You can now find me here:
http://www.calorie-restriction-diet.com
This site is no longer active and comments have been disabled.
If anyone has a CRON blog or healthy food blog and wishes to be added to the links page at my new blog please email mizzi@nourishingperspectives.com
I am always interested in reading about other people's experiences with diet and nutrition and would love to hear from you!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Psychological Effects of Calorie Restriction
Here is a very interesting link to a PowerPoint presentation created by Dean Pomerleau who is a practitioner of a Calorie Restriction who obviously takes a very disciplined approach to his practice.
Dean has stated in media interviews that the psychological benefits that he has experienced with Calorie Restriction, including a pronounced calming effect, are the primary reason why he is committed to this lifestyle.
Psychological Effects of Calorie Restriction
Text version is available here.
Dean has stated in media interviews that the psychological benefits that he has experienced with Calorie Restriction, including a pronounced calming effect, are the primary reason why he is committed to this lifestyle.
Psychological Effects of Calorie Restriction
Text version is available here.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Let Them Eat Cake!
I really would prefer not to estimate my calories but that’s the compromise I make to live a relatively ‘normal’ life. I love doing CR but I don’t want it to dominate my life to the point where it interferes with my social relationships and general ability to be spontaneous and enjoy living in the moment.
Plus I love food too much and especially being in a foreign country I savor the experiences of trying new foods. Hey, anytime I love having new or just wonderful food experiences. And there is no need to give that up with a CRON lifestyle. Anything can be built into the plan as long as the total intake is balanced.
So the way that my life was yesterday I had to estimate most of my intake, but I’ve had a lot of experience with this so I think I am pretty good at it. Most of the time I tend to overestimate so if there are times I underestimate it should balance out okay.
Yesterday morning we had sweet potato with rice, grated coconut and date sugar syrup. I only had half of my serve and combined it with 4 ounces of cottage cheese to balance out the macronutrients and added a tablespoon of brewer’s yeast for the B vitamins. I also had a tablespoon of bee pollen.
Lunch was pretty well measured – 2 cups of cucumber and 2 tablespoons of mustard. Pretty simple. And because it was so low calorie I was able to relax about dinner.
I went for a walk with my husband into the center of town and we had dinner at a very cheap local place. The whole meal for both of us was just $3 and as it often is here in Bali these are the tastiest meals you find and with very fresh ingredients. I had tofu cooked with chayote in coconut milk, crispy sweet tempeh, spinach with mung bean sprouts and stir fried carrot, cauliflower, cabbage. I also had just a little red rice (about 3 tablespoons) which is a variety of brown rice with a really nutty flavor. A really healthy veggie meal which made me feel okay about having a glass of white wine after our walk home.
Total estimated intake for the day was 1143 with 88% vitamins and 92% minerals.
I’ve been having a much higher calorie intake this week – around 1200 – and while I think my energy has improved I often have the feeling that I am not really doing CR. I personally enjoy the feeling of lightness and mental clarity that I have with the lower intakes.
I thought about maybe incorporating some lower calorie days and mixing it up a bit. I think this is one possible approach to CRON. But I am not really sure about the feasibility of this method, particularly in terms of ensuring adequate nutrition especially in regard to water soluble vitamins. If anyone has experimented with this I would be very interested to hear of your experiences.
One way I have proceeded in the past was to have a lower calorie intake on weekdays and a higher intake on weekends beginning on Friday evening. This worked very well for me psychologically because I had the experience of lightness and discipline alternating with the feeling of freedom and being able to socialize normally on weekends. I also think having a higher calorie goal on weekends allows for inclusion of foods that would normally be avoided so this may improve nutritional status by increased variety of foods.
I am always seeking balance it seems. Yes I am thinking about my health in the long term. Obviously because why else would I spend so much time learning about nutrition and analyzing my intake? I would just eat low calorie foods and be done with it. This would be so much easier.
In order for this to be a lifestyle that I can sustain I need to be healthy and be able to maintain my energy or else what’s the point?
