# CHIP - Coronary Health Improvement Project



## ace2000 (Jun 16, 2011)

CHIP - Coronary Health Improvement Project

Anybody heard of it?  I'm just getting started and it looks very interesting so far.  My employer is paying for the class.  Supposedly, the results have been proven by the medical community.  The sessions are lead by Dr. Diehl who used to lead the Pritikin institute.

http://www.chiphealth.com/

They claim to actually *reverse *heart ailments... such as diabetes, blood pressure, etc.

I go in for my initial lab work tomorrow.  For me, I'd just like to get off my blood pressure meds.  I'll report back in a couple of months.


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## glypnirsgirl (Jun 16, 2011)

I listened to the CNN interview - this sounds remarkable to me. My husband became a vegan about 2 months ago. We have not yet seen his "numbers" but now I am extremely curious as to how his cholesterol, etc. is being affected.

elaine


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## pgnewarkboy (Jun 17, 2011)

This may be great.  I don't know.  It may be worth a try if there are no negative impacts.   The whole business about good and bad cholesterol etc. is extremely confusing.  A very large study demonstrated that raising good cholesterol with medication can actually be harmful and basically provided no benefits.  All prior studies showing improvement with raised good cholesterol were based on diet alone for people with heart disease.  

My point is this -  This is a very complicated matter with no easy solutions.  A healthy diet is the best diet which is low in saturated fats and high in complex carbohydrates.  That is what the study showed.  This vegan diet may be perfect.  I wouldn't jump into it just because there are glowing testimonials on the web or anywhere else until I was sure it wouldn't hurt - even if it did no good.


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## glypnirsgirl (Jun 20, 2011)

After reading your inquiry, I spent some time doing research into this program. The studies were so compelling that I decided to adopt this lifestyle. 

Thanks for sharing!

elaine


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## ace2000 (Jun 21, 2011)

glypnirsgirl said:


> After reading your inquiry, I spent some time doing research into this program. The studies were so compelling that I decided to adopt this lifestyle.
> 
> Thanks for sharing!
> 
> elaine


 
And thank you for your feedback.  I'd be curious to know how things worked out on your husband's readings.   Good luck to you both.

I just did my initial lab work on Friday, and we're supposed to go over the results in class on Wednesday.  The diet is a vegan diet (you are correct about that), but you are allowed to eat all you want (ha!).  I did Day 1 yesterday, and was not hungry at all. 

The CHIP program claims that it will lower chloresteral by 20% within 30 days.  We'll see about that!


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## glypnirsgirl (Jun 28, 2011)

How are you doing on the program? 

I am not hungry. I am eating fairly high volume per calorie food - lots of salad, vegetable soup, beans and brown rice. Cereal (Kashi Go Lean Crunch) and fruit and soy mile for breakfast

I bought my first tofu tonight. I am going to be making black bean and tofu enchiladas -- and maybe saving some of it to make tofu scrambe for breakfast in the morning. 

I am really surprised how little I am missing meat. I miss Mexican food - but I will be able to meet that craving with the enchiladas. My husband suggested that I get spinach enchiladas with salsa verde - and that sounds good, too.

I feel much better. I feel lighter even though I don't think that I have lost weight.

How are you feeling?

elaine


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## ace2000 (Jun 28, 2011)

glypnirsgirl said:


> How are you doing on the program?
> 
> I am not hungry. I am eating fairly high volume per calorie food - lots of salad, vegetable soup, beans and brown rice. Cereal (Kashi Go Lean Crunch) and fruit and soy mile for breakfast
> 
> ...


 
Elaine,

Doing great so far!  We did the jumpstart diet last week for 5 days, and I found that if I eat a bowl of oatmeal with fruit (or similar) in the morning, that I'm fine until lunch.     For lunch, I've been doing mostly vegetables.  I also subscribed to the e-mealz vegetarian shopping list and plan, and have found a couple of vegetarian dishes that I like.  The good part is that I don't feel hungry.

The good news is that in two weeks I've lost 5 pounds (at least), and my blood pressure has gone down from 113 to 98.  Because of that, I've decided to cut my blood pressure pills in half.  I'm also exercising on a daily basis.  

We're cutting out all meats, sugars, and salts.  We'll probably make an exception one day a week.  We did yogurt ice cream last Sunday, but still haven't had any meats in over a week.

I'm starting to become a believer in CHIP!

P.S. Also, love the Bob's Red Mill products.


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## ace2000 (Jun 28, 2011)

One other item to mention... my pulse rate was just above a 100.  Now, it's in the high 70's to low 80's.  Besides getting off my blood pressure meds, I'd really like to get that pulse rate lower.

My final lab testing will be July 29th.


