Diet and nutrition

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Norm Smith Medallist
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I had a close look at my diet today. 3300 calories, while my estimated maintenance level is 2500. My macros are 41% fat, 35% carbs and 24% protein. I will now try to replace some of the fat by protein.

I was surprised by the high amount of calories, because I have been losing weight (fat) on this diet. I look fitter than ever before. The food I eat is very healthy and I work out, but maybe the time-restricted eating (usually 18 hours of fasting per day and one day per week 24 hours) is doing the trick.
 

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I had a close look at my diet today. 3300 calories, while my estimated maintenance level is 2500. My macros are 41% fat, 35% carbs and 24% protein. I will now try to replace some of the fat by protein.

I was surprised by the high amount of calories, because I have been losing weight (fat) on this diet. I look fitter than ever before. The food I eat is very healthy and I work out, but maybe the time-restricted eating (usually 18 hours of fasting per day and one day per week 24 hours) is doing the trick.

24 hour fast one day per week, is helping you create and adhere to a calorie deficit.
 
May 8, 2007
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Michael Mosley was responsible for the 5/2 based on Professor Roy Taylor at the University of
Newcastle (UK) the original is for safe, super quick weight loss for t2 and preparation for surgery.
It consists of 600cal liquid (like optifast) and 200cal of above ground veg per day. No starchy veg at all.
Its used for 6-8 weeks, and for non medical reasons like summertime weight loss its ideal, and hopefully on completion of the 6-8 weeks it positively helps readjust your food quality and intake when finished. Thats the time Moseley's 5/2 version can be beneficial and adhered to.
Obviously if your not an experienced faster, consult your GP first.
Its called the Newcastle Diet and endorsed by diabetes UK
 
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Most recently I fasted for 8 days due to a severe throat infection (I spent 5 days in hospital on a drink and could hardly even swallow water). I was unable to go to the gym for three weeks and lost about 6kg, half of which has jumped back on once I resumed training and eating again. I definitely dropped a lot of muscle mass.

I enjoy lifting weights and am looking for a way to slim down a bit as I have been in surplus for a bit. Could do with losing around 10kg I think.

My brother in law has been on the 5/2 continuously and did so as he had high cholesterol. He is a bit older than me and it has fixed up his cholesterol issues and he claims that he now looks forward to the fast days and the mental clarity that fasting brings.
 
May 8, 2007
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Most recently I fasted for 8 days due to a severe throat infection (I spent 5 days in hospital on a drink and could hardly even swallow water). I was unable to go to the gym for three weeks and lost about 6kg, half of which has jumped back on once I resumed training and eating again. I definitely dropped a lot of muscle mass.

I enjoy lifting weights and am looking for a way to slim down a bit as I have been in surplus for a bit. Could do with losing around 10kg I think.

My brother in law has been on the 5/2 continuously and did so as he had high cholesterol. He is a bit older than me and it has fixed up his cholesterol issues and he claims that he now looks forward to the fast days and the mental clarity that fasting brings.
Its common for people to look forward to fasting. Non fasters cannot get their head around it.
I 36 hour fast every Sunday night to Tuesday first meal of the day (11am six days) and 2 four day fasts yearly. The long ones are brilliant. You feel like superman when you break it with a small, high protien meal. Its an experience hard to describe.
 
Its common for people to look forward to fasting. Non fasters cannot get their head around it.
I 36 hour fast every Sunday night to Tuesday first meal of the day (11am six days) and 2 four day fasts yearly. The long ones are brilliant. You feel like superman when you break it with a small, high protien meal. Its an experience hard to describe.
Have you heard of Tyler Tolman? I reckon you’d find some of his ideas interesting. Some of it is a bit much but there is definitely something in fasting for good health and the link with a healthy gut biome etc.

I actually did the same fasting program as done by Eddie Maguire but cut it off at about 20 days as I was travelling and the acupuncture was killing me. Once you get over the feelings of hunger, you definitely operate with a heightened set of senses. I have done week long juice fasts as well and had a similar feeling. Once your sodium levels balance and your blood sugar normalises you feel really good but it still hard to be around food.

The 5/2 seems like a happy medium.
 
Feb 23, 2009
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I'm going to try vegetarian/vegan diet for a short period of time. The reasons are purely selfish in that I want to see if I feel better on this diet and lose a few kgs or any other ways I perceive it effects my body/health. I am also going to try and cut down on processed sugar. There are no ethical reasons attached to my decision. If I don't notice a change or I struggle with it too much I will revert back to my usual diet.

Anyway, for those who have done this, can anyone suggest a night time or long acting protein source? Is there a vegan alternative to casein protein? I train 3 times a week and the most challenging thing I'm finding is various protein sources apart from beans and carbohydrate sources apart from potatoes.
 
