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“The one way to get thin …
August 3, 2009 | 44 Comments
is to re-establish a purpose in life.” ~ Cyril Connolly
For two weeks (July 18-31), I followed Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s 6-Week Plan, which is the strictest version of the Eat to Live vegan diet plan. My detox regimen was an even stricter version, avoiding gluten as well.
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- Result
- Menu
- Rules
- xRcise
So, I gorged on my fav foods (fruit and nuts) for two weeks while supposedly being on a “diet”. I loved what I ate and felt no cravings except for caffeine. Most times the cravings were mild, except when I was in queue somewhere and the guy right behind me had a steaming cup of mocha in his hand. That aroma almost made me swoon and I had to restrain myself from walking into the nearest Starbucks. Other than that, I was fine.
The first week I lost 3 pounds. The second week I started to see what I was really looking for – a drop in my body fat percentage, and an increase in muscle mass. (We use a Tanita Ironman body composition monitor.)
Overall, I found myself feeling stronger and more energetic than I’ve felt in a long time. I’m consuming 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day – 30% less than a month ago. I have no energy swings and am lifting heavier weights while staying off sugar, coffee and alcohol. Most striking is the absence of soreness after a workout.
I am completely convinced that the quickness of muscle recovery has to do with the fact that at least 50% of my calories are acquired in the form of raw food. Eating uncooked fruits, veggies and nuts gives me more energy. It also translates to less cooking and less cleanup. I’m not about to change that any time soon.
I used to drink a cup or two of coffee daily a month ago. On the morning after my two-week regimen, J brewed me a wonderfully aromatic cup. I took a sip and my body revolted instantly. It tasted so bitter and felt so acidic, that I could not take another sip. Ditto with sugar. I ate a square of 70% dark chocolate and found it too sweet for my liking. I have absolutely no cravings and eating even one slice of sprouted wheat bread (yeasted breads are my most favourite food) for dinner makes me feel bloated the next morning. My body gives me cues and I listen to them.
July 31 (Day 14)
7.00 a.m.:
Smoothie with beet greens, beet, orange, banana, berries, 2 tbsp almonds. (16 oz.)
9.00 a.m.:
1 cup of yerba mate tea (yerba mate powder and water)
11.00 a.m.:
1 banana
12.30 p.m.:
2 cups black-eyed peas stew with turnip
3.00 p.m.:
1 apple
8.30 p.m.:
1.5 cups broccoli with lentils and fenugreek leaves
1/4 cup zucchini “hummus” (zucchini, tahini, lemon and garlic)
1 cup papaya
July 30 (Day 13)
7.00 a.m.:
1 cup of yerba mate tea (yerba mate powder and water)
8.00 a.m.:
Smoothie with beet greens, beet, carrot, orange, berries, papaya, 1.5 tbsp cashews. (16 oz.)
9.00 a.m.:
2 cups papaya
ten cherries
11.00 a.m.:
1 apple
12.30 p.m.:
2 small burgers with red beans, sprouted buckwheat and pumpkin seeds
2 tbsps guacamole
8.30 p.m.:
Smoothie with spinach, beet, carrot, peach, berries, 1.5 tbsp almonds, 1 tbsp flax seeds. (16 oz.)
July 29 (Day 12)
8.00 a.m.:
Smoothie with beet greens, spinach, beet, carrot, orange, papaya, blueberries, 1 tbsp each pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and flax oil. (16 oz.)
9.00 a.m.:
1/2 cup cashews
12.00 p.m.:
1.5 cups creamy whole mung beans with turnip greens, tomatillos, tahini and peanuts
1 apple
5.00 p.m.:
1 cup of yerba mate tea (yerba mate powder and water)
8.00 p.m.:
2 small burgers with red beans, sprouted buckwheat and pumpkin seeds
2 tbsps guacamole
9.00 p.m.:
1 clementine
a handful of cherries
July 28 (Day 11)
8.00 a.m.:
Smoothie with carrot greens, turnip greens, strawberries, blueberries, orange, banana, 1 tbsp each walnut-cashew butter and hemp powder. (16 oz.)
