, i.e., to put aside new fat.

Figuratively speaking you begin to add weight from carrots... That is why the hungry diets ant the fasting days are so dangerous...

The shortage of 400-500 kcal leads to sharp worsening in well-being (organism cannot normally function), they slow down all processes passing in the organism. Hence weakness, headaches, indisposition and so forth and the like.

The losing weight and malnutrition are NOT the SAME!!!!

The weight losing is the organization of the healthy nourishment after our usual food madness! This is bringing organism into the standard (from a biological point of view) and, consequently, also with the aesthetical!
Therefore EAT!!!!

With metabolism equal to 1200 kcal it is necessary during the day to eat (1-2 weeks):

1000 ml/g of sour-milk products by fattiness 4-5%
+ 1200 g of the fresh vegetables (it is very desirable so that 1/3 constituting there would be the green head cabbage!)
+ 1 boiled egg
+ 3 green apples (Granny Smith)
+ 1,5-2 l water
+ the eighth hour of sleep - here is THE FORMULA OF SUCCESS!!!

Formula for calculating the basic exchange of substances:

Basic Metabolism (kcal) = of 9.563 * weight (kg) + 1.850 * height (cm) - 4.676 * age + 655.1

Formula for calculating the index of the Body Mass Index (BMI):

BMI = Weight of body in kg/the square of the height in meters

Doctors consider standard BMI from 18,5 to 24,9.

Protasov's Diet: Why the Deviations Are Dangerous

2007-11-12T22:48:00.000-08:00

The Kim Protasov's Diet
Read before you start
Important Notes

Why the Deviations from the Protasov's diet eating plan are dangerous?

When we sit on the Protasov's Diet we retrain our organism: instead of "fast" carbohydrates we force it to split "slow" - complex carbohydrates. t is necessary to work for this purpose, for which he is not accustomed. This is the reason "carbohydrates withdrawal symptoms", which lasts for 3 days and and which is necessary for enduring. "Slow" carbohydrates (with low glycemic index GI) normalize process of development and inflow in blood of the insulin responsible for formation of fatty deposits.

Any doze, for example, sweets provokes the massed emission of insulin, that is infringement of the insulin balance, and brings to nothing your works on "education" of an organism.

Do not think, that one candy threatens you with an additional weight in 10 grams: it threatens that in an organism again will begin "insulin violence ", that is relapse of almost cured infringements of the metabolism leading excess weight.

Do you think, that anithing terrible does not happen from a small dose? Alas, it not so: the organism responds adequately to any product in any quantity diverted to the alimentary canal. Why do you not doubt of it, when accept a tiny tablet?

Important Notes to Protasov's Diet

2007-11-12T02:27:00.000-08:00

The Kim Protasov's Diet
Read before you start

So, the essence of this beautiful diet:

FIRST AND SECOND WEEKS:

Raw vegetables.
The various cheeses and five (or less) fat yoghurts.
One boiled egg.
Three green apples.
Coffee, tea, water.
Keep in mind that IT IS ALL in any amount and at any time of a day.

THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH WEEKS:

All the same, plus a piece of meat, poultry or fish.
Let's reduce a bit cheeses and yoghurts (by 300-400 g)

IMPORTANT:

Before you buy products, examine the following:

The food should be as simple, as possible, to ensure that the body would be cleaned.

The amount of the vegetables and milk products should be the same (or slightly more vegetables).

YOU CAN EAT:
Egg (1 per Day).

Cultured natural milk products with fat less or equals 5% (those in which no preservatives, sugar, additives, stabilizers and other chemical products) is kefir, yoghurt, type of plain yogurt, acidophilus milk, boiled fermented milk (all dairy products made with the help of natural starter).

Don't eat only fat free products, that may be cause of the emmeniopathy.

Vegetables only fresh and non-starch.

You can cook yogurt: Boil the milk. Chill to 70 degrees Celsius, approximately. At 0.5 litres of the milk put 2 tsp starter (or organic yoghurt Activia, can be sweet, and then the first batch will be sweet) stor, close the lid and through 6 hours yoghurt ready. Tasty, but more importantly, you can be sure that he had no additives.

Better to limit canned vegetables (they do NOT fresh), there are not more than 1-2 times a week - and then, if you want ... But do BETTER WITHOUT them!

You can eat salt. The diet without salt can be dangerous for fluid-and-electrolyte balance sharing, brain, heart ... But eat salt in reasonable quantities!

Apples (3 per Day) - green (NOT replace with anything).

Add in food the natural food seasonings and spices.

Tea (mostly green, black lead to dehydration), herbal infusions, coffee (without sugar and milk) and fresh juices, mineral water

You can dress salads with lemon juice.

From the third weeks:

Fish, seafood, meat, offal, stewed, boiled, fried without oil !!!!

DO NOT EAT:

- Sugar, Sweeteners is also undesirable.
- Crab sticks, sausage.
- The Korean carrot-and other salads, cooked not by you if you are not sure that they do not have a banned products.
- Meat soup, vegetable soup and boiled vegetables.
- Soy-and soy products
- Food with gelatine
- Vinegar and its variety
- Avocado (this is the fruit!)
- Dairy Products with additives (fruits, cereals… ..) yogurters… and other derivatives.
- Juices from packages NOT allowed! It is a sugar and empty calories, plus dyes!
Want to be slim - forget about juices from paсkages. Only fresh apple or vegetable juices.

PS: Protasov do not prohibit milk. But no more than 1.5% and the amount of milk shall not exceed 300 ml per day.

Read Before You Start the Kim Protasov's Diet

2007-11-11T02:35:00.000-08:00

Don't start the Kim Protasov's Diet before reading this post! This will give you an opportunity to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings. Now we highlight the most frequently asked questions.

1. Before you sit on the diet read carefully the diet's essence (we recommend to print the description).

2.after reading the diet:
- if for some reasons, Kim Protasov's Diet is not suited to you (you don't like Acidified milk products or raw vegetables or something you should not) that means you should not use it.
- if you are having problems with the stomach, allergy products - the diet is not for you.

3. if for some reason you decide to replace authorized products on unauthorized or diet does not approach to you for timing… this is not the Protasov's Diet, respectively, you can not expect the same results.

4. The diet described here. The diet lasts 5 weeks, the way out last 5 weeks too, it (is due to the fact that a withdrawal from the diet should be equal to the length of the diets).

5. During the Diet you must:
a) take vitamins to compensate for the shortage of micronutrients.
b) There is a need to eat every day at least 1200-1500 kcal.

6. if during the diet raises discomfort, painful sensations, violations cycle-stop diet and immediately turn to a doctor.

