Rules to Maintain a Balance

Sometimes when we first start a low-carb diet, our bodies react in ways that might seem off, so the next rule addresses the "potty problems" that some find when they're starting on a new low-carb diet.

Rule 12:

• If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon or more of psyllium husks in a cup or more of water and drink daily. Or mix ground flaxseed into a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables.

This rule compliments rule 11 - that is it helps with strategies to avoid and counteract constipation. Water and high-fiber supplements are recommended to help maintain regularity. With any changes to your daily diet your body may experience short-term bouts of constipation and the above rule helps get you through this. It also reinforces for the long-term what works for constipation naturally rather than chemically processed products or sugar-laden fiber mixes that are commercially available.

The secret of this rule is that it is providing you with natural ways to alleviate constipation, not only in beginning, but in the long-term as you look to maintain your goal weight if you still have occasional issues.Important in this rule is to understand what it is to be constipated.

Constipation is not just not having a bowel movement for a couple of days - it is having the urge to have a bowel movement and being unable to go to the bathroom! When you do finally go, the feces are dry and hard. While not going for a day or two may be alarming, if you are not uncomfortable, you are probably not constipated. When you are constipated it is important to be sure you are getting plenty of water and increasing your fiber so that you are able to go without straining. Drinking water as instructed in the previous rule along with this one give you the tools to regulate yourself naturally.

The last rule we'll look at speaks directly to the recommendation to take, at minimum a good multivitamin with minerals. It's pretty much a universal given no matter what type of diet you eat that you should include a vitamin each day, and the same is true for those starting a low-carb diet.

Rule 13:

• At a minimum, take a good daily multivitamin with minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium, but without iron.

Many people starting out on a low-carb diet with both feet and take a large number of supplements.

In this rule, Dr. Atkins makes it clear that at minimum you need a good multivitamin each day. Also specifically mentioned are minerals, which are important to maintain electrolyte balance, especially when you're starting a low-carb diet and will experience a metabolic shift to burn fat primarily instead of glucose, which releases a lot of water from stored glycogen.

Much like the rule on water (fluid) intake is universally agreed as a "good rule", so too is this rule. While some people will benefit from additional supplements to their daily multi-vitamin, it is not necessary to start with more than a good multi-vitamin with minerals.

In the long-term, maintaining this habit of taking a good multivitamin is also a good idea no matter what diet you follow.

It is important to note with this rule that the multi-vitamin must have potassium, magnesium and calcium - these control and keep in balance your electrolytes (your body salts), so chooing one with a good balance and ratio of these minerals is important. Important too is to use a multi-vitamin not packed with iron (unless you have a medical reason to take additional iron) since your diet will now contain enough iron (if you follow it correctly) each day without additional supplementation of iron. Too much iron is as deterimental to your health as too little. Unless you have a reason to take more iron, find a good multi-vitamin without iron!

The secret within this rule is to learn to keep a balance - insure you're getting all the nutrients you can with real food and have a multivitamin each day to be sure if you missed somewhere along the way, you had it in your vitamin.

This rule and the one before it aren't about extremes - it is about balance.

By taking care of potential "potty problems" and including a good multivitamin each day, you're developing a habit that will enhance your ability to get all of your nutrients each day - even on those days you may not eat "well".

Rule Five: Break Free from Contradictions

Thus far we've looked at four of the Rules of Induction for the Atkins diet. I've used the Atkins diet rules because no matter which low-carb diet one chooses, these rules have little "gems" that can broadly apply to any controlled-carb diet based on its design, carbohydrate restriction and/or phases.

Today, we'll look at rule five. At first glance, it appears to be in a rather harsh tone toward the reader:

Rule 5:

• Eat nothing that isn't on the Acceptable Food List. And that means absolutely nothing. Your "just this one taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins.

Simply put, this rule is reinforcing the importance of being able and ready to begin something new and different while letting go of the "diet baggage" we all had/have that will not serve us well throughout weight loss on a low-carb diet, and certainly not when we maintain our weight later. The only way to say it is straight-out and without sugar-coating it - if you start the diet with bad habits and do not address them, they'll be your undoing on this diet (or any diet) you want to utilize as your means to lose weight.

This rule makes clear that everything on the 'acceptable foods list' is allowed, go and enjoy these foods; those not on the list are not allowed right now - not even one bite, not even if you can manage to include them within your carbohydrate allowance for this period. The time frame here is two weeks and you will not die without the foods that are excluded during this period.

You may crave them, want them, think you need them - but what you 'want' is not always what you 'need' and for now, there are plenty of nutrient-dense foods you are allowed to eat, so take this period to eat those and only those foods; more variety will come in time.

Many wonder why this rule is so harsh. In part it is helping to break habits of the past, in part wiping clean years of eating foods that were not the best choices for health and well-being, in part imploring you to ignore many current dietary contradictions, and in part to help you naturally supress cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods.

