Monday, September 12, 2011

9/12/11 Food Log

Breakfast - none
Lunch - homemade chicken soup (broth, chicken breast, carrots, onions, celery, thyme, salt, pepper); spinach and kale salad with cranberries, bacon and olive oil vinaigrette); 1/2 a peach (yums!)
(Likely) Dinner - half a chicken (grilled), green beans, sweet potato

MDA 30 Day Challenge

I'm off on an adventure of sorts.  I'm doing Mark's Daily Apple blog's Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge.

I basically eat and live according to Mark's Blueprint, but I do get sloppy from time to time.  A corn tortilla here, come ice cream there, yada, yada, yada.  I fully trust that eating a primal diet and living a primal lifestyle has and will continue to improve my health, so I'm taking this challenge to get myself back to the basics.

As part of today's challenge, Mark is asking people to post their own mini-challenge.  Mine is to go completely gluten/wheat free.  That grain is super sneaky and seems to always find its way on my plate (probably once or twice a month EVERY MONTH).  And, as Nora Gedgaudas says, having a little gluten is like being a little pregnant - it's all or nothing.  I can't say for sure if I've made it 30 days without gluten/wheat, but I'm going to challenge myself to do it this time.  I'll try to post my daily food logs and weekly workout logs as often as possible, as a means of some accountability.

If you want to check out the contest/challenge, go to Mark's blog.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Quick Notes


Quick Notes

I’m still rather busy, but I wanted to update the blog with a few random notes:

  • I’m 1 pound away from reaching 50lb. weight loss (from April, 2010-present).  I’m excited to hit this milestone.  I feel SO much better because of the changes I’ve made in my diet and lifestyle.
  • Those “healthy whole grains” just might not be as healthy as everyone things.  Check out this PaleoSolution Podcast episode, featuring Dr. William Davis (who also has a prominent blog) about wheat.  He just wrote an intriguing book called Wheat Belly.  I just bought it, so I hope to read it and post a review of the book soon.
  • I’m thinking about seeing a Naturopath, in addition to my regular doctor.  I’ll let you know more about that soon, as well.
  • I’m still doing IF, though I’m basically doing my own version.  I rarely to 24 hour fasts. Mostly, I’m skipping breakfast 3 or so times per week, and eating my first meal of the day at 1pm.  That adds up to about 18 hours.
  • Over the summer, I started doing body-weight resistance exercises (assisted pull-ups, push-ups, squats, planks) and I’ve started noticing some definition in my arms, and increased endurance for physical tasks.  
  •  I had a dentist appointment today.  I had way less plaque/tartar than in previous years, and my teeth (aside from a couple of mercury fillings that are coming out within the year, hopefully), are in great shape.  I attribute this to the drastic cuts I've made in sugar and grain consumption.
  • Also, I’m hoping to do a nice, long post that tracks the progress I’ve made thus far in my journey to wellness.  Stay tuned.

Monday, August 22, 2011

And Life Gets in the Way ...

Hey all,

Life has been a bit crazy for the latter part of this summer (mostly work, but life with a toddler never slows down), so I apologize for not having posted in a while, and for leaving my experimentation at a halt. 

As a result of the limited experimentation I have done regarding Intermittent Fasting, I have found that (1) It works for me and produces moderate fat loss, (2) it does not lead to any undesirable effects of my blood sugar levels, (3) I feel great most of the time when fasted, and (4) I find that either 16 or 24 hour fasts work the best for my schedule and my body.  I will continue to fast, but just don't have the time right now to devote to any scientific (even n=1, which barely passes for science) "research."  I'll leave that up to the experts.

As I write this, I have blasted through one of my weight loss goals:  I am now below 150 pounds.  It's been a LONG time since I've been this light.  It's exciting.  My starting weight when I started getting into real food and low carb was close to 200.  I am approaching a 50lb. weight loss.

