MICHEL MONTIGNAC

with a preface by Dr. Philippe ROUGER

EAT YOURSELF
SLIM
OR
THE SECRETS OF
NUTRITION
5th edition entirely revised
and updated with the collaboration
of Doctor Herve ROBERT, nutritionist
Translated from the original
rench version !e mange
done "e maigris# by Daphn$ !ones
MONTIGNAC PUBLISHING UK
INTRODUCTION
Over the last few years people have often asked me how I managed to lose weight and how I now manage to stay slim
My answer ! that it is all done "y eating in resta#rants$ on a diet of "#siness meals ! has tended to raise a smile rather
than %onvin%e anyone
&o# too pro"a"ly find it an impro"a"le e'planation$ espe%ially if yo# "lame yo#r own spare tyre on the fa%t that yo#r
so%ial$ family or professional life involves yo# in a little too m#%h good eating At least$ that is yo#r e'%#se
No do#"t yo# have already tried o#t some of the inn#mera"le dietary theories in %ir%#lation$ whi%h have long sin%e
"e%ome part of re%eived wisdom on the s#"(e%t )#t yo# will also have noti%ed that the theories often %ontradi%t ea%h
other$ and that they tend to prod#%e res#lts only fleetingly$ if at all In addition$ they are mostly near impossi"le to fit
into a normal lifestyle Even if yo# are eating at home$ the r#les are so restri%tive that it does not take yo# long to grow
dis%o#raged
*o here yo# are$ no "etter off than yo# were several years ago when it %omes to ta%kling what we will deli%ately refer to
as yo#r+#nwanted po#nds, In the early -.s$ when I was in my late thirties$ my s%ales read /0st /0l" ! almost a stone
more than my ideal weight
)#t then again$ all things %onsidered$ that did not seem too "ad for a man over si' feet tall and approa%hing forty
1p to then I had led a fairly %onventional so%ial and professional lifestyle and my tenden%y to p#t on weight had
seemed to level off My+overeating+$ if indeed I overate at all$ was only very o%%asional and tended to o%%#r in a family
%onte't 2hen yo# %ome$ as I do$ from *o#th 2est 3ran%e$ yo# have "een "ro#ght #p to val#e gastronomi% %#isine as
part of yo#r %#lt#ral heritage I had long sin%e given #p s#gar$ or at least$ s#gar in %offee I never ate potatoes$ %laiming
to "e allergi% to them$ and$ apart from wine$ very rarely to#%hed al%ohol
My e'%ess stone had "een a%4#ired over a period of ten years$ 4#ite grad#ally 2hen I looked aro#nd me I felt no more
overweight than the average5 in fa%t$ it seemed to me I %ompared 4#ite well with other people
Then$ overnight$ my professional %ir%#mstan%es %hanged I was appointed to a new post with an international
dimension at the E#ropean head4#arters of the Ameri%an m#ltinational %ompany I worked for
3rom then on$ m#%h of my time was spent travelling$ and the visits to the %ompany6s s#"sidiaries that my
responsi"ilities entailed making were inevita"ly p#n%t#ated with lavish meals
)a%k in 7aris$ my responsi"ility for p#"li% relations involved me in taking mostly foreign visitors to the "est 3ren%h
resta#rants in the %apital It was simply a part of my (o" "#t$ I have to admit$ not e'a%tly the part I dreaded most
)#t three months after taking #p my new post I had p#t on no less than a f#rther stone It has to "e said that the three!
week training %o#rse I had %ompleted in England had done nothing to help matters either At any rate$ alarm "ells were
ringing$ and #rgent a%tion was %alled for
Like everyone else$ I started off "y trying to apply the #s#al weight!loss r#les and$ like everyone else$ I "e%ame
thoro#ghly disill#sioned with the la%k of positive res#lts
)#t soon afterwards$ as l#%k wo#ld have it$ I %ame a%ross a general pra%titioner with a keen interest in n#tritional
pro"lems He gave me some advi%e$ and the g#idelines he s#ggested to me seemed to %all into 4#estion the
f#ndamental "asis of traditional dieteti%s
It was not long "efore I was a%hieving very promising res#lts *o I then de%ided to delve f#rther into the theory This I
was 4#ite well pla%ed to do$ as I worked for a pharma%e#ti%al %ompany and fo#nd it relatively easy to %ome "y the
s%ientifi% information I needed
2ithin a few weeks I had gathered together most of the 3ren%h and Ameri%an papers whi%h e'isted on the s#"(e%t I
already knew that %ertain r#les "ro#ght res#lts$ "#t I wanted to get to the root of the s%ientifi% e'planations$ to know
how and in what %ir%#mstan%es the r#les wo#ld work and what limits there might "e to their effe%tiveness
3rom the start I had ref#sed to eliminate anything m#%h from my diet$ with the e'%eption of the s#gar$ whi%h I had
already given #p 2hen it is yo#r (o" to entertain g#ests in resta#rants$ %o#nting %alories or restri%ting yo#r meal to+an
apple and a hard!"oiled egg+is o#t of the 4#estion *ome other sol#tion had to "e fo#nd
In the event$ I lost 0 stone on a daily diet of "#siness meals$ and I will e'plain to yo# later how and why it happened
)#t #nderstanding the "asi% prin%iples and applying them are two different things After a few months$ friends and
%olleag#es were asking me to e'plain the Method to them$ and I managed to %ondense the main points into three typed
pages As far as possi"le$ I tried to spend at least an ho#r e'plaining the s%ientifi% "asis to ea%h interested individ#al
*ometimes this was not eno#gh$ tho#gh$ and people6s res#lts were (eopardised "y f#ndamental mis#nderstandings In
every %ase$ these had arisen where the prin%iples #nderlying the Method %ontradi%ted %onventional wisdom Handed!
down pre! %on%eptions proved too firmly entren%hed to override$ and %onf#sion res#lted Grad#ally I realised that there
was a %lear need for a more %omplete e'planation
*o this "ook is intended as a g#ide and$ in writing it$ I have aimed to do the following8
/ To remove the mysti4#e from some of o#r more entren%hed ideas$ and %onvin%e the reader that
they deserve to "e a"andoned
0 To set o#t the "asi% s%ientifi% information needed to #nderstand how n#trition works
9 To form#late some simple r#les and e'plain "riefly their te%hni%al and s%ientifi% "asis
: To give detailed g#idan%e on a%t#ally #sing the Method
; To make the "ook as far as possi"le a methodologi%al hand"ook that the reader %an #se as a
pra%ti%al referen%e so#r%e
Over the last few years$ #nder professional g#idan%e$ I have o"served$ resear%hed$ tested$ e'perimented and tried o#t I
am now %onvin%ed that the method of losing weight I have worked o#t is "oth effe%tive and easy to apply As yo# read
on$ yo# will dis%over that we do not p#t on weight "e%a#se we eat too m#%h$ "#t "e%a#se we eat "adly
&o# will learn to manage yo#r eating m#%h as yo# manage yo#r finan%es &o# will learn to re%on%ile yo#r so%ial$
family and professional %ommitments with yo#r personal pleas#re in eating In short$ yo# will learn how to improve
yo#r eating ha"its witho#t taking the f#n o#t of yo#r meals
This "ook does not set o#t to "e a+diet "ook, It s#ggests to yo# a 4#ite new approa%h to eating$ whi%h allows yo# to
learn to %ontrol yo#r weight while %ontin#ing to en(oy the pleas#res of eating$ whether at home$ with friends or in a
resta#rant
And$ on%e yo# adopt this new way of eating$ yo# will "e s#rprised to find that one res#lt will "e a long!lost feeling of
physi%al and mental energy ret#rning to yo# as if "y magi% I will e'plain how this %omes a"o#t
&o# will dis%over that often parti%#lar eating ha"its are at the root of a la%k of dynamism$ and that this e'plains why
yo# are #nder!performing$ whether in sport or in yo#r professional life &o# will learn how$ "y adopting a few
f#ndamental and easy!to!apply n#tritional prin%iples$ yo# %an eliminate entirely the "o#ts of tiredness yo# pro"a"ly
s#ffer from and redis%over yo#r f#ll vitality
This is why$ even if yo# are only a little overweight ! or not overweight at all ! it is still important to #nderstand the
"asis of the Method and to master the prin%iples of good management where yo#r eating is %on%erned
It is the passport to the dis%overy of a new feeling of vitality$ whi%h will ena"le yo# to "e more effe%tive in "oth yo#r
personal and yo#r professional life
&o# will also noti%e that any gastro!intestinal pro"lems yo# had resigned yo#rself to having to live with will disappear
%ompletely and permanently$ "e%a#se yo#r digestive system will "e properly "a%k in "alan%e
&o# will find that in the %o#rse of this "ook that I sing the virt#es of good 3ren%h %#isine in general$ and of wine and
%ho%olate in parti%#lar However$ my intention is not to trespass #pon the territory of the e'%ellent gastronomi% g#ides$
whi%h I am s#re yo# have on yo#r shelves Not that I am not tempted to do so$ as I have always fo#nd it very diffi%#lt
to disso%iate food from pleas#re$ or simple %ooking from gastronomi% %#isine
Over the years I have "een privileged to visit some of the world6s finest resta#rants$ and shaking hands with a great %hef
is to me a gest#re of "oth respe%t and admiration
Great %#isine$ whi%h is often the simplest %#isine$ has "e%ome a re%ognised art form ! an art whi%h$ personally$ I wo#ld
"e in%lined to pla%e a"ove all others
CHAPTER I
THE CALORIE MYTH
The theory of slimming "ased on the low!%alorie approa%h is witho#t do#"t the greatest s%ientifi% <f#dge+of the
twentieth %ent#ry
It is nothing more than a snare$ a de%eption$ a dangero#s and simplisti% hypothesis$ la%king any real s%ientifi% "asis
And yet it has di%tated o#r eating ha"its for over half a %ent#ry
&o# have only to look aro#nd yo# to see that the more well #pholstered$ pl#mp$ fat or even o"ese people are$ the more
religio#sly they %o#nt the %alories they %ons#me
2ith very few e'%eptions$ anything whi%h has passed for a +diet+ sin%e the "eginning of the %ent#ry$ has essentially
"een "ased on the low!%alorie theory
How misg#ided %an yo# "e= No serio#s or long!term s#%%ess %an "e a%hieved from s#%h a method Not to mention the
side effe%ts$ whi%h %an "e devastating
At the end of this %hapter I will have more to say on the s%andalo#s so%io!%#lt#ral phenomenon$ whi%h has "#ilt #p
aro#nd the s#"(e%t of %alories in food 3or we have rea%hed a point where what has happened %an only "e des%ri"ed as
mass "rainwashing
THE ORIGINS OF THE CALORIE THEORY
In />9. two Ameri%an do%tors$ New"#rgh and ?ohnson$ of the 1niversity of Mi%higan$ s#ggested in one of their papers
that +o"esity res#lts from a diet too high in %alories$ rather than from any meta"oli% defi%ien%y, Their st#dy on energy
"alan%e was "ased on very limited data and$ a"ove all$ had "een %ond#%ted over too short a period to deserve serio#s
s%ientifi% a%%eptan%e This did not prevent their st#dy from "eing immediately and widely a%%laimed as irref#ta"le
s%ientifi% tr#th$ and it has "een treated as +gospel+ ever sin%e
A few years later$ however$ New"#rgh and ?ohnson$ %on%erned at the p#"li%ity whi%h had "een given to their
dis%overy$ somewhat hesitantly p#"lished some serio#s reservations they had %on%erning their previo#s findings These
went entirely #nnoti%ed Their initial theory was already integrated into the sylla"#s of most 2estern medi%al s%hools$
and there it remains to this day
THE CALORIE THEORY
A %alorie is the amo#nt of energy needed to raise the temperat#re of one gram of water from /:@ to /;@ %entigrade
The h#man "ody needs energy$ first and foremost to maintain its "ody temperat#re at >-A@ 3ahrenheit )#t as soon as
the "ody is a%tive$ it needs e'tra energy to stand verti%al$ to move$ to speak$ and so on And on top of that yet more
energy is needed to eat and digest food and %arry o#t the "asi% a%tivities of life
The "ody6s daily energy re4#irements vary a%%ording to the person6s age$ se' and individ#al needs
The calorie theory is as follows
If a parti%#lar individ#al needs 0$;.. %alories a day and %ons#mes only 0$...$ a ;.. %alorie defi%it res#lts To
%ompensate for the defi%it$ the "ody will draw on its fat reserves to find an e4#ivalent amo#nt of energy$ and weight
loss will res#lt If$ on the other hand$ an individ#al has a daily intake of 9$;.. %alories when only 0$;.. are needed$ the
e'%ess /$... %alories will a#tomati%ally "e stored as "ody fat
The theory is therefore "ased on the ass#mption that there is no loss of energy It is p#rely mathemati%al$ drawn dire%tly
from Lavoisier6s theory on the laws of thermodynami%s
At this point we may well "e wondering how it was that prisoners in NaBi %on%entration %amps managed to s#rvive for
almost five years on only C.. to -.. %alories a day If the %alorie theory was %orre%t$ the prisoners sho#ld have died
on%e their "ody fat was #sed #p in other words$ within a few months
*imilarly$ we may wonder how people with "ig appetites who %ons#me :$... to ;$... %alories a day are not fatter than
they are Dsome even remain skinnyE If the %alorie theory was %orre%t$ these hearty eaters wo#ld %ome to weigh A. to -.