May 8, 2007
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I'm going to try vegetarian/vegan diet for a short period of time. The reasons are purely selfish in that I want to see if I feel better on this diet and lose a few kgs or any other ways I perceive it effects my body/health. I am also going to try and cut down on processed sugar. There are no ethical reasons attached to my decision. If I don't notice a change or I struggle with it too much I will revert back to my usual diet.

Anyway, for those who have done this, can anyone suggest a night time or long acting protein source? Is there a vegan alternative to casein protein? I train 3 times a week and the most challenging thing I'm finding is various protein sources apart from beans and carbohydrate sources apart from potatoes.
Are you going to separate them for a period of time? Like 100% vegan for a month then 100% vegetarian for a month?
 
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Are you going to separate them for a period of time? Like 100% vegan for a month then 100% vegetarian for a month?
No probably not. The aim will be vegan wherever possible but likely i will slip up here and there. I'm even considering pescatarean down the track too if I struggle too much with this. Because it's not for ethical reasons, I don't mind too much if I don't absolutely follow vegan, but that's the aim to give it a go.
 
May 8, 2007
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No probably not. The aim will be vegan wherever possible but likely i will slip up here and there. I'm even considering pescatarean down the track too if I struggle too much with this. Because it's not for ethical reasons, I don't mind too much if I don't absolutely follow vegan, but that's the aim to give it a go.
I reckon you should do one or two week vegan first just to get a feel of a restrictive diet, plus you develope a completely different perspective of food and your own habits.

I did it around 8 years ago. 2 weeks strict vegan (hated it, missed butter and animal stock the most) then 3 weeks strict vegetarian (loved it) then 2 weeks adding fish, then two adding chicken, then finishing it off adding red meat.
Best thing I ever did. Changed my nutritional habbits for ever.
Its a popular concept, but I just extended the timeframes.
 

Kompany

Norm Smith Medallist
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If your goal is to be healthier and lose weight, I wouldn't be too strict with the veganism/vegetarianism. I ate vegan most of the time (I made exceptions staying with friends and family overseas and occasionally when invited for dinner by meat-eating friends) for 1.5 years a few years ago. I felt great, especially in the beginning I noticed a big difference, but in the end I started to miss meat and eggs.

Eating vegan, I learned how to eat differently and it changed my eating habits for the good. Today for example, I had some animal products (whey protein, eggs and some meat with dinner), but also probably +10 different vegetables, fruit, pulses and different types of nuts and seeds.

If you're curious about a vegan diet, you can have a look at this: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/dr-gregers-daily-dozen-checklist/ I know this guy is quite controversial, but I found this guide very helpful for my diet. You can still add animal products, but I would look at the quality of it. Eat organic eggs only, and wild or grass-fed animals. The one thing I really remember from my vegan diet, was that I never had stomach issues anymore (I think once in 18 months), which made me believe that it was meat that was upsetting my stomach before.

And yes, cut out processed sugar entirely. It will make such a difference. I went step by step, but I even stopped eating bread and traditional pastas, and only have small portions of quinoa, wild rice, sweet potato... with dinner. And try intermittent fasting. Maybe a bit of a challenge in the beginning, but you get used to it quickly and I believe it's doing me a lot of good. Today I weigh 10 kg less than 2 years ago and feel good as. I'm 41 and my abs are showing, and most of all, I love what I eat and don't feel like I'm on a diet or anything.
 

Big Cox 88

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I started on a Tier 1 Carnivore diet (Meat + dairy, avocado, coconut oil and olive oil) at the start of November for various reasons. It was a relatively easy conversion as I had been keto for the last 4 years.

In the three weeks I have seen a drastic improvement in energy and mental sharpness at work. I have also managed to clear up an annoying skin condition I had which resulted in sores and flaky skin when I shave and dandruff like symptoms in my hair. My gym workouts have been greater in intensity and recovery has been much quicker.

I am lucky to have found a farmer who will supply me with a quarter side of an organic grass fed cow for $17 per kg. All meat and eggs have been free range and oils have been organic. It was very interesting reading into the carnivore diet and also listening to audiobooks and podcasts that there are so many antinutrients in fruits and vegetables which do cause these autoimmune issues. I was eating heaps of nightshades, nuts and cruciferous vegetables on keto which would have been dosing me quite highly with phytates, oxylates and lectins and I attribute these to the skin and gut issues I was having.

A typical day now is a 3 egg scramble, 2 rashers of bacon or 50g of cheese (haloumi or feta) and half an avocado and a black coffee for breakfast followed by a tablespoon of collagen in heavy whipping cream. Lunch will either be left overs or a beef stew or mince patties and half an avocado. Dinner will normally be a variation like pork belly, lamb chops or a nice cut of steak topped with sour cream or butter. I have salmon once a week. I will also have a mug of home prepared beef bone broth daily as well as organ meats 2-3 times a week.

I have added in some zucchini and squash for some extra colour on the plate as I have found that these are much lower in antinutrients than other vegetables particularly with their skin and seeds removed.

