29 replies to this topic

[TheFountain]

I am looking to replace the calories in a couple of regular food items to hopefully tweak my diet even more than it is. I am looking for suggestions, trying to get away from processed foods. I need to replace these calories with something equal in calories but perhaps greater in macronutrients and moderate in carbs and sugars. I don't eat any meat except fish.

1-Low carb pasta. 300 calories.

2-Nuftachel cheese. 150 calories.

3-Jewish rye bread. 80 calories per slice. Usually about 2 slices a day with the cream cheese

The pasta and the bread I would like to get away from because they are not 'of this earth'. I am thinking of replacing at least the bread calories with pumpkin seeds. I am at a loss as to what replace the pasta calories with however.

Note: I already eat a lot of nuts, eggs, fish and green vegetables.

Edited by TheFountain, 26 April 2009 - 06:49 PM.

[RoadToAwe]

You could try Avocados. 2 Avocados would easily provide 300-400 calories and IMHO they are one of the most underrated food. Very few fruits(or vegetables) match the nutritional profile of an avocado.

[4eva]

Lentils are low in carbs and are a good protein source.

[Skötkonung]

Could you not just increase your portion size of nuts, eggs, fish and green vegetables slightly?

[TheFountain]

Could you not just increase your portion size of nuts, eggs, fish and green vegetables slightly?

They're already very high. For example I went through approximately 6 9 oz jars of nuts this past month alone. Didn't put a pound on me. But I don't think it took a pound off me either. I am just trying to diversify things rather than getting too much of a small group of the same thing. I eat a lot of vegetables, they don't put any solid calories on me despite their nutritional profiles. What I seek is high calorie, moderate carb and moderate fat foods (my fat consumption is already very high).

Edited by TheFountain, 27 April 2009 - 06:16 AM.

[TheFountain]

Lentils are low in carbs and are a good protein source.

I don't consider 19 grams of carbs per serving low carb. Besides they only provide 70 extra calories with that so i'd have to consume 2-3 servings to break even with the pasta, and I am trying to eliminate legumes.

Edited by TheFountain, 27 April 2009 - 06:19 AM.

[TheFountain]

You could try Avocados. 2 Avocados would easily provide 300-400 calories and IMHO they are one of the most underrated food. Very few fruits(or vegetables) match the nutritional profile of an avocado.

If I were to consume 2 avacados a day (at least where I live) it would cost me 80$ a month.

[JLL]

Fats/oils are cheap and have lots of calories. Palm oil, coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, pumpkin seed oil, etc. It's all good.

[TheFountain]

Fats/oils are cheap and have lots of calories. Palm oil, coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, pumpkin seed oil, etc. It's all good.

I am already consuming a lot of olive oil, heavy cream and coconut milk. Plus the fat in the nuts I am eating. When I eat more than 30-40 grams of fat (even the healthy fats) a day my body fat goes up and I start to notice it in my mid-section with or without my exercises.

Edited by TheFountain, 27 April 2009 - 06:53 AM.

[4eva]

I'm not sure what you are looking for in terms of diet.

Is your objective to bulk up? You sound like you can up your caloried count without gaining weight. You sound like you might be the type that finds it hard to put on muscle mass.
Maybe diet alone won't work.

Have you considered that creatine hight help you if you're a hard gainer. If you're a histadelic or an undermethylator then creatine might help you meet your objective. Undermethylators (or hard gainers) need to increase creatine levels with supplements. Methylation is important for creatine levels.
Histadelics can have a lanky build that makes it hard to increase muscle mass. And creatine levels might be the underlying issue. Have you ever tried creatine? SAMe?

You could try creatine or SAMe and B6, B9 and B12 (or a combo of both of those). Of course the right diet is important too.

[TheFountain]

I'm not sure what you are looking for in terms of diet.

Is your objective to bulk up? You sound like you can up your caloried count without gaining weight. You sound like you might be the type that finds it hard to put on muscle mass.
Maybe diet alone won't work.

Have you considered that creatine hight help you if you're a hard gainer. If you're a histadelic or an undermethylator then creatine might help you meet your objective. Undermethylators (or hard gainers) need to increase creatine levels with supplements. Methylation is important for creatine levels.
Histadelics can have a lanky build that makes it hard to increase muscle mass. And creatine levels might be the underlying issue. Have you ever tried creatine? SAMe?