7. Sport is welcome.

Balance Your Zone Diet With High Protein Foods

2006-10-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

Description	Weight Grams	Weight Ounces	Protein Grams
Duck, domesticated, meat only, cooked, roasted	221	1/2 duck	51.89
Chicken, stewing, meat only, cooked, stewed	140	1 cup	42.59
Fish, halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, cooked, dry heat	159	1/2 fillet	42.44
Fish, salmon, sockeye, cooked, dry heat	155	1/2 fillet	42.33
Turkey, meat only, cooked, roasted	140	1 cup	41.05
Turkey, neck, meat only, cooked, simmered	152	1 neck	40.80
Chicken, broilers or fryers, giblets, cooked, simmered	145	1 cup	39.37
Fish, haddock, cooked, dry heat	150	1 fillet	36.36
Fish, rockfish, Pacific, mixed species, cooked, dry heat	149	1 fillet	35.82
Chicken, broilers, fryers, breast, meat and skin	140	1/2 breast	34.78
Fast foods, hamburger, large, double patty	226	1 sandwich	34.28
Fish, tuna salad	205	1 cup	32.88
Cheeseburger, large, single meat patty, with bacon	195	1 sandwich	32.00
Fast foods, hamburger, regular, double patty	215	1 sandwich	31.82
Fast foods, taco	263	1 large	31.77
Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat and skin	98	1/2 breast	31.20
Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 2% milkfat	226	1 cup	31.05
Chicken, canned, meat only, with broth	142	5 oz	30.91
Veal, leg (top round), separable lean and fat	85	3 oz	30.74
Fish, flatfish (flounder and sole species)	127	1 fillet	30.68
Turkey, all classes, giblets, cooked, simmered	145	1 cup	30.29
Lamb, domestic, shoulder, arm, separable lean only	85	3 oz	30.21
Fast foods, submarine sandwich, with tuna salad	256	1sandwich,6"roll	29.70
Fast foods, submarine sandwich, with roast beef	216	1sandwich,6"roll	28.64
Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt	172	1 cup	28.62
Fast foods, cheeseburger, large, single patty	219	1 sandwich	28.19
Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk	246	1 cup	28.02
Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 1% milkfat	226	1 cup	28.00
Crustaceans, crab, blue, canned	135	1 cup	27.70
Cheese, ricotta, whole milk	246	1 cup	27.70
Fast foods, cheeseburger, regular, double patty, plain	155	1 sandwich	27.67
Chicken, broilers or fryers, light meat, meat only	84	3 oz	27.57
Pork, fresh, shoulder, arm picnic, separable lean only	85	3 oz	27.42
Pork, fresh, loin, center loin, bone-in, separable lean	85	3 oz	27.35
Fish, swordfish, cooked, dry heat	106	1 piece	26.91
Beef, round, bottom round, separable lean only	85	3 oz	26.85
Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only	86	1/2 breast	26.68
Beef, chuck, blade roast, separable lean only	85	3 oz	26.40
Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd	210	1 cup	26.23
Sandwiches and hamburger, large, single meat patty	218	1 sandwich	25.83
Lamb, shoulder, arm, separable lean and fat, 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised	85	3 oz	25.83
Beef, top sirloin, separable lean only, 1/4" fat, all grades,cooked, broiled	85	85	25.81
Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean only, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz	25.66
Lamb, domestic, loin, separable lean only, 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz
Fish, tuna, yellowfin, fresh, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	25.47
Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, pan-fried	85	3 oz	25.42
Turkey, all classes, light meat, cooked, roasted	84	3 oz	25.12
Cheese sauce, prepared from recipe	243	1 cup	25.10
Cheese, cottage, nonfat, uncreamed, dry, large or small curd	145	1 cup	25.04
Pork, fresh, leg (ham), whole, separable lean only, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	25.00
Fish, tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids	85.05	3 oz	24.78
Beef, round, eye of round, separable lean only, 1/4" fat, all grades, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	24.64
Fast foods, chili con carne	253	1 cup	24.62
Pork, fresh, loin, center rib (roasts), bone-in, separable lean only, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	24.41
Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz	24.40
Chicken, broilers or fryers, dark meat, meat only, cooked, fried	84		24.35
Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened	306	1 cup	24.20
Cheese, cottage, creamed, with fruit	226	1 cup	24.16
Fast foods, chicken fillet sandwich, plain	182	1 sandwich	24.12
Lamb, domestic, leg, whole (shank and sirloin), separable lean only, 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	24.06
Turkey, all classes, dark meat, cooked, roasted	84	3 oz	24.00
Pork, fresh, shoulder, arm picnic, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised	85	3 oz	23.79
Beef, top sirloin, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, all grades, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz	23.64
Pork, fresh, loin, center rib (roasts), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	23.32
Fish, salmon, sockeye, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	23.21
Beef, rib, whole (ribs 6-12), separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, all grades, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	23.16
Beef, cured, corned beef, canned	85.05	3 oz	23.05
Pork, fresh, leg (ham), whole, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	22.81
Beef, round, eye of round, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, all grades, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	22.77
Fish, halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	22.69
Beef, chuck, blade roast, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, all grades, cooked, braised	85	3 oz	22.58
Beef, variety meats and byproducts, liver, cooked, pan-fried	85	3 oz	22.54
Poultry food products, ground turkey, cooked	82	1 patty	22.44
Lamb, domestic, rib, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	22.24
Soybeans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	180	1 cup	22.23
WORTHINGTON FOODS, MORNINGSTAR FARMS "Burger"Crumbles	110	1 cup	22.15
Fast foods, cheeseburger, regular, double patty and bun, plain	160	1 sandwich	22.13
Couscous, dry	173	1 cup	22.07
Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, patty, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz	22.04
Beef, ground, 80% lean meat / 20% fat, patty, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz	21.89
Fast foods, submarine sandwich, with cold cuts	228	1sandwich-6" roll	21.84
Beef, ground, 75% lean meat / 25% fat, patty, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz	21.73
Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, drained solids	85	3 oz	21.72
Lamb, domestic, leg, whole (shank and sirloin), separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	21.72
Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids	85	3 oz	21.68
Fast foods, roast beef sandwich, plain	139	1 sandwich	21.50
Lamb, domestic, loin, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, broiled	85	3 oz	21.39
Pork, cured, ham, whole, separable lean only, roasted	85	3 oz	21.29
Fast foods, cheeseburger, regular, double patty, with condiments and vegetables	166	1 sandwich	21.25
Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone	85.05	3 oz	20.94
Snacks, trail mix, regular, with chocolate chips, salted nuts and seeds	146	1 cup	20.73
Fast foods, taco	171	1 small	20.66
Fish, trout, rainbow, farmed, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	20.63
Pork, fresh, backribs, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	20.62
Fast foods, fish sandwich, with tartar sauce and cheese	183	1 sandwich	20.61
Fish, haddock, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	20.60
Fish, flatfish (flounder and sole species), cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	20.54
Fish, rockfish, Pacific, mixed species, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	20.43
Veal, rib, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	20.37
Fish, ocean perch, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	20.30
Pork, fresh, loin, country-style ribs, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised	85	3 oz	20.29
Chili con carne with beans, canned entree	222	1 cup	20.18
Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, drained solids	85	3 oz	20.08
Fish, pollock, walleye, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	19.98
Barley, pearled, raw	200	1 cup	19.82
Crustaceans, shrimp, mixed species, canned	85.05	3 oz	19.63
Fast foods, chimichanga, with beef	174	1 chimichanga	19.61
Fish, cod, Pacific, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	19.51
Fish, cod, Atlantic, canned, solids and liquid	85	3 oz	19.35
Milk, canned, evaporated, nonfat	256	1 cup	19.33
Breakfast items, biscuit with egg and sausage	180	1 biscuit	19.15
Beef, rib, whole (ribs 6-12), separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, all grades, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	19.13
Beans, white, mature seeds, canned	262	1 cup	19.02
Fast foods, shrimp, breaded and fried	164	6-8 shrimp	18.88
Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter	86	1 thigh	18.58
Pork, cured, ham, whole, separable lean and fat, roasted	85	3 oz	18.33
Crustaceans, shrimp, mixed species, cooked, breaded and fried	85	3 oz	18.18
Turkey roast, boneless, frozen, seasoned, light and dark meat, roasted	85.05	3 oz	18.13
Fast foods, chicken, breaded and fried, boneless pieces, plain	106	6 pieces	18.02
Lamb, domestic, rib, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, roasted	85	3 oz	17.95
Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	198	1 cup	17.86
Pork, cured, ham, extra lean and regular, canned, roasted	85	3 oz	17.80
Beans, baked, canned, with franks	259	1 cup	17.48
Fast foods, salad, vegetable, tossed, without dressing, with chicken	218	1-1/2 cups	17.44
Crustaceans, lobster, northern, cooked, moist heat	85	3 oz	17.43
Snacks, pork skins, plain	28.35	1 oz	17.38
Bulgur, dry	140	1 cup	17.21
Crustaceans, crab, blue, cooked, moist heat	85	3 oz	17.17
Milk, canned, evaporated, without added vitamin A	252	1 cup	17.16
Bread crumbs, dry, grated, seasoned	120	1 cup	17.04
Fish, salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone and liquid	85	3 oz	16.81
Mollusks, scallop, mixed species, cooked, breaded and fried	93	6 large	16.81
Fast foods, hot-dog, with corn flour coating (corndog)	175	1 corn dog	16.80
Fast foods, english muffin, with egg, cheese, and canadian bacon	137	1 muffin	16.69
Crustaceans, crab, alaska king, cooked, moist heat	85	3 oz	16.45
Wheat flour, whole-grain	120	1 cup	16.44
Wheat flour, white, bread, enriched	137	1 cup	16.41
Peas, split, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	196	1 cup	16.35
Oat bran, raw	94	1 cup	16.26
Fast foods, croissant, with egg, cheese, and bacon	129	1 croissant	16.23
Fast foods, tostada, with beans, beef, and cheese	225	1 tostada	16.09
Fish, roughy, orange, cooked, dry heat	85	3 oz	16.02
Fast foods, cheeseburger, regular, single patty, with condiments	113	1 sandwich	15.96
Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	182	1 cup	15.83
Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter	72	1 drumstick	15.80
Beans, pinto, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	171	1 cup	15.60
Fish, salmon, chinook, smoked	85.05	3 oz	15.55
Fish, catfish, channel, cooked, breaded and fried	85	3 oz	15.38
Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	177	1 cup	15.35
Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	172	1 cup	15.24
Buckwheat flour, whole-groat	120	1 cup	15.14
Sandwiches and burgers, cheeseburger, regular, single meat patty, plain	102	1 sandwich	14.77
Beans, great northern, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	177	1 cup	14.74
Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	188	1 cup	14.66
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	164	1 cup	14.53
Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt		1 cup	14.43
Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce, frozen entree	283	1 package	14.29
Beef Macaroni, frozen entree	240	1 package	14.14
Fish, pollock, walleye, cooked, dry heat	60	1 fillet	14.11
WORTHINGTON FOODS, MORNINGSTAR FARMS BETTER'NBURGERS, frozen	85	1 patty	13.91
Refried beans, canned	252	1 cup	13.83
Fast foods, hotdog, with chili	114	1 sandwich	13.51
Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat only, cooked, roasted	52	1 thigh	13.49
Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, canned	256	1 cup	13.44
Beans, baked, canned, with pork and sweet sauce	253	1 cup	13.44
Entrees, fish fillet, battered or breaded, and fried	91	1 fillet	13.34
Cowpeas, common (blackeyes, crowder, southern), mature seeds,	172	1 cup	13.30
Fast foods, taco salad	198	1-1/2 cups	13.23
Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, meat and skin, cooked, fried,	49	1 drumstick	13.21
Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched	185	1 cup	13.19
Beans, baked, canned, with pork and tomato sauce	253	1 cup	13.05
Chicken pot pie, frozen entree	217	1 small pie	13.04
Entrees, pizza with cheese, meat, and vegetables	79	1 slice	13.01
Yogurt, plain, skim milk, 13 grams protein per 8 ounce	227	8-oz container	13.01
Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, bleached	125	1 cup	12.91
Fast foods, clams, breaded and fried	115	3/4 cup	12.82
Soup, chicken noodle, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve	240	1 cup	12.72
Soup, bean with ham, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve, commercial	243	1 cup	12.61
Rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, dry	185	1 cup	12.56
Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, meat only, cooked, roasted	44	1 drumstick	12.45
Potatoes, au gratin, home-prepared from recipe using butter	245	1 cup	12.40
Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, self-rising, enriched	125	1 cup	12.36
Fast foods, hamburger, regular, single patty, with condiments	106	1 sandwich	12.32
Soup, chicken vegetable, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve	240	1 cup	12.31
Beans, baked, canned, plain or vegetarian	254	1 cup	12.17
Crustaceans, crab, blue, crab cakes	60	1 cake	12.13
Milk shakes, thick vanilla	313	11 fl oz	12.08
Fish, herring, Atlantic, pickled	85.05	3 oz	12.07
Lima beans, immature seeds, frozen, baby, cooked, boiled, drained,	180	1 cup	11.97
Fish, ocean perch, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat	50	1 fillet	11.94
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 12 grams protein per 8 ounce	227	8-oz container	11.92
Lima beans, large, mature seeds, canned	241	1 cup	11.88
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, Bengal gram), mature seeds, canned	240	1 cup	11.88
Cornmeal, degermed, enriched, yellow	138	1 cup	11.70
Shake, fast food, vanilla	333	16 fl oz	11.66
Cornmeal, self-rising, degermed, enriched, yellow	138	1 cup	11.61
Pie crust, standard-type, prepared from recipe, baked	180	1 pie shell	11.52
Beef stew, canned entree	232	1 cup	11.46

The Official Zone Diet Web Site

Tags: zone+diet, high+protein, protein

Zone Diet Basic. Portion control.

2006-10-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

There are several ways to accomplish portion control. The first method is known as the hand and eyeball method. Under this method protein amount is of the size and thickness of your palm, carbohydrates amount is equal to the both fists and fat amount equal to the tips of your thumb. The most precise and complicated method is to measure everything out.

The second method known as the plate method. Use a 7-inch salad plate. Next divide the plate into 3 portions. 1/3 will be the protein and the remaining 2/3 will be low glycemic index vegetables. What about the fat portion? Fat can be in the form of dressing.

If you want to be very precise on your portion control, then try the third method i.e. measure everything out. Under this method, protein source for meat weight 3 ounces at most and 5 ounces for fish.

Vegetables
contain 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrate. One serving equals:

1/2 cup	Cooked vegetables (carrots, broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, etc.)
1 cup	Raw vegetables or salad greens
1/2 cup	Vegetable juice
If you’re hungry, eat more fresh or steamed vegetables.

Fat-Free and Very Lowfat Milk
contain 90 calories per serving. One serving equals:

1 cup	Milk, fat-free or 1% fat
3/4 cup	Yogurt, plain non fat or low fat
1 cup	Yogurt, artificially sweetened

Very Lean Protein
choices have 35 calories and 1 gram of fat per serving. One serving equals:

1 ounce	Turkey breast or chicken breast, skin removed
1 ounce	Fish fillet (flounder, sole, scrod, cod, etc.)
1 ounce	Canned tuna in water
1 ounce	Shellfish (clams, lobster, scallop, shrimp)
3/4 cup	Cottage cheese, non fat or low fat
2 each	Egg whites
1/4 cup	Egg substitute
1 ounce	Fat-free cheese
1/2 cup	Beans- cooked (black beans, kidney, chick peas or lentils): count as 1 starch/bread and 1 very lean protein

Fruits
contain 15 grams of carbohydrate and 60 calories. One serving equals:

1 small	Apple, banana, orange, nectarine
1 medium	Fresh peach
1	Kiwi
1/2	Grapefruit
1/2	Mango
1 cup	Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries or blueberries)
1 cup	Fresh melon cubes
1/8 th	Honeydew melon
4 ounces	Unsweetened Juice
4 teaspoons	Jelly or Jam

Lean Protein
choices have 55 calories and 2-3 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

1 ounce	Chicken- dark meat, skin removed
1 ounce	Turkey- dark meat, skin removed
1 ounce	Salmon, Swordfish, herring
1 ounce	Lean beef (flank steak, London broil, tenderloin, roast beef)*
1 ounce	Veal, roast or lean chop*
1 ounce	Lamb, roast or lean chop*
1 ounce	Pork, tenderloin or fresh ham*
1 ounce	Low fat cheese (3 grams or less of fat per ounce)
1 ounce	Low fat luncheon meats (with 3 grams or less of fat per ounce)
1/4 cup	4.5% cottage cheese
2 medium	Sardines
* Limit to 1-2 times per week

Medium Fat Proteins
have 75 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

1 ounce	Beef (any prime cut), corned beef, ground beef **
1 ounce	Pork chop
1 each	Whole egg (medium) **
1 ounce	Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup	Ricotta cheese
4 ounces	Tofu (note this is a Heart Healthy choice)
** choose these very infrequently

Starches
contain 15 grams of carbohydrate and 80 calories per serving. One serving equals:

1 slice	Bread (white, pumpernickel, whole wheat, rye)
2 slice	Reduced calorie or "lite" Bread
1/4 (1 Ounce)	Bagel (varies)
1/2	English muffin
1/2	Hamburger bun
3/4 cup	Cold cereal
1/3 cup	Rice, brown or white- cooked
1/3 cup	Barley or couscous- cooked
1/3 cup	Legumes (dried beans, peas or lentils)- cooked
1/2 cup	Pasta- cooked
1/2 cup	Bulgar- cooked
1/2 cup	Corn, sweet potato or green peas
3 ounce	Baked sweet or white potato
3/4 ounce	Pretzels
3 cups	Popcorn, hot air popped or microwave (80% light)

Fats
contain 45 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving. One serving equals:

1 teaspoon	Oil (vegetable, corn, canola, olive, etc.)
1 teaspoon	Butter
1 teaspoon	Stick margarine
1 teaspoon	Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon	Reduced fat margarine or mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon	Salad dressing
1 Tablespoon	Cream cheese
2 Tablespoons	Lite cream cheese
1/8th	Avocado
8 large	Black olives
10 large	Stuffed green olives
1 slice	Bacon

The Official Zone Diet Web Site

Tags: zone+diet, barry+sears, portion+control, serving

The Zone Diet. Overview

2006-10-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

The Zone: A Dietary Road Map to Lose Weight Permanently : Reset Your Genetic Code : Prevent Disease : Achieve Maximum Physical Performance

Overview

The Zone Diet was not specifically designed for the sole purpose of weight loss. Rather, it is a lifestyle change that uses food to manipulate one’s hormones by regulating and stabilizing the amount of insulin production to help one become energetic, lean, and healthy. Beginning with a standard-sized dinner plate, participants are advised to use a hand-eye technique to determine how much to eat. Lean protein comprises a third of the plate. This serving should be approximately the same dimension as one’s palm, both in size and thickness. Fill the remainder of the plate with carbohydrates, mostly vegetables and fruits. Then top everything off with some monounsaturated fat, such as a small amount of avocado, a handful of nuts, or a drizzle of olive oil. As those on the Zone Diet eat at least three meals and two snacks carefully planned throughout the day, they are always full and satiated.

The Zone is that point where all your body processes are working at their optimum level, so that you feel at your best physically, mentally & emotionally and everything flows. You are strong, bursting with energy and your fat reserves are being used as fuel, so you don't need as much food. Sounds great, doesn't it?

According to Dr Barry Sears, we can get into this state any time we want to, simply by getting our balance of macronutrients right. Our body needs protein (amino acids, when broken down to it's simplest form), carbohydrate (glucose) and fats (fatty acids) for all it's chemical & hormonal processes, and when given the right balance will purr along sweetly.

