Advice Wanted: Optimal Nutrition

[hannah]

Hello -

 

This may be slightly scatterbrained. Apologies in advance:

 

I am a college student and new to the "optimal nutrition" aspect of CRON. I use Cron-o-meter (subscriber) and just checked my averages for the last 7 days, being honest with myself and I am ashamed of the way I have "let myself go" since May. As of today, I will be eating ~1000 calories and focusing much more on nutrition. Also, I have an appointment to see a Gastroenterologist in 4 weeks for a problem that is symptomatic of a gluten allergy. Until then, I would appreciate some clarification about a paleo-style diet. I have eaten that way before and I do enjoy it but I am not very skilled in choosing nutrient-dense foods and my diet was consistently lacking in vitamins, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Eating grains usually contributed little to my overall nutrition and I attributed abdominal pain to eating them. I remain very confused about whether to restrict carbohydrates or not. I can understand avoiding grains and wheat-based carbohydrates. I can also understand avoiding potatoes and corn. But what about pulses and lentils? Or sweet potatoes? Apples? Etc.

 

Also, I am concerned about my daily consumption of protein. I am 5'4" tall and my goal weight is 110-114 lbs (I have a small frame). I consume ~75-110 grams of protein when eating on a paleo-type diet. That seems like a lot of protein to me. Since I am still lacking in nutrients, should I reduce my intake of protein in favor of nutrient-dense carbohydrates? I am not very active.

[Taurus Londono]

Hi Hannah, welcome to the CR Society forum. Just by finding your way here, you've demonstrated a level of conscientiousness that, if properly nurtured and maintained over the years, should give you a solid opportunity for a long, healthy, and rewarding life.

 

I am a college student

 

How old are you?

Assuming your BMI is not above 25 kg/m^2 and/or you're obese, I would personally urge you not to undertake a long-term CR regimen of any kind unless it's on the explicit advice of your doctor/health care professional.

...though that's dependent on your age. *Real CR* will intervene in your healthy growth and development; I believe that it may subvert fundamental, necessary biological changes that occur throughout young adulthood. These changes are critically important.

 

I personally don't think it's wise to begin CR until you get close to the beginning of the fourth decade of life...though I am not qualified to give medical advice (and this issue is murky at best). Until then, if I were you I would focus on ensuring that you have optimal lean mass, bone mineral density (which peaks around age 30 and essentially slips away like sand in an hour glass not long thereafter) and adjust to a healthful diet that (at least) meets minimum USDA/IOM requirements for micronutrients, protein, and essential fatty acids...with as much of those micronutrients as possible coming from natural sources and not supplements (ie; so-called "whole foods" and not fortified cereals, vitamin pills, etc).

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance/dietary-reference-intakes/dri-tables

 

Also consider these very basic physical activity guidelines-

http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/index.html

 

and new to the "optimal nutrition" aspect of CRON.

...open to some very loose interpretation by some... I consider it be nothing more per se than meeting nutrient requirements on a calorie-restricted diet (something which is, surprisingly, not necessarily obvious to either general practitioners or the lay public when considering CR). As per above, CR(ON) is not a deficient diet combined with multivitamin pills to make up the difference.

 

I use Cron-o-meter (subscriber)

 

Excellent. Meticulous tracking of your diet, preferably with the use of a scale and some sort of software, is, I think, very important to successful (and safe) CR.

 

I am ashamed of the way I have "let myself go" since May.

 

Please don't be. I can tell you, from one human being to another, I can relate to the emotional difficulties of sticking with a diet (or any lifestyle practice), the ups and downs, the nagging desire to give in to hormonal urges. I know what it feels like to be ashamed (in more ways than one).

 

I've learned that diet-induced shame is *not* healthy. Certainly, aside from my personal experiences, nobody in the CR Society or anybody who responsibly advocates a CR diet wants anyone to be ashamed if they don't happen to stick to the dietary goals they've set for themselves.