In addition to this, thanks to some great exercises I was doing once or twice a week at the playground (assisted pull-ups on monkey bars, squats, push-ups, and planks), I am now seeing some nice improvements in body composition and muscle definition.  I'm hoping with the school year starting, I can stay on track to devote the small amount of time necessary to keep up the progress in this department.

Okay, so there's little update on my world.  I'll try to come up with an intersting post, soon, that fulfills the mission of this blog - to inform as many people as possible to alternative, viable paths to improved/optimal health.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Eat Stop Eat - Overall Impressions

My apologies for not updating the blog more frequently.  Life keeps getting in the way.

I've been a bit less than scientific during this fasting period.  I have done 2 Eat Stop Eat 24-hour fasts so far, and I'm likely going to complete my third one today.

I don't find them to be any more difficult than the fasting I was doing for Fast-5, and I haven't noticed any changes in my physical or mental performance (or mood), doing the extended fasting.  I think I might be a bit more distracted by food, but it is easy to just think about how long you've been fasting and how much more to go (as the time already fasting is always longer than the time you have left, thanks to all of the fasting that occurs during sleep).

I haven't noticed any differences in my blood glucose levels between Eat Stop Eat and Fast-5.  My weight has been stable (and considering I've been eating a less than perfect diet this summer, that's impressive in and of itself).

At this point, I'm not sure which of the two fasting regimens I prefer. Fast-5 is nice because there's no thinking involved; you just do the same thing every day.  It's a nice way to avoid all of the junk that's thrown at me at work, too.  If I'm fasting, I'm not really tempted by snacks and treats.  I like having the extra time in the mornings to do things other than prepare and eat breakfast.  As far as Eat Stop Eat goes, it is nice to not "have" to fast every day.  It seems from reading the book that the 24 hour fasts might be more beneficial, as per the research, as well.  Doing IF once or twice a week is very manageable.

I am on vacation next week, and though I will likely fast in some way or another during my trip, I'm not going to do anything formal.  When I return, I'll begin the next fasting regimen.  I'll be doing the "Deconditioning Diet" as per Todd Becker.  His blog is Getting Stronger.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Eat Stop Eat – Fast #1

Onto the next fasting regimen, which is Eat Stop Eat, based on the book and website by Brad Pilon, found here.  The Eat Stop Eat method of intermittent fasting uses 24-hour fasts (1-2 per week).  I’ve perused the Eat Stop Eat ebook, and recommend the book to anyone who is thinking about trying this form of IF.  As with most things, it is prudent to understand the prescribed method before trying it.  The book also does a good job compiling and discussing the research behind IF, and its many health benefits.

The book recommends 1-2 24-hour fasts per week.  Ideally, the fasts are timed in a way that you never go an entire day without eating.  This way of IF makes it very sustainable to those of us who have gotten used to eating every day (and might have a hard time mentally dealing with a fast that restricts eating for an entire day, versus 24 hours over two days).

I am currently in the middle of my first 24-hour fast of this 2-week stretch.  So far, I’ve barely even felt any hunger.  I think my body has definitely made any needed adjustment to IF.  I stopped eating at 6:30pm last night.  So, as of right now, I have been fasting for 17 hours and only have 7 more hours to go before I can eat again.  Having a meal to look forward to, and knowing that I’ve got way more fasted time behind me than ahead of me, makes this fast very manageable.

Here are my stats, thus far:

Weight:  156
6:30am Blood Glucose – 88mg/dL

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Fast-5 Summary

I apologize for not updating the blog in a while.  I’ve been very busy.  Here’s a summary of the data I collected:

Morning Blood Glucose:

6/13/11: 88 mg/dL
6/14/11: 84 mg/dL
6/15/11: 87 mg/dL
6/16/11: 90 mg/dL
6/17/11: 76mg/dL
6/20/11:  85mg/dL
6/21/11:  70mg/dL
6/22/11:  85mg/dL
6/23/11: No data
6/24/11:  No data

Afternoon Blood Glucose:

