Zoe Fitness | Personal Coach

D.I.E.T

Otherwise known as:  DIE….T

There’s so much information, so many different diets; how do we make sense of it all?

How do we navigate through all the information to decide what diet is best for us?

I hope my insights will help navigate you towards success.

Eat Right for your Blood Type

“In 1996 Dr. D’Adamo wrote the NY Times Bestseller Eat Right For Your Type.

From his father, renowned naturopath Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo inherited the notion that people of different blood types do better on certain diets. Years of validating and synthesizing the science behind the idea culminated in the 1996 award-winning book Eat Right 4 Your Type. The bestseller was followed by a series of books on the connections between blood type and many of our nation’s most serious health problems, including diabetes, cancer and heart disease.”

Eat Right for your Blood Type is based on the idea that certain blood types digest and utilize certain types of food better.  There is likely some validity to this style of eating because our ancestors are from different parts of the globe.  I believe, when we come from certain regions, it’s likely that our bodies digest and utilize certain origins of food based on those geographical regions.

The Paleo Diet

Developed by Dr. Loren Cordain is the world’s foremost authority on the evolutionary basis of diet and disease.  The Paleo Diet is a diet based on eating foods that our ‘ancestors’ ate. It’s based on the theory that it can take hundreds of thousands of years for our bodies to evolve to eating particular types of food.  This approach believes we should return to eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables along with sources of lean protein.  Dr Cordain recognized that at the cellular level there are certain things that are occurring when we eat certain types of foods.  He recognized that some food caused an acidic reaction in the body causing inflammation, while other foods were alkaline, decreasing inflammation.  I have read Dr Cordain’s books.  He loosely describes eating Paleo as 90% of your calories.  That leaves 10%.  Sometimes I think of this as 10% of daily calories coming from non paleo foods, weekly calories, or just 10% of that specific meal’s calories!  There is validity to this eating plan.  Many of the foods available today are highly processed, and may not be recognized as food source at the cellular level.  I have known many people ‘who have gone’ Paleo.  I have seen this concept used to the extreme.  This generally leads to an unhappy, cranky person, and eventually failure.  Dr Cordain and Joe Friel co-authored a book, Paleo Diet for Athletes.  The Paleo diet doesn’t exclude carbohydrates from the diet, it  encourages the right kind of carbohydrates.  And remember there’s always 10%!  Use it!

EAT:

• Grass-produced meats
• Fish/seafood
• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds
• Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut)

DON’T EAT:

• Cereal grains
• Legumes (including peanuts)
• Dairy
• Refined sugar
• Potatoes
• Processed foods
• Salt
• Refined vegetable oils

The Zone Diet

There have been some changes in recent years to this diet.  It used to be set up in a more 20-20-40 type scale.  These were the percentages of your calories that came from protein, fat, and carbohydrates.  They have definitely simplified their techniques describing it in terms of My Plate.  You take a plate, and put 1/3rd lean protein, and then, fill the rest with fruits and vegetables.  Can’t go wrong with that image!   I love this picture of the food guide pyramid they developed.  I can not at all disagree with it.  We may want to think about flipping the top two levels, especially if we’re endurance athletes.

“Dr. Barry Sears is a leading authority on the impact of the diet on hormonal response, genetic expression, and inflammation.

A former research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Sears has dedicated his research efforts over the past 30 years to the study of lipids.

Dr. Sears has published more than 30 scientific articles and holds 13 U.S. patents in the areas of intravenous drug delivery systems and hormonal regulation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. He has also written 13 books, including the New York Times #1 best-seller “The Zone”. These books have sold more than 6 million copies in the U.S. and have been translated into 22 different languages.

His research has elevated food from more than simply a source of calories to being recognized as an exceptionally powerful drug with the ability to control the expression of our genes. Because of his revolutionary research, Dr. Sears has been a frequent guest on many national programs such as, 20/20, Today, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, CNN, and MSNBC.”

Dean Ornish, MD

I first learned about Dean Ornish when I was working for Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico in Cardiac Rehabilitation .  Dr Ornish explains that we have the power to reverse heart disease and potentially eliminate cancer by decreasing our fat intake to 10% and eating primarily plants and plant protein.  He’s spot on and his research is conclusive.  We can indeed decrease atherosclerosis in the arteries by eating 10% or less of our daily calories from fat.

“The first program scientifically proven to “undo” (reverse) heart disease by optimizing four important areas of your life:

Participants experience the program within a small consistent group, who all have the common goal of reversing their heart disease and improving their well-being.