To be honest my major motivation for undertaking CRON is for the shorter term benefits and my increased quality of life here and now! Of course the two things are inseparable. Quality nutrition long term promotes improved life quality.
And this comes back to finding the balance between measurement and estimation; planning and spontaneity. CRON can provide so much freedom in ways that can only be experienced. Ironically structure and discipline within itself can promote a feeling of freedom; perhaps by leading to a perception of integrity because of overcoming challenges continually and finding the internal strength to continue to do what we have decided is right for us.
Everyone has to find their own way but personally I need to experience both sides of the spectrum. The times I have spent on detox diets and very low calorie diets I believe have enriched me immensely and contributed to my growth as a person. But my life experience would not be complete without a little bit of the opposite as well and for me that means being able to enjoy a good meal and a couple of glasses of wine every now and then, and sometimes even dessert.
Some people call that having your cake and eating it – well I say we can!
Plus I love food too much and especially being in a foreign country I savor the experiences of trying new foods. Hey, anytime I love having new or just wonderful food experiences. And there is no need to give that up with a CRON lifestyle. Anything can be built into the plan as long as the total intake is balanced.
So the way that my life was yesterday I had to estimate most of my intake, but I’ve had a lot of experience with this so I think I am pretty good at it. Most of the time I tend to overestimate so if there are times I underestimate it should balance out okay.
Yesterday morning we had sweet potato with rice, grated coconut and date sugar syrup. I only had half of my serve and combined it with 4 ounces of cottage cheese to balance out the macronutrients and added a tablespoon of brewer’s yeast for the B vitamins. I also had a tablespoon of bee pollen.
Lunch was pretty well measured – 2 cups of cucumber and 2 tablespoons of mustard. Pretty simple. And because it was so low calorie I was able to relax about dinner.
I went for a walk with my husband into the center of town and we had dinner at a very cheap local place. The whole meal for both of us was just $3 and as it often is here in Bali these are the tastiest meals you find and with very fresh ingredients. I had tofu cooked with chayote in coconut milk, crispy sweet tempeh, spinach with mung bean sprouts and stir fried carrot, cauliflower, cabbage. I also had just a little red rice (about 3 tablespoons) which is a variety of brown rice with a really nutty flavor. A really healthy veggie meal which made me feel okay about having a glass of white wine after our walk home.
Total estimated intake for the day was 1143 with 88% vitamins and 92% minerals.
I’ve been having a much higher calorie intake this week – around 1200 – and while I think my energy has improved I often have the feeling that I am not really doing CR. I personally enjoy the feeling of lightness and mental clarity that I have with the lower intakes.
I thought about maybe incorporating some lower calorie days and mixing it up a bit. I think this is one possible approach to CRON. But I am not really sure about the feasibility of this method, particularly in terms of ensuring adequate nutrition especially in regard to water soluble vitamins. If anyone has experimented with this I would be very interested to hear of your experiences.
One way I have proceeded in the past was to have a lower calorie intake on weekdays and a higher intake on weekends beginning on Friday evening. This worked very well for me psychologically because I had the experience of lightness and discipline alternating with the feeling of freedom and being able to socialize normally on weekends. I also think having a higher calorie goal on weekends allows for inclusion of foods that would normally be avoided so this may improve nutritional status by increased variety of foods.
I am always seeking balance it seems. Yes I am thinking about my health in the long term. Obviously because why else would I spend so much time learning about nutrition and analyzing my intake? I would just eat low calorie foods and be done with it. This would be so much easier.
In order for this to be a lifestyle that I can sustain I need to be healthy and be able to maintain my energy or else what’s the point?
To be honest my major motivation for undertaking CRON is for the shorter term benefits and my increased quality of life here and now! Of course the two things are inseparable. Quality nutrition long term promotes improved life quality.
