ATB BB Series 6: OMG! There is "Nothing" left to eat!

I can imagine a lot of you think like that after have gone through the previous posts. Grains & sugar have invaded our eating habits like sand invades your clothes at the beach. And we have gotten used to thinking that we cannot survive without this sand. Prehistoric men & women survived only on meat, fat & veggies for millions for years. Grains are a very recent addition to our diet.

From my own 4 & 1/2 month experience, I can tell you that there is plenty left to eat. Having said that, I do understand that not everyone may be convinced to give up grains, which is okay. Grains are quite addictive, and besides I leave it to your wisdom to decide what is best for you.

In its simplest form, when implementing this diet - just remove the grains & dals from your diet and replace it with bigger portions or a little more of the rest - meat, veggies, nuts, butter & cheese.

Breakfast: 


2 eggs + cheese.
I eat them in various preparations, depending on my mood. Scrambled with lots of onion, tomatoes, capsicum, chillies, cheese & garlic. Or else as a veggie + cheese omlette. Sometimes sunny side up. Boiled and mixed with mayo, cheese & veggies. There are honestly endless ways to prepare eggs. Also I eat the "whole" egg - white & yellow!

1 big glass of full fat milk
I generally have this when I'm in a hurry and don't have time to eat eggs. I make a cold coffee out of this with some almonds & of, course, coffee.

A heavy breakfast as you saw above, generally keeps me full till lunch - which is around 12 noon.



Lunch: 

Grilled Chicken / Fish along with veggies sauteed in butter + I also eat a bowl of sabzi cooked the Indian way: Gobi peas, carrots, capsicum, palak-paneer, methi malai or sometimes a small bowl of rajma or chole. All vegetables & mushrooms are fine - except potatoes, beet & sweet potatoes. Depending on my mood I also eat curd at times or a glass of buttermilk. Eat natural, unsweetened curd & buttermilk. Don't eat the flavoured, full of sugars & preservatives wala curd. You can also eat a bowl of salad at this point with the meat.

You can cook the meat in any way you like. I prefer grilled as it is dry & easy to carry to office.

Evening Snack: 

If I haven't had cold coffee in the morning I generally have it at this point.

Or else I eat nuts: cashews, peanuts & almonds that I roast in ghee. You can eat walnuts, hazelnuts, pistas as well.

Or I have some grilled paneer / raw paneer

Or some sabzi + bowl of curd.

Or I make a bhel out of peanuts as base, to this I add onions, tomatoes, chillies, corriander, butter, salt, shredded cheese & mayo.

Or else I have tomato / veggie / spinach soup that I make at home with tomatoes, onions, garlic & carrots. You will get the recipe easily online. Just don't thicken it with corn-flour. I add cream to it, before eating.

Once in fortnight I eat onion or gobi or paneer pakodas that I make using only besan - no corn flour or anything else. I just coat the veggies or paneer with a very thin layer just for crunch. Sometimes I substitute the besan with an egg coating instead. It works just as well.



Dinner: 
Chicken cooked with veggies. This meal is similar to lunch.

Dessert:
2 pieces of dark chocolate - at least 70%. Please don't eat Bournville, it is full of sugar. Get Lindt. They have 70, 80 & 90% as well. You can eat this everyday, but I'm not very fond of chocolate so I generally eat this once a week.

Once a week - I eat Strawberries with Cream. 
I cut up 4-5 ripe stawberries & add cream (malai - you get this easy in market. It is mostly 25% fat, but if you get a higher one, purchase that) generously. I honestly love this desert & look forward to it as my weekly treat!

  • To all my meals I add a spoonful of butter or cream from top. Sometimes two :-)
  • You can basically eat anything & everything except grains (wheat, corn, rice, maize, bajra, oats, jowar, millets, maida, suji, poha, upma, baby corn) pulses, sugar in all forms (table sugar, raw sugar - gurd, honey, sugarcane juice, brown sugar, fructose, maltose, glucose, sucrose, starch) potatoes, beets & sweet potatoes. So modify your recipes accordingly and you can still eat what you like. 
  • There is no portion control, you eat till you are full. You don't have to count number of eggs or chicken pieces. I am not very fond of meat other than chicken, and in fish I eat only White Basa, nothing else. I don't like prawns, crabs & the works. But you can eat all of that on the diet. I don't coz I no like. 
  • Drink lots of water & don't forget to take your supplements (Supryadyne, Celin & Evion). Drink all the tea & coffee you want - but without sugar. 
  • Don’t worry about eating high-quality monounsaturated and naturally saturated fats as long as you follow the plan guideline with regard to grain intake. Most of the problems associated with “dieting”—dry skin, brittle nails, dull hair, hair loss, the development of gallstones, menstrual irregularities, susceptibility to colds and other infections—occur because the fat content of the diet is too low. Fat intake is self-regulating. By that I mean that people have a built-in“off” switch for fat consumption. Few people would sit and eat a stick of butter, consume lard by the spoonful, or swig olive oil by the cup. Without carbohydrate to wrap the fat around, it’s not very appealing. When you don’t eat chips, french fries, baked potatoes, doughnuts, cakes, pies, pastries, cookies, and chocolate, you avoid a huge amount of incoming fat, even when you get a moderate amount in lean meats & eggs
  • I do go out for lunch & dinner very often & this diet is very easy to follow there as well. More about it in another post. 
Questions? Doubts? 