6/13/11: 83mg/dL
6/14/11: 69mg/dL
6/15/11: 84 mg/dL
6/16/11: No data
6/17/11: No data
6/20/11:  84 mg/dL
6/21/11:  87 mg/dL
6/22/11:  70 mg/dL
6/23/11: No data
6/24/11:  No data

Weight:

6/13/11: 157
6/14/11: 157
6/15/11: 156
6/16/11: 154
6/17/11: 153
6/20/11:  154
6/21/11:  153
6/22/11:  151
6/23/11: No data
6/24/11:  No data

Rating Scale Summary:

Hunger/Satiety
I Strongly Disagreed (Average Response >4.5) with the following:
  • I never felt intense hunger (taking focus away from my normal activities) for most of my waking fasted hours. 
  • I felt intense hunger once or twice during my fast.
  • I felt mild hunger for most of my waking, fasted hours.
  • I ate before the fast was supposed to be over. Average Response 5 (Strongly Disagree)

I Strongly Agreed (Average Response <1) with the following:
  • I felt mild hunger once or twice during my fast.

Energy Levels

I Strongly Disagreed (Average Response >4.5) with the following:
  • I felt weak/tired (experiencing difficulty performing my normal physical activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt impaired cognition (experiencing difficulty performing my normal mental activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt impaired cognition (experiencing difficulty performing my normal mental activities) for some of my waking fasted hours.

I Strongly Agreed (Average Response <1) with the following:
  • I felt normal cognition (easily able to perform my normal mental activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt energetic (easily able to perform my normal activities) for some of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt normal cognition (easily able to perform my normal mental activities) for some of my waking fasted hours.

I Agreed (Average Response >1 and <2.5) with the following:
  • I felt energetic (easily able to perform my normal physical activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.

Mood

I Strongly Disagreed (Average Response >4.5) with the following:
  • I felt happy during none of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt depressed/anxious during most of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt depressed/anxious during some of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt lethargic during most of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt lethargic during some of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt calm during none of my waking fasted hours.

I Disagreed (Average Response >3.5 and <4.5)
  • I felt happy during most of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt happy during some of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt calm during some of my waking fasted hours.

I Strongly Agreed (Average Response <1) with the following:
  • I felt no changes in my mood during my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt depressed/anxious during none of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt lethargic during none of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt calm during most of my waking fasted hours.

Sleep

My average response was Neutral to the following:
  • I slept better during the week.
  • I slept worse during the week.

My week was typical; there were no significant changes in my normal work, sleep or activity routine.

Overall Impressions:
I really enjoy this method of fasting.  It’s easy to follow and I felt no ill effects to the regimen.  I lost some weight, which was part of my goal, and felt healthy during the week.  I didn’t need to change my workout routines or the types of food I was eating.  I would recommend this method to anyone who wants to try IF, without having to make too many changes to diet and lifestyle.  Given all of the health benefits of IF (linked in previous posts), I would recommend Fast-5 to anyone looking to improve their health or to lose weight.

Next Week:
I’m taking this week off, as things are still very busy.  I’ll be fasting here and there, as that is just part of my lifestyle, now, but I won’t be formally following any specific program.  Next week (starting on July 4), I will begin the Eat Stop Eat program.  I’ll put up a post explaining that IF regimen soon.  If you are interested, check out Brad Pilon’s (creator of Eat Stop Eat) website.

Monday, June 20, 2011

6/20/11: Fast-5 Day 6


Weight – 154

6:30am blood glucose – 85mg/dL

Update:  I did not fast this weekend (on purpose).  I used the weekend as a “re-feed.”  I ate eggs and bacon/sausage for breakfast both days.  The rest of the day, I ate as I normally do, with the addition of a sweet or two (macaroons, dark chocolate, organic ice cream).  Even with the extra sweets and the extra daily meal, I only gained back one of the pounds I lost.  Not bad.  This morning, I woke up a bit hungry, but I pushed through it.  My energy levels are fine.  I did a short, intense workout this morning (resistance exercises on our school’s playground for 10 minutes – assisted pull-ups, squats and the plank), and walked for about 20 minutes.