And this comes back to finding the balance between measurement and estimation; planning and spontaneity. CRON can provide so much freedom in ways that can only be experienced. Ironically structure and discipline within itself can promote a feeling of freedom; perhaps by leading to a perception of integrity because of overcoming challenges continually and finding the internal strength to continue to do what we have decided is right for us.
Everyone has to find their own way but personally I need to experience both sides of the spectrum. The times I have spent on detox diets and very low calorie diets I believe have enriched me immensely and contributed to my growth as a person. But my life experience would not be complete without a little bit of the opposite as well and for me that means being able to enjoy a good meal and a couple of glasses of wine every now and then, and sometimes even dessert.
Some people call that having your cake and eating it – well I say we can!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Even Better
I finished the day yesterday with 99% vitamins and 100% minerals and it actually felt like an achievement. But I really had to work at it!
I had no appetite and only ate the last meal because I had planned for it and knew my nutrients would be much lower without it, especially the spinach.
I have come to realize just how essential leafy greens are on a CRON program. 2 cups of boiled spinach provides 50% of vitamins and 57% of minerals for just 83 calories. I love raw spinach as well but that would require eating 15 cups to get the equivalent nutrient content!
I really missed having a glass of wine yesterday too. It has become something I look forward to at the end of the day and for me it really helps my digestion as well but I think it is healthy to have at least a couple of completely alcohol free days a week.
So here is yesterday’s intake.
Breakfast:
1 very small piece of cake and a couple spoonfuls of spicy rice porridge (probably over-estimated at about 200 calories)
½ tablespoon bee pollen.
1 cup fat free yogurt
1 cup papaya
1 tablespoon brewer’s yeast
1 teaspoon honey
Lunch:
2 cups romaine lettuce
100g green beans
½ cup cherry tomato
1 whole egg and 1 white
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons celery leaves
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 medium kiwi fruit
Dinner:
1.5 cups boiled spinach
1 cup papaya
¼ avocado
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
And one strong coffee, two green teas and three herb teas.
I thought I bought flat leaf parsley but it was actually celery leaves which I couldn't find in the database so I recorded it as celery.
===========================================
Nutrition Summary for 9 May 2007
===========================================
General (71%)
===========================================
Energy 1043.7 kcal 58%
Protein 61.8 g 55%
Carbs 131.8 g 53%
Fiber 29.8 g 119%
Fat 37.8 g 76%
Water 2235.7 g 83%
Vitamins (99%)
===========================================
Vitamin A 38812.2 IU 1664%
Folate 896.9 µg 224%
B1 (Thiamine) 11.7 mg 1068%
B2 (Riboflavin) 2.9 mg 266%
B3 (Niacin) 22.4 mg 160%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 5.7 mg 114%
B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.8 mg 138%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 2.3 µg 96%
Vitamin C 320.4 mg 427%
Vitamin D 400.0 IU 200%
Vitamin E 14.2 mg 94%
Vitamin K 1521.4 µg 1690%
Minerals (100%)
===========================================
Calcium 1757.0 mg 176%
Copper 2.0 mg 222%
Iron 18.8 mg 104%
Magnesium 558.3 mg 174%
Manganese 5.4 mg 301%
Phosphorus 1085.5 mg 155%
Potassium 4644.9 mg 99%
Selenium 79.7 µg 145%
Sodium 2007.8 mg 134%
Zinc 9.6 mg 120%
Lipids (75%)
===========================================
Saturated 10.8 g 54%
Omega-3 1.6 g 146%
Omega-6 8.5 g 71%
Cholesterol 226.1 mg 75%
I had no appetite and only ate the last meal because I had planned for it and knew my nutrients would be much lower without it, especially the spinach.
I have come to realize just how essential leafy greens are on a CRON program. 2 cups of boiled spinach provides 50% of vitamins and 57% of minerals for just 83 calories. I love raw spinach as well but that would require eating 15 cups to get the equivalent nutrient content!
I really missed having a glass of wine yesterday too. It has become something I look forward to at the end of the day and for me it really helps my digestion as well but I think it is healthy to have at least a couple of completely alcohol free days a week.