Foods You Can Eat. Eating Options

The Zone Diet focuses on eating a moderate amount of a variety of healthy and nutritious foods throughout the day. The foods the plan concentrates on are mostly low density carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits, followed by lean, low-fat proteins, and a very modest amount of monounsaturated fats. Since carbohydrates enter the bloodstream slower with the presence of fats, the Zone Diet requires that every meal contain some monounsaturated fats such as almonds, guacamole, macadamia nuts, and olive oil. There are specially formulated recipes and grocery list ideas to help give the dieter ideas on what they can eat. In addition, the Zone Diet is flexible enough so that dieters can even dine out while following the regimen.

Dr Sears' book "The Zone" details these processes and how they work. He explains why a high carbohydrate, low protein, low fat diet doesn't work for most people and also covers the importance of eating carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index. The carbs page explains this concept.

This is how you implement the Zone diet. First determine your body fat % using the method given in the book. This enables you to find your lean body mass, eg. if you are 75kg with 23% body fat, your body fat will be about 17kg, so your lean body mass is 58kg. Convert this to lbs ie. x by 2.2 to get 128lbs. Then multiply by the factor for your level of activity: Sedentary 0.5, Light (eg walking) 0.6, Moderate (30mins per day, 3x per week) 0.7, Active (1 hour per day, 5 x a week) 0.8, Very active (2 hours per day, 5 x per week) 0.9, Heavy weight training or 2x a day exercise (5 days a week) 1.0.

If you ride for 3 hours every day, 128 x 0.9 = 115. This figure is your protein requirement in grams.

This figure is then broken down into blocks of 7 grams each (in this example 17) and spread out over the day - you must eat exactly this amount of protein every day. Then for each block of protein you eat, you eat one block of carbohydrate (approx 9 grams) and one block of fat (approx 1 1/2 grams). When you take the amount of fat in the protein into consideration, this comes to protein = 30% of calories, carbs = 40%, fat = 30%. There is a little bit of leeway in the ratios, but this is ideal. Your blocks are then chosen from a list of low fat proteins, low GI factor carbs & monounsaturated fats. So your meals for the day would look like this :

Breakfast	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Bedtime
4 protein blocks	4 protein blocks	4 protein blocks	4 protein blocks	1 protein block
4 carbo blocks	4 carbo blocks	4 carbo blocks	4 carbo blocks	1 carbo block
4 fat blocks	4 fat blocks	4 fat blocks	4 fat blocks	1 fat block

Other than eating lots of fruits and vegetables, a moderate amount of lean proteins, and small amounts of food with monounsaturated fats, Zone Diet participants are encouraged to eat throughout the day, beginning one hour after waking up, in intervals of four or five hours. This is so that insulin levels stay constant in the zone that they can be optimally utilized. In addition, dieters are advised to eat at least five times a day and set an eating schedule which ought to be adhered to as much as possible.

Foods You Can't Eat

One should avoid eating carbohydrate-laden foods such as breads, grains, noodles, rice and other starches. These foods are very easy to overeat, and fall in the category of high density, or fat-free carbohydrates. Foods that have too much carbohydrates lead to excessive production of insulin, when unused, will not only store fat in your system, but may be hazardous to one’s health.

"The Zone" has a lot of useful information about how the body works. The chapter on fats is particularly good and easy to understand. Most of the food choices given are sensible, avoiding foods that are highly processed or high in sugar or bad fats. It cites many examples of sportspeople who have dramatically improved their performance using the Zone diet. People who have tried PR bars, which are made in this ratio, have found them better than other sports bars for eating before a ride.

On the other hand, the reported increases in performance were made when switching from a high carb diet, so it may be that changing to a diet moderate in all the macronutrients is enough of a change. It might not be necessary to follow the exact ratios given. In a couple of places in the book, Dr Sears mentions that about 25% of the population can handle a high carbohydrate diet, but 75% can't . This dietary regime sounds good for the 75%, but what about the 25%? Maybe if they can handle a high carb diet, they actually need a high carb diet. In other words, the principle that a balance between the macronutrients is needed is sound. Sticking at this exact ratio could work well for some people, but it doesn't take people's differences into account.

Another concern that he doesn't take into account the fact that different people need different proteins. He uses a lot of dairy & soy in his recipes, for example. Dairy is a common allergen, in it's moder, processed forms. Soy, has many drawbacks, and should only be eaten in fermneted form, and in small quantities.. You need to take into account which proteins suit you. See the protein page for more info.

Although he describes his system as easy to comply with, some people reading this would think it was too much trouble. But if the rewards of this regime are as amazing as he claims, it would be worth any amount of hassle. So if your performance could do with a lift, this is worth a try. But if you don't get a marked improvement within a couple of weeks, this is not the diet for you.

Tags: zone+diet, barry+sears

The Official Zone Diet Web Site

South Beach Shopping List. Phases Guidlelines

2006-10-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

Shopping list for start, phase 1

* A lot of eggs! (at least two dozen. I ate 3 a day)
* Turkey and Canadian bacon
* Sugar free Jell-O
* Lettuce & whatever else you want in your salads (buy enough for the week)
* Salad dressing (balsamic vinaigrette is good)
* Veggies (no carrots)(broccoli & zucchini are good)
* Chicken breasts and whatever other meat you like
* Nuts (for snacks)
* Low fat string cheese & shredded cheese (I use it on my salads)
* Part-skim ricotta cheese
* Splenda or other sugar substitute

Phase 1 guidelines

BREAKFAST
Protein: Quantity is not limited. See choices
Vegetables: Minimum 1/2 cup. See choices
Fruit: None
Starch: None
Milk: None
Fat: 1 tsp mayonnaise or oil (optional) See choices

LUNCH
Protein: Quantity is not limited. See choices
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. See choices
Fruit: None
Starch: None
Milk: None
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise or oil. See choices

DINNER
Protein: Quantity is not limited. See choices
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. See choices
Fruit: None
Starch: None
Milk: None
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise or oil. See choices

SNACK
Snacks are required. Choose from the Protein or Vegetable list, or eat nuts from the Fats list.

Allowed foods in Phase 1 (shopping tips):

Protein Choices

BEEF Lean cuts, such as:
Eye of Round
Ground beef:
Extra Lean (96/4)
Lean (92/8)
Sirloin (90/10)
Tenderloin
Top Loin
Top Round

CHEESE (FAT-FREE OR LOW-FAT)
American
Cheddar
Cottage cheese, 1-2% or fat-free
Cream cheese substitute, dairy-free
Feta
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Provolone
Ricotta
String

EGGS
The use of whole eggs is not limited unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Use egg whites and egg substitute if desired.

LAMB (Remove all visible fat)
Center Cut
Chop
Loin

LUNCHMEAT
Fat-free or low-fat only

MEAT SUBSTITUTES (SOY BASED)
Bacon - Limit to 2 slices per day
Burger - < 3 gms fat per 2-3 oz portion
Chicken Patties & Nuggets - < 3 gms fat per 2-3 oz portion
Hot Dogs - < 3 gms fat per 2-3 oz portion
Natural Peanut Butter - 2 Tbsp (may use as protein choice or limited nut choice)
Sausage Pattie - Limit 1 patty per day
Seiten
Soy Crumbles
Soy Nuts - 1/4 cup for a protein snack is suggested serving
Tempeh
Yuba

PORK
Boiled ham
Canadian bacon
Loin
Tenderloin

POULTRY (SKINLESS)
Cornish hen
Turkey bacon (2 slices per day)
Turkey and chicken breast

SEAFOOD
All types of fish and shellfish

TOFU
Use soft, low-fat or lite varieties

VEAL
Chop
Cutlet, leg
Top round

Vegetable Choices (includes legumes) (May use fresh, frozen or canned without added sugar)

Artichokes
Asparagus
Beans, Green
Beans, Italian
Beans, Wax
Beans or Legumes:
Black Beans
Butter Beans
Chickpeas or Garbanzo
Pigeon Peas
Soy Beans
Split Peas
Broccoli
Bok Choy
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Collard Greens
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Lettuce (All varieties)
Juice (Limit to 6 ounces per day)
Tomato
V-8
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Okra
Onion - Limit to 1/2 per day
Peppers (All varieties)
Pickles - Dill or those sweetened with Splenda®
Radishes (All varieties)
Rhubarb
Sauerkraut
Snow peas
Spinach
Sprouts, Alfalfa
Squash, Spaghetti
Squash, Summer
Yellow
Zucchini
Tomato - Limit to 1 whole or 10 cherry per serving

Fat Choices (with some suggested serving sizes)

The following monounsaturated oils are recommended to be consumed daily:
Olive Oil
Canola Oil

Other Oil Choices that may be chosen (Polyunsaturated or a blend of Monounsaturated):

Corn
Enova
Grapeseed
Safflower
Soybean

NUTS (Limit to one serving per day as specified)
Almonds - 15 (Dry roasted recommended)
Brazil Nuts - 4
Cashews - 15 (Dry roasted recommended)
Pecans - 15 (Dry roasted recommended)
Macadamia - 8 (Dry roasted recommended)
Peanut Butter - 1 tsp
Peanut Butter, Natural = 2 TBS
Peanuts, 20 small (May use dry roasted or boiled)
Pine Nuts (Pignolia) - 1 ounce
Pistachios - 30 (Dry roasted recommended)
Walnuts - 15 (Dry roasted recommended)

In place of nuts, may use:
Flax Seed - 3 TBS

Other Fat Choices:
Avocado - 1/3 whole = 1 TBS oil
Guacamole - ½ cup = 1 TBS oil
Margarine - Chose those that do not contain Trans Fatty Acids such as Fleishmann's Premium Olive Oil or Smart Balance
Mayonnaise - Regular or Low Fat
Olives (Green or Ripe) 15 = 1/2 TBS
Salad Dressing - Use those < 3 gms sugar per serving

SPICES AND SEASONINGS
All spices that contain no added sugar
Broth
Extracts (almond, vanilla, or others)
Horseradish sauce
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
Pepper (black, cayenne, red, white)

Use the following toppings and sauces sparingly (check labels for added sugar)
Hot Sauce
Salsa - Limit to 2 TBS during phase 1
Soy Sauce - 1/2 TBS
Steak Sauce - 1/2 TBS
Worcestershire Sauce - 1 TBS
Whipped Topping (Light) - 2 TBS

SWEET TREATS (Limit to 75 calories per day)
Candies, hard, sugar-free
Chocolate powder, no-added-sugar
Cocoa powder, baking type
Fudgsicles, sugar-free
Gelatin, sugar-free
Gum, sugar-free
Popsicles, sugar-free
Sugar substitute

Some Sugar Free Products may be made with sugar alcohols (isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol or xylitol) and are permitted on the SBD. They may have associated side effects of GI distress (abdominal pain, diarrhea & gas) if consumed in excessive amounts.

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES
Acesulfame K
Fructose (needs to be counted as Sweet Treats, Caloric Limit)
Nutrasweet (Equal)
Saccharin (Sweet & Low)
Sucralose (Splenda)
Stevia (Not approved by FDA)

DAIRY
Low-fat (1 percent) or fat-free milk or soy milk
Plain or sugar-free low-fat or fat-free yogurt
Fat-free half & half

FOODS TO AVOID!!!
BEEF
Brisket
Liver
Other fatty cuts
Rib steaks

POULTRY
Chicken, wings and legs
Duck
Goose
Poultry products, processed

PORK
Honey-baked ham

VEAL
Breast

CHEESE
Brie
Edam
Nonreduced fat

VEGETABLES
Beets
Carrots
Corn
Potatoes, white
Potatoes, sweet
Yams

FRUIT
Avoid ALL fruits and fruit juices in Phase 1, including:
Apples
Apricots
Berries
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Peaches
Pears

STARCHES AND CARBS
Avoid ALL starchy food in Phase 1, including:
Bread, all types
Cereal
Croutons, all types
Matzo
Oatmeal
Rice, all types
Pasta, all types
Pastry and baked goods, all types

DAIRY
1/2 cup of plain fat-free yogurt (once per day max.)
Fat Free 1/2 & 1/2, Nonfat milk, 1% milk, Soy milk allowed with coffee. Otherwise avoid all other dairy products (unless listed under protein choices or sweet treats). Limit to < 2 TBS per cup of coffee. Otherwise, avoid all milk products in Phase 1, including:
Yogurt, cup-style and frozen
Ice cream
Milk, low-fat, fat-free, whole
Milk, soy

MISCELLANEOUS
Alcohol of any kind, including beer and wine
No regular ketchup or cocktail sauce
No pork rinds - too high in saturated fat
No jerky - too high in sugar content
Limit Caffeine-Containing Beverages to 1-2 servings per day

Phase 2 guidelines

BREAKFAST
Protein: Quantity is not limited. See choices
Vegetables: Minimum 1/2 cup. See choices
Fruit: 1 fruit serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 3 total servings for the day. See choices
Starch: 1 starch serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 2 or 3 total servings for the day. See choices
Milk: 1 - 1 1/2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt) See choices
Fat: 1 tsp mayonnaise or oil (optional) See choices

LUNCH
Protein: Quantity is not limited. See choices
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. See choices
Fruit: 1 fruit serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 3 total servings for the day. See choices
Starch: 1 starch serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 2 or 3 total servings for the day. See choices
Milk: 1 - 1 1/2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt) See choices
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise or oil See choices

DINNER
Protein: Quantity is not limited. See choices
Vegetables: Minimum 2 cups. See choices
Fruit: 1 fruit serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 3 total servings for the day. See choices
Starch: 1 starch serving allowed daily (with this meal or other). Gradually increase to 2 or 3 total servings for the day. See choices
Milk: 1 - 1 1/2 cups allowed daily (including yogurt) See choices
Fat: 1 Tbsp mayonnaise or oil See choices

SNACK
Snacks are optional: Choose from the Protein, Vegetable, or Fruits list, or eat nuts from the Fats list. Plain, low-fat or fat-free yogurt is also allowed.

