Fast DietaryTrack rules

During this first two weeks you need to:

• Eat about 150g (5oz) of protein per day, which should come from a portion about the size of your palm at each meal, plus two all-protein snacks per day.
• Eat around 20g of carbohydrates per day. A simple way to work this out is to use a set of measuring cups (a cup holds 250m1/8 fl oz). You should aim to eat approximately 3 cups of low GI vegetables or 2 cups of low GI vegetables and 1/2cup low GI fruit — at least half of which should be eaten raw.
• Get 30 per cent of your daily calorific intake from fats, which may include: olive oil, walnut oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, homemade mayonnaise, flaxseed oil, small amounts of butter, small amounts of sour cream
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily; you can also drink herbal teas, but avoid alcohol, soft drinks, tea and coffee, because caffeine interferes with ketosis
• Avoid artificial sweeteners, which can stimulate insulin secretion
• Rev up your protein levels by including at least one whey-protein drink per day
• Eat enough — otherwise you may start to burn muscle tissue
• Avoid starchy, carbohydrate-heavy foods such as pasta, bread and potatoes
• Beware of hidden carbohydrates in sauces and dressings
• Check the labels of all foodstuffs and avoid all processed foods
• Not give up!
  

Dietary Q&A

Q. I have been restricting my carbohydrate intake for days now and I have no energy. I thought this plan was supposed to make me feel better, not worse.

A. Your body is adapting to the metabolic conversion of burning fat for energy instead of glucose. This takes about three days in most people, which is why it is usually best to start the diet over a weekend when you are able to relax more. After three days you should see a rise in your energy levels, but if you continue to feel lethargic or unwell, stop the plan and check with your doctor.

Q. Will I get enough fibre on this plan?

A. Fibre is provided by the inclusion of fibrous vegetables and fruit, and is increased if you eat most of these raw. However, if you experience constipation during the initial stages, try adding psyllium husks or psyllium- husk powder to your whey smoothies, because they comprise 100 per cent soluble fibre. Psyllium husks are pure dietary fibre, composed mostly of cellulose. They swell when they come into contact with water and release

a gelatinous mass (mucilage) which passes through the colon and aids easy elimination.

Q. Why does a low-carbohydrate diet cause bad breath?

A. When you are on the Fast-Track Plan and restricting your carbohydrates to around 20g (³/40z) per day, you will be burning ketones, which may cause your breath to smell a little unpleasant. Don't worry, this is easily masked by chewing parsley-oil capsules or by using a natural breath-freshener spray. Make sure that you drink plenty of water because this will help to neutralize the odour.

Alcohol Consumption After Exercise

Many people advise against the consumption of alcohol and caffeine containing beverages when fluid replacement is desired because they have been shown, at least in some circumstances, to act as diuretics. However, it is obvious that many people enjoy consuming these types of beverages in many circumstances.

We therefore undertook a study to investigate the effect of consuming alcohol after exercise in the heat sufficient to induce dehydration equivalent to 2.01 (0.06)% of body mass. Over a 60 minute period beginning 30 minutes after the end of exercise, subjects consumed a volume equivalent to 150% of their mass loss of drinks containing 0, l, 2 or 4% alcohol; the drink composition was identical in all other respects.

The volume of urine produced and excreted for the 6 hours after drink ingestion was measured and was found to be related to the quantity of alcohol consumed, with a larger volume the more alcohol that was consumed (table 14.3). However, despite the definite tendency for the urinary output to increase with increasing alcohol, only with the 4% beverage did the increased value approach significance.

The calculated decrease in plasma volume with dehydration was about 7.6% across all trials. With rehydration the plasma volume increased, but the rate of increase seemed to be related to the quantity of alcohol consumed; at the end of the study period, the mean (SD) increase in plasma

Volume of drink consumed and fraction of fluid retained 6 hours after ingestion of drink of various alcoholic strengths (0, 1, 2, or 4%). Values are mean (SD)

Measure	0%		1%		2%		4%
Drink volume (ml) Fraction of fluid retained (%)	2178 59.3	(191) (15.7)	2240 53.1	(147) (11.0)	2275 50.0	(154) (16.2)	2155 40.7	(125) (13.7)

volume relative to the dehydrated value was 8.l (3.2)% with 0% alcohol, 7.4 (2.7)% with l%, 6.0 (3.4)% with 2%, and 5.3 (3.4)% with 4%.