You could try creatine or SAMe and B6, B9 and B12 (or a combo of both of those). Of course the right diet is important too.

Well currently my muscle mass is about this. http://4.bp.blogspot...Lee-Photo-2.jpg
My goal is to gain a slight bit more definition while maintaining optimal health markers, hence my desire to tweak my current dietary schematic.

In terms of gains I am currently taking L-Arginine with L-Ornithine for a metabolic/anabolic boost along with zinc picolinate to help keep my testosterone levels steady. I recently ordered some more essential amino acids and have been taking designer whey which has a decent Amino acid profile. I have never tried creatine before but It seems to be a recurring theme in muscle building circles so I may very well give it at least a trial of a few weeks to see what the results are. I think my main problem is increasing caloric intake without that translating to increasing fat stores. Which is why I seek foods that are high in calories without being so high in fat. And before you get into 'maybe you're not working out hard enough' I actually workout very hard and sweat quite a bit during my hour long work out sessions. So I know I am not slacking off in that department even though I could still tweak it up a bit.

Edited by TheFountain, 27 April 2009 - 10:05 AM.

[4eva]

I'm no expert on creatine but from what I've read on different forums it doesn't work for everyone. But it might be worth considering if you have tried everything else (modifying diet). It can't hurt to research it further.

Creatine and methylation are related. This link explains this connection.

http://www.creatinem...ethylation.html

[TheFountain]

I'm no expert on creatine but from what I've read on different forums it doesn't work for everyone. But it might be worth considering if you have tried everything else (modifying diet). It can't hurt to research it further.

Creatine and methylation are related. This link explains this connection.

http://www.creatinem...ethylation.html

I've also read that it gave several individuals kidney stones and a couple of people chest pains, maybe even heart problems due to its water retaining effects. Is anyone else here on creatine?

Edited by TheFountain, 27 April 2009 - 11:42 AM.

[4eva]

I have to wonder if kidney stones could have been a result of inadequate vitamin B6 levels. Creatine does effect methylation status. It is important to supplement the needed augmenting nutrients that are important for methylation (B6, B9, B12). Vitamin B6 levels are related to kidney stones.

I think any nutrient or nutritional supplement can be used inappropriately. Creatine is not a foreign substance in the body. I think its possible to take the wrong dose for one thing.

[Skötkonung]

I'm no expert on creatine but from what I've read on different forums it doesn't work for everyone. But it might be worth considering if you have tried everything else (modifying diet). It can't hurt to research it further.

Creatine and methylation are related. This link explains this connection.

http://www.creatinem...ethylation.html

I've also read that it gave several individuals kidney stones and a couple of people chest pains, maybe even heart problems due to its water retaining effects. Is anyone else here on creatine?

I've cycled creatine for several years. The only problem I have with it is headaches caused by dehydration. When taking creatine, you must consume more water than usual due to cell volumization. After a loading phase of one to two weeks, my performance in the gym increases slightly. By performance, I mean the ability to add volume to my exercise regimen without feeling as much fatigue. Creatine works, but its no sterioid or prohormone. Don't expect anything miraculous.

A sample loading phase is 20g daily for seven to fourteen days. Afterwards you can switch to 5g daily for maitenance. Cycle length should be one to two months.

TheFountain, can you please post a daily sample diet? I think that would help people better suggest what else you might want to include.

[TheFountain]

I'm no expert on creatine but from what I've read on different forums it doesn't work for everyone. But it might be worth considering if you have tried everything else (modifying diet). It can't hurt to research it further.

Creatine and methylation are related. This link explains this connection.

http://www.creatinem...ethylation.html

I've also read that it gave several individuals kidney stones and a couple of people chest pains, maybe even heart problems due to its water retaining effects. Is anyone else here on creatine?

I've cycled creatine for several years. The only problem I have with it is headaches caused by dehydration. When taking creatine, you must consume more water than usual due to cell volumization. After a loading phase of one to two weeks, my performance in the gym increases slightly. By performance, I mean the ability to add volume to my exercise regimen without feeling as much fatigue. Creatine works, but its no sterioid or prohormone. Don't expect anything miraculous.

A sample loading phase is 20g daily for seven to fourteen days. Afterwards you can switch to 5g daily for maitenance. Cycle length should be one to two months.