6/17/11: Fast-5 Day 5


Weight – 153

8:30am blood glucose – 76mg/dL

Update:  I lost another pound, and I feel like I’m fitting into my clothes better, as well.  This morning has been the easiest so far, regarding hunger.  I decided to check my blood glucose later in the day and found it to be lower than my usual early morning levels.  I have not noticed any dip in energy levels today either.  I even went for a walk this morning, and felt great.  Tomorrow, I plan on not fasting.  It will be a “re-feeding day.”  As is a concern with calorie restriction, I don’t want my body to adjust too much to this caloric intake by slowing down my metabolic rate.  I’ll probably see a bit of a rebound in my weight, which is okay.  I’ll post a summary of the weekend on Monday.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

6/16/11: Fast-5 Day 4

Weight – 154

6:00am blood glucose – 90mg/dL

Update:  Yet again, I’ve been experiencing hunger in the morning.  It’s not been too distracting, but definitely noticeable.  I’ve been doing IF for a while, but this is the most days in a row that I’ve fasted for extended periods of time.  I have lost a couple more pounds.  We’ll see if that continues.

TMI Warning – I’ve noticed that since starting this fasting regimen that my bowels have been moving faster and more regular.  Prior to this, I’d have movements once, maybe twice per day.  This week, it’s been more like 2-3 times per day.  Interesting.

I broke today’s fast a little early, as we were having a luncheon at work (Chipotle – yummy!).  My approach to my diet (and fasting) is to not be too stringent about it.  I am passionate about my way of eating, but not obsessive.  I run my life.  So, I wanted to have lunch with my work friends, and that’s what I did, at about 1pm (an hour before my fast should have been completed).  I forgot to take my blood glucose prior to the meal.  I’ll be sure to do so tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

6/15/11: Fast-5 Day 3

Weight – 156

6:30am blood glucose – 87 mg/dL

Morning Update: Again, I have been experiencing some hunger pangs this morning, but nothing that I can’t handle, or that doesn’t pass quickly.  I’ve been trying to drink water when I feel that sensation, which helps (and keeps my hydrated).  I dropped one pound from my starting weight, which is nice to see (no the be all and end all, though).  My “break-fast” today will be a raw tomato (with Himalayan salt), sausage with tomato sauce, 2 hard-boiled eggs and come cherries and strawberries.  Not sure about dinner tonight, as my mother is coming and said she wants to treat us.  It’s nice that I don’t have to be too careful eating out, as I know my calorie intake for today has been low (that said, I should mention that I rarely eat out, mostly because I have a hard time finding healthy foods at most restaurants – food just isn’t as rewarding or tasty when I know it is unhealthy).  One more observation, I love not having to spend time eating breakfast in the mornings, during the workweek.  It makes my mornings run smoothly and gives me time to prep for the evening’s meal.

1:30pm blood glucose – 84 mg/dL

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

6/14/11: Fast-5 Day 2

Weight – 157

6:30am blood glucose – 84 mg/dL

Morning Update:  I found it interesting that my weight stayed stable and my blood sugar went down a few points.  I’ll be closely monitoring my glucose levels, to make sure they don’t drop too much, as I continue fasting.  I have basically normal energy levels this morning.  I felt hungry when I first woke up, but that sensation passed quickly. 

