Potato Plus+ Diet Results

I finished my Potato Plus+ Diet experiment on the 11th. Two days into my Mary’s Mini-McDougall Diet, I abandoned the McDougall (vegan) protocol and added in lean meats and nonfat dairy because I was ravenous and didn’t want to kill Dustin or break my computer in a fit of hunger. I had hunger like I haven’t experienced in a long, long time! Gnaw-off-my-arm-if-I-don’t-eat-right-this-second hunger.

My objectives were loosely formed around my curiosity of how well I handle carbohydrates and to see how my body (and digestion) responds to an extremely low-fat diet. And, of course, to see if the popular Potato Hack for weight loss could work just as well when including other foods.

I didn’t track every single day, mainly because I was too busy, but also because my foods were often the same: 90% carbohydrates, under 15g fat, and the rest in protein. Lots of fruits, potatoes, rice, corn tortillas, millet sourdough bread, juices, 99% lean turkey breast, mustard, ketchup, etc.

Here are some of my menus from the duration of the diet experiment:

Low-fat, high-carb menu 12-2-12

High-carb Low-Fat Blood glucose readings from 12-2-12 (274g NET carbs):
(I didn’t track glucose every day. Blood glucose tracked with Accu-Chek Aviva glucometer)

2:00 PM (fasting 10 hours):                                           104
6:30 PM (1 hour postprandial):                                      134
7:30 PM (2 hours postprandial):                                    104
8:34 PM (3 hours postprandial):                                     89
10:30 PM (1 hour postprandial):                                    117
11:30 PM (2 hours postprandial):                                   90
2:34 AM (1 hour postprandial):                                      121
3:43 AM (2 h 15 m postprandial; post-RX + K supp):     149

postprandial = post-meal

For a comparison, here are random readings when I was doing a lower carb diet the weeks before this:

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 10-23-12 (75g NET carbs):

12:53PM (morning fasting):                             102
3:51 PM (30 m post-meal; 24g carb):              133
5:13 PM (2 hour post-meal):                            117
10:23 PM (30 m post-meal):                            113
11:40 PM (2 h post-meal):                               118
1:28 AM (4 h post-meal):                                 103

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 10-26-12 (82g NET carbs):

1:37 PM (10.5 h fasting):                               102
4:58 PM (14 h fasting):                                  111
9:52 PM (45 m post-meal):                            120
11:26 PM (2 h post-meal):                             104

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 10-28-12 (83g NET carbs):

1:17 PM (9 h fasting):                                   107
7:29 PM (15.5 h fasting):                                97
9:08 PM (17 h fasting; post-diuretic):            106
2:25 AM:                                                        120

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 11-7-12 (83g NET carbs):

6:45 PM (13 h fasting):                                                 113
11:25 PM (1 h PP — 59g carb in meal + dessert):         120
12:50 AM (2 h 20 min PP):                                            119
4:12 PM (5 h 45 min post-prandial):                             122
6:30 AM (1.5 h PP):                                                       125

Low-fat, high-carb menu 12-3-12

High-carb Low-Fat Blood glucose readings from 12-3-12 (418g NET carbs):

1:37 PM (12 hours fasting):                          99
6:06 PM:                                                      106
9:13 PM (2 hours postprandial):                  143
10:39 PM (3 hours postprandial):                106

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 11-9-12 (118g NET carbs):

4:26 PM (fasting 10.5 h):                             114
8:18 PM:                                                      116
11:49 PM (2 h postprandial):                       112
3:34 AM (~6 h postprandial):                       99
5:40 AM (1 h postprandial, [ice cream]):      119
6:47 AM (2 h postprandial):                         117
8:30 AM (20 m after orange juice):             144
9:38 AM (1.5 h after orange juice):             124

Low-fat, high-carb menu 12-4-12

High-carb Low-Fat Blood glucose readings from 12-4-12 (339g NET carbs):