TheFountain, can you please post a daily sample diet? I think that would help people better suggest what else you might want to include.

A question regarding creatine. Did it make your face retain water as well? That is a very important thing because I don't want my face looking fat or swollen.

A daily sample diet.

Within an hour of waking I will consume 3-4 hardboiled eggs, a batch of blueberries in one cup of organic lowfat yogurt or greek yogurt with some mixed nuts thrown in. An 8 oz glass of tomato juice. About 400 calories altogether.

for lunch I might have a salad consisting of spinach, tomatoes, Salad olives, cabbage, medium sized shrimp, some walnuts thrown in and a table spoon of organic olive oil as a dressing. I might also have a sandwich on moderate carb jewish rye bread (14 grams of carbs per serving) consisting of nuftachel cheese and sliced tomatoes. I'd estimate this adds up to about 600 calories.

As a snack between meals I will have a 86% dark chocolate bar and maybe another handful of mixed nuts. About 200 calories.

After workouts I will blend a shake consisting of designer whey protein, a tablespoon of almond butter, 2 oz of coconut milk and a table spoon of heavy cream mixed with 6 0z of water. About 350 calories.

For dinner i'd eat 2-3 servings of low carb pasta (6 grams of carb per serving), adding up to about 350 calories with some tomato sauce in addition to a side of steamed broccoli and asparagus (maybe some boiled carrots). Generally I add olive oil to the pasta as well for added calories.

I am always tweaking my diet so don't quote me in a couple of weeks, it may be somewhat different. But as I said I am looking for something to replace the pasta and rye bread calories with. That's about 600 calories altogether. I'm thinking some sort of seeds might work at least with one of them. I just need a couple more things to throw in that are not too high in fat calories. But high in protein.

So that's about 2100 calories a day which is a moderate CR diet. I am struggling to hold on to these calories, I don't want to lose them because without them I would have no hope at all of having energy stores when working out. And with resistance training anything less than 2000 calories a day is useless.

Edited by TheFountain, 28 April 2009 - 09:46 AM.

[Skötkonung]

A question regarding creatine. Did it make your face retain water as well? That is a very important thing because I don't want my face looking fat or swollen.

A daily sample diet.

Within an hour of waking I will consume 3-4 hardboiled eggs, a batch of blueberries in one cup of organic lowfat yogurt or greek yogurt with some mixed nuts thrown in. An 8 oz glass of tomato juice. About 400 calories altogether.

for lunch I might have a salad consisting of spinach, tomatoes, Salad olives, cabbage, medium sized shrimp, some walnuts thrown in and a table spoon of organic olive oil as a dressing. I might also have a sandwich on moderate carb jewish rye bread (14 grams of carbs per serving) consisting of nuftachel cheese and sliced tomatoes. I'd estimate this adds up to about 600 calories.

As a snack between meals I will have a 86% dark chocolate bar and maybe another handful of mixed nuts. About 200 calories.

After workouts I will blend a shake consisting of designer whey protein, a tablespoon of almond butter, 2 oz of coconut milk and a table spoon of heavy cream mixed with 6 0z of water. About 350 calories.

For dinner i'd eat 2-3 servings of low carb pasta (6 grams of carb per serving), adding up to about 350 calories with some tomato sauce in addition to a side of steamed broccoli and asparagus (maybe some boiled carrots). Generally I add olive oil to the pasta as well for added calories.

I am always tweaking my diet so don't quote me in a couple of weeks, it may be somewhat different. But as I said I am looking for something to replace the pasta and rye bread calories with. That's about 600 calories altogether. I'm thinking some sort of seeds might work at least with one of them. I just need a couple more things to throw in that are not too high in fat calories. But high in protein.

So that's about 2100 calories a day which is a moderate CR diet. I am struggling to hold on to these calories, I don't want to lose them because without them I would have no hope at all of having energy stores when working out. And with resistance training anything less than 2000 calories a day is useless.

No facial bloating when I've taken creatine, although my face tends toward being lean. Any bodily water retention is minor at best. The people who tend to complain about looking "soft" or "bloated" are those with very little body fat (pre-contest bodybuilders with single digit body fat) or those who are hyper-sensitive to changes in their appearance (psychosomatic). I don't know what you look like, but if you have a "fat face" then you might exacerbate it with creatine. Although the effect would be minor and temporary.