Fat — No more than 10% of calories are from fat. This is achieved by not adding any fats, oils, seeds, nuts, avocados, coconut and olives to a mostly plant-based diet. The 10% of calories from fat comes from fat that occurs naturally in grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes and soy foods.
Cholesterol — No more than 10 milligrams of cholesterol per day. To meet this goal, non-fat dairy products are limited to 2 servings per day. Non-fat dairy products are optional. Soy products can be used instead of dairy products because they are cholesterol free.
Animal Products — Meat, poultry, fish and any products made from these foods are eliminated. Non-fat dairy foods (no more than 2 servings/day) and egg whites are included.
Calories — Unrestricted unless weight loss is desired. Small frequent meals spread throughout the day help avoid hunger and keep energy levels constant. Portion control will assist in reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight and controlling blood sugar levels.
Sugar — Permitted in moderation. No more than 2 servings/day including non-fat sweets. A serving is equivalent to 1 tablespoon or 12 grams of sugar.
Caffeine — All sources of caffeine are eliminated, including regular and decaffeinated coffees and teas, chocolate, cocoa, and regular or decaffeinated dark colas, with the exception of green tea. Caffeine’s effect on the central nervous system interferes with the mind body connection and therefore meditation and relaxation. Why is green tea an exception? Evidence from recent studies on tea shows that the health benefits of green tea outweigh the risks for most individuals. Green tea contains a variety of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, especially the flavonoids such as catechins, which may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Individuals with arrhythmia and elevated stress should still avoid any caffeinated beverage. Although green tea contains some caffeine and its caffeine content is lower than that found in coffee, black or oolong teas and caffeinated cola soft drinks, it should be limited to no more than 2 cups per day. Additionally, decaffeinated green tea can be consumed. Be sure to purchase green tea that has been decaffeinated with the “effervescence” method (uses water and carbon dioxide), which preserves most of the polyphenols present in regular green tea. Naturally caffeine-free herbal teas, grain-based coffees (i.e. Postum, Caffix and Roma), carob powder, Sprite, 7-Up or Ginger Ale are also good alternatives. For more information on the benefits of green tea, see Dr. Ornish’s recent column, Touting Tea.
Sodium — Moderate salt use, unless medically indicated otherwise.
Alcohol — Allowed in small amounts but not encouraged. If consumed, enjoy one serving a day: 1.5 ounces liquor, 4 ounces wine or 12 ounces beer.
Soy — One serving per day of a “full-fat” soy food. A full-fat soy food is one that contains greater than 3 grams of fat per serving, with none of the fat coming from added fats or oils. Always read the label for portion sizes and ingredient content.
Supplements— A low dose multivitamin and mineral supplement with B-12 (without iron, if not of childbearing age), fish oil and, possibly upon the advice of a physician, calcium supplements. Antioxidant vitamins and folic acid are optional and are based on health history and nutritional intake of these nutrients.”

 

 

Raw Food Diet

From US News Health Report: 

Gluten Free Diet Gluten is the thick protein binding part of grains, it is found in wheat, rye, barley, and any derivative of.  A gluten free diet was initially introduced to aid in the treatment of Celiac’s disease.  In recent years eating gluten free has become almost trendy.  I suffer from Celiac’s disease so of course I don’t eat Gluten.  I don’t eat Gluten Free, which can be 2% gluten.  I eat NO Gluten.  More and more people are eating gluten free, which is good for me, when I’m cheating.  Too much grain, really isn’t that great for us anyways.  It causes inflammation within the body.  It’s no surprise that people would feel better not eating gluten, primarily because they are eating less baked goods, which are heavily processed, and packed with sugar.  When it comes down to it, a cupcake is a cupcake, and it doesn’t matter if it’s gluten free or jammed pack full of gluten.  I do speculate that we are seeing more sensitivities to gluten in this day in age because we are eating more genetically modified Dwarf Wheat, which is grown to have 3 x the amount of gluten in it.  If we’re getting 3 x more gluten in our wheat, it makes sense to me that we may see more adverse reactions to it.

Atkins Diet

Has been known as a diet based on eating high levels of protein which can help you lose weight.

Dr. Atkins, a well-known cardiologist, limited his patients’ intake of sugar and carbohydrates. As a result, many of his patients successfully lost weight and kept it off – even though they had previously been unsuccessful on regular low-calorie diets!

The key was understanding that everyone’s metabolism can use two different types of fuel for energy – either sugar (and carbs that are quickly turned into sugar by the body), or fat. But the type of fuel you burn can have a big difference in losing or maintaining weight. A typical diet reduces calories, but is still high in carbohydrates (and thus sugar). As a result, many people constantly cycle between sugar “highs” (where excess sugar is actually stored as fat in the body) and sugar “lows” (where you feel fatigued and ravenously hungry – for more carbs and sugar). For many, it’s really hard to lose weight that way.

Atkins, on the other hand, limits carbohydrates (sugar), so the body burns fat, including body fat, for fuel. This approach leaves the body steadily fueled, and weight is lost, even when more calories are being consumed. Steady fueling also means more constant energy levels all day long, and less hunger and cravings! You can actually lose weight while feeling full! The science behind the Atkins principles has been proven by over 80 clinical studies!

If counting calories hasn’t worked for you in the past – try Atkins – it may be the perfect approach for you!

Counting Calories:

I come from the era of the 70’s and 80’s where there was a deep routed theory that eating less calories would help you lose weight.  I grew up in a house of Weight Watchers.  Weight Watchers has changed dramatically since the “olden days”.   We’re talking caloric deprivation to between 600-1000 calories per day.  Of course, at times, this type of eating plan can work.  Severely restricted calorie diets should only be done under the care of a medical doctor.  This type of eating plan generally requires eating almost all of your calories from protein.. Generally in the long run, it will cause extra weight gain, especially in the realm of fat.  Our bodies don’t know the difference between, I’m starving, and we’re going to eat later.  It only knows I am starving.  It will slow down your metabolism into what we’ve always called “starvation mode”.  When our bodies do this it takes everything we do eat, and stores it as fat.  It’s also something that cannot be maintained.  It’s being set up for failure.