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## glypnirsgirl (Jun 28, 2011)

I would love to find the site that you are referencing for your meal planning. I found this great site for recipes. I love the Thai Curry recipe. It requires some fairly exotic ingredients like coconut milk and lemongrass and it is SO GOOD.

elaine


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## ace2000 (Jun 28, 2011)

glypnirsgirl said:


> I would love to find the site that you are referencing for your meal planning. I found this great site for recipes. I love the Thai Curry recipe. It requires some fairly exotic ingredients like coconut milk and lemongrass and it is SO GOOD.
> 
> elaine


 
I am definitely going to try some of those!  Here is the e-mealz web site:

http://www.e-mealz.com/    Click on meal plan options on the top menu.  They also have a sample available for download.

They have several varieties...  we have decided to pick out four of the seven meals each week and only do those.  The shopping list is on the last page and it makes it easy to only buy the ingredients for the meals you want. 

If you PM me your email address, I'd be happy to send you a copy of the full vegetarian pdf file.


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## TSPam (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi,
On the other side, I lost weight and my numbers improved by eating MORE PASTURE/GRASS fed meat and removing all of the starchy carbs and sugar. What I have read is that it is in removing the sugars that people's number and weight improves. There are almost no studies where people eat a high sugar diet and Vegan or High sugar and meat to see if they make any difference. 

Also, for children soy is not good. Almost all soy except fermented soy is an estrogen mimicker and so girls who have a lot of soy early also become women early and boys on lots of soy stay small and have hormone trouble. Check out the Weston A Price web site for lots of info on diet and health.


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## ace2000 (Jun 28, 2011)

TSPam said:


> Hi,
> On the other side, I lost weight and my numbers improved by eating MORE PASTURE/GRASS fed meat and removing all of the starchy carbs and sugar.


 
Are you saying your cholesterol numbers got better?  That's the whole idea of no meat on the CHIP plan, is to improve those numbers.  The goal is to get below 160.


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## glypnirsgirl (Jun 28, 2011)

TSPam said:


> Hi,
> On the other side, I lost weight and my numbers improved by eating MORE PASTURE/GRASS fed meat and removing all of the starchy carbs and sugar. What I have read is that it is in removing the sugars that people's number and weight improves. There are almost no studies where people eat a high sugar diet and Vegan or High sugar and meat to see if they make any difference.
> 
> Also, for children soy is not good. Almost all soy except fermented soy is an estrogen mimicker and so girls who have a lot of soy early also become women early and boys on lots of soy stay small and have hormone trouble. Check out the Weston A Price web site for lots of info on diet and health.



A few years ago, Ian and I ate no meat other than organic grass fed beef and organic free-range chicken. It is very lean and somewhat gamy tasting. Expensive. And probably worth it. The farm that we bought it from is a sustainable farm. They rotate the animals in their pastures to keep everything in balance. The organic free range chicken is DELICIOUS, there link can be found here. 

I also agree about the soy. I have had uterine cancer and my oncologist has warned me away from soy because of its estrogen-type properties. 

It is a tight balancing act to keep up protein levels and minimizing starchy carbs while maintaining a vegan diet. Part of this eating plan is to also stay away from sugar and processed food. 

I am grateful that vegetables are easy to prepare.

elaine


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## TSPam (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi,
Yes, my numbers got better!
From what I have read, and I have read extensively, It is the carbohydrates that up the numbers because carbs are inflammatory. 
From what I have seen most diets that remove meat also remove sugar and often potatoes and corn. Some of the tests on mice originally said that it was meat that caused trouble but when checked more closely it seems that the meat diet was also filled with corn and sugar and the conclusion that meat was the trouble was unfounded.
To note also, I have been found to be gluten (wheat,rye, barley) sensitive and that can also be inflammatory. There are many, many people who don't know that they are gluten sensitive and so removing sugar and breads will make people feel much better and loose weight too.
Human bodies sure are complicated.


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## ace2000 (Jun 28, 2011)

glypnirsgirl said:


> Part of this eating plan is to also stay away from sugar and processed food.



Staying away from sugar and processed food is a major part of the CHIP plan.  Also, eating high-fiber is very important.  I'm only a fourth of the way through the program, but I'm pretty sure potatoes are ok.  Since so many plans seem to contradict each other, I've decided to do this one as well as possible and watch the results.  And I'll agree on what you said earlier, I don't feel hungry!

You all have me curious about the grass fed animals... LOL, maybe I'll be good and eat that on my 'meat' day each week.  

I mentioned the 'Jump-start' diet earlier...  I found a link to it.  

http://www.shsda.org/article.php?id=118

This is for the first week.  It made a very noticeable difference on my numbers.  Not much flavor, but I was not hungry.


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## TSPam (Jun 28, 2011)

Hear is another piece of info about cholesterol from westonaprice.org 

http://www.westonaprice.org/images/pdfs/trifold-cholesterol2010.pdf

There is so much info out there that it is hard to know what to do. It is good to care enough about our health to work at it

congrats all


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## ace2000 (Jun 28, 2011)

TSPam said:


> Hear is another piece of info about cholesterol from westonaprice.org
> 
> http://www.westonaprice.org/images/pdfs/trifold-cholesterol2010.pdf
> 
> ...