2:00 PM (fasting 9 hours):                            99
4:09 PM (1 hour postprandial):                    102
5:10 PM (2 hours postprandial):                  105
9:59 PM (post-workout):                             125
11:15 PM (1 hour post 16 oz OJ):                120
1:06 AM (3 hours postprandial):                  116
3:25 AM (1 hour postprandial):                    166
4:25 AM (2 hours postprandial):                   110

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 11-10-12 (150g NET carbs):
(this is around the time my doctor suggested increasing my carbs)

7:27 PM (fasting 11 hours):                                                    105
11:06 PM (post-prandial 30 m; 56g carbs [orange juice]):     129
11:40 PM (1 h 10 m PP):                                                         103
12:38 AM (2 h postprandial):                                                  112
1:38 AM (3 h postprandial):                                                    121
3:02 AM (1 h postprandial [ice cream]):                                  115
4:06 AM (2 h postprandial [ice cream]):                                  112
5:39 AM (1 h 20 m postprandial):                                            114
7:26 AM (20 m postprandial):                                                  132
8:40 AM (1 h 34 m postprandial):                                            110

Low-fat, high-carb menu 12-5-12

High-carb Low-Fat Blood glucose readings from 12-5-12 (286g NET carbs):

11:05 AM:                                                    96
2:26 AM (12 hours fasting):                         89
6:46 PM (3.5 hours postprandial):               85
10:05 PM (1 hour postprandial):                 140
11:36 PM (2.5 hours postprandial):            111

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 11-12-12 (175g NET carbs):

7:09 AM (7.5 h fasting):                             102
9:00AM (fasting 9.5 h):                              106
5:39 PM (fasting 18 hours):                       107
8:19 PM (fasting 20 hours):                       121
10:54 PM (1 hour postprandial):                178
11:54 PM (2 hours postprandial):              130
12:54 AM (3 hours postprandial):              115
4:09 AM (45 minutes postprandial):           119
7:35 AM (10 m post-OJ):                             126

Low-fat, high-carb menu 12-8-12

High-carb Low-Fat Blood glucose readings from 12-8-12 (286g NET carbs):

2:52 AM (13.5 hours fasting):                                                 99
6:39 PM (1 hour postprandial):                                              133
8:11 PM (post-exercise):                                                        135
10:56 PM (2 hours post-16 ozOJ + 10 oz cranberry juice):    109

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 11-14-12 (47g NET carbs):

12:48 AM (7.5 h fasting):                                                    106
2:11 AM (9 h fasting):                                                         107
6:00 AM (2 h postprandial):                                                130
7:27 AM (postprandial):                                                      145
12:14 PM:                                                                           104
2:40 PM:                                                                             112
10:49 PM:                                                                           102
1:08 AM (10 m postprandial):                                             128
2:08 AM (1 hour postprandial):                                          123
3:11 AM (2 hour postprandial):                                           96

Low-fat, high-carb menu 12-9-12

High-carb Low-Fat Blood glucose readings from 12-9-12 (266g NET carbs):

3:49 PM (9 hours 45 mins fasting):             101
6:45 PM:                                                      88
11:45 PM (1 hour 45 mins PP):                    116
7:01 AM (post-exercise):                             142

Lower Carb Blood glucose readings from 11-17-12 (115g NET carbs):

1:28 AM (12.5 h fasting):                                    103
5:38 AM (16.5 h fasting):                                    105
9:18 AM (20 hour fasting, post-exercise):           98
11:06 AM (1 hour postprandial, 59g carb):        137
7:24 PM (1 hour postprandial):                          160

Variables to consider: a) Side effects of my high-dose prescription (thiazide) diuretic are impaired glucose sensitivity (higher blood glucose) and elevated triglycerides; b) My insulin resistance is preexisting and greatly exacerbated by said RX; c) I have extremely unbalanced hormones; d) Aunt Flo was in town for the duration of the low-fat high-carb spree; e) I was inconsistent with glucose testing (e.g., random times); f) I exercised: Walking; g) I have iron-deficiency anemia

Calories averaged on HCLF diet: 1,728 (based on menus above; unrecorded days were similar)