Did you catch that last item?

It is true for the vast majority of those starting a low-carb diet; if you can simply stick with the 'acceptable foods list' for your first two weeks, you'll find that cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods diminish quickly and by the end of two-weeks, they're supressed so you no longer think much about having bread or pasta or potatoes or sweets.

Now granted, these foods will always be around you; but you will now have a powerful way to make them less tempting in the future if you can avoid them completely for a couple of weeks.

In the process you'll be rewarded for your efforts and discipline too - you'll lose weight in the first two weeks, find you have more energy at the end of the two weeks, and also realize that the foods you used to reach for in times of stress or to celebrate can be replaced by foods that are better for you and your health.

What this two week period is teaching for the long-term is that you ultimately control what you choose to eat. It is a period that is allowing you time to step back from everything you think you know, retreat from all the contradictions we hear from the "experts," step back from all the habits you've developed over the years, and start again - at the basics.

This particular rule goes against everything we hear and read so often; on the one hand we're repeatedly told part of the underlying reasons for obesity is lack of willpower and discipline; on the other hand we hear often this insistence that if you want something eat it, if you're on a diet and craving whatever it's better to eat it than to not because it's not good to deprive yourself of something you want.

How in the world is one supposed to develop this necessary discipline if they're never challenged and expected to discipline themselves?

As I said, this rule sets a standard for you to hold yourself to, that for a short period of time - two weeks - you will avoid any food that is not on the accepted food list so you can prove to yourself some big things:

• What you think you want to eat isn't always what you need to eat
• Food is not the enemy, nor do you lack willpower; given adequate time and nourishment, your body will help you re-learn how to eat well
• You really don't have to punish yourself to lose weight with feelings of hunger, eat what's allowed and you'll be sated
• You really are empowered to make good decisions and eat delicious food while you lose weight
• You'll really get to experiment and play more with your eating later, as you move forward and continue to lose weight

These first two weeks extend to the longer term as you are empowered to listen to what your body is telling you; you'll initially get over the idea you need starchy or sweet foods all the time, and then understand as you continue, when and where these foods will fit into your long-term menus. Once again, you'll also begin to appreciate just how good real food tastes, and take the foods from these first two weeks into your long-term eating, so they serve as your foundation for the future.

Rule Three: Vegetables & Fruits are Heart of Controlled-Carb

We hear much of a healthy diet is from eating fruits and vegetables. Research suggests there is a strong correlation between "good" health and "bad" health over the long-term when comparing the dietary habits of those eating a diet rich with fruits and vegetables to those consuming less than recommended levels.

Diets that strategically restrict carbohydrate are often criticized for lack of fruits and vegetables in the dietary approach. Much like the second rule getting lost in translation, from an allowance of a large variety of meats, poultry, fish, shellfish and game to a requirement to eat "fatty steaks, bacon, brie and cheeseburgers," by those unconvinced a low-carb diet is scientifically supported, rule three is often either ignored in the media and/or used to show how unsustainable carbohydrate restriction is in the long-term for someone to do forever.

How about we take a look, and see what the third rule actually says, and what it "pearls" it contains in both the short and long-term, and where vagueness may lead to misinterpretation:

Rule 3:

• Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, most of which must come in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. You can eat approximately three loosely packed cups of salad, or two cups of salad plus one cup of other vegetables.

First, we know from the published books, that the Induction period is a minimum of two weeks; while one can, and many do, stay within the 20g of carbohydrate beyond two weeks, the above rule is in place for at least the first two weeks.

During this time, the person starting the low-carb diet is tasked with two things in this rule:

1. limiting carbohydrate to just 20g a day and
2. ensuring that most of those 20g carbs are from salad greens and other (allowed) vegetables.

As an example, the rule says this is "approximately" three loosely packed cups of "salad" (note not simply salad greens), or two cups of "salad" (again not simply salad greens) plus one cup of other (allowed) vegetables (without mention of raw or cooked state).

We also know that the plan includes a deduction of fiber, so the amount of non-starchy vegetables (and fruits which I'll get to in an upcoming post) - in cups - that one is expected to consume depends highly on which allowed vegetables are selected in a day. Regardless of which are included, a minimum 10g net (deducting fiber) must come from non-starchy vegetables!

We also plainly see that it is not *mandatory* to deduct fiber per the rule above; however, I strongly suggest folks do deduct fiber as it allows a greater intake of non-starchy vegetables, which are not only low in calories, but nutrient powerhouses. When you deduct the fiber, you're able to consume more essential nutrients than if you don't.

I've previously offered examples of how different selections of non-starchy vegetables may look in a day of eating on a plan allowing 20g net in a day. Once again, I am providing examples to emphasize, even at 20g net carbohydrate, where 10g net is the minimum, a low-carb plan - done properly - meets or exceeds intake recommendation of at least five servings per day in the Dietary Recommendations for Americans for fruits and vegetables.

