In ancient times carbohydrates were not readily available except during the spring and summers.
This is just a very simplistic overview of the idea of a low carbohydrate diet, which focuses mostly on a higher intake of protein and fat. The basic idea of the low carbohydrate diet is this.
The body uses carbohydrate as its first fuel. Anytime the body receives carbohydrates of any kind, they are used for fuel, and any unused fuel is stored for later use in the form of fat. In ancient times carbohydrates were not readily available except during the spring and summers. Mankind ate predominantly meat, and some nuts and berries. Fruits and vegetables were eaten in season, but not year round. During the winters, the stored fat (caused by high carbohydrate consumption during spring and summer) was used as an alternate fuel, when carbohydrates were not readily available.
Nowadays, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and thousands of other sources of refined and complex carbohydrates are available everyday of the year. We never run out of this “first fuel.” Consequently the fat that is constantly stored is never burned in the process called “ketosis.” As a result people all around the world in more “civilized and industrialized” countries are getting fatter by the minute. Even India has an obesity problem in the more affluent levels of society. The ever-popular low-fat diet is an unbelievable failure.
Over the last two and half decades, Americans, by adhering to the USDA’s “faulty” food pyramid, and the American Medical Association’s low-fat diet scheme, have become fat and obese at an alarming rate. 61% of America is now fat, with a 60% increase in just the last few years. The AMA and health officials also make the same “stupid” claims, the reason we as Americans are not losing weight, is because we need to eat less fat, and exercise more. Obviously, this theory is seriously flawed as the statistics on obesity show. Increase costs due to the health-related problems from obesity are destined to drive the county further into debt, with no relief in sight.
A careful observer would have noticed that few of these problems existed before the “discovery” and widespread use of refined sugars and other man-made “poisons” in the early 1900’s. Blame has been placed on our twentieth century “easier” lifestyle. Dr. Atkins and many others have been researching this subject for over thirty years, and have fought with the traditional AMA doctors since the beginning. Carbohydrates are at the root of most health problems, and excess consumption will cause a myriad of degenerative diseases and problems.
Almost every cell in the body is capable of burning both types of fuel, both fat through ketosis, and carbohydrate. In order to balance brain sugar levels throughout the day, diets low in carbohydrates work extremely well, and do not lead to the hunger pains that low fat diets cause through out the day, every day. Also because your body is getting what it needs in the way of protein and nutrients through richly and naturally fortified foods, you will feel compelled to eat less. Have you ever noticed how much noodles and pasta you eat, and rarely feel satisfied? That is your body telling you that you have not fulfilled your nutrient requirements for that meal. Then, seemingly only an hour or two later you are again hungry. This is due to the rapid assimilation and processing of carbohydrates. This is characterized by the dumping of insulin into your blood stream by your pancreas to counteract your high serum sugar levels. This causes your brain sugar level to drop, and again you are hungry. And the cycle continues leading to diabetes, and countless other related diseases.
Eat a steak, bacon, eggs, cheese, and the assimilation of the protein and fat is much slower keeping your sugar levels constant, and eliminating the constant feeling of hunger and starvation.
Basic Recommendations;
Induction, the first two weeks of the “Atkin’s” program is the period when you force the body into the fat burning phase by cutting all carbohydrates to less than 25 per day. One cookie is 25 carbohydrates, a canned soda pop is often 35 to 40, so be aware of all can and package labels.
Basically you can not eat any of these things the first two weeks:
Do not eat:
- Potatoes, Carrots Fruit of any Kind Pasta Beans
- Rice Bread Fruit Juice Milk, (Pure cream is Okay)
- Sweets of any kind (Candy, pastries, donuts, cookies, etc)
- Crackers, Pretzels, Cheese Puffs Soft Drinks with Sugar
- Honey and sugar (no, no, no!)
The good news:
You can eat all of the meat, including lamb, beef, chicken, pork, bacon, sausage as well as eggs,
Coffee and other caffeinated beverages are not really recommended but I find that most people can have these if they take the coffee black, and certainly do not put sugar or honey in your tea.
Water is best, but I drink flavored and artificially sweetened drinks all the time.
After the first two weeks hard alcohol, can be consumed with water or soda and have zero carbs, light beer and a glass of wine each have only about 5 carbs. Regular beer is a bad deal at about 15 carbs since you can have 3 light beers to one regular. Never consume drinks with lots of sugar like margaritas, daiquiris, and screwdrivers. Alcohol is said to interfere temporarily with the ketosis, and is not recommended for people who want to lose a lot of weight in a hurry.
The best way to do this program is to eat omelets, bacon and eggs for every breakfast. Do not skip meals; eat three meals every day. Salads are very good, and can be consumed with sliced egg, turkey and ham, and buried in mozzarella, or other cheese, and can have any kind of regular salad dressing (with all the fat.)
Taco salad is great, except you make it without the tortilla chips. I eat lots of hamburgers with pickles, tomatoes (just a slice or two) lots of mayo, and of course no bun. I recommend cooking up hamburger and sausage patties ahead of time, and use them for snacks if ever you cannot stop for lunch. Cheese sticks, salami and cheese, cream cheese wrapped in ham, and or course pork rinds are all “legal” snacks.
For dinner I have steak, chops, or roast every night, with a large salad always covered with egg and lots of ranch dressing. Breaded chops and chicken are not too great until you get a few weeks into the program, since any breading or bread is loaded with carbs. Since I am now where I want to be, I eat a few more nuts and seeds which have some carbs, but are a pretty good snack. As far as nuts go, macadamia nuts are lowest, and it is not cool to get honey roasted unless you can afford the extra carbs. Berries and melon are allowed when you get close to your goal weight, but oranges and tree fruit are generally “forbidden.”
The World Wide Web is now loaded with tons of new information and tips every day. Most web-sites want you to buy a book or subscribe to something. It might not be a bad idea to get a carbohydrate counter book, but in a week or two you will get a good feeling of what you can and can not eat. If for some reason you are not losing weight, you are no doubt eating something that you thought was low in carbs, but was not. (Like carrots, they seem like a good food, but have a very high glycemic index, i.e. promote high serum levels of sugar)
There are tons of great low carb recipes on the web too! Learn to be creative with cheese, cream, sautéed bacon, and eggs. Share your favorite recipes with others, and talk to others about what works best for them. Good luck
This is just my overview of the low-carb program and am reasonably sure that what I have written approximates the basic truth and theory and as I understand it. If I am wrong about anything, oh well, at least I didn’t charge you anything for this…
Kenny Parlet
And of course remember eat only USDA Choice Beef, or better still, Creekstone Farm’s Certified Premium USDA Choice Beef ,always available at :
Lakeview Supermarket & Deli
Home of the Finest Meats in Lake County since 1970