Phase 1 Day 1

The UltraMetabolism diet is not really a diet, but rather a way to help one learn to eat healthfully as a lifestyle. It emphasizes consumption of whole, nutritious foods, and encourages the limiting and/or banning of refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and trans fats. During Phase I, common potential allergens like gluten, dairy, eggs, and most saturated fats, however, are also eliminated. This 21-day "detoxification phase" is designed to prime and refresh one's metabolism on a clean slate. During Phase II, the potential allergen-containing foods are reincorporated back into the diet. Doing so slowly affords one a realistic gauge as to how certain food items have been affecting physical, mental and emotional health. It then becomes easy to best tailor one's own eating patterns. This is a four-week phase, but is really only the ushering of new behaviors as second nature, lifelong habits that optimize metabolism and promote overall well being.

"You will maintain a healthy metabolism for life by eating foods that are rich in healthy fats; slowly released, low-glycemic-load, high-fiber carbohydrates; plant proteins and minimal lean animal products; as well as disease- and weight-fighting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant chemicals and phytonutrients. These foods will speak to your genes in new ways and your genes will say yes" (278).

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Breakfast: Apple-Walnut Amaranth, 365C

Today was my first time trying amaranth, and I was delighted to discover its pleasant texture and nutty taste. The apple-walnut amaranth recipe was also pretty good. Mum even thought so, though she frequently expressed confusion in the newness and strangeness of it all. Anyway, the recipe called for simmering the grain in some soy milk along with some apples and cinnamon, ane then topping the mixture with walnuts. The seemingly meager 2/3-cup serving was surprisingly enough to fill me up, even after having just worked out. I look forward to enjoying this dish again next Monday.

Snack 1: Apple & Raw Cashews, 280C

Hooray for an apple and some raw cashews! :/

Actually, I don't really mean to be sarcastic. This was a filling snack, and I love cashews. Also, the local Asian market has some really crisp organic Fuji apples, which are my favorite kind.

Lunch: White Beans on a Bed of Greens, 230C

I'm not accustomed to completely vegetarian meals, but this white-bean salad wasn't all too bad. In fact, the simplicity of flavors afforded by a garlic-extra virgin olive oil-lemon juice emulsion marrying the bean, parsley and baby greens mixture was very enjoyable. I actually amused myself by repeatedly shouting how delicious it was. I tried to savor each bean and bit of lettuce, chard, mizuna, arugula, frisee, and radicchio, or whatever was in that cornucopia of organic greens. Each ingredient in itself was made unto a culinary experience, and that reminded me of the Pixar film Ratatouille. I always called it mindful eating, which I'm trying harder to get into the habit of these days. Anyway, ever the party-pooping critic, mum just had to remark, "You love your own." It was a playful joke, but she meant it. Whatever. I casually tossed back, "Don't be jealous." As if I really believed in those words. Yes, I know I was trying hard to believe the food more tasty than it really was. But it really was good!

Snack 2: Avocado with Lemon, 135C

I guess I shall be slowly introducing avocados back into my diet. I only really used to eat them as dessert (chunks in milk with sugar) as a youngster wee yay small, and as guacamole during middle and high school to complement the chips and salsa, but I eventually got bored and forgot about them. Avocados were usually pretty expensive anyway. Hmm...but avocado with lemon: a bit prosaic, and not exactly an exciting comeback--but heck it's still nutritious and good for me. Per the recipe, avocado/lemon snacks are supposed to be around 325C, and I think that calls for a large avocado, but the small ones were on sale for 4/$0.99 at ValuMart, and I was still pretty full from the white bean salad from lunch.

Dinner: Wild Salmon with Rosemary Sweet Potatoes & Lemon Asparagus, 375C

The recipe's title may be a misnomer since the rosemary does not actually coat the sweet potatoes but rather goes over the salmon. However, unless my ingredients were off, I think the true error was in the recipe itself. For some reason, the garlic-rosemary-lemon-ground mustard sauce over the baked salmon tasted really bitter. or maybe I'm at fault here. The recipe called for "dry mustard," and I assumed that was the same as ground mustard. Does anyone know if those are the same thing? In any case, everything besides the sauce turned out very well. The wild salmon was delicate and flaky; the asparagus, crisp and tender; and the sweet potatoes and onions, deliciously caramelized. This also was a huge success with mum. Anyway, I'll need to play with the sauce next week. Hopefully I can incorporate the rosemary because I enjoy its earthy, pine scent. According to Dr. Hyman, its' apparently good for the brain as well: "'Rosemary for remembrance,' an age-old adage, holds true today as this aromatic herb in the mint family offers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits important for memory" (263).

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Detox Broth

The UM Diet also recommends that we enjoy daily a couple cups of "Detox Broth" made with a variety of vegetables and herbs. Today I made some with sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, spinach, wekame seaweed, ginger root, some dried oregano and a bay leaf. I wasn't expecting much but allowing the vegetables to gently simmer for a couple hours really imparted the broth with a delectable taste! I hope I've made enough to last me the week.

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Today's workout: p90X Core Synergistics

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Addenda, 01/16/08:

-While UltraMetabolism does encourage exercise, the workouts mentioned in this blog are not specifically part of the program. I list them only as a personal journal reminder.

-UltraMetabolism does not, however, encourage calorie-counting. I plan to calculate calories only the first time around for each new dish so I have only a rough idea of my average daily energy intake.