Example 1

• 1-cup green beans (cooked measure)
• 2-cups Shredded Cos/Romaine Lettuce (raw)
• 4-pieces Crimini Mushrooms (raw)
• 1/4-cup Shredded Red Cabbage (raw)
• 4 Cherry Tomatoes (raw)
• 1-cup Spinach (raw)
• Total Carbohydrate = 18g
• Fiber = 8g
• Net Carbohydrate = 10g
• USDA Servings of fruits/vegetables = 5

Example 2

• 1/2 Avocado (raw)
• 3-cups Cos/Romaine Lettuce (raw)
• 4 Cherry Tomatoes (raw)
• 1/4 cup Shredded Red Cabbage (raw)
• 1-cup Spinach (cooked measure)
• 1/2-cup Broccoli Florets (raw)
• 1/2-cup Sliced Cucumber (raw)
• Total Carbohydrate = 24g
• Fiber = 14g
• Net Carbs = 10g
• USDA Servings of fruits/vegetables = 6

Example 3

• 2-cups Shredded Cos/Romaine Lettuce (raw)
• 1/2-cup Cherry Tomatoes (raw)
• 1-cup Spinach (cooked measure)
• 1/2-cup Asparagus (cooked measure)
• 1/2 cup Sweet Green Peppers (cooked measure)
• Total Carbohydrate = 21g
• Fiber = 9g
• Net Carbs = 12g
• USDA Servings of fruits/vegetables = 6

One can see from the examples above, depending on selections made from those fruits and vegetables allowed in the first two weeks, it is not difficult to meet the recommended intake of 5-or-more servings of fruits and vegatables.

The aim to include a minimum of 10g (of the 20g allowed) from non-starchy vegetables is a "must" in the rule above.

It is also clearly stated as a "minimum," and therefore understood that if you would like to include 12g, 15g or more from non-starchy vegetables in lieu of other foods that have carbohydrate, that is also allowed.

So, if one is cognizant of and desiring more than the minimum intake of fruits and vegetables, they are completely allowed to consume more - with the only restriction being not to exceed 20g net (deducting fiber) during the first two weeks.

Must you aim to consume half your allowed carbohydrate from fruits/vegetables? YES

Can you eat more fruits/vegetables (allowed ones), say 12g, 15g, 18g? YES

Can you deduct fiber? YES

Do you have to? NO (but doing so allows a greater intake of fruits/vegetables and associated essential nutrients)

With all that said, and focus on what all the rules mean for the long-term, I contend that one is expected to continue eating this level (as minimum each day) as they progress toward the long-term eating. I believe that this is one more "foundational" part of carbohydrate restricted diets in the long-term and something intended to be continued as one increases carbohydrate and includes a wider selection of foods, including more vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and if desired, even whole grains.

Many folks say a low/controlled-carb diet is a way of life, yet find it difficult to take what they start with - 20g net (deducting fiber), of which most must be provided by non-starchy vegetables, a 10g minimum each day - and maintain that aspect as one solid foundation to build upon as they continue to lose weight and then maintain their weight.

Old eating habits start to creep back with more carbs; habits such as preferrentially selecting sweeter foods or grains (even if whole grain) with consumption of non-starchy vegetables waning as one re-introduces more carbohydrate.

If one takes this rule, and continues to extend it --- fully --- until they reach 40g net carbohydrate each day (deducting fiber), they will be consuming incredibly healthful levels of fruits and vegetables, and will be able to eat a very wide variety of them too. That is, until 40g carbohydrate is achieved in the diet during weight loss, one must always include half those carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables with each incremental increase in carbohydrate. (Beyond that, it is increasingly difficult to continue adding more non-starchy vegetables and fruits due to their bulk; you can, of course - it's just not as easy to do).

Now that isn't exactly stated explicitly in the rule, but it is from my experience and those I've given assistance, one significant contributor to maintenance of weight in the long-term. That's because if you're aware of and including a lot of fruits and vegetables (specifically non-starchy vegetables and low-glycemic load fruits) it is difficult to consume excess calories each day over the long-term.

It becomes much easier to consume excess calories when you "play" the carb game (like many play the "points" game with Weight Watchers) and make choices to stay within a number, rather than focus on quality of choice.

But if you're committed to making sure that, no matter what intake of carbohydrate you reach (60g, 90, 120g or more), that you always are sure you include at least 10g net minimum at the start and then 20g minimum (net) from non-starchy vegetables/low glycemic-load fruits as you continue along, you'll have a favorable calorie intake that helps maintaining weight easier.

As you add back carbs, this rule must remain in your eating habits, even if you only stick with 10g net as minimum (which I don't suggest you do) as you're learning in the beginning - you cannot add back carbs and eliminate or reduce how many vegetables and salads you eat each day and expect to maintain your weight using grains, nuts, fruits, etc. as your primary source of carbohydrate later....you must always maintain a level of carbs from your vegetables and salad greens - even in maintenace.