 
So, if I read that correctly, a person with a cholesterol level of 350 is at no greater risk of heart disease than someone who's cholesterol level is very low?  I'm not sure I buy into that one.  That definitely contradicts what I've seen and heard from the CHIP program.  I specifically recall hearing that a level of 160 or below makes you 10 times less likely to have heart disease than someone with very high levels.  There are some points that are very similar though.

Not saying that link is definitely wrong, I am definitely not an expert.


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## TSPam (Jun 28, 2011)

One of the things that I found interesting about the CHIP page is that it has the China Diet book on the front page. The china diet has been shown to be very flawed. They changed the food and the type of rodents that they used in the study making the results somewhat meaningless.

Anyone that makes money from a diet could be suspect. I try to get my info from scientific sources not connected with a commercial venture. Not easy to do!

Naturalnews.com is another intersting site. It is a bit "out there" but gives a perspective that you won't get on tv or newspapers.


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## ace2000 (Jun 28, 2011)

TSPam said:


> One of the things that I found interesting about the CHIP page is that it has the China Diet book on the front page. The china diet has been shown to be very flawed. They changed the food and the type of rodents that they used in the study making the results somewhat meaningless.
> 
> Anyone that makes money from a diet could be suspect. I try to get my info from scientific sources not connected with a commercial venture. Not easy to do!
> 
> Naturalnews.com is another intersting site. It is a bit "out there" but gives a perspective that you won't get on tv or newspapers.


 
Not an expert on this stuff, but you're talking about the program that President Clinton has endorsed (not saying that makes it correct, just interesting)...  However, the CHIP program is about lifestyle modification... so, it's more than just diet. 

http://www.nutrientrich.com/1/presi...n-campbell-caldwell-esselstyn-and-others.html

I sure don't know... all I can do is just speak from my experience.  And I'll post my numbers at the end of July, when I get my lab test done.  I monitor my blood pressure and pulse rate nightly.  And just in a few weeks, those numbers have improved.  Hard to say how much will be attributed to eating and how much is related to exercising though.


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## Patri (Jun 28, 2011)

TSPam said:


> One of the things that I found interesting about the CHIP page is that it has the China Diet book on the front page. The china diet has been shown to be very flawed. They changed the food and the type of rodents that they used in the study making the results somewhat meaningless.



What kind of rodents do the Chinese eat?
That was my first thought from your post. Ewwwwwwwwww.


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## ace2000 (Jul 1, 2011)

I have some information to share...   On the program, I've seen my systolic blood pressure numbers go down from 117 (with meds) to the low 90's (with half meds) in just a couple of weeks.  Last night I had a reading of 88 on my home monitor.

I went to the doctor today and he told me stop taking my meds (I had already been cutting them in half for the last 10 days anyhow).  My pulse rate has gone down from 107 a two weeks ago to 81 today.


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## pjrose (Jul 4, 2011)

I came here from the link you put on the "donut hole" thread - thanks, Ace!  I don't think I'd have a problem going veggie, though giving up sugar would be very difficult.  I am a night eater when my cravings are on full throttle and my brain is shut off.  

I'll look at the links above.


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## Rose Pink (Jul 4, 2011)

pjrose said:


> ...  I don't think I'd have a problem going veggie, though giving up sugar would be very difficult.  ....


Sugar comes from veggies.   As does chocolate.


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## pjrose (Jul 5, 2011)

Rose Pink said:


> Sugar comes from veggies.   As does chocolate.



Chocolate SHOULD be the perfect food - bean = veggie, protein, fiber.....and some fat is healthy too.  Grrrrr.   

I am going to try to eat healthier; feeling crummy tonight and not at all hungry, so maybe this'll be day 1 (night 1?) of not night-snacking.  Then I'll try to up my fruits and veggies tomorrow.


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## ace2000 (Jul 5, 2011)

TSPam said:


> One of the things that I found interesting about the CHIP page is that it has the China Diet book on the front page. The china diet has been shown to be very flawed. They changed the food and the type of rodents that they used in the study making the results somewhat meaningless.


 
TSPam, since you mentioned the China Diet book in your post here, I want to make a couple of observations.  You noticed that the China Diet book is displayed prominently on the CHIP page... and since the time you've brought this up, I've noticed that the China Diet has definitely been mentioned in the CHIP lectures several times.  I didn't even know what that study was until you brought this up.  I also want to point out again that this China Diet has kind of been endorsed by President Clinton as a major part of the reason why he's been doing better lately.

I have researched the China Diet study on Google, and I'm not totally convinced about it, but see enough out there to realize there may be something to some of the skepticism.  

I have gone without meat for two-three weeks now (and have seen my blood pressure readings rapidly decrease), so I've decided to keep on the strict diet plan, until I see my lab numbers in early August.  However, after that point, I'll probably allow myself to eat low-fat meats (like chicken or fish) at least once or twice a week.  That will be a major decrease in what I was previously doing.  And just cutting out red meat altogether should help also.  That is just my approach, that is definitely not the CHIP recommended approach.