Interesting you are mixing fats with your post workout shake. I tend to avoid fats or fibre sources immediatly post workout because they slow digestion. Efficacy is extremely important when using a protein supplement in this way - at least in terms of maximizing anabolism.

Paleo dieters have come up with many ingenious ways of substituting for breads and pastas using more nutrient dense vegetables. Mark Sisson of marksdailyapple.com has posted a few recipes.

Recently I made this and enjoyed it.

More about it.

I've made an imitation pasta from Jicama before. Mark goes over the details.

Edited by Skotkonung, 28 April 2009 - 05:46 PM.

[TheFountain]

A question regarding creatine. Did it make your face retain water as well? That is a very important thing because I don't want my face looking fat or swollen.

A daily sample diet.

Within an hour of waking I will consume 3-4 hardboiled eggs, a batch of blueberries in one cup of organic lowfat yogurt or greek yogurt with some mixed nuts thrown in. An 8 oz glass of tomato juice. About 400 calories altogether.

for lunch I might have a salad consisting of spinach, tomatoes, Salad olives, cabbage, medium sized shrimp, some walnuts thrown in and a table spoon of organic olive oil as a dressing. I might also have a sandwich on moderate carb jewish rye bread (14 grams of carbs per serving) consisting of nuftachel cheese and sliced tomatoes. I'd estimate this adds up to about 600 calories.

As a snack between meals I will have a 86% dark chocolate bar and maybe another handful of mixed nuts. About 200 calories.

After workouts I will blend a shake consisting of designer whey protein, a tablespoon of almond butter, 2 oz of coconut milk and a table spoon of heavy cream mixed with 6 0z of water. About 350 calories.

For dinner i'd eat 2-3 servings of low carb pasta (6 grams of carb per serving), adding up to about 350 calories with some tomato sauce in addition to a side of steamed broccoli and asparagus (maybe some boiled carrots). Generally I add olive oil to the pasta as well for added calories.

I am always tweaking my diet so don't quote me in a couple of weeks, it may be somewhat different. But as I said I am looking for something to replace the pasta and rye bread calories with. That's about 600 calories altogether. I'm thinking some sort of seeds might work at least with one of them. I just need a couple more things to throw in that are not too high in fat calories. But high in protein.

So that's about 2100 calories a day which is a moderate CR diet. I am struggling to hold on to these calories, I don't want to lose them because without them I would have no hope at all of having energy stores when working out. And with resistance training anything less than 2000 calories a day is useless.

No facial bloating when I've taken creatine, although my face tends toward being lean. Any bodily water retention is minor at best. The people who tend to complain about looking "soft" or "bloated" are those with very little body fat (pre-contest bodybuilders with single digit body fat) or those who are hyper-sensitive to changes in their appearance (psychosomatic). I don't know what you look like, but if you have a "fat face" then you might exacerbate it with creatine. Although the effect would be minor and temporary.

Interesting you are mixing fats with your post workout shake. I tend to avoid fats or fibre sources immediatly post workout because they slow digestion. Efficacy is extremely important when using a protein supplement in this way - at least in terms of maximizing anabolism.

Paleo dieters have come up with many ingenious ways of substituting for breads and pastas using more nutrient dense vegetables. Mark Sisson of marksdailyapple.com has posted a few recipes.

Recently I made this and enjoyed it.

More about it.

I've made an imitation pasta from Jicama before. Mark goes over the details.

I don't eat chicken! I suppose I could substitute the chicken with salmon though. Would you say the benefits of creatine outweigh the risks? I have heard of young guys around my age taking it and developing kidney stones. Regarding the post work out shake, the thought here is more about adding calories than adding fat. But unfortunately good calories seem to come from sources that are high in fat.

Edited by TheFountain, 29 April 2009 - 07:32 AM.

[TheFountain]

A question regarding creatine. Did it make your face retain water as well? That is a very important thing because I don't want my face looking fat or swollen.

A daily sample diet.

