Tips from a slow carber…

Start the diet 5 days before your cheat day.

Supplements: Potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

Tips:

1- Eat within an hour of waking, preferably within 30 minutes.

2- Eat 20 grams of protein per meal, especially at breakfast. Myoplex shakes are good, or 3 whole eggs…

3- Eat until you are full of approved foods.

4- Eat the beans!

5- DRINK WATER! Especially on cheat day.

6- Miss timing weigh ins on menstraul cycle. Don’t weigh yourself 10 days before, weigh again 1 day after period.

7- overeating “domino” foods can set you back. Domino foods are things like almonds. Anything that you won’t just eat a few of that will turn into way too much fat. 

8- No artificial sweeteners. They provoke insulin production. Try vanilla or cinnimon.

9- Do not overtrain in the gym. Do 2-3 short weight training sessions a week, if any. 

***Cheat day notes:

1. 1^st meal non binge meal. Do your same breakfast as normal. 
2. Consume a small amount of fructose before 2^nd meal (crap Meal) I use grapefruit juice. 
3. Eat whatever you want. 
4. Use supplements that increase insulin sensitivity: AGG
5. Consume citric juice. like grapefruit

Cheat day step by step:

1. Start with a non binge meal. High protein high fiber.
2. Have a small amount of grapefruit juice prior to second meal.
3. A few minutes before 2^nd meal( the bad meal) do 90-120 seconds of air squats and wall tricep extensions.
4. Eat.
5. 1 ½ hours after meal, do 90-120 seconds of air squats and wall tricep extensions.
6. Repeat the sequence before eating. 
7. Enjoy!

Kidney Beans Nutrition Facts

Given that beans are such a regular part of a slow carb diet and slow carb recipes, I thought that it might be a good idea to take a look at what exactly makes them so healthy.  On that note, this post is all aboutkidney beans nutrition facts, and why you should incorporate them into your diet.  I’m sure that anyone who has been following the slow carb diet (made popular by Tim Ferriss in his book “The 4 Hour Body”) knows how frequently their meals include some kind of beans or legumes.  Luckily, there are several different varieties to choose from, so it doesn’t always have to be the exact same meal every single day. Undoubtedly, though, you will be find favorite recipes as you progress through the diet.  One of my favorite ingredients that seems to be a staple for many of the meals I consume are kidney beans (so it’s a good thing I like them!).

Kidney beans are actually the seeds of a bean plant, with the Latin name Phaseolus vulgaris.  The beans themselves grow in the large green pods like those that inhabit so many people’s home gardens.  Think about green beans or string beans, but much fatter pods.  The beans themselves are typically dark red or reddish brown, though you can also readily find white kidney beans (or, simply, white beans).  These common beans are used around the world, both dried or canned, in a wide range of both hot and cold recipes.  They are truly versatile!

One of the first things the people always seem to want to know is the kidney bean’s calories.  If they’re so frequently included as diet foods, they must be low-calorie, right? Well, they’re pretty good, coming in at 307 calories in a 1 cup serving of cooked beans.  However, these are not all simple carbohydrate calories, because most of them derive from the protein and fiber.  Let’s look a little closer at the kidney bean’s nutrition, including the main three biomolecule classes of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.  (I love applying my biochemistry education to real life!)

In that 1 cup serving of kidney beans, there is a total carbohydrate amount of 56 g, of which only 8 g are sugars, but 19.5 g are dietary fiber.  This is one of the biggest reasons why beans are so good for you: their high fiber content!  In addition, another great testament to the nutrition of these beans is their low fat content, with only 1.2 g of total fat (of which 0.1 g is saturated).  In terms of protein, our bean serving has 22.2 g, which is also pretty decent.

Of course, whenever people look at the nutrition facts and labels, they are not just interested in those three classes of molecules or the calories.  One of the other big numbers is the cholesterol.  Obviously, the cholesterol value is very important to people who have cardiovascular health problems such as hypertension or atherosclerosis, as they would want to minimize the amount of cholesterol in their diets.  Luckily for them, thekidney bean’s nutrition label shows that it is like a super food, with 0 (zero!) cholesterol!  Also on the topic of cholesterol, I will also point out the value of having high dietary fiber, which as I showed above, these beans certainly do.  Fiber actually works to lower the “bad” cholesterol that is already in your body.  (I’m not getting into a discussion of “good” vs. “bad” cholesterols.  Maybe another time!)  So, you can see why including kidney beans in a slow carb diet, or any weight loss plan, is absolutely essential to helping lower fat and cholesterol.