This rule, like rule two, is taking you "back to basics" - helping you learn, step-by-step, how to nourish your body with high quality nutrients from real foods; over time you're encouraged to include a wider variety of non-starchy vegetables, low glycemic-load fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and more, and the starting basics for the diet should be extended out for the long-term; that is, establish now, at the start, that as part of your long-term habitual diet, non-starchy vegetables and low-GL fruits will be a large part of your overall diet - your body will thank you!

Establishing Good Eating Habits: Rule One

Odds are, overweight or not, by the time a girl reaches adulthood, she's tried one or more diets to lose weight or not gain weight; with boys, the incidence of dieting in the teenage years is less prevalent. In early adulthood this often continues, with many women and men developing what is termed "disordered" eating habits; skipping breakfast or other meals, relying on meal replacement products, like ready-to-drink shakes, rather than eat food for all meals, eating lots of small things on the run, or going long hours without eating anything, then taking one large meal at the end of the day, in the belief that will keep thier calorie intake lower over the day.

These types of habits aren't necessarily "eating disorders," though they may be part of one; more often than not, they are habits that one develops over time that are counter-productive to developing and maintaining a healthy relationship with food, and can stand in the way of long-term success when one loses weight and tries to maintain that loss over the long-term.

Food, while an easy target of blame in the weight loss game, is not an enemy to be avoided or held in disdain; it is essential to our health and well-being and, in the long-term, it's not simply learning what to eat that helps one maintain weight, but how to eat that sets the stage for long-term success.

With this understanding, it is easier to see why I believe the first rule in the Rules of Induction (for the Atkins diet) is the most important:

Rule 1:

• Eat either three regular-size meals a day or four or five smaller meals. Do not skip meals or go more than six waking hours without eating.

The first rule is straight forward and critically important not only in the first two weeks, but throughout the entire weight loss period, and then for maintaining weight in the long-term.

The reason is simple - it establishes that one doesn't need to eat in a typical three-meal-a-day pattern, but highlights the importance that eating regularly - even simple smaller meals multiple times each day - is a habit to continue with if you're already doing so, or establish now as you begin and continue to learn how to eat properly for the rest of your life.

Without establishing this as habit, you'll leave yourself open to disordered eating habits and continue to view food and eating as something bad or to be avoided. Now is the time to set aside all that disdain for food, eating, portions, and all that and dismiss that thinking so you can begin to learn to love food again!

This is the first step to "get back to basics" - a means to develop a healthy relationship with food and avoid continuing in a disordered eating pattern that is counter-productive in the long-term. In anything you do in life, be it your job, your hobbies, or anything else that requires skill, one thing that clearly sets apart those who succeed from those that fail is the feeling of confidence in ones ability. Few are "born naturals" in a given situation - most take the time and put in an effort to learn and do along the way, to build their confidence and master whatever it is they enjoy.

This is no different; by taking the time to work on this as you start a diet to lose weight, you will develop not only a sense of confidence that food is really not an enemy (since you will be losing weight while you establish good eating habits), you will also learn to listen to your body and take cues based on hunger to learn when to eat in a pattern that is in synch with your body. This is because eating regularly keeps your metabolism functioning and enables your metabolism to hum along nicely.

If you read the rule, you'll notice it says " three regular-size meals a day or four or five smaller meals" which hints at learning how much is enough; stated another way, portion size is important. If you're inclined to eat three meals a day, these meals will be larger than if you are inclined to eat four or five smaller meals.

We know from the various publications written by Dr. Atkins, that Induction is not a license to overeat or stuff ourselves. In my view, this Induction period is an opportunity to learn what a "portion size" means to you as an individual.

So many weight loss diets prescribe specfic weights and measures, claiming such portions are more than adequate for anyone attempting to lose weight.

But let's be honest - how many are truly satisfied after eating a tiny 2-to-3 ounce portion of bonless, skinless chicken breast? If you're one of the few who find this intake adequate for you and you're satisfied and not hungry, great!

If not, maybe the problem isn't you, or as you are often told, your lack of willpower, but instead that you have not eaten enough to adequately provide for your needs.

Listen to that - have some more - and as you begin to feel that sense of "satisfied," not stuffed, but satisfied and confident you've eaten well, without worry that you're going to be hungry again way too soon, then stop eating.

In this period, you are allowed to portion your meals as "regular-size" meals, keeping in mind that you won't eat larger portions just because you can. If three "regular-size" meals isn't your style, you simply adjust to more "smaller sized" meals in a regular pattern throughout the day.

The key here is to develop good eating habits and then maintain them as you move along.

Long-term this rule is the "golden rule" of maintenance. It is the most important rule of all the rules if you ask me!

