Low Carb Day 4

SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POSTING -- I hit the return key and suddenly it published -- You know me... how could that be all I was going to say?! That was barely a preface.... ;)

Hi,

I am not going to be counting all the days on this program, but I wanted to get the perspective of where I am today, since I am really only at the beginning of the Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program by Drs Richard and Rachael Heller. I checked out their website and it has not really changed since 1997 so what can you say? I was quite a bit disappointed in that, but I do realize they are very busy people. I wanted to check them out to see what they look like today but have not been able to find them on the web very much. I did find an interview that was done by them in 2005 and they were still actively living the program at that time. I am glad to hear that. They had still maintained their weight loss of a combined 200 pounds between them at that time which is evidence of at least eight years of successfully following the program and maintaining their weight. Rachel having lost about 150 and Richard having lost about 50 pounds.

One more thing concerning their website. I am wondering if you have to buy a book to have access to any more stuff on the site. I already own the book, so I guess I don't get access. Frankly, I don't even know if there is anything more, anyway. Even all the testimonials are exactly the same as in 1997. Oh well.... even though the website leaves a lot to be desired, that does not change the efficacy of the program itself and, actually, if you'd like to know all the details of the program you might as well buy one of the books. I'm working from the one called "Carbohydrate Addicts Lifespan Program" that is geared for people over 40. You know your body changes once you hit 40. They do have some good FAQ's on the site, which are interesting reading and very helpful, so don't discount it completely -- have a look.

I think this is a more balanced and sustainable approach to low carb eating than the Atkins program, but if you check it out, Atkins is a very good program indeed. It always beats any of the high carb/low fat programs that it is compared to and not only in "pounds lost" but in "health gained." I've done Atkins in the distant past and the only thing I consciously remember was some of the worst constipation I've ever had in my life. It was like trying to pass bricks.

That one point alone is why I prefer the Heller's program. Each high protein meal is balanced with high fiber vegetables -- which I am eating raw. I've gotten very used to the value and advantages of eating raw veggies and I am sticking with that decision. I may, on occasion, consume some cooked veggies such as in a meat dish with cooked green beans or something, but the main quantity of my veggies will be raw. I have stolen this bit of goodness from the raw vegan folks, but, I need the protein to keep my appetite satiated. Raw vegan, if you consider the details, is a high carbohydrate plan in comparison to, say, Atkins, but it is no where near as high in carbs as the Standard American Diet that is nearly sixty percent sugar (converted from starchy carbs in the digestive tract which then gets injected into the blood) -- and that is the reason we are having the "Obesity Boom" -- too much sugar in the diet that ends up in the blood which also raises insulin levels. Long story short the insulin sweeps the sugar from the blood, and stores the excess as fat in the fat cells. Result: diabetes and obesity -- which, by the way, do not always travel hand in hand, but very often, do. You can have diabetes and be thin, and you can be obese and be healthy, especially if you exercise regularly.

The kind of carbs you eat makes a difference for weight loss, and especially for the diabetic or pre-diabetic. In my mind carbs are broken down into starchy carbs and good green veggies. Starchy carbs are usually white and come from either white flour or whole wheat flour, or potatoes of all sorts. Grains are starchy carbs. There are also other starchy veggies like beets, peas, corn, and carrots, which, if you are doing low carb, should also be avoided, for the most part.

The only thing I am a little afraid of in the Heller's program is the reward meal where one serving of any high carbohydrate food is allowed once a day. I can see where this would satisfy the appetite of the addict, because there is really no food at all that is not allowed on the Heller's program. You just have to follow the guidelines of the reward meal. The reward meal is divided into thirds -- 1/3 protein (meat, eggs, fish, etc.), 1/3 low carb veggies (greens, lettuce, cucumbers, etc.), and 1/3 high carb (anything from candy to potatoes). This was my downfall the last time I did the program. I went a little wild with the reward meal and really got off track.

This time when I was reading the program I noticed that the Heller's warn against this from the beginning, but I never noticed the warning and certainly did not heed it. But this time, I am much better prepared. I am now used to not eating the white stuff, especially following the 8 day juice fast, which I might recommend to others as a way to begin doing low carb. You get completely off the bad stuff in three days and discover that vegetable juice can actually fill you up. Once you are off the bad stuff, it is easy to restart eating craving reducing meals of 1/2 green veggies and 1/2 animal protein of any kind from chicken and fish to beef and pork. From there it is also easier to do sane high carbs at the reward meal rather than insane.