Within an hour of waking I will consume 3-4 hardboiled eggs, a batch of blueberries in one cup of organic lowfat yogurt or greek yogurt with some mixed nuts thrown in. An 8 oz glass of tomato juice. About 400 calories altogether.

for lunch I might have a salad consisting of spinach, tomatoes, Salad olives, cabbage, medium sized shrimp, some walnuts thrown in and a table spoon of organic olive oil as a dressing. I might also have a sandwich on moderate carb jewish rye bread (14 grams of carbs per serving) consisting of nuftachel cheese and sliced tomatoes. I'd estimate this adds up to about 600 calories.

As a snack between meals I will have a 86% dark chocolate bar and maybe another handful of mixed nuts. About 200 calories.

After workouts I will blend a shake consisting of designer whey protein, a tablespoon of almond butter, 2 oz of coconut milk and a table spoon of heavy cream mixed with 6 0z of water. About 350 calories.

For dinner i'd eat 2-3 servings of low carb pasta (6 grams of carb per serving), adding up to about 350 calories with some tomato sauce in addition to a side of steamed broccoli and asparagus (maybe some boiled carrots). Generally I add olive oil to the pasta as well for added calories.

I am always tweaking my diet so don't quote me in a couple of weeks, it may be somewhat different. But as I said I am looking for something to replace the pasta and rye bread calories with. That's about 600 calories altogether. I'm thinking some sort of seeds might work at least with one of them. I just need a couple more things to throw in that are not too high in fat calories. But high in protein.

So that's about 2100 calories a day which is a moderate CR diet. I am struggling to hold on to these calories, I don't want to lose them because without them I would have no hope at all of having energy stores when working out. And with resistance training anything less than 2000 calories a day is useless.

No facial bloating when I've taken creatine, although my face tends toward being lean. Any bodily water retention is minor at best. The people who tend to complain about looking "soft" or "bloated" are those with very little body fat (pre-contest bodybuilders with single digit body fat) or those who are hyper-sensitive to changes in their appearance (psychosomatic). I don't know what you look like, but if you have a "fat face" then you might exacerbate it with creatine. Although the effect would be minor and temporary.

Interesting you are mixing fats with your post workout shake. I tend to avoid fats or fibre sources immediatly post workout because they slow digestion. Efficacy is extremely important when using a protein supplement in this way - at least in terms of maximizing anabolism.

Paleo dieters have come up with many ingenious ways of substituting for breads and pastas using more nutrient dense vegetables. Mark Sisson of marksdailyapple.com has posted a few recipes.

Recently I made this and enjoyed it.

More about it.

I've made an imitation pasta from Jicama before. Mark goes over the details.

Wait a minute where did you get that fiber slows digestion? if anything it's the complete opposite. At least in my anecdotal experience.

[Skötkonung]

There are two forms of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre attracts water and turns to gel during digestion. This slows digestion and the rate of nutrient absorption from the stomach and intestine. It is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables. Insoluble fibre is found in foods such as wheat bran, vegetables and whole grains. It appears to speed the passage of foods through the stomach and intestines, sometimes before the total absorption of all nutrients can occur. For this reason, I avoid all sources of fibre in my post-workout shake.

It is true that creatine does form creatinine as a byproduct. The body chelates creatinine through binding it with calcium and other minerals, usually resulting in calcium oxalate (kidney stone material). However, for sufficient calcium oxalate to accumulate, an individual must be chronically dehydrated, have a predisposition towards forming kidney stones, or are taking creatine for too long and in too high of a doseage. Consider this: creatine has been well studied, is widely used by the athletic community (mostly irresponsibly), and has been in use for many decades. If it was causing an epidemic of kidney stones, surely it would have been removed from the market similar to prohormones and steroids, or at the very least condemned by the fitness community.

[TheFountain]

So i've basically decided that I am no longer eating the nuftachel cheese and the rye bread for sure. I am very close to cutting out the low carb pasta, but am still struggling to ascertain what to replace those crucial calories with. The tomato juice contains preservatives I do not want, so that goes, I replace it with more actual tomatoes. I know I am not lookig to become a paleo dieter but for the sake of amusement, are seeds considered part of the 'paleo' way? This might be an answer. As it stands currently the only remaining dairy I will be consuming would be the eggs and the greek yogurt (which I cannot seem to find AGEs content info on). So the majority of my protein is coming from the fish, eggs, yogurt, and nuts, and I will still be supplementing with whey once or twice a day. I am keeping my fat intake moderate, with most of it coming from the nuts and seeds and a little coming from olive oil and perhaps a spoon full of heavy cream once in a while. I think this is shaping out well. I just need to replace those damn calories I am losing, or else I will lose whatever muscle I do have.

