Discussion Board

Jeff et all,

I will be starting on the starch soon... perhaps I need to start measuring again just to ensure I am on the right track?

I recently tested my home scale - it seems fairly accurate (tested with a 2.5 lb weight disk).

I measured what 1.5 lbs of sweet potatoes + 1.5 lbs of potatoes would look like.

It's a LOT ! It seems ~3 medium russets and ~2-3 sweet potatoes make up the total 3 lbs.

Do any of you weigh/measure root vegs ? How critical is it ? I want to be sure I am not over eating but want to maintain my current weight.

I do not seem to do well with beans or grains.

Also - do you find you have sustained energy on the starch? Will I be able to ride my mtbike for an hour without eating a ton of it ?

My anticipated plan looks like this :

3 lbs baked roots (more weight if boiled)
2 cups collard greens
1 cup kale
4-6 cups salad (with flax, 1/2 brazil nut, lemon & molasses)
5-6 pieces of fruit

This totals ~2400 calories (is this a good place to start) ?

Does this sound like a diet one can sustain ?

The root vegs make a mean "chili" or "curry" with the correct mix of spices.

Also - the diet looks like it meets all of the nutritional requirements (I have not adjusted CRONOMETER per Jeffs recommendations yet).

Thanks for all of the support.

General (93%)
===========================================
Energy | 2408.2 kcal 89%
Protein | 58.3 g 201%
Carbs | 560.4 g 124%
Fiber | 94.6 g 315%
Fat | 11.5 g 88%
Water | 3029.9 g 82%

Vitamins (83%)
===========================================
Vitamin A |216363.6 IU 7212%
Folate | 1155.9 µg 289%
B1 (Thiamine) | 2.1 mg 175%
B2 (Riboflavin) | 2.5 mg 191%
B3 (Niacin) | 30.7 mg 192%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)| 12.7 mg 254%
B6 (Pyridoxine) | 7.6 mg 447%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) | 0.0 µg 0%
Vitamin C | 533.8 mg 593%
Vitamin D | 0.0 IU 0%
Vitamin E | 15.6 mg 104%
Vitamin K | 3449.5 µg 2875%

Minerals (94%)
===========================================
Calcium | 1462.3 mg 122%
Copper | 3.5 mg 384%
Iron | 27.7 mg 346%
Magnesium | 889.6 mg 212%
Manganese | 12.5 mg 544%
Phosphorus | 1468.2 mg 210%
Potassium | 12455.3 mg 265%
Selenium | 53.9 µg 98%
Sodium | 714.4 mg 55%
Zinc | 9.2 mg 83%

Lipids (33%)
===========================================
Saturated | 2.1 g 10%
Omega-3 | 2.5 g 154%
Omega-6 | 2.7 g 20%
Cholesterol | 0.0 mg 0%

I recommend you follow the principles of calorie density & not to weigh & measure your food.

This program is really very simple and to try it, you have to try it as recommended.

In Health
Jeff

Raw Dad, I will post a poll in regard to this. I do not know how many of us weigh and measure our food here but I expect most of the happy customers here do not.

If you follow the guidelines here, I think you will be very pleased with the results!

Just do it!!!

If you eat them whole i'll wager you will have to force a few of those potatoes down! Even w the fruit capacity you probably built up. Esp if you go easy on the condiments. I would like to know if anyone could overeat potatoes (assuming not baked fries or hash browns w a coating of catsup or nuked chips maybe).

Maybe 'measure' your experience of not measuring. Just go at it like scales do not exist. Get a 'feel' for it. Practice.

Im interested in this as well, the hardest thing to do while eating this way is consume enough calories

I am not sure how you define "this way" but it is very easy to get in enough calories when following the recommended guidelines and principles.

Most of the problem, when and if it ever occurs, is due to a misunderstanding of the program and mixing it up with other programs/philosophies like raw foods, etc

In Health
Jeff

sorry should have better explained, I meant a plan low in fat and based on low calorie density food. I find it hard to eat enough volume, especially when I dont have much time or if I am trying to exercise (feel too full). I typically get 1500-2000 calories a day but I want to be eating at least 2500, if im doing more exercise.

Raise the calorie density somewhat by including more foods that are medium to higher in calorie density and healthy.

In Health
Jeff

Could you give me some examples of what might be good to try please? At the moment my staples are brown rice, sweet potatoes and whole wheat pasta (recent addition due to higher calorie density).

Beans!

The calorie density of brown rice, sweet potatoes and whole wheat pasta are about the same.

Beans, as mentioned above, are slightly higher. Next would be whole grain tortilla's (around 1000), then whole grain breads (around 1400), then whole grain dry cereals, puffed grains, air popped popcorn and whole grain crackers (around 1800), and then nuts/seeds (around 2600).

It does not take much to raise the average calorie density of the diet.

In Health
Jeff

OK folks - thanks... guess I am all hung up on the "numbers".....

I will focus just to "follow my nose"... or gut... so to speak... having starch with vegs and fruits added.

I will likely add some beans. From what I have read here folks seem to note a major improvement in blood sugar regulation after including them. I am not sure what my problem really is - all of the Dr. tests seem to come up negative. I have been diagnosed with a fungal issue - cannot help thinking this is related to blood sugar regulation issues ? It is my guess the fungus is keeping blood sugar in check - hence the good readings at the drs office (really guessing here). I have been on a fruit based diet for 3 years... will be starting on starch in the next couple of days (we really stockpiled the fruit - I was originally planning to give it away.. but decided to eat it instead!)

Question:

Is it helpful to consume beans at breakfast to stabalize sugars throughout the day ? Maybe a bit of them at each meal ??

Oh... we tried pollenta this pm... it was quite good for a change. I plan to pick up some whole grain organic corn meal for porridge....
I have also noted that I really like some fruit in my oats - with a side dish of greens and a leftover potato (how weird is that) ?

This should be fun.....

I am curious how long it will take to get "over the fruit".... I seem to really like a piece or two after dinner... perhaps this is normal... (I think I lost touch with normal a couple of years ago!)....

Peace - RD.

Hi RD,

I think you have conditioned your mind to go for fruit, I noticed when I tried to be fruit based I had to try purposely to 'hate' starches and go towards fruit..and it was working, do you think this is the same?

If so, then you have to try and recondition your mind to prefer starches and view fruits for what they really are...additions, and preferable limited at that.

Think about it, fruit based isn't that way to go..All those 'gurus' who say it's the ultimate food are not even professionals, e.g. MDs despite using the term 'doctor' etc...and some of the legendary ones suffered alot before death.. I find it weird, even alot of SAD people don't suffer that much towards the end.

You are swinging between two games, the fruit is causing too much variation both food-wise and mental wise.

You can do it eventually! follow your common sense and the science used here... not someones opinionated views which are based only on their results, with them doing extreme sports to offset the side effects of something which in the end is not optimal.

Take care dude.

Thanks MrWB. There will be a "transition stage"... likely will not feel so well during the change.... also... need to get used to eating less volume - fruit and salad are not very calorie dense at all - I'm used to eating 1.5-2X the volume of the typical starch based eater....

ie: 5-6 lbs watermelon, 12 bananas, 2 pineapples, 5-6 mangoes, 2-3 lbs of salad, 64oz green smoothies...etc...

1.5 lbs potatoes for lunch sounds like a lot to some folks... initially for me ... this will be quite little. Will have to ensure I eat a salad and a couple of pieced of fruit for desert - should be OK....