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Fatinator Fund
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The Problem
How can someone lose and maintain weight *naturally* without
starving?
- Acceptable Conditions
- No trickery of any kind is allowed. Examples of are anorexia,
bulimia, feeding your body the same thing for every meal, or any
other kind of abuse.
- Essentially, we are looking for a weight loss method based on
physics, established facts, and reasonable assumptions.
- Since we already established *naturally* above it should be
obvious that no drugs are allowed. But since there are 'natural'
drugs we will still explicitly say that these aren't allowed either.
- No big unreasonable sacrifices (like banning dessert completely)
either.
- No physical exercise required. We'll explain why this is against
physics anyway. But don't get us wrong, we're not saying it's
a bad idea. We're just saying it shouldn't be required for weight
loss.
- Fatinator's conclusions/methods are for overweight people with
no health problems. It's a method to lose extra weight due to
fat deposits. If you are already scrawny and want to lose weight,
this method isn't for you since you have little or no fat deposits.
People with health issues are encouraged to see their health professional
instead.
Some Facts
The Human Energy Formula (HEF) essentially just tells us that the energy
you consume must go somewhere in one form or other. This is also known
as Conservation of Energy which is a well established physics concept.
Essentially, the energy you eat must either be used, stored,
or expelled from your body. No magic here. This seems like
a simple concept and it is. But many weight loss programs ignore this
concept and tell you that exercise is essential for weight loss. Physics
tells us it's not, and I'll explain why later. Others tell you that
their product burns up the energy but fail to explain how. When in doubt,
refer to the formula.
Human Energy Formula (HEF)
Energy in = energy used + energy stored + energy expelled
Translated to:
Energy you eat = energy used (physical activity) + energy
in fat stored + energy not absorbed (stool, potty)
Glucose: The only fuel your brain runs on
Glucose is the fuel your body transports in the blood stream for neuron
consumption. It is reasonable to assume that since your brain runs on
glucose, that the simplest and most efficient method to function day
to day is to feed your body a certain type of food that it can use to
convert to glucose on demand without complications. Most complaints
of dieters is that they want to eat less but they just can't because
they go 'braindead' (sort of speak). Therefore, our fuel of preference
is complex carbohydrates as opposed to proteins or fats/oils. Besides,
the proof is in the pudding, if your body could consume all that fuel
stored in your fat cells then it wouldn't be stored and you wouldn't
be hungry, right? The exception to this rule is if your body is overwhelmed
with carbs and there's two ways: 1) overconsumption 2) overwhelming
The Two Types of Hunger
- Lack of energy
- The easiest way to recognize this type of hunger is by your high
impulse to grab whatever junk you have readily available. If you have
this urge to grab whatever you see to stuff your face and stop the
hunger as if it were an emergency, you are likely starving for energy.
The other symptoms are lethargic, sluggish, can't think normally,
brain dead, tired, physically slow, some sort of stupor, etc. The
solution here is to feed it what it wants: Energy. Complex carbs.
But of course feed it the carbs we describe. Candy carbs are not it
and never are!
- Empty stomach (and no symptoms of #1 )
- This type is when you feel like your stomach is empty. Probably
even feel like there might be acid there eating your stomach but
you are not lethargic, tired, sluggish etc as described in hunger
Type #1. It's somewhat tolerable. If this is the case and you wish
to 'fill the hole', eat something that is more like a filler. A
lettuce tomato salad, non-starchy veggies like green beans, or something
else of high volume and low calories. Don't eat carbs, meat (maybe
a little is ok), or sugars. This is a good time to get your nutrients
from veggies (avoid sugary veggies and fruits as much as possible).
