Caterpillar2Butterfly's Journal, 15 July 2016

I think we ate primarily vegitiation in growing season and meat when the snow covered the ground.... that's how nature works. that's how we should work. carbs I think help us gain weight for winter months when hunting is hard and we have to fight for food and need the stored energy...we are made for seasons but have gone against nature in many more ways than one ... I think our species is weaker for it too. we are all sick and weak because the strongest are not the only ones breeding. we are in a new age and won't fully know the reprocussions of our actions until the world is dying and we are to weak and stupid to fix it or survive....  

I agree 100% with all of the above, hunter! ...but what if the eating of carbs in the summer wasn't only to gain weight for the winter, but also keep the ability to burn carbs alive & clear out excess meat protein? 

I had posted a lengthy reply, but my double-click is acting stupid. I think I need a new mouse. Anyway, I totally agree with hunter. We were made to cycle, the body is way smarter than our conscious brain. LCHF is the fastest and most effective way for a significantly overweight person to lose weight, when it comes to maintenance there is and should be more options. Great post, and thanks for sharing it, being open to new things is always good! 

great post and i'll have to muse on your questions. i never really thought about it that way, but you've really hit on this. thanks! 

It's counter intuitive to avoid fruit and veg when they are abundant. 

I agree that no one is 100 percent correct and that we are meant to cycle. I find this out about myself the hard way. I'm glad tohear a doctor bring out up.  

Doesn't Ayurveda teach seasonal eating? 

Even though I'm just at the beginning of this journey, I've found myself wondering what comes next too. 

I have been on this diet off and on for several years. For me, it is actually easier to not eat any of the sugar/high starch stuff - because when I do the cravings come and it makes for a HUGE battle trying to get back on track. I dont crave it when I dont eat it. Honestly - Food tastes different to me now - and that's a good thing! I get a sweet taste from water... and cauliflower.... how weird is that? It's a personal thing.... do what works for you in the overall plan - but for me I learned the hard way that I am willing to make something special with no grains, no sugar and no potatoes - and it works well for me!  

Same here, if I go back to sugar (or don't eat alot of fat) the cravings come back. I "cheat" by drinking Powerade Zero, sugar free popsicles and 90% cocoa chocolate. I hate chemicals but hate fat more. Also, pickles curb my hunger. 

I think when I hit maintenance I may try the cycling thing... but seasonal. more vegitarian in spring and summer and lchf in the fall winter... I'm an animal right? shouldn't I eat like one would?  

@Sugar... yes, it does. I haven't dove into it yet, just scratched the surface & have been meditating on it. @Casie... I agree that we all should do what works for us. As I said, I'm a big advocate of LCHF/Keto/IF. The thing that interests me is the theory that the microbiome is destroyed by LC. According to Dr. Douillard, eating seasonally helps rebuild that biome that makes up 90% of our being by adding the particular good bacteria that will be needed for that and next season's obstacles (like allergy, cold, flu seasons for example). Anyone that knows me knows how strongly I feel about LCHF/Keto and it's therapeutic benefits, but what if seasonal eating is just as therapeutic? What if it's not only about what we eat, but when we eat it as well? I mean, look at all of the doctor's that say "healthy" carbs are good for us, then you have the ones that say that they aren't. This way of thinking, means that they would both be right. Don't get me wrong, do what works for you. I'm just pondering on some thoughts that have been brought up & some others that have just come to mind. @FA... It's not that I want to cheat. It's that I want to figure out how to eat optimally in maintenance mode, for life.  

That's exactly what I'm thinking, hunter! 

plus fruit is more expensive in the winter/fall months..save money and eat some squash :D 

Are you familiar with Suzanne Sommers' food combining? Douillard's concept seems in tune with that. Her plan was only marginally aimed at weight loss, and mostly about maintaining overall health. I think one thing we can all agree on is that fresh, seasonal, and as local as possible is optimal, and that heavily processed foods are not good. Within those parameters, I'm looking down the road at maintenance, and thinking a Clean/Paleo style WOE will probably serve me best. Adding in the food combinations that you mentioned as guidelines makes sense. It brushes up against what Fung talks about, the protective factors that processing strips away. Fabulous post, my scholarly friend! 

Sounds sound to me too. 

@phil, I agree 100%. Thanks. @Kes.. I remember hearing something about her plan, but never looked into it. Nice plan for maintenance! Yes, it brushes up against what Dr. Fung talks about. What I am thinking though is that fat is protective of protein & fiber of carbs, but at the same time when eaten together carbs store fat of foods. So, I'm thinking...maybe animal protein shouldn't be consumed with carbs & carbs with no animal protein either?? Maybe only things that naturally come together in nature should be in the system at the same time?? Idk. I started a little self experiment today. Even though I haven't been eating a lot of animal protein lately (and I love my meat!), I feel like my body is telling me that I need a little break. Thanks, Erika! 

Yep...Suzanne's plan of food combining says fats only with proteins, although leafy greens with them are fine. Complex carbs with NEVER any fat, but again, leafy greens are fine. Fruits should be eaten alone, and not within an hour of any other combination. And, for some reasons, never combine melons with anything, and leave a 3 hour gap.  

Hmmm... interesting, Kes! I've read that fruit should be a meal, if included in diet. I never heard about the 3 hrs with the melon though. I love to hear about all plans! I learn something every time! Thanks for sharing! :) 

She is so skinny in person.