 

Consider that if CR has any worth as a means by which to reduce risk of non-communicable disease, increase lifespan, and enhance your healthy years, then it will pay off those rewards over the long course of your life. In other words, whatever the acute or short-term gains, the greatest benefits come from life-long practice. If the rewards compel you, then this is something you'll be doing, to some degree or another, for the rest of your life.

 

Don't be hard on yourself, and don't set the bar so high that you set yourself up for failure and doubt. Be easy-going about this, and exercise enough moderation that you feel comfortable with this lifestyle. Remember, CR is not a college course or a test. CR is a lifestyle choice that should ultimately work for you, for your happiness and your enrichment.

 

Assuming you're old enough to undertake CR in the first place, I think it's critical that you adjust your CR regimen to work for you. Ask yourself what the results are; if it makes you feel ashamed, then you're not to blame, the diet is. Relax. Adjust your diet as you need. Make it work for you, not against you.

 

As of today, I will be eating ~1000 calories and focusing much more on nutrition.

 

I'm a 5'5" male and I consume nearly twice as many calories (though requirements vary greatly). Be careful. Remember that the CR we're talking about here is not about weight loss; weight loss is a (not necessarily desirable) side effect. Don't lose more than a pound or so per week. Don't end up much below your healthy adult setpoint weight. If your BMI is around 18.5 (or lower), exercise extreme caution. Ensure that you meet (or exceed) minimum protein requirements.

 

Also, I have an appointment to see a Gastroenterologist in 4 weeks for a problem that is symptomatic of a gluten allergy.

 

Speaking of gastroenterologists, have you discussed CR with your doctor? I think it's important that a CR regimen (especially at ~1,000 calories per day) be undertaken in consultation with a health care professional. You'll want to have blood work done and establish a baseline, monitoring changes in biomarkers as you proceed.

 

I am not very skilled in choosing nutrient-dense foods and my diet was consistently lacking in vitamins, iron, magnesium, and potassium.

 

Vegetables should be the go-to choice for nutrient density; they're a staple of any high quality diet. Dark leafy greens, crucifers like broccoli, kale, etc... (cooked) starchy tubers are typically not relatively nutrient dense but carrots are good sources of vitamin A. Tomatoes and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons... I get a lot of potassium from homemade tomato sauces. A single citrus fruit typically has me covered for vitamin C. Bear in mind that you'll get more nutrients calorie-for-calorie from raw vegetables rather than cooked; generally, less cooked = better, but there's reason to prefer cooked tomatoes (potential for reduced risk of cancer). Nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts (omega 3) are a good way get required fatty acids and will help some in reaching mineral requirements as well as vitamin E. Pulses of all kinds like lentil and fava are generally good sources of protein, and they'll also help with nutrients like potassium, iron, and folate. Some dairy products like yogurt are another potential choice for protein and potassium. Avocados, olive oil, and green tea and absolute fixtures of my own daily diet.

 

An un-supplemented diet composed of many of the above foods should help you reach most nutrient requirements; I'm a vegetarian, and I consume more than enough non-heme iron...though, again, blood work is important; exceeding iron requirements (especially for women or vegetarians) may not be enough. Test results should include ferritin to be sure.

 

If the diet isn't perfect and you're short on some nutrients, that's not the end of the world. I'm typically short (but not too short) on zinc, calcium, and B12. I supplement these with modest amounts (sometimes) so that weekly averages meet (or exceed) requirements. Sometimes other nutrients, like selenium, are low. I don't worry *too much* about it.

 

 

Eating grains usually contributed little to my overall nutrition and I attributed abdominal pain to eating them.

 

You don't need them, and I suspect your Gastroenterologist may tell you to avoid them. If you wish, barley and quinoa (perhaps oats and rice as well) could be potential substitutes AFAIK.

 

I remain very confused about whether to restrict carbohydrates or not.

