The GI Diet Blog and Board

Pork Tenderloin is atkins/low carb friendly for those of us who struggle with feeling satisfied. I still struggle, but there’s one meat for me that seems to fill me up, and that’s pork. Tenderloin is the BEST part of the pig, and this is one such recipe that’s sure to make pork a flavourful source of protein for your dinner along with a side of salad or asparagus.

HERB-ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN

Yield: Makes 1 Tenderloin (4 Servings)
Serving Size: about 3-1/2 ounces sliced tenderloin
Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

INGREDIENTS

- 1 whole pork tenderloin (1 pound)
- 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary,
or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano,
or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage,
or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme,
or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Prepare a shallow roasting pan and rack with non-stick pan spray.

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Brush the tenderloin with the mustard. Combine the herbs;
pat them evenly onto the tenderloin and sprinkle with pepper.

Place the pork on the rack in the roasting pan, set it in
the oven, and immediately reduce the oven temperature to
350 degrees F. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in
the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 145 degrees
F., about 25 minutes (depending on the size of the tenderloin).

Remove the pork from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.
Carve in 1/2-inch slices and serve with the pan juices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 141, Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 66 mg, Sodium: 96 mg,
Carbohydrate: 0 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g, Protein: 24 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 4 Very Lean Meat

since eggs are such a simple, inexpensive and great-any-time-of-day protein, it makes sense to have 1001 recipies to enjoy them!

SPANISH OMELETTE

Yield: 4 servings
Source: “Magic Menus for People with Diabetes”
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/3.shtml

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 can green chilis, chopped
- 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped, seeds removed
- 2 teaspoons chopped pimiento
- 6 egg whites
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese (1%)

DIRECTIONS

In nonstick skillet, saute green pepper, onion,
and garlic in water. Add chilis, tomato, and
pimiento and boil off remaining liquid.

Combine egg whites and saffron and beat into soft
peaks. Fold cottage cheese into egg whites,
followed by the contents of the skillet.

Return to skillet and fry until eggs are set,
turning to avoid scorching. Pour off any water
rendered during cooking and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe):
Calories: 71, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 1 mg, Sodium: 338 mg,
Carbohydrate: 7 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Very Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable

I found another article today that is relevent to this blog. I love posting “top 5″ top articles either ones I’ve written on my own based on my own experiences, top 5 found from other sources. Top 5 ways to boost your metabolism naturally seems to list similar tips I’ve seen in the past: eat breakfast, eat more protein, get rid of refined grains to name just a few that I’ve seen.

This article also specifically mentions a low glycemic index diet as the method of eating to boost metabolism.

It’s a great read folks.

Most readers of my blog know that I’ve lived happily and lost successfully on a low gi diet. Although it was lower carb, my own modifications to my low gi diet included trying to keep carbs down to under 100 per day (total carbs, not net).

Changing my focus to under 20 carbs has been challenging to say the least! But I am noticing something. Even though my blood sugar was absolutely in normal range while on low gi, there were still times that I experienced spikes. The spikes themselves were usually after a meal, so unless the monitor showed over 180, I was far from worried. In fact it’s been years since I’ve seen readings top over 200.

Since starting my own version of atkins induction however, I’m noticing consistent blood sugar levels of between 90-110, whether I’ve had a meal recently or not. The other change is that my morning fasting sugars which used to be just over 120 most of the time are now reaching 110 or lower.

Whatever form of lower carb or low carb lifestyle you choose, my advice would be to every once in a while, monitor your blood sugar levels whether you’re diabetic or not. I think this is vitally important if you want to be efficient in your weight loss and healthier living goals. Numbers are not the only thing to watch for, mind you, but until I find myself a scale for example, I look to other ways of measuring my successes.

While I’m still adjusting, there’s no question: < 20 carbs appears to be keeping my blood sugar in check, and *stable*

I once made the observation; and I don’t remember anymore if it was on this blog or while chatting to another person about weight loss, that once you learn and apply one method of eating, it’s much easier to learn another method, especially if it’s similar. I’m pretty thankful for getting a firm grasp of the glycemic index diet. If it wasn’t for this *basic* concept, the other methods I might employ in the future could be potentially problematic. I see the glycemic index concept sorta like a building block, or a basic programming language, that all other programming languages are based on.

I have my struggles though. While my doctor is suggesting “Atkins Induction”, I’ve been lurking on the boards and such and see many people modify plans for themselves, or change their “language of thinking”. people change from “strictly atkins” to simply “low-carb”.

Last night I was shocked to find that a buddy of mine who’s done Atkins, never read the book. I was telling him about last night where I’m visiting family and such, I had one big meal for the day (which is generally a no-no), and there was no sweetener for coffee and dessert put in front of me. Now sure, I can say no thank you. Oftentimes, I do. But I sat there and reasoned with myself and thought “come on Chris, you’ve been doing well, this is a bad day in terms of meals, blow your 20 carbs on this ONE thing”

And so I did. I probably had something close to 40-50 grams all total yesterday, many of those carbs “bad” carb choices, but at the same time… is this a license to say… oops! body is out of ketosis, I just blew my diet away to bits… I give up.