Our Choice of Fuel
It is likely that the path to bloodstream sugar from fats, oils, and
proteins is longer compared to carbs (after all molecularly they differ
more). The chemical pathway is perhaps too long and complex for short
term fluctuations and adjustments throughout the day. Besides, fats,
oils, and proteins usually come from meats and these have their issues
as it is (heart attacks, clogged arteries, cholesterol, etc). To lose
weight and increase our heart disease makes little sense. So we pick
the lesser of two evils
Complex carbs are long chains of sugar but they are NOT the exact equivalent
of sugar. Your body must break down the long chains in order to release
sugar molecules and this makes it a relatively simple one step process
to energy. But keep in mind that not all complex carbs are equal. There
are long chains of glucose, fructose, etc. that make different complex
carbs. Some complex carbs will be more suitable than others for various
reasons and this is where it gets complicated. A long chain of carbs
that is too easy to break down to sugar will give you a sugar high.
Ever get a high from french fries? One that is too slow or difficult
will drain you. The consistency of the food also determines how fast
your body can get to the sugar... for instance, food that is as hard
as a rock will be tougher to completely process compared to some puree
stuff. This is where a bit of art meets science. The only way is to
experiment (and we do tell you where to start...keep reading). Perhaps
in the future science will have more answers here but there are a lot
of variables for now so we will stick with the tried and true.
Lets also get another idea out of our head. This concept that all food
is equal for animal consumption. The idea that carbs are carbs, protein
is protein, etc. Let me ask you this. Have you tried filling your car
up with acetone instead? How about lacquer thinner? After all, they
are all flammable and all have energy right? It's reasonable to assume
that your body has its fuel of preference too. Our job is to find what
that is by carefully observing how we feel after a meal.
So to be specific, we recommend that you try out durum semolina spaghetti.
Look at the label for for pure durum semolina spaghetti that is in it's
dry form usually in a box on a shelf (not refrigerated). It is possible
that it might have some vitamins added (enriched) but be sure that it
is pure otherwise and doesn't have other mixed wheat or eggs within.
You can tell by the color usually because semolina is a yellowish color
(shade of a banana) as opposed to brownish of wheat (unbleached). Semolina
is usually a bit more expensive than regular wheat but used in pasta
because regular wheat is too soft and disintegrates in the boil. I'm
sure that semolina's hardness is partly why it works well. Potatoes
on the other hand also disintegrate relatively easy and this gives us
a longevity problem.
So why pick Durum Wheat pasta as our main grain to start?
- It's boiled.
- Have you ever cooked a sweet potato in the oven at high temperature
for a long time? Did you notice that the longer you cook it, the
sweeter it gets? The reason is that the heat breaks down the carb
chains into simple sugars. We don't want that. And so boiled food
is a good way to prevent food modification in the oven. French
fries can give you a high too.
- It's hard
- It's hardness prevents it from pureeing and dissolving so easily.
If food dissolves too fast, your body will digest it too quick.
We want something with longevity so that it releases energy slowly
on par with it's consumption. We don't want to encourage energy
storage.
- Little sugar present naturally
- It's a complex carb
- It's unbleached
- I'm not sure why so many flours are bleached on the market. My
only guess that flour is bleached is for coloring in cakes. But
why are so many breads made of bleached flour? I doubt all the bleach
really comes off... It doesn't seem likely. But even if it does,
what else is left in the wheat?
- It has more protein in it than regular wheat
- It's inexpensive and easily acquired
- It's easy to cook
- Stores well
- Low in fats and oils and no cholesterol
- Is versatile in dishes
- And it's tasty but this is subjective.
Sugars are Evil: The Sugar Bomb
Not to worry, we are not going to ban sugar from your diet. After all,
we did say 'No big unreasonable sacrifices' under 'The Problem' section
at the top of this page. Banning ice cream, desserts, fruits, etc would
be unreasonable. But we must reduce and control it if you are to lose
weight.
The reason we don't want to ingest sugar directly is that we want the
body to regulate its sugar levels on its own. Fluctuations in your glucose
(blood sugar) disrupt your daily activities. You will get those highs
and lows because ingesting it directly gets processed so fast that you
might as well inject it into your bloodstream directly.
