I’ve been practicing Calorie Restriction for about 4 years. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it is an attempt to slow the aging process by eating fewer calories but optimizing the nutrient levels of those you do eat.

Over the past year or so there have been a number of articles in the mainstream press about CR and I’m amazed at how much the purported experiences with the diet differ from my own. I suppose much of the confusion results from our society’s need for instant-gratification. Emily Yoffe’s My Starvation Diet from Slate is a perfect example. I’ll spare you the trouble of reading it with this summary: without apparently learning a lot about it, she suddenly tried CR for 2 months and gave up when she found herself too hungry and not feeling better.

There is a wealth of science and debate on the topic of CR. I’m not going to attempt to rehash the issues but instead provide some context based on my own experience.

For me, CR is a journey and not a destination, a part of puzzle in a personal commitment to longevity and the pursuit of an enriching life. The key for my long-term commitment to CR has been to practice it in such a manner that I can still enjoy occasional treats, play sports, and have a career and healthy relationships. This balancing act is different for everyone, and unfortunately articles like Yoffe’s suggest that we have two choices

* Continue to eat like the average blissfully-ignorant American and accept the consequences.
* Suddenly and permanently committing to eating 1500 calories/day in the pursuit of a longer life of starvation and misery.

FWIW, I think that suddenly picking arbitrary calorie targets and attempting to stick with them is an exercise doomed to failure. 1500 calories/day would not be enough for me, although based on this article some people will assume this is the magical number they would need to target for a Calorie Restriction diet.

I don’t track the number of calories I eat. I found the whole exercise of counting calories to be boring and unproductive. Most people who do target a specific calorie range usually eat the same thing for every meal. My career doesn’t allow this and I enjoy the social aspects of dining with my loved ones.

Instead I simply target a weight that keeps my BMI around 20 (which is about 10 pounds less than my college weight) and eat the healthiest foods I can find, including a large bucket of salad at least once per day. Some people call this approach “Mild CR”. I have dropped by BMI below 20 and found that I had a difficult time playing sports, I felt constantly cold, and I looked pretty scary. So 20 it is.

Hunger isn’t much of a problem. If I get too hungry I eat something. Being constantly cold is actually more of an annoyance and is the most frustrating part of the diet. At the same time I found that my digestion is much, much better and I need less sleep but still feel energetic. So there are pros and cons.
Fortunately, the emerging studies and common sense suggest that mild CR + exercise might be as beneficial as more severe CR. So I continue to exercise regularly as well.

Before you suddenly adopt a new starvation diet, take the time to do a bit of research. Phil Graves’ article is a great start, particularly the summary:

“The successful voluntary practice of CR in humans is

1) the life-long focused commitment
2) to gain knowledge, self-control, and motivation
3) to reduce calories consumed,
4) while maintaining adequate nutrition,
5) under active monitoring of current state of health,
6) with the hope of living better,
7) and the hope of living longer.

That’s really it in a nutshell.”

Wait, There's More!

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Oh, and before I forget, you really should read my Why I Blog post. It might numb the shock of some of the heretical things I say!

Here are a few ideas for delicious, nutritious smoothies.

A few spoons of quality plain yogurt is optional in all smoothies.
The portions are quite large, so the smoothie can be consumed over two sittings if covered (stored in refrigerator).

Smoothie 1:

• 1 x banana
• 1 x apple
• 1 x other fruit of your choice

Smoothie 2:

• 1 x banana
• 1 x handful of fresh blueberries
• 1 x handful of fresh raspberries
• 3 – 4 fresh strawberries
• 1 x papaya

Smoothie 3:

• 1 x handful of fresh blueberries
• 1 x handful of fresh raspberries
• 3 – 4 fresh strawberries
• 1 x freshly squeezed orange
• ½ - 1 x papaya

Smoothie 4:

• 1 x handful of fresh blueberries
• 1 x handful of fresh raspberries
• 3 – 4 fresh strawberries
• 1 – 2 kiwi fruits

Smoothie 5:

• any tasty combination of fruits you desire!

Here are a number of delicious combinations of fruits and vegetables. Remember to wash thoroughly before juicing to remove all traces of insecticide and other chemicals. And drink immediately after juicing - don’t refrigerate overnight.

• Plain carrot and apple: 3 carrots to 1 apple
• Carrot, apple, celery and beetroot
• Carrot and beetroot
• Carrot, beetroot and apple/cucumber
• Carrot, pineapple, ginger (and lemon optional)
• Carrot, pineapple, cucumber and ginger (and lemon optional)
• Carrot, apple and ginger
• Carrot, pineapple and orange
• Carrot, sweet yellow or red pepper, pineapple, ginger and lemon (chilli optional)
• Carrot, celery, sweet pepper (red, yellow or green), beetroot, apple and lemon
• Celery, green pepper, cucumber and apple
• Carrot, apple and cucumber
• Carrot, broccoli and cucumber/apple
• Carrot and broccoli
• Carrot, cabbage, broccoli (apple optional)
• Tomato, celery and carrot (cucumber/apple optional)
• And so on and so on and so on……

Enjoy!

A few tips, advice and guidelines on what to look for when buying a juicer.

What are the advantages of a juicer over bought juice?

Making fresh juices from your own juicer provides you with the same live enzymes that are available in raw fresh fruit and vegetables. These fresh raw foods give us more energy and sparkle than cooked, ‘dead’ foods, and ‘dead’ juices that have been sitting in a container on the supermarket shelf for days, weeks or even months. This energy (from the freshly made juice) is concentrated, and you feel it as soon as you drink it. It can clear your head and make you feel light and energetic. Continue reading

The following article explaining the benefits of juicing fruits and vegetables has been provided by my good friend Jan at Healthguy.org

Why Juice?

The debacle continues. Western dieticians and nutritionalists argue that by juicing fruit and vegetables one loses the bulk and fibre, which is so beneficial to our digestive system. This is of course true. The consumption of fresh juices should therefore not be used as a replacement for fresh produce, but more as a supplement. Continue reading

The following Eating Principles have been provided by my good friend Jan at Healthguy.org.

The Theory

This eating plan is an idealistic guideline and is subject to your own interpretation, adjustments and adaptations. It does not consider the 80/20 rule, which states that an ideal diet is where 80% of your intake follows strict guidelines, and the remaining 20% can be relaxed. It is more important to understand the concept behind it. That basic concept comprised of the following principles. Continue reading

The following Eating Plan has been provided by my good friend Jan at Healthguy.org.

To obtain the most benefit from the Eating Plan, please read Good Eating Principles.

As you can see, this method of eating allows you to eat as much as you want - no portion weighing and measuring!  Simply eat until you’re satisfied, because you know you’ll be having another snack in a few hours.

Where juice is recommended, this should not be store purchased, and should be squeezed/juiced just prior to drinking, to avoid oxidisation. Continue reading