So here is yesterday’s intake.
Breakfast:
1 very small piece of cake and a couple spoonfuls of spicy rice porridge (probably over-estimated at about 200 calories)
½ tablespoon bee pollen.
1 cup fat free yogurt
1 cup papaya
1 tablespoon brewer’s yeast
1 teaspoon honey
Lunch:
2 cups romaine lettuce
100g green beans
½ cup cherry tomato
1 whole egg and 1 white
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons celery leaves
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 medium kiwi fruit
Dinner:
1.5 cups boiled spinach
1 cup papaya
¼ avocado
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
And one strong coffee, two green teas and three herb teas.
I thought I bought flat leaf parsley but it was actually celery leaves which I couldn't find in the database so I recorded it as celery.
===========================================
Nutrition Summary for 9 May 2007
===========================================
General (71%)
===========================================
Energy 1043.7 kcal 58%
Protein 61.8 g 55%
Carbs 131.8 g 53%
Fiber 29.8 g 119%
Fat 37.8 g 76%
Water 2235.7 g 83%
Vitamins (99%)
===========================================
Vitamin A 38812.2 IU 1664%
Folate 896.9 µg 224%
B1 (Thiamine) 11.7 mg 1068%
B2 (Riboflavin) 2.9 mg 266%
B3 (Niacin) 22.4 mg 160%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 5.7 mg 114%
B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.8 mg 138%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 2.3 µg 96%
Vitamin C 320.4 mg 427%
Vitamin D 400.0 IU 200%
Vitamin E 14.2 mg 94%
Vitamin K 1521.4 µg 1690%
Minerals (100%)
===========================================
Calcium 1757.0 mg 176%
Copper 2.0 mg 222%
Iron 18.8 mg 104%
Magnesium 558.3 mg 174%
Manganese 5.4 mg 301%
Phosphorus 1085.5 mg 155%
Potassium 4644.9 mg 99%
Selenium 79.7 µg 145%
Sodium 2007.8 mg 134%
Zinc 9.6 mg 120%
Lipids (75%)
===========================================
Saturated 10.8 g 54%
Omega-3 1.6 g 146%
Omega-6 8.5 g 71%
Cholesterol 226.1 mg 75%
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
The Perfect Plan
Since I have realized how essential it is to plan when undertaking CRON I decided to see what I could come up with based on the foods I have available to me today.
This was after I had a couple of bites of some kind of date sugar cake and a couple of spoons of spicy rice porridge. The Balinese lady who lives near us is always bringing food which makes CRON a little challenging at times. Some things I can resist easily but the Balinese sweets are too good! Fortunately they are mostly pretty healthy - various combinations of sticky rice, coconut, palm sugar with accents of banana, peanuts, pumpkin, beans etc. As long as I remember portion control it is no problem.
Anyhow, I have created a diet which including the morning’s tastings (estimated), provides 99% of vitamins and minerals and just over 1000 calories. So the thing now is following through with the plan.
It's really interesting that the more I read about CRON the less extreme it seems to me. The CR society really is promoting a more moderate approach; maintaining BMI just on the low end of normal. And a carefully planned CRON diet is healthier than any other diet I've ever seen - weight loss or otherwise, especially when the nutrition is obtained from whole foods rather than supplements.
I think it is the way we were designed to function, we've just forgotten how to listen to our bodies and interact with our environment in a harmonious way.
This was after I had a couple of bites of some kind of date sugar cake and a couple of spoons of spicy rice porridge. The Balinese lady who lives near us is always bringing food which makes CRON a little challenging at times. Some things I can resist easily but the Balinese sweets are too good! Fortunately they are mostly pretty healthy - various combinations of sticky rice, coconut, palm sugar with accents of banana, peanuts, pumpkin, beans etc. As long as I remember portion control it is no problem.
Anyhow, I have created a diet which including the morning’s tastings (estimated), provides 99% of vitamins and minerals and just over 1000 calories. So the thing now is following through with the plan.