By the time you reach maintenance, if you have been following this rule all the time - not just in induction - you're not only eating an adequate level of calories, no longer in ketosis and at your goal weight - you're also in the habit of eating portions that are "normal" for you and eating regularly to keep your metabolism working at a steady pace.

You've also learned that skipping meals may lead to eating more when you do eat and that it is best to keep your appetite sated by eating regularly for your particular needs - whether it is three regular meals each day or four or five smaller meals each day; and you may also have learned you're less likely to snack as often because your appetite is sated with regular meals!

This rule firmly establishes that you are tasked with setting the frequency of your eating pattern, sticking with an eating pattern that is regular, and develop a sense of what your needs are, learn what your "portion size" is in meals, and learn how to eat regularly instead of fearing food or your appetite!

Over the long-term you'll set the stage for success with this rule because you're allowing yourself to establish a healthy relationship with food and come to know that food is not your enemy, eating well is not a bad thing, and that enjoying your meals is truly a wonderful thing!

Handing you the Keys to Success

All weight loss diets come with some sort of rules; how much to eat, what to eat, when to eat, how to control portions, etc. The weight loss diet that enabled me to finally lose the excess weight was Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution (1992/1999), and like all other diets had its rules to follow - the Rules of Induction.

While Induction is heavily criticized by many, it is the period I call "back to basics" for the individual just starting out. While one is to carefully count carbohydrate, eating no more than 20g each day, they are also encouraged to view foods once subject to elimination or strict limitation differently; foods like whole eggs, red meat, full fat salad dressings, cream and real cheese are allowed, while "low-fat" products are strongly discouraged.

Within the books published by Dr. Atkins, the list of foods allowed during the first two weeks includes almost any red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, fowl or game; with caution to limit or avoid nitrates and processed meats. Real whole milk cheese, cream and half & half are allowed within the dairy group, with limits on intake each day if one is consuming them; a long list of non-starchy vegetables and fruits (that is fruits that are fruits that we often don't recognize as "fruit" but are fruits - olives, macadamia nuts, summer squash, cucumber, tomatoes, etc.); all herbs and spices, and finally what to drink and what types and quantity of artificial sweetener is allowed.

One reason I call this the "back to basics" period in the diet is because it is focused on whole foods and provides for the most important essential nutrients our metabolism needs each day - quality protein (essential amino acids), quality fats (essential fatty acids) and nutrient-dense carbohydrates (essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements). The plan also encourages one to supplement with a high quality multi-vitamin (with minerals including potassium, calcium and magnesium; without iron) and provides additional information about other supplements if necessary.

In addition to the basic foods allowed during the period of Induction, the diet focuses the individual to follow what are called the Rules of Induction as a way to help them follow the diet correctly.

The Rules of Induction, from the 1999 publication of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution are as follows: (they differ slightly from those published online by the company since his death in 2003; to read the updated version, published by Atkins Nutritionals, click here)

1. Eat three regular-size meals a day or four or five smaller meals. Do not skip meals or go more than six waking hours without eating.
2. Eat liberally of combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and red meat, as well as pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils (preferably expeller-pressed or cold-pressed).
3. Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, most of which must come from in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. You can eat approximately three cups - loosely packed - of salad, or two cups of salad plus one cup of other vegetables.
4. Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as chickpeas, kidney beans and other legumes, are not permitted at this time.
5. Eat nothing that isn't on the Acceptable Foods list. And that means absolutely nothing! Your "just this one taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins.
6. Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases. When you're hungry, eat the amount that makes you feel satisfied, but not stuffed. When you're not hungry, eat a small controlled carbohydrate snack to accompany your nutritional supplements.
7. Don't assume any food is low in carbohydrate—instead, read labels! Check the carb count (it's on every package) or use a carbohydrate gram counter.
8. Eat out as often as you wish but be on guard for hidden carbs in gravies, sauces and dressings. Gravy is often made with flour or cornstarch, and sugar is sometimes an ingredient in salad dressing.
9. Avoid foods or drinks sweetened with aspartame. Instead use sucralose or saccharin. Be sure to count each packet of any of these as 1 gram of carbs.
10. Avoid coffee, tea and soft drinks that contain caffeine. Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause low blood sugar, which can make you crave sugar.
11. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day in addition to anything else you may drink, to hydrate your body, avoid constipation and flush out the by-products of burning fat.
12. If you are constipated, mix a tablespoon or more of psyllium husks in a cup or more of water and drink daily. Or mix ground flaxseed into a shake or sprinkle wheat bran on a salad or vegetables.

You may be wondering why I'm posting this here, today, on my blog?

The reason is simple - over the years of following a diet that is controlled-carb, and maintaining my weight loss, I've realized that the above Rules of Induction contain the keys to long-term maintenance. The critical points needed to succeed in the long-term are right there if we look closely and examine why they are in place for the first two weeks, and why they are necessary throughout weight loss and maintenance.