One thing I've noticed about the CHIP program is that they do not deal with utlimatums.  They use words like 'decrease' and 'optimal diet', so I think they are just trying to make you do the best you can.

One extra piece of news... I mentioned on Friday that the doctor gave me permission to stop taking my blood pressure medication.  I had a followup appointment today (6 days after stopping the meds), and my readings are still between 110 and 120 (I had it checked 4 times today, twice with my home machine, and twice on their machine).

I think a big part of the success for me (and why I've lost 10 pounds) is two things...  oatmeal or 10-grain cereal with fruit in the morning and a vegetable mix that eat for lunch.   Those have been two constants that I believe have made a major difference.  The best part about it is that I feel great throughout the day, and don't feel sluggish in the afternoons anymore.

Anyway, I'm just sharing my experience.  Take it for what it's worth.


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## ace2000 (Jul 5, 2011)

ace2000 said:


> However, after that point, I'll probably allow myself to eat low-fat meats (like chicken or fish) at least once or twice a week.  That will be a major decrease in what I was previously doing.  And just cutting out red meat altogether should help also.  That is just my approach, that is definitely not the CHIP recommended approach.


 
I should clarify that the CHIP 'optimal' diet is zero meat.  Here's a link...

http://www.chiphealth.com/health_topics/topics/lifestyle_change_diet.php


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## ace2000 (Jul 5, 2011)

TSPam said:


> One of the things that I found interesting about the CHIP page is that it has the China Diet book on the front page. The china diet has been shown to be very flawed. They changed the food and the type of rodents that they used in the study making the results somewhat meaningless.


 
Pam, I didn't directly state it in my other post... but, I really appreciate your thoughts and the knowlege you've shared.   I am keeping an open mind through this whole process.


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## pjrose (Jul 5, 2011)

ace2000 said:


> . . .
> One extra piece of news... I mentioned on Friday that the doctor gave me permission to stop taking my blood pressure medication.  I had a followup appointment today (6 days after stopping the meds), and my readings are still between 110 and 120 (I had it checked 4 times today, twice with my home machine, and twice on their machine).
> 
> I think a big part of the success for me (and why I've lost 10 pounds) is two things...  oatmeal or 10-grain cereal with fruit in the morning and a vegetable mix that eat for lunch.   Those have been two constants that I believe have made a major difference.  The best part about it is that I feel great throughout the day, and don't feel sluggish in the afternoons anymore.
> ...



Ace, your experience is very intriguing.  No BP meds, losing 10 lbs, not being hungry, and feeling great?  Wow.  

How long have you been on this?  Besides the breakfast and lunch noted above, what else do you eat in a typical day?  Do you snack?  Do you have any cravings for food you used to eat?


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## ace2000 (Jul 5, 2011)

pjrose said:


> Ace, your experience is very intriguing.  No BP meds, losing 10 lbs, not being hungry, and feeling great?  Wow.
> 
> How long have you been on this?  Besides the breakfast and lunch noted above, what else do you eat in a typical day?  Do you snack?  Do you have any cravings for food you used to eat?


 
I'd be happy to share what I know... but keep in mind that I'm a 'CHIPster' in training.  

I eat a generous bowl of oatmeal or 10 grain cereal in the morning.  I also add some cinnamon and lots of fruit.  I also add two pieces of whole grain toast (with Smart Balance spread) to the breakfast.

For lunch, it's always something a little different, but always lots of vegetables made into a soup or salad.

For dinner, I use the emealz vegetarian plan that I mentioned earlier.  If you'd like to see a full copy of that plan, then PM me your email and I'd be happy to send you the pdf files for the past couple of weeks.

The last link that I posted explains the plan very well.

Yes, I do not go hungry at all.  I think that has to do with the high fiber and starches (or 'tubers' as they call them).  He points out that potatoes are excellent for you as long as you don't load them up with anything extra.  Plus, I've found that all vegetables (or potatoes) are great when cut up and roasted in the oven.

One caution that I want to mention... they tell you in class that when you start the diet you may have some 'churning' going on your stomach, but it should go away after a couple of weeks.  I did experience some of that.


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## ace2000 (Jul 5, 2011)

pjrose said:


> Ace, your experience is very intriguing.  No BP meds, losing 10 lbs, not being hungry, and feeling great?  Wow.
> 
> How long have you been on this?  Besides the breakfast and lunch noted above, what else do you eat in a typical day?  Do you snack?  Do you have any cravings for food you used to eat?


 
When I got put on the BP meds about five years ago, I was kind of depressed about that.  I don't take any medicine unless I have to.  I even asked the doctor if I could change my diet or do something else and he said that I'd probably be on the meds for the rest of my life.  He did say that if I lost about 20 pounds that I might have a chance. 