Drinking Water for Health

We know that walking by the water or jumping into the sea makes us feel good. We know that water is the most refreshing drink when we are thirsty and that it is the one thing we want when we have overindulged or have been drinking alcohol! It feels good to stand under gentle rain and feel the drops on our face and skin. Some cultures celebrate the arrival of rain, knowing how precious it is for survival. And we know our children are fascinated by water as they love to play in it, watch it move and feel it on their bodies.

We all want to be connected to water in some way. Throughout history, water has been revered as sacred. It is magical, mysterious and powerful. And it is absolutely essential for life. While you could survive without food for weeks, you cannot survive long without water.

A large majority of your body (about 70 per cent) is made up of water. You need water to carry waste products around and out of your body. It is used as a medium in many processes like digestion and absorption. Water helps dissolve nutrients so they can pass into the bloodstream via the intestinal walls. It also helps lubricate your body as well as regulate your body temperature with perspiration, cooling the body as sweat evaporates on the skin.

1. Balancing your fluid levels

One of the most intricate balancing acts your body achieves is balancing your fluid levels. Too little water and your cells dehydrate, too much water will burst the cell walls and destroy them. In maintaining a healthy fluid equilibrium a group of substances called electrolytes play a vital role. Electrolytes are mineral compounds consisting of sodium, potassium and chloride that dissolve into electrically charged particles called ions. These ions create electrical impulses that allow cells to communicate with one another. This enables you to carry on everyday functions like thinking, seeing and moving.

If your body is not getting enough water, it will let you know swiftly. Thirst and less frequent visits to the toilet are the first signs of dehydration. If you don't drink enough water you can harm your body and brain. Body functions and processes may not occur as efficiently, causing stress, physical ailments and even depression. Because your body continually loses water through everyday processes, you need to constantly replenish it. You can get water from many foods, particularly fruits and vegetables.

2. Drinking water for health

Here are some tips for increasing your water intake and improving your health:

1. Start the day with a glass of water, or squeeze the juice of a lemon, grapefruit or orange into a cup of hot water. Add a small teaspoon of honey if you wish. Nutritionists recommend drinking eight glasses of water a day. We say aim for at least four 250 ml glasses and increase your fruit and vegetable intake. If you do manage eight, well done.

2. Listen to your body. If you feel dizzy, have a headache or are fatigued, try reaching for a glass of water before taking conventional drugs.

3. Drink a glass of water half an hour prior to a meal rather than during it. This will aid digestion and not dilute digestive juices.

4. Drink a glass of water if feeling stressed. This will help balance body fluids and can calm you down.

(Coffee and tea are not considered sources of water. They contain caffeine, a chemical stimulant, which puts unnecessary stress on the body. Replace with herbal teas or green tea, which is low in caffeine and high in antioxidants.)

3. Not enough water

There are certain times when your body needs more water — such as when you are sick and have a high fever, when you are suffering vomiting or diarrhoea, or when you are perspiring lots due to hot weather or physical exertion, and also if you have high blood pressure.

4. Quality of water

It is not only the amount of water you drink, but also the quality of water that is important. Most city water goes through treatments before arriving in your kitchen tap. Their goal is to eliminate potentially harmful bacteria and parasites. However, the water may still contain unhealthy elements. Problems can stem from waste dumping, which then leaches into the water supplies. Pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals used on the soils can also find their way into your tap water. Continual exposure to even tiny amounts of these toxins can produce adverse reactions. Some common effects are irritation and skin conditions, but there can also be rather subtle effects on the metabolic reactions within your body associated with growth and immunity.

Boiling water, water filters and distillers all help eliminate toxins and bacteria. It is essential that you check with the manufacturer how good the filter is and what it can do before investing money in one. We highly recommend using a good-quality water filter if you are concerned about the quality of your local water.