Years ago I wrote an article for a publication that has since gone out of business, and my original copy is long gone. So, without that in hand to simply re-post here, I'm going to re-write it from my longer-term perspective today, some years later, continuing to follow a controlled-carb approach.

In the coming days and next week, I'll take one or two (if they are related) rules and explain why they are critical in the first two weeks, and the lesson I believe they are teaching us for the long-term. I'll begin tomorrow with the first rule, "Eat three regular-size meals a day or four or five smaller meals. Do not skip meals or go more than six waking hours without eating;" and provide data as to why it is important not only in the short-term, but also for long-term success.

As you'll learn in the upcoming posts, each of the rules looks to foster one or more things, including:

1. Your responsibility in what you eat
2. Breaking habits that contribute to weight gain
3. Establishing a solid foundation for healthy eating in the future
4. Providing the tools & strategies you'll need to maintain your weight loss
5. Creating good habits that lead to better health
6. Your health and well-being is in your hands and is your responsibility in the long-term

UPDATE: Thank you to a reader who sent me an archived copy of the original article, which i will link to at the end of the upcoming series, for my readers to compare my changes to with my additional years perspective to add to!

What's so Special about Protein Anyway?

When we hear the word "diet" we often conjure up thoughts of deprivation, hunger and the frustration of short-term attempts to lose weight. But "diet" also means how we eat on a daily basis - so the diet we eat to lose weight should, ideally, be the diet we eat for the long-term.

I agree with this idea and strongly encourage those trying to lose weight to eat a dietary pattern they'll make habit over the course of their weight loss and beyond as they then maintain their weight.

Where I disagree with this idea is in the idea that our macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate, fat) intake should be set by percentage of our calories, in strict ratios with each other, in an attempt to keep the equation "balanced" - up to 35% of calories from total fat, less than 10% (or less than 7%) of calories from saturated fat, 55-65% of calories from carbohydrate, and the remaining 10-15% of calories from protein.

We're repeatedly told a "balanced diet" remains within these percentages of calories and to maintain them while in a calorie deficit if we're trying to lose weight; going beyond those percentages and consuming too much fat, saturated fat or protein is detrimental to our long-term health.

Yesterday I closed my post with "The first, and most important rule you need to know in the "diet game" is eat your protein; and make it complete protein."

Protein is the macronutrient we take for granted, underestimate the power of, and assume we get enough of each day in our diet.

By undervaluing protein in our diet, by making the assumption that most people eat more than enough, we fail to focus on not only the building blocks of life itself, but the building blocks of our endocrine system - our hormone system.

Without adequate intake of essential amino acids, we rob our metabolism of the building blocks to function normally.

When we diet to lose weight, restrict calories and maintain the ratios suggested to keep our diet "balanced," we willfully starve our metabolism and endocrine system of the critical elements required to maintain function.

This is because our requirement for protein, for essential amino acids, is not based on a simple percentage of calories, but on how much we weigh.

If a woman, who is 5'6" tall, 30-years old and weighs 250-pounds goes to MyPyramid.gov, she'll be presented with a food plan providing 1,800-calories a day to gradually lose weight.

She will find her recommendation includes:
6-ounces of grains (Aim for 3 whole grains)
2.5-cups of vegetables
1.5-cups of fruit
3-cups of milk
5-ounces of meat and beans
Aim for 5-teaspoons of oils a day
Limit extras (extra fats & sugars) to 195-calories a day

The first critical problem with the recommendation is the calorie level - our hypothetical woman above has a Basal Metabolic Rate calculated at 1900-calories a day.

As the Discovery Health BMR Calculator page says "You expend energy no matter what you're doing, even when sleeping. Thus your Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day...depriving yourself of food in hopes of losing weight also decreases your BMR, a foil to your intentions."

But let's set that aside for this post and look at what she is presented with as a food plan and determine if it meets her nutrient requirements, as the site contends it will.

First let's pretend she laughs off the idea of eating beans instead of meat - this makes our task of examining her protein intake easier since we'll be able to determine her intake of complete protein without having to adjust for the limiting amino acids in grains or legumes (beans).

With 3-cups of milk and 5-ounces of meat, the total intake of complete protein (if this is followed to the letter) is 56-grams.

Now, some would contend that this is above the 46g DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) established by the Institutes of Medicine for a 30-year old female. Such a contention fails to consider the IOM basis of 46g of complete protein is based on a female who weighs 128-pounds. Our hypothetical woman weighs 250-pounds!

Protein intake - that is complete protein, providing all essential amino acids in the proper ratio - is based on the formula 0.8g/kg body weight. The IOM considers this the absolute minimum required each day. So, our hypothetical woman, who weighs 250-pounds is 113.6kg, thus requires a minimum of 91g of complete protein each day.

But wait, you might say, she has other things she'll eat that provides protein!