stone within a few years
3#rthermore$ how %an yo# e'plain why some people %ontin#e to p#t on weight even when they red#%e their daily
%alorie intake "y eating lessF Tho#sands of people go on gaining weight like this while starving themselves to death
THE E!PLANATION
The first 4#estion is8 2hen the %ons#mption of %alories is red#%ed$ why does weight loss not followF A%t#ally$ weight
loss does o%%#r$ "#t only temporarily This is$ in fa%t$ where New"#rgh and ?ohnson went wrong$ in that they %olle%ted
their data over m#%h too short a period of time The phenomenon works like this8
*#ppose that an individ#al needs 0$;.. %alories a day and that$ over a long period$ he %ons#mes a%%ordingly If$
s#ddenly$ the ration of %alories drops to 0$...$ the "ody will draw on an e4#ivalent 4#antity of stored fat to %ompensate
and weight loss will "e seen to o%%#r However$ if from now on the daily intake of %alories is limited to 0$...$ instead
of the 0$;.. previo#sly %ons#med$ the "ody6s s#rvival instin%t %omes into play It 4#i%kly ad(#sts its energy
re4#irements to mat%h the level of %alorie intake8 if it is only given 0$... %alories$ it will only #se #p 0$... %alories
2eight loss will 4#i%kly %ease )#t the "ody does not stop there Its instin%t for s#rvival will lead it to take greater
pre%a#tions yet$ and lay down reserves for possi"le f#t#re need If from now on it is s#pplied with 0$... %alories$ it will
simply red#%e its energy needs to$ say$ /$C.. %alories and store the other 9.. in the form of "ody fat
*o this is how we end #p a%hieving the very opposite of the res#lt we were aiming for 7arado'i%ally$ altho#gh the
s#"(e%t is eating less$ he will grad#ally p#t weight "a%k on again
In pra%ti%e$ the h#man "ody$ %onstantly driven "y its s#rvival me%hanisms$ "ehaves no differently from the starving
dog whi%h "#ries its "one Gespite what we might think$ it is when the dog is not fed reg#larly that it reverts to its
in"orn instin%ts and "#ries its food$ saving it for the day when it may otherwise go h#ngry
How many of yo#$ I wonder$ have fallen vi%tim at one time or other to this #nfo#nded theory of "alan%ing %aloriesF
&o# will %ertainly have %ome a%ross o"ese people who were a%t#ally starving themselves to death This is espe%ially
%ommon among women 7sy%hiatrists6 %ons#lting!rooms are f#ll of women "eing treated for depression ind#%ed "y
trying to follow s#%h a diet They have "e%ome dependent on this vi%io#s %ir%le$ knowing that "reaking away from it
will only entail p#tting "a%k on more weight than they have lost
Most mem"ers of the +medi%al+ profession do not want to know They do realise their patients are not losing weight$
"#t they p#t it down to %heating and se%ret "inges *ome slimming professionals even r#n gro#p therapy sessions$ at
whi%h mem"ers are appla#ded when they are a"le to show they have lost weight and made to feel ashamed of any
gain
/
The mental %r#elty involved in these pra%ti%es is positively mediaeval Moreover$ stip#lating a /;.. %alorie diet
witho#t detailing what it is to %ontain is 4#ite inade4#ate It simply serves to fo%#s on the energy val#e of foods witho#t
taking a%%o#nt of their n#tritional val#e
Apart from a few spe%ialists$ do%tors tend to "e disin%lined to #pdate their #nderstanding of these matters and are
#s#ally not knowledgea"le a"o#t them in the first pla%e 2here n#trition is %on%erned$ they seem to have little s%ientifi%
#nderstanding going "eyond the %ommonly held views
2hat is more$ it is not a field in whi%h do%tors in general are parti%#larly interested I have noti%ed that of the twenty or
so I have worked with on this "ook$ all of them$ witho#t e'%eption$ were originally led to resear%h and e'periment in
the field "e%a#se they themselves had a serio#s weight pro"lem to solve
/
This is parti%#larly widespread in the 1nited *tates
2hat is heart!rending$ even s%andalo#s$ is the fa%t that the general p#"li% has "een allowed to "elieve that the %alorie
theory was s%ientifi%ally proven It is sad that the theory "e%ame a%%epted and now %onstit#tes one of the "asi%
ass#mptions of western %ivilisation
Not a week goes "y witho#t one women6s magaBine or another splashing an arti%le on slimming 2e are presented with
the latest men#s developed "y some team of dieti%ians$ "ased on the %alorie theory and s#ggesting something along the
lines of +a tangerine for "reakfast$ half a r#sk for elevenses$ a %hi%k!pea for l#n%h and an olive in the evening+
It is amaBing how the low!%alorie approa%h has managed to del#de people for so long There are two e'planations$
tho#gh One is that a low!%alorie diet invaria"ly prod#%es a res#lt of sorts La%k of food$ whi%h is the "asis of the
method$ inevita"ly leads to some loss of weight )#t the res#lt$ as we have seen$ does not last Not only is a ret#rn to
s4#are one inevita"le$ "#t in most %ases more weight is gained than is lost The se%ond e'planation is that +low %alorie+
prod#%ts today %onstit#te a siBea"le market se%tor E'ploitation of the theory$ #nder the g#idan%e of dietary +e'perts,$
has %reated s#%h a market that vested interests now have to "e %ontended with$ prin%ipally those of the food ind#stry
and a few misg#ided %hefs
*o the %alorie theory is false and now yo# know why )#t that is not the end of it The theory is so ingrained in yo#r
mind that for some time to %ome yo# will %at%h yo#rself still eating a%%ording to its prin%iples And when we start
dis%#ssing the method of eating that I am re%ommending to yo# in this "ook$ yo# may well feel %onf#sed at first$
"e%a#se what I am s#ggesting seems to "e %ompletely at odds with this famo#s theory If this happens$ (#st re!read this
%hapter #ntil everything is %ompletely %lear to yo#
The tribulations of the under-nourished or the martyrdom of the obese
W
e
i
g
h
t

(
K
g
)
9 0
The graph aboe illustrates how repeated attempts at following a low-calorie diet
create a resistance to weight loss.
!t can be seen that the more the number of permitted calories is reduced" the less
effectie the diet becomes and the more liable the body is not only to reert to its original
weight but also to lay down additional reseres of fat.
0;..%al 0... %al
/st diet
/ ;.. %al
0nd diet
lOOO%al
9rd diet
-.. %al
:,6 diet
CHAPTER II
CLASSIFICATION OF FOODS
This %hapter is$ I think$ the only one$ whi%h may seem a little %ompli%ated to take in and assimilate )ear with me if it
seems rather te%hni%al5 the remainder of the "ook$ I promise yo#$ will prove very easy to read
Thro#gho#t the rest of the "ook$ tho#gh$ I shall "e mentioning different %ategories of foods If yo# are not familiar with
these %ategories$ yo# will find the Method in general hard to #nderstand
I have tried to red#%e this %hapter to its simplest$ in%l#ding only the information that is essential to #nderstand what
follows
)#t if$ despite this$ yo# %at%h yo#rself yawning over it and are feeling drowsy "y line ten or so$ skip to the s#mmary at
the end of the %hapter )efore yo# start a%t#ally trying to apply the method$ tho#gh$ it will "e essential to ret#rn to the
main part of the %hapter$ or yo# may not #nderstand what yo# are doing
3oods are edi"le s#"stan%es %ontaining a n#m"er of organi% elements$ s#%h as proteins$ lipids$ %ar"ohydrates$ minerals
and vitamins They also %ontain water and non!digesti"le matter$ s#%h as fi"re
PROTEINS
7roteins are the organi% %ells that make #p living matter8 m#s%le$ the vario#s organs$ in%l#ding the liver and the "rain$
the skeletal str#%t#re$ and so on They are themselves %omposed of simpler elements %alled amino a%ids The "ody
man#fa%t#res some of these$ while most of the others are introd#%ed into the "ody in a variety of foods 3ood protein
%omes from two so#r%es8
HAnimal so#r%es8 proteins are fo#nd in large 4#antities in meat$ fish$ %heese$ eggs$ milk
HIegeta"le so#r%es8 soya$ almonds$ haBeln#ts$ whole %ereals and %ertain p#lses also %ontain protein
Ideally$ we sho#ld %ons#me as m#%h vegeta"le protein as animal 7rotein is essential to the "ody8
H3or "#ilding %ells as a potential so#r%e of energy$ on%e it has "een %onverted into gl#%ose Dvia the Jre"s %y%leE
H3or making %ertain hormones and ne#rotransmitters
0

H3or the prod#%tion of n#%lei% a%ids Dessential for reprod#%tionE
A diet defi%ient in protein %an have serio#s %onse4#en%es for the "ody5 these in%l#de m#s%le deterioration and
wrinkling of the skin
A %hild sho#ld %ons#me a"o#t A.g of protein per day$ while an adoles%ent needs >.g The ad#lt daily intake sho#ld "e
/g per kilogram of "ody weight$ s#"(e%t to a minim#m of ;;g for women and C.g for men
In addition$ an ad#lt6s protein %ons#mption sho#ld represent at least 0. K of the daily energy intake If s#"stantially too
m#%h protein is %ons#med$ however$ and physi%al a%tivity is low$ the e'%ess protein will remain in the "ody and is
%onverted into #ri% a%id$ whi%h is the "asi% %a#se of go#t
0
A ne#rotransmitter is a %hemi%al s#"stan%e that is released "y nerve %ells when they are stim#lated and whose
f#n%tion is to trigger appropriate "iologi%al a%tivity
2ith the e'%eption of eggs$ neither animal proteins nor vegeta"le proteins alone %an a%hieve the ne%essary "alan%e of
amino a%ids
The a"sen%e of one amino a%id %an %onstit#te an impediment to the assimilation of others The diet sho#ld therefore
in%l#de "oth animal and vegeta"le proteins
A vegan diet$ "ased solely on vegeta"le protein$ will "e #n"alan%ed$ in that it will "e la%king in %ystine$ whi%h will
res#lt in pro"lems with nail and hair growth A vegetarian diet$ whi%h in%l#des eggs and dairy prod#%e$ on the other
hand$ %an "e perfe%tly well "alan%ed
CARBOHYDRATES
Car"ohydrates are mole%#les %omposed of %ar"on$ o'ygen and hydrogen
"loo# $l%cose le&el '$lycae(ia)
Gl#%ose is the "ody6s prin%ipal+f#el, It is stored in the form of gly%ogen in the m#s%les and liver The "lood gl#%ose
level Dor "lood s#gar level$ or gly%aemiaE is simply the level of gl#%ose in the "loodstream On an empty stoma%h$ this
is normally one gram per litre of "lood
2hen %ar"ohydrates D"read$ honey$ star%hy foods$ %ereals$ sweets$ et%E are ingested on an empty stoma%h$ the effe%t on
the "lood s#gar level is fo#nd to "e as follows 8
The first stage is that "lood gl#%ose rises Dto a greater or lesser e'tent$ a%%ording to the nat#re of the %ar"ohydrateE
The se%ond stage is that$ after ins#lin has "een se%reted "y the pan%reas$ the "lood gl#%ose level falls and the gl#%ose is
released into the "ody6s tiss#es
*o$ thirdly$ the "lood s#gar level reverts to normal Dsee graph on the following pageE
Traditionally$ it was #s#al to pla%e %ar"ohydrates in one of two distin%t %ategories$+4#i%k s#gars+and+slow s#gars,$ the
terms referring to the "ody6s rate of a"sor"ing them
,L#i%k s#gars+were simple s#gars Ds#%h as gl#%oseE and disa%%harides$ s#%h as the s#%rose fo#nd in refined s#gars
D"oth %ane and "eetE$ honey and fr#it The term+4#i%k s#gar+owed its e'isten%e to the "elief that$ "e%a#se of the simple
nat#re of the mole%#le$ the "ody rapidly a"sor"ed these s#gars after ingestion
Conversely$+slow s#gars+referred to all %ar"ohydrates whose more %omple' mole%#le had first to "e %hemi%ally
%onverted into simple s#gar Dgl#%oseE in the %o#rse of digestion This applied nota"ly to star%hes$ from whi%h$ it was
tho#ght$ gl#%ose was released into the "ody slowly and progressively
This way of %lassifying %ar"ohydrates is today %ompletely o#tdated$ and is "ased on a mis%on%eived theory
Me%ent st#dies show that the %omple'ity of the %ar"ohydrate mole%#le does not a%t#ally determine the speed with
whi%h gl#%ose is released and a"sor"ed into the "ody
It is now a%%epted that the gly%aemi% peak Dthat is$ the point of ma'im#m a"sorptionE is rea%hed at the same rate for
any %ar"ohydrate eaten in isolation and on an empty stoma%h$ and o%%#rs a"o#t half an ho#r after ingestion Therefore$
instead of talking a"o#t their speed of a"sorption$ it is more to the point to %onsider different %ar"ohydrates in terms of
their potential to ind#%e a greater or lesser rise in "lood gl#%ose$ that is$ in terms of the sheer 4#antity of gl#%ose they
prod#%e
Gisa%%harides Dwhite s#gar$ maltose in "eer$ la%tose in milkE
7olysa%%harides D%ereals$ flo#rs$ potatoes$ p#lsesE
Monosa%%harides Dgl#%ose and fr#%tose fo#nd in fr#it and honeyE
*o s%ientists and others now agree in the field of n#trition Dsee "i"liographyE that %ar"ohydrates sho#ld "e %lassified
a%%ording to what is %alled their hypergly%aemi% potential$ as defined "y the gly%aemi% inde'
The glycaemic index
The potential of ea%h %ar"ohydrate to ind#%e a rise in "lood gl#%ose Dgly%aemiaE is defined "y the gly%aemi% inde'$ first
#sed in />CA This inde' derives from the area "elow the %#rve Dshaded on the graphE of the hypergly%aemia ind#%ed
"y ingestion of the parti%#lar %ar"ohydrate
Gl#%ose is ar"itrarily given an inde' of /..$ standing for the area "elow its own hypergly%aemi% %#rve The gly%aemi%
inde' of other %ar"ohydrates %an then "e arrived at #sing the following form#la8
a r e a b e l o w c u r v e f o r t h e c a r b o h y d r a t e t e s t e d
a r e a b e l o w c u r v e f o r g l u c o s e
%
& ' '
The greater the hypergly%aemia ind#%ed "y the %ar"ohydrate in 4#estion$ the higher will "e its gly%aemi% inde'
0 6 0 1 2 0 1 8 0 0 6 0 1 2 0 1 8 0
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Ti m e ( m i n u t e s )
Ti m e ( m i n u t e s )
HIGH GLYCAEMIC INDEX LOW GLYCAEMIC INDEX
It sho#ld "e noted that %hemi%al pro%essing of %ar"ohydrates raises their gly%aemi% inde' 3or e'ample$ %ornflakes
have a gly%aemi% inde' of -;$ while %orn DmaiBeE in its nat#ral state has an inde' of C.5 instant potato has a gly%aemi%
inde' of >;$ whereas the inde' of "oiled potatoes is C.
