I Ate Nothing But Potatoes For 3 Days: Heres What Happened
Get to menu plannin’
Im not one for fad diets. As someone who is always looking into nutrition for the answer to feeling great and also sporting a six pack, a diet is not what I would suggest. Its more about your lifestyle our bodies all respond differently, but individual factors aside, Im comfortable making the sweeping statement that everyone should eat a variety of mostly whole foods from good sources. This world we live in has an abundance of choice. We should take advantage of that. This doesnt mean you have to eat only organic vegetables , or you cant enjoy a slice of cake or other treat once in a while. Balance is important.
So then my friend told me about the Potato Hack, I immediately responded with derision. Thats stupid. I hardly ever ate potatoes in my normal diet. Eating just potatoes seemed foolish and unhealthy, akin to the Cajun lemonade juice diet that was all the rage a few years ago.
Then I did the research, and shockingly, it was intriguing enough to me that I actually decided to try it for a few days. All in the name of science, of course.
The thing is, I had been dealing with a multitude of issues lately, likely stemming from stress over the past few weeks. I had poor sleep, horrible gut health, fatigue, and acne breakouts. I thought it might actually do some good for me to experiment with something new. Especially interesting was the hacks claim of resetting your gut was enough to win me over.
A few points I want to make:
Meal prep.
What Should I Avoid Eating To Gain Weight
When attempting to gain weight, a person should be careful to avoid the following:
- Insufficient cardiovascular exercise. Some people stop doing cardiovascular exercise when they are trying to gain weight, but it is essential for maintaining a healthy heart, lungs, and brain.
- A diet low in vegetables.
- Giving up too quickly.
Quality Counts With Weight Loss
It’s true that calories count when it comes to weight loss. In order to drop those unwanted pounds, you need to create a calorie deficit so that your body burns more calories than it takes in. You can accomplish this by eating less, moving more or both.
But researchers are learning that weight loss is about more than just calories. The quality of the food you consume also matters. A February 2018 study published inJAMA compared the effects of a healthy low-fat diet to a healthy low-carb diet on weight loss in a group of overweight adults and found no difference in weight loss between the two diets.
Additionally, the researchers of the study noted that there was no difference in insulin secretion levels in the two groups. Insulin is a hormone made in your pancreas that helps usher sugar from your blood into your cells to supply energy.
High blood insulin levels may increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and there’s some preliminary evidence that too much insulin in your blood may lead to weight gain .
Based on the results of the 2018 study, and many previous studies, diet quality counts as much as calories when it comes to weight loss. You need to fill your diet with high-quality foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy unprocessed proteins and fats. You should limit refined grains , fried foods, sugary drinks, sweets and overly processed foods such as chips, cookies and pretzels.
Read more:What Kind of Potatoes are the Healthiest?
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Potatoes Might Make You A Better Athlete
Any endurance athlete knows that carbs power extended workouts, which explains why the veg has been a go-to for carbo-loading runners for years.
Quick explainer: Your body relies heavily on muscle glycogen for energy during high-intensity or long-duration exercise. By stocking up on carbs, your body can push harder and go farther, and ultimately perform better, according to research published in Sports Medicine. Better performance means more calories burned and muscle built, inherently changing your body too.
And even though most pre-race potato-lovers dont realize it, potatoes actually contain more potassium than bananas. Getting enough of that electrolyte is crucial for proper muscle function.
Are Potatoes Better Than Rice
The rice and potatoes are excellent thanks to their fat content of less than 1 g, which makes them ideal candidates for weight loss foods. In terms of vitamins, rice is an excellent source of vitamin B spectrum, while potatoes have earned their good reputation in terms of vitamin C content as one of the highest vegetables.
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Which Is Worse For Diabetes Rice Or Potatoes
Adults with type 2 diabetes who ate a mixed evening meal with skinless potatoes had a lower overnight blood glucose response compared to a meal with low-GI basmati rice. While the glycemic index can be a useful tool, it cannot be used as the be-all and end-all guide for those attempting to manage their diabetes.25 nov. 2020
Can I Eat Potatoes And Lose Weight
potatoeatpotatoesweight losslose weighteating
. Keeping this in view, can you lose weight eating baked potatoes?
Though potatoes are often shunned because they’re considered high in carbohydrates, they shouldn’t be. Whether baked or boiled, they’re loaded with vitamins, fiber and other nutrients. Feel even fuller: Eat baked and boiled tubers skin-on to get more fiber for just 160 calories a pop.
One may also ask, which is better for weight loss rice or potatoes? In fact, one cup of cooked white rice has fewer calories than one cup of cooked brown rice , and 200 grams of cooked white potatoes have fewer calories than 200 grams of cooked sweet potatoes . White potatoes also have more potassium, iron, and magnesium than sweet potatoes.
Furthermore, what diet allows potatoes?
The potato hack diet is a three to five day diet intervention where all you eat is 2 to 5 pounds of potatoes all day long, nothing else. It promises that you will lose around 1 pound per day.
Does potato increase belly fat?
Eating a potato, or any type of carbohydrate rich food, won’t automatically make you fatter. However, if you are watching your weight, enjoy potatoes in moderate quantities and be careful of how you eat them (for example, butter and sour cream are high in fats.