That is true. But, with 1800-calories, planned as recommended above, she'll consume about 80-90g of total protein, and depending upon what she actually eats, she is likely to miss adequate intake of all her essential amino acids; even with careful planning and optimal selections of whole foods, she'll also likely fail to meet DRI for Potassium, Vitamin D, Niacin, Magnesium, and Vitamin E; add to this she'll likely fail to meet omega-3 requirements while consuming an excess of omega-6.

But hey, her saturated fat intake is just 6% of her calories, her cholesterol intake would be about 100mg, and her fiber intake in the neighborhood of 35g - according to the recommendations, she's eating a "healthy diet," and reducing her risk of disease by keeping her saturated fat and cholesterol intake below the maximum allowed.

On paper her diet looks just great!

In her body, in her metabolism, it's a nightmare if followed for any length of time.

This is because chronic, habitual nutrient deficiency - whether it is a diet deficient in vitamins, minerals, or trace elements, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, or a combination of deficiencies - places a burden on the metabolism to function without all of its needs.

Oh, you won't die with a shortfall in nutrients; atleast not immediately...no, your metabolism will continue limping along, as best it can with what you give it to work with.

But really, do you want to do that, or do you want to eat in a way that optimizes your metabolism?

How about we design a menu for our hypothetical women, one for her, that is designed specifically to meet her nutrient requirements rather than conform to a set of percentages.

Based on what we know her Basal Metabolic Rate is (what she needs for basic function before she gets moving each day), she should consume 1,900-2,000 calories and first focus on ensuring she eats 91g of complete protein each day.

If we start there, and include as part of her day 4-ounces of lean roast beef, 16-ounces of plain whole milk yogurt, 3-ounces of tuna in oil, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup shredded natural cheddar cheese - we've included all her complete protein for the day - 91g - and started her menu with 946-calories. We have 954-1054 more calories to add to her menu.

Now we get to add in her vegetables, fruits and other foods to ensure she consumes adequate intake of the additional nutrients needed; the focus here should be first on vegetables since they're rich with vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Let's add to her menu a salad for lunch, with 2-cups of romaine, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 a sliced cucumber, 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage, and some crimini mushrooms and we'll let her top it with olive oil and vinegar; then she'll have 1-cup of steamed broccoli at dinner with her roast beef and she can indulge and include 1-tablespoon of butter to make it taste good.

As part of her breakfast, which includes the two eggs above, she'll also include 1-cup of baby spinach (raw amount to be added to egg omelet) and 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Her breakfast will also include the one of the two cups of plain yogurt, in which she'll add 1-cup of strawberries.

Her snacks during the day will include 1-ounce of almonds with 1-ounce of sesame seeds; she'll include 1-cup of blueberries with the other 1-cup of plain yogurt, add some water and have a delicious smoothie; and she'll have 1/2 an avocado too, perhaps with her lunch or just a snack during the day.

At this point, her menu provides 1,931-calories.

But wait, she hasn't included any grains! Surely this menu is going to be deficient for essential nutrients if she isn't eating grains!

Not so fast.

The above menu provides all essential nutrients, including fiber, with one notable exception - vitamin D, the most difficult nutrient to obtain from food. She can, of course, go out in the sun for 20-minutes this time of the year each day and make all the vitamin D she needs in her skin. In months where we cannot produce vitamin D in our skin, she can add a vitamin D supplement or make different choices with foods rich with vitamin D or include cod liver oil.

But the above menu, even though it provides all essential nutrients, is a nightmare for those espousing the dietary recommendations - it's high in total fat, saturated fat and exceeds maximum allowance for cholesterol; the carbohydrate is lower than recommended (even though fiber is above recommendations), and it does not include any grains!

Which begs the question - what would you rather eat?

A menu designed to meet your calorie requirements to function before any activity but still a calorie deficit to enable weight loss - designed to provide all essential nutrients including the critical essential amino acids and essential fatty acids - or - a menu that looks pretty on paper but fails your endocrine system because it is nutritionally bankrupt?

Diet - Not a Numbers Game Afterall

When searching online for topics to write about, I often hit google news and conduct a search based on various keyword combinations - diet, health, obesity, weight, diabetes - and I'm never disappointed by the sheer number of results. On Friday I noted that the headlines are often contradictory and those I posted were all within the first five pages of results using just two keywords - diet and health - in a search of the news headlines.

So, what are we to make of dieting to lose weight? Is it a losing proposition? If it is, then why the repeated attempts to encourage the masses to diet? And, most importantly, does dieting really work?

I think it's safe to say that the most widely recommended diet for weight loss - a calorie restricted, low-fat, carbohydrate rich diet - fails the test long-term. While intially reducing weight, in the long-term, such diets do little to improve health and enable a stable, lower weight over time.

The failure of the dietary recommendations are no small matter, various agencies go to great pains to explain away the long-term failure and wind up making the issue one of personal failure rather than admit the flaw is in the recommendations.

