Easy Keepers

All of us have a friend that seems like they can eat ANYTHING and not gain weight. Chances are, you are thinking of someone right now. That person is NOT an “Easy Keeper”. As for myself (Doug), I am an “Easy Keeper”. I can look at one of my Mom’s cinnamon rolls and put on a couple pounds. An “Easy Keeper” is someone who can gain and keep weight, with little to no effort. In the grass fed cattle world, easy keepers are the kind of cows we want in our herds.

Are we currently on a food joy ride?

The United States and other developed countries are experiencing an obesity epidemic. Did most of us just evolve into easy keepers over the past 50+ years? Or did the industrial food system take us on a food joy ride?

What do I mean by a food joy ride? Let’s look at the cinnamon roll example, using the “nutritional” information from a Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll. We find the following results from the Protein:Energy Ratio Calculator:

• 37% of calories from Fat (Energy)
• 58% of calories from Carbohydrates (Energy)
• 5% of calories from Protein

This is a perfect example of our food system taking us for a joy ride. The combination of high fat and high carbs in a “food”, hijacks our brains with a drug-like reward. Just one hundred years ago, high concentrations (95%) of ENERGY, in a readily available “food like substance”, was not an option to humans on a daily basis. When we did encounter high energy in a food (i.e. fruits at the peak of harvest) we were wired to consume them while we could, in anticipation of the on coming energy deficient season. In today’s world, energy in our diet is available 24/7/365. Our bodies keep storing the energy (as fat) in anticipation of a low energy season that never happens!

In The P:E Diet book, Dr. Ted Naiman and William Shewflet, explains how our recent obesity crisis is an Energy Toxicity problem. We are simply consuming way to much Energy, more than what our bodies were designed to handle.

Solution to energy toxicity…PROTEIN

Three steps to jump off the industrial food system joy ride:

1. Avoid those “food like substances” (not found in nature) that are High Carb and High Fat (i.e. cinnamon rolls).
   1. Sure they are fine for a treat, but not everyday on the way to work.
2. Decrease Carb Frequency (stabilize your blood sugar and your mood)
   1. Think intermittent fasting.
   2. Limit daily food intake to an 8 hour window (i.e. Noon to 8 PM)
3. Increase Protein

Increasing Protein consumption is really the key point of the Protein:Energy Diet. When we focus on protein consumption (especially quality animal proteins) we feel fuller! The vitamins and minerals that our bodies innately seek are not found in high energy sources, but these key nutrients are found in protein. The P:E Diet book explains “we are wired for protein prioritization, we will continue to eat until our protein need is met.” Looking back at our cinnamon roll example, we would just keep eating roll after roll and never feel full! Increase your animal protein consumption and sit back and relax after a meal, you will feel full. If you try this, be prepared, it may feel weird at first. Like any change, take it slow and allow time for your body to adjust.

Protein is impossible to overeat. Carbs and Fat are impossible NOT to overeat.

THE P:E Diet