It's really interesting that the more I read about CRON the less extreme it seems to me. The CR society really is promoting a more moderate approach; maintaining BMI just on the low end of normal. And a carefully planned CRON diet is healthier than any other diet I've ever seen - weight loss or otherwise, especially when the nutrition is obtained from whole foods rather than supplements.
I think it is the way we were designed to function, we've just forgotten how to listen to our bodies and interact with our environment in a harmonious way.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
My CRON Zone
Thank you to all who responded to my previous post. It seems pretty clear that I haven’t been eating enough. I never thought that this would be something I would have to work on with CRON. It almost seems like the calorie restriction aspect is so much easier to manage than getting the nutrition right.
So after doing some number crunching I have come up with a range of around 1200-1500 which puts me in 20-30% CR as long as I keep up with my moderately active lifestyle. This should certainly make it easier to manage my RDA’s and hopefully increase my energy levels as well. And once I start to get a solid routine going maybe I can cut back a little and still maintain the optimal nutrition.
Deborah asked where is my comfort zone - and in terms of food intake I really do feel most comfortable with digestion and satiety at around 900 but more energetic with 1200. But what I have realized is that I can more easily get to the higher end of the calorie zone if I include more yogurt and fruits rather than trying to force the higher fat intake with extra oils and nuts. And I think I do quite well with a relatively high carbohydrate intake - around 55% - as long as I choose mostly low glycemic carbs. (The refined carbs are a different matter entirely - these make increasing the calories ridiculously easy).
It is a little difficult for me to measure my progress at the moment because I don’t have any scales, so it is not exactly objective, but I can see some changes in the last couple of weeks and I have definitely lost weight. I estimate my BMI to be around 19.5 at the moment so in accordance with the recommendations of the Calorie Restriction Society it is also probably best to take things a little slower.
In terms of my goals, based on my past experiences I feel healthiest and most energetic when my BMI is around 18, although there are other benefits in terms of my awareness and perception when I reach a lower weight. I think it comes down to quality of life and finding the balance between all of these factors.
Here is last week’s average intake: Things I need to work on are increasing protein, iron and vitamin E especially. I have started supplementing calcium this week and it is making it so much easier to reach my targets. A girl can only eat so much cottage cheese!
===========================================
Nutrition Summary
30 April 2007 to 6 May 2007
Daily Averages over 7 days
===========================================
General (60%)
===========================================
Energy 1087.5 kcal 61%
Protein 49.3 g 44%
Carbs 111.1 g 44%
Fiber 16.2 g 65%
Fat 40.6 g 81%
Water 1728.1 g 64%
Vitamins (85%)
===========================================
Vitamin A 18849.6 IU 808%
Folate 360.1 µg 90%
B1 (Thiamine) 0.7 mg 64%
B2 (Riboflavin) 1.3 mg 117%
B3 (Niacin) 11.8 mg 84%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 3.5 mg 71%
B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.3 mg 97%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 2.3 µg 98%
Vitamin C 385.8 mg 514%
Vitamin D 129.5 IU 65%
Vitamin E 8.5 mg 56%
Vitamin K 552.5 µg 614%
Minerals (85%)
===========================================
Calcium 754.0 mg 75%
Copper 1.4 mg 154%
Iron 11.5 mg 64%
Magnesium 330.2 mg 103%
Manganese 3.7 mg 208%
Phosphorus 736.6 mg 105%
Potassium 2609.4 mg 56%
Selenium 47.5 µg 86%
Sodium 1471.4 mg 98%
Zinc 5.4 mg 67%
Lipids (70%)
===========================================
Saturated 12.1 g 61%
Omega-3 1.8 g 162%
Omega-6 9.3 g 78%
Cholesterol 131.4 mg 44%
So after doing some number crunching I have come up with a range of around 1200-1500 which puts me in 20-30% CR as long as I keep up with my moderately active lifestyle. This should certainly make it easier to manage my RDA’s and hopefully increase my energy levels as well. And once I start to get a solid routine going maybe I can cut back a little and still maintain the optimal nutrition.