 

AFAIK, there is no *need* to restrict carbohydrates per se...the foods I singled out above amount to plenty of carbs... But AFAIK, there's also no *need* to consume any kind of minimum amount of carbohydrates either. Unlike protein and fats, there's no such thing as an "essential carbohydrate" as far as I know... I tend to stay away from the carbs vs no-carbs morass (be aware that the "debate" is mired in some outright pseudoscience); I'm content to acknowledge that carbs are merely a de facto contributor to the caloric intake of any sane person on a reasonable healthy diet. I don't go out of my way to avoid them, I merely choose healthy foods.

 

Or sweet potatoes? Apples? Etc.

 

Sweet potatoes are certainly the more nutrient-dense of the two on a per-calorie basis, though I wouldn't particularly seek out either food for health reasons. Not to say that you should go out of your way to avoid them either, necessarily. Bear in mind that both are pretty high on the EWG list when it comes to pesticides (apples are #1; choose organic).

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list/

 

Also, I am concerned about my daily consumption of protein. I am 5'4" tall and my goal weight is 110-114 lbs (I have a small frame). I consume ~75-110 grams of protein when eating on a paleo-type diet. That seems like a lot of protein to me. Since I am still lacking in nutrients, should I reduce my intake of protein in favor of nutrient-dense carbohydrates? I am not very active.

 

5'5" and ~117 here, so I can relate.

Put simply; increase your intake of nutrient-dense foods (and the concomitant carbohydrates) in an effort to meet nutrient requirements. If that means swapping some calories, then do it. ...but, if you're young (especially if you're too young to start CR in the first place), a high protein intake like yours might conceivably be beneficial. Remember, your best chance for good lifelong lean mass is now.

 

Good luck.

(sorry if this post was too lengthy!!!)

[hannah]

Wow - this is all excellent advice and information! I read through it all (it wasn't too lengthy). I really appreciate the links - I haven't checked them all but I will tomorrow morning. I met 88% of my nutrient requirements today, says the Cron-o-meter, and I am extremely proud of it! I didn't give much thought to anything. I am still in a discovery phase so I am looking for nutritious options but I am not panicking over my dinner (or the occasional bag of M&M's).

 

I am 22 years old (yesterday!) but I was a precocious puberty kid. My hormones seemed to be leveled out by the time I was 16 and I finished growing when I was 11 or 12. I was porky, then. I am a pre-med biology major and I am hoping to get into med school and/or a research program to study endocrinology and put it to practice. I found CRON after reading some biochemistry texts and flipping through articles on Google Scholar. I thought it was fascinating, found the supporting research on my college's library database and here I am today!

 

I will take your advice to heart concerning CR at a young age but I do need to lose some weight and I want to make CRON a lifestyle anyway. I need to learn how to make nutritious meals and shop for the "right" foods when I go to the grocery store. One day I will be 40 and I imagine my brain will be done with crash-courses by then. I would rather learn about and practice all of this now :) Albeit with a lot more flexibility!

 

Thank you for encouraging me not to be ashamed of my diet last week. My average calories came to 2200 for a 7-day period. While that is not bad, I did have ~500 calories one day and 6000 calories another day! Oh my! That simply made me aware of my choices. I love the "average" tool on Cron-o-meter. That is the best way for me to keep track. My eating patterns have always been "eat today, not tomorrow"; that is, I will eat a lot one day but very little for the next 2 or 3 days. I have never, EVER eaten the same amount for several days. With that said, I love the intermittent fasting lifestyle. It is basically how I live anyway. I weigh myself every day and periodically take my measurements and go to the gym to use their body fat % equipment. I would rather have medical tests done (I want to have medical BMR tests and body fat/lean mass tests taken) but I cannot afford them at the moment. My estimated BMR is 1350 when sedentary and 1620 when lightly active (during the schoolyear) based on my lean mass. I can reduce my intake by 580 calories and be ok.