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Potatoes: #1 In Satiety
But the simple fact is, higher levels of insulin and sugar in the blood often result in people feeling more satiated, not less. When S.A. Holt of the University of Sidney, Australia, examined4 how much satiety people felt after consuming a set number of calories from various food items, she found that a plain potato had the highest satiety index score of all the individual foods tested. The humble potato produced far more satiety per calorie than did fish, chicken, lean meat, or even beans.
Moreover, the satiety index produced by boiled potatoes was seven-fold higher than the lowest satiety index score of the croissant . .
Are Baked Potatoes Healthy
A lot of foods get an unearned reputation for being healthful. Granola, for example, can be packed with excess fat and sugar. The same is true for yogurt. In the 1980s, baked potatoes had a reputation as a trendy diet food. There was only one problem baked potatoes can become secret calorie and sodium bombs once theyre dressed with chili, sour cream, butter, and all sorts of other accouterments. Now, in a time when many people are choosing low- or even no-carb lifestyles, potatoes have a bit of a bad reputation as a high-carb food. This has led to a lot of conflicting information are baked potatoes really healthy?
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The Best Baked Potato Recipe
This is the best baked potato recipe for people looking for healthy baked potato recipe. Also find low calorie baked potato toppings and more here!
Learn how to bake a potato in the oven so it comes out perfect every time.
Baked potatoes in oven are a great way to meal prep, or just make an easy dinner side dish.
Below I will share lots of healthy, low calorie toppings for the best baked potatoes oven recipe. A printable recipe card, baked potato calories and nutrition and more!
This is the best baked potato recipe! Its low in calories, easy to make, and I supply you with a topping bar full of low calorie baked potato toppings!
Meal 3 Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chilli With Zesty Quinoa
1 tbsp rapeseed oil, 2 sweet potatoes, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 red chilli, a handful of coriander, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp homemade chipotle paste, 1 heaped tsp vegan-friendly yeast extract, 2 x 400 g cans chopped tomato, 400 g can black bean, 140 g cooked quinoa, zest and juice 1 lime, 1 tbsp pumpkin seed, 1 ripe avocado
Calories: 551. Fats: 20 g, Protein: 22 g, Carbs: 73 g
Total Intake for the Day: Calories: 1107. Fats: 42 g, Protein: 48 g, Carbs: 126 g
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Learn How To Enjoy Them Without Hurting Your Waistline
While we have been taught for so long that potatoes are the enemy when it comes to keeping the weight off, today’s experts suggest that may not be the case. With potato consumption in American down by 30 percent since 2000, it seems that people everywhere are swearing off the spud in favor of other healthy sides. But it turns out, potatoes are actually quite nutrient dense and can help balance blood sugar, improve your mood and sleep, and help you maintain a healthy gut. One potato has 150 calories and is full of nutrients such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc while help the body maintain bone structure, strength, balance, and produce and maintain collagen. What’s more, potatoes are rich in fiber, phytonutrients, choline, and they’re fat-free as well.
The reason potatoes get dumped into the “no” column has more to do with the toppings and method of preparation , then with the potato itself. As JJ Virgin explains, potatoes can actually help you lose weight because these slow release carbs give you a steady sustained energy that can help boost serotonin, stifle cravings, and improve your mood. So while you are encouraged to reintroduce potatoes back into your eating lineup, you should do so the right way. Check out chef Roblé Ali’s tips to shop smart and end the war on potatoes once and for all:
The Science On Potatoes And Weight
When it comes to weight loss, potatoes have been vilified, and for no good reason. There’s no compelling evidence that, when prepared in a healthy way, potatoes hamper your weight-loss goals. And there are some studies that show the opposite.
A 2014 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition compared weight loss in a group of people following a reduced-calorie diet with or without potatoes and found that the potato did not cause weight gain in fact, the people who ate potatoes daily were still able to lose weight.
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A more recent paper, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in August 2016, included a systematic review of 13 different studies on the effect potatoes have on weight as well as some chronic diseases. The researchers determined that there’s not enough evidence to suggest that eating potatoes leads to weight gain.
What they found is that french fries, specifically, may be associated with increased risks of obesity along with type 2 diabetes, highlighting that when it comes to managing our weight and health, the way in which we eat potatoes matters greatly.
What does this all mean? Potatoes can be part of a healthy weight-loss diet, as long as you’re approaching them the right way. Here are four mistakes to avoid when it comes to enjoying potatoes on your weight-loss journey.
Tip
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More Important Than Chocolate Cake
It was time for a total lifestyle change, he decided. Thats because overhauling his life, particularly his food choices, might help him live long enough to see his children, seven and eight years old, reach adulthood. No question about it: His kids were more important than another piece of chocolate cake.
Soon after, backstage at his Las Vegas show, Penn met Ray Cronise, a NASA scientist turned nutrition and weight-loss specialist. Ray encouraged Penn to interrupt his current relationship with food. He suggested that Penn pick just one type of food to consume for the next two weeks.
