Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Update on Metabolism Miracle

Have been following the Metabolism Miracle plan for 3 weeks now. I do feel better following this plan, likely because I am consuming fewer carbs and at the right intervals. Long term this diet may get old, but I believe the key is to vary the foods you eat. You don't lose weight fast on this plan, which is generally a good thing. But if you want a few more pounds to come off, then they would otherwise, then I believe the key would be to pay close attention to the fats you are consuming on this plan. I am migrating towards making more of my proteins to be fish and shellfish. They are plentiful where I live, and I have found that I always lose weight faster when increasing my fish intake.

When doing so, there are plenty of warnings out there about not consuming too much fish that are high in mercury (generally the bigger fish). I stick to fish caught locally (trout, flounder, redfish, etc.) as well as Salmon (wild caught only). Shellfish are my favorite and shrimp and blue crabs are plentiful right now. Shrimp may have a bit more cholesterol, but as is pointed out the cholesterol in you food isn't as important as what your body produces. Following the Metabolism Miracle plan should manage your cholesterol very well.

The Metabolis Miracle plan has produced as advertised thus far. As with any diet plan, you just need to find out what works best for you.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Hmmm....the Metabolism Miracle Seems to Make a Lot of Sense


I haven't posted in a long while. I stuck to the Ideal Protein diet for a while and lost a good amount of weight, about 40 lbs. But in the subsequent year(s), have gained it all back.

I was slowly getting back to the low carb lifestyle, with the Sugar Busters diet, when I decided to check out "The Metabolism Miracle" by Diane Kress. I've read through most of the book, and it seems to make a whole lot of sense. Most of what she describes in the book fits me to a T. I have been successful on low carb diets, but only to a point. Then as soon as I reintroduce carbs, I start to put the weight back on.

She describes this as having an alternate metabolism which she coins as "Metabolism "B". Those with Metabolism B can only handle a certain amount of carbs at a time. Which is why the basics of the diet involve counting carbs over a 5 hour period. During the first phase of the diet, you can have up to 5 grams of carbs every 5 hours, which she calls the 5x5 plan.

Like all other low carb diets, she explains that there are different types of carbs, some better than others, and yes this diet stresses the use of the "good carbs". One of the many interesting facts about this book, is her simple definition of how many grams of carbs are in a particular food item. You simply take the total grams of carbs/serving and subtract the grams of dietary fiber/serving and you get the net grams of carb/serving. Many of the low carb foods on the market use a substitute for sugar, called sugar alcohol. She explains that the body processes the sugar alcohol similarly as sugar, and hence it counts as carb grams.

I have just begun this diet, the first phase of it which she calls "Carb Rehab", pretty funny. Great explanations on the scientific reasoning behind this plan are included in the book. Even if you decide not to follow this program, it is a great read, and can help you understand how your body processes carbs. Check it out, "The Metabolism Miracle", by Diane Kress.

I will be posting at least weekly with more insight on the diet, as well as how I am faring on it, including recipes. I always like creating new recipes to fit a diet plan. Although the book does contain quite a few new recipes for me to try.

She recommends weighing only after the first 8 weeks, but I'll likely step on the scale after 4 to get an idea of how it is going.