Lean for a Healthier You:

Eat Lean.  Eat High Carbohydrates, because they are low in fat.  Eat only lean protein and Fat Free.  You’ve heard it all before.  It doesn’t work.  We need fat.  Our bodies were designed to eat fat, of course, the right kind of fat, “healthy fat”.   Healthy fat, eat all you want, nuts, avocados, olive oil.  The last time I did a dietary analysis, 40% of my calories were coming from fat.  I’m not fat.  I’m pretty skinny, actually.  I have a little bit of extra cushion but this is most likely related to the potato chips, I love, and the dark chocolate I eat every night.  Or the cupcakes I treat myself to.  Not the almonds, cashews, and walnuts I like.  Or the dark meat chicken, the egg yolks or grass fed beef I eat.

My Plate

 Is the latest attempt by the government to educate Americans how to eat.  My Plate is brought to us by the USDA who, as you remember, also brought us the Basic Four Food Groups, and the Food Guide Pyramid, which failed miserably.

I’m easily amused when it comes to the USDA and our government trying to give Americans a plan to follow when it comes to eating.

I studied nutrition extensively while I was in college.  My perspective has changed dramatically over the last 20 years.  When I was in school we learned the Food Guide Pyramid.  When I was younger, it was the basic 4 food groups.  Now we have My Plate.  I do believe there are some good intentions behind these recommendations.  What we know as true, is that even in the light of these recommendations put forth by the governing bodies, we are still continuing to see a rise in obesity and obesity related disease, and I ask, why?  My answer, this approach isn’t working.

I have learned so much in the last 20 years.  And I’m sure having read the above, you too can recognize, what may possibly be wrong with the recommendations shown left.

Yes, my 1st point is based on Paleo theory.  We are the only species on the globe that eats/drinks another species’ milk.  I do believe our bodies aren’t designed to handle dairy, and more specifically cow’s milk.  I especially don’t think our systems were designed to handle dairy in large quantities.  And you can put you money on the fact that indeed the Dairy Council was involved in the funding.

Our bodies neutralize our systems Ph by taking calcium out of the bones, or degenerating muscle tissue.  Our culture has been adding dairy, and calcium supplements to our diets in the hopes that this will maintain our bones’ strength integrity.  We are seeing the opposite of that.  We are seeing a linear increase in osteoporosis/osteopenia even in the presence of dairy and calcium supplementation in our diets.  This means what we’re doing is not working.  I speculate that it’s not working because calcium is coming out of our bones to maintain homeostasis because the traditional western diet causes acidity within our physiological systems.  Adding dairy is not the answer.  We know that there is one Northern European group that has the proper enzymes to be able to digest cow’s milk.  It’s highly likely, not us.

Grains.  Yes, whole, unprocessed grains can be an essential part of your daily diet.  Grains also cause an inflammatory response in the body, causing a shift in our Ph to acidity.  Not that we want to refrain from eating all grains, I don’t think it’s a necessity in our diet,  at every one of our meals.  We should think about making the vegetable portions bigger and diminishing the grain portion.   If we exercise less than an hour a day, I don’t believe we need any grains on our plate.  If we’re doing two or more hours of exercise per day, or in any given day, then, yes, have some grains.  Otherwise, it’s likely you can do without most days of the week.

These are the Zoefitness Guidelines:

It should never be a diet.  We should never be on a diet.  Let’s change the way we think about it, and think about it, as changing the way we eat.

Let’s establish an eating plan.

Yes, we should eat right for our blood type based on what our geographical origins we’re from.

Yes, we should eat more grass fed, free range sources of protein.  We’ve learned recently it not only matters what we eat, but what we eat eats.  As a society our Omega 6’s are out of control.  They are out of balance with our Omega 3’s.  That’s because we’re not eating grass fed, it’s because we are eating corn fed.  The animals we’ve recently began to eat are high in Omega 6’s and now so are we.  Free Range, or Pasture Raised, means they exercise.  It means they’re leaner, and healthier, and we will be too.

Yes, eat more fruit and vegetables!

Yes, eat more Raw food = fruits and vegetables.

Yes, eat less meat; eat at least one meal per week vegetarian.   If you have cancer or heart disease then yes, eat more in line with Dean Ornish’s work, or if you don’t want to get cancer!

Yes, eat more nuts!

Yes, eat to decrease inflammation!  Alkaline foods are  fruits and vegetables.

Yes, eat less gluten!

Yes, count your calories!   You should be getting about 2000 per day.

Yes, eat less dairy!

Yes, eat fewer grains!

Yes, eat less processed foods!

Yes, eat less sugar!

Not one eating plan is the same.

Not one eating plan is right.

The secret is to combine all of the eating plans, because there are parts to each plan that is right.

Always remember;

The best eating plan is the plan that works,

For Life.