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Feeling Good on Higher Protein

I normally gather information, analyze things and take measurements. Lately, though, things have been too hectic to go about life like a monk: a deadline at work and family issues that have been...bizarre. Let me know if you need material for a black comedy.

I've been eating on instinct, and instinct has led me to eating more protein and probably fewer calories than normal: mostly black coffee, diet Dr. Pepper (caffeine soothes me), bunless burgers, a little veg, a few egg rolls (they're comfort food), and a lot of Atkins bars. No fatty sauces--they just haven't sounded good, especially in the morning. Result: I'm down two belt holes on my rain coat from a few months ago and my shoes are slightly loose where they used to hurt my feet from being too tight.

Atkins induction made me feel weird for a while, and Body-for-Life made me feel great (in the beginning). BFL is much higher-protein than Atkins induction. I noticed back in my 20s that I felt a lot better when I had eggs or a protein shake for breakfast than when I had cereal. Even as a kid, fatty foods just didn't appeal to me. Higher protein and a bit less fat (but not low-fat) just seems to work better for me. I'm still going easy on the carbs--there are 50g of carb in two egg rolls, but I'm not eating them frequently.

I've been better about taking supplements than I was last summer. I got out of the habit of taking iron and ended up physically weak. Now that I'm back on track, I can lift boxes and furniture as well as the guys.

The point here isn't necessarily that everybody needs higher protein, but that shaking up your routine and eating on instinct, but not to the point of letting yourself go bananas, could be a good experiment to try something new.
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Comments

tess said…
Agree heartily! Sounds like you're feeling better! :-)
October 16, 2014
Lori Miller said…
Yes--thanks!
October 16, 2014
Lowcarb team member said…
Reading your post I got the distinct impression you were feeling a bit better - hope I'm right.

Take Care and ....

All the best Jan
October 16, 2014
Lori Miller said…
The vitamins have helped. And now that the sale is over, things are getting back to normal.
October 16, 2014
Gwen said…
I don't know that I eat higher protein than I did before, per se, but since I've removed 95% of the sugar and processed foods and grains, by process of elimination of all that crap, it seems like it's higher protein. It's not. I just eliminated the crap. I'm eating the same amount of meat, nuts, and cheese. Just it's a higher percentage of my overall food consumption. It makes my body and soul VERY happy. Glad you are feeling better!
October 16, 2014
Lori Miller said…
Yes, what a lot of people call "high protein" or "dieting" is really just cutting out crap like dougnuts, chips and sugary drinks. Cut out all those carbs and the protein percentage of your diet naturally goes up. In that case, it's probably cutting out the crap that makes people feel better.
October 16, 2014
Galina L. said…
So, are you free from home sale worries and obnoxious relatives now? I am glad to know.
I believe the body of most people regulates the necessary amount of protein naturally. If I eat less for a while, I get cravings for protein and eat more, but it is never a binge.
October 16, 2014
Lori Miller said…
No, Mom still has to sell her house: she had an *estate* sale, where she sold about 90% of the stuff *in* the house.

I doubt she'll tell the obnoxious relatives to bugger off. I don't know why--she has plenty of perfectly nice friends she could be enjoying instead.
October 16, 2014
Larcana said…
Mmm Crockpot beef, lamb burgers, hot coffee!
Oh sorry, I was day dreaming..Ha ha!
I agree. It's fat and meat/eggs/hard cheeses that keep me on an even keel.
October 18, 2014
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