Edited by TheFountain, 29 April 2009 - 11:45 PM.

[TheFountain]

So this is basically what I am looking at.

For breakfast I'd have anywhere between 2-5 eggs (depending on the day and how hungry I am) and maybe a small cup of the greek yogurt with blueberries and walnuts added.

For lunch I would dive into a diverse salad, sometimes consisting of shrimp or salmon, and always consisting of a colorful breed of different vegetables. I'd use olive oil and vinegar as a dressing.

Nuts and perhaps a little dark choclolate would always be the preferred between meal snack while my supplement shakes would seek to add extra calories through the addition of nut butters and a spoon or two of cream (although I am feeling very sketchy about the cream, as I am not convinced if its health benefits so this is a big ify if).

For dinner, wow this is where the dilemma arises. Maybe some more steamed vegetables? More eggs? More Fish? Or maybe I only need to eat twice a day. *draws a blank*

Edited by TheFountain, 29 April 2009 - 11:51 PM.

[Skötkonung]

Seeds are definitely a paleo food. Just make sure you are eating them raw (not roasted, fried, or baked) as it will keep AGE levels low. The same goes for nut butters like almond butter. The brand I prefer is called "creamy and raw" by Maranatha.

To be honest, I'm not sold on heavy whipping cream either. I know a lot of paleo dieters espouse a strong belief for saturated fats, but I still try and keep my levels at or below the USDA RDI unless of course on a ketogenic diet.

Why not eat Tempeh? Its high in protein, made from soy, and is a fermented product. You can marinate it and cook it with vegetables.

Another idea would be adding another piece of fruit such as an apple or pear. Yeah, it may contain some fructose, but its probably an insignificant amount given the rest of your diet and supplementation.

[TheFountain]

Seeds are definitely a paleo food. Just make sure you are eating them raw (not roasted, fried, or baked) as it will keep AGE levels low. The same goes for nut butters like almond butter. The brand I prefer is called "creamy and raw" by Maranatha.

To be honest, I'm not sold on heavy whipping cream either. I know a lot of paleo dieters espouse a strong belief for saturated fats, but I still try and keep my levels at or below the USDA RDI unless of course on a ketogenic diet.

Why not eat Tempeh? Its high in protein, made from soy, and is a fermented product. You can marinate it and cook it with vegetables.

Another idea would be adding another piece of fruit such as an apple or pear. Yeah, it may contain some fructose, but its probably an insignificant amount given the rest of your diet and supplementation.

I don't eat soy products because of their phytoestrogen effects. I have had negative experiences with that in the past. Especially when soy was my main source of protein during my vegan diet. I really don't get why people here are so non-chalant about fat consumption. Whenever my fat levels (especially saturated fats) is above 40 grams a day I notice in my overall body fat levels. Plus fat bloats me even moreso than if I were consuming a lot of refined carbohydrates. I really don't think more than 20-30 grams a day is necessary for fatty acid energy stores to be prevalent during work outs.

EDIT: In terms of nuts and AGEs, should I stay away from companies like planters? They seem to add 'peanut and or cottonseed oil' to their nuts as well. With something like almond butter wouldn't the ingredients say 'roasted almonds' as opposed to just almonds?

Edited by TheFountain, 30 April 2009 - 09:38 AM.

[TheFountain]

Anyone know what the AGEs content of greek yogurt is? Or is it to be expected that all milk-based dairy will be high in AGEs? I tried googling it but couldn't find anything on greek yogurt specifically.

Edited by TheFountain, 30 April 2009 - 09:35 AM.

[TheFountain]

Update, I will be cutting out all forms of dairy accept eggs/whey protein. I am convinced that there is no use in eating any other form of dairy. I would perchance consider still consuming greek yogurt if the AGEs content turns out to be low. But otherwise I am not eating that either which gives me more money for macronutrient dense foods anyway. Besides I am use to not eating dairy, up till about 5 months ago I was 100% vegan for 4 years straight. So I am basically returning to a similar diet but without the soy and with eggs and fish added. All foods with preservatives will be immediately rejected from my diet, this includes coconut milk, tomato juice and anything else in this category.