Candy is insane. Cake and cookies are insane. But you can choose insane from time to time in your reward meal and not be off the program. In my opinion you just cannot choose insane for every reward meal. It gets to be too hard to control because if you slip even a little and have too much for one of your meals then the cravings will commence. If not noticed (they are hard to recognize) and handled right away then the eating machine begins, and goodbye program. Goodbye weight loss. Goodbye good health advantages, and goodbye peace of mind.

When I started eating salad and meat on the program this time, it felt so much like a long lost treat that it was wonderful. I know me, though, and if I don't prepare the large salad in the morning so it is instantly available for craving reducing meals during the day, I'm likely to skip it and the body needs those raw veggies. So that is my current plan. I make a large covered bowl of salad and have it on hand at all times. When the bowl is emptied, I make another one, no matter what time of day it is. It is not hard to pull out some greens, wash them off, and cut them into salad pieces and toss them in a bowl. Right now the salad in my fridge is made up of kale, spinach, parsley, green leaf, and purple leaf lettuce. What a tasty bunch. The kale gives it chew, the parsley gives it high flavor and the spinach and lettuces are sweet and tender.

One change to my salad is that I used to always have at least two tomatoes cut up in the large salad, but tomato is limited to 1/4 of a whole one per reward meal. In order to be able to keep good track of that, I keep them separate from the craving reducing meals and cut a precise quarter for the reward meal -- but not the reward meal salad. I forgot to mention that the reward meal always starts with two cups of salad. You can put cucumbers, mushrooms, and lots of other things in your salads, but no tomato. Dr Richard K Bernstein, the diabetes doctor from New England, also warns against tomatoes because they raise blood sugar -- meaning they raise insulin -- meaning they can pack on the pounds. You can have them during the reward meal, but they must be limited at all other times.

Bacon is allowed, but I've been off bacon for a long time, and when I searched the grocery store I found not even one package of bacon that did not have sugar of some kind in it. So, I'm not doing bacon, on a regular basis at home. I might have some when going out, but that is all.

So how has it been going for me? I have had no desires for food that could not be satisfied with a salad and eggs, or salad and tuna, or salad and hamburger meat. The Heller's recommend that you eat average size servings but do not warn against large servings. It is your choice.

So far, I've had a couple of really large meals of salad and protein with no highs in blood sugar. I've also had some regular average sized meals of salad and protein, with no highs in blood sugar. I call that success. It seems to be that the times that I want the really large meals are on days that I exercise. Suddenly adding 30 minutes of exercise three days a week has been much easier to do in the water, but I still get just as exhausted as you would think when going from sedentary to 30 minutes of exercise. Doing the 30 minutes in the pool has been the renewal of a long forgotten joy for me. While I am doing it, right now, I have got to be vigilant to notice when I get tired which means I've been active for too long. Oddly enough, it is very easy for me to go too long in the water (who would have thought?) but I think this may change as I get more used to it. Anyway, for the rest of the day, on those days, I feel extremely fatigued and seem to require much larger meals.

Drinking water. The Heller's recommend eight, eight-oz, glasses of water per day. Still a little hard for me to do, but I am getting closer.

NEWS FLASH: Wonder of wonders!! I just discovered that I HAVE been doing the 64 ounces of water per day! I miscalculated the sizes of the three large glass water bottles that I use to store and cool my water in the the fridge. I had thought that I needed to drink three of them to get to 64 ounces but I just measured the water with a measuring cup and it only requires two per day to meet the quota! I have been meeting it without knowing that I was. Very good news indeed. And much easier than I previously thought.

One last thing: I have discovered something out there called "shiritaki noodles" which are made from "glucomannan" which comes from Konjac root grown in Japan and China. The root is much like a yam, but the amazing thing is that glucomannan is extremely high in fiber and low in carbs. A seven-ounce package of the noodles made from glucomannan contain only about three grams of carbs and have been found to be a suitable substitute for pasta -- a very high carb item. They also absorb liquid and prevent constipation. A double bonus for me! You can find them all over the place on the web but the cheapest that I found were at http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/. I have ordered five 7-oz packages of Shirataki noodles (minus tofu which is not good for you) which were priced at $1.68 each plus shipping.

I will let you know if both the web site, and the product are worth trying out. The web site seems to want to "access the internet" which I have blocked with my AVG software... so I don't recommend it at this time. If I get my order in a timely manner and good condition, I will continue -- but I'm also warning about the web stuff. So be careful.

I am not sure how I will incorporate the noodles but surely they could be added to a reward meal with no problem. Some people suggest that they are a little "rubbery" but others swear they are just like pasta... so I'm checking it out for myself. They also say that the water it is packed with stinks but when rinsed off the smell disappears. Some people eat them right out of the package, others boil them for about three minutes. I'll figure out what works for me and let you know.

God bless,

Have a good one,

Be back soon,

Marcia