The Super Secret Potato Project page 9

[Atticus]

I guess I'll post my progress here, as well as the other thread(s).

I decided to give this thing a shot. 3.7kg (>8lbs) down at day 10. I'm pushing on through to 14 days, I think, would be good to dip under 80kg again and really give my tastebuds a chance to change. Already, I'm feeling back where I was over a year ago in terms of less cravings for sweet stuff, unsweetened strong black coffee is more palatable. I think this is giving me the kick up the butt I needed to get properly back on the Primal wagon, and proving to myself I have control over myself.

I'm posting a log in evernote:

https://www.evernote.com/pub/wrigleyj/potatodiet

This is one of the reasons I like this. Its the first time I've been truly grain, legume and dairy free. I realized this evening that I wasn't craving my evening dark chocolate, and I too am almost even enjoying my black coffee. Since I was at it, I also ditched my bad Diet Coke habit. Something about eating purely one thing makes this easier, not sure why.

[BratKat]

Good luck to everyone giving this a try this week! I'm a little baffled by the people who find this ridiculous, think there are WAY too many "tater" threads, yet feel the need to insert themselves into each and every one of those threads...!?

I just finished a week long tater feast; may I indulge in a few observations?

I found it pretty easy! I wasn't disturbed sitting next to my husband eating his bacon and eggs. It's pretty simple when you know all you can eat is potatoes. A LOT less shopping and food prep time. Very easy on the digestive system-- I though it sounded like it would be constipating, but not at all. The only real problem I experienced was that I was FREEZING, especially at night. I had to wear a heavy fleece pullover to bed.

I was a little disappointed with the results at first. Down a couple of pounds after 2 days, then up a pound and stuck there for several days. On the 7th day I was only down 2 lbs. Bummer! But, after returning to my normal eating pattern for 2 days I ended up down 5.5 lbs. I was very happy with that since I am only looking to lose another 10 lbs. or so. My pants were very noticably loose this morning. I may give it another week after the holidays.

[Atticus]

Ok, stats so far:

Male, 46
6'0", 194.6 pounds.

Day 1: Calories 1860
Starting Weight: 194.6
Starting BF: 19.1%
Fat Pounds: 37.16

Day 2: Calories 1211
Morning Weight: 193.6
BF: 18.9%
Fat Pounds: 36.59

Day 3: Calories 1119
Morning Weight: 190.4
BF: 18.9%
Fat Pounds: 35.98

I worked out on Monday, light bodyweight exercises a la Primal Blueprint (Pushups, Pullups, Squats, Leg Raises), was able to continue progress on my reps.

[fat belly frog]

When I was eating at these calorie levels (on balance Primal fare but restricting the portions) I was accused of having an eating disorder. Just sayin..

mmm ok, I sure havent got no eating disorder, was eating until I was fill up as I do now eating Primal/paleo I just ate shit loads less calorie wise

At 6'2" ~20% BF and pretty active these calorie levels couldnt/shouldnt be maintained for long periods, but thats not what this was/is about. I was suprised no loss of energy, no extreme hunger, no loss of performance with exercise (KB and BW) or swim squad. Plenty of fat on the body to power me thru I guess.

Anyway happy with results and minimal weight rebound..

[Paleobird]

mmm ok, I sure havent got no eating disorder, was eating until I was fill up as I do now eating Primal/paleo I just ate shit loads less calorie wise

At 6'2" ~20% BF and pretty active these calorie levels couldnt/shouldnt be maintained for long periods, but thats not what this was/is about. I was suprised no loss of energy, no extreme hunger, no loss of performance with exercise (KB and BW) or swim squad. Plenty of fat on the body to power me thru I guess.

Anyway happy with results and minimal weight rebound..

I know you don't have an eating disorder. Neither did I. I was just pointing out that, while choosing different menus, we both were essentially doing calorie restriction and both worked.

[marthat]

Weight after day 2 is 152.0, down half a lb from yesterday and down 2.5 since starting. Ate about 5 potatos worth yesterday, three of them being in a pot of curry potato soup. Ate several raw in slices for the crunch factor. Was never hungry.

You guys really need to check out the Shangri La diet and Seth Roberts theories around flavour-calorie association and it's effect on appetite. In essence, strange, bland or non-flavoured calories have a different effect in the brain, signalling possible lack of good food supply or danger and suppressing appetite. Highly flavoured foods, especially what he calls "ditto" foods, such as our processed "always the same" foods such as Coke, processed snack foods, boxed mac and cheese, etc, cause an addictive reaction and boost appetite. The brain does this by affecting the "setpoint", our preferred homeostasis weight, pushing it up (causing us an increased appetite to try to eat up to the new setpoint) or down (so we register as above that setpoint weight and lose our appetite for as much food). It fits so well with the appetite suppression effect of this potato diet hack.

It's a diet hack that works for many. I lost 18 lbs using Shangri La principles a few years ago, way past the weight that I couldn't bust through any other way.

[gopintos]

I wasnt as hungry yesterday either. I don't weigh until after 7am, weird maybe but seems to matter, and I won't be home. So I will have to post later.

Good job potato peeps!

[Leida]

In essence, strange, bland or non-flavoured calories have a different effect in the brain, signalling possible lack of good food supply or danger and suppressing appetite.

Interesting. Bland (no reward) foods are quite a common reference on this site, but strangely spiced, I haven't heard about it. Heh, ginger on everything for me... since that would be worse than bland. I should by a bag of yuk ground ginger and keep sniffing at it, lol.

[calee]

After two days I'm up two ounces. I don't seem to be getting the appetite suppression that many are talking about. Maybe that's because I eat sweet potatoes to avoid the nightshade effect. Round 1 lst two pounds. Now up one of those two. This may just not be for me. Taters are packed for another day. I'll continue today and evaluate in the morning. I have lots of fat to let go of!

[serenity]

My weight this morning was 135--down 2 lbs from yesterday. I brought 1 lb, 10 ounces of mashed potatoes to work today. (My scale doesn't have the ability to measure grams, unfortunately.) I also brought an extra 6.75-ounce baked potato. According to Fitday, all of this is only 935 calories. Wow! It sure was heavy in my bag this morning. I already ate most of the mashed potatoes--haha. I lifted weights this morning and was hungry. (I normally eat most of my calories in the morning anyway.) I'm slightly concerned about my muscles right now--they're used to getting fed lots of protein after a workout like that. The potatoes are woefully short on protein content.

I ate somewhere between 1100 and 1200 calories yesterday. I didn't weigh the potatoes yesterday (except for the two I ate for dinner--they were 8.75 ounces), but I have a good idea of what volume I ate.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure that eating the potato skins makes me feel sick. I felt sick after eating a bunch of baked potatoes with skin on Monday. I ate mashed potatoes all day yesterday and felt fine. I "fried" up (without oil) two grated baked potatoes last night with skin and felt sick again after eating that. It's weird because I don't recall ever feeling sick from eating potato skins in the past. Guess I won't be eating those skins anymore.