2e also know that it is "oth the 4#antity and the 4#ality of the fi"re in a %ar"ohydrate whi%h determines whether it has
a high or low inde'5 soft white "aps have an inde' of >;$ white "ag#ette an inde' of C.$ wholemeal "read ;.$ /..K
stonegro#nd wholemeal "read 9;$ white ri%e C. and wholegrain ri%e ;.
GLYCAEMIC INDE TABLE
CARBOHYDRATES !i"h
high glycaemic Index
#$ad ca%$&hyd%a"e'(
CARBOHYDRATES !i"h l&!
glycaemic index
#g&&d ca%$&hyd%a"e'(
&&' 2holemeal "read or "read with "ran
Gl#%ose &'' 2holegrain ri%e
)aked potatoes (5 7eas
Iery white "read (5 2holegrain %ereals witho#t s#gar
Mashed potatoes (' Oat flakes
Honey (' 3resh fr#it (#i%e Dwitho#t s#garE
Carrots )5 2holemeal rye "read
Cornflakes$ pop%orn )5 2holewheat pasta
*#gar Ds#%roseE *5 Med kidney "eans
2hite "read *' Gried peas
Mefined %ereals with *#gar *' /.. K stonegro#nd wholemeal "read
Cho%olate "ars *' Milk prod#%ts
)oiled potatoes *' Gried "eans
)is%#its *' Lentils
Corn DmaiBeE *' Chi%kpeas
2hite ri%e *' /.. K stonegro#nd wholewheat pasta
)rown "read $5 3resh fr#it
)eetroot $5 3r#it preserve Dwitho#t s#garE
)ananas $' Gark %ho%olate Dover A. K %o%oaE
?am 55 3r#%tose
Non!wholewheat pasta 55 *oya

Green vegeta"les$ tomatoes$ lemon$
m#shrooms

*o$ for simpli%ity6s sake$ I propose to pla%e %ar"ohydrates in one of two %ategories8 ,good %ar"ohydrates+Dwith a low
gly%aemi% inde'E and +"ad %ar"ohydrates+ Dwith a high gly%aemi% inde'E This is the distin%tion whi%h$ as yo# will
dis%over in the following %hapters$ will ena"le yo# to pinpoint$ among other things$ the reasons why yo# may "e
overweight
Bad Ca%$&hyd%a"e'
These are all the %ar"ohydrates whose a"sorption leads to a large rise in "lood gl#%ose This applies to ta"le s#gar in
whatever form Don its own or %om"ined with other food st#ffs$ as in %akesE The %lassifi%ation also %overs all pro%essed
%ar"ohydrates$ s#%h as white flo#r and white ri%e$ and also al%ohol Dparti%#larly spiritsE$ as well as potatoes and %orn
DmaiBeE
G&&d Ca%$&hyd%a"e'
1nlike the %ar"ohydrates mentioned a"ove$ <good %ar"ohydrates+ are those whi%h are only partly a"sor"ed "y the
"ody$ and whi%h therefore prod#%e a m#%h smaller rise in "lood gl#%ose level They in%l#de whole %ereals D#nrefined
flo#r$ for e'ampleE$ wholegrain ri%e and some star%hy foods$ s#%h as lentils and "road "eans Most importantly$ they
also in%l#de most fr#its$ and all the vegeta"les whi%h are %lassified as fi"re Dleeks$ t#rnips$ lett#%e$ green "eans$ et%E
and whi%h all %ontain a small 4#antity of gl#%ose
LIPIDS #&% FATS(
Lipids$ or fats$ have %omple' mole%#les They are divided into two "road %ategories$ a%%ording to their origin8
+ Lipids of animal origin 8 these are fo#nd in meats$ fish$ "#tter$ %heese$ %ream$ et%
+ Lipids of vegeta"le origin8 these in%l#de pean#t oil$ margarine$ et%
+ Lipids %an also "e divided into two %ategories of fatty a%ids 8
+ *at#rated fatty a%ids$ fo#nd in meat$ %ooked meats and pates$ eggs and dairy prod#%ts Dmilk$ "#tter$ %heese$
%reamE
+ Mono#nsat#rated and poly#nsat#rated fatty a%ids5 these are the fats that remain li4#id at room temperat#re
Ds#nflower oil$ rapeseed oil$ olive oilE$ tho#gh some %an "e solidified "y hydrogenation Das in margarine man#fa%t#reE
Also in%l#ded in this %ategory are all fish oils
Lipids are ne%essary in the diet They %ontain a n#m"er of vitamins DA$G$E$JE$ as well as essential fatty a%ids Dlinolei%
a%id and linoleni% a%idE$ and are needed for the synthesis of vario#s hormones Only %old pressed virgin oils %an "e
g#aranteed to retain their essential fatty a%ids
2hen lipids are mi'ed with "ad %ar"ohydrates$ their a"sorption "y the "ody is interfered with and$ as a res#lt$ a high
proportion of the energy the lipids provide is stored as "ody fat
As a general r#le$ we eat too m#%h fat 3ried foods$ do#ghn#ts$ #nne%essary sa#%es and the #se of too m#%h fat in
%ooking have %rept into o#r eating ha"its5 a lighter diet$ avoiding e'%essive #se of fats$ need "e no less deli%io#s
*ome of the lipids are the villains in the %holesterol story$ "#t here again$ there are two types of
%holesterol$+good+and+"ad, The aim sho#ld "e to keep the total %holesterol level as low as possi"le$ with <good+
%holesterol a%%o#nting for as m#%h as possi"le of the total
9
2hat needs to "e #nderstood is that not all lipids lead to an
in%rease in+"ad+%holesterol In fa%t$ some of them even tend to lower the,"ad+%holesterol level signifi%antly To give a
%omplete pi%t#re$ it is ne%essary to divide fats into three f#rther %ategories 8
3ats whi%h raise %holesterol These are the sat#rated fats fo#nd in meat$ "#tter$ %ooked meats$ %heese$ lard and milk
prod#%ts
3ats whi%h have very little effe%t on %holesterol These are the ones fo#nd in shellfish$ eggs and skinless po#ltry
3ats whi%h lower %holesterol
These are the vegeta"le oils 8 olive oil$ rapeseed oil$ s#nflower oil$ %orn oil$ et%
As for fish oils$ they play no real part in %holesterol meta"olism$ "#t help prevent %ardiovas%#lar disease "y "ringing
down the level of trigly%erides and helping avoid throm"oses 2e o#ght therefore to %ons#me oily fish Dsalmon$ t#na$
ma%kerel$ herrings$ sardinesE The weight!loss Method that I am s#ggesting depends in part on %hoosing "etween
<good+ and <"ad+ %ar"ohydrates In the same way$ %hoi%es have to "e made "etween <good+ and <"ad+ lipids$
espe%ially if yo# tend to have a high %holesterol level or simply want to prote%t yo#rself permanently from the risk of it$
with a view to avoiding %ardiovas%#lar disease Avoiding e'%essive %ons#mption of sat#rated fats is an essential part of
the Method
DIETARY FIBRE
Gietary fi"re is a s#"stan%e fo#nd mainly in vegeta"les$ p#lses$ fr#it and whole %ereals
9
*ee Chapter IIII on High )lood Cholesterol DNot in%l#ded with this e!versionE
Altho#gh it is tr#e that it has no a%t#al energy val#e$ it nevertheless plays an e'tremely important role in the digestive
pro%ess The %ell#lose$ lignin$ pe%tin and g#ms that it %ontains ens#re good intestinal f#n%tion$ and la%k of dietary fi"re
is the %a#se of most %ases of %onstipation Moreover$ fi"re is very ri%h in vitamins$ ma(or minerals and tra%e elements
:
$
witho#t whi%h serio#s defi%ien%ies %an o%%#r
It also "lo%ks the a"sorption of fats$ so red#%ing the risk of atheros%lerosis
3i"re has yet another advantage It limits the to'i% effe%ts of %ertain %hemi%al s#"stan%es$ s#%h as additives and
%olo#rings And gastro!enterologists "elieve that some forms of fi"re have the property of prote%ting the %olon from a
n#m"er of risks$ parti%#larly that of %an%er
Over re%ent de%ades$ the rise in the standard of living seen in ind#strialised %o#ntries has "ro#ght with it a red#%tion in
the amo#t of fi"re %ons#med
In 3ran%e$ for e'ample$ the %#rrent average daily %ons#mption of fi"re is 0.g$ whereas the re%ommended daily intake is
:.g In />0;$ %ons#mption of p#lses$ whi%h are parti%#larly ri%h in fi"re$ was r#nning at C9kg per person per year
Now it is down to /9kg In Italy the staple diet has always "een pasta )#t 9. years ago$ the ma(or part of Italians6 diet
%onsisted of vegeta"les Dhigh in fi"reE and wholewheat pasta that is$ pasta made with whole flo#r %ontaining the wheat
fi"res
SOURCES OF FI"RE with fi"re %ontent per /.. g of food
Cereal 7rod#%ts Gried Iegeta"les Oily dried f#it
)ran
2holemeal )read
2holemeal 3lo#r
2holegrain Mi%e
2hite Mi%e
2hite )read
:.g
/9g
>g
;g
/g
/g
Gried )eans
*plit peas
Lentils
Chi%kpeas
0;g
09g
/0g
0g
Gessi%ated %o%on#t
Gried figs
Almonds
Maisins
Gates
7ean#ts
0:g
/-g
/:g
Cg
>g
-g
Green Iegeta"les 3resh 3r#it
Cooked peas
7arsley
Cooked spina%h
Lam"Ns lett#%e
Arti%hokes
Leeks
/0g
>g
Cg
;g
:g
:g
Ca""age
Madishes
M#shrooms
Carrots
Lett#%e
:g
9g
0;g
0g
0g
Masp"erries
7ears with skin
Apples with skin
7ea%hes
-g
9g
9g
0g
0g
2ith today6s higher standard of living$ meat has more often than not repla%ed vegeta"les$ while pasta is man#fa%t#red
with refined$ white flo#r$ from whi%h the fi"re has "een removed This is the e'planation given "y Italian do%tors for a
higher in%iden%e of o"esity and also for the alarming in%rease in %an%ers of the digestive tra%t
;

3#rthermore$ it has "een shown that fi"re has a "enefi%ial effe%t on o"esity Introd#%ing it into the diet has the effe%t of
red#%ing "oth the "lood gl#%ose level and the level of ins#lin in the "lood5 as we shall see in the following %hapter$ it is
these two fa%tors that are responsi"le for the laying down of "ody fat
Of the fo#r main gro#ps of n#trients$ proteins are a"sol#tely essential to o#r "odies$ as they %ontain vital amino a%ids
whi%h we %annot make o#rselves E4#ally important are %ertain lipids$ whi%h %ontain vitamins and essential fatty a%ids
Dlinolei% a%id and linoleni% a%idE that o#r %ells are in%apa"le of prod#%ing independently Only %ar"ohydrates %an "e
%onsidered more e'penda"le$ sin%e the h#man "ody is a"le to make its own gl#%ose from stored fat
:
Tra%e elements 8 these are metals or similar s#"stan%es present in infinitesimally small 4#antities in the h#man "ody
and needed as %atalysts for some of the %hemi%al rea%tions whi%h take pla%e in the "ody
;
Gis%#ssed in vario#s papers "y 7rofessor Gia%osa$ Head of N#trition at the Italian National Can%er Mesear%h Centre at
Genoa
1 . 4 0
1 . 3 0
1 . 2 0
1 . 1 0
1 . 0 0
0 . 9 0
0 . 8 0
0 . 0
6 0 1 2 0 1 8 0 3 0 0
T i m e ( m i n )
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5 0 g G l u c o s e + 1 4 . 5 g P e c t i n
It has to "e #nderstood$ tho#gh$ that lipids and proteins are often fo#nd in %om"ination in the same foods5 meat is an
e'ample
On the other hand$ only %ar"ohydrates and lipids have high energy potential That is why$ for simpli%ity6s sake$ we will
largely ignore the 4#estion of protein
*o whenever we mention a parti%#lar food$ we will simply p#t it in one of the following three %ategories8
+ carbohydrates Dspe%ifying whether they are +good+ or +"ad,E
+ lipids
+ dietary fibre
2hen a food %ontains "oth %ar"ohydrate and lipids$ as in the %ase of pean#ts$ we will refer to it as a %ar"ohydrate!lipid
6 0 1 2 0 1 8 0 3 0 0
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B i s c u i t s % i t " $ d d e d & i ' # e
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
( 0
S)MMARY
Proteins are s#"stan%es %ontained in a n#m"er of foods of animal or vegeta"le origin They are fo#nd in meat$ fish$
eggs$ diary prod#%e and p#lses Proteins are indispensa"le to the h#man "ody and do not make #s fat Carbohydrates
are s#"stan%es that are meta"olised into gl#%ose They o%%#r in foods whi%h originally %ontain either s#gar Dfr#it$
honeyE or star%h Dflo#r$ %ereals$ star%hy foodsE All %ar"ohydrates ingested on an empty stoma%h are a"sor"ed at the
same rate They are %lassified a%%ording to their potential for raising "lood gl#%ose5 this potential is meas#red "y the
gly%aemi% inde' It is therefore possi"le to draw a distin%tion "etween +good+ and +"ad %ar"ohydrates+ with a high
inde' Lipids are s#"stan%es that may "e of either animal or vegeta"le origin They are fats Dmeats$ %ooked meats$ fish$
"#tter$ oil$ %heeses et%E *ome have the potential to raise "lood %holesterol Dmeat$ dairy prod#%tsE while others a%t#ally
help to lower it Dolive oil et% E Dietary fibre 8 in this %ategory %ome all green vegeta"les Dlett#%e$ %hi%ory$ leeks$
spina%h$ 3ren%h "eans$ et%E *ome dried vegeta"les$ fr#it and whole grains also %ontain a signifi%ant amo#nt of fi"re It
sho#ld "e %ons#med fre4#ently5 fail#re to do so %an lead to serio#s defi%ien%ies
LIST OF FOODS CLASSIFIED AS LIPIDS* CARBOHYDRATES*
CARBOHYDRATE+LIPIDS OR DIETARY FIBRE
D/E All the foodst#ffs in this %ol#mn De'%ept "#tter$ oils and margarineE %ontain protein
D0E *ome %ar"ohydrate foods$ s#%h as p#lses$ also %ontain protein
D9E Containing a very small amo#nt of %ar"ohydrate
LIPIDS (1) CARBOHYDRATES (2) CARBOHYDRATE-
LIPIDS
DIETRY FIBRE (3)
MEATS FLOUR UNSKIMMED MILK ASPARAGUS
- LAMB BREAD WALNUTS GREEN SALADS
- BEEF RUSKS HAZELNUTS SPINACH
- VENISON POTATOES ALMONDS TOMATOES
- VEAL RICE PEANUTS AUBERGINES
- PORK PASTA BRAINS COURGETTES
COOKED MEATS SEMOLINA LIVER CELERY
POULTRY TAPIOCA SOYA FLOUR CABBAGE
RABBIT DRIED BEANS WHEATGERM CAULIFLOWER
FISH PEAS EGG PAST SAUERKRAUT
CRAB LENTILS CASHEWS FRENCH BEANS
SHRIMPS CHICKPEAS COCONUT LEEKS
SCAMPI CARROTS CHOCOLATE ARTICHOKES
LOBSTER SUGAR OLIVES PEPPERS
EGGS HONEY CHESTNUTS CHICORY
BUTTER MAOZE SWEET CHESTNUTS MUSHROOMS
CHEESES FRUIT SCALLOPS TURNIPS
OILS DRIED FRUIT OYSTERS SALFISH
MARGARINES AVACADO