The kidney beans nutritional information label also gives more info about the vitamins and minerals in our single serving amount we’ve been looking at.  I won’t go into details about what each of these important molecules actually do in the body (maybe that’s also another post!), but I will just list them off here in terms of their percentage of the daily recommended allowance:

• Vitamin A: 0%
• Vitamin C: 11%
• Calcium: 15%
• Iron: 39%
• Thiamin: 65%
• Riboflavin: 24%
• Vitamin B6: 37%
• Niacin: 19%
• Magnesium: 74%
• Phosphorus: 75%
• Zinc: 31%
• Copper: 101%
• Pantothenic Acid: 14%

The point is that kidney beans contain a wide assortment of these vitamins and minerals that are needed by your body for it to work properly.

Kidney beans are used by several cultures around the world.  They are very popular, and very common.  They can be dried for prolonged storage, and then simply rehydrated when it’s time to use them, or they can be purchased canned and ready to eat.

A day of meals…

One Day of meals

 

Breakfast (~6 AM)
2 Eggs Whites & 1 Whole Egg w/ Lite Salt (Potassium) and Salt & Pepper topped with 3 forkfuls of Picante for flavor.
1/2 cup of Lentils
1 cup of frozen spinach
I take a 20 oz cup fill it full of ice cubes, then I put cold water in it, drink it all as fast as I can, then I fill it with cold water again and drink it again as fast as I can.

Lunch (~12 PM)
1/4 – 1/5 lbs of deli cut Turkey or Chicken
1/2 cup of Lentils
1/2 bag of steamable mixed veggies (I always get the ones that have broccoli)
Snack (~3-4 PM)
Handful of Planters 100% natural harvest California Almnods roasted in sea salt, no added oils.
Dinner (~6 PM)
Whatever protein we’re eating for dinner (we usually get a poutlry, pork, and beef)
1/2 cup of Lentils
1/2 bag of steamable mixed veggies (seriously, these things are awesome)

I rarely have hunger pangs on this diet. I also drink tons of ice water (the legumes make me especially thirsty). Before I officially started this diet, I experimented a little with the beans. I tried canned black and pinto beans (I couldn’t find canned lentils).  I decided to try dry beans and boiling them myself. I’m still getting the hang of it, but black and pinto beans are too much of a hassle, lentils are much easier to cook and the book says they are the better legume anyway. So I go through about 1.5 – 2 bags of lentils each week.

Supplements…

Pre Breakfast Cocktail.

Here is one typical day…

Breakfast – 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg, all scrambled in light olive oil with salt, pepper, spinach, sauerkraut, and black beans. Served with salsa. (this is soooo delicious)

Lunch – Salad (with whatever veggies I have on hand) with black beans and italian dressing, sometimes with chicken or turkey as well.

Dinner – Another salad similar to lunch.

Sometimes I’ll have a snack as well between lunch and dinner of either veggies, black beans, tuna, or chicken (or some combination of these things)

If you have a question on if you can eat something…

You can use this website…type in the item and it will give you an answer

Slow carb diet reference.

http://www.eslowcarbdiet.com/

Fast or Slow Carbs, what’s the difference???

Understand the Slow Carb Diet can be a little tricky, first you need to get educated on what the difference are:

Carbs can be divided up into two categories “slow” or Complex and “fast.” or Simple. Slow carbs gradually raise your blood sugar levels giving your body a steady stream of fuel. Brown rice, lentils, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, vegetables and fiber-rich fruits are examples of slow carbs.

Fast (or Simple) carbs enter your body at a fast pace and cause your blood sugar to spike and dip and cause your body to produce large amounts of a hormone called insulin.

Having fast carbs such as white bread, donuts and soda can increase your chances of having energy dips, becoming irritable and getting hungry quickly between meals.

Huge changes in eating habits can be difficult to maintain for the long term, but there is one simple change in swapping Fast/Simple Carbs to Slow/complex carb diet is easy to incorporate. It raises energy levels throughout the day and can help a fledgling gym-goer make it to the treadmill after work.