Allowed foods in Phase 2 (shopping tips):

Foods you can reintroduce to your diet

FRUIT
Apples
Apricots-dried fresh
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Kiwi
Mangoes
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Strawberries

DAIRY
Milk-light soy, fat-free or 1%
Yogurt-light, fruit-flavored, plain, low-fat or fat-free

STARCHES (USE SPARINGLY)
Bagels, small, whole grain
Bread-multigrain, oat and bran, rye, whole wheat
Cereal-Fiber One, Kellogg's Extra-Fiber All Bran, oatmeal (not instant), other high-fiber, Uncle Sam
Muffins, bran-sugar-free (no raisins)
Pasta, whole wheat
Peas, green
Pita-stone-ground, whole wheat
Popcorn
Potato, small, sweet
Rice-brown, wild

VEGETABLES AND LEGUMES
Barley
Beans, pinto
Black-eyed peas

MISCELLANEOUS
Chocolate (sparingly)-bittersweet, semisweet
Pudding, fat-free/sugar-free
Wine, red

FOODS TO AVOID OR EAT RARELY!!!
STARCHES AND BREADS
Bagel, refined wheat
Bread-refined wheat white
Cookies
Cornflakes
Matzo
Pasta, white flour
Potatoes-baked, white instant
Rice cakes
Rice, white
Rolls, dinner

VEGETABLES
Beets
Carrots
Corn
Potatoes

FRUIT
Bananas
Canned fruit, juice packed
Fruit juice
Pineapple
Raisins
Watermelon

MISCELLANEOUS
Honey
Ice cream
Jam

More: South Beach Diet. Overview, South Beach Diet. Phases, Eat To Lose Weight. Don't Skip Breakfast!, How To Save Money And Eat Healthy. South Beach Diet

Tags: south+beach, shopping+list

How To Save Money And Eat Healthy. South Beach Diet

2006-10-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

Eating healthy doesn't have to cost more. But for many Americans, diet plans and higher grocery bills go together like peanut butter and jelly. The South Beach Diet (SBT) is so flexible that there is no reason not to follow it because of a tight budget.

Here are some ideas:

1. You don't have to follow the recipes or menus in the book. They are only guidelines.
2. You don't have to buy expensive cuts of meats. You can buy ground turkey and beef and discard the fat from the meat before adding spices to the dish you're making. Also, you can marinade less expensive cuts after removing the visible fat to make the meat more tasty and tender.
3. You can use canned and frozen veggies and fruits (P2), as well as seafood and shellfish. Tuna fish, canned salmon, sardines and canned chicken are OK.
4. Make sure canned goods don't have sauces and they have 3 or less grams of sugar, and the tuna fish and sardines are packed in water.
5. You can prepare a lot of beans. All beans are OK in all phases of this diet. Beans have a lot of nutrients and are easy on the budget.
6. You can buy fruits and veggies when they are in season. Check your local newspaper for ads.
7. Make a meal plan including ingredients in season and make sure you won't waste anything. Make sure you can use some leftover for a second meal.
8. You don't need to buy expensive drinks or designer water. Plain water is always best.
9. You can buy foods in bulk at discount grocery stores such as Sam's Club, Wal-Mart Super Center and other stores.
10. You can make the same menu for the entire family and add some extras for the members of the family that are not on the diet.
11. Make sure you make a shopping list and stick to it when you go to the grocery store and make sure you don't go hungry to the store and don't buy anything on impulse.
12. You can use dried or fat-free evaporated milk. It has a longer shelf life and it's cheaper than fresh milk.
13. You don't have to buy expensive cheese. There are a lot of low-fat cheeses at affordable prices.
14. Buy house brands and use sales coupons wisely.
15. Most important use your imagination to make meals appealing to all members of your family, so you don't feel deprived of anything.

South Beach Diet on a Budget: More tips

No matter what kind of plan you select, fruits and vegetables are always a good choice for the waistline and your wallet. When produce is in season, it tends to be more plentiful and cheaper. When it's not, frozen foods – especially store brands or generic -offer a good value.

You have to shop smart to buy food at good prices. Build a pantry, use coupons, stock up, hit clearances (yes, grocers have them as well, especially for overstock) and only buy on sale and you'll knock it out of the park with shopping.

Bear in mind, phase 1 is only 2 weeks -- after that, your food list greatly expands. The best way to come up with meal variety (in any phase) is to make a list of foods you can have then look for combinations. For example:

Tuna
Egg
Celery
Mayonnaise

Combine this and you have tuna salad. Do the same but substitute chicken and you'll have chicken salad. Both are great eaten on romaine hearts and sprinkled with mozzarella. I like adding tomatoes as well, just for the added flavor.

Like hamburger sandwiches? Go to the grocery store and pick up a really thick portabello mushroom. Pull out the stem (twist it to get it out) then slice the mushroom cap in half across its face to get the thinner slices. Smear both with some mayo, add a slice of Swiss, a hamburger, lettuce, onion, and tomato -- VOILA, a hamburger sandwich. You might want to slightly toast the mushroom in a skillet first - even better, you can grill it. If you do not like hamburgers, you can use any meat in this fashion - steak, chicken, take your pick.

Bean soups are a great, quick food for lunch or dinner. You can get a big ole pot going and largely leave it unattended to cook, just stirring it every so often.

Don't forget fish either -- it's tasty, healthy, and quick. You can prepare any of a number of marinades to soak the fish in for about an hour then pop it in the oven at 450 for 10-15 minutes. Don't get much easier than that!

Remember:

1. The first trip to the market is the most expensive because you need to buy the condiments and staples you don't have.
2. You don't have to follow the food plan in the book, some of the stuff in the menus are expensive, after all the recipes are from expensive restaurants in South Beach, FL. so you need to learn to subtitute foods for what you can affort, like canned anf frozen veggies, tuna fish, canned salmon, sardines, canned chicken breast, etc.
4. Buy stuff when it's on sale, on season and at discount places, even Dollar stores carry fresh products now and reasonable prices.

Even more tips:

Dried beans – usually very cheap, and you can cook up a huge pot of plain beans and "doctor" them up different ways for lunches and dinners.

Hamburger - cheap on sale, buy the higher fat kind, brown it well, drain and rinse the grease off. Tastes good, is probably even lower fat than the expensive stuff. "Waste" is not as great as you think per pound due to fat loss, so this is the more economical way.

Chicken - chicken breasts are expensive, period. The fat might be greater (although it is not that much greater) in thighs, but they are definitely a better buy. Usually several dollars a pound less! Make sure to trim off all the visible fat – they are just as healthy as breasts.

Cheese - buy full fat cheese – usually half the price of lf - and "defat" it yourself by baking it on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes and then draining the fat off. You can bake it longer and have cheese "crackers", too.

Vegetables - fresh is usually very expensive, so buy canned and frozen. Look for your grocer's "seconds" bin in the produce department -you can get some good buys there on produce that's past it's prime, but still perfectly edible. Iceberg lettuce is still pretty cheap, as are carrots and celery, onions and radishes.

Bread and pastas, etc. -- there are several varieties of whole wheat bread that aren't too expensive, or you can make your own - tastier and you control what goes into it, too. Doesn't really take much time, and kneading dough is so therapeutic!

Eggs are always a good buy, and you can eat them for breakfast every day.

Lunch meats are variable - Land o' Frost makes really good thin sliced ham and turkey for about $3 a pound, which is the cheapest among that isn't high fat or tastes like crap.

Keep your eyes open for sales, and maybe you can even treat yourself once in a while with a different veggie or protein, if it's priced low enough. I know how hard it is, but where there's a will, there's a way!

Buy meat that has the bone in it. It's cheaper, and with stir fry, keep the bone on the chicken and still turns out good.

And yet some more tips:

1. Beans, beans, beans. Especially dried ones cooked at home - very easy to do in a crockpot. Buy smoked turkey wings - about $2.50 for two big wings, break it into four pieces and only use one piece to season a pot of beans. Can add chopped onion or whatever seasonings you want (just add them at the end of cooking, as salt makes beans tough).

2. Chicken thighs versus chicken breasts. Less than half the price. Leg quarters about 39 cents a pound. Just cook them thoroughly and drain well (patting if necessary and practical), then remove the skin (or remove it before cooking). Difference in fat content is negligible if cooked properly.

3. Buy "regular" hamburger (usually 70/30) and drain it well when you cook it. Some people even rinse theirs with hot water - don't do this, but do "squeeze" it in the pan and drain off all the fat, then wipe out the pan. The yield per pound vs 85/15 is not very different, and the price is usually about $1 less per pound. 1/2 to 3/4 pound per big pot of chili or spaghetti sauce is enough.

4. Buy the cheaper cuts of lean beef, like bottom round. The tougher cuts are more flavorful, they just require more prep. Longer cooking over slow heat or marinating, though, and you have beef fit for a king (or queen).

5. Cottage cheese vs ricotta. Much cheaper. Drain it well to get a thickere consistency, and put it through the blender if you want it smooth. The texture and taste better anyway, and it's about half the price.

6. Buy fresh vegetables "loose" instaed of in packages. You pay $2.99 to $3,99 for a package of three Romaine "hearts", but can discover once, that a whole head of Romaine loose is only $1.79 - get the same amount of lettuce chopped up you get with the packaged, plus get more of the dark green leaves, which are healthier. Ditto for celery - had been paying $1.99 for a package of celery hearts, but can buy a whole head (bunch) of loose celery for $.99. Bagged salad is, of course, way too expensive.

7. Use lunch meat type ham instead of Canadian Bacon. You can buy a pound of really good, low fat sliced ham for about $2.99 a pound - the canadian bacon is twice that.

8. Buy spices, some canned goods, toiletries, cleaning supplies and laundry stuff at discount stores like Dollar General - you can save a bundle doing this, especially on spices you use often. A tin of black pepper is $1 at DG, but over $3 in the grocery store.

And this one:

The South Beach Diet is not expensive. Think fresh and think sales.

When is a will there is a way. You can find a way to follow this diet and lose weight.

South Beach Diet. Overview, South Beach Diet. Phases

Tags: south+beach, bean, beans, chiken, save+money, cheap+diet

Who Eats What: Tom Cruise

2006-10-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

Name: Tom Cruise
Birthday: 1962-07-03
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 201 lbs

He has been keen on sport and fitness all his life. He was in the wrestling team of his high school, but had to leave it after injuring his knee. That was when he took up acting.

When he filmed Mission Impossible in the UK, he had his own gym flown out so that he could continue with his training. However, he does not follow any specific exercise schedule:
"He says he tries to get five hours' sleep a night, but he doesn't have a specific fitness regime. "However, I am an active person - I like to hike, jog, sail, sky-dive, rollerblade, and play squash and tennis. And when I'm doing movies such as Mission: Impossible, all those stunts keep me in good shape." "

And here is what he says about his diet:

"I try not to eat too much junk food, although I do love it," he says.
"Growing up, I always ate what was on my plate and sometimes the person who finished first got the extra piece. So when I first began making money as an actor, it was a thrill being able to have any kind of food I wanted and eat as much as I liked. These days I love well-prepared lobster, pasta and flounder ... and strawberries."

More buzz:

He has in the past employed Jill Pettijohn, a chef who promotes a raw food diet, although she is now with Donna Karan.
“New Zealand-born chef Jill Pettijohn, who has worked for Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Drew Barrymore. Pettijohn, who trained as a nurse and has been a vegetarian for 20 years”

On the other hand, he also orders “wikki wikki wings” (presumably chicken) at the Rainforest Café in London:
“Tom Cruise eats Wikki Wikki wings, Madonna prefers chicken Caesar salad, Björk eats ribs.”

Restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa, whom some call the world’s greatest sushi chef, claims in his book that Tom Cruise’s favourite out of the dishes he prepares is Sashimi Salad (sashimi is raw fish).

According to the executive chef at Ago’s restaurant in Hollywood:
“Tom Cruise always orders rigatoni with tomato and basil at Ago, with an artichoke salad on the side. He gets a takeaway delivered when he's out of town.”

Tom Cruise supplied a recipe for Paul Newman’s book Newman's Own Cookbook. The recipe is for Linguine with Zesty Red Clam Sauce .

There is a claim that when dining at Cynthia's Restaurant in Los Angeles, Cruise’s favourite dessert is blackberry cobbler.