CHAPTER III
SO ,HERE DO THOSE ETRAS PO)NDS COME FROM-
As we saw in Chapter I$ an e'%ess of +Calories taken in+ over +%alories "#rned #p+ does not in itself e'plain why we
p#t on weight In other words$ it does not a%%o#nt for how the "ody %omes to store fat There has to "e some other
e'planation$ and that is what we shall look at in this %hapter
INSULIN
2hether or not we a%%#m#late "ody fat is dire%tly linked to the se%retion of ins#lin$ so we will first take a "rief look at
this Insulin is a hormone se%reted "y the pan%reas
A
and it plays a vital role in h#man meta"olism Its f#n%tion is to a%t
on the gl#%ose Die the s#garE in the "loodstream in s#%h a way that the gl#%ose is a"sor"ed into the "ody6s tiss#es The
gl#%ose %an then either "e #sed to satisfy the "ody6s immediate energy needs or$ if there is a s#rpl#s$ it %an "e stored as
"ody fat
*o let #s look at a few hypotheti%al e'amples to see #nder what %onditions and with what types of food "ody fat is
likely to "e prod#%ed$ and to what e'tent
IN*ESTIN* A CAR"OHYDRATE
Let #s take the e'ample of a pie%e of "read$ eaten on its own
)read is a %ar"ohydrate$ whose star%h is "roken down into gl#%ose$ whi%h in t#rn passes dire%tly into the "loodstream
The "ody is s#ddenly in a state of hypergly%aemia Dthat is$ the level of gl#%ose in the "lood is raisedE The pan%reas
there#pon se%retes insulin in order to8
/ release the gl#%ose into the "ody tiss#es$ either to "e stored short!term as gly%ogen whi%h will "e
#sed for the "ody6s immediate needs$ or to "e stored for the longer term in the form of "ody fat
0 lower the "lood gl#%ose level Dsee %hapter on hypogly%aemiaE
IN*ESTIN* A CAR"OHYDRATE +ITH A LIPID
2hen$ for e'ample$ yo# eat a pie%e of "read with butter$ the meta"oli% pro%ess is similar to the one des%ri"ed in the
previo#s paragraph The %ar"ohydrate is "roken down into gl#%ose5 the "lood gl#%ose level rises5 the pan%reas se%retes
ins#lin However$ there is a f#ndamental differen%e In this e'ample the lipid is %onverted into a fatty a%id in the "lood
If the pan%reas is in perfe%t %ondition$ the 4#antity of ins#lin se%reted will "e e'a%tly right for the amo#nt of gl#%ose to
"e dealt with If$ on the other hand$ the pan%reas is defe%tive$ the amo#nt of ins#lin released may "e greater than is
needed to deal with the gl#%ose The res#lt is that a part of the lipid6s energy$ whi%h wo#ld normally simply "e
eliminated$ will in this instan%e "e stored as "ody fat *o yo# %an now see that it is the %ondition of the pan%reas that
determines whether an individ#al will tend toward pl#mpness or will "e a"le to eat a"sol#tely anything witho#t p#tting
on an o#n%e8 the person who p#ts on weight easily has a tenden%y to hyperins#linism
IN*ESTIN* A LIPID ON ITS O+N
Let #s take as o#r e'ample a pie%e of %heese$ eaten on its own The meta"olism of a lipid on its own involves no release
of gl#%ose into the "loodstream Conse4#ently$ the pan%reas se%retes virt#ally no ins#lin In the a"sen%e of ins#lin$ the
energy %annot "e stored away as fat That does not mean that ingesting the lipid has served no p#rpose G#ring the
pro%ess of digestion the "ody e'tra%ts from it all the s#"stan%es essential to its meta"olism$ parti%#larly vitamins$
essential fatty a%ids and minerals Ds#%h as %al%i#m from milkE
A
Ins#lin is a hormone se%reted "y small gro#ps of %ells in the pan%reas %alled the islets of Langerhans
This e'ample has "een deli"erately simplified Even tho#gh it is "ased on so#nd s%ientifi% prin%iples$ yo# may "e
in%lined to smile at its apparent simpli%ity 3or$ as yo# will have g#essed$ the reality is somewhat more %ompli%ated
The e'ample does ill#strate$ tho#gh$ the essen%e of the pro%ess we are looking at$ and the essen%e of what we need to
know in order to #nderstand the "asi% r#les we are going to take as o#r g#ide
)#t altho#gh this %hapter seems to me the most important in the "ook$ in that it shows how "ody fat is %reated$ it will
not yet have e'plained to yo# how$ "y %ontin#ing to eat perfe%tly normally$ "#t +differently+$ yo# %an shed all those
#nwanted po#nds and then maintain yo#r ideal weight
Note 8 The pan%reas is$ in a sense$ the %ond#%tor of the meta"oli% or%hestra If it is in good %ondition it will f#lfil its role
in "ringing down the "lood gl#%ose level "y se%reting the appropriate amo#nt of ins#lin If it is not f#n%tioning well$ if
there is hyperins#linism$ it will tend to trigger the me%hanisms whi%h lay down fatty a%ids a"normally as "ody fat *o it
is the pan%reas$ with its ins#lin!prod#%ing f#n%tion$ whi%h t#rns o#t to "e responsi"le for those e'tra po#nds However$
we shall see later on that a diet with too m#%h %ar"ohydrate leads in the long term to pan%reati% dysf#n%tion
CHAPTER I,
THE PRINCIPLES OF STOC. CONTROL
In the previo#s %hapter we %on%entrated on the prin%ipal me%hanism "y whi%h +sto%ks+ of "ody fat a%%#m#late$
answering the 4#estion +2hy do we p#t on weight F+
&o# saw how$ when the pan%reas is not f#n%tioning well, the carbohydrate-lipid combination can lead to excess
weiht In fa%t$ tho#gh$ rather than +%ar"ohydrate+$ we sho#ld perhaps say +"ad %ar"ohydrate+$ "e%a#se$ as we saw in
Chapter II$ it is not so m#%h the presen%e of %ar"ohydrate "#t the type of %ar"ohydrate whi%h is at the root of the
pro"lem
May"e yo# knew this already )#t yo# may not have known the s%ientifi% e'planation of the me%hanism And yo# may
not have realised either how yo# %an apply these "asi% prin%iples to a parti%#lar way of eating whi%h %an help yo# rea%h
and maintain yo#r ideal weight
*#ppose$ for e'ample$ that yo# are a man weighing thirteen and a half stone$ and yo#r ideal weight for yo#r height
sho#ld "e eleven and a half stone In other words$ yo# are two stone overweight 2ell$ it is tr#e that some people have
an in"orn tenden%y to a"ove!average weight and more ro#nded %onto#rs$ "#t this is the e'%eption rather than the r#le
And even if they are made that way$ that does not mean that the Method will not work for them L#ite the reverse=
Like many of yo#r %ontemporaries$ yo# were pro"a"ly somewhere near yo#r ideal weight in yo#r early twenties )#t
little "y little$ those few e'tra po#nds %rept #p on yo# witho#t yo#r realising it
The reasons for this kind of weight gain seem to "e more or less the same for everyone 8 a more sedentary lifestyle and
a %hange in eating ha"its
The first o"vio#s %hange often o%%#rs when yo# get married and make %hanges in yo#r so%ial life 3or women$ having
%hildren %an also make a differen%e
)#t$ a"ove all$ what generally sets its mark on yo#r waistline is how yo# %hange yo#r eating patterns in response to the
demands of yo#r professional and so%ial life
*o$ anyway$ there yo# are a good few po#nds too heavy and now yo# want to know what yo# %an do a"o#t it
2ell$ let #s (#st look at the p#rely te%hni%al aspe%ts of the 4#estion
The "asi% prin%iple #nderlying the new way of eating des%ri"ed here relies in part on avoiding$ in general$ %om"ining
lipids with "ad %ar"ohydrates At the same time$ %are is taken to give preferen%e to good lipids$ so as to g#ard against
%ardiovas%#lar disease
Lipids will "e a%%ompanied "y a variety of vegeta"les$ nota"ly those with a high fi"re %ontent Dwe will look at this in
detail laterE Here are some e'amples of meals whi%h %ontain no "ad %ar"ohydrates 8
/ *ardines Dgood lipid O proteinE
M#shroom omelette Dlipid O fi"reE
Green salad Dfi"reE
Cheese Dlipid and proteinE
0Cr#dites Draw vegeta"lesE Dfi"reE
Lam" with 3ren%h "eans Dlipid O protein O fi"reE
Green salad Dfi"reE
*traw"erries Dgood %ar"ohydrate O fi"reE
9 Tomato salad Dfi"reE
T#na with a#"ergine Dgood lipid O protein O fi"reE
Green salad Dfi"reE
Cheese Dlipid O proteinE
None of these three meals %ontains "ad %ar"ohydrates Of %o#rse$ none of them$ to %onform with o#r Method$ m#st "e
a%%ompanied "y "read And "eware of fromage frais$ whi%h %ontains ;g of %ar"ohydrate per lOOg This is "est eaten
for "reakfast or at teatime$ "#t avoided at the end of a meal %ontaining lipids
C

)#t let #s stay with the te%hni%al e'planation for a moment$ to see how the weight loss o%%#rs 2e saw in the last
%hapter that if the food %ons#med %ontained no %ar"ohydrate$ the pan%reas did not se%rete ins#lin and that$
%onse4#ently$ no sto%ks of "ody fat wo#ld "e laid down
Given that the "ody needs energy to maintain its vital f#n%tions$ to keep "ody temperat#re at >-A@ 3ahrenheit and
make essential movements$ it will draw on its fat reserves for the amo#nt of energy it needs
*o as yo# %ontin#e to eat perfe%tly normally D%ons#ming the ne%essary vitamins$ minerals$ and so onE$ the "ody will of
its own a%%ord red#%e the fat reserves whi%h %onstit#te yo#r e'%ess weight It will meet its needs "y first "#rning #p the
previo#sly a%%#m#lated sto%k
&o# pro"a"ly know the ma'im #sed for sto%k %ontrol in "#siness8 +Last in$ last o#t5 first in$ first o#t+
2hen "ad %ar"ohydrates are present$ tho#gh$ this r#le of sto%k rotation is always violated$ "e%a#se$ as we saw in the
last %hapter$ in this %ase very short!term reserves are %reated to meet immediate needs D<Last in$ first o#t,E If these are
not #sed #p$ the s#rpl#s is then trapped as "ody fat and there it will remain
If we e'%l#de "ad %ar"ohydrates from the food ingested$ the "ody6s meta"olism reverts to its "asi% mode of operation$
whi%h is to #se its sto%ks of fat as a first reso#r%e to meet its energy needs
)#t it has pro"a"ly o%%#rred to yo# to wonder what happens when the "ody has no fat reserves left to draw on
2hen they have "een %ompletely #sed #p$ so that yo# are +o#t of sto%k+$ when the "ody has virt#ally ret#rned to its
normal weight$ it then %reates a sort of +minimum buffer stoc!+$ whi%h it will a#tomati%ally keep replenished in the
light of its needs
In this way the h#man "ody$ like a highly sophisti%ated %omp#ter$ sets #p an optimal management program for its sto%k
%ontrol This f#n%tions perfe%tly as long as the program is not disr#pted "y the presen%e of "ad %ar"ohydrates
However$ yo# sho#ld not leap to the %on%l#sion that adopting these new eating ha"its means "idding farewell for ever
to %hips$ %akes and sweets &o# will "e a"le to in%l#de "ad %ar"ohydrates in yo#r diet in 7hase II
-
$ provided yo# do so
only o%%asionally They will %onstit#te a dis%repan%y in yo#r diet that yo# will have to take a%%o#nt of in managing
yo#r overall eating pattern 2e will see in the ne't %hapter how this %an "e 4#ite easily a%hieved
In parti%#lar$ yo# will see how$ on%e yo#r system has %ompletely rea"sor"ed yo#r fat reserves and yo# are moving into
the phase of maintaining yo#r ideal weight$ yo# will "e a"le to reintrod#%e a %ertain amo#nt of "ad %ar"ohydrate into
meals %ontaining lipids$ as long as yo# are careful and selecti"e a"o#t it
&o#r pro"lem is that yo# are s#ffering from what is des%ri"ed medi%ally as +poor lucose tolerance+ This is the one
fa%tor that disting#ishes yo# who eat normally "#t +r#n to fat+ from the ne't person who t#%ks in at every opport#nity
and stays as thin as a rail
It may "e that yo#r low toleran%e of s#gar is attri"#ta"le to hereditary fa%tors
>
$ "#t even if this is so$ yo# are also
#ndo#"tedly one of the many vi%tims of the deplora"le eating ha"its of the so%iety we live in
&o# are$ in fa%t$ addicted to "ad %ar"ohydrates$ and it will take a little while for yo# to revert to a normal level of
sensitivity to them
C
In addition$ yo# sho#ld prefera"ly %hoose +very low fat+ fromage frais and strain it Dthro#gh a %heese strainerE to get
rid of the whey$ whi%h %ontains a %ar"ohydrate %alled la%tose
-
Not in%l#ded with this e!version$ "#t evolves the idea of maintaining yo#r new lower weight forever
>
A st#dy of ;:. ad#lts adopted in infan%y showed that heredity was a ma(or fa%tor in o"esity DNew England ?o#rnal of
Medi%ine$ 09.//>-AE
It all "egan in yo#r %hildhood$ with sweet drinks$ "is%#its$ sweets and lollipops Not forgetting the pasta and ri%e ! all so
m#%h easier to feed %hildren on than p#reed %elery or leeks Then there was teatime$ with white "read and "#tter$ "#ns$
%akes$ (am and grandma6s ginger!%ake Later may"e yo# ate s%hool dinners or did national servi%e more potatoes$ pasta
and ri%e After all$ yo# needed something to +stand "y yo#+ And$ of %o#rse$ there was "read or s#gar with everything
*#gar is good for yo#r m#s%les$ yo# were told
Then %ame yo#r st#dent days$ when it was a %hoi%e "etween the +fodder+ served in the st#dent resta#rant and take!
