CRON Perfection

I set myself a task for today; to create a CRON perfect meal plan, and managed to come up with one day that reaches targets for 100% of the RDA for vitamins and minerals and with relatively low calories and an acceptable macronutrient balance.

I’ll keep working at it to see what else I can come up with. This could keep me busy for hours!

I am also a little concerned that some of the values are too high, but I am all for variety, so I wouldn't recommend eating the same foods each day. I am hoping that a longer term plan would provide more balance.

Ultimately I would like to create a whole week of menus and streamline the calories if possible. It also seems like a lot of food. I usually don't like to be chewing all day.

I'm not sure if I will actually use this plan, maybe I'll give it a try but I just really enjoy playing around the numbers to see what I can create.

One day, through all the experience and trial and error, I'll create absolute CRON perfection!


Breakfast:

1 cup fat free yogurt
1 small banana
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
¼ cup rice bran
Stevia to taste
1 cup green tea

Lunch:
100 g cottage cheese
1 tablespoon mustard
1 small carrot
1 cup peeled cucumber
12 almonds
1 cup peppermint tea

Afternoon Snack:
1 1/2 cups raw spinach
8 spears of asparagus steamed
100 grams grape tomato
½ tablespoon tahini
Juice of ½ lemon
1 clove garlic
(Make a salad dressing by combining lemon juice, tahini and crushed garlic with just enough water to thin to desired consistency).

Dinner:
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
100 g steamed green beans
1 2.5 inch diameter potato boiled
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
100 g pink salmon canned with bones
1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Evening Snack:
1 cup fresh papaya
1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
1 cup chamomile tea

===========================================
Energy 1199.7 kcal 74%
Protein 81.9 g 81%
Carbs 146.5 g 65%
Fiber 32.1 g 128%
Fat 42.3 g 94%
Water 1959.2 g 73%

Vitamins (100%)
===========================================
Vitamin A 21752.2 IU 932%
Folate 665.1 µg 166%
B1 (Thiamine) 2.2 mg 198%
B2 (Riboflavin) 1.9 mg 175%
B3 (Niacin) 27.1 mg 194%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 7.8 mg 156%
B6 (Pyridoxine) 3.2 mg 243%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 7.2 µg 298%
Vitamin C 213.9 mg 285%
Vitamin D 466.0 IU 233%
Vitamin E 15.5 mg 103%
Vitamin K 516.9 µg 574%

Minerals (100%)
===========================================
Calcium 1341.5 mg 134%
Copper 2.5 mg 279%
Iron 18.0 mg 100%
Magnesium 683.1 mg 213%
Manganese 7.9 mg 442%
Phosphorus 1996.2 mg 285%
Potassium 4654.9 mg 99%
Selenium 87.7 µg 159%
Sodium 1918.1 mg 128%
Zinc 11.0 mg 138%

Lipids (66%)
===========================================
Saturated 7.1 g 35%
Omega-3 3.6 g 326%
Omega-6 11.6 g 97%

White wine and almonds

Well didn't resist the wine, but kept it to one glass and ended the day well under target for calories, but still with some work to do on the optimal nutrition aspect. I can see it may take some time to fine tune things.

I did a little bit of research about the mineral content in wine and most seem to be of the opinion that wine contributes little of value in terms of vitamins and minerals although this site states:

"The mineral composition of wine is special as it contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, sulfates, phosphoruses, all of which necessary to cover daily needs of human beings."

Other sites state that wine is a good source of potassium but that it may imbalance electrolytes so I guess this would negate any potential advantage.

Here is an interesting article about the difference between red and white wine from a health perspective, and it appears although white wine has less antioxidants then red, the antioxidants it does contain are more effective. The article concluded that it doesn't matter which type of wine is consumed, so this is good news to me. I really do prefer to drink white and it feels more harmonious to me with the type of diet that I generally consume.

I am already noticing some patterns in my dietary intake. I tend to be low on vitamin E especially, and calcium, iron and zinc are also something I am going to pay extra attention to.

I discovered if I add an ounce of almonds to my diet every day this provides almost half the daily requirement for vitamin E so it seems like this would be a great food to include in my diet on a regular basis.

Yesterday's food:
I felt like I ate a lot but the calories were quite low and especially considering I had a glass of wine!

Breakfast:
Soy latte
Watermelon bluberry juice

Lunch:
125 g Cottage cheese, 2 T mustard,100g baby carrots, 1/2 cup cucumber, medium mandarin

Dinner:
100g seared tuna, 1 t olive oil, 1 clove garlic, 100g baby green beans, 1 italian tomato, 1 cup arugula, 2 t red wine vinegar, squeeze of lime.
5 oz dry white wine.