1:45pm blood glucose – 69mg/dL

Afternoon Update:  I had no problem fasting this morning.  Very few hunger pangs.  My energy was a little low in the morning, but that’s probably normal for me.  Sometimes I need a little caffeine in the morning and I haven’t been having my morning tea.  The lull in energy faded and I went through the morning energized and focused.  The time went quickly, too, as I’m very busy at work at the moment.  The most surprising thing was that my blood glucose number dropped from 84 to 69.  I checked with the nurse (I work for a school) and she said that this was not a cause for concern.  I’ll continue to closely monitor this, though, just in case.  If we drop down to 60mg/dL, or lower, I may decide to alter what I’m doing.  For lunch today, I ate a salad (with bacon, cranberries, olive oil and apple cider vinegar), 2 hard boiled eggs, a slice of meatloaf (with organic ketchup), and leftover fruit (local cherries and strawberries) from yesterday’s lunch.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Fast-5 Briefly Explained

The Fast-5 protocol is quite simple.  You fast every day for 19 hours that leaves a 5-hour window within which you can eat.  Fast-5 does not specify any type of diet or eating program.  It centers mainly on meal timing.

The Fast-5 book does a good job describing the two major forms of hunger and how they relate to this style of eating.  Limbic hunger is related to overeating.  The limbic system is the primitive part of the brain, driving emotion and memory.  The book states that limbic hunger is the drive that ancient humans (hunter-gatherers) felt that drove them to eat as much as possible while food was available (to store as fat for times of scarcity).  Limbic hunger would have been a useful survival tool in times when food was more difficult to come by.  Now, however, that food is abundant, we need to watch out for limbic hunger.   When fasting, we are not engaging our limbic hunger system,

Instead, we feel somatic hunger.  The book defines this hunger as the “sensation of discomfort in the stomach that is commonly called hunger or hunger pangs” (page 21).  This sensation is the result of many, complicated hormonal interactions.  It can be unpleasant, but hardly debilitating (which doesn’t make evolutionary sense – if hunger knocked you out, you would surely die of it).  The book emphasizes, and I agree, that as you continue to practice fasting, somatic hunger sensations become less and less intense/distracting.

For more information on this approach (and to download the free ebook), check out the Fast-5 website.

6/13/11: Fast-5 Day 1

6/13/11:  Fast-5 Day 1

Weight – 157

5:30am blood glucose – 88 mg/dL

Morning Update:  The morning is going by just fine.  I’ve had a few hunger pangs, but nothing major.  When I do feel hungry, I usually have a bit of water, and the sensation goes away.  The only other observation of note is that I feel colder this morning than I do on most mornings.  My plan is to walk at lunchtime and break my fast at 2pm (my daily eating window will be from 2pm to 7pm).  I’ll be checking my blood glucose levels again before I break the fast, and I’ll also be completing the rating scales at that time. 

2:00pm blood glucose – 83mg/dL

Afternoon Update:  I just took my walk (30 minutes at moderate pace) with a friend.  When we got back, I tested my blood sugar (see above).  I dropped 5mg/dL versus my morning fasted number.  I’m not sure what that means, if anything.  We’ll see if there is a similar pattern tomorrow.  Okay, now I’m going to get my “break-fast” together, consisting of chicken broth, a salad, 2 hard-boiled eggs and some cherries/berries.

 
Rating Scale Update:  I rated my hunger, energy and mood yesterday.  Here are the statements that I strongly agreed with:

  • I felt mild hunger once or twice during my fast.
  • I felt energetic (easily able to perform my normal physical activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
  • I felt normal cognition (easily able to perform my normal mental activities) for most of my waking fasted hours. 
  • I felt no changes in my mood during my waking fasted hours.
  • My week was typical; there were no significant changes in my normal work, sleep or activity routine.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Podcast Round-up 6/10/11

 
There have been LOTS of great podcast episodes that were released in the past couple of weeks.  Allow me to share some of my favorites with you:

First off, Jimmy Moore had a great interview with Art Ayers of the Cooling Inflammation blog.  As you know, inflammation is at the heart of a great deal of diseases.  Jimmy and Art had a fascinating conversation about Art’s anti-inflammatory diet recommendations, the over-medicating of America and gut health, among other things.  The interview can be found here.

Secondly, the Paleo Soluton Podcast recently featured Chris Kresser to discuss dietary recommendations for healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding.  This is a must-listen for those who are considering conceiving, are pregnant or nursing.  It can be found here.