Tags: Tom+Cruise, Cruise's+diet

Eat To Lose Weight. Don't Skip Breakfast!

2006-10-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

Your diet plan should encourage good eating habits. The problem that most people have with losing weight is they skip meals to lose weight. By skipping breakfast and eating too little in the early part of the day, you set yourself up to over-eat later in the afternoon or evening. You have to eat to lose weight. But the biggest mistake of all is skipping the most important meal of the day... breakfast! It does not mean you should chow down dozens of eggs, pounds of bacon and loaves of bread but eating a sensibe healthy breakfast. When people skip meals, skip breakfast there are several factors that will hinder any weight loss.

First, people who skip breakfast often go full out on lunch. They would consume a large helping of junk food, fast food... basically food that aren't healthy and guaranteed weigth gainers. The second thing that will happen whem you skip breakfast is your metabolism will slow down to a crawl. What occurs is your body's natural self defense when it senses food is scarce is to slow down the metabolism. When that occurs, your body will try to hold the fat as long as it could. So please, if you are serious of trying to lose weight… don't skip breakfast. You can eat about every 2-2 1/2 hours (fitness eating style), for example, lean protein (meat), vegetables, fruit and sometimes healthy soy chips. After dinner, you can have a snack. Make sure it isn't your typical dessert snack like cakes, ice cream, pies or anything sugary. You can have a sugar free pudding, fat-free cottage cheese with a little soy milk sweetened with splenda and flavored with a few drops of sugar free vanilla extract and nutmeg. Protein is a natural appetite suppressant and cottage cheese is high in protein. You will need protein to maintain your lean muscle, without it you will lose valuable lean muscle and when that happens – your metabolism will slow down. If you want to snack grab a hand full of almonds, peanuts, walnuts or cashews. These nuts will bust your appetite. However, don't go overboard on the nuts, afterall nuts have calories and calories still counts. So, if you are serious about losing weight: you have to eat and drink plenty of water.

The type of breakfast you eat depends upon the diet you are pursuing. You might choose a high fiber meal, such as cereal, or a high protein meal, such as scrambled eggs and ham. Your breakfast should contain plenty of vitamins and minerals to help your body remain healthy throughout the day.

Another interesting aspect about breakfast is that it is a proven mood elevator. This is quite important, since it is critical to remain positive when trying to lose weight. Anything that you can do to lift your spirits—provided that it does not cause you to pack on the pounds—should be considered beneficial. Also, breakfast sets the pattern for the day. If you make healthy decisions at breakfast, you’re more likely to make the right decisions regarding the other meals of the day.

One thing you should avoid at breakfast is eating something high in sugar, such as a sugary breakfast cereal. While such a meal can lift your energy level temporarily, after a few hours, your energy level will drop again. While it is always better to eat something than nothing, you should be careful in the food choices you make at breakfast.

Breakfast can enhance the efficiency of the body, making it easier for you to burn fat. This is true for both young and old, so make sure your children eat breakfast as well. A smoothly-running body is a healthy body and one that is more likely to become lean over time.

At first glance, there appears to be no downside to eating breakfast. However, it is important to issue a cautionary note. Some people use breakfast as an opportunity to binge. They figure that they can eat breakfast and then skip the rest of their meals. However, this is not a healthy approach. In order to work effectively, your body needs to eat regular meals. Some diets call for three meals a day; others rely on five or six smaller meals eaten more frequently. In any event, while breakfast may be your most important meal of the day it should not be your only meal of the day.

Eating breakfast is a habit. However, if you haven’t eaten breakfast in a while, it may be a difficult habit to get into. The key to starting a healthy habit is persistence. Try to eat something every morning, even if it’s only a little something. Make sure that you have time to actually sit at the table and eat, rather than trying to eat breakfast on the run. Scheduling time for breakfast means that you have made it a priority in your life. If you follow this formula, you should be in a better position to lose weight over the long term.

Don't Skip Breakfast

Tags: breakfast, cereals

South Beach Diet. Phases

2006-10-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

EatSouth Beach is very specific about steering followers toward foods they can eat on the diet and away from the foods they should avoid. It promises followers that they don't have to give up delicious foods to lose weight, and points out that top restaurants in Miami cater to those following the South Beach credo, going so far as to promise that "now you can eat like a movie star – and look like one!" On the diet, eating out is allowed, snacks are required, and flexibility is emphasized. To compensate for the overall cut in carbohydrates, the South Beach diet allows ample fats and animal proteins in meals. Chicken, turkey, and fish are recommended, along with nuts, milk, cheeses and yogurt.

South Beach advises those looking to lose weight to avoid the highly processed carbohydrates found in baked goods, breads, snacks and soft drinks. Followers are cautioned to avoid eating low-fat prepared foods, the logic being that the fats in these foods are replaced with carbohydrates, and are therefore still fattening.

SBD is based around 3 simple ‘phases’. The initial Phase 1 or Rapid Weight Loss is the strictest of these. Phase one lasts for two weeks, many foods are prohibited during this time, and dieters should expect a rapid weight loss of up to thirteen pounds within 2 weeks. Phase 2 (Ongoing Weight Loss) of the diet begins to re-introduce many of the prohibited foods back into the diet. There is no timescale set for phase two; you should remain on it until you have reached your targeted weight. During the Phase 2 weight loss is reduced to around 1-2 pounds per week. The last phase or Phase 3, which is classed as more of a maintenance phase. The idea behind phase 3 is to see your new and improved eating habits as a new way of life rather than the continuation of a diet.

Phase One – - Rapid Weight Loss:

- 2 weeks of strict dieting. This is the initial weight loss period. You eat normal portion sizes In Phase 1, but all carbohydrate are restricted. This is the strictest phase in the diet and will last for two weeks. It emphasizes lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, fish, and shellfish. Low-Glycemic-index vegetables are allowed as well as low-fat cheese, nuts, eggs. Dieters should expect to lose somewhere between 8 to 12 pounds.
Right food for Phase One:

Fat-free or low-fat cheese, including: cheddar, feta, parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta, and provolone.	Canola oil or olive oil. Also low-fat butter substitute.	Beans: black, butter, chickpeas, green, kidney, lentils, lima, soy, split peas.
Dairy-free cream cheese substitute	Extracts (e.g. vanilla)	Turnips
Fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese	Tomatoes (up to 10 cherry or 1 large per meal)	Water chestnuts
30 pistachios	Peppers	Sugar-free ice lollies
20 peanuts	Asparagus	Sugar-free jelly
15 pecan halves	Aubergines	Baking cocoa powder
Sirloin beef	Broccoli	Sugar-free boiled sweets
Lean cuts – beef	Cabbage	Sugar-free gum
Tenderloin	Cauliflower	Sugar substitute
All types of fish and shellfish	Celery	Skinless chicken or turkey breast
Boiled ham	Courgettes	2 slices turkey bacon per day
Lean bacon	Cucumber	Broth
Leg cutlet – veal	Lettuce	Horseradish sauce
Veal chop	Mushrooms	Pepper
Fat-free or low-fat lunchmeat	Spinach	Soft, low-fat tofu

Avoid this food in Phase One:

All dairy produce	All fruit	Goose
All alcohol	All fruit juices	Processed poultry
Full-fat cheese	All bread	Duck
Brie	All cereal	Liver
Edam	Rice	Rib steaks
Beets	Pasta	Fatty cuts
Carrots	Pastries	Veal breast
Corn	Baked goods	Honey-baked ham
Potatoes/sweet potatoes/Yams	Chicken wings or legs	All starchy foods

Phase Two – Ongoing Weight Loss:

With this second phase of the diet, there are no set time limits as to how long you should remain on it. Dieters are advised to stay on phase 2 until they reach their goal weight. Weight loss during this phase slows down to 1-2 pounds per week. This is because many of the foods that were restricted in phase 1 are now re-introduced into the diet.

Right food for Phase Two:

Fruit: apples, apricots, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwi, mangoes, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries	Breads/Baked goods: multi-grain bread, oat and bran bread, rye bread, wholewheat bread , wholewheat pitta bread, wholegrain bagels	Dairy: Low-fat fruit flavour yoghurt, low-fat soya milk, non-fat or 1% fat milk, plain low-fat or fat-free yoghurt
High-fibre cereal	Wholewheat pasta	Popcorn
Wild or brown rice	Small sweet potato	Red wine
Bittersweet chocolate	Semi-sweet chocolate	Fat-free sugar-free pudding

Phase Three – Maintenance:

This final phase of the diet is one that should last for life. By now you should have changed your eating habits for the better, both in the things you eat and the way you cook. Having trained yourself and your body to make healthier choices, you should now continue to eat healthily and maintain the weight loss. The restrictions now are only to avoid highly processed food that contains ‘bad’ carbs and ‘bad’ fats and try and stick to the food that contains the ‘good’ ones. Your daily menus should be based around the healthy food types recommended throughout this diet, and you should continue to eat three well-balanced meals each day. Phase 3 is for maintenance and should be followed for life. Is all about maintaining your desired weight with a healthy balanced diet. Should your weight begin to climb, simply return to Phase 1.
As you're losing weight and altering how your body responds to food, a third change bas been taken place. This one will significantly alter your blood chemistry, to the long-term benefit of your cardiovascular system. You will improve invisible factors that only cardiologists and heart patients worry about. Thanks to this final change, you will substantially increase your odds of living long and well-meaning you will maintain your health and vitality as you age.

As with all diets it is recommended to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and it is also recommended that followers of the South Beach diet take a daily calcium supplement. It is not recommended for people with kidney problems. Always consult a doctor or dietician before undertaking weight loss plans.

Exercise Recommendations Exercise is not a requirement for success in The South Beach Diet

Overall this is a good diet. It keeps your heart healthy while reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol. It has one of the lowest dropout rates for modern diets and provides practical eating patterns. It provides quick weight loss at the beginning and a steady weight loss continues until you reach your ideal weight. With this diet the weight is more likely to stay off.

More: South Beach Diet. Overview

South Beach Diet – official website

Tags: South+Beach+diet

South Beach Diet. Overview

2006-09-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Most people are sick of trying new diets for one reason – they do not work! What makes the South Beach Diet different is that it teaches a way of life where you rely on the right carbohydrates and fats. South Beach Diet is self-described as "neither low-fat nor low-carb". This new way of eating allows you to live contently without eating the bad carbohydrates and fats. In contrast, when a person eats bad carbohydrates and fats they feel hungrier, causing them to eat more, which causes weight gain. In exchange for eating right, you become healthier and can enjoy an 8 to 13 pound weight loss in just two weeks.

Developed by Dr Agatston in 1999, to help patients avoid or combat heart problems, it also boasts weight loss. It works on the idea that carbs cause weight gain, which is similar to the Atkins diet, however the South Beach diet doesn’t limit carbs so much as Atkits diet. It divides them into 'good' carbs (e.g. high fibre cereals, wheat breads) and 'bad' carbs (e.g. biscuits, pasta). 'Bad' carbs make you feel full temporarily, but cause your blood sugar levels to rise sharply and lead to craving for more foods that cause in weight gain. When they fall again they leave you feeling lethargic and hungry. The South Beach diet also differentiates between 'good' fats (monounsaturated) and 'bad' fats (saturated). You eat 3 healthy balanced meals a day and snacks are allowed, however, by eating the right kinds of foods you will feel fuller for longer.

The choice of eating plans has never been wider for dieters. This diet works in phases, the first two for a specific timeframe and the third phase for life. With this new approach, you can stop counting calories, stop weighing food portions, and stop feeling as though you are deprived from eating good-tasting and satisfying food! Actually, you will be eating three, normal-size meals but wait, that not all! You will also get two snacks each day and with meal plans that are designed to be flexible, you can enjoy a variety, based on what sounds good to you on any particular day.

South Beach Diet plan is divided into phases: Phase One lasts 14 days, and is the strictest. Normal-sized portions of lean protein are allowed, as are vegetables, nuts, cheese and eggs. The goal of this phase is to eat three meals a day so that followers aren't left feeling hungry, and to eliminate cravings for starches and sweets. Phase Two lasts until dieters reach their weight-loss goal, and reintroduces some foods that were banned in Phase One, such as whole-grain breads and dairy foods. Phase Three is all about maintenance, and is less a phase than a "way of life."

We will discuss these phases in more details in the next article.

Best of all, you will see amazing results in a short amount of time. Your hips, thighs, and stomach will be thinner, the number on the scales will go down, and all those overwhelming food cravings will be gone! Just imagine losing weight while still enjoying many of your favorite foods. With the diet, you can dine on mouth-watering foods like Chicken en Papillote, Shrimp Louis, and even Chocolate Sponge Cake and still lose the weight!

More: South Beach Diet. Phases

South Beach Diet – official website

Tags: South+Beach+Diet, Agatston, SBD

Good Fats or Bad Fats

2006-09-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

In the previous article we observed the different types of fats. Which type is good for our health, and which kind of fat we should avoid?

Any given fat is composed of all three types, but usually has one type more predominant. If we are eating whole foods appropriate for our metabolic type, we needn't be concerned about the fats in the foods. We can eat and enjoy meat, eggs and dairy products, nuts, olives and avocados. It's slightly trickier deciding what fat or oil to use for cooking and condiments. Now that we know how fats work, let's look at a summary of good and bad sources of additional fat.