Dessert:
Fat free prune yogurt

===========================================
Nutrition Summary for 26 April 2007
===========================================

General (54%)
===========================================
Energy 886.3 kcal 49%
Protein 61.2 g 55%
Carbs 99.7 g 40%
Fiber 15.9 g 64%
Fat 18.9 g 38%
Water 2135.4 g 79%

Vitamins (78%)
===========================================
Vitamin A 21744.9 IU 932%
Folate 198.4 µg 50%
B1 (Thiamine) 0.9 mg 84%
B2 (Riboflavin) 0.9 mg 85%
B3 (Niacin) 12.5 mg 89%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 4.4 mg 88%
B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.4 mg 104%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 12.8 µg 535%
Vitamin C 88.4 mg 118%
Vitamin D 34.3 IU 17%
Vitamin E 6.2 mg 41%
Vitamin K 73.0 µg 81%

Minerals (75%)
===========================================
Calcium 527.3 mg 53%
Copper 1.0 mg 114%
Iron 7.9 mg 44%
Magnesium 234.8 mg 73%
Manganese 2.3 mg 125%
Phosphorus 744.0 mg 106%
Potassium 2055.0 mg 44%
Selenium 71.6 µg 130%
Sodium 1298.5 mg 87%
Zinc 3.7 mg 47%

Lipids (40%)
===========================================
Saturated 4.1 g 20%
Omega-3 2.0 g 184%
Omega-6 2.8 g 23%
Cholesterol 47.0 mg 16%

Finding my way

So I am on my fourth day of tracking my intake after a three month break from calorie restriction. I am doing pretty well adjusting to the reduction in calories but I can see that the optimizing nutrition aspect of things is going to take a little bit of work. I am going to have to make some effort researching high nutrient and low calorie foods if I am going to reach my nutritional targets while maintaining low calories.

In the past when I was on a low calorie diet I was always taking supplements. I carefully evaluated my calorie intake for quite some time and always reached above targets for every nutrient analyzed. However I tended to rely very heavily on protein drinks for a large proportion of my calorie intake and I have come to believe that a diet of whole foods are absolutely essential for maintaining optimal health. Even though the numbers looked good my health and energy were suffering with this approach.

So this time around I am putting my energy into getting all of my nutrition from food. That is what my body is designed to do after all. If this means my calories need to be a little higher for a while then that’s okay. This is a lifestyle, not a diet, and there is no rush to get anywhere fast. I can take my time, learn something new every day, and work towards creating the best possible diet for me in terms of nutrition as well as what is going to work for me in the long term.

Here are yesterday’s results. I think I did a pretty good job estimating calories – maybe overestimating some things and underestimating others, but it is good enough for my purposes at the moment.

Meal 1: Yams (about a cup) with palm sugar syrup (2 T) and grated coconut (2 T) and 100 g cottage cheese

Meal 2: Steamed tofu with lawar – about ½ cup (Balinese dish of stir fried vegetables – mung sprouts, fern leaf tips and snake beans - and grated fresh coconut) .
Green salad with 1/3 avocado, cucumber, green pepper, steamed green beans, olive oil dressing.
1 cup fresh papaya.

===========================================
Nutrition Summary for 25 April 2007
===========================================

General (72%)
===========================================
Energy 1158.7 kcal 65%
Protein 43.8 g 39%
Carbs 142.0 g 57%
Fiber 24.8 g 99%
Fat 53.8 g 108%
Water 2019.9 g 75%

Vitamins (67%)
===========================================
Vitamin A 5048.0 IU 216%
Folate 329.9 µg 82%
B1 (Thiamine) 0.7 mg 61%
B2 (Riboflavin) 1.0 mg 92%
B3 (Niacin) 8.0 mg 57%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 2.8 mg 57%
B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.3 mg 98%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 0.7 µg 30%
Vitamin C 235.5 mg 314%
Vitamin D 0.0 IU 0%
Vitamin E 6.2 mg 41%
Vitamin K 77.2 µg 86%

Minerals (82%)
===========================================
Calcium 815.9 mg 82%
Copper 1.7 mg 185%
Iron 9.9 mg 55%
Magnesium 233.7 mg 73%
Manganese 4.6 mg 256%
Phosphorus 763.5 mg 109%
Potassium 2909.5 mg 62%
Selenium 42.9 µg 78%
Sodium 1443.7 mg 96%
Zinc 5.6 mg 70%

Lipids (69%)
===========================================
Saturated 14.4 g 72%
Omega-3 1.9 g 173%
Omega-6 17.7 g 148%
Cholesterol 8.0 mg 3%

Today seems to be looking better in terms of nutrition. So far I am on 452 calories and have already met 51% of vitamins and 49% of minerals. Now if I can just resist that bottle of wine tonight, we might actually be making some progress here.

How can it be that wine has no minerals? Surely it must at least have some potassium. Off to research …

A Lifestyle Choice

Calorie restriction and applying discipline to dietary practice for me is a lifestyle that has brought a sense of emotional calmness and greater clarity of mind which then extends to influence other aspects of my life. When I am restricting my calories with awareness of optimal nutrition I feel I am in my purpose, and everything else that I apply my attention to, flows naturally and with ease.

Calorie restriction may well be the key to extending human lifespan, but unlike many others, personally this is not my primary motivation for undertaking this life path.