aways or sandwi%hes from the fast food pla%e on the %omer Cosy little +noshes+ with friends and imprompt# get!
togethers in st#dent +pads+ #s#ally t#rned into +%ar"o!feasts+
And sin%e yo# have "een a workingman or woman$ even tho#gh the 4#ality of yo#r meals may have improved$ yo# are
still at the mer%y of the poor eating ha"its of those aro#nd yo#
At home$ "e%a#se the %hildren like them$ yo# eat the eternal pasta$ ri%e and potatoes$ with the o%%asional e'oti% sa#%e
All so 4#i%k and easy$ espe%ially as these days yo# %an get sa#%e mi'es whi%h do not go l#mpy
Things are no "etter at work &o# do not always have time to go to the staff resta#rant5 so m#%h 4#i%ker and easier to
have a sandwi%h
And then again$ prod#%tivity %o#nts5 time is of the essen%e and yo# are always short of it *o l#n%htime is %ons#med in
going to the hairdresser$ or (#st doing the shopping It means yo# %an get something #rgent done$ "#t it also means yo#
skip l#n%h And as yo# have to keep going somehow$ yo# drink %offee
/.
as strong as possi"le and with s#gar$
nat#rally refined s#gar$ of %o#rse$ "#t then it is always good for the m#s%les$ even when they are doing no work
2eekends "ring "ar"e%#es and p#" meals with friends$ and traditional family l#n%hes Grandma down in the %o#ntry
does s#%h wonderf#l "aked potatoes it wo#ld "e a %rime not to eat them all #p with that deli%io#s leg of lam"
*o that is the story of how$ (#st like the Mi%helin man$ yo# a%4#ired yo#r very own spare tyre$ an entirely #seless one
that is "e%oming more %#m"ersome "y the min#te And$ a"ove all$ it is the story of how yo# "e%ame addicted to the
wron !ind of carbohydrates$ the ones that release far too high a 4#antity of gl#%ose
*o the time has %ome to rid yo#rself of the addi%tion and$ %oin%identally$ to lose yo#r e'%ess fat It is a 4#estion of
somehow raising yo#r lucose tolerance threshold At the moment this is very low$ whi%h means that the moment yo#
ingest the smallest amo#nt of %ar"ohydrate$ espe%ially "ad %ar"ohydrate$ yo#r pan%reas gets to work man#fa%t#ring a
disproportionate dose of ins#lin
In other words$ the dose of ins#lin prod#%ed "y yo#r pan%reas is no longer in proportion to the 4#antity of gl#%ose
released into the "loodstream The e'%ess ins#lin goes to work on some of the fatty a%ids and stores them as "ody fat
&o# are 4#ite simply s#ffering from hyperins#linism
)#t the famo#s Dor infamo#sE "ad eating ha"its yo# have a%4#ired or have had thr#st #pon yo# do not simply %a#se yo#
to p#t on weight They are also responsi"le for a n#m"er of physi%al pro"lems yo# may have s#ffered from or are
s#ffering from$ the %ommonest "eing digestive ailments and fatig#e$ with all that these entail These two %onse4#en%es
in parti%#lar will "e e'amined in detail in the %hapters on hypogly%aemia and digestion
At this point$ I want to iss#e a word of reass#ran%e 2hat is novel a"o#t the prin%iples of eating I am re%ommending to
yo# is the fa%t that they will not hem yo# in witho#t room for manoe#vre$ in the way most traditional diets do
The e'a%t opposite is nearer the tr#th As I made %lear in the introd#%tion$ applying the r#les laid o#t in the ne't %hapter
is very simple$ as they are e'tremely straightforward and "ased to a refreshing degree on simple %ommon sense
At the "eginning$ when yo# will have to "an %ompletely some foods or food %om"inations$ yo# will find the pro%ess
even easier if yo# normally have to eat o#t At home it may "e a little harder to %hange yo#r ro#tine from one day to the
ne't$ given that mem"ers of a family %annot easily "e %atered for individ#ally )#t on%e yo#r partner sees the res#lts
yo# are a%hieving$ reads this "ook too and realises that these new prin%iples are so#nd and "enefi%ial to everyone$
in%l#ding %hildren$ the whole family sho#ld %ome ro#nd to yo#r views and adopt them enth#siasti%ally
/.
As we shall dis%over in Chapter I$ %offee has the effe%t of stim#lating ins#lin se%retion$ so aggravating sensitivity
to %ar"ohydrates
)#t$ as with any theory in this life$ the prin%iples are easy eno#gh to a%%ept5 it is p#tting them into pra%ti%e whi%h %an
pose the pro"lems It may well "e that$ in yo#r %ase$ yo# were already familiar with the %on%epts set o#t in this "ook$
"#t the la%k of really pra%ti%al g#idan%e has deterred yo# from following the method effe%tively If yo# st#dy the ne't
%hapter %aref#lly$ tho#gh$ yo# will find there the key to winning the +"attle of the "#lge+ and to getting "a%k to a
s#per" level of physi%al and mental fitness
CHAPTER ,
THE METHOD
*o here we are at the heart of the matter &o# may have fo#nd the previo#s %hapters rather long$ given that yo# are
dying to dis%over what yo# a%t#ally have to do and it%hing to get down to applying the r#les After all$ they are what
will ena"le yo# to attain yo#r goal of losin weiht and ne"er puttin it on aain$ and all this while %ontin#ing to lead
yo#r normal so%ial$ professional and family life
)#t I m#st stress$ espe%ially to any of yo# who felt in%lined to skip some of the pre%eding %hapters$ that they are
a"sol#tely essential if yo# are to apply the prin%iples of the method logi%ally and s#%%essf#lly It is$ indeed$ vital to
#nderstand how %ertain me%hanisms work and also to rid yo#r head forever of a few pop#lar mis%on%eptions on weight
loss$ s#%h as the %alorie theory
As I have already e'plained$ the method has two phases8
/ the a%t#al weight loss phase
0 the sta"le weight phase$ when yo# %r#ise along steadily$ maintaining yo#r new ideal weight
PHASES I +EI*HT LOSS
3irst and foremost$ with a new #ndertaking and an am"itio#s one at that it is important to set yo#rself a %lear goal
*o yo# sho#ld de%ide how many po#nds yo# want to lose Of %o#rse$ ea%h individ#al6s "ody has its own rate of
response$ determined "y a n#m"er of fa%tors8 gender$ age$ n#tritional and dietary history$ and heredity This is why it is
diffi%#lt to say how many po#nds a week yo# will "e a"le to lose *ome people may shed two po#nds$ others a "it less
And some people e'perien%e a dramati% weight loss at first$ followed "y more grad#al loss *o do not worry if it takes
yo# longer than someone else yo# know
7erhaps yo# already have a more or less %lear idea of how m#%h yo# wo#ld like to lose Many people wo#ld "e happy
to get rid of$ say$ half a stone to a stone$ when really they %o#ld do with shedding twi%e that m#%h 7ersonally$ I wo#ld
en%o#rage yo# to aim high After all$ yo# are no do#"t a perfe%tionist in yo#r work 2hy not "e a perfe%tionist a"o#t
yo#r fig#re tooF
FOODS TO MONITOR CLOSELY
I know from e'perien%e that$ psy%hologi%ally$ it is not a good idea to "egin on a negative note *o I always #sed to try
and start "y emphasising to people what they were allowed to eat$ and then telling them what they were not )#t this
really is #nne%essarily tedio#s$ sin%e the list of what yo# %an eat is so long that it %o#ld go on forever The list of what
is for"idden is$ "y %ontrast$ so short "#t so important that it is worth %on%entrating on that first
SU*AR
*#gar is the hands!down$ o#tright winner in the "ad %ar"ohydrates stakes It sho#ld always %arry the sk#ll and
%ross"ones sym"ol$ like other lethal s#"stan%es 3or it is indeed a prod#%t that %an "e positively dangero#s when
%ons#med in large 4#antities as it #nfort#nately is "y most people in o#r so%iety$ and espe%ially "y %hildren
Elsewhere I have devoted a whole %hapter to s#gar$ so that yo# %an "e %onvin%ed on%e and for all of its evil role in o#r
diet and of its nefario#s %onse4#en%es$ not only in terms of e'%ess weight$ "#t also and most importantly "e%a#se it is
impli%ated in %hroni% fatig#e$ dia"etes$ gastritis$ #l%ers$ dental %aries and heart disease
&o# may think it is impossi"le to do witho#t s#gar 2ell$ it is not The proof is that for tens of tho#sands of years
h#man "eings did not have s#%h a thing$ and they were none the worse for that ?#st the opposite$ in fa%t
Less than 0.. years ago$ s#gar was still a l#'#ry hardly ever availa"le to most of the pop#lation Today it does as m#%h
harm as al%ohol and dr#gs p#t together
)#t$ yo# ask$ if yo# %#t o#t s#gar %ompletely$ how do yo# maintain the essential minim#m of gl#%ose in yo#r
"loodstreamF
A good 4#estion=
The answer is that the "ody does not need to get s#gar from o#tside Dthis is (#st what #psets the "lood gl#%ose levelE It
%an prod#%e its own s#gar in the form of gl#%ose when it needs it$ and this is far and away what it prefers to do
Gl#%ose is$ of %o#rse$ the "ody6s only f#el
The "ody determines how m#%h gl#%ose it needs as it goes along$ and as it does so$ "ody fat is simply %onverted into
the gl#%ose needed *o no more s#gar= &o# %an take one of two %o#rses5 either do witho#t Dwith my f#ll approvalE or
repla%e it with an artifi%ial sweetenerE
"READ
)read %o#ld have taken a whole %hapter to itself$ there are so many things that %o#ld "e said a"o#t it Good things$ if
we are talking a"o#t +good "read+$ so rare a %ommodity these days$ "#t espe%ially "ad things when it %omes to the
#nsatisfa%tory prod#%t "eing sold "y most "akeries
Ordinary "read$ "eing made with refined flo#r$ is totally devoid of anything of #se to the normal h#man meta"olism
N#tritionally$ its only %ontri"#tion is energy in the form of star%h 3rom the digestive point of view$ it means nothing
"#t tro#"le$ given that all the elements that wo#ld ens#re it was well digested have "een removed in the %o#rse of
refining the flo#r Moreover$ the whiter the "read is$ the +worse+ it is$ sin%e its whiteness is the res#lt of the flo#r "eing
very heavily refined 2holemeal "read
//
$ and espe%ially /..K stone gro#nd wholemeal "read$ are m#%h more
a%%epta"le$ "eing made in the old!fashioned way with #nrefined flo#rs %ontaining fi"re They release nota"ly less
gl#%ose than white "read and are therefore less +fattening+ )#t good tho#gh they are$ even these types of "read will
temporarily "e r#led o#t$ at least with main meals &o# sho#ld$ however$ eat them normally at "reakfast 2e will look
at this in detail a little later on If yo# are worried a"o#t giving #p "read$ let me reass#re yo# right away If$ in %ommon
with >; K of the pop#lation$ yo# %ons#me ordinary white "read$ yo# have nothing to lose "#t yo#r e'%ess po#nds "y
giving it #p On the %ontrary$ yo# have everything to gain from s#%h a wise de%ision$ refined flo#r "eing so "ad for
yo#r health On the other hand$ if yo# normally eat only stone gro#nd or other wholemeal "read$ made with #nrefined
flo#r Dwhi%h shows yo# already have some good eating ha"itsE$ yo# may lose the advantages of the fi"re in giving it #p
)#t rest ass#red$ not only %an yo# go on eating it for "reakfast$ "#t we shall also "e re%ommending that yo# %ons#me
fi"re!%ontaining vegeta"les$ whi%h are of as m#%h$ if not more$ "enefit for good intestinal f#n%tion
STARCHY FOODS
)y star%hy foods I mean flo#ry foods %ontaining star%h Most s#%h foods are "ad %ar"ohydrates and some need to "e
%ompletely e'%l#ded from yo#r diet The n#m"er one star%hy food is the potato &o# nay "e interested to know that
when the potato was "ro#ght "a%k from the New 2orld "y e'plorers in ;:.$ the 3ren%h firmly re(e%ted it$ %onsidering
this root vegeta"le fit only for pigs They tho#ght it so #npleasant they ref#sed to eat it$ #nlike some <northern+
E#ropean peoples$ s#%h as the Germans$ the *%andinavians and the Irish$ who took to it readily It has to "e said that
some of these people had relatively little %hoi%e$ often having not m#%h else to eat
3or two %ent#ries the 3ren%h %ontin#ed to po#r %orn on the +pig root, It was not #ntil /C->$ when Larmentier
p#"lished his Treatise on the %#ltivation and #ses of the potato$ that people in 3ran%e finally %ame ro#nd to eating it
The famine that was raging at the time was an additional in%entive It was later dis%overed that the potato is ri%h in
vitamins and minerals$ tho#gh it loses most of these when it is %ooked and$ espe%ially$ when it is peeled
Me%ent tests have shown that the potato releases a very large 4#antity of gl#%ose into the system Traditional
n#tritionists generally %lassed the potato as a +slow s#gar+$ "#t this is mistaken Compared to the gly%aemi% inde' of
/.. of p#re gl#%ose$ the "oiled potato has "een shown to have a gly%aemi% inde' of C.$ whi%h makes it a "ad
%ar"ohydrate Moreover$ it has also "een demonstrated that the method of %ooking potato %hanges the str#%t#re of its
mole%#le$ whi%h %an make matters worse8 mashed potato has an inde' of >.$ while "aking potatoes in the oven %a#ses
their inde' to shoot #p to >;= *o yo# %an look #pon the steaming potato on yo#r neigh"o#r6s plate with the #tmost