I do not snack during the day now.  Believe it or not, I do not get any cravings for any of the old food.  But, I'm committed to trying the diet until the program is finished.  That motivation may have something to do with the lectures and seeing the effects of athlerosclerosis very clearly explained.  

Here's a good one for you...  EDIT:  I should warn in advance that this shows some footage of open heart surgery at the very end.  But this one snippet really changed my mindset.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMy0Jfii0no

Also, there is tons of information and videos on the CHIP web site.


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## ace2000 (Jul 5, 2011)

pjrose said:


> How long have you been on this?


 
First day of class was June 13th.  Took a week to get started with the diet.  Also, exercise is a major part this program.  I work out on the stair climber for 30 minutes a day, and also ride my bike.

So, very tough to say how much exercise or diet is a part of the equation.


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## ace2000 (Aug 9, 2011)

I mentioned earlier that I would be happy to share my results on the CHIP program...  the program has made a big difference!  All due to diet and exercise within six weeks.

I'll post the (improvement) and current numbers...

Total Cholesterol (-17.2%) 164
HDL Cholesterol (+25%) 55
Ratio (-33.7%) 2.98
LDL Cholesterol (-23.6%) 94

Weight (-26.2 lbs)  209.6

Systolic Blood Pressure (-6) 106
Diastolic Blood Pressure (-13) 68  

Pulse (-33) 70

The only medication I was taking previously was for BP.  As I mentioned previously, the doctor took me off of that prescription within three weeks of starting the program.  So, my BP numbers improved even after I stopped taking the meds.

The CHIP program works!  Yes, it does promote a vegan diet, but I'll take those tradeoffs any day.  And, the best part of it is that I did not feel hungry.


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## loafingcactus (Aug 9, 2011)

For an alternate viewpoint I would suggest:
-Somewhat "sciency". Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taube
-more popular (to the point of silly, but still) The Primal Blueprint.

For a really great article about how to understand your cholesterol numbers (If you are a man, none of it applies to women) go read "The Cholesterol Primer" on the Primal Blueprint chat boards or just ask for help on the chat board... They are by necessity very aware of how those numbers work.

All of this is my personal opinion.


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## glypnirsgirl (Aug 9, 2011)

ace2000 said:


> I mentioned earlier that I would be happy to share my results on the CHIP program...  the program has made a big difference!  All due to diet and exercise within six weeks.
> 
> I'll post the (improvement) and current numbers...
> 
> ...



IMPRESSIVE! That is amazing to achieve such improvement in such a short time. 

I have been doing the diet, but had been unable to exercise due to problems with my hips. I am starting that part now.

elaine


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## Rose Pink (Aug 9, 2011)

Congratulations, Ace, for being able to stick with the program.  I am always interested in what makes a person motivated to change, and to stick with the changes.  Most people cannot stick with the changes they make, whether it be diet or other lifestyle choices.


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## ace2000 (Aug 9, 2011)

loafingcactus said:


> For an alternate viewpoint I would suggest:
> -Somewhat "sciency". Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taube
> -more popular (to the point of silly, but still) The Primal Blueprint.
> 
> ...


 
Before this program I was completely lost on all the recommendations that are out there...  there's so much contradiction.  

All I know is that I'm off my blood pressure meds (with my doctor's blessing), I've lost over 28 pounds in less than two months, and my cholesterol numbers have rapidly declined.  And with no food-tracking... I can eat as much as I want.

Not looking for a different plan, that's for sure.


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## ace2000 (Aug 9, 2011)

Rose Pink said:


> Congratulations, Ace, for being able to stick with the program.  I am always interested in what makes a person motivated to change, and to stick with the changes.  Most people cannot stick with the changes they make, whether it be diet or other lifestyle choices.


 
Thanks Rose.  I *think* I'm on the program for good... with a few exceptions - I did have a turkey sandwich the other day because it was the only healthy choice on the menu.  I can tell you that there's certain foods that I used to enjoy, that I don't even want to eat anymore.

I would state very clearly that it's the program that motivated me to do it.  I've had the motivation before with other methods, but this program gave me the nutrition knowlege that I was lacking before.


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## loafingcactus (Aug 9, 2011)

Ace, congratulations on your success. Didn't mean to rain on your parade... My eyes got caught up in the conversation that started this thread and that is what I was responding to initially.

Regardless of the other controversies, weight loss is incontrovertibly a health benefit and also d**n hard, so congratulations indeed!


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## ace2000 (Aug 9, 2011)

loafingcactus said:


> Ace, congratulations on your success. Didn't mean to rain on your parade... My eyes got caught up in the conversation that started this thread and that is what I was responding to initially.
> 
> Regardless of the other controversies, weight loss is incontrovertibly a health benefit and also d**n hard, so congratulations indeed!


 
LOL - and don't take my post wrong - you didn't 'rain' on anything... I appreciate you sharing, and I actually went out there and read the reviews on Amazon.  I don't know enough about this stuff to know the 'real' truths about nutrition.  My point was only that I've got a simple plan that works - for me.  That's all I need for now.


