After listen to someone talk about an alkaline diet, does anyone have any information about it? Anyone have any experience? Anyone have any counter-information? I just want to know it all. Thanks

Skyler - 03 March 2006 02:03 AM

After listen to someone talk about an alkaline diet, does anyone have any information about it? Anyone have any experience? Anyone have any counter-information? I just want to know it all. Thanks

Hi Skyler!

Scott and I have used the alkaline or food combining plan with much success.  When he refers to the “I eat what my wife feeds me diet” - well… that is actually the alkaline way of eating that he’s talking about.

The first time we implemented it for 6 months, Scott lost almost 60 pounds and I lost 30 and our energy shot through the roof.  We both had some health challenges back then and found this to be a way of working on our health.  By losing the weight, Scott avoided blood pressure medication - much to his doctor’s surprise.

With Food Combining.. the idea is to combine what you eat in such a way that you are maximizing your body’s digestive process.  Forget the old “meat and potatoes” (protein and simple carbohydrates) way of eating.  That goes for meat and bread (sandwich) way of eating, too.  Combine a protein with complex carbs (like vegetables) only.  If you do want bread or pasta, have them with veggies, not meat (like a nice whole wheat pasta primavera or whole wheat veggie pizza). 

You know how a large burger and fries makes you feel bloated and keeps your tummy full for hours?  Well, think of this as the opposite feeling.  Eating this way, you will find you are hungry every 3 hours or so because your food is properly and easily digested, leaving you with a constant clean energy source.  So be prepared to eat more times throughtout the day to keep that energy furnace stoked.  Your metabolism will be cranking and your energy high as long as you have enough calories by the end of the day.

Over the years, people have asked Scott how to practice an alkaline diet, and for meal ideas so I have shared this info below.  Hope this helps!

Easy Alkaline Meal Ideas:
Actually, the less you cook your food and the more fresh, live food you can eat, the better!

1) Begin by filling 70% of your plate with GREENS like:
• Salad… dark green - the leafier the better
• Broccoli, spinach, zucchini or any green vegetables
• Carrots, corn have more sugar so use sparingly

2) Then add a portion (about the size of your palm) of fairly lean PROTEIN (avoid beef and pork) like:

• Chicken or Turkey Breast (not breaded)

• Fish (individually frozen filets – are easy to cook)…like Oven Poppers”
brand Salmon, Sole or Flounder stuffed with spinach or broccoli are tasty

• Canned Tuna fish or Salmon(packed in water)

• Morning Star Farms (we like Garden Veggie) or Boca Burger veggie (soy) burgers
(watch out for fat content… some are full of cheese etc)

• Morning Star Farms (soy) hot dogs or breakfast sausage

• Morning Star Farms “Crumbles” are versatile and taste great! 
(taste like cooked crumbled ground beef – use for easy tacos or chili)

• Morning Star Farms or Boca veggie “chicken” parmigiana cutlets
(not too often as they are breaded and higher in calories)

Helpful Tips:

• Think of FOOD as FUEL to energize your body (some foods take more energy to digest than they give)

• Omit foods/drinks that make you acidic like: alcohol, coffee, sugars, meat (has uric acid)

• Drink lots of water with lemon or lime juice throughout the day - great alkalizer!

• Keep consumption of Simple Carbohydrates like: Bread, Pasta, Potatoes (starchy foods) to a minimum (not more than once a day).  But when you do have them…. combine only with Complex Carbs like vegetables or salad.  Do not eat them with protein like meat, chicken or fish.  (This is where soy products come in handy since they are vegetable based.)

• When you do have a bread, cereal or pasta…. make it WHOLE GRAIN.  Think NO WHITE FOODS… they are NON-nutritive and actually take more energy to digest than they give.  (Now there are some clever alternatives like Vita Spelt pasta that are tasty!)

• Cut Out All Simple Carbs with sugar like muffins, cake, pie, ice cream.

• Watch out for fruits and fruit juices… they are very high in sugar.  Eat small quantities of fruit only at beginning of meal not at end (becomes more acidic).

• Avoid dairy products like cheese and milk.  Use sparingly or replace with soy products like:

Veggie Shreds brand cheddar, mozzarella shredded “cheese”
Soy Milk plain (watch out for the flavored ones with high sugar and calorie content)
Almond Milk plain (yummy in shake recipe below or on cereal)

• Avoid fat free dressings that contain high sugar content (check the label).  Sometimes a light or regular dressing used sparingly offers fewer simple carbohydrate calories… and offers more flavor.

