Patch Takes It Off: A New Way to Eat

As you may (or may not) have noticed, Patch Takes It Off has…well…taken off. We’ve been off the grid for a couple of weeks, but, we’re back now, and ready to go.

So let’s catch up. When I last wrote, I was having problems with motivation and a stressful life….and…nothing has changed there! At least not with the stress part. There’s still the same amount of that, and maybe even more than when I last wrote.

The motivation, however, is a different story. I’ve started something new that seems to be working out well so far.

I’m working with Katy Leonard at Black Bear Fitness on the Ideal Protein diet. I just finished week one, and lost 6.6 pounds. My body fat decreased by 2.2% and my lean muscle mass went up by .7%. I also lost 3.25 inches. I am, needless to say, beyond thrilled.

I have to say, I went into this with some trepidation. It is very restrictive, and restrictive is not something I generally do well. But I knew what I was doing wasn’t working and I had to try something new.

I was pleasantly surprised. The food is generally tasty, and you’re not limited to eating just the Ideal Protein food at every meal. No carbs of any kind are allowed, and lots of vegetables and salads are required.

But the premise is based on protein, and how having protein at every meal makes you feel fuller for longer. And I must say, that is definitely true.

I am the queen of carbs. I love them, and would eat them all the time given the opportunity. However, I would find myself constantly hungry, therefore constantly having more carbs. It becomes a viscous circle. I find that I can easily go three to four hours between meals with the increased protein I’m eating. When I was eating more carbs, I would always be hungry within a couple of hours of eating.

I won’t be able to do this forever. It’s too restrictive. I have to learn to eat in the "real world" again. But that's how I want Ideal Protein to help. I want to be able to gradually wean myself away, and eat all my meals in a more healthy way. Ideal Protein is also expensive, particularly because I have a whole family to feed besides myself.  But what I am learning is the importance of protein, new and creative ways to get protein into my daily diet and other ways to satisfy myself when the stress level goes to high besides eating.

But that’s for another column…