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Help with Dietary Choices


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I need help with my dietary choices.

 

Disclosure: I am not vegan. I have explored vegan and vegetarian diets in the past, but never succeeded in making the cut-over. Health concerns are leading me to re-explore those options.

 

My doctor tells me I need to lose 50 pounds (no argument there). To do this, he suggested 3 alternatives:

 

1. Eat whatever I want, but only eat when I'm hungry and only eat until I'm not hungry any more. (This one isn't going to work for me.)

2. Read "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes and follow those suggestions. (High protein, moderate fat, low carbohydrate.)

3. Read "The China Study" by Campbell & Campbell and follow those suggestions. (Vegan. Moderate protein, low fat, high carbohydrate.)

 

I have just started reading these books and I have a long way to go... but the low carb book really rubs me the wrong way. It goes against my experience as an athlete (many, many years ago) and against my core beliefs (which, admittedly, could be wrong). The high carb approach strikes a chord with me.

 

I'm wondering if there is a consensus within this community about the proper ratio of carbs-fats-proteins, or if this really depends upon the individual biochemistry and physiology of each person?

 

My thinking (when I bother to think about such things) has always been that fat is the enemy -- so a meal plan should minimize fat and emphasize complex carbs while making sure it contains adequate protein. After considering the sugar-insulin-diabetes connection, however, I'm certainly willing to re-adjust my thinking and believe that refined sugar is the enemy and that the correct approach is one that minimizes sugar and allows the quantity of fats to float, while at the same time emphasizing complex carbs.

 

It seems absurd to throw out things like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, fruits and vegetables because they are high in "carbs".

 

If anyone can shed some light on this complicated topic, I would be grateful!

 

Cheers,

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  • 4 months later...

I have switched to a (mostly) vegan diet, with the goal of becoming full-on vegan. I still fall-off the wagon occasionally.

 

I decided on a full blood test... followed by 16 weeks of exercise (weight lifting mixed with walking, rowing, or hiking for cardio) and a diet based on The China Study... followed by another blood test.

 

I lift 4-days a week, with a 2-day split, upper/lower body (since I am a beginner, I limit myself to 1 warm-up set followed by 1 high-intensity set). Cardio varies from low-intensity walks to high-intensity rowing sprints, 1-4 hours per week.

 

My diet is a whole-food, plant-based diet, rich in complex carbohydrates, low in fat, low in sugar, low in salt, and with moderate amounts of protein.

 

On a good day I consume 2,000-2,400 calories at less than 15% fat, less than 15% sugar, greater than 50% complex carbohydrates, and around 20% protein.

 

===============

 

My meal plan for a 2,500 calorie day:

 

Breakfast - 4:30 AM

oatmeal, steel cut oats, quick cook, 1/2C

berry medley: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, 3/4C 140g

flaxseed meal, 1T, 7g

 

Weight lifting - 5:45-6:45 AM

 

After workout meal - 7:00-7:30 AM

Sun Warrior, protein powder, 25g, 1 scoop

edamame, 1C, 1/2 bag, 150g

 

Lunch - 11:00-11:30 AM

pasta salad (pasta, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, broccoli, tomatoes, olives, zucchini, carrots, green beans, bell peppers, onions, sunflower seeds, strawberry balsamic dressing)

 

Afternoon snack - 2:00 PM

4 clementines 74g (or a small can of mandarin oranges)

 

Cardio - 4:00-4:30 PM

 

Dinner - 5:30-6:00 PM

rice medley: brown, red + barley, 1 pkg

refried black beans, no-fat, 1/2 can, 228g

tomato, raw, 1/2C, 90g (or no-oil, no-sugar salsa)

 

Evening Snack - 7:30

steamed vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, sprinkled with garlic powder)

 

Supplements - vitamins B-12 & D (when working indoors for many days in a row)

 

===============

 

The above meal provides: 2,358 calories

 

13% fat (39g)

19% protein (114g)

11% sugar (67g)

56% complex carbs (212g)

 

0 mg cholesterol

1,494 mg sodium

 

It provides the following percentage of the US Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamins and minerals.

 

793% vitamin A

250% vitamin D

_95% vitamin E

284% vitamin K

593% vitamin C

300% vitamin B1 (thiamin)

135% vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

139% vitamin B3 (niacin)

211% vitamin B6

431% folate

500% vitamin B12

166% pantothenic acid

_81% calcium

299% iron

236% magnesium

121% potassium

164% zinc

440% copper

731% manganese

232% selenium

 

===============

 

After 16 weeks I saw a significant improvement.

 

weight: 228.5 lbs => 204.1 lbs

waist size: 44.75" => 41.0"

hip size: 42.0" => 40.25"

body fat: 30% => 24.8%

 

triglycerides: 210 => 68

cholesterol: 187 => 145

LDL cholesterol: 125 => 86

HDL cholesterol: 36 => 45

non-LDL cholesterol: 151 => 101

LDL/HDL ratio: 3.47 => 1.95

chol/HDL ratio: 5.19 => 3.3

 

blood pressure: 134/66 => 109/67

 

===============

 

We all have different body types and I suspect each of us responds differently to different nutrients.

 

My body seems to respond very well to a whole-food, plant-based diet.

 

Cheers,

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  • 3 months later...

Wow, these really are some good resuilts you could a time span, which has been rather short. Shout outs for this! What you could consider to support your new diet, is especially taking diabetes into consideration, to supplement your diet with some addtional Berberine (here some Info: https://liftmode.com/health-promoting/berberine-hcl.html) . Berberine is a substance especially found in Meat and Fish, so you dont get a lot of it anymore. What it does it as positive influence on your cholesterol level, or it at least could have. Give it a try, or, if you have questions feel free to as me as Im taking Berberine for a few years now,

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Wow, these really are some good resuilts you could a time span, which has been rather short. Shout outs for this! What you could consider to support your new diet, is especially taking diabetes into consideration, to supplement your diet with some addtional Berberine . Berberine is a substance especially found in Meat and Fish, so you dont get a lot of it anymore. What it does it as positive influence on your cholesterol level, or it at least could have. Give it a try, or, if you have questions feel free to as me as Im taking Berberine for a few years now,

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