What’s The Best Way To Prepare Potatoes For Optimal Weight Loss
One of the reason potatoes are connected to weight gain is because of the way they are usually prepared. Using oil to fry or roast potatoes or adding other fats like mashing in butter and milk, or topping with cheese, sour cream, or bacon, all add additional fats and calories, and are not beneficial for weight loss, said Coufal.
If you crave a crunch, air frying or baking on parchment paper, without added oil is a great option as it eliminates the added fat and calories. But Coufal said if weight loss is your goal, the best method is boiling or steaming potatoes. This helps retain the water content, making them more filling than baking or frying, which dehydrates the potato and makes it more calorically dense. Boiling or steaming, followed by cooling also produces high levels of resistant starch, which are known to regulate metabolism, promote fullness and satiety, and prevent overeating.
To make eating potatoes easy, buy a big bag , and boil about four to five pounds on the stove. I like to steam them in my Instant Pot . Allow them to cool, then put them in a glass container in the fridge so you can enjoy them with steamed veggies, add them to your salads, or I like to cook them briefly in the air fryer. You’ll feel satisfied, and if weight loss is your goal, you’ll be amazed at how well potatoes can fit into your meals!
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Should I Boil Or Bake My Potatoes
If you want potatoes with the perfect crunch-to-softness ratio, try to boil potatoes before baking. If you want potatoes with the perfect crunch-to-softness ratio, try to boil potatoes before baking. This method may take several steps, but it can make a wow-worthy side dish that you can customize for any meal.
What Can We Learn From Penns Experience
The first thing is that potatoes and other whole or minimally-processed, high-carbohydrate foods do not promote obesity or diabetes risk. To be sure, there are reports to the contrary. Walter Willett at the Harvard School of Public Health has been warning people about potatoes for years. In his book Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, he wrote:
Nutritionists and diet books alike often call potatoes a perfect food. But while eating potatoes on a daily basis may be fine for lean people who exercise a lot or who do regular manual labor, for everyone else potatoes should be an occasional food consumed in modest amounts, not a daily vegetable. The venerable baked potato increases levels of blood sugar and insulin more quickly and to higher levels than an equal amount of calories from pure table sugar.
How does Dr. Willetts claim comport with reality? Do baked potatoes really promote health problems? No, as demonstrated in the recently published OmniCarb randomized clinical trial2.
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Meal 3 Loaded Sweet Potato
4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup fat-free greek yogurt, 1 tsp taco seasoning, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 diced red bell pepper, 1/2 red onion, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, a pinch of salt, 1 and 1/3 cups canned black beans, 1/2 cup mild salsa, 1/2 cup reduced-fat cheese blend, 1/4 cup cilantro
Calories: 307. Fats: 5 g, Protein: 15 g, Carbs: 53 g
Do Potatoes Spike Blood Sugar
Theyre also chock full of starch, which is a carbohydrate. But even though a potato is considered a complex healthy carb, your body digests these carbs faster than other kinds of complex carbs. These broken-down carbs flood your blood with sugar. This makes your blood sugar spike quickly.28 apr. 2020
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Why Are Potatoes Good For Weight Loss
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Both white and sweet potatoes are beneficial for weight loss and considered a low-calorie food, pound for pound, explained Coufal. One pound of potatoes has 400 calories compared to one pound of bread which is 1,200 calories. This means you can consume potatoes while maintaining a low-calorie intake, helping you lose weight without feeling hungry. That’s because according to the Satiety Index of Common Foods, boiled potatoes are considered the top most satiating food, almost 2.5 times more than bread.
The satiety effect of potatoes is due to the volume of food , and the high water, high fiber and high protein content . The fiber, mostly found in the skin, helps slow digestion, promotes fullness, and decreases hunger. Potatoes also contain a compound called proteinase inhibitor II, explained Coufal, which impacts hormone secretion, resulting in reduced hunger and slower digestion. The combination of fiber and protein helps increase satiety, aiding in weight loss.
Losing Weight With Baked Potatoes
Filling and rich in nutrients, baked potatoes can make a healthy addition to your weight-loss diet when consumed in moderation as part of your overall plan. The versatility of the baked potato makes it a great addition to any meal. You can dice and saute your leftover baked potatoes with onions, peppers and a touch of olive oil to serve with your morning eggs.
Or instead of your usual sandwich at lunch, top a baked potato with broccoli and a sprinkling of your favorite shredded cheese. And of course, the baked potato makes the perfect side dish for any dinner meal, including rosemary chicken, grilled salmon or London broil.
While the baked potato can easily fit into your weight-loss plan, be careful with your potato toppings. Sour cream, butter and bacon may cancel out any of the benefits you get from your baked potato. Even the cheese on your lunch potato may be a bit much if you’re too heavy handed.
Instead, try eating your potato plain or topping it with low-calorie, nutrient-rich Greek yogurt to replace the sour cream. One tablespoon of nonfat Greek yogurt has 7 calories, 1 gram of protein and no fat, while the same serving of sour cream has 24 calories, 2 grams of fat and less than 1 gram of protein.
And by combining your baked potato with foods that are high in protein or fiber , you slow down digestion, which may reduce your potato’s glycemic effect.
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