Dietary Guidelines for Slow Metabolizers

By:
Jonny Bowden

Divide your daily food intake so that it comes out to about 40 percent carbohydrates, 40 percent protein and 20 percent fats. As a slow burner, your diet should be light in fatty foods and heavy in protein and carbohydrates (NOT the processed kind).

Make sure to include lean protein in at least two meals per day. If you'd like, you could even eat protein at every meal (this will help speed up your metabolism). Get your protein from leaner meats like fish and fowl, rather than heavier selections like beef and lamb. Avoid fatty meats like ribs and steaks and dairy products like milk and cheese, and instead opt for poultry, eggs and light fish like cod and tuna.

(Hint: If you're preparing meals for six people, or if you eat out a great deal, you're probably not going to want to weigh and measure everything and do exact calorie computations. If, however, you cook everything for yourself and feel like using a food scale, you may find it to be an interesting experiment. I once did it for about a month, and learned a great deal about how my body works.)

Avoid milk (commercial cow's milk, that is), unless you tolerate it very well. There are many reasons why commercial milk is overrated as a food. Great alternative sources of calcium include sardines, broccoli, almonds, goat's milk, turnip greens, soybeans, tofu and many other foods, all of which can easily be worked into the dietary guidelines. Among dairy foods, a mere 1 1/2 ounces of Swiss cheese beats milk for calcium by a mile, and with only an extra 50 calories or so. Yogurt just about ties milk as a calcium source and has the benefit of live cultures and better toleration by people who are lactose sensitive. Look at soy and rice milks as well. And, if you really want to increase your calcium absorption ... try cutting out (or cutting way, way down on) sodas (including diet ones).

The "Diet"

If your current weight is between 100 and 125 pounds:

Basic diet: 1200 calories a day.
Distribution: 40% carbohydrate; 40% protein; 20% fat.
Food amounts: 120 grams protein (approximately 17 ounces); 26 grams fat (2-3 tablespoons or substitutes); 2 fruits from the accepted list (link); 1 starch from the accepted list (link); remaining calories from raw or steamed vegetables.

If your current weight is between 125 and 150 pounds:

Basic diet: 1200-1500 calories a day.
Distribution: 40% carbohydrate; 40% protein; 20% fat.
Food amounts: 120-150 grams protein (17-21 ounces); 27-33 grams fat (about 2 1/2 to 4 tablespoons or substitutes); 2 fruits from the accepted list (link); 1 starch from the accepted list (link); remaining calories from raw or steamed vegetables.

If your current weight is between 150 and 175 pounds:

Basic diet: 1600-1800 calories.
Distribution: 40% carbohydrate; 40% protein; 20% fat.
Food amounts: 160-180 grams protein (approximately 23-26 ounces); 35-40 grams fat (3-4 tablespoons or substitutes); 2 fruits from the accepted list; 1 starch from the accepted list; remaining calories from raw or steamed vegetables.

If your current weight is above 175 pounds:

Basic diet: 1800-2200 calories a day.
Distribution: 40% carbohydrate; 40% protein; 20% fat.
Food amounts: 160-180 grams protein (approximately 23-26 ounces); 40-49 grams fat (4-5 tablespoons or substitutes); 2 fruits from the accepted list; 1 starch from the accepted list; remaining calories from raw or steamed vegetables.

Best protein sources:

One ounce of each of the following = 7 grams protein, unless indicated otherwise. The fat in choices that are not fat-free must count as part of your fat allowance.

beef (lean cuts preferable)
chicken breast, deli-style, skinless, or grilled
turkey breast, deli-style, skinless, or grilled
egg whites (2)
lean hamburger meat
bass
bluefish
clams
cod
crabmeat
halibut
haddock
lobster
mackerel
salmon
scallops
sardines
shrimp
swordfish
tuna steak
tuna, canned in water
reduced fat cheese
no-fat cheese
ricotta cheese, skim (2.5 ounces = 7 grams or 1 ounce protein)
soy burger (1/2 burger = 7 grams or 1 ounce protein)
tofu (3 ounces)
mozzarella cheese, skim
protein powder mixed with water (average scoop= 20 grams or 3 ounces)
Milk, yogurt and cottage cheese may be used, but are mixed foods. They contain protein and carbohydrates and you will have to read the labels and account for both. Some people may not do well with dairy products.

Carbohydrates Group 1: Cooked or Raw Vegetables, Legumes

One cup of each of the following equals 40 calories (10 grams) of carbohydrates or less (unless otherwise indicated). Choose at least five servings per day.

green or wax beans
bok choy
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
collard greens
kale
leeks
mushrooms
onions
spinach
turnips
yellow squash, summer
alfalfa sprouts
celery
endive
green or red peppers
radishes
tomato
carrot (1 whole)
asparagus
black beans (1/4 cup)
broccoli
cabbage, shredded
chick peas (1/4 cup)
eggplant
kidney beans (1/4 cup)
lentils (1/4 cup)
okra, sliced
peas (1/3 cup)
sauerkraut
Swiss chard
turnip greens
zucchini
bamboo shoots
cucumber
escarole
snow peas
tossed salad
salsa

Carbohydrates Group 2: Fruits

Each serving has under 100 calories (25 grams) of carbohydrates.

apple (1 small-medium)
blackberries (1 cup)
cantaloupe (1/2 melon or 1 cup cubed)
grapefruit (1)
kiwi (1)
apricots (6)
blueberries (1 cup)
cherries (10-20)
honeydew melon (1/2 melon or 1 cup cubed)
nectarine (1)
orange (1)
pear (1)
plums (2)
strawberries (1 cup)
watermelon (1 cup)
peach (1)
pineapple (1 cup)
raspberries (1 cup)
tangerine (1)

Carbohydrates Group 3: Starches

Limit your intake of these carbs to one portion a day. Individual response may vary; some people may need to add a second portion from this group and reduce their fat intake by an equivalent amount. For best results, keep accurate records, experiment, pay attention to your body, and bring your questions to me in the chats and message boards.

Each of the following portions is approximately 100 calories (25 grams carbs).

oatmeal (or any seven-grain-type hot cereal) (1 cup cooked)
Fiber-One cold cereal (1 cup)
sweet potato (1 medium)
rice (brown, white, basmati) (1/2 cup cooked)
rice cakes (2)
baked potato (1/2 of medium, baked in skin)

Fats: Remember to account for the fat in your meat, fish and poultry choices. The remainder of your fats can come from the following list.

Amounts given are approximately 100 calories (10 grams of fat) each or less.

almond butter (1 tablespoon)
almonds (1/2 ounce or 10 almonds)
almonds, slivered (3 tablespoons)
olive oil (2/3 tablespoon)
canola oil (2/3 tablespoon)
peanut butter (1 tablespoon)
flaxseed oil (1 tablespoon)
sunflower seeds (1/2 ounce)
olives (10-12 large, green)
walnuts (shelled, 2-4)

TIP: There's a difference between being committed and being obsessive, in both exercise and diet. Don't be too obsessive about the calories and percentages in the diet; this information is meant to empower you, not to be used to beat yourself up. Think of these as general guidelines, not rigid rules.