Low Starch Weight Loss Eating Plan
Maintaining or losing weight is a concern for many people. Quick fix diets don’t work. Studies have found that over 95% of dieters who lose weight, will regain the lost kilograms plus extra within one year. Clearly, we need a life-long way of eating that maintains our desired body weight without feeling deprived. The low-starch eating plan we recommend at Strand Natural Therapies helps many of our patients lose excess kilos while maintaining good health. This is a long term eating program rather than a quick fix diet, although positive changes may occur within days. Most people feel more energy, notice better concentration and improved general health.
Why it works
Starchy foods generally have a high glycaemic index (GI). High glycaemic index (GI) foods cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels, which in turn causes an increase in the amount of insulin. High amounts of insulin in the bloodstream increase fat storage. Not good!
For this reason it is best to reduce starchy foods including; potatoes, pumpkin, peas, corn, pasta, bread, biscuits and rice. Sorry!! But most fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, nuts and seeds are fine. It is very hard to live life entirely starch free, so try to stick to one meal with starch per day.
Other Interesting Bits
Evolution
Our body (and digestive tract) has remained essentially unchanged for hundreds of thousands of years, yet the food we eat has changed substantially. Grains (including rice, rye, wheat, barley and corn) have only been cultivated for the last ten thousand years – the beginning of agriculture and civilisation – long after our digestive systems were up and running. In the modern diet, there is an overemphasis on grains such as wheat, appearing in bread, pasta, biscuits and most breakfast cereals. This is not to suggest we go back to prehistoric times and eat cockroaches and dinosaur dung, but a return to the kind of foods our bodies were evolved to thrive on; Leaves, seeds, nuts, fruits, meat, eggs, vegetables, fish and the occasional flower.
Recent history
Over 30 years ago the western world was swept up in Pritikin fever. Nathan Pritikin wowed the experts with evidence that fat was a major cause of heart disease, the then No 1 killer of Americans. Pritikin recommended a diet severely restricted in all kinds of fat. Chips and chops were out, boiled potatoes and pasta were in.
Lots of people lost weight and lots of people avoided heart disease. However, the news wasn’t all good. By focussing on processed carbohydrate foods (at the expense of ‘good’ fat and protein), this ultimately causes a shift in the way the body deals with glucose. Encouraging weight gain and even a tendency towards diabetes, a disease that is now epidemic.
Are there any side effects?
Most people feel fantastic eating this way. However, by removing breads, pasta and cereals, inadvertently we are also removing a certain amount of fibre, which may result in constipation. So, it’s important to ensure that you drink plenty of water (1.5-2l daily) and eat PLENTY of fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds to replace the fibre taken away. If this is still not enough, supplement with psyllium husks or Metamucil daily.
This eating plan is EASY, you only need to stick to two simple rules.
- Eat only two small servings of starch a day, preferably not at the evening meal
- Eat protein with every meal. The rule of thumb is that for each main meal, the portion of protein should be about the size of your open palm, and for snacks, about the size of half your palm.
Unrestricted Foods
- All fruit except bananas
- All vegetables except; peas, potatoes, corn, parsnip, pumpkin
- All protein foods; meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, cheese, legumes and tofu
Starch Foods
Two small serves of starchy food per day, (preferably not at the evening meal)
Grains
- Bread – one slice
- Rice – half cup cooked
- Pasta – half cup cooked
- Oats – half cup cooked
- Crackers – (eg vitawheat, rice cakes) two pieces
Fruit
- Banana – one average
Vegetables
- Potatoes – 3 chat, one medium
- Pumpkin – one piece
- Peas – half cup
- Corn – half cup
- Parsnip – one average
Alcohol
- Beer – one stubby
- Wine - one glass
- Spirits - one shot
Meal Suggestions
Eat at least 3 meals a day. Breakfast is non negotiable! If you feel hungry in between meals, eat a snack. This is not a diet diet! It’s a healthy way of eating which will help you obtain and keep your ideal body weight.
Breakfast
- Scrambled, poached, boiled eggs on a bed of spinach, and/or, mushrooms and/or tomato.
- Smoothie (soy milk/ cow’s milk/ orange juice/ yoghurt and or other fruit/egg/LSA*).
- LSA is a mixture of ground linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds. You can buy this blend ready-made from health food shop or supermarkets
- Combination of chopped almonds, walnuts, cashews together with sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, linseeds and pumpkin seeds. (add or subtract any nuts or seeds you particularly like or dislike). Have as much as you like mixed with a spoonful of milk or yoghurt.
If you wish to have starch at this meal eg. Toast, porridge, baked beans, banana
Lunch/Dinner
- Meat/chicken/casserole and vegetables
- Fish/meat/chicken and salad
- Meat/chicken/tofu and vegetable soup
- Stir fry vegies, meat/chicken/fish/tofu
- Fish (canned or fresh) and salad
If you wish to have starch at this meal eg. Bread, rice, pasta
Snacks
- Meat/chicken/tofu and veg soup
- Almonds, walnuts etc
- Small can of tuna with lettuce or salad
- Small can baked beans
- Fruit and cheese
If you wish to have starch at this meal eg. Crackers, baked beans, bread, banana