A Diet as a Lifestyle

Mercifully, the Jewish holiday of Passover just ended for me and my family two Monday nights ago.  I don't really need to rehash the details of the history (most of it I learned watching The Ten Commandments anyway) in a blog post, but beyond a very cool story, a nice night with family and friends and a sumptuous first night of Passover feast consisting of vast amounts of gefilte fish, matzo ball soup, brisket, potato kugel, tsimis and wine, the majority of the next 8 days are spent by Jews not only commemorating and remembering the past but also commiserating over the lack of ability to eat anything "leavened" (a substance, such as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter) in our diets for the near future.  We are restricted from eating any sort of cereal, bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, crackers, muffins, bagels, danishes, pastries, donuts, rice, etc., for the entirety of the holiday; essentially, the Atkins Diet.  The first few days are pretty much ok as we consume leftovers from the first night meal and then shift towards a bounty of eggs, fish, chicken, cheese, meat, fruits and vegetables, i.e., a low-carb, high protein diet.  Sound familiar?  Yeah, it's the trend nowadays, but the problem for me is that, although my diet does in fact consist of a pretty healthy balance of carbs and proteins already, going from a healthy balance to virtually no carbohydrates overnight is not very much fun.  At all.  By day 5 of Passover I was moody, cranky, lethargic, tired, and, moreover, really, really REALLY hungry.  I remember last Sunday morning between the hours of 8 - 10 a.m., it took an omelette, two oranges, salmon, a protein shake and three glasses of water to get me going, and by noon I was hungry all over again.  And then, naturally, when the carb "fast" was broken on Monday night, my body rebelled against the pasta and bread my wife cooked for dinner and it took my stomach three days to get re-adjusted to whole grains.  So all of this craziness got me thinking:  for someone (pretty much all of us) who loves their carbs but really wants to make a dent in their diet, what should they do?

As I looked back over my meals during Passover week, I reached a few conclusions:

• I, like most Americans, am a carb/bread/pasta/cereal freak, and giving those items up completely over the long haul will never, ever happen ... at least until Passover 2014.  Dreading it already.
• Looking at my family history and my genetics, I am pretty lucky.  My Dad and his Dad are/were both very trim and active, and I think I acquired a few of their good genes.  This means that I can get away with a few bowls of pasta and a couple slices of pizza here and there. Sometimes, many bowls of pasta and many slices of pizza.  Stuff tastes good, what can I say.
• Furthermore, because of my high activity level, my time spent at the gym exercising, walking, training and burning calories over the course of a day, my metabolism has a leg up on most, and in that sense I am also quite lucky because I can afford to eat a fair amount of carbohydrate loaded foods and not feel the effects.  I think my body craves and needs that extra energy because otherwise I would have a tough time getting through the day.  So I suppose I have a built in excuse, which is also kind of nice.

What I also realized is that most Americans are not as fortunate in terms of their genetics and their lifestyle, and I wouldn't be nearly as effective at my job if I wasn't in shape and I didn't at least try to look the part.  I also try my best to practice what I preach to clients:  that if you really want to make a dent in your nutrition, the best way to do it is to cut back on starchy, sugary, carb-loaded foods and stock up on lean meats, salmon, grilled chicken, low-fat dairy, low-fat cheeses, 100% whole grain products and fresh fruits and vegetables.  It's been said a million times over that you can't out train or exercise a bad diet, and it's incredibly true.  You also can't out train your genetics, and those with a history of health issues in their family have an even tougher hill to climb.  So how do you balance the need for carbohydrates and the craving for a little starch and sugar? Here are a few ideas:

•  You love carbs, yes?  So do I.  But you can get those carbs from fruits and vegetables, and even though an apple may not be as appealing as an onion bagel, apples and other fruits have tons of carbs, fiber and nutrients, whereas that onion bagel is loaded with mostly calories and carbohydrates.  I try to eat a few pieces of fresh fruit a day, one around breakfast and one around lunch.  You'd be surprised how much a banana can conquer your sugar craving.  
• Not a big veggie fan?  Me neither.  Unless my wife makes them for dinner, I'm almost veggie-free, but I'm trying to change that.  Grab some carrots and hummus for a snack or a little celery and natural peanut butter.  Truly good stuff, especially on the go.
• I'm still a believer that the basis of your diet needs to be lean meats, chicken and fish, grilled foods, fruits and veggies if you are trying to make a weight loss/fat loss dent, but I love my bread as much as the next guy or gal.  Just make that bread 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat and you'll get those carbs along with the positive nutrients.
• Hungry after all that?  Try a hard-boiled egg.  This was pretty much the one food that made me full during Passover, and the nutrients and protein is all there in a few bites.
• Give yourself a few cheat meals a week.  Pizza, pasta, a little dessert, you gotta have it every once in a while to get by.  You'll satisfy your craving, but just make it sensible and moderate.  Easier said than done, I know, and I'm guilty as charged.  But in the end, it's worth it.

So the moral of the story is ... I've got about 355 days until I have to give up pasta again.  I think I'll have a better plan the next time around.