Eating the whole grain equivalent of certain foods on the menu, for example brown rice instead of white rice, multi-grain bread instead of white, whole-wheat pasta instead of standard spaghetti. This is an entry-level way of starting the diet

Eating more frequently than four times per day will be helpful on higher-carb diets to prevent gorging. The idea is to eat every three hours. Mixing up the meals but sticking to the Slow Carb food list.

Stop eating white carbs. Bread, rice, potatoes (baked, mashed, fries, chips), pasta, cereal, anything breaded or batter dipped (e.g., fried chicken, shrimp tempura), cereal, and anything made with white flour or sugar. That includes tortillas, muffins, breads, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, bagels, and pretty much any baked goods. These are all the fast-in/fast-out carbs that quickly turn into fat if you don’t work them off fast.

The Basics…Diagram

Helpful Tips for slow carbers!!

Tip #1 – What should I eat for snacks?
–  There should be no need, or real physical urge, to eat snacks. If you are hungry between meals, you’re not eating enough protein and legumes at each meal. This is an uber-common screwup. I’ve been there too. EAT MORE! If you must snack, snack on vegetables. Or just have another Slow-Carb meal. If you get headaches or have other symptoms of low blood sugar, 90% of the time it will be because you are not eating enough.

Tip #2 – Do I really have to binge one a week?
–  Yes, it is important to spike caloric intake once per week. This causes a host of hormonal changes that improve fat-loss. In addition, everyone binges eventually on a diet, why not schedule it ahead of time to limit the damage? The psychological benefits outweigh even the hormonal and metabolic benefits…”you mean I’m allowed to have ice cream and cake and beer and pizza???”

Tip #3 – What about breakfast?
–  Most of my breakfasts consist of eggs, lentils, and spinach. I get my lentils/beans straight from the can. I also add salsa to my eggs as well (salsa is a great way to increase taste in your meals)

Tip #4 – What if I eat out all the time?
–  First thing, Mexican restaurants are perfect on this program, even Chipotle. Just get a meal with meat, beans, veggies, salsa and guacamole (yes guacamole is good!). Stay away from the tortilla, rice, cheese, sour cream and you’ll have a great Slow-Carb meal! As for other restaurants, order a piece of meat with a side of veggies. Try to get some beans as well, but if they don’t, substitute with a salad loaded with healthy veggies.

Tip #5 – I also add a serving of nuts/seeds with every meal as well. I got into this habit from last months challenge and have found greater sources of energy in doing this.

So, here’s a summary of the rules:
Rule #1 – Avoid ‘white’ carbs (or anything that can be white)
Rule #2 – Eat the same few meals over and over again
Rule #3 – Don’t drink calories
Rule #4 – Don’t eat fruit
Rule #5 – Take one day off per week and go nuts
Rule #6 – No dairy

 

Here’s a sample of my meal plan:

Breakfasts – scrambled eggs with salsa on top, with a side of beans (I sometimes add bacon or sausage as well). Or, If I’m strapped for time, I have a protein shake with almond or coconut milk, with a tbsp of natural peanut butter, a handful of spinach, no fruit.

Lunches – I stick with my turkey black bean chili. I make it in the crockpot, and I make enough to last me 4 days. This is my savior on this program. If I don’t have time to cook dinner I have this chili as well. If I find myself needing a snack, I have chili. Other lunches consist of tuna with salsa and salad, or a salad with chicken (or other lean meat) on top of it. When I’m out and about I do Chipotle or Adobo Grill; I get the bowl with beans, veggies, meat, salsa and guacamole.

Dinners – Dinners are pretty easy. My general rule of thumb is a piece of lean meat with at least two sides of veggies and a side of beans. If you’re at a restaurant and can’t get beans have more veggies, and even meat.

Its just too easy…some people just make it hard

To follow slow carb this is pretty much all you do…

Carbohydrates are a very important part of a healthy diet to 1) provide the brain with sufficient glucose to function and 2) to provide energy for muscular work. It’s the type of carbohydrates we’re consuming that we need to pay attention to.

The list of “allowed” carbohydrates in the slow carb regime is pretty straight-forward:  You eat 1) legumes or 2) veggies.

Slow Carb List

Again, it’s a pretty simple approach – each meal includes a lean protein, a source of “good” fat, and a carbohydrate type from either one (or both) of these categories:

• Legumes (such as black beans, lima beans, kidney beans, or white beans) etc
• Veggies (like broccoli, eggplant, spinach, or squash) etc

that simple!!