I wouldn't think that more protein would be a problem (unless maybe you were using the highest end of the spectrum for every snack and meal), as long as the calorie level is fine, especially if you're using frozen dinners for your meals (because they're often on the low end of the protein spectrum).

This answer to this is a "yes, but" or "sort of" answer. He treats them the same, but warns that eating too many on the high calorie spectrum can affect weight loss. So even though avocado, higher sugar fresh fruits, and even potatoes, beans, and corn "count" all count as fruits and veggies, he also warns that if your weight loss isn't progressing as you'd like to look at your fruit and vegetable choices and cut back on the higher calorie options.

I really think they "count the same" only to make the diet as absolutely simplest possible.

I think that's also why there's very little reference (except for a couple shake recipes) to making your own meals. Fear of making the diet "too complicated, which leads me to the first part of your post."





I'm also quite carb sensitive (and wheat sensitive too, so some of my suggestions about wheat entrees I learned back when I was eating wheat, before starting the Simple Diet). There are three main ways that I deal with the Simple Diet in this regard


1. Finding the best frozen/boxed meals I can

I do seem to deal with some carbs better than others, so the frozen dinners made with "whole grains" are a little better for me than others, I've found some in these brands

Lean Cuisine spa collection (also check the Stouffer's line. For example, I suspect that Lean Cuisine's whole grain lasagna is identical to Stouffer's whole grain lasagna. I found this true in the past that many in the Lean Cuisne line are actually identical in calorie and ingredients, which is a huge indicator that they're made in the same plant, and only the label is different. That Stouffer's owns Lean Cuisine is of course another clue).

Amy's Kitchen (organic, vegetarian) meals.

Kashi

South Beach


2. Make my own meals to fit the plan. I went through my cookbooks at home (the ones with nutritional analysis) and put stickers (cute tiny fish I got at the Dollar Tree) next to each of the recipes that fit the Simple Diet guidelines.

I also checked out a bunch of books from the library on meals under 450 calories (I chose the higher number because I figured they'd have some recipes under 300. Also I found that many of the recipes were made with 4 servings in mind, that instead dividing them into six servings brought the calorie count in range).

It was a bit of a pain to multiply each of the nutrition facts by .67 (when converting a 4 serving recipe into a 6 serving was), so I pencilled in the new data in the margins.



3. I also model some meals after IP and other "lean and grean" meals of other PSMFs. I just choose 300 calories of lean protein so that the calories, protein, and fiber fit the guidelines and then add veggies.

300 calories is usually a lot less than 8 ounces of protein (except for fish and shrimp and other super-lean proteins.

I've been on the Simple Diet since Friday and am down 3 lbs.!!!!! I have to admit I've been modifying the diet to suit ME! I'm allowing myself one "cheat meal" a week...this will probably be our Saturday night "date night". Also, if I go out to lunch with a friend, I'll have a salad with FF ranch dressing...figure it has to be as low as...or lower than...the entree I'd usually have. I'm tracking everything...my highest calorie day has been 1335calories. I've been walking approx. 4 miles a day....burning 350-390 calories each time. I'm not sure how accurate this is. I found an onine calculator that calculates calories burned. I got really hungry yesterday and needed SOMETHING! So, I had a cup of beef broth...only 30 calories and it sure helped! I'm thinking of adding some Metamucil on a daily basis to ward off constipation. I'll use the sugar-free variety. Hoping this week will be easier...now that I'm through the weekend and don't have to watch my skinny husband eat! LOL! This is my story so far! Have a great day!

I'm writting up a list of recommended frozen entrees and I'm going to stock up on some today Time to get my diet back on track. Thanks again Kaplods!

When I started, I wrote the guidelines down on the bottom of my shopping list, so I could check the nutritional information, which was a lot easier than looking or specific entrees. Murphy's Law maybe, but everytime I look for specific dinners I can't find them (case in point, grocery shopping the other day, I was looking for Lean Cuisine's ranchero beef with mashed sweet potato - I'm pretty sure it fits the guidelines, and it's also my absolute favorite Lean Cuisine meal - and one of the few I can eat because there's little or no wheat in it, and wheat causes me problems, especially with my skin).

Thank Goodness traces of wheat don't seem to bother me, because it's hard enough finding "almost wheat free" options.

I also don't limit my meals to frozen or shelf-stable entrees and shakes. I've found that many other foods fit the guidelines (such as plain yogurt, including my homemade), or can be made to fit the guidelines with the addition of an eggwhite or a little whey protein (undenatured, because it tastes and dissolves better).

For example, the other day I had a craving for tomato soup, so I heated my wheat-free tomato soup (also difficult to find in a can - I have more luck finding one in the boxed tomato soups). Then I poured the soup into a bowl and stirred in about 15g of the whey protein.

I add it after cooking, because heat denatures (breaks down) protein. There's nothing wrong with denatured whey (or any other) protein, they just clump and have a stronger, more "cooked" flavor (in my opinion). Undenatured whey is made my a low-heat process so that the proteins remain intact.

Syntrax uses undenatured whey in most (if not all) of their products. They don't call it that, but you can usually tell if a whey protein is undenatured by the company's advertising). If they brag in their advertising about how well their whey dissolves in juice and even water, it's almost always an undenatured whey.


I even use a few foods that are "close enough" to the guidelines.

I love sardines, and I noticed that many of my curry-flavored sardines from the asian store fit into the guidelines perfectly. When I checked traditionally canned sardines, the fat content was a little off - it exceeded the recommendations by 1.5 grams. Since I don't always eat all of the skin, I figure it's "close enough." Although I don't really worry about the skin either, because even if I eat it all, I figure it's a good Omega 3 fat, so if my next meal or previous one is/was a little under the fat guidelines then it's all good.