Lastly, the Carbohydrates Can Kill podcast had a great “Listener’s Roundtable,” featuring Dr. John Briffa (one of my favorite bloggers and podcasters).  The listener comes up with some wonderful questions.  You can listen to this podcast here.

All three of these podcasts can also be listened to in iTunes, for those who prefer that format.

Happy Listening!

Update on Experiment:  Bought the glucometer, lancets and test strips.  Gonna practice taking blood glucose readings over the weekend and will begin the n=1 fasting experiment on Monday.  Also look for a description of the Fast-5 regimine on Monday, as that will be the first one I experiment with.  Are you excited?  I am!!!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Intermittent Fasting Experiment: Rating Scales

Here are the rating scales I developed to collect data on several aspects of my health/well-being during my fasting sessions.  I plan to complete the scales each day and compile the information, to compare and contrast my response to each type of fasting regimen:

Rating Scales

1 – Strongly Agree; 2 – Agree; 3 – Neutral; 4 – Disagree; 5 – Strongly Disagree

Hunger/Satiety

1)      I felt intense hunger (taking focus away from my normal activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
2)      I felt intense hunger once or twice during my fast.
3)      I felt mild hunger for most of my waking, fasted hours.
4)      I felt mild hunger once or twice during my fast.
5)      I felt the desire to eat before my fast was over.
6)      I ate before the fast was supposed to be over.

Energy Levels

1)      I felt energetic (easily able to perform my normal physical activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
2)      I felt normal cognition (easily able to perform my normal mental activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
3)      I felt energetic (easily able to perform my normal activities) for some of my waking fasted hours.
4)      I felt normal cognition (easily able to perform my normal mental activities) for some of my waking fasted hours.
5)      I felt weak/tired (experiencing difficulty performing my normal physical activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
6)      I felt impaired cognition (experiencing difficulty performing my normal mental activities) for most of my waking fasted hours.
7)      I felt weak/tired (experiencing difficulty performing my normal activities) for some of my waking fasted hours.
8)      I felt impaired cognition (experiencing difficulty performing my normal mental activities) for some of my waking fasted hours.

Mood

1)      I felt no changes in my mood during my waking fasted hours.
2)      I felt happy during most of my waking fasted hours.
3)      I felt happy during some of my waking fasted hours.
4)      I felt happy during none of my waking fasted hours.
5)      I felt depressed/anxious during most of my waking fasted hours.
6)      I felt depressed/anxious during some of my waking fasted hours.
7)      I felt depressed/anxious during none of my waking fasted hours.
8)      I felt lethargic during most of my waking fasted hours.
9)      I felt lethargic during some of my waking fasted hours.
10)  I felt lethargic during none of my waking fasted hours.
11)  I felt calm during most of my waking fasted hours.
12)  I felt calm during some of my waking fasted hours.
13)  I felt calm during none of my waking fasted hours.

Sleep
1)      I slept better during the week.
2)      I slept worse during the week.

My week was typical – there were no significant changes in my normal work, sleep or activity routine.

Monday, June 6, 2011

N=1 To Do List

Okay, I didn't get to everything I wanted to this weekend to start this experiment, so I'm going to delay until next Monday.

Here's what I want to accomplish in preparation:
-Buy glucometer and practice using it (this will also give me a rough baseline)
-Create rating scales for hunger/satiety, energy levels, and mood
-Read the entire eBook on Fast-5, and write a post defining the practice

Update on My Eating:
Though I really want to make it through a weekend gluten-free, this was not the weekend.  I had a cookie at a graduation party (it wasn't that good and my stomach was cramping for a bit afterwards), and I had pizza following for dinner (I ate very little crust, but since I was away from home, I didn't have as much choice in the food).  Going by Mark Sisson's 80/20 rule, I was still on track.  My eating the rest of the weekend was good, with minimal cheese and rice consumption.