Was only going to try for a month, however, these results warrant a longer term investment and a gradual reintroduction of other foods I have eliminated to try and locate the trigger.
 

chargers 09

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I've actually found carnivore cheaper. I have a great local butcher. I spend about 70-80 a week on meat there plus about 20-30 dollars on dairy at the supermarket so only spend about 100 a week on food. I don't eat lamb. I hate it.

How does carnivore diet work?
 

raskolnikov

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How does carnivore diet work?

Animal products only. Some carnivores only eat meat. Some eat any animal products(butter, cheese, cream), though most avoid milk. A lot of carnivores are OMAD (one meal a day). I usually have two.
 

chargers 09

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Animal products only. Some carnivores only eat meat. Some eat any animal products(butter, cheese, cream), though most avoid milk. A lot of carnivores are OMAD (one meal a day). I usually have two.
What’s the theory/advantage behind it?
 

raskolnikov

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What’s the theory/advantage behind it?

Basically that plants are inflammatory and cause a lot of gut and other health issues. I have noticed that I have a lot less inflammation from CrossFit and that most of my gut issues have been resolved (I suffer from diverticulitis and IBS). Also, carnivore is zero carb, which has basically cured my type 2 diabetes.
 

chargers 09

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Basically that plants are inflammatory and cause a lot of gut and other health issues. I have noticed that I have a lot less inflammation from CrossFit and that most of my gut issues have been resolved (I suffer from diverticulitis and IBS). Also, carnivore is zero carb, which has basically cured my type 2 diabetes.

Yeah right that’s mind boggling. Good to hear it works for you.

So you don’t eat any vegetables or fruit pretty much?
 
My basic thing on sugars is a lot of people don't understand the difference between naturally occuring sugars in whole foods and added sugar.

How many times do you see a sugar free recipe that has maple syrup or honey in it.

People think sugar only means the white crystals you put in coffee.

Eating an apple with the skin isn't the same as drinking the juice from that Apple and that isn't the same as putting the equivalent amount of fructose in water though it's closer than eating the apple.
 
Basically that plants are inflammatory and cause a lot of gut and other health issues. I have noticed that I have a lot less inflammation from CrossFit and that most of my gut issues have been resolved (I suffer from diverticulitis and IBS). Also, carnivore is zero carb, which has basically cured my type 2 diabetes.
I know there are some pretty standard culprits in the plant arena for people with various issues like IBS, gout etc.

Not everything agrees with everyone.

Are you on a zero fibre diet now?
 

Big Cox 88

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I know there are some pretty standard culprits in the plant arena for people with various issues like IBS, gout etc.

Not everything agrees with everyone.

Are you on a zero fibre diet now?
Not sure about raskolnikov but I am zero carb/fibre apart from the odd baked zucchini a couple of times a week. Still as regular as ever just less waste (sorry for the tmi). All the old science of eat a lot of fibre and wholegrains to be healthy was a myth to line the grain, corn and sugar farmers pockets with intense support by their lobbyists in the US. Ancel Keys ruined public health. Fibre absorbs a lot of moisture and then expels it which depletes nutrients and electrolytes in our body and will often cause gut inflammation and electrolyte imbalance leading to bloating and lethargy.

Protein, which is easily convertible to the essential amino acids is all humans require to thrive. Only animal proteins and eggs can supply the whole spectrum of bio-available amino acids without supplementation and it comes with the right combination of saturated fat to transport nutrients and vitamins.
 
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Basically that plants are inflammatory and cause a lot of gut and other health issues. I have noticed that I have a lot less inflammation from CrossFit and that most of my gut issues have been resolved (I suffer from diverticulitis and IBS). Also, carnivore is zero carb, which has basically cured my type 2 diabetes.
I still can't believe this hasn't become mainstream.

Anyone can effectively cure their type 2 diabetes in 4-6 weeks with a low-carb diet.
 
May 8, 2007
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Not sure about raskolnikov but I am zero carb/fibre apart from the odd baked zucchini a couple of times a week. Still as regular as ever just less waste (sorry for the tmi). All the old science of eat a lot of fibre and wholegrains to be healthy was a myth to line the grain, corn and sugar farmers pockets with intense support by their lobbyists in the US. Ancel Keys ruined public health. Fibre absorbs a lot of moisture and then expels it which depletes nutrients and electrolytes in our body and will often cause gut inflammation and electrolyte imbalance leading to bloating and lethargy.

Protein, which is easily convertible to the essential amino acids is all humans require to thrive. Only animal proteins and eggs can supply the whole spectrum of bio-available amino acids without supplementation and it comes with the right combination of saturated fat to transport nutrients and vitamins.
Not only Keys, but also Senator George McGovern, who in 1972 chaired a Senate committee for the implementation of dietary goals in the United States. That's when the anti-fat, pro high carb/grains was put place. Surprise, surprise he just happened to be on the US wheat board at the time.
 
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