Yeah, I had written the guidelines down last time but when I went to the grocery store, I was freezing when I opened the freezer door looking at the labels (Haha!). Thought maybe it'd be warmer looking for the brands but I could be wrong since there's such a LONG list. I didn't know it was that long until I started typing it.

This morning, I actually decided to make this diet my own. I'm going to do the two frozen entre meals a day but I will eat my instant oatmeal in the morning (like I do now) and I'm going to choose low calorie snacks. I'm going to aim for 1200 calories in my day. That is going to be my goal, 1200. I think just that is going to be easier for me and it's going to be help me keep more motivated if it's more fitted towards my regular diet. I'm already eating oatmeal for my breakfasts (260 cals) and I'm already eating frozen entres during my lunches so it's just to have frozen entrees for my dinners that is going to be different and cutting back on my coffees & snacks. I haven't gone to the grocery store yesterday but will be tonight. I'm going to stock up on frozen entres LOL!

I just did up a spreadsheet to see how long it would take to get to my goal weight if I lost 1lb & 2lbs per week and this is what I came up to:
At 1lb per week, I would reach 135lbs on November 29, 2013
At 2lbs per week, I would reach 135lbs on May 31, 2013.

I REALLY loved that second one best! I think it gave me the kick I needed. I'm going to be eating 1200 calories and I'll be burning around 300 calories which should bring me to 2lbs weight loss per week. I'm starting tomorrow!

Started my diet today. I know, a Friday! I didn't want to wait so I started today.
I decided to save my progress on a blog: http://sophieweightlossjourney.blogspot.ca/

I totally need to do this. Seems so easy to follow. Anyone doing this for the new year?

I am reading the book right now and I will start on Sunday, January 6th. Anybody wanna join me?

I've been using this plan as my "back up" for days I don't have the energy to put more time and effort into planning and preparing my food (for example during flares of my arthritis and fibromyalgia).


I've finally come to terms with the fact that I'm not fully succeeding on my current plan (paleo exchange plan). I'm succeeding at weight maintenance, but not succeeding at further weight loss, so I need a more strict and structured plan, so as of Saturday, I'm now using "The Simple Diet" as my full-time plan.

In an ideal world, I'd be able to find more paleo/lower-carb frozen dinners and shakes (because I am less hungry and feel better overall, on a moderately low carb diet).

I have found a few dinners, bars, and shakes that fit not only Dr. Anderson's guidelines, but also my reduced-carb preferences.

Atkins has come out with some frozen dinnners (so far, I've only seen them at Walmart) and I use the South Beach dinneers also. They're not completely paleo, but they're lower in sugar and high-glycemic carbs than most of the others.

I've also made a few of my own dinners to fit the guidelines (I actually went through my favorite diet cookbooks and marked the recipes that followed Dr. Anderson's guidelines. Some recipes had more than 300 calories but were designed for 4 servings. When I redid the math on the nutrition for 6 servings, they fit the guidelines - so I wrote down the nutritional infor for 6 servings in the margins.

I've also found some soups that fit the guidelines and some that came close enough that I could bring them into the guidelines just by adding some protein in the form of eggs (egg drop soup) or tvp (soy protein granules). For example by adding 1/4 cup tvp (0 fat, 12g of protein) to canned soups, I found I could bring them into the guidelines for a meal, so long as the soup had fewer than 9g of fat and fewer than 120 calories.

I also found that my homemade yogurt fits the guidelines for a shake if I add just a teaspoon or two of the whey protein.

I also found some surprising "fits" like some canned fish, such as tuna or sardines in water or non-fat seasonings (for some the fat goes a bit over, but since it's a good Omega-3 fat and because most of my shakes have far less fat than allowed, I don't worry about the occasional tin of sardines). I especially love sardines in seasoned sauces. I was finding sardines in tom yum, chili flavored tomato sauces and and curries at the the local asian stores, but now even our chain stores are carrying them. I have to read the labels carefully though, because a few don't fall within the guidelines. Most do, but there's the occasional variety that has added fat and sugar. I found that out when I bought a can of fried mackerel in chili sauce, mistaking it for the sardines in tomato sauce with added chili that I often bought (which did fit the guidelines). At a glance, particularly with my color-blindness, the labels looked identical.

I recognized my mistake only after the first bite. It tasted wonderful, "too wonderful" if you know what I mean. Turns out it was mackerel filets not sardines, and the pieces were fried and then added to a sugary chili sauce sauce.

I make my own shakes from undenatured whey (produced under lower temperatures, so the proteins emain intact and the whey powder will dissolve much better than conventional whey. I think it also tastes better, much milder in flavor).

Making my own shakes really doesn't take any longer than using whey powder. In fact, because the undenatured dissolves so completely and quickly, it often takes less, because I don't have to get out the blender - I can stir it into a glass of Crystal Light or any other beverage with a spoon).

Even making about half the shakes and meals myself still is a lot quicker and easier than exchange plan (which I feel bad for saying, since I never found the exchange plan that complicated or time-consuming).

I started on January 7 and I've lost 7.2 lbs. I make a favorite soup of mine- creamy cauliflower soup and its thick, creamy and filling. I sometimes substitute a Greek yogurt cup for a shake because the nutritional counts are the same and I need variety!

Anyone still doing this???

I just started today. Hope it works. I wasn't hungry all day....a little hungry at night.

Awesome... post and let us know how you are doing. I still haven't read the book thru yet. I've been doing ww and still think this diet would be an easy thing to do for a few weeks to a month.

Bump!!! Reading this tonight & pretty darn PUMPED about it!!