[Skötkonung]

EDIT: In terms of nuts and AGEs, should I stay away from companies like planters? They seem to add 'peanut and or cottonseed oil' to their nuts as well. With something like almond butter wouldn't the ingredients say 'roasted almonds' as opposed to just almonds?

Yeah, you should definitely stay away from those pre-packaged brands of nuts. Even if you can't find an exact value for the AGE content for these roasted nuts, you can surmise it will likely be high because 1.) the nuts are cooked a high temperature in oil (mallard chain reaction) and 2.) they contain no natural AGE mediating compounds. Try and buy raw and in bulk - many grocery stores have a bulk nutrition aisle. It is much cheaper this way as well.

Regarding Tempeh, there is an important distinction that seperates it from other soy based products: fermentation. Unlike Tofu, the fermentation process removes most of the harmful isoflavonoid phytoestrogens. The fermentation process is also significant in that it neutralizes the phytate acid present in soybeans. This acid limits the body’s absorption of minerals; neutralizing this acid means that by eating tempeh one does not limit the absorption of essential minerals. Tempeh is the only soy product I consume.

Did I mention Tempeh is cheap?

Read more about it here:
http://www.lowcarbve...om/blog/tempeh/

From anecdotal experience, I believe there is probably some genetic / regional differences in fat and carbohydrate metabolisms. I am definitely carbohydrate sensitive and not affected negatively in terms of biomarkers or body composition by fat consumption. I think this makes particular sense given the area my family comes from - mother is Swedish born, father is English born, although we moved to America when I was young. Historically foods from these regions were heavy in animal products and low in carbs (the sámi people still eat similar to this way), although it is no longer the case thanks to industrialization and agriculture. Unsurprisingly my body responds best to a high fat diet.

[CobaltThoriumG]

Seeds are definitely a paleo food. Just make sure you are eating them raw (not roasted, fried, or baked) as it will keep AGE levels low. The same goes for nut butters like almond butter. The brand I prefer is called "creamy and raw" by Maranatha.

To be honest, I'm not sold on heavy whipping cream either. I know a lot of paleo dieters espouse a strong belief for saturated fats, but I still try and keep my levels at or below the USDA RDI unless of course on a ketogenic diet.

Why not eat Tempeh? Its high in protein, made from soy, and is a fermented product. You can marinate it and cook it with vegetables.

Another idea would be adding another piece of fruit such as an apple or pear. Yeah, it may contain some fructose, but its probably an insignificant amount given the rest of your diet and supplementation.

I don't eat soy products because of their phytoestrogen effects. I have had negative experiences with that in the past. Especially when soy was my main source of protein during my vegan diet. I really don't get why people here are so non-chalant about fat consumption. Whenever my fat levels (especially saturated fats) is above 40 grams a day I notice in my overall body fat levels. Plus fat bloats me even moreso than if I were consuming a lot of refined carbohydrates. I really don't think more than 20-30 grams a day is necessary for fatty acid energy stores to be prevalent during work outs.

EDIT: In terms of nuts and AGEs, should I stay away from companies like planters? They seem to add 'peanut and or cottonseed oil' to their nuts as well. With something like almond butter wouldn't the ingredients say 'roasted almonds' as opposed to just almonds?

I must respond to fat differently than you or maybe it's a fat + carb issue. I get about 55% of my calories from fat, eat low but not ketosis-low carbs, and am quite lean. But I'm not nonchalant about it, in the sense that I'm very careful about what kinds of fats I eat. My intake breaks down around 40% saturated, 40% monounsaturated, and 20% polyunsaturated. The polyunsaturated is from flax, hemp, egg yolk, nuts, and fish. Saturated is from cream, coconut, and palm. Monounsaturated is from olive, macadamia, avocado, and almond. 40g of fat/day is not much. On a 2500 calorie/day diet, that would only be 14.4% of calories. I get about four times that.

[TheFountain]

Try and buy raw and in bulk - many grocery stores have a bulk nutrition aisle. It is much cheaper this way as well.

In my area these bulk sections with the plastic case dispensers are becoming a thing of the past apparently. I have not seen one in at least a year in any of the stores I shop at. Probably because they are too convenient and inexpensive for people. Instead what they do is prepackage the raw nuts themselves and charge almost twice as much as the other companies. I might have to try an asian market.