9.00 a.m.:
1/4 cup peanuts
12.00 p.m.:
1.5 cups lentil kootu with fenugreek leaves and peanuts.
2.30 p.m.:
1 cup of yerba mate tea (yerba mate powder and water)
1 cup papaya
8 cherries
8.00 p.m.:
black beans with tomato salsa, onions and bell peppers (2.5 cups)
10.00 p.m.:
1/2 cup cantaloupe blended with ginger, half an orange and ice.
3 almonds
July 27 (Day 10)
8.00 a.m.:
Smoothie with carrot greens, turnip greens, strawberries, blueberries, orange, banana, 1 tbsp each walnut-cashew butter and flax seeds. (16 oz.)
1 cup of yerba mate tea (yerba mate powder and water)
12.00 p.m.:
1 cup lentil kootu with fenugreek leaves and peanuts.
2.30 p.m.:
1 apple
1/2 cup raw cashews
8.00 p.m.:
1.5 cups creamy whole mung beans with turnip greens, tomatillos, tahini and peanuts
10.00 p.m.:
1 cup cantaloupe blended with ginger, half an orange and ice.
July 26 (Day 9)
8.00 a.m.:
Smoothie with carrot greens, turnip greens, pear, orange, mixed berries, 1 tbsp each pumpkin and flax seeds. (16 oz.)
1.00 p.m.:
1 apple
1.30 p.m.:
2 cups split pigeon peas (toor dal) with tomatoes and coriander
1 small red bean burger
5.00 p.m.:
cantaloupe slushie (1 cup cantaloupe with ginger, mint, lemon and ice)
9.00 p.m.:
1.5 cups chilled creamy broccoli-cauliflower soup with cashews and tarragon (vegan)
1 cup split pigeon peas (toor dal) with tomatoes and coriander
10.00 p.m.:
1 cup cherries
July 25 (Day Eight)
8.00 a.m.:
Smoothie with red and green lettuces, turnip greens, spinach, banana, orange, mixed berries, 1 tbsp each sunflower and flax seeds. (16 oz.)
11.30 a.m.:
iced chamomile tea (dried chamomile flowers, water)
1 p.m.:
2 small red bean burgers with 1/4 cup oil-free vegan basil-almond pesto.
5.00 p.m.:
1.5 cups salad with sprouted millet, carrots, zucchini, pears and steamed fresh soybeans (edamame)
9.00 p.m.:
1 cup green grapes
10.00 p.m.:
1 cup salad with sprouted millet, carrots, zucchini, pears and steamed fresh soybeans (edamame)
July 24 (Day 7)
8.30 a.m.:
Smoothie with red and green lettuces, turnip greens, carrot, banana, mixed berries, 1 tbsp each pumpkin and flax seeds. (16 oz.)
12.00 p.m.:
2 small red bean burgers with 1/4 cup oil-free vegan basil-almond pesto.
7.30 p.m.:
1.5 cups salad with sprouted millet, carrots, zucchini, pears and steamed fresh soybeans (edamame) with 3 tbsps oil-free vegan basil-almond pesto.
8.30 p.m.:
a dozen cherries
July 23 (Day 6)
8 a.m.:
Smoothie with red and green lettuces, spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, zucchini, blueberries, golden kiwi, orange, 1 tbsp each sunflower seeds and hemp powder. (16 oz.)
8.30 a.m.:
1 banana
12.00 p.m.:
1 cup vegan oil-free dal makhani with peanut butter.
1.00 p.m.:
a handful of green grapes
4.00 p.m.:
8 oz. glass of home-made almond milk (almonds blended with water, carrot, apple and vanilla)
8.00 p.m.:
2 cups salad with red and green lettuces, swiss chard, carrot, cucumber, apple, green peas topped with 1/4 cup oil-free fava bean and almond hummus.
