Taking the Mystery out of the High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet
HOW DO CARBOHYDRATES AFFECT YOUR WEIGHT?
Carbohydrates are healthy, filling, satisfying and
taste good, but they also can add weight. Much of
the epidemic of obesity is attributable to a
marked in crease in over-consumption of
carbohydrates. Your body uses carbohydrates as
fuel, and if you eat too many carbohydrates, they
are stored as fat.
Insulin, a natural hormone that your body
produces, plays an important role in converting
carbohydrates into fuel and fat. If you understand
how insulin works to create fat, you are a long
way towards reaching your weight goals. Let?s get
started.
Eating excessive carbohydrates causes an
over-release of insulin. Among its many jobs,
insulin signals the body to take in food (it has
been called the "hunger hormone") and, once the
food is consumed, signals the body to store the
food energy in the form of fat. Too much insulin
results in too strong an impulse to eat, too
often, and a body that too readily stores food in
the form of fat.
The scientific term for this condition is
'post-prandial reactive hyperinsulinemia' which
means too much insulin is released after eating.
Over time, people who are hyperinsulinemic become
insulin resistant. That means the cells in their
muscles, nervous systems, and organs stop working
with the insulin to open the doors to these cells
and allow food energy (blood sugar or glucose) to
enter. At this point, you may experience symptoms
of low-blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) including
irritability, shakiness, tiredness, intense
cravings, confusion, and headaches. Once the blood
sugar cannot easily enter the muscles, nervous
system, or organs, much of the food energy gets
channeled into the fat cells and weight gain comes
easily. Over time, however, as high insulin levels
continue, even the fat cells can shut down and the
blood glucose gets trapped in the blood stream
bringing on the condition known as adult-onset
diabetes.
A high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet restricts
the intake of carbohydrates and reduces the intake
of those foods that stimulate the production and
release of insulin. You?ll be able to lose weight
and shake the cravings, and look forward to a
healthier life.
THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIET
Increased protein consumption with restriction of
carbohydrates, especially simple sugars, starches,
reduces the stimulation of insulin, which is the
hormone that facilitates the storage of fat. When
sugar from carbohydrates is unavailable, the body
turns on its fat burners and extracts energy from
its own stored fat. The consequences are rapid
weight loss and preferential fat loss. By
supplementing the diet with high levels of
protein, vitamins and minerals, you maintain
muscle mass and enjoy other health benefits, while
losing weight quickly and safely. Here?s how to do
it:
Eat 4-5 small protein portions (12-15g of protein
each) and one meal. Or eat 3-4 small protein
portions and two meals. For example, you might
enjoy a protein shake for breakfast, a protein bar
a few hours before noon, a shake and salad for
lunch, some soy nuts a few hours before dinner.
With this example, you can indulge in a
great-tasting and filling dinner consisting of
some of your favorite foods that are high in
protein and taste but low in carbohydrates.
Meals should consist of:
PROTEIN: as much as you want, preferably skinless,
lean white meats. Enjoy your favorite cuts of meat
or fish such as top sirloin, chicken breast, pork
chops or filet of sole. Or make an omelet loaded
with real cheese and slices of fiber-rich
vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, fresh
mushrooms, green pepper, scallions, spinach and
green beans.
SALADS: consisting largely of greens and selected
vegetable such as radishes, mushrooms, cucumber,
celery and various peppers. Jazz up your salad
with slices of chicken, turkey or cheese. Or pile
it high with tuna, shrimp, or crab meat.
VEGETABLES: choices, choices, choices including
bean sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, green
pepper, spinach, and lettuce. Stir fry a selection
of vegetables in olive oil and add chicken, beef,
turkey, or even tofu (extra firm is best). Eat
them raw, dipped in olive oil or with a
low-carbohydrate dressing.
If you are eating two meals per day, they should
consist of only protein and vegetables. Be
creative and remember to vary your selections and
try new dishes as often as possible. Fruits should
be limited, but if you must eat fruit as a treat,
peaches and plums are preferred. However, try to
eat these fruits only two or three times per week.
Eating small amounts frequently throughout the
day helps speed up your metabolism so that you
continue to burn calories. Try roasted soy nuts,
protein bars, and soups to help maintain steady
blood sugar levels and keep you feeling energized.