%ontempt= And remem"er$ %hips are potatoes too DI %an feel yo#r resol#tion "eginning to weaken=E
//
/OOg of wholemeal "read %ontains >.mg of magnesi#m$ whereas lOOg of ordinary "read %ontains only 0;mg
Chips are a %ar"ohydrate!lipid food$ rather like "#ttered "read They simply %annot "e eaten witho#t the risk of p#tting
on weight$ sin%e the oil #sed in the frying %an "e laid down as "ody fat
*o think of steak and %hips as an a"sol#te heresy= Go not let the tho#ght of this worst of all possi"le dietary
%om"inations even %ross yo#r mind= The lipid from the meat and the "ad %ar"ohydrate from the %hips %onstit#te a
mi't#re that goes against nat#re
I know the %ost of foregoing this favo#rite meal$ "#t it is the pri%e to "e paid for rea%hing yo#r goal 2hen yo# hit yo#r
target weight$ yo# will have no regrets a"o#t the sa%rifi%e 2hat is more$ %hips are fre4#ently fried in fats whi%h are
very high in sat#rated fatty a%ids$ %ons#mption of whi%h %onstit#tes a signifi%ant risk fa%tor for %ardiovas%#lar disease
However$ on%e or twi%e a year I eat %hips8 not "e%a#se I give in when %onfronted with a platef#l$ "#t "e%a#se I make a
%ons%io#s de%ision to eat them Dwhen yo# are no longer trying to lose weight$ yo# %an afford to make this kind of
de%isionE )#t I do not eat (#st any %hips If yo# are going to ind#lge in a dietary dis%repan%y$ yo# may as well savo#r it
to the f#ll and %hoose the "est to "e had And for ma'im#m damage limitation$ a%%ompany yo#r %hips with a green
salad Not only is it deli%io#s$ "#t the fi"re in the salad tends to trap the star%h$ t#rning the %om"ination into a
%ar"ohydrate whi%h releases a more limited 4#antity of gl#%ose
2hen yo# order meat in a resta#rant$ get into the ha"it of asking what is served with it There is always an alternative
to potatoes &o# %an ask for 3ren%h "eans$ tomato$ spina%h$ a#"ergines$ %elery$ %a#liflower$ %o#rgettes And if$
#nfort#nately$ there are only "ad %ar"ohydrates to %hoose from$ then order a side!salad
At home$ when it %omes to de%iding what to serve with meat$ adopt the same prin%iple
Drie# -ea.s
*ome of yo# will no do#"t "e e'pe%ting me to %ondemn "eans o#t of hand$ given what I have (#st said a"o#t potato
2ell$ yo# will "e wrong= In the first edition of this "ook$ it is tr#e$ I spared neither the "ean nor that no"lest of dishes in
whi%h it feat#res$ the %asso#let I now make amends for my hastiness I have sin%e dis%overed$ to my s#rprise and great
satisfa%tion$ the virt#es of the hari%ot "ean 3rom now on$ it m#st "e %lassed as a good %ar"ohydrate "y virt#e of its
very low gly%aemi% inde'
/0

In addition$ it is high in vegeta"le fi"re Dparti%#larly sol#"le fi"resE and in minerals
*o it is possi"le to eat "eans in 7hase I in the %o#rse of a protein!lipid meal
Rice
2holegrain ri%e$ as it is traditionally %ons#med in Asia$ is an entire food in itself$ %ontaining all the n#tritional elements
essential to life
The white ri%e generally eaten these days$ however$ is heavily refined$ to the e'tent that it retains hardly any n#trients$
e'%ept star%h$ the one thing we %o#ld well do witho#t
Ordinary refined ri%e m#st therefore "e e'%l#ded sin%e$ (#st like refined flo#r$ it %onstit#tes a "ad %ar"ohydrate with
high release of gl#%ose
/9
2holegrain ri%e$ on the other hand$ or even "etter Canadian wild ri%e$ %an "e eaten$ as long as
it is not mi'ed with lipids$ s#%h as "#tter or %heese *erved with tomatoes Dred#%ed "y %ookingE and onions$ it %an make
a %omplete dish to "e en(oyed "y the whole family It is a great pity it is so diffi%#lt to find wholegrain ri%e in
resta#rants$ "#t this may "e d#e to its slightly #nappealing grey!"rown %olo#r
Cor. 'Mai/e)
MaiBe has "een %#ltivated for %ent#ries$ "#t has only "een eaten "y h#man "eings for a few de%ades 3orty years ago$
not a tin of sweet%om was to "e fo#nd in E#rope$ where maiBe was grown e'%l#sively as an animal feed
In the 1nited *tates$ too$ it was #sed to fatten %attle #ntil the dro#ght of />0> de%imated herds and r#ined farmers in the
Midwest 3a%ed with the real famine that ens#ed$ the h#ngry pop#lation no longer had "eef availa"le$ so de%ided to eat
the %attle feed$ or what was left of it
/0
*ee Chapter II
/9
0 Melease of gl#%ose relative to an inde' of /.. 8 Mefined ri%e 8 inde' C. 2holegrain ri%e 8 inde' ;.
And that is how Ameri%a took to eating +%orn+$ a ha"it that was e'ported to E#rope in the :.s with the post!war
Ameri%an o%%#pation
*o we sho#ld not now "e s#rprised to dis%over that maiBe has a high gly%aemi% inde'$ given that for %ent#ries it was
#sed to fatten #p %attle )#t it is interesting to note that pro%essing maiBe p#shes #p its gly%aemi% inde' still f#rther$
giving prod#%ts like pop%orn and %ornflakes very high gly%aemi% potential indeed *o they are e'tremely fattening In
addition$ pro%essed maiBe %ontains a s#"stan%e that destroys nia%in5 this is a vitamin ne%essary for growth$ and la%k of
it %an also %a#se meta"oli% im"alan%es and a"normal fatig#e
Pasta
Non!wholewheat pasta is "y definition a "ad %ar"ohydrate$ "eing made from refined flo#r$ to whi%h are added lipids
s#%h as "#tter$ eggs$ %heese and oil And despite anything the advertising slogans may say to the %ontrary$ the +ri%her
+the pasta$ the more it %onstit#tes a %ar"ohydrate!lipid and goes against o#r eating r#les
I admit it is a "itter "low to have to give #p pasta$ "e%a#se there is nothing more deli%io#s when it is fresh and well
made
However$ if yo# have the misfort#ne to "e served fresh non!whole!wheat pasta Dpasta not freshly made is not even
worth %onsideringE$ s#mmon #p yo#r determination and ref#se to eat it while yo# are in 7hase I$ the weight!loss phase
2hen yo# are %r#ising along in 7hase II$ have some if yo# think it is worth the sa%rifi%e
As for whole!wheat pasta$ and espe%ially stone gro#nd whole!wheat pasta$ made from #nrefined flo#r$ this %an "e
in%l#ded in dishes in 7hase I in the %o#rse of a %ar"ohydrate meal
A%%ompanied "y a tomato %o#lis or a "asil sa#%e$ it %an %onstit#te a meal in itself
Indeed$ whole!wheat pasta is %lassed as a good %ar"ohydrate$ having a gly%aemi% inde' of only :;
Other -a# car-ohy#rates
I have deli"erately dis%#ssed in greatest detail the "ad %ar"ohydrates yo# are most likely to "e eating on a reg#lar "asis$
and whi%h yo# will have to give #p$ at least temporarily Other "ad %ar"ohydrates tend to "e foods whi%h %ontain a
good deal of %ar"ohydrate "#t very little protein$ and whi%h have only poor 4#ality fi"re The %om"ination of these
fa%tors %onfers on s#%h foods a high gly%aemi% inde' It is worth mentioning %arrots and "eetroot in this %ategory Also
to "e in%l#ded are all the %ar"ohydrate!lipid items$ s#%h as "is%#its$ %roissants and pastries$ whi%h sho#ld "e r#led o#t in
7hase I
Gark %ho%olate$ if it is the "itter kind with a high %o%oa %ontent$ has a low gly%aemi% inde' However$ it sho#ld "e
eaten only very e'%eptionally d#ring 7hase I$ as it too %onstit#tes a %ar"ohydrate!lipid There is one more rather spe%ial
kind of %ar"ohydrate we now need to look at8 fr#it
FRUIT
3r#it is a sa%red s#"(e%t I know if I was ta%tless eno#gh to advise yo# to e'%l#de it from yo#r diet$ a good many of yo#
wo#ld sh#t the "ook forthwith$ s%andalised at the mere s#ggestion
3or fr#it has a sym"oli% val#e in o#r %#lt#re It stands for life$ health$ prosperity It is$ first and foremost$ a so#r%e of
vitamins at least$ that is what we "elieve 2ell$ first let me set yo#r mind at rest5 we are not going to e'%l#de fr#it )#t
it is a 4#estion of learning to eat it in a different way$ if we are to en(oy all its "enefits witho#t also s#ffering its
draw"a%ks$ s#%h as a "loated a"domen
3r#it %ontains %ar"ohydrates Dgl#%ose$ s#%rose and espe%ially fr#%toseE$ "#t it also has fi"re$ whi%h lowers its gly%aemi%
inde' and red#%es the amo#nt of s#gar a"sor"ed "y the "ody
Apples and pears are parti%#larly ri%h in pe%tin Da sol#"le fi"reE$ whi%h limits the rise in "lood gl#%ose
Energy provided "y fr#it %an "e #sed rapidly "y m#s%les and is therefore less likely to "e stored and to lead to the
a%%#m#lation of "ody fat This point is not relevant (#st to the weight!loss 4#estion that we are %on%erned with It is
"ased on the %hemistry of digestion 2hen fr#it is eaten with other items$ it interferes with the digestion of those items$
while itself losing most of the properties Dvitamins and so onE for whi%h it has "een %ons#med This is why eating fr#it
at the end of a meal is the "iggest mistake yo# %an make
I know that yo# are pro"a"ly viewing this notion with %onsidera"le s%epti%ism$ so I will e'plain it a little here and now$
even tho#gh these points really "elong in another part of the "ook
3or star%h to "e digested$ it is essential that an enByme %alled ptyalin is present This is se%reted in the saliva Most
fr#its have the effe%t of destroying ptyalin$ with the res#lt that any star%h %ons#med along with fr#it %annot "e digested
The food "ol#s remains +in lim"o+in the stoma%h$ where the warmth and h#midity will %a#se it to ferment )loating$
flat#len%e and indigestion %an often "e attri"#ted dire%tly to this phenomenon May"e this e'planation sheds a little
light on these familiar symptoms
Let #s now %onsider what happens when fr#it is %ons#med with protein!lipids$ s#%h as meat or %heese 3r#it re4#ires
rapid passage into the intestine$ where it is normally digested$ "#t in this instan%e its (o#rney is interr#pted for a while
in the stoma%h 3or meat remains for some time in the stoma%h$ where the essential enBymes a%%o#nt for the most
important stage of its digestion The fr#it is therefore also trapped in the stoma%h where on%e again the effe%t of the
warmth and h#midity %a#ses fermentation$ even prod#%ing al%ohol$ and the whole digestive pro%ess is #pset At the
same time not only does the fr#it loses all its vitamins$ "#t Dpro"lems never %ome singlyE the protein meta"olism is also
#pset$ and the a"normal de%omposition of the proteins res#lts in a"dominal "loating
#o fruit must always be eaten on its own= That r#le sho#ld "e ta#ght in s%hools If it were$ %hildren wo#ld have fewer
stoma%h #psets It has to "e said of %o#rse$ that at their age the "ody has the %apa%ity to %ompensate for errors5 "#t for
an ad#lt$ and espe%ially for an older person$ fr#it at the end of a meal is nothing short of poisono#s
*o then when %an we eat fr#itF
At any time$ on an empty stoma%h In the morning for e'ample$ "efore "reakfast )#t yo# will then need to wait a"o#t
0. min#tes "efore starting yo#r "reakfast &o# %an then eat a %ar"ohydrate!protein "reakfast Dwholemeal "read$ %ereals$
skimmed milkE
It is prefera"le not to eat lipids after fr#it The small amo#nt of ins#lin triggered "y the fr#it %o#ld lead the "ody to store
the fats in the ham$ eggs$ "a%on or %heese yo# might eat for a protein!lipid "reakfast &o# %o#ld also eat fr#it last thing
at "ight "efore "edtime It wo#ld need to "e at least two to three o#rs after yo#r evening meal 3or those who s#ffer
from insomnia Dwhi%h o#ght in Any %ase to "e partly %#red "y following the Method s#ggested in this "ookE$ it is not a
good idea to %ons#me oranges (#st "efore "ed$ as vitamin C %an a%t as a stim#lant
3r#it %an also "e eaten in the late afternoon$ provided it is well after the mid!day meal Da"o#t three ho#rsE and at least
an ho#r "efore any evening meal &o# %an even eat a meal %onsisting entirely of fr#it$ as long as yo# really do eat
nothing else As lemon has virt#ally no s#gar$ lemon (#i%e D#nsweetenedE %an "e dr#nk at any time or #sed freely in
seasoning Dwith fish or in salad dressings$ for e'ampleE
Melon as a starter sho#ld also "e avoided$ tho#gh$ as it prompts (#st eno#gh se%retion of ins#lin to trap the lipids
%ontained in the main %o#rse
I sho#ld like to make one last o"servation on the s#"(e%t of fr#it 2henever possi"le$ leave its skin on The skin
%ontains most of the fi"re that is val#a"le for intestinal f#n%tion$ and in some %ases most of the vitamins too
Eating fr#it skin and all red#%es its gly%aemi% potential$ too$ so yo# will lose more weight Dor p#t on lessE if yo# follow
this r#le Among the foods to "e monitored %losely$ there remains to "e %onsidered the 4#estion of drinks and$ %hief
amongst them$ al%ohol
ALCOHOL
Al%ohol is fattening= That is what yo# "elieve$ "e%a#se that is what yo# have "een told &o# may even have "een made
to feel g#ilty "y people who have implied that all yo#r #nwanted po#nds %o#ld "e p#t down to al%ohol$ with no need to
look f#rther Let #s try and make an o"(e%tive assessment
It is tr#e that al%ohol is fattening )#t m#%h less fattening than s#gar$ white "read$ potatoes or ri%e That is why$ very