 

I really can't wait for my appointment with the gastroenterologist. I wanted to be able to provide a printout of my diet over at least a 2-week period so I could show him how my intake affected my symptoms. If I were a doctor I would appreciate that. I will also ask about my iron levels. He will probably ask to take a blood sample for unusual antibodies and when he does I can ask about my iron levels and what he recommends.

 

Thank you for sharing how you typically get your nutrition requirements. That is so helpful! I realized yesterday that pulses and legumes offer a lot of the nutrition that I consistently lack. And a big thank you for sharing your height and weight. It is really nice to have perspective about calories and weight goals!

 

Sorry this reply took so long. I'm working an early morning shift and I have had a lot going on over the weekend and early this week.

[keithsct]

Wow - this is all excellent advice and information! I read through it all (it wasn't too lengthy). I really appreciate the links - I haven't checked them all but I will tomorrow morning. I met 88% of my nutrient requirements today, says the Cron-o-meter, and I am extremely proud of it! I didn't give much thought to anything. I am still in a discovery phase so I am looking for nutritious options but I am not panicking over my dinner (or the occasional bag of M&M's).

 

I am 22 years old (yesterday!) but I was a precocious puberty kid. My hormones seemed to be leveled out by the time I was 16 and I finished growing when I was 11 or 12. I was porky, then. I am a pre-med biology major and I am hoping to get into med school and/or a research program to study endocrinology and put it to practice. I found CRON after reading some biochemistry texts and flipping through articles on Google Scholar. I thought it was fascinating, found the supporting research on my college's library database and here I am today!

 

I will take your advice to heart concerning CR at a young age but I do need to lose some weight and I want to make CRON a lifestyle anyway. I need to learn how to make nutritious meals and shop for the "right" foods when I go to the grocery store. One day I will be 40 and I imagine my brain will be done with crash-courses by then. I would rather learn about and practice all of this now :) Albeit with a lot more flexibility!

 

Thank you for encouraging me not to be ashamed of my diet last week. My average calories came to 2200 for a 7-day period. While that is not bad, I did have ~500 calories one day and 6000 calories another day! Oh my! That simply made me aware of my choices. I love the "average" tool on Cron-o-meter. That is the best way for me to keep track. My eating patterns have always been "eat today, not tomorrow"; that is, I will eat a lot one day but very little for the next 2 or 3 days. I have never, EVER eaten the same amount for several days. With that said, I love the intermittent fasting lifestyle. It is basically how I live anyway. I weigh myself every day and periodically take my measurements and go to the gym to use their body fat % equipment. I would rather have medical tests done (I want to have medical BMR tests and body fat/lean mass tests taken) but I cannot afford them at the moment. My estimated BMR is 1350 when sedentary and 1620 when lightly active (during the schoolyear) based on my lean mass. I can reduce my intake by 580 calories and be ok.

 

I really can't wait for my appointment with the gastroenterologist. I wanted to be able to provide a printout of my diet over at least a 2-week period so I could show him how my intake affected my symptoms. If I were a doctor I would appreciate that. I will also ask about my iron levels. He will probably ask to take a blood sample for unusual antibodies and when he does I can ask about my iron levels and what he recommends.

 

Thank you for sharing how you typically get your nutrition requirements. That is so helpful! I realized yesterday that pulses and legumes offer a lot of the nutrition that I consistently lack. And a big thank you for sharing your height and weight. It is really nice to have perspective about calories and weight goals!

 

Sorry this reply took so long. I'm working an early morning shift and I have had a lot going on over the weekend and early this week.