Absolutely not!

Back to my friend. I was bitching with him about being on atkins induction, and he told me he went “hardcore” for a year. He kept to under 20 grams of carbs, didn’t have food lists or anything, and even had fruit once in a while, or even a slice of bread, but for that entire year, he was under 20 net carbs per day.

To this day, he’s one of my biggest role models in the Atkins/low-carb world, why? Because he lost well over 100 lbs, and has kept it off for over 4-5 years (or longer). I met him in New Orleans in 2004, and wouldn’t have guessed he used to fat until he told me when I first started blogging about my weight loss journey.

He doesn’t know yet how much that singular remark last night eased my mind. I had forgotten that I made my *own* modifications on low gi, forgot that I purchase gi diet books that didn’t talk about carb limits, but I made my *own* daily carb limits. The key are *concepts*.

- I still stick with mostly leafy veggies
- I still don’t have fruit on a regular basis or when I do, it’s a small amount
- I still read nutritional information on packages
- I still eat protein at every meal
- I still try to drink as much water (as close to 8 glasses a day as I can)
- I still pay attention to fibre in my diet.

So there it is: I’m more at peace with doing 20 net carbs a day, and having more variety in my own personal method of following Atkins induction.

It used to be, when I talked about weight loss or diet with my relatives, I’d recieve an onslaught of unsolicited advice. I was especially aggrevated when I continued to get advice after a successful initial weight loss. While many have lost and gained 50 stubborn pounds most of their lives, few can say they belong to the ‘over 100 club’ and continue to keep that off for years to come. I remain proud of that acheivement even though I’m roughly halfway to my goal.

Nevertheless I’m enjoying my recent conversations with my older brother. There days, I’ll get whatever inspiration I can to keep moving, keep going. Afterall, isn’t that the *best* reason for losing weight to better health?

Today, we talked about the concept of not *dieting* so much as … be mindful of our nutritional needs; in essense, fuel for our bodies to make it work efficiently. My bro and I definitely belong in the “foody group”… people who enjoy savory good quality food. We want our food tasty and fun to eat. This is not something that will go away. However, at the end of the day, I think it’s equally important to really look at why we eat what we do, and if it’s going to work effectively for our bodies and health goals.

This is where exercise weighs in heavily as an important tool for me to remain commited to a low gi diet lifestyle. When I workout, which is something I try to do at least three times a week now, I now have a strong desire to “eat clean” and not sabotage results gained from my open water swims.

I just finished having a whole can of tuna mixed with mayo, 15 grams of shredded cheddar mixed over a bed of greens. While the temptation to have a slice of bread was there, I remembered I had a sandwich for breakfast earlier today, and compensated with added greens. As amazing as it sounds, even over 300 lbs, and after a solid hour work out at the lake, a simple salad with ample lean protein is enough to keep me satisfied until dinner time.

Maybe food as fuel isn’t such a hard concept to grasp after all. It is the one step I missed in my 20’s when I was working out, but still gaining weight.

Finally, I briefly read an article last week that titled: Study: Weight Gain Most Prevalant Among Fat Friends. As I skimmed through the new titles that day, my heart sank a little knowing full well that the majority of my friends are fat. While this is just a study, and may not apply to me personally, it did give me pause. I started to wonder if this was similar to alcoholics or drug addicts in recovery, where generally one has to remove themselves from friendships that will cause problems for their recovery.

Instead, it motivated me to not lose my ‘fat friends’ but to hopefully continue to be a source of inspiration to them, to each other. As the same time, I find myself equally interested now in not hiding my goals and accomplishments and desires to be thinner from my thinner friends who they themselves are constantly working to keep healthy. I found as I talk to them, including my brother, that healthy (or healthier) living is something that is a DAILY commitment. It doesn’t end after weight loss, or after years of maintaining. Success only occurs from a commitment that lasts a lifetime, not from just a few months of a fad diet.

I firmly believe now, that if you’re on a diet that isn’t designed to effectively meet your nutritional needs to keep your body functioning, essentially, if you’re not eating “cleanly”, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Thankfully, concepts learned on the gi diet meets all of my requirements in this regard.

I’ve been having a hard time with routines again, particularly around eating. If I’m up past midnight, more often than not, I want sweet. Apart from moving servers this week, that’s what I haven’t taken the time to write in this blog.

At the same time thought, this summer my routine hasn’t faltered too much thanks to the fact that I’m caring for my diabetic mother in law. Starting the day with a breakfast without fail, has actually helped curb the temptation to go for something sweet. There are those days however when I’m craving the sweet stuff.