Regarding Tempeh, there is an important distinction that seperates it from other soy based products: fermentation. Unlike Tofu, the fermentation process removes most of the harmful isoflavonoid phytoestrogens. The fermentation process is also significant in that it neutralizes the phytate acid present in soybeans. This acid limits the body's absorption of minerals; neutralizing this acid means that by eating tempeh one does not limit the absorption of essential minerals. Tempeh is the only soy product I consume.

Eh I think I will just wait on that one because I am far too paranoid about anything with soy in it at this point. And the way things go they might just start selling an unfermented version without letting people know.

From anecdotal experience, I believe there is probably some genetic / regional differences in fat and carbohydrate metabolisms. I am definitely carbohydrate sensitive and not affected negatively in terms of biomarkers or body composition by fat consumption. I think this makes particular sense given the area my family comes from - mother is Swedish born, father is English born, although we moved to America when I was young. Historically foods from these regions were heavy in animal products and low in carbs (the sámi people still eat similar to this way), although it is no longer the case thanks to industrialization and agriculture. Unsurprisingly my body responds best to a high fat diet.

I would think people from colder regions, such as myself, would be less sensitive to fat consumption since fat stores are necessary in colder climates. My theory though is that in some of my 'natural' food products, they are slipping hydrogenated oils in, like the nuts for example, and not telling us about it (btw the planters nuts aren't roasted apparently, but for some unknown reason they slip added oil into it). I also think the preservatives in vegetable juice and coconut milk have probably contributed somewhat to bloating and slowing down my metabolism a little. Another good reason they are going and never coming back.

Edited by TheFountain, 30 April 2009 - 11:38 PM.

[TheFountain]

Seeds are definitely a paleo food. Just make sure you are eating them raw (not roasted, fried, or baked) as it will keep AGE levels low. The same goes for nut butters like almond butter. The brand I prefer is called "creamy and raw" by Maranatha.

To be honest, I'm not sold on heavy whipping cream either. I know a lot of paleo dieters espouse a strong belief for saturated fats, but I still try and keep my levels at or below the USDA RDI unless of course on a ketogenic diet.

Why not eat Tempeh? Its high in protein, made from soy, and is a fermented product. You can marinate it and cook it with vegetables.

Another idea would be adding another piece of fruit such as an apple or pear. Yeah, it may contain some fructose, but its probably an insignificant amount given the rest of your diet and supplementation.

I don't eat soy products because of their phytoestrogen effects. I have had negative experiences with that in the past. Especially when soy was my main source of protein during my vegan diet. I really don't get why people here are so non-chalant about fat consumption. Whenever my fat levels (especially saturated fats) is above 40 grams a day I notice in my overall body fat levels. Plus fat bloats me even moreso than if I were consuming a lot of refined carbohydrates. I really don't think more than 20-30 grams a day is necessary for fatty acid energy stores to be prevalent during work outs.

EDIT: In terms of nuts and AGEs, should I stay away from companies like planters? They seem to add 'peanut and or cottonseed oil' to their nuts as well. With something like almond butter wouldn't the ingredients say 'roasted almonds' as opposed to just almonds?

I must respond to fat differently than you or maybe it's a fat + carb issue. I get about 55% of my calories from fat, eat low but not ketosis-low carbs, and am quite lean. But I'm not nonchalant about it, in the sense that I'm very careful about what kinds of fats I eat. My intake breaks down around 40% saturated, 40% monounsaturated, and 20% polyunsaturated. The polyunsaturated is from flax, hemp, egg yolk, nuts, and fish. Saturated is from cream, coconut, and palm. Monounsaturated is from olive, macadamia, avocado, and almond. 40g of fat/day is not much. On a 2500 calorie/day diet, that would only be 14.4% of calories. I get about four times that.

I am from a colder climate, so theretically I shouldn't be this sensitive to fat consumption, well technically I'm not, just high fat consumption. And I would definitely consider 80 grams a day high fat consumption. No I definitely choose my fats well and never eat any hydrogenated or trans fats. I also make sure I am getting a decent Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio. I'm on a moderate carb diet, which is less than 200 grams a day, probably closer to 100.

Edited by TheFountain, 30 April 2009 - 11:41 PM.