Hi Hanna, I agree with much of what Taurus said, but I have a few further points to make. If one assumes that you're currently above your goal weight, then I'd suggest that you consider implementing a healthy diet to at least drift into the average range of BMI from 18.5 - 25.0. Your target BMI looks good at 18.9 - 19.6, but I wouldn't go much lower. Don't try to lose weight too fast - it might negatively affect your studies. I'd shoot for a pound every month. And of course, stop losing if you don't like the way it looks on you after you've lost some weight. At your age you don't want to be too thin. There are lots of fad diets that restrict fats, or carbs, or proteins. IMHO you should ignore all of them since your body needs all of them to function properly. Instead implement a balanced diet with some protein, some carbs and some fat. Extreme diets that restrict certain nutrients are doomed to failure in the long run. So why not so it right in the first place? One strategy that I've found works well is to pay particular attention to your breakfast. Most breakfast cereals have extremely low nutrition naturally and are then fortified with vitamins that are often not absorbed completely because they compete for the same receptors in the body. It's better to make your own breakfast ahead of time out of beans, grains, dried fruit and nuts and oils. That way you can control the ingredients and fat distributions in your food and avoid glycemic spikes that leave you snoozing during that 2:00 PM class. It gets you off to a good start with your nutrition and once you add a salad for lunch and a bit of fruit, even if dinner is a disaster (nutritionally) you've still covered much of your nutritional requirements for the day.

 

Lower carb diets have been know to induce a good mood and sharpened mental state which is good for exam time.

Ketosis from high protein/fats diets has been know to produce sluggish thoughts and fuzzy thinking and so is good to avoid around exam time.

 

Perhaps you want to start off with a very light CR of 10 - 15% compared to your ad-lib diet. Once you settle in on that and have healthy dietary habits you can consider a more serious level of 20 - 35% once you get a bit older and more stable in life.

 

 

[Taurus Londono]

Also,

Michael Rae's posts make for informative and worthwhile reading-

http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/51743-michaels-quotidian-diet/

http://www.methuselahfoundation.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2223&postcount=5

http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/45958-calorie-restriction-targets/page__p__450451#entry450451

 

"I finished growing when I was 11 or 12"

It might have seemed that way, but I can tell you that is most definitely not the case. You're still growing. Indeed, at age 22, neuroanatomical maturation is not yet complete.

 

Regarding the BMI target, most GPs would probably tell you not to diet to reduce body weight if you're under 25kg/m^2. Once you start CR proper, targeting a specific bodyweight (ie; down from a healthy, non-obese setpoint) is essentially unavoidable as a means by which to gauge restriction necessary for "CR" (as opposed to *merely* down from the calories necessary to support an overweight/obese body)...but weight loss per se is not the goal, it's merely a side-effect.

 

"I am a pre-med biology major and I am hoping to get into med school and/or a research program to study endocrinology and put it to practice."

Excellent! I think endocrinology is a *particularly* important discipline. It's also a profession in *great need*. I wish you continued success!

[hannah]

Hi Hanna, I agree with much of what Taurus said, but I have a few further points to make. If one assumes that you're currently above your goal weight, then I'd suggest that you consider implementing a healthy diet to at least drift into the average range of BMI from 18.5 - 25.0. Your target BMI looks good at 18.9 - 19.6, but I wouldn't go much lower. Don't try to lose weight too fast - it might negatively affect your studies. I'd shoot for a pound every month. And of course, stop losing if you don't like the way it looks on you after you've lost some weight. At your age you don't want to be too thin. There are lots of fad diets that restrict fats, or carbs, or proteins. IMHO you should ignore all of them since your body needs all of them to function properly. Instead implement a balanced diet with some protein, some carbs and some fat. Extreme diets that restrict certain nutrients are doomed to failure in the long run. So why not so it right in the first place? One strategy that I've found works well is to pay particular attention to your breakfast. Most breakfast cereals have extremely low nutrition naturally and are then fortified with vitamins that are often not absorbed completely because they compete for the same receptors in the body. It's better to make your own breakfast ahead of time out of beans, grains, dried fruit and nuts and oils. That way you can control the ingredients and fat distributions in your food and avoid glycemic spikes that leave you snoozing during that 2:00 PM class. It gets you off to a good start with your nutrition and once you add a salad for lunch and a bit of fruit, even if dinner is a disaster (nutritionally) you've still covered much of your nutritional requirements for the day.

