Fast-Track principles

This is a diet, or a way of eating, that will:

• Lower insulin levels and stabilize blood-sugar levels
• Banish food cravings
• Eliminate energy peaks and troughs, and mood swings

Enhance concentration

• Re-educate you into a way of eating that will increase your vitality and improve your overall health
• Help your body to burn fat and normalize your weight.

It is vital that you understand the principles of this diet and follow it responsibly. If you are fundamentally healthy, but insulin-resistant and experiencing any ofthe accompanying symptoms, this plan will help you redress the balance and find a level of carbohydrate intake with which your system can cope. The Fast-Track Plan offers you a kick-start and is aimed at women with a BMI of over 35 and men with a BMI of over 25.

For the period of this plan you base your diet on an approximate ratio of 50 per cent high-quality protein/20 per cent low GI carbohydrates/30 per cent healthy fats. You begin the first two weeks of the diet by restricting your carbohydrate intake to 20g (³/4oz), your protein to 150g (5oz) Biological Value and healthy fats to a minimum of 40g (1 1/2oz). On a very simplistic level this means:

• 3 cups low GI vegetables per day.
• 1 portions of protein three times per day and portion twice per day as a
  snack. (A portion of protein is the equivalent to the size of your palm.)
• Around a half to a whole teaspoon of allowable fats at every meal.

Within 48 hours your body will start to burn its own fat as fuel, as your body switches into benign dietary ketosis.

Ketosis

Being in ketosis means that your body burns fat because it isn't taking in sufficient glucose to meet your energy needs. Under everyday conditions the carbohydrates that you eat are converted to glucose, which is the body's primary source of energy. Whenever your carbohydrate intake is limited to a certain range, for a long enough period of time, your body will draw on its fat stores — turning this into a source of fuel called ketones. When you burn a larger amount of fat than is immediately needed for energy, the excess ketones are discarded in the urine.

Dietary ketosis has received a bad press because it is often confused with ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition most often associated with insulin- deficient, type 1 diabetes.

Benign dietary ketosis, however, is a natural adjustment to the body's reduced intake of carbohydrates, as the body shifts its primary source of energy from carbohydrates to stored fat. The presence of insulin keeps ketone production in check so that a mild beneficial ketosis is achieved. Blood-sugar levels are stabilized within a normal range and there is no breakdown of healthy muscle tissue, as long as sufficient protein is included in the diet.

Measuring ketosis

On a rapid weight-loss diet you will usually start to burn fat instead of sugar within the first 48 hours. To measure the ketone levels in your urine, buy urinary test strips, called lypolisis strips, from any pharmacy, which will show you if your carbohydrate/insulin balance is at optimum levels for fat burning. You should do this twice a day: before breakfast and before your evening meal. Your levels need to be between trace and small (0.5-1.5 mmol-l).

Caution: if your levels rise to above moderate (4 mmol-l), you are not eating enough and should increase your low GI carbohydrates until the ketones are reduced to between trace and small (0.5-1.5 mmol-l). Always drink plenty of water: at least eight large glasses per day.

What kind of carbohydrate?

Athletes often don't know what form of carbohydrate they should be consuming. Does it make a difference if you eat carbohydrate mostly in the form of sugar or should you eat only complex carbohydrates (such as bread, pasta, rice, cereals and potatoes)? Some people regard sugar as 'deadly', while others wouldn't do without it and consider it a necessary part of their diets. Nutritionists advise that sugar and sugary foods should be limited to between 5 and 10 % of total daily energy intake. In other words, a moderate amount of sugar and sugary foods is not considered harmful. The higher the energy content of your diet, the larger the quantity of sugar you can eat. However, sugar and foods containing a large amount of sugar should never take the place of unrefined complex carbohydrates such as wholewheat bread, whole grain cereals and sweetcorn, as these supply other vital nutrients which sugar does not.

Sugar is a useful addition to the diets of athletes who need large amounts of energy, as it supplies a 'calorie-dense' food source. Athletes who take part in triathlons, for example, may find that they simply do not have the time when training two to three times a day to eat the amount of food they need to perform well. By including a small amount of calorie-dense foods - such as those rich in sugar - in their diets, these triathletes are able to fulfill their energy requirements without spending all their free time eating! However, those athletes who try to maintain very low body weights and who consequently eat very little, should obviously keep sugar and foods high in sugar to a minimum.

The fibre factor

Fibre, though not classed as a nutrient, and not actually absorbed by the body, is an important component of our diets, whether we are athletes or sedentary individuals. Found exclusively in plant foods, a low intake of fibre has been linked to various 'Western' diseases. Much of the natural fibre in plant foods is lost in food refinement and this together with a high consumption of animal foods, results in the average Westernized diet being low in fibre. We should all aim to eat at least 30 grams of fibre per day.

Fat

Fat is the other nutrient that is a chief source of energy in our diets. Athletes and the public in general should aim to consume no more than 30% of their total daily energy in the form of fat. Endurance athletes who consume between 60 to 70 % of their energy in the form of carbohydrates, may have to limit their fat intake to 20-25 % of their total calories to allow for those calories obtained from carbohydrates and protein. The main advantage of fat is that it is a very concentrated source of energy (9 calories/37,8 kilojoules per gram). When fat is used as a source of fuel during exercise, it has the advantage of 'sparing' glycogen. A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol can cause raised blood cholesterol levels, even in athletes who train vigorously, so both should play a limited role in any diet.