The ability of human beings to produce changes in our lives through what begins as a simple intention or aspiration is profound. I think it is absolutely incredible that we can transform our physicality and emotional state simply by applying changes in our diet.

What begins as pure intention is expressed in the physical form. However in order for this to come to fruition it requires consistency of discipline which becomes a demonstration of our integrity as we follow though on the decision to make the change. In this way dietary discipline can be a powerful tool for self transformation and realization.

Challenges will no doubt arise when applying our intelligence and will in situations where it may be much easier to just give in to primal desires and socialized behaviors, however these challenges become a device for learning more about ourselves as well as other people. Growing and learning through these challenges increases emotional awareness and ultimately becomes a very empowering process for those who are open to the experience.

I know this way of thinking is probably not usual among those who undertake a calorie restricted lifestyle while attempting to optimize nutrition. Don’t get me wrong. For me the effects of this regime on my health have been dramatic and achieving the best possible state of health is extremely important to me. But even if CRON was found to have no intrinsic health advantages, I would still choose this direction for my life, because I believe that these emotional and spiritual aspects have a positive influence on my health and wellbeing from a holistic perspective.

Cleansing Detox Drink

This is a wonderful drink when you feel in need of a good cleanse and is also great for colds and flus. It is also a very refreshing drink on a hot afternoon. It provides almost a quarter of the daily requirements for both vitamin A and vitamin C.

You can adjust the sweetener to suit your tastes. I like to use stevia in addition to the honey to keep the calories and added sugars low but I wouldn't advise using only stevia as the honey really improves the flavor, and I think it is necessary to balance the sour flavor of the limes.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup fresh mint leaves
Juice of two medium limes or lemons
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon honey
Stevia to taste

Method:

Place all ingredients in the blender with about a cup of ice and blend well.

Serves 2.

Nutrition Information:
(Per serve)

Calories: 53
Protein: 0.7 g
Carbs: 14.4 g
Fat: 0g
Fiber: 1.2 g
Sugars: 9.4 g

What Does 200 Calories Look Like?

We all know that calorie restriction is a proven method for weight loss and research is indicating some incredible health benefits as well, but different foods have great variation in their caloric density. In other words you can eat large amounts of some foods for the same amount of calories as small portions of other foods.

Here is a great site that helps to put things into perspective and may help you to make healthier choices.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm

Keeping Track of Things

I downloaded the CRON-O- Meter yesterday and I have to say that so far my impressions are that it is very user friendly. It may not have quite such an extensive database as my regular nutritional tracking software but it is organized in a way that makes it really easy to see the nutritional breakdown of the diet.

I especially like the way that, at a glance, I can see the vitamin and mineral intakes for the day and how close I am to the targets for optimal nutrition.

And it is a free program as well. You can download your own copy here:

http://spaz.ca/cronometer/

So now that I have a new toy :) I am seriously contemplating the idea of tracking my nutritional intake again. I’ve been on an extended calorie counting holiday lately and quite frankly I have enjoyed the break, but I am feeling (and seeing) that my diet needs to be adjusted in order to improve my clarity and balance on all levels.

The main challenge for me in my current life situation is that I am not preparing most of my meals. I am living in Bali at the moment, and it is generally more economical and enjoyable to eat out, except that this means if I am going to attempt to track calories I will need to estimate a large proportion of my daily intake.

So in many ways I am excited about tracking my intake again, but I can see it is not going to be precise as I would like. However I have a feeling that this is going to be better than not tracking at all because I need to retrain myself to remember what my ideal calorie intake looks like.

And I’ve recently developed a taste for a glass (or two) of good wine a few times a week, after being a complete abstainer for about ten years, so the calories in alcohol is something I am going to have to look into and see how it will fit into my total dietary pattern.

I am not going to be aiming for a specific daily calorie target as I prefer to work on averages. It works best for me if I have a little more freedom on the weekends, even if that means being more disciplined all week. That way I experience the best of both worlds; the calmness and clarity that is obtained from a daily routine and the sense of liberation through breaking the routine while maintaining awareness.

The Calorie Restriction Diet: A Healthy Lifestyle, or an Eating Disorder?

Julian Dibble's article about the Calorie Restriction Diet has sparked a debate about the difference between CRON and eating disorders. Read more here:

http://ruddsoundbites.typepad.com/rudd_sound_bites/2007/04/the_calorie_res.html

Calorie Restriction Society Website

The website of the Calorie Restriction Society is a wonderful resource if you are interested in finding out more about Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition (CRON).

The site provides information for those new to a calorie restricted diet which is invaluable to help to ease the transition into this lifestyle.

Calorie restriction is not just about eating less; it is important to be aware of achieving adequate nutritional intake while restricting calories.

The Calorie Restriction Society website also has information about the potential risks of undertaking a diet that is low in calories.

This is a great starting point for learning more about CRON.

The Ultra Extreme Calorie Restriction Diet

Is a life lived on the edge of starvation worth living?

Read about the personal experiences of Julian who experimented with a calorie restricted diet for two months.

http://nymag.com/news/features/23169/