• No artificial sugar substitutes (chemicals!) Use Stevia, a plant based sweetner found in the health food market and it’s good for you!

Easy Energy Recipes:

Banana “Milkshake”…blend till smooth…mmmmmmm!  (my answer to ice cream)
1 frozen banana (break over-ripe bananas into small pieces and freeze)
8 oz almond milk
1 date (adds sweetness without refined sugar)

Mini Veggie Pizza… 2 pizzas make a meal, or have 1 with a salad
Whole wheat wrap
2-3 tbsp Pasta sauce (I like Bertolli… or one with a lot of flavor)
Balsamic Vinegar… sprinkle lightly for flavor
Veggie Shreds Mozzarella cheese (lightly cover pizza) or if you prefer, use good shredded real Parmesan sparingly
Veggie toppings… the more flavorful the better- like roasted red peppers, artichokes, black olives, mushrooms, etc…
(just NO MEAT)

High Energy Snack…
5-10 Almonds
Cucumber slices

Wow, thank you so much. I can’t wait to try implimenting as much of this as I can. The hardest part will be getting myself off a sandwtich diet. I go to school, and getting a turkey sandwitch at Subway has always been a prt of my old diet. So, the overall picture I’m getting here is to eat a lof o veggies. Doesn’t sound that hard :-D. From this, I’, guessing that having greeens for every meal is a must. I should be limiting my meats and sugars. I’ve been eating really good, not drinking any soda or coffee, and I only eat light meats like turkey and chicken. I have a vita-mix blender, so I wonder how I can use that. I think I’m doing most of this, just need to pay attention more and get more greens on my plate. Anyway, what would you suggest for breakfast? I have been eating low calorie oatmeal, but I wonder if I should be adding more greens to that. Man, I also love eating a combination of those carbs, meats, like in a burrito. Guess it’s time to mannage. Once again, thanks Sheryl. I can’t wait to give myself more fuel for my body.

Skyler here again, after some more thinking..
Here’s the questions I should be asking. What kind of eating style (not using the word diet) should I be on to get my goals? Here’s my goals. I want to have a 6-pack in about 2 months now. I also want to be able to have energy 18 hours a day. I work out every morning for an hour with cardio and weight training. I want this movement along with a healthy eating style to get my goals. I see that taking parts of an alkaline diet would help me get my energy high, but what about the muscle I want? Should I be eating more protein and more carbs? And what is a good number of each. I was reading a fitness magazine which had lots of articles on ab building, and they recommened eating around 1800 calories a day. Now I know that I’m going to need more than fresh veggies to get that many calories. So my question is, where to go from here. I’m going to start looking for the answers myself, but I wanted anyone’s input. If you have any questions for me, I’ll be sure to answer them. Thanks for any input.

Skyler

Hi Skyler - I’m not sure how the alkaline diet works into your plans for a 6 pack , but if you do end up giving it a try - here’s some more tips to make it work on the run.

At Subway - I also like the convenience and taste so would either grab a veggie sub (no cheese and lots of veggies please!) on whole wheat or get the salad with grilled chicken breast.  I especially like that you can ask for your salad there the way you like it.  (those “sandwich artists” are actually quite versatile)

Or if you are driving thru Wendy’s… they have some yummy salads with grilled chicken or I’ll get the grilled chicken sandwich but toss the bread and order the side salad instead of fries (lowfat dressing).  I like their chicken sandwich as it’s a big piece of real chicken breast compared to some other fast food restaurants (no rubber chickens please).

Most fast food places offer a salad instead of sandwich now and some healthy alternatives to the evil french fry - which they didn’t when Scott and I first started this type of diet.  What we found that really helped was to keep our menu really simple… find 2 or 3 meals that we’d eat when we’re on the go that are satisfying and take the guess work out of it.

We thought for awhile that we might actually start to resemble the “Fandango” chicken salad at Panera Bread.  (Well, they say you are what you eat - and we were eating those a LOT!) But we never tired of them and that is the key.  It just has to be something flavorful that you really enjoy.

Remember… the idea isn’t to deprive yourself of either meat or simple carbs… just eat them at different times so they can digest properly.  (Hey if you really wanted that bun from that chicken sandwich… save it for a couple of hours later as a snack!)

It sounds like you already have great habits for both eating and exercise if you are in the position to be fine tuning and uncovering that 6-pack!  Good luck and keep us all inspired!
Sheryl