Table of contents for Volume 27 -Sep-18 in LOSE IT! The Handbook

When we started LOSE IT in 2014, one of the first people we interviewed was Zoë Harcombe, a nutrition and health researcher with a special interest in obesity. Zoë has a master’s in economics and maths from Cambridge University and a PhD in public health nutrition. She’s whip-smart and extremely well informed on her chosen subject – one thing she’s become famous for is the meticulous analysis she brings to ostensibly scientific articles on diet-related matters. So when a study published in The Lancet journal in August this year stated that ‘low- and high-carb diets increase risk of early death’, we knew where to turn. This is what Zoë had to say about it (for more, see her excellent blog at www.zoeharcombe.com): ‘The average carbohydrate intake of the lowest fifth…

DRINK WATER. Dr Fung recommends starting your day with a glass of water so you can rehydrate and get started on drinking plenty of fluids during the day. RIDE THE WAVES. When your stomach starts rumbling, have a hot cup of black coffee (it’s a mild appetite suppressant), black tea or a glass of water to help you ride out the wave of hunger. It will pass! WHEN YOU EAT, EAT WELL. When you break your fast, don’t do it with a bag of chips and a doughnut, or eat more to compensate for all the meals you missed. Eat whole, unprocessed foods high in healthy fats and low in refined carbs and sugar; an LCHF diet will help your body stay in fat-burning mode. KEEP IT QUIET. People will…

Q: I’ve read that I need to drink at least 2L of water a day for optimal health. Is this true? A: Water is the most important substance our bodies need, second only to oxygen. Being sufficiently hydrated is especially important when following an LCHF diet, for two reasons: you need to flush out the metabolic wastes created by fat burning, and some people may experience electrolyte imbalance at the beginning of a ketogenic/low-carb diet. This can cause symptoms like headaches and lethargy, so it’s imperative to drink enough water during this transition phase. Aim to drink at least 1.5L of water (or plain herbal teas) each day. If you exercise and sweat a lot, drink an additional 500ml. But be aware: overhydration can be dangerous. Signs of excessive fluid…

HAPPY DAISY, CURD-LAYERED NAKED CAKE DRY INGREDIENTS • 8 tbsp coconut flour• 2 cups almond flour• 4 tsp baking powder• pinch of salt WET INGREDIENTS • 8 eggs• 1½ tsp vanilla extract• 100g butter, melted• 1½ cups milk• ½ cup water• 5 tbsp xylitol • 1 batch Lemon Curd (see recipe opposite)• 1 batch Probiotic Icing (see recipe opposite)• a few fresh berries and daisy or chamomile flowers, to decorate (optional) 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl and use a whisk to get rid of any hidden lumps of coconut flour. 3. In another mixing bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together well, then add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Prepare and line spring-form pans or silicone cake…

ON TRACK per serving fat 41g carbs 11g protein 28g LOW-CARB ROAST BEEF FILLET WITH GREEN BEANS & DOUBLE CREAM YOGHURT SERVES 4 • 500g beef fillet• 2 tsp each sea salt flakes and white pepper• 2 red onions, quartered• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted• 250g green beans, cooked• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil• ½ cup double cream yoghurt• 10g fresh parsley, chopped• paprika to sprinkle• 2 tbsp pomegranate rubies 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Heat a pan, season the fillet well and sear on all sides. Place the beef and onions in a dish, add the coconut oil and roast for 25 minutes (for medium) or longer until desired doneness. Remove from the oven and allow to stand, covered, for 10 minutes before slicing. 2. Toss the roasted…

‘I simply love low-carb cooking. It’s easy, time-saving, wholesome and delicious!’ ON TRACK per square fat 4g carbs 3g protein 5g NAEMA ABASS’S LOW-CARB LAGAN MAKES 16 SQUARES • 4 eggs• 1 tbsp water• 4ml chilli powder• 4ml smoked paprika• 4ml salt• 65ml coconut flour (about ¼ cup)• 1 tsp psyllium husks• 1 tsp baking powder• 3–4 baby marrows, grated• 1 cup Cheddar or Gouda cheese, grated• 125ml coriander, chopped• white poppy seeds, to sprinkle• chopped baby tomatoes and fresh herbs, to garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm square tin or ceramic dish. 2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, water and spices. Add the remaining ingredients, except the poppy seeds and tomatoes, and mix well to combine. This will make a stiff mixture. 3.…

ON TRACK per serving fat 37g carbs 21g protein 37g RICOTTA, SNOEK & BROCCOLI FRITTATA WITH MUSHROOM TOPPING SERVES 4 • 3 tbsp coconut oil• 1 onion, chopped• 200g smoked snoek, flaked• 300g ricotta, well drained and crumbled• 350g broccoli, cooked and roughly chopped• 5g Italian parsley, chopped• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard• 4 jumbo eggs• Himalayan salt and black pepper FOR THE TOPPING • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil• 150g baby button mushrooms• 100g shimeji mushrooms• 100g ricotta• olive oil, to drizzle 1. Heat 1 tbsp of the coconut oil in a pan, toss in the onion and sauté until soft. Place the onion in a bowl and then add the snoek, ricotta, broccoli, parsley, mustard and eggs. Season well and stir gently to combine. 2.…

CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST RUTH MARCUS has a master’s degree in obesity and weight management. ‘Eating low-carb is the best way to find food freedom!’ she says. Call 083 307 8036 or email your questions to ruthmmarcus@gmail.com DR GERHARD SCHOONBEE, GP, has more than 40 years’ medical experience, and personal experience of living the low-carb lifestyle. He also has a deep scientific and medical interest in the subject. BLOG AUTHOR NICKY PERKS (WWW.PRIMALPERKS.COM) is the co-founder of Banting Buddies, which offers personalised coaching to those wanting to lose weight and get healthy. Please share your low-carb success stories, recipes, restaurant reviews, tips, questions and concerns with us via info@loseit.co.za, @loseitmag (Twitter and Instagram) and facebook.com/Loseitmag. We look forward to hearing your insights and experiences!…

IF you’ve been sceptical about including eggs in your diet, it’s time to change your thinking: there’s general consensus among dietary experts that eggs make you feel and look good. What’s so incredible about them? To begin with, they’re heart protective – which flies in the face of the previously held belief that eggs raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. They also raise your ‘good’ high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and transform ‘bad’ small, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles to the large, fluffy kind, which are mostly benign. Plus, they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient the body needs for good health. Still not convinced? Here are five more reasons to add eggs to the menu: 1 They can help you lose body fat The high-protein,…

ON TRACK per batch fat 12g carbs 112g protein 32g SWEET CHILLI SAUCE MAKES 1½ CUPS • 4 red serenade chillies, roughly chopped, or any other large mild chilli• 2 small hot red chillies (we used bird’s-eye chillies)• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped• 1 tbsp ginger, minced• 2 garlic cloves, minced• ½ cup rice wine vinegar• ⅓ cup xylitol• 1 cup water• 10g fresh coriander, chopped• Himalayan salt and white pepper 1. Place the first 5 ingredients into a blender and blitz to combine. 2. Place the mixture in a small saucepan along with the vinegar, xylitol and water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes; remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Add the chopped coriander and season. Stir well to…

Over the years, the low-carb lifestyle has taken on various names and forms – which has left many of us confused and uncertain about what’s best for our health. It appears that all these ways of eating encourage people to cut sugar and refined carbohydrates out of their diet. There are, however, important differences that need to be highlighted. • LCHF: A low-carb, healthy-fat approach restricts the amount of carbs and increases the amount of healthy fats that you eat to ensure optimal nutrition. Carbs are generally restricted to less than 50g per day, but if you want to lose weight, you’re restricted to less than 25g per day. • KETOGENIC: Also known as Keto, this way of eating is very similar to the LCHF approach but has a more…

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Almost all diets work. Perhaps not the really crazy ones, but any diet that calls for an increased awareness around carbs, fats, calories and portion sizes will help you lose weight – in the short term anyway. When a diet ‘stops working’ it’s usually a matter of whether you’ve persevered or not. With this in mind, the logical question is: ‘Are there ways to improve your chances of sticking to a diet for better long-term weight loss?’ The answer? Absolutely! First, choose a diet that’s easy to sustain. Second, choose the best time of the month to start your diet. This has nothing to do with starting on the first of the month, on a Monday, after a holiday or once your salary cheque has cleared… It has everything to…

ON TRACK per serving fat 43g carbs 42g protein 9g TROPICAL SMOOTHIE SERVES 2 • 30g chia seeds• 2½ cups coconut milk, chilled• 1 small banana, peeled and chopped• 1 kiwi fruit, peeled• 200g frozen raspberries• 2g fresh mint• 1 tsp vanilla extract• extra raspberries, to garnish 1. Place the chia seeds in 2 large glasses, add ½ cup of the coconut milk to each glass and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set. 2. Blitz the remaining ingredients in a blender. Pour the contents into the glasses. 3. To serve: Serve immediately or keep chilled. Garnish with extra raspberries. ON TRACK per serving fat 15g carbs 6g protein 12g STUFFED TOMATOES WITH SPINACH, EGG & BACON SERVES 4 • 4 tomatoes, tops removed, seeds and pulp removed…

ON TRACK per serving fat 46g carbs 29g protein 12g CHOCOLATE FONDANTS MAKES 4 FONDANTS • 120g dark chocolate (85%), chopped• 110g butter, cubed• 4 jumbo eggs• 80g xylitol• 50g almond flour• blueberries, to garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease 4 x 1-cup capacity ramekins. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, set over a pot of simmering water, and allow to melt. Remove from the heat, whisk to combine and allow to cool slightly. 2. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and xylitol. Add the mixture to the melted chocolate along with the almond flour, and mix. 3. Pour the mixture into the ramekins and place on a baking tray. Bake for 10–12 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to stand for…