9.00 p.m.:
1 cup cantaloupe melon
July 22 (Day 5)
8 a.m.:
Smoothie with romaine, turnip greens, zucchini, blueberries, strawberries, nectarine, golden kiwi, 1 tbsp pure peanut butter, 1 tbsp flax seeds. (16 oz.)
10 a.m.:
1 banana
a handful of peanuts
11.00 a.m.:
1 plum
2.00 p.m.:
2 cups blanched broccoli topped with 1/3 cup oil-free fava bean and almond hummus.
8.00 p.m.:
2 cups salad with red and green lettuces, swiss chard, zucchini, carrot, cucumber, apple, green peas topped with 2 tbsp oil-free fava bean and almond hummus.
8 oz. glass of home-made almond milk (almonds, water and vanilla)
July 21 (Day 4)
7 a.m.:
Smoothie with kale, carrot, strawberries, orange, apricot, 1 tbsp walnuts, 1 tbsp flax seeds, 2 tbsp hemp powder and 2 oz unsweetened ricemilk. (16 oz.)
11 a.m.:
1 banana
a handful of raw peanuts
11.30 a.m.:
1/2 cup salad with quinoa, chickpeas, basil, parsley, olives, orange, almonds, tomato, onion
2 tbsps oil-free baba ghanouj (eggplant dip)
2.00 p.m.:
1/2 cup creamy lentil-spinach stew with tomatillos and pure peanut butter
4.00 p.m.:
1 apple
8.30 p.m.:
1.5 cups creamy lentil-spinach stew with tomatillos and pure peanut butter
a handful of red grapes
1 plum
July 20 (Day 3)
7 a.m.:
Smoothie with kale, carrot, raspberries, strawberries, mango, nectarine, apricot, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp flax seeds, and 2 oz unsweetened soymilk. (16 oz.)
11 a.m.:
toor dal (split pigeon peas) with butter beans and herbs. (1.5 cups)
1 peach with 1 tbsp pure peanut butter
7.00 p.m.:
1.5 cups salad with quinoa, chickpeas, basil, parsley, olives, tomato, onions, orange, chillies, ginger, almonds and lime.
3 tbsps oil-free baba ghanouj (eggplant dip)
1 cup red grapes
1 cup chamomile “tea” – dried chamomile flowers and water
July 19 (Day 2)
8 a.m.:
Smoothie with romaine, cucumber, blueberries, orange, 1 tbsp almonds, 1 tbsp flax seeds, and 2 oz unsweetened soymilk. (16 oz.)
1 p.m.:
raw carrot “soup”: 4 carrots blended with green chillies, carrot greens, half an apple, 1 tbsp each pure peanut butter and hemp powder and 1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk.
3 p.m.:
1 cup organic cherries
6.30 p.m.:
one small cucumber
16 oz. smoothie with half a banana, 4 oz. frozen spinach, half a nectarine, one apricot, 5 cherries, 1 tbsp each sunflower seeds and walnuts, 1 oz. unsweetened soymilk.
1.5 cups sauteed sprouted horse gram with mint, fennel and lime.
July 18 (Day 1)
8 a.m.:
Smoothie with kale, turnip greens, half banana, raspberries, cucumber, pumpkin, 1 tbsp almonds, 1 tbsp flax seeds, and 2 oz unsweetened soymilk. (16 oz.)
1 p.m.:
steamed mung bean sprouts with shredded carrot, cucumber and almonds (2 cups)
1 banana
4 p.m.:
1 cup red grapes
1/4 cup walnuts
8 p.m.:
toor dal (split pigeon peas) with butter beans and herbs (oil-free) (2 cups)
12 cherries
My vegan, gluten-free Detox Plan:
UNLIMITED:
all non-starchy vegetables, preferably raw or lightly steamed
beans, legumes, bean sprouts
fresh whole and pureed fruit
raw nuts and seeds
LIMITED:
gluten-free whole grains (oats, cornmeal, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice) – no more than 1 cup cooked a day
OR
starchy and root vegetables vegetables (potato, sweet potato, squash, carrot, turnip, parsnip, etc.) – no more than 1 cup cooked a day
tofu – once or twice a week.