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## stevedmatt (Aug 9, 2011)

ace2000 said:


> I think a big part of the success for me (and why I've lost 10 pounds) is two things...  oatmeal or 10-grain cereal with fruit in the morning and a vegetable mix that eat for lunch.   Those have been two constants that I believe have made a major difference.  The best part about it is that I feel great throughout the day, and don't feel sluggish in the afternoons anymore.



I'd love to know what the vegetable mix is that you eat for lunch and how you prepare it, if at all.

I also love Bob's Red Mill products, but the steel cut oats really give me an upset stomach. Not sure why I can tolerate their other high fiber products and not this.


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## ace2000 (Aug 9, 2011)

stevedmatt said:


> I'd love to know what the vegetable mix is that you eat for lunch and how you prepare it, if at all.
> 
> I also love Bob's Red Mill products, but the steel cut oats really give me an upset stomach. Not sure why I can tolerate their other high fiber products and not this.



Just chop up potato, celery, red onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, anything you got left in the fridge, coat it with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and basil.  You can roast it at 450 for 10-12 minutes or it can be microwaved.

We purchased a couple of choppers/slicers on Amazon to make our lives easier.  That veg mix can be added to rice, salad, couscous, quinoa and served with beans/potatoes.   

On the Red Mill, we like the 7-grain or 10-grain, and I also mix in their high-fiber variety too.  Never tried the steel cut oats.  I'll have a nice sized bowl of that with fruit and some nuts with two slices of whole-grain toast every single morning.

Between that breakfast and lunch, I'm good for the entire day with no afternoon let-down... I used to eat at our school cafeteria and would eat a lot for lunch... now I go to the gym and do 30-minutes on the elliptical machine.

I think the high-fiber diet is an important part of the program.


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## ace2000 (Aug 9, 2011)

ace2000 said:


> Just chop up potato, celery, red onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, anything you got left in the fridge, coat it with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and basil.  You can roast it at 450 for 10-12 minutes or leave it be and microwave for a minute.



Forgot to add... we do a big batch of this every weekend, with enough to last us several days.


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## glypnirsgirl (Aug 9, 2011)

stevedmatt said:


> I'd love to know what the vegetable mix is that you eat for lunch and how you prepare it, if at all.
> 
> I also love Bob's Red Mill products, but the steel cut oats really give me an upset stomach. Not sure why I can tolerate their other high fiber products and not this.



We use steel cut oats ALOT. I find that they are more agreeable when cooked long and slow with about a 1/3 increase in the water. I frequently cook them in the slow cooker.

elaine


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## pjrose (Aug 9, 2011)

Congratulations, Ace!     

I'm not on CHIP, but have been getting more veggies at the farm down the road and grilling them and/or eating them raw with a dash of vinegar, olive oil, and herbs.....I can tell the difference all that fiber is making  
(I love the farm - self service, honor system, weigh your own veggies, write down a list and add up the cost, put the money in the box and make your own change.)

I'll have to try your mixture.


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## heathpack (Aug 9, 2011)

*Steel Cut Oats for 1*

Toast 1/4 cup oats in saucepan with a thin pat of butter until fragrant and smells like butterscotch, 1-2 min.

Add 1/4 cup skim milk and 1/3 cup water.  Simmer uncovered 25 minutes without stirring.

After 25 min, add a fat pinch of salt and cook another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add more water if necessary to achieve desired consistency.

Not vegan, I know.  Have not read the CHIP thing, maybe violates CHIP principles, but 162 calories per serving, 8 grams protein, 4 gm fiber.  

When I have the calories to spare, I like to fix this up with 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 teaspoon honey, half a banana, a few chopped peanuts and a splash of milk.  That is a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast.


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## ace2000 (Aug 9, 2011)

heathpack said:


> Not vegan, I know.  Have not read the CHIP thing, maybe violates CHIP principles, but 162 calories per serving, 8 grams protein, 4 gm fiber.



Yes, vegan is the optimal diet (as they call it).  However, the program does not have a rigid approach.  We currently use soy milk or almond milk. 

I found this interview... which seems to break it all down in an easy to read format.  I am not endorsing the web site, nor know nothing else about the web site, other than the fact that I liked the interview while searching for something else about CHIP.  The web site is not connected to CHIP in any manner.

http://www.vegparadise.com/24carrot.html

Keep in mind, that Dr. Diehl was a former director at the Pritikin Longevity Institute and they studied what makes people live longer and the impact diet has on disease.  I recall reading the Pritikin book about 10 years ago (it was a best-seller back then) and recall it was interesting but I never really put it to practical use.


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## heathpack (Aug 9, 2011)

Make it with almond milk, and then add almond butter, honey, banana and chopped toasted almonds?  That would be vegan, you'd have to use oil instead of butter I suppose.