GOOD FATS
Butter (and cream): primarily saturated. Contains short chain fatty acids that only come from butter, and medium chain that only come from butter & tropical oils. These have anti-microbial & immune enhancing properties and are easily absorbed for energy, making them less likely to cause weight gain. Contains CLA (Conjugated Linoleic acid) which has strong anti-cancer properties and only comes from pasture fed butter. Has small but equal quantities of omega-6 and omega-3 EFAs. Contains other vital nutrients like Vits A & D, Activator X (from spring & fall pasture fed cows), lecithin, cholesterol, glycosphingolipids & trace minerals.

Beef & mutton fat (tallow) & pork fat (lard): primarily saturated & monounsaturated. Stable & can be used for frying.

Chicken, duck & goose fat: primarily saturated & monounsaturated. Semi-solid & quite stable. Widely used in kosher cooking (duck or goose preferred).

Coconut oil: primarily saturated. Contains medium chain fatty acids (see butter). Extremely stable & can be stored at room temperature for many months. Use for cooking or baking.

Palm oil: there are three different products available from the palm fruit, all of which are extremely stable & can be stored at room temperature for many months:
* Red palm oil comes from the flesh of the fruit, and is a rich source of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, vitamin E (both tocopherols and tocotrienols), lycopene and other carotenoids. It is used a lot in traditional African cooking, especially soups and stews, but has a distinctive taste that not everybody finds appealing. Primarily saturated & monounsaturated.
* Clarified (or RBD - Refined, bleached and deodorised) palm oil, which is tasteless and white in color, is more commonly found. It doesn't have the phytonutrients found in the unrefined red oil, but is still a safe and stable cooking suitable for breads, baking and cooking.
* Palm kernel oil comes from the seed of the palm fruit, is yellowish in colour and has a mild flavour. It is 80-85% saturated, with about 50% coming from Lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid. Sometimes called just palm oil on food labels.

Olive oil: primarily monounsaturated. Good for salads & cooking at moderate temperatures. Rich in antioxidants. Don’t overdo though, as longer chain acids are more likely to cause weight gain than short/medium.

Peanut oil: primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Relatively stable, so can be used for stir fries, but not too often due to high Omega-6 content.

Sesame oil: primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Unique antioxidants not destroyed by heat, so can be used for stir fries, but not exclusively, due to high Omega-6.

Flaxseed oil: primarily polyunsaturated. Very high in Omega-3 EFAs, so useful for balancing EFA intake. Use on salads or smoothies in small amounts (no more than 1 tsp per day). Never heat it and store in fridge. Some people cannot utilise this form of Omega-3 and need to supplement with fish oils instead.

Macadamia oil: primarily monounsaturated. Has small but equal quantities of omega-6 and omega-3 EFAs. The oil is quite biscuity so has limited culinary use, but eating the whole nut (after soaking and drying) is excellent. Eat all nuts in moderation as they can contribute to weight gain in excess.

Avocado oil: primarily monounsaturated. Can be used as a salad oil, but others are better. Best to eat the whole avocado.

Fish oils and fish liver oils: an easily absorbed source of Omega 3 EFAs. Fish liver oils, of which cod liver oil is the best known, are also good sources of the fat soluble vitamins A & D. Do check your sources though, and make sure they've been tested and found free of mercury.

BAD FATS
Safflower, Sunflower, Corn, Soybean, Hemp oil: primarily polyunsaturated. High in Omega-6, which are dangerous if overeaten. Unstable so high likelihood of being rancid. Strictly limit use & never use if heated.

Cottonseed oil: primarily polyunsaturated. As above, plus may have toxic elements. Totally avoid.

Canola oil: primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The deodorising process creates trans fats. It is unstable and goes rancid and mouldy easily. Creates Vit E deficiencies. Totally avoid.

Processed oils & fats to avoid:
* Vegetable oils that have been extracted by heat or chemicals ie. only use cold pressed or expeller pressed oils
* Margarine or shortening, due to the hydrogenation process which creates trans fats
* Homogenised fats including some milk and some coconut cream
* Anything that has been deep fried in vegetable oil (which is most takeaways these days) as they will be rancid, creating free radicals
* Powdered milk or egg products, which contain oxidised cholesterol
* Smoked or processed meats, which may contain rancid fats.

What fats to eat

For sauteing and stir-frying - Butter, lard or tallow, chicken, duck or goose fat, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil at moderate temperatures, peanut or sesame oil in small quantities;

For deep-frying, lard or tallow. Potato chips, or doughnuts (whole grain, soaked flour doughnuts, of course!) are suitable foods for deep frying.

For baking - Butter or coconut oil

For salad dressings - Extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil

On hot vegetables - Butter, cultured creams, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil

To garnish soups - Butter, cultured creams, yoghurt

In dips or sauces - Cultured creams, yoghurt, avocado, tahini (ground sesame)

On breakfast grains - Butter, cultured creams, yoghurt, flaxseed oil, macadamia or other nut oils, slivered nuts

For snacks - Nuts, fresh coconut, avocado, cheese

One common sense rule:

Try to avoid eating carbs with high GI (glicaemic index) with fat products. Eat meat dishes, cheese with the fresh salads without bread. Eat breakfast cereals with only small addition of good fats, and your body will thank you soon. For more information see The French Diet .

More: Macronutrients. Fat (We Like It, Don't We?)

Tags: CLA, good+fat, bad+fat, oil, GI

Macronutrients. Fat (We Like It, Don't We?)

2006-09-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

There is a wealth of information, misinformation and outright propaganda about fats available - "Saturated fats cause heart attacks", "Margarine is better for you than butter", "Keep your fat intake down to lose weight" and "Keep your fat intake up to give you energy to exercise better". Let's look at what we really need to know.

There are three main ways the body uses fats :
* Structural - Our bodies need fat as a building block. It is incorporated into cell membranes and other body structures, and used in fatty tissue.
* Metabolic - Affects hormones, including prostaglandins which affect metabolism.
* As fuel - It can be burned for energy. In fact, it is the body's preferred source of energy.

As well as that, fats are a valuable source of micronutrients, some of which can't be obtained from other foods.

So it is very important to eat enough fat, but also to make sure we eat the right kinds of fats. The wrong ones can have a profound effect on many body functions. There are two main debates about fat - how much we should eat, and which kinds we should eat. Let's look first at the different types of fat.

There are several different ways of defining fats:

* Degree of saturation - saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. This is the main way that people differentiate fats and we'll go into that in more depth shortly.
* Animal fats vs vegetable oils. This largely ties in with degree of saturation, with animal fats and tropical oils being mostly saturated, and vegetable oils being mostly unsaturated.
* Chain length. Short and medium chain fatty acids are found in butterfat and tropical oils, have anti-microbial & immune enhancing properties and are easily absorbed for energy, making them less likely to cause weight gain. This is why MCT (or Medium Chain Triglycerides) are often used in sports supplements. Unsaturated fats are generally made up of long or very long chain fatty acids.
* Cis form vs Trans form. In nature, most fats occur in a "cis" form. In this form, they "fit" the fat receptors in our body, and can be utilised. Modern processing methods (including heating, hydrogenation, bleaching & deodorising) turn cis fats into trans fats, which no longer fit. Our body still tries to use them, but they don't do the job properly and disrupt your cellular metabolism, resulting in a variety of health hazards.

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are straight chains of carbon and hydrogen that pack together easily so that they are relatively solid at room temperature. They are found predominantly in animal products and tropical oils.

Fats in general, and saturated fats in particular, have been widely vilified by health authorities and nutritionists since the introduction of the Lipid Hypothesis in the 1950's. This stated that heart disease was caused by high intakes of saturated fats and that changing to polyunsaturates would improve your health. Fats have also been blamed for obesity and many other diseases, and low fat foods abound. Many people will tell you that a low fat diet is the healthiest.

But when we look at the facts we find that much of this is unfounded. Weston Price, in his studies of healthy people eating their traditional diets, found that all included high levels of saturated fats. All of the societies understood the importance of getting enough fats in their diet and sought them out as much as possible. The foods eaten included unpasteurised dairy products, eggs, meats and organ meats and seafood, and the fatty portions were the most prized.

A look at some cookbooks from the late 1800's show that our recent ancestors, while not eating a wholly traditional diet, were also eating diets that were high in saturated fats. Diseases like cancer and heart disease were rare up until the early parts of the 20th century. As our saturated fat intake decreased and our polyunsaturated fat intake increased, the prevalence of these and other degenerative diseases also increased. Obesity is rife, despite the rate at which low fat products fly off the shelves. The lipid hypothesis seems to be wrong.

You may be thinking "What about all the studies that prove saturated fats cause heart disease?". In fact, many of these studies were done using hydrogenated polyunsaturates, not saturated fats at all. Many other studies have shown that those with the highest levels of saturated fat intake had the better health. And many other studies were inconclusive due to the many other factors involved.

Saturated fats are needed for many of our bodily processes. Just some of them are:

* They are needed to maintain cell membranes, which are at least 50% saturated fat, giving them stiffness and integrity.
* They keep our bones strong and healthy by allowing calcium to be incorporated into them. This requires >50% of dietary fat to be saturated.
* They lower Lp(a) a substance in the blood that indicates proneness towards heart disease
* They enhance the immune system
* They aid in utilisation of essential fatty acids, and help to retain omega 3’s in the tissues
* Short & medium chain fatty acids have anti-microbial properties and protect against harmful micro-organisms in the digestive tract

But what about cholesterol levels? We are often told that eating saturated fats increases cholesterol levels. Well, first of all, that hasn't been satisfactorily proven. It has been suggested that the reason that blood cholesterol levels drop when saturated fats are replaced by polyunsaturates is to do with the integrity of the cell membranes. When polyunsaturates are incorporated into their structure they become limp. To regain their stiffness, they must rob cholesterol from the blood, temporarily lowering the amount stored there. And secondly, there is now some doubt as to whether cholesterol levels are an accurate indicator of your likelihood of getting heart disease. Cholesterol is another substance that is vital to your body's health, and is made by the liver as needed. For more information on cholesterol, visit the Cholesterol and Health website.

So it seems that there is nothing inherently bad in saturated fats. In their natural states, as part of a whole food and part of a varied diet, they are balanced and nutritious. It is when they are processed that problems arise.

* Pasteurising milk, for example, destroys the beneficial enzymes needed to assimilate it's nutrients, which could be why many people are dairy intolerant. It also explains why people frequently get osteoporosis despite being milk drinkers - they are unable to utilise the calcium.
* Homogenisation of milk strains the fat particles of the cream through tiny pores under pressure. This makes the fat particles very small so that they stay suspended in the milk. Sadly, the once highly nutritious fat is now more likely to be rancid and oxidised. This process has been linked to heart disease by some researchers.
* Low fat dairy products have been stripped of many of their fat soluble vitamins, and should be avoided.
* Powdered eggs and milk have had their cholesterol oxidised by the processing.
* Smoked and processed meats often have rancid fats caused by the processing.

We are all different and need different amounts of saturated fats. But there is no need to avoid them, cut every bit of fat off your meat, or seek out low fat products. A good rule of thumb is : If it's a whole food, properly prepared, eat it. If it's been tampered with (processed), don't.

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats have one double carbon bond, which means they are missing two hydrogen atoms. They are usually liquid at room temperature, but solidify when refrigerated. They are quite stable. They are mostly found in olives, nuts and avocados.

These types of fats don't seem to be subject to the same level of dissention as saturates. It seems to be generally agreed that these are a healthful form of fat. One caveat though - eaten to excess, they can cause weight gain. This is because they are longer chain and not as easily converted to energy as short or medium chain fats. But some extra virgin olive oil on a salad, a small handful of correctly prepared nuts, or some avocado dip with vegetables are all nutritious, tasty foods.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fatty acids come mostly from oils extracted from seeds. Their molecules have kinks in them at the point of the unsaturated double bonds. They do not pack together easily and therefore tend to be liquid at room temperature. These oils are extremely unstable and go rancid very easily.

One very important category of polyunsaturated oils are the essential fatty acids or EFAs. They are called essential because they can't be made by the body, so must come from the diet. They are:

* Linoleic acid, an Omega-6 oil - present in large quantities in most vegetable oils, and in smaller quantities in animal and tropical oils.
* Alpha-Linolenic acid, an Omega-3 oil - flaxseed is considered the best source of it. There are also smaller quantities in hemp, canola and soybean oils, and in some animal fats, depending on the feed. It is far less readily available than Omega-6.

These essential fatty acids are also used by the body to make other fatty acids.

* Linoleic acid (Omega-6) is used to make Gamma-Linolenic acid, which is also found in evening primrose, blackcurrant & borage oils.
* Alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3) is used to make Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexanoic acid (DHA). But some people lack the enzymes to make the conversion. This is especially common amongst people whose ancestors ate a lot of oily fish. These two acids are abundant in fish oils, and it seems that their bodies lost the ability to convert the acids as they didn't need to. So for some people, it is also necessary to eat fatty fish like salmon, sardines or mackerel on a regular basis, or to supplement with fish oil.