Now, if I can just be committed to having a night time routine, I just might be able to pull this off without requiring a chocolate bar. My wife meanwhile discovered a somewhat new concept in cooking and flavours called umami. It’s gaining in popularity although I’m skeptical about how ‘important’ it is, and how much of this can be applied to the GI diet, and into my own food choices.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while being on GI diet, is the flexible nature of it. At least I can’t really say there’s anything “routine” about the plan itself. I plan to write more on the subject later on.

my wife suggested this recipe this morning with the following comments:

“simple and yummy for lunch with a giant salad and an italian ice soda (sugar free torani mixed with club soda)”

Indeed! As always, to make it GI, look for whole wheat or multigrain options for the tortillas. The rest is all good.

GOAT CHEESE PILLOWS

Yield: 2 servings
Source: “1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes” by Surrey Books
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/22.shtml

INGREDIENTS

- 2/3 cup fat-free cottage cheese
- 4 ounces reduced-fat goat cheese
- 4 tablespoons chopped, softened sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 4 corn, or flour, tortillas
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
- Alfalfa sprouts, as garnish

DIRECTIONS

Combine cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl.
Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over
medium heat until hot. Heat each tortilla in skillet
to soften, 30 to 60 seconds on each side.

Spread cheese mixture over half of each tortilla;
sprinkle with mint. Press alfalfa sprouts into cheese
mixture. Fold tortillas over to close, forming half circles.

Spray with cooking spray and cook, covered, in large skillet
over medium heat until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 of recipe):
Calories: 259, Fat: 7.6 g, Cholesterol: 10.3 mg,
Sodium: 770 mg, Protein: 17.3 g, Carbohydrate: 32.1 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Bread, 2 Meat

A couple of days ago I posted about the Kimkins diet controversy that’s being chronicled on another blog. Now, to be fair, the articles found there is a small expose about ONE diet craze that’s out there. Given the publicity behind this diet however, it’s a great example of the many problems that ensue in a diet crazed world. When so many people are raising questions about the validity of not only the diet, but the “guru” behind this plan (including accusations by many on the use of stock or fake photos to promote), it becomes a meaningful story that needs to be told.

There are many many comments found on low carb forums splashed all over the net. One that struck a chord with me was this one:

“One good question folks brought up there is - where are the “maintainers” on this plan? Can you really do this long-term without the fat?
”

I’ve asked this question myself. And let me be honest, calling my food plan a “diet” leaves me with a very sour taste in my mouth. You see, I used to be a big (pun intended) supporter of the fat or size acceptance movement. I have met many friends who have tried then shunned many diets over the years because they became fed up with yo-yo weight gain. I’ve met people who lost 150 lbs only to gain it all back and pack on more weight than where they started.

The other thing that bugs me are story lines of people who lose weight FAST, and get pics of their new bodies splashed all over magazines. So I’m going to make a promise here and now. If I’m personally EVER splashed in a magazine spread, it’s going to be an article that promotes healthy weight loss AND maintaining that weight loss over a stretch of 10 years or more. So, see you in 10 years ok? LOL

What is the rush towards rapid weight loss without healthy eating habits? What’s with the rush of weight loss without promoting exercise? If any of us who are dedicated followers of a *proper* glycemic index diet, you know that within the books you’ve purchased, exercise is PROMOTED. Period. End of Story.

I’ve kick started my swimming regime this summer with some pretty aggressive weight loss goals. By aggressive, I’m going to say roughly 20 lbs per month. The reason is simple: I love swimming and exercising outdoors and summer is the best time for active weight loss. Given the fact that I lose about 2000 calories over a 90 minute swim (that is not an exaggeration), could I possibly maintain my energy levels during a swim like this if I was on a starvation diet like that of “kimkins” ? Could 600 calories containing very low carbs assist me during this exercise routine? I have my doubts.

The GI Diet, on the other hand is the type of diet that helps with energy levels and promotes a more balanced approach. I’ll even go as far as to say, someone on a *moderate* atkins diet plan will also benefit from the protein rich diet that doesn’t significantly reduce calories that will cause your body to go into starvation mode. Men’s Health and other magz promoting weight loss by exercise continue to by my personal inspiration on balanced dieting with exercise training.

On final note: I’m a simple blogger with a simple message. At 475 lbs, I started my path back to healthier living by finally starting to listen to the advice of doctors, all of whom did not suggest a very low calorie diet. Only one, who just met me at 360 lbs, presented the idea of gastric bypass or atkins as options. When I told her I lost 125-130 lbs on exercising and use of the GI diet, her only comment was: carry on then. What more could she say? I’ve maintained this weight loss without yo-yoing for over 3 year now.

From where I sit, that’s exactly what I’m going to continue to do.

Self Portrait Sunday

This was yesterday afternoon. I was determined to get a swim in BEFORE July 1st. I made it! It was only a 30 minute swim where I did maybe a 1/4 to 1/2 a mile but it’s a start. No muscle pain afterwards, just all smiles. Oh, and meet Anita. She’s my mother-in-law who somehow manages to wear my “geek hat” as my wife calls it, in a way that’s more glamorous than I could ever make it. I’m really excited about accomplishing this minor goal. … usually the initial swim as early in the season as possible is all I need to make it into a regular activity. Without or without a cheering section.