Today, I'm fasting this morning.  Later, I'll have sausage, hard boiled eggs, salad and broth for lunch.  Dinner is going be be baked chicken in reduction sauce with broccoli.

Friday, June 3, 2011

N = 1; Take 2

My New N=1 Adventure:

Since, I'm not going to do the strict Paleo challenge as my n=1 experiment, I want to do something else.  I'd like to experiment with a few different forms of Intermittent Fasting (IF).  Here's my plan- practice several different forms of fasting for two week intervals and see how my body responds.  The markers will be blood sugar, hunger/satiety, weight, energy levels, and mood.  Blood sugar will be measured by a glucose monitor; weight by scale; and the other perimeters will be measured using rating scales (that I'll develop).

I will experiment with each of the following forms of IF while keeping my diet (Paleo 2.0/Primal) and also controlling for activity levels;
  • Fast-5 (for 5 days per week)
  • ESE (3-4 times in two weeks)
  • Deconditioning Diet (as per Todd Becker)
  • Leangains - IF and regimented, fasted training
  • Random IF - as per Art DeVany
  • Control - no IF
That's 6 categories, so were looking at 12 weeks to complete the experiments.  I'll begin next week.  Stay tuned!

I should give a shout out to Jimmy Moore.  His n=1 experiments are very motivating.

Update on My Eating:  Now that I have relaxed a bit on the scrict Paleo rules, I feel better about what I'm eating, and have been more compliant.  I've decided to try limiting dairy and white rice to one meal per day.

Here's what I've been eating:
6/1
Breakfast - Eggs, bacon, sausage
Lunch - Chicken broth, salad w cheese, leftover chicken in sauce
Dinner - meatballs, asparagus, tomatoes
6/2
Breakfast - none
Lunch- same as 6/1 w/o cheese, and strawberries
Dinner - meatballs, tomatoes, sweet potato
Desert - 1 cup of organic rice cereal
6/3
Breakfast - none
Snack - 2 hard-boiled eggs
Lunch - Chicken broth, meatballs with sauce, strawberries
Dinner - Chicken with reduction sauce, buttered carrots, maybe a salad

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

My Weekend Failure


Ha!  Why did I decide to begin a new eating style on a holiday weekend?  It’s probably always best to start something like this on a Monday, as it’s easier to plan and execute a specific way of eating during the week.  Anyway, I failed to eat strict "Paleo" this weekend.  I ate cheese (way more than I care to admit), some of my son’s rice cereal, and some sourdough bread (I’m really going to have to rethink buying this bread for my husband – it’s way healthier for him than grocery store breat, but very, very tempting for me – I’m not sure I have the willpower to have it in the house).

Anyway, I’m putting a hold on going Paleo for a while.  My first n=1 revealed the following results:  I don’t respond well to certain eating limitations.  Deciding to cut out dairy caused me the crave it, and given that I was at home with easy access to cheese, I gave into these cravings.

I think my goal at this point is going to be to cut back on the small amount of dairy and grains I do eat.  When I went “low-carb,” this is how I did it.  I slowly reduced the amount of carbohydrates I ate, until I was eating less than 50 grams per day.

We’ll see how this new plan goes.  I’ll continue to post my food diaries from time to time, as well.   For now, we can call this experimental a “Paleo 2.0” or “Primal” eating plan.

Friday, May 27, 2011

N=1 – The Importance of Self-Experimentation


N=1 – The Importance of Self-Experimentation



Sorry that I haven’t posted in a while.  I was having trouble logging into Blogger.  It’s nice to be back.



What’s all this about Optimality?


So, lately there’s been some buzz on the blogs I read regarding the concept of optimal nutrition.  What is optimal?   Many diet gurus present ideas for the optimal diet.  Some people will tell you low carb is optimal.  Others will tell you a raw vegan diet is optimal.  Yet others will stress low fat diets as the best.