NO-NOS FOR THE DIET
In order for this diet to be
successful, the following foods should be
eliminated:
*Products containing simple sugars, including fruit,
sweets, and many commercial sauces and dressings.
*Products made from white flour, breads, pastas
and cereals.
*Naturally occurring complex carbohydrates
such as rice, potatoes, corn and grains. **
Other carbohydrates that should be avoided are
those that are quickly converted into simple
sugars, such as carrots, beets, and many fruits.
They encourage the production and release of
insulin. Elimination of these foods is critical to
shutting off insulin and reversing the body from
an efficient fat storer to an efficient fat
burner.
Do not eat
*Bread and all of its relatives, crackers, cookies,
pastries, doughnuts, pies and muffins
*Chick peas, dried beans, lentils, pinto beans
*Cereals, hot or cold, sweetened or unsweetened
*Most fruits, except for plums and peaches
*All products made of white flour
*Root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, parsnips and
beets
*Snacks including pretzels, potato chips,
popcorn
*White rice, potatoes and corn
YEAH, RIGHT. WHO EATS LIKE THIS?
Actually, until very recently, all humans did.
And our ancestors used to get a lot more exercise
that we do. They chopped wood, carried water,
tended gardens, hunted animals and never spent
all day sitting at a computer. In our wonderful
world of progress, we have created an environment
perfect for getting fat and unhealthy. We have
grown up in a lifestyle of luxurious, delicious
carbohydrates that our forefathers and foremothers
never heard of or ever dreamed about.
But we live in a world of today, and sticking to
this diet, especially in the beginning can be
challenging. There are several important keys to
making a change to your diet and sticking to it.
Replace something you must give up with something
you love that you can eat. If you just eliminate a
food, you will spend a lot of time thinking about
how much you miss it. Instead, plan to eat
something else that is ok. For example, when I
gave up wheat products, I substituted olives and
peaches, and ate as much as I wanted until I
didn?t miss the wheat any more.
Have a "Cheat Day." Plan that one day per week, you can eat
whatever you want. Completely go off the diet for
24 hours and go hog wild. Then the next day, get
back on the diet. Having a cheat day makes it
easier to transition into your new diet and slowly
say good-bye to your old carbo friends. Here?s
another benefit. Over time, you will find that you
feel pretty darn crummy the day after your cheat
day, and you won?t want to cheat anymore.
Thursdays were my cheat days. On Thursdays, I ate
pizza and bread sticks, and drank beer with
abandon. In a surprisingly short number of weeks,
I started feeling miserable on Fridays, like I had
a terrible hangover. It wasn?t long before I felt
so terrible that I never wanted pizza again.
Once you reach your weight goals, you can
reintroduce carbohydrates into your diet. To keep
your weight off for good, certain carbohydrates
should continue to be restricted. This doesn?t
mean you can never have a baked potato or a plate
of spaghetti again, but it does suggest that
products made with white sugar, white flour and
certain root vegetables should be a rare culinary
event. You can phase in potato skins and
whole-grain pasta once you?re on to maintenance
way of living.
As you increase carbohydrates,
concentrate on small fruits with the highest
antioxidant power such as blueberries, grapes,
strawberries, plums, peaches and apricots. Leave
behind the bananas, mango, papaya, pears, melon
and pineapple.
As with all new diets and nutritional changes,
make an appointment with your family doctor and
have a physical to rule out any underlying medical
conditions that could be aggravated by this diet.
If you are in good physical shape, you may
experience symptoms caused by your body going
through a carbohydrate withdrawal such as
weakness, dizziness and nausea. Your body should
adjust to the new fat-burning metabolism within a
few days and the symptoms should disappear. Make
sure you?re drinking plenty of water because water
loss accompanies the first few days of
carbohydrate restriction. Many people find eating
small, high-protein snacks every few hours as
opposed to three larger meals a day helps as well.
Cymber S. Quinn is a nutrition consultant and business coach for Gr8Living. Please contact her for more information on weight loss and tips on changing your eating habits, at cymber.quinn@verizon.net, 408-353-9775, or
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