 

Lower carb diets have been know to induce a good mood and sharpened mental state which is good for exam time.

Ketosis from high protein/fats diets has been know to produce sluggish thoughts and fuzzy thinking and so is good to avoid around exam time.

 

Perhaps you want to start off with a very light CR of 10 - 15% compared to your ad-lib diet. Once you settle in on that and have healthy dietary habits you can consider a more serious level of 20 - 35% once you get a bit older and more stable in life.

 

I agree that dieting could negatively affect my studies and that "being thin" should not be the goal. With regards to Taurus's statement (below) about my growth (I'm not finished yet!) depriving myself of nutritional "supplies" is a bad idea. Still, I want to get some of this weight off but "thin" is not my goal. I will take is slow and be extra careful. I'm glad you mentioned lower carb and ketosis diets. I have found that I get most of my nutrition at ~100-130g carbs. I also feel my best at that level. When I drop to 60-75 grams I still feel fine but I lose my energy earlier in the day. I can only manage keto diets for a day or two. I had some ketostix last year because I was experimenting with a low carb diet just for curiosity's sake. It takes me about 2 days to get into ketosis as opposed to the more typical 3-5 days. That made me wonder: If I was burning carbs so quickly, wouldn't I need more to prevent sudden hypoglycemia? Or more protein? That is something I should ask a doctor but it really made me curious. I could be completely wrong. Anyway, you are totally right about breakfast! I was eating oatmeal for the longest time. It really did little for me and I was so hungry after an hour. I have two eggs for breakfast now - just 2! I am full for at least 6 hours! And I get a lot of my Omega-3 and Vitamin D, etc. But sometimes I have to run out the door to school and I miss breakfast so preparing things ahead of time (or at least having a nutritious option readily available) is a huge bonus.

 

I am taking a more moderate approach to my calories. Anywhere between 1000 and 1500 is acceptable, depending on my hunger levels and (ahem) grades :D

[Guest HappyMe]

I am not very skilled in choosing nutrient-dense foods and my diet was consistently lacking in vitamins, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Eating grains usually contributed little to my overall nutrition and I attributed abdominal pain to eating them. I remain very confused about whether to restrict carbohydrates or not. I can understand avoiding grains and wheat-based carbohydrates. I can also understand avoiding potatoes and corn. But what about pulses and lentils? Or sweet potatoes? Apples? Etc.

 

Also, I am concerned about my daily consumption of protein. I am 5'4" tall and my goal weight is 110-114 lbs (I have a small frame). I consume ~75-110 grams of protein when eating on a paleo-type diet. That seems like a lot of protein to me. Since I am still lacking in nutrients, should I reduce my intake of protein in favor of nutrient-dense carbohydrates? I am not very active.

 

Hello, I'm new to this forum but I have been surfing today looking for people who share my health goals.

 

I'm a little taller than you and I'm a post-menopausal woman, so my nutrient needs are probably less than yours (skeletal growth doesn't cease until 25-30 yrs, I think).

 

I eat 1500-1600 calories per day and only 50 grams of that is carbohydrates. I eat around 100 grams of protein and 100 grams of fat daily. I also drink one beer a day. I have been eating this way for over 5 years. I have found that if you stick to the "optimal nutrition" part of the "CRON" formula you will nail it. Once you eat all the fat and protein you need for the day and consume the vegetables and fruits necessary to meet your nutrient goals, there will be practically no caloric allotment for starches (I eat only 1/4 cup pasta, potatoes, or rice each day.)

 

I use fitday, also nutritiondata is good for learning about nutrients and figuring out your calories. Once you learn which foods contain which nutrients and what size portions you need you can wing it (my basic categories of foods are fats, proteins, greens, nuts, and dried fruit - by now I know how much of each to eat each day to meet my goals so my meals are just variations on that theme).

 

It is a societal stigma to avoid protein and fat. It took me awhile at first to accept that these are the foundations of the human diet; I view other foods as nutritional supplements.