Deborah asked where is my comfort zone - and in terms of food intake I really do feel most comfortable with digestion and satiety at around 900 but more energetic with 1200. But what I have realized is that I can more easily get to the higher end of the calorie zone if I include more yogurt and fruits rather than trying to force the higher fat intake with extra oils and nuts. And I think I do quite well with a relatively high carbohydrate intake - around 55% - as long as I choose mostly low glycemic carbs. (The refined carbs are a different matter entirely - these make increasing the calories ridiculously easy).
It is a little difficult for me to measure my progress at the moment because I don’t have any scales, so it is not exactly objective, but I can see some changes in the last couple of weeks and I have definitely lost weight. I estimate my BMI to be around 19.5 at the moment so in accordance with the recommendations of the Calorie Restriction Society it is also probably best to take things a little slower.
In terms of my goals, based on my past experiences I feel healthiest and most energetic when my BMI is around 18, although there are other benefits in terms of my awareness and perception when I reach a lower weight. I think it comes down to quality of life and finding the balance between all of these factors.
Here is last week’s average intake: Things I need to work on are increasing protein, iron and vitamin E especially. I have started supplementing calcium this week and it is making it so much easier to reach my targets. A girl can only eat so much cottage cheese!
===========================================
Nutrition Summary
30 April 2007 to 6 May 2007
Daily Averages over 7 days
===========================================
General (60%)
===========================================
Energy 1087.5 kcal 61%
Protein 49.3 g 44%
Carbs 111.1 g 44%
Fiber 16.2 g 65%
Fat 40.6 g 81%
Water 1728.1 g 64%
Vitamins (85%)
===========================================
Vitamin A 18849.6 IU 808%
Folate 360.1 µg 90%
B1 (Thiamine) 0.7 mg 64%
B2 (Riboflavin) 1.3 mg 117%
B3 (Niacin) 11.8 mg 84%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 3.5 mg 71%
B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.3 mg 97%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 2.3 µg 98%
Vitamin C 385.8 mg 514%
Vitamin D 129.5 IU 65%
Vitamin E 8.5 mg 56%
Vitamin K 552.5 µg 614%
Minerals (85%)
===========================================
Calcium 754.0 mg 75%
Copper 1.4 mg 154%
Iron 11.5 mg 64%
Magnesium 330.2 mg 103%
Manganese 3.7 mg 208%
Phosphorus 736.6 mg 105%
Potassium 2609.4 mg 56%
Selenium 47.5 µg 86%
Sodium 1471.4 mg 98%
Zinc 5.4 mg 67%
Lipids (70%)
===========================================
Saturated 12.1 g 61%
Omega-3 1.8 g 162%
Omega-6 9.3 g 78%
Cholesterol 131.4 mg 44%
Friday, May 4, 2007
Balance
Today is the opposite of the last few days. I woke up feeling really hungry - even a little shaky. So I had a tablespoon of bee pollen which always helps in these moments. And then right on queue the Balinese lady next door brought me some black sticky rice with grated fresh coconut and palm sugar syrup for breakfast.
Not exactly staple CRON food but it was just what I needed today. Amazing how the body responds to create balance and just as amazing how our environment often gives us just what we need too!
I did a search to try to find out the nutrition information for black rice but no luck. It seems the 'World's Healthiest Foods' did the same thing and on this page they state that the nutritional composition is very similar to brown rice so I will record it in CRON-O-Meter as brown rice.
So my fellow CRONies - I have a question for you. How do you all decide where to set your calorie levels? As low as you can while still meeting RDA's?
According to CRON-O-Meter my daily requirement is almost 1800 which seems like a lot to me. But if I use this as a guide then I should probably be aiming for at least 1200 a day. It might actually be a good idea to keep the calories a little higher until I get my diet more fine tuned as well.
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