Diabetes is an example of a disease in which your body as lost much
of it's control of glucose in the bloodstream. This is why you don't
want to feed it glucose or any sugar alone for that reason. If you do,
your blood sugar levels will be all over the place and you'll have highs
and lows throughout the day. With each low, you'll be tired and hungry
persuading you to eat more. If you eat more sugar, you will be propagating
this high-low cycle and you will not feel good. You'll likely overeat,
feel lethargic most of the time, and possibly earn yourself a diabetes
badge. It is no surprise that diabetes and overweight are often tied
together.
In the western world there seems to be two types of common breakfast
and they are both bad for breakfast. Bacon and eggs or cereal. Lets
talk cereal since that contains lots of sugar.
Cereal for breakfast is a bad idea but mostly because cereals are bombarded
with sugars. You add milk on top of that which has milk sugar (lactose)
and you got one big sugar bomb. Now think about it. You just got up
and that last time you ate was over 12 or more hours ago. It's is likely
that your blood sugar is low. Why would you want to sugar bomb your
bloodstream at this point? It's not a good idea no matter how you look
at it. So why do we do it? Probably tradition and because the sugary
stuff tastes so good. Of course if you eat a no sugar cereal and little
milk it might be ok presuming your cereal is complex carbs..
Sugar is NEVER the answer
Sugar is never the answer to your hunger. There are no exceptions.
Sugar is good for cravings and deserts but not to kill your
hunger. So don't bother. It will only cause you trouble. When we say
'sugar' we mean ALL sugars including fruits (fructose). Although fruits
are good for nutrients and such, they are terrible for stable energy
purposes. Eat fruits to compliment your diet not to kill your hunger.
Think about it. You eat sugar to kill your hunger. Your body releases
insulin to lower your sugar level. It's you vs. your body. So what can
you do if your body is against you? Eat more sugar? Certainly not logical
or reasonable. It's never the answer.
"Carbs Make You Fat"
Lets be realistic. To do work, you must put in energy. Your car moves
because you fill it with gas. Boy oh boy I'd like a car that runs without
gas. But it's not going to happen and nor will your body. You MUST feed
it some sort of energy for it to function. And no matter which form
of food you eat, you will fatten if you over consume. It doesn't matter
if it's protein, oil, fat, or carbs.
Sure carbs will make you fat if you overeat. So will protein diets.
You cannot negotiate with the laws of physics. "Carbs make you
fat" is very misleading in many ways. Please refer to the HEF equation
again. It simply says that the energy you put in must be accounted for
somewhere. We pick carbs for our diet due to simplistic, logical, health
reasons. Besides, sugar is also a carb and you know where we stand on
those. This is a poor generalization with no logic behind it that can't
be applied to protein and fats too. Usually what people mean is that
too many carbs will make you fat. Well duh! Too much protein or fat
will also make you fat. So?
Exercise Not Required
This probably sounds bold and I wouldn't disagree. But unfortunately
it is true. Lets take a look at our translated HEF formula given below.
Energy you eat = energy used (physical activity) + energy in fat stored
+ energy not absorbed (stool, potty)
By this simple equation it is reasonable to assume that the real control
in your weight loss is on the left side of the equation. By controlling
what you eat, you control your fat deposits directly. How could your
body deposit energy when it doesn't have any to store? Exercise is just
a way to balance the equation with excessive consumption. But if you
get in an exercise diet routine you must continue to exercise. If you
stop and you don't cut your energy intake you will balloon. The real
control is in the consumption. The problem with consumption you're probably
thinking is that you're hungry. Well you don't have to be if you give
your body what it wants. This is the real logical solution and what
Fatinator is all about.
Don't get us wrong, we're not saying that exercise is bad. We're just
saying that theoretically it's not necessary for weight loss. The equation
(and Conservation of Energy) doesn't lie.