 

I am active and also work out daily. I'm slim and strong and not hungry (this is the most important point - a carb and starch based diet left me hungry all the time, even when I was eating a lot). Eating very low carb also improved my dental health, ended acid reflux, and dramatically improved my skin and musculature. I also no longer become constipated or have blood sugar swings.

 

I hope my experience helps you. Experiment to find the numbers and variety that suits you. Frankly, 1000 calories a day seems too low, especially since you are young.

 

You will know when you are on the right track because you will feel better (except during the beginning if you have "induction flu" due to transition away from carb-based metabolism - be patient with that and don't give up, it took me several months before my symptoms went away - this will depend on how carb-dependent you are when you start).

[logan]

In terms of nutrient dense food, salad greens are the main thing to look for, like kale, collards, lettuce, bok choy

also good source of iodine is nori sushi wrapping seaweed, as well as other seaweeds.

 

as a vegan i've done lots of research on optimal nutrition,

for vitamin D, sundried mushrooms, and daily walks,

typically sundry them myself by putting them on the windowsill, with stems up.

 

for calcium, white navy beans or kale, with the mushrooms and lemon juice to help with absorption. can fortify with gypsum and tricalcium phosphate.

for iron, small red beans, with tomato sauce to help with absorption. can fortify with a bit of iron(ii) sulfate.

 

for B12, vegan probiotic yogurt, and nutritional yeast, I like to make yeast bread, though perhaps you can make it with gluten free flour if sensitive.

I've heard that some people with wheat gluten sensitivity are fine with other glutens such as spelt, rye, so can still get rising effect.

 

Hello, I'm new to this forum but I have been surfing today looking for people who share my health goals.

 

I'm a little taller than you and I'm a post-menopausal woman, so my nutrient needs are probably less than yours (skeletal growth doesn't cease until 25-30 yrs, I think).

Really, I didn't know that, so would that mean I should be extra careful to have enough calcium?

 

I'm 25, BMI 22, 173cm, 67kg.

 

I eat 1500-1600 calories per day and only 50 grams of that is carbohydrates. I eat around 100 grams of protein and 100 grams of fat daily. I also drink one beer a day. I have been eating this way for over 5 years. I have found that if you stick to the "optimal nutrition" part of the "CRON" formula you will nail it. Once you eat all the fat and protein you need for the day and consume the vegetables and fruits necessary to meet your nutrient goals, there will be practically no caloric allotment for starches (I eat only 1/4 cup pasta, potatoes, or rice each day.)

sounds like a lot of protein, isn't it best to limit protein to 10% to reduce IGF hormone related aging? Also protein is hard to digest..

I prefer to have up to about 15% protein, with the rest split between carbs and fats, especially getting enough omega-3's and nuts.

 

I use fitday, also nutritiondata is good for learning about nutrients and figuring out your calories. Once you learn which foods contain which nutrients and what size portions you need you can wing it (my basic categories of foods are fats, proteins, greens, nuts, and dried fruit - by now I know how much of each to eat each day to meet my goals so my meals are just variations on that theme).

 

It is a societal stigma to avoid protein and fat. It took me awhile at first to accept that these are the foundations of the human diet; I view other foods as nutritional supplements.

well the society generall promotes protein, and avoids fats and carbs.

though really it should be the other way around..

 

really there are so many people that always inquire when they talk to a vegan "how do you get your protein?"

a better question would be "how can you avoid protein" which is really practically impossible,

even rice and wheat has at least 14% protein.

 

There is plenty of negative effects in relation to protein,

though fats are relatively easy to digest and are quite beneficial.

 

I am active and also work out daily. I'm slim and strong and not hungry (this is the most important point - a carb and starch based diet left me hungry all the time, even when I was eating a lot). Eating very low carb also improved my dental health, ended acid reflux, and dramatically improved my skin and musculature. I also no longer become constipated or have blood sugar swings.

hmmm I find that as long as I eat enough salad I don't feel hungry.