organic, sugar-free soymilk – maximum 8 oz. (1 cup) a day
ground flaxseed – 1 tablespoon a day
avocado – 2 oz.
salt – use sparingly
OFF-LIMITS:
dairy products
animal products (eggs, fish, meat)
fruit juice, dried fruits
sugar and all sweeteners
gluten (wheat, barley, spelt, rye)
refined oil
caffeine
alcohol
nutritional supplements
Week 2 (July 19-31, 2009)
Saturday: 1.5-mile elliptical, 15 minutes spinning, 30 minutes weights, 15-mile bike ride
Sunday: 1 hr. weights, 1 hr. yoga
Monday: 2.25 miles run, 15 min. spinning, 15 min. weights
Tuesday: 20 min. Pilates, 1-mile elliptical, 1 hr. weights
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: 1 hr. weights, 1 hr. kickboxing
Friday: 1.5 hrs. circuit training
Week I (July 18-24, 2009)
Saturday: 10-mile bike ride
Sunday: 1-mile elliptical, 1 hr. weights, 1 hr. yoga
Monday: 2-mile run, 30 minutes weights
Tuesday: 20 minutes Pilates, 1 mile elliptical, 1 hr. weights
Wednesday: 45 mins. freestyle swim
Thursday: 20 minutes Pilates, 30 minutes cardio, 1 hr. strength training
Friday: 1.5-mile run, 1 hr. circuit training
THE PURPOSE OF THE DETOX DIET
Why did I do it in the first place? Well, I’ve been reading a bit about sports nutrition lately – enough to know that toxins tend to store in the fatty tissue and it would take more than 2 weeks for effectively cleansing the body. What I was looking for, really, was to reset my taste buds and jump start a new nutrition plan.
My goal: My thyroid count was a bit above normal. This was probably the cause for my fatigue and low metabolism. Gluten tends to cause thyroid inflammation. Besides, starchy and sugary foods completely messed up my energy levels and I wanted to see what happened if I eliminated these for a short time span.
I also would like to get back to running, which I stopped several years ago because of recurring knee pain (patellofemoral pain syndrome). I’ve decided to attend to that, finally, through physical therapy and a nutrition plan that aids muscle strength and recovery.
Jai’s goal: He’s training for his third marathon. This time his focus is on improving his speed and running injury-free. He’s reading a fascinating book called ChiRunning that combines the principles of T’ai Chi with running to improve form and ensure a pain-free performance. And he’s been eating most of the foods that are part of my diet to see how well it works for him.
I was looking for a nutrition plan that’s easy to follow, mostly vegan, and conducive to building strength and endurance. The detox diet plan was a kind of a test run to see how feasible this particular program would be for both of us to achieve our specific aims.
This is not meant to be advice. It’s merely a record of what works for me and why.
Two books on nutrition that have influenced me immensely are
Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman
and
Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life by Brendan Brazier
When it comes to nutrition and physical endurance, I prefer to listen to those who embody their theories through their own performance.
Joel Fuhrman, besides being a medical practitioner, represented the U.S. in the world figure skating championships. Brendan Brazier is an Ironman triathlete and one of Canada’s top Ultramarathon runners.
The “EAT TO LIVE” Plan
Emphasises a diet that is mostly vegan and at least 50% raw. Makes green fibrous veggies and fruits the cornerstone of the diet, with whole grain cooked starches like brown rice and oatmeal and starchy veggies (like root veggies and squashes) constituting less than 15% of calories consumed. The main protein sources are veggies and lentils. The Fuhrman plan recommends a 100% plant-based diet, but makes allowances for low-fat animal products like skim milk, fish and eggs maybe once or twice a week. Advocates taking supplements, especially for for B12, omega-3 and vitamin D.
Makes an allowance for “junk food”.
