tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post2288248054398806051..comments2023-10-29T01:46:00.188-08:00Comments on VeggiePharm: Potato Hack VariationsTim Steelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01611027687223434753noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-82151194984875517842018-08-31T06:07:59.755-08:002018-08-31T06:07:59.755-08:00Try the new copper colored and coated fry pans Us...Try the new copper colored and coated fry pans Use just a bit of water, to get them up to heat then cook dry until they are browned. The new skillets are totally non stick and just wipe with paper towel when you are done. No toxic fumes or plastic. Used a lot of different skillets in my 40 year career as a chef(cook)<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09624165248046382922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-81111112266230291762018-04-14T17:58:34.914-08:002018-04-14T17:58:34.914-08:00Hi James,
Non cooked, uncovered foods in the frid...Hi James,<br /><br />Non cooked, uncovered foods in the fridge dry out. That’s why the best way to make good buffalo wings is to store them on a baking sheet uncovered for 12-18 hours! So the success with the potatoes not sticking makes sense. You’re right, far less moisture! It’s damp things that tend to stick to pans. It’s why u Dry ur fish fillet really well before putting it <br />into a pan. And my guess is why ppl are having more success with no oil necessary when they parboil or pre cook the potatoes before heating them in the pan. Much of the moisture has already been removed in the first cook. <br />As for the difference in microwaving vs boiling the potatoes, storing them the same way, but having drastically different results? My guess would be that microwaving cooks from the inside of the food-out and boiling cooks from the outside-in. In other words, the center of the potatoes are cooked more than the outside when u microwave. So those potatoes aren’t getting slimed in ur frig, less moisture! Notice how moisture heavy raw veggies (cucumbers, bell peppers) get so gross sitting in the frig after a while? Same principal. The boiled potatoes are fully cooked on the outside. causing moisture and bacteria buildup which = slime!<br />Try parboiling the potatoes if u want next time. Don’t cook them all the way. They’ll finish cooking fine in the pan anyway. But you won’t get that slime. Or just microwave. Less time and less hassle. Hope this helps answer ur question ��Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11885217525321096896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-28942318718976885082018-04-14T17:54:19.354-08:002018-04-14T17:54:19.354-08:00Hi James,
Non cooked, uncovered foods in the frid...Hi James,<br /><br />Non cooked, uncovered foods in the fridge dry out. That’s why the best way to make good buffalo wings is to store them on a baking sheet uncovered for 12-18 hours! Better for frying up! So the success with the potatoes not sticking makes sense. You’re right, far less moisture! It’s damp things that tend to stick to pans. It’s why u Dry ur fish fillet really well before putting it into a pan. And my guess is why ppl are having more success with no oil necessary when they parboil or pre cook the potatoes before heating them in the pan. Much of the moisture has already been removed in the first cook. <br />As for the difference in microwaving vs boiling the potatoes, storing them the same way, but having drastically different results? My guess would be that microwaving cooks from the inside of the food-out and boiling cooks from the outside-in. In other words, the center of the potatoes are cooked more than the outside when u microwave. So those potatoes aren’t getting slimed in ur frig, less moisture! Notice how moisture heavy raw veggies (cucumbers, bell peppers) get so gross sitting in the frig after a while? Same principal. The boiled potatoes are fully cooked on the outside. causing moisture and bacteria buildup which = slime!<br />Try parboiling the potatoes if u want next time. Don’t cook them all the way. They’ll finish cooking fine in the pan anyway. But you won’t get that slime. Or just microwave. Less time and less hassle. Hope this helps answer ur question �� - AmyAmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11885217525321096896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-72507695056611833102017-08-27T14:11:41.495-08:002017-08-27T14:11:41.495-08:00Another great post, Tim! The comments here are pl...Another great post, Tim! The comments here are plentiful and I haven't read them all, so it's possible that someone else has already covered what I have to say. My apologies if I step on anyone's toes! Your observation about issues cooking potatoes without oil aligns with my experience as well. My solution: Instead of using any added fat or a toxic non-stick pan, I cook my potatoes (shredded, or cut into wedges for 'fries') in a 400-450 degree F oven on a well-seasoned cast-iron pan. My favorite at the moment: a Lodge pizza pan. It is the perfect size for a big batch of oil-free hash browns or roasted/oven-fried wedges. The potatoes slide right off and are nice and crispy on the outside. Stephnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-69111259490582033262017-06-28T08:28:03.416-08:002017-06-28T08:28:03.416-08:00Thanks for your reply Tim, and I have your book. I...Thanks for your reply Tim, and I have your book. I have read parts of it but mean to get it all finished. RL is keeping me busy as I am currently trying to get my thesis finished asap, so browsing it from time. I have it on kindle app, so easy to take a quick break if something comes to mind.