To really reclaim your waistline for the rest of your life, you need to do more than just memorise a list of rules.
You need to know why.
I provided The Rules last week to give you an overview of what this way of eating is all about. Just to get started.
Over the next three weeks I’m going to cover the rules in more detail so you’ll have an understanding of the ‘why’ behind how this all works. And more importantly so you’ll be able to make informed decisions about what you should or shouldn’t eat.
It’s all about finding the way of eating that will work for you in the long term. And saving yourself from the confusion and noise that rules the media.
1. Focus on What You Can Eat
As someone who loves food, I’ve always been uncomfortable when people approach their diet by defining what they can’t eat.
I respect and admire people who choose to go vegetarian or vegan because of their beliefs.
But with the explosion in the incidence of food allergies, it’s sad to see people needing to class their diets as ‘gluten-free’ or ‘dairy-free’ or in the case of my dear old Dad ‘gluten, egg, dairy, pea, almond & lentil-free’. Of course I sympathise with people that need to make changes to their way of eating because of allergies. I just wish we could be more positive for them and see it as a chance to celebrate all the choices they still have rather than seeing it as a death sentence of constraint.
But enough of me ranting. Lets get excited about the possibilities rather than being afraid of the limitations.
things you can enjoy
- Vegetables – broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, avocado, peppers (capsicum), tomato, salad greens, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, peas, beans, onion, bok choy, endive, chard, collard greens, broccolini, radish, snow peas, sprouts, summer squash, cucumber, celery, eggplant (aubergine).
This list of vegetables focuses on the lower-carb veg which have all the benefits of fibre, vitamins and minerals with only a small amount of blood sugar increasing carbohydrates. These, along with the leafy greens should be on high rotation in your diet.
Root veg like beets, carrots, parsnip and sweeds (rutabagas) have a moderate amount of carbohydrates so best to avoid them if you are wanting to lose weight and only have them one or two times a week when you’re in weight maintenance mode.
Unfortunately our friends the potato and sweet potato are only a goer for ‘cheat’ days because of their high carb content.
- Leafy Greens – spinach, kale, salad greens, bok choy + other asian greens, endive, chard (silverbeet), collard greens, any lettuce, radicchio
If it’s leafy and green, then it’s your friend. These veg tend to pack a big nutritional punch with minimal carbohydrate downside so make like Pop-eye and get into the spinach. - Legumes – All lentils, black beans, pinto beans, white beans, butter beans, chickpeas (although these have the lowest protein level so minimise)
The legumes section is really what sets this diet apart from other low carbohydrate diets. Our brains need glucose (carbs) to for energy, while the rest of our bodies can burn other forms of fuel.
The benefit of legumes is that they contain moderate amounts of carbohydrate to keep our brains happy but they also contain high levels of protein which means when we eat them, they it takes longer for the carbs to be released into our blood, avoiding a big spike in blood sugar and the insulin that would normally go with it. So we still get carbs for our brains and feel full, with a minimum amount of fat-storing insulin surging in our veins. Win-win.
Of course not all legumes are created equal. Lentils tend to have the highest amount of protein and lowest carbs so are best if you’re looking for faster weight loss. Chickpeas are at the other end of the spectrum with the least protein and most carbs, so while they are allowed go easy on the chickpea and hummus.
- Meat & Poultry – beef, pork, lamb, venison, chorizo, ham, bacon, chicken, turkey, duck, quail and any other bird you fancy.
We all know these guys have heaps of protein But you may be surprise that meat, in particular red meat, also contains vitamins and minerals.
Of course the decision to eat meat is up to you. And if you do, please take the time to seek out trust-worthy suppliers who can guarantee your meat was treated humanely. I grew up on a sheep farm and it is possible to raise animals with respect.
- Eggs – as many whole eggs as you like.
Eggs are one of the best sources of protein and are the yard-stick against which other proteins are measured.Forget everything you’ve heard about eating eggs and cholesterol. That’s yesterdays story. Focus instead of enjoying your eggs and seek out happy hens.
- Fish & Seafood – tuna, salmon, snapper, lobster, scallops, octopus, all the creatures from the sea are fine.
I’m not fully versed on the sustainability situation with fish and seafood. But from a dietary perspective, fish are great. - Tofu & tempeh – while ‘fake meat’ products are a no-go. Natural soy based protein like tofu and tempeh are great.
Soy products have had some bad press in recent times. I consulted my nutritionist friend, Kathryn Elliott on the question of whether soy should be part of a healthy diet. As a vegetarian she eats soy products like tofu and tempeh but steers clear of soy based ‘fake meat’ things like ‘veggie sausages’ and ‘veggie bacon’. For more about soy, Kathryn has written a great blog post: What’s the deal with soy?. - Fats & Oils – butter, olive oil, peanut oil, macadamia oil, coconut oil (including coconut cream and milk), mayonnaise (make sure it doesn’t contain sugar), and avocado oil. Avoid highly processed ‘vegetable’ oils and margarine.