The “THRIVE DIET” Plan
100% vegan and at least 50% raw. Makes fibrous veggies and fruits the cornerstone of the diet, with whole grain cooked starches like brown rice and and starchy veggies (like root veggies and squashes) constituting less than 10% of calories consumed. The main protein sources are nuts, veggies and lentils. No dietary supplements and allergen causing substances like corn, soy, peanuts or gluten. Avoids acid-forming foods.
The Thrive Diet incorporates a lot of nuts, seeds and healthy oils and is higher calorie than the Eat to Live plan. It’s suitable for athletes at the highest level who need a high calorific intake.
Contrast these with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) food pyramid – both old and revised. THe USDA pyramids place a great emphasis on starches and grains (what they call “carbohydrates”) and identify meat and dairy as the main sources of protein in a balanced diet.
The old USDA food pyramid
The revised USDA food pyramid
NUTRIENT DENSITY
Health = Nutrients/Calories
There is a shift in focus away from macronutrients (carbs, proteins and fats) to micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals).
- It is not sufficient to merely follow a low-fat or low-carb diet. A truly healthy diet must be micronutrient rich with foods that contain substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals with relatively few calories. Green vegetables, fruit and lentils are considered nutrient-dense food, while eggs, meat, cheese, and products containing added sugars, processed cereals, and alcohol are not. Low-nutrient eating leads to cellular toxicity which causes addictive withdrawal symptoms (toxic hunger) which results in more frequent desire for food and overeating.
Nutrient density scores for various foods
- Raw food (food not exposed to heat above 118 F) that has its enzymes intact, is more nutritious and much more easily digested than food whose enzyme structure has been distorted because of cooking. Our body is required to produce the digestive enzymes to break down cooked food, calling for much more energy. By cutting down on nutritional stress, athletes who eat raw, unprocessed plant-based food have greater endurance and faster muscle recovery.
- Eating nutrient-rich food requires consuming fewer calories. When the body is able to meet its nutritional requirements, it sends a signal to the brain, and one tends to feel full and satisfied faster.
NUTRIENT CALCULATION
Look at nutrients per calorie, not nutrients per volume.
If you look at “2% milk”, it contains 2% fat by volume. Some brands call it “98% fat-free” milk. They are referring to the weight of the milk, which mostly comes from water. The truth is that 35% of its calories come from fat.
As a percentage of total weight, vegetables are low in protein (water accounts for a lot of their weight). But as a percentage of calories the story is quite different. If you eat a 100-calorie serving of asparagus, 40 of those would be from protein. Nutrient-weight ratios hide how nutrient-deficient animal and processed foods are in comparison to plant-based foods. 100 calories (not grams) of a green vegetable contain dramatically more protein than 100 calories of meat. 100 calories of spinach, for instance, has 51% protein. 100 calories of green veggies are about one pound, whereas 100 calories of meat is about one ounce. We would need a lot of spinach to meet our protein and calorific requirements.
Nutrient rich foods are high in fiber and low in fat. If we only ate veggies (at least 50% raw as recommended) and fruits, we would be too full before we could reach our required calorific intake. Therefore, we need to incorporate some foods with healthy fats (like nuts and avocados) and a few sources of complex carbs (like whole grains) in our high-nutrient diet. This is especially true for those with highly active lifestyles.
NUTRIENT TIMING
It’s not just what we eat, but WHEN we eat it that ensures how we fuel our workouts and recovery properly. An excellent book on this topic is Nutrient Timing by John Ivy and Robert Portman.
The optimum nutrition plan involves
- Frontloading our food intake (a heavy breakfast, lighter lunch and even lighter dinner),
- Snacking regularly to fuel our metabolism
- Loading the bulk of your carb intake immediately before, during and after workouts
Those who eat the same amount of calories a day, but time them differently, have different results.
Why a calorie is not a calorie.
WHAT NEXT?
We plan to continue our nutrition plan, while making an allowance for some of our favourite foods like yeasted wheat and rye breads.
As of now our diet is mostly vegan, with a few exceptions like eggs, low-fat kefir, raw honey and the odd teaspoon of ghee (clarified butter). Eventually, I hope to turn 100% vegan.
