History of weight loss and sustainable programs that kept it off
It's not a brand-new cookbook, it was published in 2018, but it's still a dandy one. Late last year, after using some of Primal Kitchen's products (then owned by Mark Sisson, now owned by Kraft) I noticed that Sisson had written two books; “The Keto Reset Diet,” and, “The Keto Reset Cookbook.” Let's look at a little of my history to explain why I'd care about Mark Sisson and his books. You may know that I've had weight issues most of my life. I've been over-weight for more years than not. In high school, I tried the Metrecal diet, which did not work since I was hungry a-l-l the time.
A few years later, after reading “Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution,” I followed Atkins' path. Two things occurred: my weight was as close to normal as it had been for years and I found it unsustainable.
Through the next years, I believed in the calories-in/calories-out weight control method until I found low-fat in 1990. Since I loved to cook, I accepted the challenge of taking the fat out of my recipes while maintaining as much flavor as possible. My ability to successfully do just that changed my life and my career path.
Maintaining my first 100-plus pound, and then 150-plus pound weight losses were the devil that always haunted me.
Ketogenic food plans - low carb, moderate protein, and high fat --started surging a few years ago. Since Atkins' first book, numerous reliable studies proved his diet worked better for weight loss, helped make positive changes to cholesterol levels and brought insulin resistance under control.
Due to my earlier weight-loss diet experiences, I didn't jump into an Atkin's-like diet, even if it had a 21st-century name: ketogenic.
Because I love to cook and eat delicious food, I needed to visualize ketogenic recipes. I needed to believe a ketogenic food plan would deliver food that was both delicious looking on my plate and tasted good on my palate. That's where Sisson's cookbook came into my life.
A while back, I stopped consuming vegetable (seed) oils like soybean and canola and began exclusively using fruit oils: olive, avocado and coconut. (Don't believe they are fruit? Look it up.) I'm also picky about the production of those oils and require that they are cold-pressed, extra virgin and, except for avocado oil, certified organic. Sisson's Primal Kitchen makes a sugar-free, avocado oil mayonnaise that works perfectly with a ketogenic food plan.
Late last year, I got Sisson's cookbook to understand his ketogenic food plan. His book, co-written with Lindsey Taylor, contains 150 low-carb, high-fat ketogenic recipes. Each recipe list calories, fat grams (+ fat calories), carbohydrates (+ carb calories) and protein (+ protein calories). Ketogenic diets classically limit carbohydrates to 20 grams per day. Nearly all of Sisson's recipes stay under, some well under, that limit. Most of the recipes also include top-notch photos. Sisson's recipe buffet includes: Greek Frittata with Tzatziki; Sausage and Veggie Skillet; Smoked Salmon Stacks; Blueberries and Feta Salad; Creamy Beef and Mushroom Soup; Crab Salad Remoulade; Braised Short Ribs with Mashed Cauliflower; Shepherd's Pie; Jicama Fries; Stir-Fried Bok Choy; Bacon Party Mix; Parmesan Crisps; Dark Chocolate Pudding (sweetened with erythritol); and several bone broths.
This approach is far from the 1972 Atkins' diet I first tried. Are you doing Keto? You may just be able to stick with it now and in the future.
• Don Mauer welcomes questions, comments and recipe makeover requests. Write to him at don@ theleanwizard.com.