The Salad Eaters
Lets get real people. You cannot drive your car unless you put gas
in it. Don't bother trying to defy the laws of physics by feeding your
body salads for all meals and expecting it to function. This falls under
the unreasonable methods that we stated we will not encourage. A salad
(presuming we are talking lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers) simply doesn't
have enough energy to keep you going or to regulate blood sugars throughout
the day. What you are trying to do is to starve your body of fuel and
force it to consume it's fat. But be honest, you're probably hungry
and your real method of dieting is starving which we said we will not
do. If you are not hungry and it works for you, then perhaps you've
already found your solution. But for most of us, this does not work.
Specific Directions
Ok. So there's quite a lot of information so far and much theory. In
this section I will lay out a specific plan that you should try for
one week. After that, you can think about what you have or haven't learned
and make some changes as necessary.
- Go out and buy the dry durum semolina spaghetti we have discussed.
You will make this spaghetti 2/3s of your daily diet. Therefore, if
you have 3 meals a day, the FIRST TWO will be of this spaghetti. For
most people this is breakfast and lunch. Be sure to take it to work
with you.
- Measure out about 50 to 100 individual strands of standard spaghetti
size pasta. If you weigh 110lbs, start with 50. If you weight 250lbs,
start with 100. But be sure to evaluate whether you can cut it down
for tomorrow. If you can, do so. But you don't want to cut it so much
that you're extremely hungry for the 3rd meal. Remember, we are not
starving in this diet.
- You can put any non fatty sauce on it. Tomato pasta sauce out of
the jars is fine or you can make your own. You can even use pesto
as it's usually a thin coat but go easy on it since it is drenched
in olive oil. If it's a light coat, it might be acceptable. If you
want to be safe, don't do pesto. Remember that all we want is a proof
of concept that you can eat, not be hungry and still lose weight for
the first few days to a week.
- Feel free to add any non-starchy veggies to it such as mushrooms,
spinach, carrots, green peppers, etc. Stay away from starch laden
veggies like potatoes on your pasta. You can add some beans and possibly
a SMALL (< 2oz) portion of meat or fish. But, if you are quite
desperate to see results quickly, skip the beans and meat and leave
it for the 3rd meal only. I would suggest actually that the first
couple of days you skip the beans and meat on the pasta for quick
results.
- Be sure that you are never thirsty throughout the day. Adding water
to pasta is like adding water to a dry car battery. It seems to last
longer and chemically that does make sense.
- For any sweet items you eat like fruit, eat them ONLY after the
second meal. And be conservative. Remember, never use a sugar item
to fill your hunger.
- For the 3rd meal, you shouldn't be too hungry anymore. If you are
still very hungry, it could be that you didn't have enough pasta in
the first 2 meals. Ask yourself, which of the 2 types of hungry are
you (see above for explanation)? If you are a little energy drained
(type #1), then pick something small with a different complex carb
like rice. If you are feeling just fine energy wise (type #2), then
pick something more like a filler such as a soup or salad. It is fine
to have a small portion of meat here too. Stick to 2 oz or less if
you can.
- Measuring your weight. This seems obvious but we dot want to emphasis
accuracy. Water, food, and clothing all have weight. You should weight
yourself at a time of day where you have the least amount of all that
might distort your readings. In the mornings might be a good time
for least water weight since you've been sleeping all night. Clothing
is obvious so take it off. And food is least after you go potty. If
you go potty in the morning, then that is an excellent time to weigh
yourself.
Some Tips
- It is best that you have more meals of pasta with the same volume
than your pasta all in one meal. The reason is that by only adding
as you go along, you are keeping your sugar levels about the same.
If you eat it all in the morning, you might have a dry spell in the
afternoon. If in doubt, split the meal and have the second half later.
You can always eat more, but undoing a meal isn't so easy.
- The reason we have purposely selected spaghetti is because it's
a standard size of pasta. Technically, you could have elbow or seashell
pasta. But for the first week keep it simple and easy to measure servings
meal to meal as you adjust.
Don't Forget to Come Back
The weight loss with this method should be apparent within the first
few days or a week at the most. Don't forget to come back to our forum
and tell us how you did. Hopefully, you lost at least a half pound per
day. If not, perhaps we can discuss where it may have gone wrong.
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