We plan to keep up the 50% raw program and I hope to find a physical therapist soon.
Do you have an ideas or suggestions? We would love to hear them.
Bee (and Jai)
Filed Under: Brendan Brazier, detox, diet, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat to Live Plan, fitness, NUTRITION, raw food, Thrive Diet, vegan, vegan athlete, vegan recipes, Vegetarian Athlete, vegetarian recipes
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44 Comments
Wooo, 20% body fat. You’ll be in the athletic range in no time! Good going!
Great post Bee! And congrats on the fat-loss and muscle gain. Interesting info about the Nutrient Timing.
Very Inspiring. We have been doing the 90% raw diet (no where near you) for the past 2 weeks, but only during the day. We are still eating dinner (wrong time I know) since this is the only time we sit together & eat with the kids, but trying to keep the cooking for us to “minimum” …haven’t been charting anything & won’t but I love it mostly becoz it is less kitchen time;-)..Keep posting your progress..
Hey Bee,
Great post.. very informative… I did this kind of diet for a while and lost most of my post-baby weight. I have a long way to go but I can feel my stamina going up considerably. I am a lacto-vegetarian (my daily cup of coffee and some buttermilk, my non-vegan indulgences) and I hope to be a vegan too.
And congratulation for sticking to your plan and achieving your goals…you are almost there !
Take care
Mala
wow! this is like almost like an academic paper on the subject. I am starting small, cuz i dont want to turn vegetarian soon. have started liming intake of meat though. the frontloading of meals is what i need to work on the most.
the post is so detailed and informative. good luck with your goals bee…. i gave up a few days before the 31st… my goal was a few kilos knocked off which i achieved… right now i needed a boost to reassure me i wasnt a “gone case” yet
…. one question, how do you measure body fat% and muscle mass… just curious.. tho that’s not something i want to measure right now for obvious reasons!!
we use a tanita ironman body composition monitor.
http://www.tanita.com/en/bc554/184-catId.520093726.html
Really interested to read this. I have recently started at a new personal fitness place where the emphasis is on meeting macro nutriet targets. I am a pretty reluctant meat eater, and I avoid eating dairy and gluten so I find it really hard to get to their recommended amount of protein per day. They also focus on the timing and eating more/small meals per day to get the metabolism going. I find that I have a lot more energy and faster recovery/not much pain from exercise. I can’t eat the amount of lentils/vegetables to get the level of protein and end up having to take a disgusting soy protein supplement.
So I am really interested to know how you manage that as a vegan – and would welcome any advice you have on this.
lentils and veggies have plenty of protein by themselves, as do nuts and hemp seed/powder. we don’t worry too much about protein.
i recommend you read “eat to live”. most libraries have it.
How do you measure your muscle and fat content? Any special equipment or some calculations?
see reply to arundati above.
I have a question Bee. How accurate is this bodyfat monitor you are using? When I got measured at the nutritionist’s office using a body fat monitor, it showed me at a very low body fat percentage as compared to the caliper measurement done by my trainer. Have you been measured at a doctor’s office? And have the results been consistent with the monitor you have?
We haven’t measured it at our clinic. The monitor is definitely good for trending and probably within +/- 1 % in fat measurement. In order for monitoring trends we have to make sure that we weigh ourselves at roughly the same time of day (e.g. morning before eating anything). Calipers are often erroneous (also includes error by the trainer – not all of them are experienced and each of them takes the measurement differently). At our next physical we’ll measure at the doc’s office and calibrate our monitor.
We have also found that under some conditions the Tanita monitor can be quite erroneous. If you measure after a meal, it shows more muscle and less fat, ditto immediately after a shower.
Thanks for the info. I’m thinking about getting the monitor since I have no other way of measuring fat anymore. I’ll keep your suggestions about when to measure on the monitor in mind. Thanks again!
I just wanted to let you know that I did get the monitor but I am not sure about its accuracy. It shows me as 14-15% body fat….I really doubt I am that low. If I was 15% I am sure my six pack would show through
….and no, they don’t right now.
do you have the athletic or regular setting? it shows lower in the athletic setting – way lower. we use the normal setting.
