My Assent of the sugar hill

After listening to a couple of pod-casts by my favourite security researcher I have done a little bit of research into Very Low Carb diets. The logic that out bodies are designed, by evolution, to require a specific foods seems to be sound and the logic that Complex carbs isn't part of it also seems sound. So yesterday I started on what is currently a very badly planned very low carb diet. I am intending on writing up some of my experiances and findings to keep a record and maybe try and help anyone else that fancy's giving it a go.


This all started after watching the following 2 video/pod casts which were put together by the "TWIT.tv" team of Leo Laport and Steve Gibson. They normally do a security pod-cast that I listen to but put these 2 specials together


http://twit.tv/show/twit-live-specials/124
http://twit.tv/show/twit-live-specials/125


Now, that's over 2 hours of viewing so don't go looking if you are pressed for time. My précis is this; We are not designed to eat complex carbs, our bodies (given chance to get used to it) can run fine on fat, there are several perceived health benefits from allowing our bodies to run on fat. To get your body to run on fat you have to deprive it of carbs (cut them out of your diet as much as possible) and give it about 1-2 months to balance it's self out.


Steve Gibson also has a lot of information on his website at http://www.grc.com/health.htm including some book / further reading which I am part way through.


So the first problem I hit was that there is no way my wife or 2 year old daughter are getting involved in something so off the wall unless I am convinced it will do them good. At the moment I'm not convinced so I'm in this on my own. The second problem is that whilst this low carbs thing is very similar to the Atkins diet it's not quite the same. You are not supposed to be replacing all the calories from carbs with ones from protean, but rather with fats. Now I know most red meat has lots of fat too but I think that's probably missing the point.


So, I need to work out what I can eat for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner that doesn't include carbs but does include enough calories (I need to loose a couple of stone so missing some kcals won't hurt). It seems that Eggs are quite common which is a little worrying as they are one of my allergens but maybe the change of diet will help with the allergies too....


Yesterday I had olives and cooked chicken for breakfast, an epic fail of a beef and salad sandwich for lunch and mixed cold meets (leftover from a family party on Sunday), yoghurt and grapes fro Dinner. This morning I have had raspberries, muller rice (not so good) and grapes. I really need to get it a bit more together than that or this isn't going to last very long.


I have also started checking various "health" related things to try and keep an eye on my self. Weight, blood pressure, heart rate, body fat %, blood sugar. I have also ordered some ketostix which (amongst other things) monitor the levels of chemicals in urin to see if you have reduced your carb intake low enough to force your body to start changing over to fat burning mode.


Please note, I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist. This is purely a write-up of how things have affected me and not direct advice to anyone else. (please don't sue me.....).


GW