Daily supplements: DHEA, Natural Calm (magnesium supplement), pregnenolone, thyroid supplement, prescription potassium supplement, and COQ10

Low-fat, High-carb Blood Glucose Averages of Above Data: 113

Lower Carb Blood Glucose Averages of Above Data: 116

Scale weight behavior on high-carb, low-fat: Lost 8 lbs in 10 days

My postprandial blood glucose readings were often higher on HCLF, but my fasting numbers were often lower than LCHF. I noticed that starches, white rice and white potatoes in particular, sent my blood glucose soaring postprandial, whereas fruit, fruit juices, and sugary foods like ice cream didn’t have as big of an impact.

As for my satiety on the low-fat, high-carb protocol, it was nearly nonexistent. The only reason I didn’t eat more even though my calories were relatively low was because the foods I was eating were so heavy (watery) that I was already ingesting ~12-15 lbs of food and drink a day. I didn’t want to eat several more pounds of food even though I was often STARVING. After I added in lean meats and nonfat dairy, I felt a little more satisfied, but still hungry, hungry, hungry.

So obviously you can have similar weight loss results by following an extremely low-fat protocol, but adding in other foods take the satiety element out of the original Potato Hack which make it harder to sustain a deficit, thus defeating the purpose of the hack’s intent. Baked or boiled potatoes by themselves are rather satiating (and insanely boring), but add in fruit, vegetables, turkey, etc., and my appetite became insatiable with non- and low-fat foods. I could have grazed all day and never really felt satisfied.

My digestion really wasn’t much different. I didn’t notice any improvements by virtually eliminating fat. At first, the large volume of fruits in the absence of fat exacerbated my digestive problems, but then it returned to my version of “normal.” When I reintroduced fats my stomach freaked out and it was a rough couple of days. But then I returned to my daily IBS “normal.” A bit disappointing. It would have been nice to finally have some kind of digestive relief. Very high-fat meals continue to be as problematic for me as they have been for a long while now.

Verdict: I’d call the Potato+ Diet a weight loss success but a satiety failure. If you can be satisfied on it, then it’s likely to work if you are in a true caloric deficit, which is the only realistic way to lose weight regardless of which protocol you follow. I considered ending it prematurely several times a day because it was unpleasant. I was obsessing over food again, watching the clock to see when it was time to eat. Horrible.

I greatly dislike the limitations of low-carb diets, BUT in all honesty, I dislike very low-fat even more!

You guys know how much I love carby foods. But if I had to choose one extreme or the other (low-carb or low-fat), I’d choose low-carb in a heartbeat. That is saying a lot because anyone that knows me knows that I am all about my bread and potatoes and fruits, but wow, I realize now that they don’t taste nearly as good without some fat!

I do think that if you need to create a caloric deficit that lowering fat is a good way to go about it, but not totally eliminating it. Fats are very good for us, but they are calorically-dense and often have little nutritional value compared to kale or salmon or sweet potato, etc. Ideally, I’d say include them all in an arrangement that covers all of your bases. Basically, don’t go to extremes unless you absolutely have to or really like it.

Not me. I can’t live in extremes. I want my cake and eat it too!

My conclusion is that I don’t want to drastically reduce any macronutrients, so if I could choose the ideal ratio for me, I’d do 50C/30F/20P (carbs, fat, protein). Doubtful that I’ll ever hit that ratio on a daily basis, but it I think I’d feel content on that structure.

The first thing I ate when I ended the HCLF protocol? Kerrygold Dubliner cheese. About 3 oz of it. I went honey badger on it.

Weight regain post-experiment: 1 lb – I’ve been hosting a mouth party since my birthday. I’d say that’s a reasonable rebound gain considering the insane amounts of sodium (and other junk) I’ve been inhaling this week. gah!

Note: This is not medical advice. This experiment was for my personal interests. Consult your health care provider before making any changes to your diet or health care regime.

Tagged as: carbs, diets, fat-free diet, glucose, low-fat diet, Potato Diet, Potato Plus+ Diet, potatoes, weight loss