I used the normal setting. I am scared to try the athletic setting. It might show me at 0
The great part is both of you do it together! I can’t dream of getting hubby off red meat!
Your post is very informative and inspiring as well. I really liked the way you have contrasted the various pyramids of food! I didnt know any existed other than the USDA kind of pyramids! Thanks for all the info!
Great post, Bee! Thanks for sharing this with us. After reading your two week log and this post, I feel motivated to start adding more raw stuff. After two weeks of no-grains, my body rejected the grains right away on the first two days after that. Yesterday was better since I started to eat very small portions of grains for breakfast. The idea of nutrient timing is intriguing, as well the book Chirunning. I crave for carbs/grains after I workout. And esp. since I prefer grains in the morning, maybe I should think about working out in the morning. That way I won’t crash my diet whenever I workout.
Why low-fat, Bee? I mean, I understand eating good fats and that’s what I do, too. Nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado, etc…But why go the low fat route for milk kefir too? I’m not trying to question you but just trying to understand where you come from. Also, there’s a good book – Eat Fat, Lose fat – that advocates eating good fat to lose the fat from the body. It might be worth looking into, with your quest to reduce body fat percentage.
whole milk has more harmful hormones than skim.
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/12.07/11-dairy.html
i prefer to get fat from food that i actually like. i don’t like dairy.
I would think commercial milk has more harmones stored in fat, but I find it difficult about the same thing in organic whole milk. I need to read on this.
I totally get the eating-fats-that-you-like.
Great post. Thanks for taking the time to write something that is so inspiring. Our kid only likes veggies and fruits and sometimes I get worried about him about not eating his meat. Need to get his book about child nutrition.
Congratulations Bee!!! Great post!
I have been following a self planned detox diet as well – I can actually feel lighter and cleansed sort of – dunno how to explain it.
From what I have analyzed of my body – all it needs is eating foods at right time. Deprivation has never worked for me – but eating all and sundry at right portions at right time with exercise is what does.
Our eating/exercise patterns are pretty set –
Morning 6:00 – tea, workout for about 1.5-2 hrs – get back for a elaborate breakfast but mostly with wholegrains like pancakes, porridge etc and a fruit. I get more fruit midmorning, lunch like soup around 12-12:30 (with more protein to see me through the day…), evening snacks (some nuts/home made granola, vegetable crudetes) by 4:00 and chapathi/1 cup rice with lentils/legumes/vegetables by 7:30-8:00.
I do mix and match throughout the day where all the basic requirements in the Veg Food Pyramid is met. It takes me about 1+ hours every weekend to plan out a balanced meal for the week. I am like Phew!
No Deprivation, No cutting out anything drastically – and still over the weeks I managed to lose out 8 pounds I piled on thanks to hectic work schedules and lack of discipline.
Good series you have in there, thanks for sharing and throwing more light on health facts
Oppsy – dint realise I wrote an epic out here. Apolgise for being an absolute comment glutton.
Congrats on your detox and your healthy food plan !
I applaud your self discipline since I’m lacking in that department
Excellent post!
Hello Everyone,
I have a question. Someone told me that unlimited amounts of Fruits increases our chances of getting Diabetes since fruit is high in sugar and to eat more vegetables.Any idea as to the truth?
Thanks
A very informative post, Bee. I have been trying to eat healthy for the past five years, with more veg,fruits and legumes…very similar to what you have mentioned, though may not be having so much raw food. With my regular exercising,I have noticed that my weight is very stable. In fact, I am trying to gain weight and it is becoming almost impossible in spite of eating more.
I am in India now….Maybe, should try the raw diet once I come back …Thanks for the info.
Wordless July is most definitely over! : )
What a wealth of information you’ve provided, as well as a shining example of determination. Congratulations on setting and reaching good healthy goals and good luck with the physical therapy. Knees can be quite delicate creatures so you are wise to get professional help there. In our family we found swimming a good way to work out without some of the wear and tear on painful knees. Plus in our part of the country (Tx) it is a great way to exercise in the heat we continue to have. [40+ days of triple temperatures and counting...]