Comments

  1. This was helpful Tanveer. I used to be a pure veg but have started eating eggs some time ago. But I don't eat meat so figuring out the main meals - lunch and dinner is a toughie!

    Any suggestions for vegetarians?

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    Replies
    1. You can substitute meat with tofu, paneer, soya nuggets.. But it might get monotonous at times so get lots of different recipes. The most serious deficiency that vegetarians face is protein malnourishment. Because the choice of an animal free diet does not alter our human need for protein.

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    2. You're quite right about the protein. When I'd first consulted my nutritionist about 2 years back, her first emphasis was on the protein cos at that point not only did I not eat eggs but no daal as well as I hated the mess food. She started me on Whey Protein but eventually I started eating eggs, more nutrition and better tasting as well!

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    3. :).. I had given up eggs for 3 yrs while trying to lose weight on my silly low fat diet. And I missed them! ! I love being able to eat eggs again.

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  2. Thanks tanveer. I am getting your drift.i am going to try this diet. Actually if you go to see. ...cooking with this diet becomes easier too. No rotis to make and cooking chicken and fish is a breeze.

    My only question is : Do I have to go cold turkey and make zero grains or i can gradually reduce to less carbs but zero grains. i see you have also said no to jowar and bajra. I have visited Wheat Belly and have read up quite a bit.So will make my way through it.

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    Replies
    1. Good luck zee! Cooking is very easy on the diet, plus you will be eating a lot less. I feel less hungry now. I quit cold turkey to zero grains, potatoes and dals. I suggest you do what you can do.

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    2. Ok.I googled for NV of dals, pulses and cereals.Most dals have 50-60 gm carbohydrate content per 100g.I didn't know the carbohydrate content of dals and pulses is so high.My perception was and what i was taught that dal is protein and more protein than anything else ! no wonder we pile on kilos every where.In our typical indian khana even if one reduces overall intake carbs still make up the largest chunk compared to proteins and fats !

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    3. I had mentioned this in a previous post - Dals / Pulses are a very poor source of protein. Our Indian vegetarian diet is among the most carb heavy diets in the world, and then we keep lamenting about rising obesity, diabetes & heart disease.

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  3. Very helpful.. I'm actually formulating my own diet based on yours.. I can't quit grains completely cos as a vegetarian i won't have much to eat otherwise, but have reduced the intake.
    This post is very helpful..

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  4. Replies
    1. No potatoes. I have mentioned that in the points above.

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    2. Sorry did not understand your reply to the above comment about cold turnkey ...I thought u do

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    3. Sorry did not understand your reply to the above comment about cold turnkey ...I thought u do

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  5. you know after reading your post on what we cannot eat, I was like, I cant do this... but now I think I can... tell me tanz, can we continue this diet during pregnancy as well?

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    Replies
    1. If you are pregnant or are currently taking medications to control cholesterol, blood pressure, fluid retention, or blood sugar do not begin this lifestyle without a physician's guidance.

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    2. Hey, happy anniversary to you! :)

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    3. Not pregnant now but planning in future... was just wondering if I should begin this now or once I am done lactating and all...

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    4. I don't think this shd impact lactation, but I haven't read anything about it in any of the books. Your guess is as good as mines. I think it is fine, but it's yr call.

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  6. Awesome Tanveer the entire BB series is so well written ... I have started the diet 2 days ago and am totally inspired by you.
    Today's post is a great help as it has broadened the things to eat and has opened up the thought of meal time variations :) thanks a ton!

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  7. Thank you so much, tanveer, i may have some doubts in future, will clarify with you. I have been working out on and off and have been able to keep the weight off that i lost at the gym so far. Hope this year i continue to lose and maintain it :) Your articles are so inspiring, I can't even begin to tell you how much. thank you, again :)

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  8. very well written tanveer..:)

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  9. I am thinking from morning about this diet and even shared my thought with my hubby and since I am pure veggie I really was worried! I think its possible but ahead planning it definitely required so that when the time comes we don't breakdown for eg i'll always need to store dry fruits, peanuts etc..my main problem usually is always during snack time! thanks for the detailed post!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Parita, pls read the book - Wheat Belly before you begin :)

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  10. awesome post tanz :d and even i agree with you cutting down on wheat is much much easier :d

    i have one query .... you said Bhel ( but your emphasis is on peanuts in your variation ) , so bhel is also puffed rice na ?
    and with more and more peanuts i get headache ....
    can i add little bit of besan boondi ?? i mean just a spoon or so ?