Whether or not an individual is able to lose weight and maintain the weight loss becomes a moral issue - having willpower over hunger, taking responsibility for portions, just eat less, just exercise more, stop buying junk food, etc. When the outcome is positive, the diet worked; when the outcome is negative, the person failed to follow directions.

As Malcolm Evans summed up in his commentary, Dieting is Fine Because it is Becoming Official, "The argument goes like this - the state in its wisdom has spoken; overweight is a health issue and as such it becomes a moral issue concerning wellness, interdependencies and budgets. Weight is to be managed downwards and to disobey will result in an implicitly escalating scale of reputational and material penalties (including the denial of certain health care provision). Biomedicine currently prioritises a sense of cure over comfort. The emphasis in almost all cases is to be seen to be powerful in the chemical intervention, with much less emphasis on empathy in relation to the inevitable, or on the emotional and psychosomatic dimensions. It is a culture that allows ten minutes and the prescription of a tranquilliser. It is also a culture which disallows the complexity of overweight and seeks rapid intervention, preferably leading to the mapping of satisfactory digits to numbered targets. In the absence of a magic weight control pill (how Big Pharma would love to have one of those that was in any way remotely effective!), dieting is perpetuated despite the accumulating evidence that it is a largely ineffective alone as a long-term solution."

As I noted on Friday, Fred Hahn said it well, "Fat loss and health is NOT a numbers game - it's a hormonal game. And a game that requires full understanding of the rules."

Yet the government and leading health organizations continue to perpetuate a dietary approach based on numbers - calories, fat grams, saturated fat grams, milligrams of cholesterol, sodium intake, fiber intake, the size of portions, and the number of minutes you engage in exercise each day. It's all about counting one or more things each day in your diet and lifestyle.

All of the recommendations made to the masses come back to one single hypothesis - dietary fat is deadly and must be limited to not only keep calorie intake balanced - fat has nine calories per gram and carbohydrate and protein just four - but to prevent development of chronic disease.

Recently the obession with total fat has relaxed a bit, from strictly maintaining an intake below 30% of calories, to an allowance now of a range between 20% and 35% of calories. But this concession comes with a stricter limit on saturated fat; we're now told to limit saturated fat to less than 7% of our calories, making it next to impossible to meet nutrient requirements for essential amino acids in those who are overweight or obese.

Ah, the unintended consequences of playing, on paper, with macronutrient ratios.

You see, if we take the recommendation to consume less saturated fat to heart, and also strictly limit our cholesterol intake as also recommended, we are left with significantly less animal foods in our diet each day, now dependent on plant-based sources of protein to meet our essential requirements for amino acids.

Surely, you say, there must be strong evidence to support these recommendations? Surely we can easily meet our essential amino acid requirements with a plant-based diet? Surely a diet recommended by the government and leading health organizations must be soundly established by scientific data and be shown to lead to long-term outcomes in health and well-being?

Well, not so fast.

Here is where, as Fred Hahn called it, the "hormone game" comes into play and the rules are such that if you're not playing within them, your health suffers.

The first, and most important rule you need to know in the "diet game" is eat your protein; and make it complete protein.

Tomorrow I'll explain why and then discuss the other rules of the "hormone game" to give you insight into why everything we're told about diet is either wrong and causing more harm than good in your metabolism!

Then, throughout the week, we'll sort out what to eat if you're trying to lose weight and improve your health for the long-term.

The MIsadventures of Dieting in America

If you're like most Americans, you're bombarded each day with headlines that completely contradict other headlines:

• Health warning: all diets make you fat
• Diets do work... and here's how

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• Reducing Weight Without Dieting
• Lose weight or lose control

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• Good' Foods Make you Gain Weight Too
• Lose weight by eating more

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• Loosing fat without trying
• Leftovers can help you eat a third less!

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• Obesity is not just gluttony - it may be in your genes
• Get the 'skillpower' to lose weight

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• Low fat foods trick you into eating more
• Heart Association Explains The Trouble With Fats

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• Slow down at mealtime to lose weight
• Lose Weight During Dinner: Turn Off TV
• So can you REALLY lose weight just by brushing your teeth?
• Lose weight with push from a stranger
• Thinking thin can help you be thin

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• Calculating caloric intake — do the math
• It's official: diets make you fatter

Is it any wonder we're confused about how to lose weight?

I sometimes wonder if the mass confusion, conflicting headlines, contrary opinions and such is by design. No, really, I'm not a conspiracy theorist...but, keep in mind, it is highly profitable to keep people fat, and sick, and coming back for more help isn't it?

So, how do we cut through the confusion and contradictions and simply eat right?

As Fred Hahn said it in a recent reply to comments on his blog regarding calories in, calories out - "Fat loss and health is NOT a numbers game - it's a hormonal game. And a game that requires full understanding of the rules."

Monday we'll begin to lay out those rules!