Sorry guys this should have come before the last one.
Today is the first day of the Zone diet. I weighed in at 261 today (1 pound heavier than yesterday for some reason).
I'd like to discuss the rules:
1. Everything revolves around increasing good eicosanoids and decreasing bad eicosanoids (which I will discuss what they are later) and thus putting yourself in the "Zone."
2. The most important rule is the ratio of carbs to fat to protein. It should be 30% fat, 30% protein, and 40% carbs.
3. The 40% carbs should be of low glycemic index (low insulin spiking). This means no sugar, high fructose sugar, cokes, candy, etc. In some respects this is similar to Atkins.
4. Avoid saturated fats.
5. Avoid bad carbs, those mentioned above, but also things like potatoes and corn.
6. Include as much fish oil (omega 3's) as possible. Take a supplement. This helps promote good eicosanoids.
7. Avoid beef and egg yolks. These promote bas eicosanoids.
8. Eat oatmeal. This promotes good eicosanoids.
9. Drink plenty of water, especially with meals. This isn't anything new and is pretty much a part of any diet I have ever heard of.
10. Eat not more than 500 calories at any meal or snack, if you do you are overeating.
There may be more that I am missing that I will come to talk about as I learn more about the diet. Obviously, I will spend most of my scientific time on this diet researching the validity of this eicosanoid idea. Barry Sears claims this diet is superior to normal low carb diets.
For breakfast I had otameal with apple in it (which I botched) and I had a soy milk (lite) and protein drink. For lunch I had peanuts and cheese (which I didn't plan but didn't have time to eat because of work). For dinner I had a salad with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, turkey, and dressing. I actually had trouble getting carrbs and protein in all meals. It was a challenge. That is interesting, I wonder how efffective it will be for me to increase my protein intake with meals or vice versa, I can already tell my natural eating patterns are not balanced.
On a good note, I took a great giant dump today. Hopefull as I get out of ketosis the consitapation will cease for good. That is one thing I do not miss about Atkins.
I fear that I will not loose weight quickly on this diet, and may even gain a little at first as I rehydrate and come out of ketosis. It is especially frustrating that I can't exercise because of my feet.
Transforming biochemistry knowledge into weight loss:
This page was begun as an experiment. An experiment I was conducting on myself. An experiment to test which conditions would allow me to loose weight. Now that I have been at it for a while I realize this page serves as more. It serves as a means for me to research. It is a way for me to pick health topics of interest, research them from a biochemistry stand point, and then share them with the world. Sharing them with you gives me an official feeling and keeps me motivated. However, as described below, I am still experimenting on myself.
How did this happen? I don't know exactly although I am almost sure it boils down to diet and exercise. I hope to find the answers as I explore my journey through weight loss on this blog. I was not always fat. Therefore, I know that I can be unfat again.
I am a biochemist. I should have known better. Of all people, I should have known how to avoid this predicament I am in now. I now wish to harness my scientific knowledge to experiment on myself as well as explore the chemical basis for weight loss methods.
Methods:
I will try new diets. I will experiment on myself. The diets will be chosen from among the most popular in our society. I will chronicle the results and my general experience in my blog here. I will also explore the biochemical basis for these diets as well as evaluate their effectiveness and truthfulness. I will also exercise as regularly as possible, 3-5 times per week, to avoid biasing the results. I will try to keep everything constant in my life except the diet. My method is not perfect. I don't necessarily want to lose raw pounds, but rather gain an understanding of what methods work best for me to permanently regain my health.
Hypothesis:
1. No diet will be clearly better than the others. Conversely, each diet will offer some truth, some piece of knowledge or methodology that I can take away with me to help myself. I think that in the end, I will be able to formulate my own diet based on a synthesis of all the things I have learned from all of these diets.
2. I have been on diets before, lost weight, and then regained it. I wasn't born fat. Given that, I think that my main problem will be shown to be psychological. I think that I may have compulsive eating problems- compulsive eating problems associated with very unhealthy foods.
3. I will lose quite a bit of weight. My blog will help keep my motivation levels high.
4. There will be a lack of clear scientific basis to many of the diets.
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