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    Replies
    1. No puffed rice Rashmi! I meant bhel becoz it is easy to understand - but the recipe is exactly what I mentioned. If you can't have peanuts skip it, but I wld not suggest eating besan boondi everyday - too much carbs.

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    2. ohhhhh god .... i wonder how do i manage to sound sooo dumb everytimeee ??
      but you are here na .. so no worries XOXO :D :D

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  11. your diet plan looks interesting and quite convincing indeed .

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  12. thank you so much for sharing this.. i'm getting married this year and have been gradually putting on the pounds on my earlier slim figure.. will try this out!!

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  13. hi !!
    soyabeans are like full of proteins na. but these are classified as daal in grocery section na.. is their any chart you followed. what did you do when you were confused about a particular food?

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    Replies
    1. I hate Soya beans as well as those chunks so I never eat them in any case coz I can eat non-veg. There is no chart I followed. Whenever in doubt abt a food please check up on it's nutritional profile - it shd never be carb heavy.

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  14. Tanveer, it's so strange that you are eating what people cut off when they go on diets..and it's working wonders for you..I don't have weight issues till yet, (stuck with 56 kgs for almost 10 years now, 5'5") maybe I am made that way; but a lot of my fiends and even my kid brother are trying to she their excess weights..will share your posts with them..

    Btw, i too love loading my soups (with cream), paranthas, rotis etc. with ghee, butter etc. have full cream milk..I get cravings..lol..Now i know that these stuff are not as bad and people think they are..

    All the best to you..I hope you achieve your desired weight and healthy body at the earliest..

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    Replies
    1. I know!! Initially I was terrified! All we've been taught is to avoid fat at all cost when trying to lose weight. Fat is good, as long as not consumed in a high carb diet :)

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  15. Tanveer, it's so strange that you are eating what people cut off when they go on diets..and it's working wonders for you..I don't have weight issues till yet, (stuck with 56 kgs for almost 10 years now, 5'5") maybe I am made that way; but a lot of my fiends and even my kid brother are trying to she their excess weights..will share your posts with them..

    Btw, i too love loading my soups (with cream), paranthas, rotis etc. with ghee, have full cream milk..I get cravings..lol..Now i know that these stuff are not as bad and people think they are..

    All the best to you..I hope you achieve your desired weight and healthy body at the earliest..

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  16. oops..sorry for duplicate comment. :-)

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  17. Sweets waiting for the next BB

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    Replies
    1. Neiha, I have pretty much covered the basics of the diet in the first 6 parts. Is there something specific you would like to know? I cld post abt that then :)

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    2. Tanveer it would be a big help if you could clarify that since there is no portion control that means we are not counting calories as well. Right? Also, could you please share some recipes and have you tri

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  18. Really really well written series!! This will be helpful to many I'm sure! :)

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  19. Really really well written series!! This will be helpful to many I'm sure! :)

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  20. Hi Tanveer, Very informative post. Will try to limit my intake of grains though it is tough to remove all.
    Can you please let me know more about Supryadyne, Celin & Evion supplements you are taking and where I can buy them?

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  21. Hi Tanveer, Very informative post. Will try to limit my intake of grains though it is tough to remove all.
    Can you please let me know more about Supryadyne, Celin & Evion supplements you are taking and where I can buy them?

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  22. HI Tanz,

    I just came back to check your diet plan and interestingly what i am following under a dietitian is almost the same.

    as i am more or less a vegeterian i m almost living on soups, loads of paneer, eggs with cheese (i change seasoning every day) and she has prescribed me very very little grain..

    also..those who are vegetarian..there are number of option for them too..experimenting with dal is a great way to get away the feeling of boredom in your diet.

    such as soaked whole moong dal cheela in the breakfast is a great way to have protein .

    in lunch one can have gobi and paneer sabji with one glass of butter milk...etc etc..options are endless.

    i am now convinced that carbs are the main culprit..i wont stay i don get the occasional craving..i do, but not that kind that i can not live without it.

    also having different soups with paneer, muthia(its a gujrati dish made of besan) is also healthy and filling.

    also, i have chicken tikka from outside (don cook chicken at home) and then who needs grains anyway then ;) I think i will soon start eating fish also..

    thing is i am paying to get slim and you did it all alone on your will power :)

    great will power lady :)

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