Yes MEAT As far as possible, choose grass-fed or organic meat. Enjoy the fat and the skin! • Bacon (Try to find charcuterie bacon, without nitrates and nitrites, and with the lowest carb content – which means the least sugar.) • Beef • Biltong (for powdered, grind your own) • Chicken • Duck • Game • Home-cured meat (If buying cured meat, avoid those with sugar and strange chemicals.) • Lamb • Offal • Pork • Sausages containing only meat and spices (no MSG or fillers such as gluten, rusk, soy, sugar, etc.) • Turkey FRUIT* • Avocado • Berries • Coconut SWEET THINGS • Erythritol • Stevia • Xylitol (good quality) SEAFOOD The oilier the better! (To check the sustainability status of the seafood you choose, SMS the species…

Hold onto your YOLKS Attention, gym bunnies! A recent report published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that eating only the white of an egg isn’t doing your health any favours. Eggs are an excellent source of lean protein – the egg yolk contains 3g of protein, almost half of the protein found in the entire egg – and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The yolk also contains all nine essential amino acids needed to build and preserve muscle. In fact, most of an egg’s vitamins and minerals are found in the yolk. Nicholas Burd, a University of Illinois professor of kinesiology and community health who led the study, says egg yolk boosts the body’s ability to utilise protein in the muscles and that the muscle-building response post-workout for…

Even though humans have been fasting in some form or another for thousands of years (we do it every night while we sleep!), the very idea has become controversial. We are taught to graze on small meals throughout the day and to keep snacks on hand ‘to keep our blood sugar steady’. We’re warned against the hazards of skipping meals: It will put your body into starvation mode and bring your metabolism to a grinding halt; you will become shaky and light-headed, and unable to focus or even function. Research, however, shows that none of this is actually true. In fact, abstaining from eating for a certain period has been shown to have tremendous health benefits. ‘The most obvious benefits of fasting are that it helps with weight loss and…

The key to success with your dietary and health goals is finding a low-carb diet that is best suited to your needs and preferences, and that you can sustain in the long term. The aim is to embrace a new way of living that doesn’t feel too restrictive. For example, meat lovers can happily enjoy a regular steak; pescatarians can indulge in salmon and fresh tuna; and vegetarians can enjoy eggs and nut butters. We’re all physiologically unique and can tolerate varying amounts of carbs. Some of us are far more insulin resistant than others and need to consistently restrict our intake of carbs. Others are at a healthy weight and are insulin sensitive – they will still benefit from an LCHF approach. Focus on the variety of delicious foods…

‘I have been obese for most of my life – at my heaviest I weighed 118kg – and I decided I was tired of being unhappy. In fact, I was tired of lots of things: of watching everyone swim in summer, of having to buy size 24 clothing in expensive “big size” stores… just plain tired.’ About seven years ago, Gillian made the decision to do something about her weight. ‘Initially, I started by just cutting down on all the foods that we “professional dieters” know we should avoid. I began drinking more water, and after my initial loss of 20kg, I started walking for half an hour every day.’ Even with her renewed focus on weight loss, Gillian’s weight continued to fluctuate, which was disheartening. ‘I followed every fad…

Q: Somebody told me that because I’m diabetic, I should restrict my intake of protein as it can raise my blood sugar. Is that true? A: No, it isn’t true. Although proteins need insulin to be metabolised in the body, they don’t affect blood glucose levels under normal circumstances. The body may be able to ‘manufacture’ glucose out of proteins, but that doesn’t mean ingested proteins will be converted to glucose. The body will make glucose out of proteins only in specific situations, such as starvation or fasting, but this is a well-regulated reaction that won’t lead to high blood glucose levels. Q: Despite all the articles I’ve read about fat, I still find it difficult to consume. Are you sure it’s safe to eat fat? A: I don’t blame…

ON TRACK per serving fat 32g carbs 12g protein 39g LAMB LOIN CHOPS WITH GREEN BEANS PILAF SERVES 4 FOR THE LAMB CHOPS • 8 lamb loin chops• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted• 2 tsp each rosemary, oregano and thyme, dried• Himalayan salt and black pepper• 350g vine tomatoes FOR THE BEANS • 1 tbsp coconut oil• ½ onion, sliced• 1 garlic clove, chopped• 250g green beans, blanched• 50g flaked almonds• 5g mint• 1 spring onion, chopped, and onion seeds, to garnish 1. For the chops: Brush the chops with the coconut oil, sprinkle with the herb mix and season well. Heat a pan and cook the chops until browned and cooked to your liking. Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook until just blistered. Set aside and keep…