Maybe it is because some polyunsaturates are essential, that it was hypothesised that more is better, leading to the dramatic increase in their consumption that was seen during the 20th century. But Weston Price found that only small amounts were eaten in traditional diets, and there has been no evidence that more is better. In fact, there are a number of dangers associated with excess consumption of polyunsaturated oils, especially Omega-6.

It is generally agreed that Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are needed in balance. Some researchers are now saying that the ideal ration is 1:1, but the intake of Omega-6 is much higher than Omega-3 in the average diet. This is because Omega-6 is so much more prevalent in the vegetable oils that are frequently eaten. So the first danger of excess consumption is that if the ratio is wrong, it can stop the Omega-3 fatty acids from being absorbed.

Further, many studies have shown that increased consumption of polyunsaturates correlates with high incidences of cancer, heart disease, immune system dysfunction, damage to liver, lungs & reproductive organs, depressed learning ability, impaired growth, obesity.

And the news doesn't get better. These types of oils go rancid very easily. Unless they are expeller pressed or cold pressed, they are likely to be rancid, oxidized or chemically tainted before they are even bottled, with high levels of free radicals. If they are used for cooking, more free radicals will be created. Among other things, free radicals are associated with wrinkles and premature aging, tumours, plaque in the blood, autoimmune diseases.

And as if that isn't bad enough, they are often made into margarines by hydrogenation. This process creates trans fats which block absorption of EFAs, increase blood cholesterol, paralyse the immune system, are associated with cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity and problems with bones and tendons, are also associated with sterility, birth defects, low birth weight babies & difficulty in lactation.

These are the dangers associated with eating too much polyunsaturated fat, eating the wrong ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 or eating oils that have been badly processed or hydrogenated. But that doesn't mean you have to avoid all polyunsaturated fats. Small amounts of certain oils, that have been cold pressed and carefully stored, is recommended. Flaxseed is a important source of Omega-3 fatty acids which most people can benefit from, either freshly ground or in oil form. Remember that flaxseed oil should always be stored in the fridge in an opaque bottle.

How much fat do we need?

Everybody has a different opinion here. Some low fat diets recommend as little as sub 20% of calories, the Zone diet recommends 30% of calories, whereas some high protein diets are much higher. Weston Price found that the traditional diets he studied derived 30% to 80% of their calories from fat, with only 5% of calories coming from polyunsaturated oils.

The truth is - it all depends on our own individual metabolism. If you are a Hunter-Gatherer or Protein type, you will likely need a higher level of fat, and a higher proportion of saturated fats. If you are an Agriculturist or Carbo type, you will need less overall fat, and may need slightly less saturated fat, and a little more unsaturated. But aim to keep Onega-3 and Omega-6 intakes about even and don't eat more than about 5% of your calories in polyunsaturates.

The first thing to do is to get rid of the bad fats in your diet, and replace them with good ones. See the next post about it. Eat a level of fat in line with whatever your chosen diet plan is. Then adjust to suit. If you are feeling hungry between meals, eat more fat. If you eat what seems like a fatty meal and feel a little sick, then reduce the fat or try a different type of fat. Some types of fat may suit you better than others. The last thing to remember is that you may have food sensitivities that need to be taken into account.

More: Good Fats or Bad Fats, Macronutrients. Carbohydrates, Macronutrients. Protein

Fat

Tags: MTC, fat, saturated+fat, unsaturated+fat, polyunsaturated, animal+fat, vegetable+oil

Kim Protasov's Diet. The Best Start For Healthy Eating

2006-09-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Pluses and minuses of the Protasov’s diet

- Protasov’s diet does not limit the amount of the food you can eat. It is the most advantage of the Protasov’s diet and it is very good from the psychological point of view - to sustain such diet is easier, than many other things;
– Protasov’s diet repairs a metabolism, helps it to performance in the optimum level. Due to the absence of the carbs with high Glycaemic Index (GI), the functioning of pancreas is normalised and helps to eliminate the sugar addiction;
– the diet supplies the sufficient amount of proteins with milk food as well as calcium;
- Protasov’s diet suggests to eat a lot of non-starch vegetables that are vitamins, minerals, fiber and microelements. It is nourishing, healthy and improves how the intestines work. But you should eat maximum amounts of vegetables. The diet won’t work if you will eat a couple kilograms of white cheese or drink three litres of kefir per day without vegetables;
– the amount of the fat is limited, but fat is not avoided, and this is very good;
– one minus of the Protasov’s diet is the diet monotony during the first 2 weeks.

The diet of Protasov

The first, second, third day… and during the first week: you can eat only fresh, uncooked veggies, and also cheese and yoghurts (and the other sour-milk products such as kefir, cottage cheese, soft cottage cheese) which have a fat content of 0.1 to 5 percentage. Plus one boiled egg per day is allowed. You can eat any amount of milk products (within the fat range) and any amount of vegetables. You may drink tea, coffee (without sugar of course) as much as you want. A little sad? OK, you can add 3 big green apples to your plan every day. Try cheese and hard boiled egg toppings for your vegetable salads.

You can eat in the morning, day, evening, night – the whole week. And in the same way the second week. Surprisingly, but from second week, your desire to eat something wrong will decrease. By the end of the second week you will feel extraordinary lightness in all body and … in your mind.

From the beginning of the third week you have to add to vegetables and cheeses a piece (300 grams) of a ;meat, a poultry or a fish. Please, reduce cheeses and yoghurts a little. Vegetables, cheeses, meat, an egg and apples you eat three more weeks. And all! In three weeks after the beginning of a diet your colleagues and family will be amazed with your new, rapidly changing figure. The forth and fifth weeks are the period of the most intensive weight loss process.

After the five weeks diet you should carefully return the products into your eating plan.
First, add the vegetable oil to the salads. Next, change the apples with the other fruits. Start to eat sugar-free cereals (whole grain cereal is the best choice) for breakfast. Add more animal proteins with lean meat, e.t.c

Protasov’s diet is the very good for the first step to the new, healthy eating life, it helps to become free from the sugar addiction. You should use this diet only if you feel that such diet plan is not impossible for you.

The source (in Russian)

Tags: protasov, low-carb, protasov's+diet

Macronutrients. Protein

2006-09-25T02:25:00.000-07:00

After water, the biggest component in the body is protein. Over 98% of the molecules in body are replaced every year. So we need protein as a building block. If we don't get enough protein, or if we are eating poor quality protein, our bodies will not grow strong muscles, bones, blood, teeth, etc.

There's no definitive answer how much protein do we really need. Every expert has a different opinion. Here are a few examples:

Let's start with sports nutrition expert Michael Colgan. His research suggests that the type of sport you do has an effect on the amount of protein you need. Strength sports people need approx 2.0 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight per day. Athletes who need speed first, then strength, then endurance need about 1.7 g/kg/day & endurance athletes need 1.4 g/kg/day.

This requirement is based on a high level of training, 3-4 hours a day. If you are only training 1-2 hours a day, your requirement will be less, by approx 0.3 g/kg/day. For an 80 kg man doing 1-2 hours riding a day, this would be 80 x 1.1g = 88 g per day. Doing 3-4 hours riding, he would need 80 x 1.4g = 112 g. These are his rough guidelines only, each person will have different individual needs.

The Zone's Barry Sears multiplies your lean body mass in lbs by a sliding scale ranging from 0.5 for couch potatoes, to 1.0 for very heavy training. Say our 80 kg cyclist has a fat % of 20%. That means his lean body mass is 64 kg (or approx 140 lbs). He would come into the 0.8 category, so would need 140 x 0.8 = 112 grams. However a very fit lean cyclist of the same weight with only 15% body fat, & a higher lean body mass, would need 120 grams.

The range we're talking about is slightly higher than Colgan, but depends on lean body mass, rather than weight. The other main difference is that the amount of protein, once calculated, must be strictly adhered to "to get into the Zone", and determines the amount of carbs &amp; fat you can eat.

Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type diet's Peter D'adamo recommends different ratios for each blood type. His rough guidelines are 20% for A & AB, 34% for B, and 45% for O types. The metabolic diets don't specify protein requirements in grams, but Hunter-Gatherers need animal protein at every meal, whereas extreme Agriculturists thrive on a vegetarian diet.

Traditional nutritionists will probably recommend 10-15% of calories. A lot of naturopathic nutritionists are concerned that the level of protein consumption is too high. I have seen recommendations ranging from .6g/kg/day to 1g/kg/day.

So who's right? The best way to determine your need for protein is to determine your metabolic type first. That will give you a good idea of how high your protein levels need to be. If you are trying out a particular diet regime, start within those guidelines. Otherwise, start with Michael Colgan's recommendations and see how you feel. It's fairly easy to tell if you're not getting enough protein - you will lose (or at least not gain) muscle mass and strength. You may find that your muscles take a long time to recover after exercise, or your energy levels might be very low. Try adding a little more protein to your diet and see if you improve.

It's harder to tell if you're getting too much. If you are drinking lots of water and are feeling fine, you're probably doing OK. If you eat excess protein to a level that your kidneys can't handle, you will start to get kidney pain and feel generally unwell. It may take a bit of trial and error to get the balance right for you.

The best protein

The first factor here is bioavailability. Michael Colgan ranks protein sources in this order :

ProteProtein sourcein source	Bioavailablility
Whey peptide blends	110-159
Whey concentrate (lactalbumin)	104
Whole egg	100
Cow's milk	91
Egg White (albumin)	88
Fish	83
Beef	80
Chicken	79
Casein	77
Soy	74
Rice	59
Wheat	54
Beans	49

But you also need to take into account how your body responds to each of these protein sources. Some people don't digest whey products particularly well, even high quality ones. Your metabolic type will determine which proteins sources suit you best.

Some athletes following a whole food diet find they have excellent muscle growth and recovery eating raw egg yolks or raw liver after workouts, for example.

My take on this is : eat a variety of different foods - the ones that work for you - and get your protein from as many different sources as possible. If you find that you're not getting enough protein from your normal diet, you can add in a supplement. But if you're on a strict whole foods diet, you may find you can't have any of them.

If you are aiming to eat 120grams of protein a day, you might want 30 grams 4 times a day. 30 grams of complete protein would come from approx:

110-120 grams of lean meat or poultry
150 grams of fish
6 eggs
1 cup of cottage cheese
2-3 cups yoghurt
1 "shake" made from microfiltered whey protein powder, or whey protein concentrate
try not to use soy as a major protein source

Nuts and seeds have some protein, but have at least 75% fat in them, so should be considered a fat source. Legumes and grains also have some protein, but are primarily a carbohydrate source. If you are following a vegetarian diet, you need to combine 2-3 of these 4 food groups at a meal to make complete protein. Some examples :

Whole grains, with nut milk and some sunflower seeds or ground flaxseed
Beans and rice
Corn tortilla with mexican beans
Hummus (chick peas and sesame paste) with whole grain pita breads
Tempeh with stir fried with rice and veges, with a handful of pumpkin seeds

It's good to have a a dollop of protein at breakfast, 20-30 grams if possible. This helps keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day. If you are taking a supplementary "shake", take it when your body needs easily digested protein most, either an hour or two before hard training, or straight after. Other than that, spread your protein intake evenly throughout the day, and aim to have at least some protein and fat with every meal or snack.

More: Macronutrients. Carbohydrates, Macronutrients. Fat (We Like It, Don't We?)

Protein

Tags: macronutrients, protein

Macronutrients. Carbohydrates

2006-09-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Protein, essential fats and micronutrients are primarily used as building materials. Carbohydrate is really only used as fuel. To get lean, we want to burn up our supplies of excess fat, but to get consistently good performance, we need to give our bodies the right kind of fuel at the right time.

During exercise, we use ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which our bodies can get more easily from muscle glycogen and blood glucose than from stored fat. Muscle glycogen comes from blood glucose, which comes from the carbs that we eat.

You want your muscles to have a good supply of glycogen before you start exercising. Glucose in the blood still needs to be processed before it can be used, while glycogen in the muscles is ready to go. No amount of topping up during your ride will work as well as having a full tank to start with.

As soon as you finish one exercise session, you want to start preparing for the next. So, when you finish a ride, you want to rest, rehydrate and refuel. Your muscle glycogen stores replenish most efficiently straight after exercise - the first 4-6 hours is the best, especially the first 2, then it continues at a slower rate for about 24 hours. Straight after your ride, Michael Colgan recommends 225 grams of glucose polymers in liquid form, combined with a little glucose and fructose.

After that, you need to keep your carbohydrate intake steady, to keep your glycogen levels increasing. So it's better to eat your carbs in a series of small meals than in large ones that are widely spaced.

Before your next ride, you need to make sure your levels are topped up. 100-150 grams of an easily digested carbohydrate drink about 3 hours beforehand is the optimum.

You're ready for your ride. The question is : what shall I snack on during my ride? If you're only riding for an hour or so, and you've refuelled sufficiently beforehand, you probably don't need anything extra during. Just make sure you've got plenty of water. But if you're off for a longer session, it can be of benefit to keep the carbs trickling in. Colgan recommends 70-90g of a drink containing 5-10% of a solution that contains glucose polymers or glucose, plus a little fructose. Drink this at a rate of about 1 litre per hour.