soon after yo# have shed yo#r #nwanted po#nds$ yo# will "e a"le to reintrod#%e wine into yo#r diet in reasona"le
4#antity D#p to a"o#t half a litre of wine a day$ a"o#t three glasses$ for a man$ tho#gh women sho#ld red#%e this "y a
thirdE The energy provided "y al%ohol is #sed "y the "ody as a first reso#r%e for immediate needs$ and while the "ody
is #sing this f#el it will not "e "#rning #p stored "ody fat This means that the al%ohol is preventing yo# losing weight
However$ this happens in parti%#lar when it is im"i"ed on an empty stoma%h 2hen the stoma%h is already f#ll$
parti%#larly if it is f#ll of protein!lipids Ds#%h as meat$ fish or %heeseE$ the al%ohol is meta"olised m#%h less rapidly
"e%a#se it is mi'ed with these other foods$ and so prod#%es little stored fat 2hat m#st "e %ategori%ally given #p is the
aperitif If yo# really feel yo# have to keep yo#r g#ests %ompany$ have something non!al%oholi% like tomato (#i%e or
mineral water
The only no"le aperitif$ to my mind$ is a glass of good %hampagne or good white wine DI say +white+ advisedlyE )#t$ I
implore yo#$ do not let people ad#lterate yo#r wine$ as often happens to disg#ise its medio%re 4#ality$ with "la%k%#rrant
li4#e#r or those other weird syr#ps whi%h people %ome #p with (#st for the sake of something new
*o$ if yo# really m#st$ a%%ept a glass of %hampagne "#t$ a"ove all$ do not drin! it on an empty stomach Help yo#rself
to a few +ni"les+first )eware$ tho#gh= They m#st "e non!%ar"ohydrate +ni""les+ &o# will soon learn to re%ognise
them Crisps and %o%ktail "is%#its of all sorts are o#t Olives$ %heese$ %o%ktail sa#sages or fish are a%%epta"le
In 7hase I$ tho#gh$ yo# sho#ld try to e'%l#de aperitifs %ompletely 7hase I is the time for "eing really stri%t in applying
the "asi% r#les of the Method$ as this is the way yo# will lose weight
AFTER DINNER DRIN0S
Cross these off yo#r list too Cogna%$ armagna% and many li4#e#rs are deli%io#s$ and may "e an e'%ellent thing for the
3ren%h "alan%e of payments$ "#t they will do nothing to improve yo#r waistline
May"e yo# think that s#%h drinks Dknown as +digestifs+ in 3ran%eE will help yo# digest yo#r meal 2ell$ rest ass#red5
on%e yo# have mastered the eating ha"its advo%ated in this "ook$ yo# will have no indigestion to worry a"o#t$ even
after the most %opio#s of meals
"EER
I am not going to "e m#%h kinder a"o#t "eer In my view$ it is a drink to "e %ons#med in the stri%test moderation
?#st as yo# may know skinny people who in%essantly st#ff themselves with "ad %ar"ohydrates with no ill effe%t$ yo#
have pro"a"ly also met heavy "eer drinkers with stoma%hs as flat as a pan%ake DThe wife of one of my "est friends
falls into this %ategoryE
&o# do not need to have visited Germany to know a"o#t the #s#al side!effe%ts of "eer drinking$ tho#gh 8 "loating$
weight gain$ "ad "reath and indigestion$ all of whi%h o%%#r despite the presen%e of diastases Dsmall enBymes whose
f#n%tion is to aid digestionE Let #s (#st say that witho#t diastases the %onse4#en%es of "eer drinking wo#ld "e
%atastrophi%
)eer %ontains everything that is "ad for yo# 8 al%ohol Dal"eit in moderate 4#antitiesE$ gas and$ a"ove all$ a large amo#nt
D:g per litreE of a %ar"ohydrate %alled maltose$ whose gly%aemi% inde' is //.$ higher even than that of gl#%ose
3#rthermore$ the %om"ination of al%ohol and s#gar tends to lead to hypogly%aemia$ and therefore tiredness and #nder!
performan%e Dsee %hapter on hypogly%aemiaE *o it is a drink with high energy potential$ whi%h means a high potential
for %reating stored fat
&o# sho#ld give #p "eer$ espe%ially "etween meals If yo# really %annot resist it$ %onsider "eer in the same way yo#
%onsider %hips Ind#lge yo#rself on%e or twi%e a year$ "y having a pint or two of the "est "eer yo#r lo%al %an provide$
"#t make s#re yo# %hoose a 4#ality "rew
In 7hase I$ I wo#ld advise yo# to drink no "eer at all In 7hase II$ tho#gh$ (#st as yo# %an reintrod#%e wine in
moderation$ so yo# %an$ from time to time$ en(oy a small 4#antity D99 %entilitres at mostE of "eer with a meal
+INE
I have left wine #ntil last$ it "eing the only al%oholi% drink I am not entirely against
I shall make no distin%tion "etween red and white wine$ e'%ept to say that red wine generally %ontains more tannin
Tannin possesses parti%#lar therape#ti% properties5 in parti%#lar$ the pro%yanidin it %ontains helps prevent
atheros%lerosis$ with the polyphenols also present in it having a prote%tive effe%t on the artery walls
It is only a short step from this statement to the assertions of many s%ientists$ in%l#ding 7rofessor Mas4#elier$ that
wines ri%h in tannin %ontri"#te to some e'tent to the prevention of %ardiovas%#lar disease
/:
A highly rep#ta"le medi%al
s#rvey$ %arried o#t in )ritain in />C> and "ringing together eviden%e from eighteen %o#ntries$ %on%l#ded that the death
rate from heart atta%ks was lowest in pop#lations whi%h ha"it#ally drank wine Dthree to five times lower in 3ran%e and
Italy than in Northern E#ropean %o#ntriesE
*o$ following o#r Method$ wine %an form a part of a normal diet$ as long as reasona"le limits are o"served Da"o#t half a
litre a day for a man$ "#t only two thirds of this for a womanE$ and as long as it is %ons#med as late in the meal as
possi"le$ on%e the stoma%h is f#ll of food
In 7hase I it is as well to stay away from wine if possi"le In 7hase II it %an "e dr#nk on a daily "asis witho#t affe%ting
yo#r weight However$ wine %ons#mption will need to "e (#ggled %aref#lly with other %ar"ohydrate intake I am
thinking in parti%#lar of %ho%olate and desserts in general )#t that will "e the s#"(e%t of a paragraph f#rther on
2hile yo# are in 7hase I$ the stage where yo# need to "e very stri%t with yo#rself$ it may prove diffi%#lt to en(oy a
family o%%asion or a meal with friends witho#t to#%hing a single drop of wine If yo# s#ddenly anno#n%e yo# are not
drinking$ others may feel awkward a"o#t it
My tip is to allow yo#r glass to "e filled and to pi%k it #p as often as yo# wo#ld if yo# were drinking normally )#t (#st
wet yo#r lips with the wine rather than a%t#ally drinking any
I #sed this tri%k over several weeks and I ass#re yo# that no!one ever noti%ed I was not drinking
In the same way$ no!one has ever noti%ed that I am not eating a %r#m" of "read To keep #p the preten%e$ I always take
my pie%e of "read and "reak it$ "#t it stays "eside me #neaten Iinegar %ontains only a negligi"le amo#nt of al%ohol$ so
it %an "e #sed to season %r#dites and salads$ #nless$ of %o#rse$ yo# prefer lemon Meally strong %offee$ Italian espresso
with a %affeine %ontent that wo#ld waken the dead$ is o#t Grink de%affeinated or weak ara"i%a %offee$ whi%h %ontains
m#%h less %affeine Ge%affeinated %offee %an "e fo#nd everywhere these days and it is #s#ally good At home$ too$ yo#
%an make a very good de%affeinated "rew Even serio#s %offee drinkers %annot tell the differen%e
If yo# are a heavy drinker of very strong %offee$ it is pro"a"ly "e%a#se yo# feel the need for a stim#lant to wake yo#
#p
If yo# reg#larly +r#n o#t of steam+ ro#nd a"o#t eleven o6%lo%k or in mid!aftemoon$ this is "e%a#se yo# are
hypogly%aemi% Dsee the %hapter on this s#"(e%tE
Caffeine is not permitted here "e%a#se$ altho#gh it is not a %ar"ohydrate$ it has the effe%t of stim#lating the pan%reas
into prod#%ing ins#lin If yo# have (#st finished a meal with no "ad %ar"ohydrates$ and all s#rpl#s energy is "eing
a%%o#nted for$ it wo#ld "e silly to #ndo the good work "y drinking a %#p of strong %offee and prompting the pan%reas
into se%reting ins#lin that will set the fat a%%#m#lation pro%ess going If yo# are a %offee drinker$ yo# sho#ld have no
diffi%#lty in going over to the de%affeinated variety when yo# start applying the Method &o# will soon find yo#rself
not even feeling the need for %offee
It is important to stress$ in any %ase$ that %offee drinkers Dwhether they drink %offee with or witho#t %affeineE are laying
themselves open to a f#rther risk8 that of a raised "lood %holesterol level Dsee %hapter on high "lood %holesterolE
)eware of tea$ too$ as it %an have as m#%h %affeine as a %#p of %offee and$ in addition$ %ontains tannins whi%h %an
inhi"it the a"sorption of iron=
/:
*ee Gr Ma#ry6s "ook$ La mAde%ine par Ie vin$ p#"lished "y Art#len
Cheese
3rom now on yo# m#st get #sed to eating %heese witho#t "read or "is%#its It is not at all impossi"le and yo# will soon
dis%over it a%t#ally tastes m#%h "etter this way And yo# will en(oy it all the more "efore long$ when yo# are allowed to
drink some wine with it
In 7hase I$ more or less any kind of %heese is permitted E'%eptions need to "e made for %antal and for goat %heeses$
whi%h %ontain a little %ar"ohydrate$ so it is "etter to avoid them in the early stages
There is no reason why yo# sho#ld not finish a meal of this kind with a yogh#rt or some fromage frais$ "#t do not eat
more than /.. to /0;g$ "e%a#se "oth do %ontain some %ar"ohydrate Anyone who is overweight and still very sensitive
to %ar"ohydrate may find that$ altho#gh their gly%aemi% inde' is very low$ fromage frais or yogh#rt %an trigger an
#ndesira"le se%retion of ins#lin at the end of the meal$ and that %o#ld res#lt in "ody fat "eing formed from the %ontents
of the main %o#rse
Desserts
*ome desserts %an "e made with artifi%ial sweeteners$ if they do not re4#ire lengthy %ooking Egg %#stards or similar
desserts are possi"ilities
Dri.1s
2e have already noted that in 7hase I all al%oholi% drinks$ in%l#ding wine$ sho#ld "e avoided Grink water or tea$ or
her"al teas if yo# prefer )#t avoid sparkling waters$ as these %an %a#se "loating and #pset yo#r digestion
In any %ase$ I s#ggest yo# drink very little water with yo#r meals$ as yo# risk dil#ting the gastri% (#i%es there"y
#psetting yo#r digestive system At least if yo# m#st drink$ do not start doing so #ntil half!way thro#gh the meal Go
not drink as soon as yo# sit down to eat5 this is a deplora"le ha"it people have fallen into$ whi%h a%%o#nts for a good
many of the meta"oli% pro"lems they r#n into in digesting their food Grink "etween meals$ instead Dat least a litre of
water a dayE And see that yo# do=
A reminder that$ if yo# have to eat a large meal while yo# are in 7hase I$ yo# m#st a"stain from the al%oholi% aperitif
Try a tomato (#i%e or a 7errier instead If yo# really %annot get o#t of a%%epting something al%oholi% Dif$ for e'ample$
yo#r host has made a kir for everyoneE$ then do so$ "#t do not drink it Moisten yo#r lips with it from time to time$ to "e
seen to "e taking part in the general %onviviality of the o%%asion "#t do not swallow any *ooner or later yo# %an find a
%onvenient moment to+a"andon+yo#r glass somewhere witho#t anyone noti%ing If yo# find it diffi%#lt to get rid of$
yo# %an always #se a little ingen#ity 7#t it down within rea%h of someone who is kno%king the st#ff "a%k5 people like
this %an generally "e relied on to pi%k #p someone else6s glass "y mistake$ espe%ially if it is f#ll As a r#le$ there is at
least one of these individ#als at every gathering If all else fails$ there is always the flower!pot$ the %hampagne "#%ket$
the open window in s#mmer or the "asin in the %loakroom
$d"ice if you ha"e to attend a social function when you are in Phase % 8 A%%ept the glass of %hampagne that is handed
to yo#$ and hold on to it for a while 7#t it to yo#r lips from time to time if yo# %an "ear to do that witho#t drinking
any Then dis%reetly p#t it down somewhere
7arty food$ tho#gh$ %an %onstit#te a real heada%he )#t it need not "e an insol#"le pro"lem
There is no 4#estion of eating sandwi%hes$ however dainty they are )#t what is in the sandwi%hes is good st#ff8 sli%es
of salmon$ sli%ed sa#sage$ egg$ asparag#s$ and so on If yo# have the nerve and skill to separate the topping of an open
sandwi%h from its "ase$ good for yo#= 2here there6s a will$ there6s a way )#t failing this$ there is always party fare
whi%h %omes within o#r r#les
Cher%heB Ie fromage= There is always %heese aro#nd$ in one form or another$ in sli%es or$ more #s#ally$ in little %#"es
3ailing this$ try to tra%k down the %o%ktail sa#sages= )#t e'er%ise restraint5 think of the %holesterol =
If yo# think yo# are one of those people who (#st %annot resist a ta"le laden with food$ if yo# think yo# will inevita"ly
s#%%#m" to temptation "e%a#se when the h#nger pangs strike yo#r will!power will evaporate$ then try this 8 "efore yo#
go to the party$ ni""le something that is within the r#les$ to +line yo#r stoma%h+
In the mid!nineteenth %ent#ry a for"ear of mine Dmy great!great!grandfatherE$ who had si' %hildren$ was invited with
his family to l#n%h with the managing dire%tor of the %ompany he worked for I am told that my great!great!