I usually have salad with every meal/boww of food.

 

I hope my experience helps you. Experiment to find the numbers and variety that suits you. Frankly, 1000 calories a day seems too low, especially since you are young.

You will know when you are on the right track because you will feel better (except during the beginning if you have "induction flu" due to transition away from carb-based metabolism - be patient with that and don't give up, it took me several months before my symptoms went away - this will depend on how carb-dependent you are when you start).

ya, for some reason my cron-o-meter says I need 2300 a day, that's just way too high.. :-|

like I've tried eating that much, but that basically meant eating all the time, lots of high calorie foods,

not only was it very taxing, I also gained weight because of it. So I stopped and now only eat when hungry.

 

Also I do alternate day fasting, as it improves energy, sirtuins, gives me more time to do stuff,

and my guts don't hurt in morning from overeating, i used to think i was just hungry since it stopped once I ate breakfast, but I don't get it after a fasting day *shrugs*.

usually I only get it if I eat abunch of protein near the end of the day, since it's so hard to digest.

I'll see if I can get my tempeh cultures to grow on red beans or white beans,

then maybe it would be easier to digest the stuff.

[keithsct]

...

ya, for some reason my cron-o-meter says I need 2300 a day, that's just way too high.. :-|

like I've tried eating that much, but that basically meant eating all the time, lots of high calorie foods,

not only was it very taxing, I also gained weight because of it. So I stopped and now only eat when hungry.

 

Also I do alternate day fasting, as it improves energy, sirtuins, gives me more time to do stuff,

and my guts don't hurt in morning from overeating, i used to think i was just hungry since it stopped once I ate breakfast, but I don't get it after a fasting day *shrugs*.

usually I only get it if I eat abunch of protein near the end of the day, since it's so hard to digest.

I'll see if I can get my tempeh cultures to grow on red beans or white beans,

then maybe it would be easier to digest the stuff.

Hi logan, As you've already found out, you shouldn't rely on cron-o-meter to tell you what calorie level to set as a target. You need to use trial and error to find out what calorie level allows you to get substantial CRON benefits, but at the same time be a diet you can live with and not have too much anxiety. Often a good calorie starting point for someone starting out is the calorie level that allows you to maintain a BMI between 18 and 23 or so. Different people respond differently, however, so adjustments may need to be made up or down according to an individual's response. CRON's 2 rules are to first get all your nutrition, then secondly cut your calories as much as you comfortably can while still maintaining rule #1. ADF is ok, but sometimes I worry about cutting the average nutrition too much and starving the body.

Cheers, Keith

[logan]

Hi logan, As you've already found out, you shouldn't rely on cron-o-meter to tell you what calorie level to set as a target. You need to use trial and error to find out what calorie level allows you to get substantial CRON benefits, but at the same time be a diet you can live with and not have too much anxiety. Often a good calorie starting point for someone starting out is the calorie level that allows you to maintain a BMI between 18 and 23 or so. Different people respond differently, however, so adjustments may need to be made up or down according to an individual's response. CRON's 2 rules are to first get all your nutrition, then secondly cut your calories as much as you comfortably can while still maintaining rule #1. ADF is ok, but sometimes I worry about cutting the average nutrition too much and starving the body.

Cheers, Keith

Oh ya, that's exactly how I did it, started with optimal nutrition,

and certainly am maintaining and even improving it over time.

Typically for fasting days, I try to stick to mostly raw foods, like salads, fruits, seeds and nuts.

I still get most of my nutrition that I would normally require, since they have all the vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.

Ya, I find bmi 22 seems like a good set point for me, and I'm quite lenient on my fasting days mostly .i.e. I have leftovers.

 

Fasting days are great since they usually have low-calorie, high nutrition food.

Ya I know maybe it's not quite fasting in the traditional starvation sense,

but since it's still typically much fewer calories, it's kinda similar.