The following links are to blog posts discussing the concepts of optimality and n=1/self-experimentation:

http://freetheanimal.com/2011/05/optimality-a-fools-errand.html

http://freetheanimal.com/2010/12/self-experiementation-doesnt-trump-science-it-is-science.html

J.E.R.F.


As I stressed in a previous post, the path to an optimal diet is grounded in real food.  The reason we want to eat real food and avoid industrial processed food is because the latter usually contains food toxins (mainly, industrial seed oils, excessive fructose, chemical additives, most grains, and genetically modified crops).  By eating toxins, we jeopardize our health.  Obviously, an optimal diet would be non-toxic, so therefore real-foods based (and ideally including organic produce and grass-fed/pastured animals, if one eats animals).



Every Body Is Different


Aside from real food, there’s little that can be definitive regarding the perfect diet for everyone.  Every body is different.  We all have different genetic and epi-genetic make-ups.   We all have had different personal histories regarding our health and wellness that impact how our bodies react to different foods and exercises.



N=1


Because everyone is different, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all dietary or exercise approach.  Different things are going to work for different people.  What we need to do is try different dietary and exercise approaches to find what works for us.  For me, thus far, eating a low-carb, real food diet has led to tremendous health gains (40 lbs. of fat loss, improvements in blood pressure and blood-lipid profile, reduction in allergy symptoms, and more energy/vitality, etc.).  For others, however, a low-fat, vegetarian diet might lead to similar health improvements.



Taking Adventures


Self-experimentation is critical to finding optimality in your life.  We all most consistently seek out approaches that work for us.  Clearly, it’s important to carefully make choices that will affect our health.  The most prudent action is to combine anthropological data (i.e. the evolutionary approach), anecdotal data from people like you, scientific data (always discerning the validity of the results) and personal experimentation to develop a dietary approach that is optimal for you.  This approach can probably be applied to all areas of health.



So, with this in mind, I’m feeling a little adventurous.  If this blog is called Adventures in Wellness, than I best get on with taking some actual adventures.  The idea is that these adventures will be n=1/self-experimentation.  I will used the knowledge I’ve gained over the past year to inform my choices regarding the experiments, or adventures, I choose to take. 



My First Adventure – Going Paleo


I’m finally going to take the plunge.  I’ve had tons of excuses to not try going full-Paleo, but I’m going to give it a go for 30 days.  I’ve read Robb Wolf’s The Paleo Solution, and I know I can do this.  So, for the next 30 days (I actually started this on Wednesday), I will be living my life without eating grains, legumes and dairy.



Prior to this adventure, I’ve basically given up grains (except for white rice and organic corn) and legumes (which I don’t really care for anyway).  So, my biggest challenge in the coming weeks will be to give up dairy.  I still plan on eating butter, though.  I’ll be giving updates, included a recount of what I’ve been eating.



Paleo Food Diary – Days 1 - 3



Day 1


Breakfast

Eggs and Sausage

Supplement – Cod liver/Butter Oil; Selenium; L-Glutamine



Lunch

Salad – with bacon, olive oil and apple cider vinegar

Chicken broth

Chicken in reduction sauce



Dinner

Sausage with sauce

Buttered, steamed asparagus



Day 2


Breakfast

Eggs and Bacon

Supplement – Probiotic



Lunch

Salad – with bacon, olive oil and apple cider vinegar

Chicken broth

Leftover sausage in sauce



Dinner

Meatballs with sauce

Salad – with bacon, olive oil and apple cider vinegar

Desert – almond macaroons (I slipped and binged a little on this tastey treat.  Normally, I would just would have a few squares of dark chocolate)



Day 3 (this is today, so this is my plan as of now)

Breakfast

Nothing – fasting



Lunch

Salad – with bacon, olive oil and apple cider vinegar

Chicken broth

2 Hard-boiled eggs

Coconut milk smoothie (if necessary – not sure I’ll be hungry enough to have it)



Dinner

2 Hamburgers

Fermented Pickle or Sauerkraut
Salad – with bacon, olive oil and apple cider vinegar