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Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:00 am
Posts: 101
Location: Nearly There
Low-Carb Plan: Atkins-Protein Power-Me
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THE HAMPTONS DIET by Fred Pescatore, M.D. 09-01-2004   I believe this latest offering from this former Medical Director of the Atkins Center is his best work yet - from both a reading standpoint and with the viewpoint of the average dieter (in other words, with a realistic assessment of what the average person is and is not willing to do on a long-term basis) considered.
Earlier works by Dr. Pescatore include Thin For Good, Feed Your Kids Well, and The Allergy and Asthma Cure. (My reviews on the first two books are also posted here.) Just last week I purchased The Allergy and Asthma Cure for a chronically wheezy friend, so I can get it personally inscribed to her this weekend in Las Vegas at the NNFA show where Dr. Pescatore is holding a book signing. I also intend to have both my copy as well as an *extra* copy of the Hamptons Diet inscribed there by the author and good doctor. I’ll award the extra autographed copy to one lucky subscriber as the prize for my next contest! (Keep reading for more details on the contest.)
While Thin for Good focused a little more on strict portion control than I myself was willing to consider at that time, the Hamptons Diet focuses more on controlling the number and quality of carbs while eating the right types of food and fat. This book is much lighter on the actual science (the part that goes right over most reader’s heads anyway) and a lot heavier on the simply explained How-To’s (the part the average reader benefits from the most.)
The Hamptons Diet introduces several new food pyramids, instead of just turning the Standard USDA food pyramid upside-down. This strategy will help you to make wise food choices from each food category while not making you feel hopeless about *never* again eating [whatever your favorite is]. For each of the food groups, there is a separate pyramid that presents the basic choices in levels of desirability - in other words, choices can be made that are always desirable and preferred over all others, even if the other choices are not actually prohibited, per se. In the protein pyramid, processed and fried meats are not actually prohibited, but they are undesirable in comparison to the other choices, so they appear up at the peak of the pyramid, with a recommendation to limit their consumption. There are separate pyramids for vegetables, grains, fruit and sugars, fats and oils. Whole grains and legumes are allowed on the Hamptons Diet, in varying amounts depending on your individual needs/progress.
The basic low-carb, moderate-fat diet originally outlined in Thin For Good hasn’t really changed a whole lot, but the changes that have been made are good ones - changes that have convinced me to start following this diet plan myself! I would not have succeeded on the much more rigid Thin For Good plan, of that I am quite sure, but I can definitely see myself sticking to this one for the rest of my life. And I find myself becoming quite fond of the taste of mac-nut oil!
Dr. Pescatore explains clearly in the Hamptons Diet that where he differs from Dr. Atkins is in the amount and type of fats he recommends, not the basic principles. The Hamptons Diet prescribes the regular use of macadamia nut oil as the sole added fat, in place of all other choices. Because macadamia nut oil contains equally balanced omega-3 and omega-6 fats and is also the richest in monounsaturated omega-9 fats with a high smoke-point, he says it is by far the healthiest choice for everyone. He specifically recommends Australian Mac-Nut oil, a product that he has some commercial interest in. Critics may choose to focus on that aspect, but if Dr. P. feels strongly that this is the best thing for all of us, then his involvement in its manufacturing can be considered the logical next step in ensuring that his patients get the best product possible. Check out Dr. P's Mac-Nut Oil site here, and visit the official Hamptons Diet site here. Dr. Pescatore is a practicing physician, so if you are in the NY area, you may wish to consider visiting his Partners in Integrative Medicine - more details here.
I am sure you are wondering about the differences between this plan and the South Beach Diet, given the similarity in their names and the timing of their publication. In this low-carber's opinion, the Hamptons Diet is far preferable. I base this opinion on the fact that while dairy products are not encouraged in large amounts on the Hamptons Diet, you may still choose to eat the less processed, full-fat, pure forms of these foods when you do choose to eat dairy. South Beach encourages liquid margarine substitutes in spite of warnings against hydrogenated and trans-fatty acids, and also encourages non-fat or low-fat dairy substitutes, in spite of the fact that the lower-fat versions of these foods consist mostly of chemicals. I will never go back to eating fake foods, and that is that. Not me.
One of Dr. Pescatore’s strongest consistent messages over the years, a message for which he has earned my utmost respect, is that we should ALL be eating REAL FOOD - the less processed, and the less manipulated, the better. He warns to never eat trans-fats, margarine, hydrogenated fats, or - this will be surprising to some - canola oil (completely man-made, and highly refined.) He also discourages the use of grapeseed oil, a former recommendation of my own. Apparently grapeseed oil is highly refined, so in spite of what appears to be a beneficial ratio of fats, grapeseed oil is not a good choice, after all. Sorry to have led you astray! Live and learn .... (or maybe it should be: learn .... and live! )
Dr. Pescatore refers specifically to protein shakes, bars, and most commercially produced low-carb snack foods as “crutches”. He states unequivocally that there is no such thing as a “net” carbohydrate, and while still encouraging high fiber foods, says that the only number that counts on any label is the official total carb count. (Talk about taking a stand - hear, hear! for the complete lack of potential confusion in this message! HOW REFRESHING IS THAT.)
Dr. P also encourages organic foods, while recognizing that not everyone will be able to afford to eat organically all the time, including himself. He recommends if you can only afford to eat one organic food on a regular basis, to make it eggs. Organically-raised eggs tend to have a perfect 1 to 1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, while the omega-6 fats (the ones we tend to get too many of) in commercial eggs can appear in a ratio of as great as 19 to 1!
It appears that even if his body is in the Hamptons most of the time these days, Dr. P's wallet and sensibilities have remained firmly in middle America. That is just one of the reasons that I recommend that you RUN - Don't Walk - and get your own copy of the Hamptons Diet.
HAMPTONS DIET SUMMARY:
Encourages use of Australian macadamia nut oil in place of all other added oils and fats
Encourages organic foods and discourages all highly processed foods
Restricts total carb intake according to weight loss or maintenance phase, with no truly forbidden foods
Introduces a whole new set of new food pyramids to help dieters make wise choices from each food category
Encourages moderate alcohol consumption
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Tell me ... what fits in your schedule better: Exercising and prepping food for an average of an hour a day, or being/feeling dead 24 hours per day?
Last edited by Karen on Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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