Congratulations on reaching your healthy goals Bee. I’ve been following your detox diet very closely and I was inspired to start dieting. I want to lose 10 pounds and gain muscle so, I started off on a low carb diet last week. I used to drink a cup of 1% fat milk and eat eggs for breakfast, handful of nuts as a morning snack, some sauteed veggies for lunch, a piece of low fat string cheese in the evening and a salad for dinner. I’m a vegetarian so I added tofu to my veggies and salad for protein. The first 5-6 days were great I lost 4 pounds but I started having mood swings and became very cranky as days passed by. On the 8th day I was very sad and I started wondering if the diet was causing this.. I switched to eating oatmeal in the morning and a feel much better..
You’ve been doing low carb diets very successfully… have you experienced anything like this?
you’re having withdrawal symptoms from carbs. if you feel low energy, eat carbs by all means, preferably in the morning. the best way to lose fat is exercise. if you exercise regularly and do a lot of cardio (running, swimming, biking) and aerobics, you can incorporate carbs in your diet.
i don’t crave carbs at all. but then i eat a lot of fruit, so i get a lot of sugar in my diet.
thanks for the detailed post, bee. you are an inspiration.
Bee , very informative , I completely agree with you, eating at the right time and snacking in between helps a lot and yes my body tells me if I do a food overload today… especially during dinner times. I limit myself to 1500 cals and I just gained 10 pounds while I was expecting ishya.. and lost it afterwards. truly helps eating at the same time everyday . The first two months were difficult, but then today I cannot think of any other way to eat. No cravings whatsoever ! . I would love to do this diet , slowly moving into eating raw , one meal , at the moment reading the book and Im going to buy that vita-mix !
Very interesting.
Paz
Thank you for the post. As you are aware, regular Indian cooking involves cooking the veggies “well” and flavor with a lot of spices. The diet suggests half-cooked vegetables and sparing use of salt. Could you suggest ways I can incorporate an Indian-tasting meal into my diet each day, while obeying the rules? Thanks!
to be honest, i’ve never enjoyed food with “well-cooked” veggies smothered in gravies, even while in india.
don’t cook the veggies “well”. eat more salads. it would not be “indian” but you could use indian spices and herbs like cumin, coriander, chilli powder, garlic, cilantro, chaat masala, etc.
add lime to cut salt. eating 50% raw involves a shift from the idea of eating traditional indian food. is it possible? maybe, but we don’t focus on whether it tastes indian or not. we just try to eat 50% raw like salads and chilled soups and many times the only cooked ingredient in there is lentils or beans. dal with blanched/raw spinach, chaats with cooked chickpeas with cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. with indian spices, etc.
bee
So much good material in there. I’ve just begun to notice how my body responds to different kinds of foods, and it is amazing. We learn so much from ourselves, if only we listen.
Good luck with your plan.
Hey Bee, long time no comments from me.. been here off and on..
congrats on the detox, exercise and healthy lifestyle. I have dropped about 30 pounds in the last 8 months. My focus has been on reducing calories by reducing sugars/bad fats/processed foods as well as portion control plus exercise (running, boot camp for about a month, yoga). I also had recurring knee problems years ago and this time around I am up to 4 miles of run/jog and I think the reason my knees are not going ballistic is the Yoga that I do (hatha/flow) in between my runs. I know you know tons about all this and I see that you do Yoga 1x a week but if you do decide to run again, I think Yoga stretches seem to be a really good alternative on non run days to help the body recover. Again, no professional, just personal experience after going through years of PT and various exercises. I don’t know what your long term running goals are but I am trying to keep my running under 10K as the final goal as my knees probably dont want to feel more stress than I already have put them through.
whew.. longer than intended…
[...] in the “uncooking” phase – trying to eat at least 50% raw and cooking as little as we can get away [...]
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