Experts differ how much carbohydrate do we need. Training intensity and duration, as well as differences in your biochemical makeup, determine your carbohydrate requirements. The following table taken from "Optimum Sports Nutrition" by Michael Colgan gives a rough guide to the grams of carbohydrate you might need :

Bodyweight	Amount of training (hours per day)
kg	2	3	4	5	6	7
40	200	300	400	500	600	700
50	300	400	500	600	700	800
60	400	500	600	700	800	900
70	500	600	700	800	900	1000
80	600	700	800	900	1000	1100
90	700	800	900	1000	1100	1200
100	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1300
110	900	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400
120	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400	1500

This allows for a small amount of overfeeding - if you start putting on weight, reduce this. If you are doing very high intensity exercise, you might need to increase this allowance. Let's look at our 80kg cyclist from the protein page. Riding for 2 hours a day, he'd need approx 600gms of carbs, riding for 4 hours he'd need approx 700gms.

Barry Sears (the Zone) recommends a lower level of carbohydrate. Work out your protein requirement, then add a third on to get your carbohydrate requirement. Our 80kg man cyclist with 20% body fat needed 112gms of protein - his carbo allowance would be about 150gms. Our leaner cyclist who needed 120gms protein, would need 160gms. This is vastly different from Colgan's recommendation for two reasons - the Zone has a higher % of fat intake, and it is reputed to allow you to burn stored fat more efficiently, which reduces your calorific needs.

Peter D'adamo (Eat Right For Your Blood Type) recommends different ratios for each blood type. His rough guidelines are 72% for A, 60% for AB, 56% for B, and 38% for O types. The metabolic diets range from minimal carbs for extreme Hunter-Gatherers to high carb for extreme Agriculturists. Traditional nutritionists and naturopaths tend to favour high carb diets.

You've already decided whose protein advice you're going to take, so stick with that expert and see how it goes. The acid test is how you feel, how well you ride and how lean you get. Give it a bit of time, as your body takes time to adjust to a new routine. If you don't get an improvement in performance, have a rethink.

The best kinds of carbohydrates are those that release sugar into your system at a steady rate. Dr David Jenkins developed the Glycaemic Index to help diabetics control their sugar levels. The GI of a food measures how quickly and how much it increases your blood sugar level. If the level goes up too much or too quickly, you get that "sugar rush" high, but then your body pumps out insulin to balance out the sugar & your energy levels drop again. Proteins and low GI carbs will help keep your blood sugar levels steadily within the right range.

So how do you know what foods are low GI? Here is a table showing a sampling of common foods. This listing uses glucose as the "standard" food with a factor of 100. (On the links page, there is a site will give you a much more comprehensive listing. It uses white bread as a standard, however. To convert the factors to the same scale as the table below, x by 0.7)

Low GI Foods (below 55)/td>	Medium GI Foods (55-70)	High GI Foods (over 70)
Cereals
All Bran - 30	Vita Brits - 61	Weet-bix - 75
Porridge - 42	Nutrigrain - 66	Cornflakes - 77
Sultana Bran - 52	Sustain - 68	Rice bubbles - 89
Grains/Pastas
Egg fettuccine - 32	Basmati rice - 58	Brown rice - 76
Bulgur wheat - 48	Pizza - 60 (av)	Sunbrown quick rice - 80
Buckwheat - 54	Taco shells - 68	Calrose rice - 83
Breads/Crackers
Mixed grain bread - 45 (av)	Pita bread - 57	Wholemeal bread - 77
Oat bran bread - 47 (av)	Ryvita - 69	Rice cakes - 77
Pumpernickel (rye) bread - 50	White bread - 70	Water crackers - 78
Legumes
Kidney beans - 27 (av)
Lentils - 29 (av)
Chick peas - 33 (av)
Baked beans - 48 (av)
Vegetables
Green peas - 48	Sweet corn - 55	Pumpkin - 75
Carrots - 49	New potato - 62 (av)	Baked potato - 85 (av)
Yam - 51	Beetroot - 64	Parsnip - 97
Sweet potato - 54
Fruit
Cherries - 22	Sultanas - 56	Fruit leather - 70
Grapefruit - 25	Rock melon - 65	Watermelon - 72
Peach - 28 (av)	Pineapple - 66
Apple or pear - 36 (av)
Grapes - 43
Kiwifruit - 52
Banana - 53 (av) - note that ripe bananas have a much higher GI than starchy ones

You also want carbs that are high in micronutrients. So make sure a high proportion of your carbs come from fruit, vegetables, unrefined grains and legumes. The more vitamins and minerals you get in your food, the less likely you are to need a supplement. If you are committed to health, you might like to try eating only whole foods and no refined carbohydrates.

If you are following a metabolic or blood type diet, consult the detailed lists for the specific carbs that will suit you best.

More: Macronutrients. Protein , Macronutrients. Fat (We Like It, Don't We?)

Carbohydrates

Tags: macronutrients, carbohydrates, carbs, atp, adenosine+triphosphate, glycogen, glucose, gi

What's The Secret Of The French Diet?

2006-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Seemingly the French are able to regularly dine on fine wines, cheese, and chocolate without gaining weight or suffering from the health maladies commonly associated with being overweight. In his recent book The French Diet, diet expert Michel Montignac explains the secret of why the French don’t get fat and offers a plausible, enjoyable—and permanent—weight loss solution to those of us battling our own ever-expanding waist-lines.

Glycemic index
Calorie intake is not responsible for fat storage. If we put on weight it is not because we eat too much but because we eat wrongly. The nature of the food we eat stimulates metabolic reactions leading to fat storage instead of fat burning. Although this applies to all food categories, the choice of carbohydrates is particularly decisive. This is why the glycemic index is the key of the French Diet since it is the best way to choose the appropriate food.

Cholesterol and risk for heart disease
Professor Jean Dumesnil from Québec University did an experiment showing that the Montignac method was not only an efficient weight loss method, but was also the best way to prevent cardiovascular disease. He even showed that triglycerides dropped by 35% after six days on the diet. Dumesnil’s study was published in November 2001 in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Type 2 diabetes
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are both caused by hyperinsulinism, which is a chronic and excessive secretion of insulin. Consequently, the Montignac Diet not only leads to weight loss but also to a decreased risk of diabetes.

Myths about calories
During the last 50 years, Western countries have reduced their daily calorie intake by 35%. Paradoxically, obesity rates have increased by 400% during this same period. These statistics prove that low-calorie diets are a total failure. Low-calorie-diets actually slow down the metabolism. This reduced basal metabolic rate leaves the body vulnerable to rapid and excess weight gain once the person comes off the low-calorie diet.

“Good” versus “bad” carbs
Bad carbs are those whose metabolization stimulates insulin secretion, which in turn leads to fat storage rather than fat burning. Bad carbs are high glycemic index foods, such as potatoes, sugar or white flour. Conversely, good carbs are those whose metabolization lowers insulin production, which in turn prevents fat storage and activates fat burning. Good carbs are fruit, vegetables, al dente pasta, dry legumes and integral cereals.

American Paradox
Americans are the only population in the world that:
– Fixates on dieting,
– Follows the most low-calorie/low-fat diets,
– Exercises the most (2 to 3 times the rate of French people), and
– Consumes the most sugar substitutes.
Paradoxically, they also have the highest rate of obesity in the world—3 to 4 times higher than French people, who eat more and exercise less. All these details are proof that their dieting habits are totally misguided.

Ancillary benefits after trying the Montingac Diet
By following the French Diet, people lose weight easily without deprivation; they decrease their risk of cardiovascular problems (e.g. high cholesterol, hypertension, triglycerides, etc.); and they lower their risk of contracting diabetes. In addition, they feel more physically fit.

Two phases: Phase1 and Phase 2
Phase 1 is the rapid weight loss phase. In this phase, people eat normal quantities of food in balanced meals. However, their choice of foods is restricted low glycemic index ones (which have the smallest impact on insulin secretion). Once they have succeeded in losing weight, they can switch to the Phase 2, which is the weight control phase.
Phase 2 also limits food choices. However, the range of permitted foods is much wider. High glycemic index foods are permitable in Phase 2, provided that low glycemic index foods are also eaten during the same meal as compensation.

Delicious recipes of the French Diet
These French recipes are very easy to follow. They are designed to teach people that it’s possible to lose weight while still enjoying good food.

Exercise
The French Diet demonstrates to people that it is illusory to expect to lose weight by exercising more. For example, it would take 18 hours of non-stop jogging for a woman to loose 2 pounds.
However, this does not mean that the French Diet advocates forgetting about exercising. In general, exercise is good for health. It keeps lungs, heart and muscles in good shape. On top of that, it helps to regulate t insulin secretion. Consequently, fast walking is good enough. People do not need to jog for hours (as many of them do).

Differences
Because there is no deprivation, the French Diet is not really a diet. It is more a lifestyle. It is designed not only to aid weight loss in the short term, but also to help people maintain their weight loss long term by advocating healthy eating habits, which can also prevent illness and disease.

Dumbest thing that people eat in the modern diet
The dumbest thing people do is eat fast-food, processed food, and drink soda. The fact is that it has been scientifically proven—and broadcasted everywhere—that these are the true causes of major diseases in more than one third of the American population, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The healthy diet products:

Wine: Red wine is healthy because of its high polyphenols.
Organic food: It is healthy because there are no pesticides or preservatives. But we must be aware that this is not enough. If a high glycemic index food is organic, it remains dangerous (as far as metabolic diseases are concerned).
Pasta: It is healthy, but only if it is made out of durum (hard) wheat and cooked al dente.
Cheese: Cheese is okay—in reasonable quantities. However, be careful with fresh dairy products (especially milk) because they contain whey/lactoserum, which triggers a critical insulin secretion.
Oils: Olive oil remains the best oil to consume. Avoid refined oils.
Dessert: The best desserts are those made with high cocoa-content chocolate (at least 70%), without sugar, flour or butter.

“Obesity epidemic” across the Western world
The “obesity epidemic” is caused by the globalization of American food eating habits.
Not only does it impact the Western countries but the whole world. Countries which are especially impacted are those that have developed their own eating models for millennia, such as Japan, China and India.

Best selling diet book
Montignac method has been a best seller in more than 40 countries for over 20 years. Being successful in the U.S. is always rewarding for a French author.

More: How To Eat & Lose Weight. The Montignac Diet

Official web site of Michel Montignac and the Montignac Method

Tags: montignac, montignac+diet, french+diet

How To Eat & Lose Weight. The Montignac Diet

2006-09-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

This is a low Glycemic Index (GI) diet for people who love their food, and is the latest offering from Michael Montignac - the founding father of GI dieting.

It is based on two eating plans: one to lose weight, and the other to keep it off. The plans take inspiration from French cuisine, so the good news is that the foods that are blacklisted by calorie-counting diets - such as red wine, cheese and chocolate - are all allowed.

The method, which excludes high GI carbohydrates and saturated fats, allowed Montignac to lose 35lb in just three months.

The menus give two main meal options: either protein and fat, or high-fibre carbohydrate. Lunch should be the main meal of the day.

Breakfast: herbal or fruit tea; oatcakes topped with non-fat cheese; and sliced apples.

Lunch: cherry tomato and basil soup; chef salad of cheese, ham, boiled egg, tomatoes and olive oil; and a few squares of dark chocolate. Optional snack: almonds and hazelnuts.

Dinner: vegetable soup; wild mushroom ramekins with rocket salad; chopped apples with fromage frais.

The diet's golden rule is to eat as low on the glycaemic index as possible, in order to trigger fat loss. Most overweight people release too much insulin when they eat carbohydrates, and the stored glucose is then converted into fat. Low GI foods stabilise the amount of insulin that is produced by the pancreas, which, in turn, improves the efficiency of your metabolism to allow you to maintain the weight loss. Montignac also believes the diet is successful because it allows you to eat the foods you love, so it is sustainable - even over Christmas.

There is now a large body of scientific evidence to support the low GI method. Claire Williamson, nutrition scientist for the British Nutrition Foundation, says there are proven advantages to following the basic principles of this diet. "Studies have shown that eating foods with a low GI can have health benefits - particularly for diabetics or people with insulin-resistant syndromes," she says.

"It can also reduce the risk of healthy people developing diabetes and other diseases. Though it's still unclear whether this is a direct result of the GI rating, or other factors like the high fibre content, or the fact that many of these foods are also low in calories.

"Many foods with a low GI are the ones we associate with a healthy diet for other reasons, such as vegetables and whole grains.

"We would always recommend that people include good quantities of these foods in their diets."

Williamson does warn that following a low GI diet can be quite difficult - because calculating the GI content of a meal is more complicated than it looks - but says that the long-term sustainability of the diet makes it a fairly sensible one. "I'm in favour of any diet that encourages healthily eating, but allows moderate enjoyment of the foods you like," she says.

More: What's The Secret Of The French Diet?

The French Diet

Chloe Rhodes

Official web site of Michel Montignac and the Montignac Method

Tags: French+Diet, The+French+Diet, Montignac, Montignac+Method, Michel+Montignac