After living through the whole ‘fat-free’ phase, I know it’s hard to get your head around thinking of fat as a good and healthy part of out diet.
In ‘Why We Get Fat’, Gary Tabues actually recommends eating fat because ‘they taste good and make you feel full’. The aim is to replace our carbohydrate calories with fat rather than overdosing on protein. Too much protein is not good.
Remember the whole ‘French paradox’ thing? That the French diet includes a high proportion of fat, and yet they still stay slender and have a low incidence of heart disease. Remember the ‘Mediterranean diet’ of the Italians and Greeks which is based on predominantly vegetables and grains (pasta etc) and olive oil – also linked to low rates of heart disease. What if the French way of eating isn’t a paradox? What if it’s perfectly healthy?
Now think about your stereotypical French lady in her 60s. Slender? And now think of your stereotypical Italian lady of the same age? Sure there are exceptions but you can draw your own conclusions.
Pass me the butter.
- Herbs – parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, tarragon, chives and more.
Nutritionally I think herbs belong with the leafy greens. But I singled them out as a reminder of their wonderful flavouring properties. If you’re new to cooking with herbs you might enjoy my minimalist guide to cooking with herbs. - Seasonings – All spices, soy sauce (use Tamari which is wheat-free if possible), wine vinegars (only use limited amounts of sweetened vinegars or balsamic), lemon juice, lime juice, sea salt or kosher salt, pepper.
Use your judgement here and read the labels. If your favourite sauce has more than 1 gram of carbohydrate per serving, it’s time to relegate it to the ‘cheat day’ category.
2. Avoid Grain, Starch and Sugar
Pretty straight forward. Includes whole grains, quinoa, potatoes, honey, anything made from flour, agave syrup or other natural sweeteners.
This is all about avoiding carb-central. Forget about low-GI, if it has an impact on your blood sugar and its not a legume, and you want to lose weight, the simplest thing is to skip it until your cheat day.
At the risk of sounding a little like my Dad (who is addicted to conspiracy theories), there are some very big international food businesses who are almost 100% reliant on grain and sugar based products for their enormous profits. So be mindful of their motives.
The other interesting thing with grains is the theory that they actually harm our digestive processes and negatively impact out healthy and well-being.
We all know someone who has been diagnosed with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance right? Well Robb Wolfe, in The Paleo Solution proposes that gluten has a negative impact on everyone, its just less obvious in some than others.
According to Wolfe, grains (and legumes) cause malabsorption of nutrients which leads to:
-Damage to the gut lining
-Gall bladder and bile production issues which inhibit our ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins
-Binding of metal irons such as iron, calcium and zinc.
-Increased incidence of cancer and autoimmune diseases such as MS, arthritis, depression, lupus, autism, huntington’s and more.
I’m not sure whether Wolfe is on the money or not, but it does make another compelling reason to limit grains.
3. Don’t Drink Calories – Drink Lots of Water
Fruit juices, sugary drinks and beer are like an instant transfusion of fat to your thighs. Because of their liquid form they are rapidly absorbed by the body and give your blood sugar an instant spike. One of the most beneficial changes you can make is to switch to drinking water.
Tea & Coffee
Avoid milk and sugar in your tea and coffee. Tim Ferriss recommends flavouring coffee with cinnamon or vanilla extract. If you can’t stand the thought of black tea or coffee, use a little cream instead of milk. Cream does contain some carbohydrates but significantly less than milk.
Diet Drinks
While diet soft drinks are OK if you must, limit them as much as you can because aspartame can stimulate weight gain.
Alcohol
The less alcohol you drink the better. Avoid beer, champage and mixed drinks except for your cheat day. If you must drink dry red wine is the best but no more than 2 glasses a day. Any more will effect your sleep patterns.
I haven’t got to the bottom of the alcohol scenario, but my gut is telling me there’s more to the alcohol = weight gain equation than just empty calories. Alcohol can only be processed by our livers and I’m not 100% on the implications in terms of weight loss. But I have noticed that for me, the more alcohol-free days I have, the more positive my weight loss. And the same goes for my Irishman. Even having one glass of wine a day can have a negative impact on our waistlines.
Water
It’s also really important to drink LOTS of water. I keep a 500mL (2 cups or 16 fl oz) bottle of water in the fridge and have started drinking that every morning before I do anything else.
Tim Ferriss mentions in the 4-Hour Body that his mother’s weight loss had plateaued so he had a look at her diet and suggested drinking a few more glasses of water a day. And hey presto, her weight-loss kicked back in.
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