Eat More, Weigh Less?

Guess what IIIII did after work….

I kept my promise! While watching Glee on my DVR (so good!) I did 3 sets of 5 different arm exercises. It didn’t take me long at all and I felt really good about getting in some light weights. I’ll definitely try to do this more often.

Backing up, lunch today was a new one for me. I intended to make a wrap, but my dad at the last one so I used regular bread. I put hummus, spinach, and some roasted sweet potato in between the slices and heated it briefly in the microwave. Nothing special, honestly…needed something extra.

On the side I had sugar snap peas and a Pink Lady. And my snack was plain Oikos 0% with some sliced strawberries and blueberries.
Once Glee was over I started on a simple dinner I’ve started to crave ever since reading The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. She raves about “warm grain bowls” so I made my own version of one. I prepared a mixture of brown rice and barley (my favorite chewy combo), and when it was almost finished cooking I mixed in some frozen edamame, frozen peas, and leftover white beans.

I also mixed in some Braggs liquid aminos and black pepper, and topped it with some Siracha. This dish is truly comforting in a simplistic, wholesome way. MMM!

The China Study Update

I’m chugging along with The China Study and am now reading about Dr. Campbell’s findings in sixty-five counties across China. As expected, many of the results found in the rat studies are also true for humans. We learn that “animal based foods are correlated with increasing blood cholesterol. With almost no exceptions, nutrients from plant-based foods were associated with decreasing levels of blood cholesterol” (80). The studies also show that “breast cancer was associated with animal fat intake, but not with plant fat” (85).

The most interesting hypothesis, however, was about how those on a low-fat, low-protein diet can take in more calories but still maintain their weight. Dr. Campbell claims that our bodies have the ability to choose how our calories are consumed and that “when we treat our bodies well by eating the right foods, [our bodies] know how to partition the calories away from body fat and into the more desirable functions like keeping the body warm, running the body metabolism, supporting and encouraging physical activity, or just disposing of any excess”(101).

Dr. Campbell rationalizes this claim with his studies showing that the Chinese consume more calories than Americans, yet weigh less. Although he recognizes that the Chinese are more physically active, Dr. Campbell says their low-protein and low-fat diet shifts the conversion of these calories away from body fat and into body feet, even for the last active Chinese people.

[edited to add: I believe Dr. Campbell is referring to ANY protein, not just animal protein. He has, however, proven that animal protein causes harmful effects in the body that plant protein does not].

There is more explanation than what I’ve shared, but I’m interested in what you think. I’d like to think this is true –I do feel like I can go through some “bad” eating spells without serious repercussion and perhaps it is because my normal diet is free of animal fat and protein. I hope this topic is explored more as the book continues.

• If you eat a low-fat and low-protein diet, do you feel that you can intake more calories without weight gain?