H



ace2000 said:


> Yes, vegan is the optimal diet (as they call it).  However, the program does not have a rigid approach.  We currently use soy milk or almond milk.
> 
> I found this interview... which seems to break it all down in an easy to read format.  I am not endorsing the web site, nor know nothing else about the web site, other than the fact that I liked the interview while searching for something else about CHIP.  The web site is not connected to CHIP in any manner.
> 
> ...


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## stevedmatt (Aug 9, 2011)

glypnirsgirl said:


> We use steel cut oats ALOT. I find that they are more agreeable when cooked long and slow with about a 1/3 increase in the water. I frequently cook them in the slow cooker.
> 
> elaine





heathpack said:


> *Steel Cut Oats for 1*
> 
> Toast 1/4 cup oats in saucepan with a thin pat of butter until fragrant and smells like butterscotch, 1-2 min.
> 
> ...



Thank you both for the ideas. I will eventually revisit the steel cut oats.


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## stevedmatt (Aug 9, 2011)

ace2000 said:


> Just chop up potato, celery, red onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, anything you got left in the fridge, coat it with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and basil.  You can roast it at 450 for 10-12 minutes or it can be microwaved.
> 
> We purchased a couple of choppers/slicers on Amazon to make our lives easier.  That veg mix can be added to rice, salad, couscous, quinoa and served with beans/potatoes.
> 
> ...



Sounds like a very large breakfast. The roasted vegies sounds very good, and I will try them.


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## ace2000 (Aug 10, 2011)

ace2000 said:


> Just chop up potato, celery, red onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, anything you got left in the fridge, coat it with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and basil.  You can roast it at 450 for 10-12 minutes or it can be microwaved.
> 
> We purchased a couple of choppers/slicers on Amazon to make our lives easier.  That veg mix can be added to rice, salad, couscous, quinoa and served with beans/potatoes.



I just realized that I left out my favorite ingredient... sweet potatoes!  

Also, we don't do all of these types of veggies in one batch, my point was just some kind of mixture of any of these.  Any vegetables would work fine.


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## ace2000 (Aug 19, 2011)

I mentioned earlier in this thread that ex-President Clinton has tried a similar diet approach.  Yahoo is running a front page story with a short video about the details.  Clinton is working closely with a couple of doctors that are prominently mentioned in the CHIP program - Dr. Ornish and Dr. Esselstyn.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/bill-clinton-poster-child-plant-based-diet-195630850.html

I'll also provide another interview link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoHt9cSWJVI


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## pjrose (Mar 11, 2012)

How's the plan going, Ace?  Still on it?  Info/advice to share?


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## ace2000 (Mar 11, 2012)

pjrose said:


> How's the plan going, Ace? Still on it? Info/advice to share?


 
Hey! Yes, still on the bandwagon. I'm still below the weight that I ended the program at - 209lbs. I currently weigh in at 208lbs. However, I'm about 8lbs over my record low. I'm still off the blood pressure meds, even though my readings are slightly higher. So, I'm still very much a believer in the CHIP program... which basically promotes a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.

This spring, I hope to continue to ride my bike to work and and am hoping to get and stay below 200lbs. I have no idea what I shared last on this thread, but I got my blood tested in October for our Employee Wellness program, and my cholesterol reading was down to 145. That was down from 205 earlier in the year.

Any info/advice? I'd say be careful with meat. We'll still occasionally eat meat, but we stay away from keeping it the main thing on the plate. Probably average about one day per week.

I recently upped my subscription to e-mealz (thanks to a recent TUG thread), and if anyone would like me to forward them a copy via email, just PM me your email address and I'll try to remember to forward it on to you each week.

E-mealz has a variety of meal planning, we've chosen the vegetarian, and it has really shown us a lot of great choices and has helped us stay on the diet.

If you are wondering if it's possible to significantly lower your cholesterol or blood pressure readings through lifestyle changes, I can tell you the answer is definitely YES.


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## pjrose (Mar 28, 2012)

*Steel Cut Oats*

I didn't know about steel cut oats before this thread, but just bought some and made them in the crockpot.  I was surprised when I bought them; I hadn't seen any kind of oats other than the flakey kind.  

They are really good!  I usually don't eat breakfast (I sleep late and often forget to eat till mid-afternoon, then snack all night) so I decided to start with breakfast to try to reprogram my eating cycle.  For three days so far, I've been doing more day-eating and less night-eating AND the scale is already showing the difference.  (My resistance was way down during night-eating, so I'd eat whatever wasn't tied down.)

Here's what I did:
"toasted" 1 c steel-cut oats in a sliver of margarine for a few minutes

combined in crockpot:
1 c toasted oats
3 c water
1 c low-fat milk
1 Tbs cinnamon
1 peeled and chopped apple
1/4 c raisins
a few packets of fake sugar (they really weren't needed)
cooked on low for 7 hours

I didn't measure, but I'm guessing I'll get about 5-6 servings out of it, for about 4 WW points plus per serving, AND after eating them, I'm not hungry!