grandmother took good %are to see that the %hildren were fed a hearty so#p "efore they went 2ith their stoma%hs th#s
lined$ these delightf#l %hildren showed a good deal less #nseemly enth#siasm than they might have done$ when dishes
of a magnifi%en%e they were 4#ite #n#sed to were set "efore them And my great!great!grandparents a%4#ired the
instant rep#tation for having e'tremely well "ro#ght!#p offspring
*o if yo# are afraid of giving in to temptation$ eat a hard!"oiled egg or a pie%e of %heese "efore yo# set off for yo#r
party And yo# %an get into the ha"it of always having with yo# some of those little individ#al %heeses like +)a"y"el+
or +La#ghing %ow+6
These items %an also "e dipped into whenever yo# feel pe%kish$ tho#gh dried fr#it or high!fi"re "read is even "etter
However$ e'%ept for %hildren$ who sho#ld eat something at teatime$ h#nger sho#ld not strike "etween meals$ as long as
yo#r meals are well tho#ght o#t and are high in fi"re In any %ase$ do not %onf#se having tea and having a ni""le
"etween meals= And "e %aref#l a"o#t %ons#ming lipids when yo# have had a %ar"ohydrate meal Go not$ for e'ample$
eat a pie%e of gr#yere at > o6%lo%k in the morning if yo# only "reakfasted at - o6%lo%k
2hat if yo# are invited to friends F This %an "e a tri%kier sit#ation$ and yo# will have less room for manoe#vre
2ell$ let #s look at vario#s possi"ilities May"e these are friends that yo# know well F They may even "e relatives In
that %ase$ yo# will "e rela'ed eno#gh with them to +p#t yo#r %ards on the ta"le+ Ask them in advan%e what is on the
men# &o# need not "e afraid$ even$ to make a s#ggestion or two
)#t let #s s#ppose that yo# do not know yo#r hosts very well In this %ase yo# will have to play it "y ear If the
o%%asion is a very spe%ial one$ it will "e a meal in line with the o%%asion$ and I sho#ld "e s#rprised if ri%e$ pasta or
potatoes fig#red as a ma(or part of the men#
If there is foie gras$ go ahead and eat it$ even tho#gh it is not to "e re%ommended as food to "e eaten freely in 7hase I
)#t (#st on%e in a while it will do no harm )#t please do not eat the toast served with it There is no reason why yo#
sho#ld5 even politeness does not demand it
If yo# are served a magnifi%ent %heese so#ffle$ yo# %an eat it along with everyone else$ even tho#gh it will %ontain
flo#r )#t knowing that it p#ts yo# +in the red+$ e'er%ise restraint Go not make a "ad sit#ation worse "y a%%epting a
third helping
If the starter is a pate en %ro#te$ yo# %an eat the pate$ whi%h is generally protein!lipid$ and leave the %r#st dis%reetly on
the side of yo#r plate Given that yo# are not among %lose friends$ no!one is likely to "e r#de eno#gh to remark that yo#
ar e +leaving the "est part+= And even if the hostess is wondering why yo# did not like her pastry$ she is #nlikely to ask
yo# o#tright
2hen it %omes to the main %o#rse$ I sho#ld think yo# wo#ld have no diffi%#lty$ as the a%%ompaniments are #s#ally
optional &o# %an take a sym"oli% helping of ri%e or pasta$ "#t no!one %an make yo# eat it
If all this leaves yo# still starving$ yo# %an make #p for it with the salad$ if there is one$ and$ parti%#larly$ wi th the
%heese If yo# help yo#rself genero#sly to the %heese$ yo#r hostess will "e pleased and will find it easier to forgive yo#
for leaving the %r#st from yo#r pate An attra%tive %heese!"oard needs to have a good range of varieties$ and g#ests
rarely try many of them "e%a#se they have no room after all the "read they have eaten *o it is #p to yo# to do (#sti%e to
the %heese!"oard=
The dessert is likely to "e the most %riti%al point of the meal$ as it is always hard to say <no$ thank yo#+ *o insist on a
very small portion and$ like others who have eaten too m#%h already$ yo# %an leave a s#"stantial part of it on yo#r
plate
2ait as long as possi"le into the meal "efore yo# start to drink Give priority to drinking some red wine with the
%heese *ho#ld the whole sit#ation t#rn o#t to "e worse than yo# e'pe%ted$ and$ despite "eing still in 7hase I$ all yo#r
ingen#ity %o#ld not prote%t yo# from the assa#lts of the "ad %ar"ohydrates$ then yo#r only re%o#rse is to "e more
vigilant than ever thereafter in p#rs#it of yo#r new way of eating
&o# m#st realise that in 7hase I yo# are still very sensitive to gl#%ose The o"(e%t of this phase is to raise yo#r toleran%e
level5 as long as it has not rea%hed a satisfa%tory level, your sensiti"ity to lucose remains hih&
O"vio#sly$ if after denying yo#r "ody "ad %ar"ohydrate for a while$ yo# 4#ite s#ddenly feed it a h#ge 4#antity$ yo#r
meta"olism will have a field day And in a single evening yo# will "#mp #p yo#r fat reserves "y more than the amo#nt
yo# have taken #p to a fortnight to lose
The f#rther yo# are into 7hase I Dwhi%h sho#ld last at least two or three monthsE$ the less %atastrophi% the effe%t will "e
On the other hand$ if yo# +go over"oard+two or three weeks after starting 7hase I$ yo# r#n the risk of ret#rning
virt#ally to s4#are one This %an "e pretty dis%o#raging If this happens$ yo# will (#st have to tell yo#rself that altho#gh
yo# may have lost a "attle$ yo# still have a good %han%e of winning the war
E,ENIN* MEAL
This will "e either protein!lipid with fi"re or protein!%ar"ohydrate with fi"re
Evening meal n#m"er /
A protein!lipid and fi"re evening meal will "e (#st like a protein!lipid and fi"re l#n%h The only differen%e is that more
often than not yo# will "e eating at home And at home$ the %hoi%es are always more limited )#t if yo# have "een a"le
to pers#ade yo#r spo#se and family to adopt yo#r new eating ha"its too$ yo# will have no diffi%#lty The ideal way to
"egin the TO
SUMMARISE THE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF PHASE I
Never mi' "ad %ar"ohydrates Dwhite "read$ Ho#r$ star%hy foodsE with lipids Dmeat$ fats$ oilsE in the %o#rse of a
meal
Avoid all %ar"ohydrate!lipids D%ho%olate$ avo%ado$ liver$ n#ts$ %hips$ pastriesE
Eliminate s#gar %ompletely from yo#r diet Eat only #nrefined flo#rs
Eat only wholemeal "read$ /..K stone gro#nd or with "ran$ made from #nrefined flo#rs Dand then only for
"reakfastE
3orget a"o#t potatoes$ espe%ially %hips
3orget a"o#t white ri%e
Eat only Dand in moderationE wholegrain or wild ri%e
Never eat pasta made with refined flo#rs Eat wholewheat pasta
Introd#%e p#lses into yo#r diet$ espe%ially as a main s#pper dish
Temporarily give #p all forms of al%ohol$ whether aperitif$ wine$ "eer or digestif This is essential in 7hase I
2ine %an "e reintrod#%ed later in reasona"le amo#nts
Avoid strong %offee Get into the ha"it of drinking de%affeinated
Never skip a meal *pread yo#r food intake over three meals$ prefera"ly always taken at the same times
Mestri%t %ons#mption of +"ad+ lipids$ in favo#r of +good+ lipids$ with a view to warding off %ardiovas%#lar
disease Dsee Chapter IIE
Try to drink very little at meals to avoid dil#ting the gastri% (#i%es Never drink immediately "efore yo# eat
Take yo#r time to eat Chew food well and try to rela' over meals
Make yo#r own fr#it (#i%es Avoid %ommer%ially availa"le fr#it (#i%es and soft drinks$ whi%h %ontain s#gar
2ait for three ho#rs after a %ar"ohydrate meal D"reakfast$ for e'ampleE "efore %ons#ming lipids 2ait for
three to fo#r ho#rs after a lipid meal "efore %ons#ming %ar"ohydrates
Eat plenty of dietary fi"re8 salads$ p#lses$ green vegeta"les$ fr#it Dsee list in Chapter IIE
,a%ning8 The list a"ove is only a s#mmary of some of the prin%iples dis%#ssed in the te't In no %ir%#mstan%es sho#ld
it "e taken as a %ondensed version of the method Applying the method in a random way$ witho#t a f#ll #nderstanding
of the pre%eding and following %hapters$ %o#ld res#lt in n#tritional im"alan%e and %o#ld "e dangero#s if the r#les on
%ons#mption of lipids are not o"served
N&"e8 As we have made the first part of this o#rney$ we have "e%ome a%4#ainted with two kinds of %ar"ohydrate$ the
+good+ sort whi%h %an "e %ons#med witho#t fear of p#tting on weight$ and the +"ad+ sort$ whi%h m#st "e
systemati%ally tra%ked down and eliminated The differen%e "etween them lies not only in the proportion of
%ar"ohydrate in a parti%#lar "od "#t$ more importantly$ the way in whi%h it releases gl#%ose d#ring the digestive
pro%ess The more refined a flo#r$ the more it has to "e %onsidered a +"ad+ %ar"ohydrate The nearer "read %omes to
"eing /..K stone gro#nd wholemeal$ made from #npro%essed %ereal high in dietary fi"re$ the more it 4#alifies as a
+good+ %ar"ohydrate Dsee Chapter IIE
E2a(3les of PHASE I (e.%s Mi##ay (eals8
Tomato salad
Ma""it with parsley
3ren%h "eans
Cheese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Madishes with "#tter
T#rkey es%alope
)raised %hi%ory
Cheese To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
C#%#m"er salad
3illet of %od in tomato sa#%e
*pina%h &og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Ma%kerel in white wine
Grilled "eef"#rger
)ro%%oli &og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
M#shroom salad
Moast %hi%ken
Co#rgette gratin
Cheese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Hearts of palm 7ork %hop
7#reed %elery
&og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Leeks in vinaigrette
drilled kidneys
*alsifi Cheese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Celeria% with oil and m#stard dressing
Leg of lam"
Co#rgette gratin
&og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
*ardines in oil 3rankf#rters
Ca""age Ceese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Asparag#s
)la%k p#dding
Ca#liflower p#ree
&og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Endive salad with "a%on pie%es
Grilled %hi%ken 7eas
Cheese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Meat %onsomme
7ot!a#!fe# T#rnips$ leeks$ %a""age
&og#rt To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
*moked salmon
G#%k "reast
M#shrooms with parsley
Green salad$ %heese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
T#na in oil *teak tartare
Green salad
&og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Med %a""age
*kate with %apers
7#reed 3ren%h "eans
Cheese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
*moked ham
Grilled salmon
*pina%h
&og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
MoBBarella %heese
Ieal es%alope
)r#ssels spro#ts
Cheese
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Eggs mimosa
Entre%ote
A#"ergines
&og#rt
To drink 8 water or weak or her"al tea
Note 8 If you ha"e a hih cholesterol le"el, most cheeses must be ruled out' you can eat a reen salad instead or choose
a low-fat cheese&
Note 8 $"oid cheese alternately mid-day and e"enin, alternatin with yohurt&
Evening meals protein!lipid with fi"re
Home!made vegeta"le so#p
fried eggs
Matato#ille
f#ll!fat yog#rt
To drink8 water or her"al tea
3ish so#p
1nsmoked ham
Green salad
Cheese
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
Arti%hokes with vinaigrette
*%ram"led egg with tomatoes
Green salad
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
Iegeta"le so#p
*t#ffed tomatoes
Green salad
f#ll!fat yogh#rt
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
Onion so#p
T#na flan
Green salad
*trained fromage frais
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
Iegeta"le so#p
Cold %hi%ken "reasts in mayonnaise
Green salad
Cheese
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
MoBBarella$ tomato and "asil salad a#"ergine
%hi%ory salad
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
M#shroom salad
*t#ffed a#"ergines
Green salad
*trained fromage frais
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
7oa%hed fillet of white fish
*pina%h
Cheese
To drink 8 water or her"al tea
Evening meals protein!%ar"ohydrate with fi"re
Iegeta"le so#p Dhome!madeE
2holegrain or wild ri%e in tomato
/ +very low fat+ yogh#rt
Iegeta"le so#p Dhome!madeE
2hole!wheat pasta in tomato *trained +very low fat+ fromage frais
Lentils D<very low fat+ fromage frais %heese sa#%eE
*alad with lemon (#i%e
/ +very low fat+ yogh#rt
)aked tomatoes with parsley Gried "eans D<very low fat+ fromage frais %heese sa#%eE
/ +very low fat+ yogh#rt
Iegeta"le %#rry Davoiding re%ipes with fats$ +very low fat+ yogh#rt %an "e #sedE
2holegrain ri%e
C#%#m"er in fat!free %ream dressing
A#"ergines st#ffed with m#shroom p#ree and +very low fat+ fromage frais
/+very low fat+ yog#rt
Note( It is crucial not to consume any fat in the course of these carbohydrate meals&