The Carbohydrate Type Diet
Finding your Personal Fuel Mix
Its important to keep in mind that the 40:60 percent macro-nutrient ratio is a general guideline for Carbohydrate types. Think of this as a starting point or 1st step. Due to metabolic individuality, however, different people within the carbohydrate type category have different macro-nutrient requirements. As an example some carbohydrate types get by on less carbohydrates and tolerate larger portions of protein, even those with a higher fat and purine content. Other people need more carbohydrate and are highly sensitive to even small amounts of additional proteins.
Everyone is different which means the specific proportions of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that work well for you may not work for another carbohydrate type, and even cause adverse effects. What you need to do is pinpoint you own highly individualized macro-nutrient ratio. You must identify your personal fuel mix, once you fine your fuel mixture you will know how to combine your foods (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) in proportions that are just right for you. This will make a huge difference in the way you feel following each meal, or snack.
You will know when you have hit your “Personal Fuel Mix” because you will immediately have strong and lasting physical energy and mental clarity, a solid sense of well being, and a sense of fullness and satisfaction, as opposed to persistent hunger or sweet cravings, energy highs or lows, and inconsistent digestion issues. How do you find your personal fuel mix? Its very simple . All you need to do is experiment a little by consuming varying amounts of carbohydrates. As a protein type excess amounts of carbohydrates especially starchy, sugary kind, are your downfall, since they produce lowered energy, mood swings, blood sugar problems and food cravings
As a first step you will need to restrict your carbohydrate intake for a few days. Once you know what it feels like to be almost entirely off carbohydrates, you can start adding them in again, a little at a time until you have found your personal fuel mix. If you consume beyond your (p.f.m) you will know it, how? Because you will lose your energy, sense of well being and feelings of satisfaction. Alike by eating too few of carbohydrates you'll experience the same negative symptoms.
Twelve Simple Steps for Finding Your Personal Fuel Mix
- For the first 2-7 days, eliminate all “Caution Carbs” (grains, cereals, breads, desserts, fruits, starchy vegetables, and milk products.
- Eat Freely of any of your allowable proteins and fats: Meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, butter, and vegetable oils.
- During these few days , limit your vegetable intake to the following non-starchy varieties listed in your allowable foods chart; Asparagus, celery, green beans, cauliflower, spinach, and mushrooms. Start out with only a small portion of vegetables as compared to you protein amount. This is your baseline.
- Eat to the point of being full but not to the point of feeling stuffed.
- Have snacks between meals if you like, using the same food choices.
- Some carbohydrate types, especially those with blood sugar problems will feel better almost immediately. They will be able to go long between meals without eating, lose their sweet cravings and will feel a distinct energy boost. But others may not feel as well. They may experience symptons of withdrawal from high starch and sugary foods. This usually does not last for more than two to three days. It might involve any number of symptoms such as headaches, flulike sensations, or extreme sweet cravings. If this should happen to you, just hang in there and you should start to experience some of the positive feelings listed above.
- True Carbohydrate types who are already eating correctly will not feel well by cutting back on there carbohydrate intake this way. However, a majority of Carbohydrate types, will actually feel better for a few days by eliminating the “Caution Carbs” Sometimes thereafter they generally start to feel irritability, short temper, and fatigue. And then crave sweets or feel hungry after eating. When you have come “full circle” with your cravings then increase the amount of non-starchy vegetables (those on the allowable food charts) as compared to your quantity of protein. until you begin to feel well
- If you still do not feel well even after increasing your non-starchy vegetables, begin to add a little starch to your meals, starting with only one table spoon of starchy vegetables from your allowable food chart. Such as artichoke, corn, peas, potato, or winter squash with dinner.
- If you still feel well or even better by eating a little starchy vegetables at dinner, add one tablespoon of starchy vegetable at lunch, and one at breakfast.
- If all goes well increase your starchy vegetable intake to 2 tablespoons per meal.
- Then, if all is still fine, substitute some whole grain in place of starchy vegetables.
- In this manner you can continue to slowly increase your carbohydrate intake. At some point, you'll move beyond your personal fuel mix and begin to notice a reappearance of your “old” symptoms (fatigue, depression, mood swings, sweet cravings, digestive problems, and so on. When that happens, you'll know you need to start decreasing your carbohydrates gradually until you start feeling will again, At this stage, if you have any degree of uncertainty, you can always return to your baseline and start over.
Once you have come this far, you'll know how to manage your meals with great personal precision. But there are more techniques you can use to customize and fine tune your diet even further.