I'm also making at least 2 veggies with each dinner, adding more salad stuff to lunch, and ensuring that meat/protein is only a minor part of my plate.  Not CHIP yet - maybe never - but definitely working on a healthier balance.


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## Rose Pink (Mar 28, 2012)

I love thick-cut oatmeal.  It has a much better texture than the other stuff.  However, I can't imagine what happens to it when cooked for 7 hours. I've not tried toasting it.  Maybe that makes it hold up better when cooked so long. 

I cook mine for about 5 minutes (untoasted) on the stovetop.  Eat it most mornings with a chopped up apple, cinnamon, a few walnuts and some ground flax seed.  Yum! Sometimes I have blueberries instead of apple.

Snoqualmie Oatmeal is a good brand but any thick cut oatmeal will do.  I encourage people who don't like "regular" oatmeal to try it.  It isn't gooey and slimy like the stuff that comes in the instant packages.


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## pjrose (Mar 28, 2012)

Rose Pink said:


> I love thick-cut oatmeal.  It has a much better texture than the other stuff.  However, I can't imagine what happens to it when cooked for 7 hours. I've not tried toasting it.  Maybe that makes it hold up better when cooked so long.
> 
> I cook mine for about 5 minutes (untoasted) on the stovetop.  Eat it most mornings with a chopped up apple, cinnamon, a few walnuts and some ground flax seed.  Yum! Sometimes I have blueberries instead of apple.
> 
> Snoqualmie Oatmeal is a good brand but any thick cut oatmeal will do.  I encourage people who don't like "regular" oatmeal to try it.  It isn't gooey and slimy like the stuff that comes in the instant packages.



Is thick-cut the same as steel-cut?  

There's no way steel-cut would cook in five minutes; raw, this stuff is like the inside part of dried corn.  The stove-top directions are for about a half-hour, I think.  Cooked for hours in the crockpot, it's got the consistency of mushy oatmeal with the chewiness of barley (sort of) in it - i.e. the center of the grain holds up and retains texture.  

The instant packages are loaded with sugar; the kids liked it of course (DS would eat several packages raw) but on the few times I made it for myself I'd first put it in a fine sieve and shake out the sugar over the sink.


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## Rose Pink (Mar 28, 2012)

pjrose said:


> Is thick-cut the same as steel-cut?
> 
> There's no way steel-cut would cook in five minutes; raw, this stuff is like the inside part of dried corn.  The stove-top directions are for about a half-hour, I think.  Cooked for hours in the crockpot, it's got the consistency of mushy oatmeal with the chewiness of barley (sort of) in it - i.e. the center of the grain holds up and retains texture.
> 
> The instant packages are loaded with sugar; the kids liked it of course (DS would eat several packages raw) but on the few times I made it for myself I'd first put it in a fine sieve and shake out the sugar over the sink.


You are correct.  I wasn't thinking this morning. (Too concerned over my ruined walls, I think.)

I find the flavored instant oatmeal overly sweet.  I don't add any sweetener to my regular oatmeal.  The fruit is all the sweetness it gets. Also, the consistency of that instant stuff is like snot.  Lumpy snot.

I should try your recipe for toasted oats/groats.  I'll need a ladder to get my crock pot down from the upper cabinet, though.  I am such a lazy cook.


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## Gracey (Mar 28, 2012)

Ace, what meal plan are you following.  I was looking at the low-carb for two.
Have you been satisfied with what meal plan you are following??


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## ace2000 (Mar 28, 2012)

Loops said:


> Ace, what meal plan are you following. I was looking at the low-carb for two.
> Have you been satisfied with what meal plan you are following??


 
Are you referring to the emealz? We chose the Wal-mart vegetarian option. We'll pick about 4 out of 7 meals each week and go shopping for those. 

As far as being satisfied... to be honest, for some reason it's been harder lately, and not I'm not sure why. I haven't had time for exercise and that might be the cause. However, I still stay vegetarian.

Also, I still do the oatmeal every morning, and that's going fine. We just cook ours in the microwave, and we rotate between Bob's Red Mill 10-grain and regular oats, and then add fruit and cinnamon.


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## MuranoJo (Mar 29, 2012)

Cook's posted a review of various oatmeals and Red Mill came out on top.  Not sure if you have Big Lots in your area, but I've seen Red Mill there.  I think Fred Meyers carries it, too, in their health foods section.


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## Maple_Leaf (Mar 29, 2012)

*Food Reward and Weight Loss*

There is an approaching scientific consensus that the concept of food reward explains a lot of what we see with obesity and weight loss.  It is why people can lose weight and keep it off on both low-carb and low-fat diets.  These diets reduce food reward, thus helping the dieter manage appetite more effectively.

Of course, at the same time the processed food companies are trying to increase food reward so you will buy more of their food.  That's why cooking your own food from scratch ingredients is an effective dieting strategy, regardless of whether you choose a low-carb or low-fat path.


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