<br />I will certainly post future updates, positive and negative :)<br />Cheers<br />MagsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06537854675525242194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-56937681649205687202017-06-28T06:57:08.412-08:002017-06-28T06:57:08.412-08:00Great story! Thanks for taking the time to write t...Great story! Thanks for taking the time to write this, Mags. This is what is so great about the potato hack, short excursions with "normal" eating do not destroy the effects since it's not just water weight you've lost. The trick to sustained and lasting fat loss is to incorporate these potato days/meals into your life and get a really long run of it behind you.<br /><br />I'm not sure if you've read the whole book, but I expand even more on these variations and give some good recipe ideas. Planning is key to being able to pull this off. Probably the two most effective variations for long-term, large (20kg+) losses are Potatoes by Day and potato hacking 3 days per week. These two seem to be the most do-able for people, especially when you work and have a family to care/cook for. <br /><br />I think you will find that when you start evaluating what you have been eating up until now, a plain potato is more appropriate in term of calories and nutrition than most meal or snack choices. We all love variety, so no need to give up other foods, but when you start replacing bad choices with plain potatoes your body will thank you.<br /><br />Keep us posted on your progress!<br />Tim Tim Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01611027687223434753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-59607522384145835522017-06-28T04:18:15.449-08:002017-06-28T04:18:15.449-08:00Hi, I have been reading about PHD for a while now ...Hi, I have been reading about PHD for a while now and as I have been piling on the pounds over the last few years (mainly since I fractured my elbow by falling in ice a couple of years ago) I decided to give it a go. <br />I really love potatoes, and decided to ease myself into it by upping the amount I ate each day before cutting out too much else. I did replace the rice and pasta I was eating with potatoes, so not really increasing the amount of total food. I shed a couple of pounds over a few days, and then went away for a weekend and put most of them back on. The photos from that weekend made me determined to do something, so off I went and bought a few kg of potatoes. At first I was eating potables in the morning and at night with a semi normal lunch at work that I had already bought. For a few days it was halfhearted and didn't really log my weight much, until last weekend. Sunday to be precise when I really ate nothing but potatoes. Made some potato soup for work last week, and had that plus some cold boiled or cold baked wedges for lunch and then potatoes in the evening either baked, boiled, mashed with broth ( I use a stock cube). Sometimes I have some gravy, and sometimes I have used a very small amount of olive oil. Mainly though pink himalayan salt and vinegar. Since I have started in earnest, 12 days in all, I have had a couple of days where I wasn't prepared for lunch and had a very Scottish roll and square sausage for breakfast and a bought baked potato with tuna mayo at lunch but back to potato for dinner. <br />It has been successful for me as since I have started at almost 85kg, I weighed in at 81.5kg this morning. For the record, I am 58 years young 5ft 4 ins high and have struggled with weight loss for some time.I am inclined just to keep going with this approach even tho it is slow, but since it seems to be working for me and I was told this week how well I am looking, I think that is the main thing. I found this morning that I was really wanting a roll and sausage and something other than potatoes for lunch, but not quite a craving. So what did I have? Potatoes of course :)<br />Thanks for all the info on this blog. I have been lurking on it a while now, so thought I would just post too.:) Magshttps://www.facebook.com/mags.fegennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-5253327314160186172017-06-21T05:10:01.952-08:002017-06-21T05:10:01.952-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09289489386520733627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-8948789940663576712017-04-25T13:09:47.557-08:002017-04-25T13:09:47.557-08:00Can you eat some vegetables while doing the PH? Wi...Can you eat some vegetables while doing the PH? Will it still let you lose weight?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-16204867337254162102017-04-25T13:09:08.223-08:002017-04-25T13:09:08.223-08:00Can you eat some vegetables while doing the PH? Wi...Can you eat some vegetables while doing the PH? Will it still let you lose weight?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-50839147744585237482017-03-05T12:52:27.370-09:002017-03-05T12:52:27.370-09:00Can I drink coffee with cream while doing the pota...Can I drink coffee with cream while doing the potato hack?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-52927040954041288602017-02-19T06:10:44.239-09:002017-02-19T06:10:44.239-09:00I've never gone more than a day or two without...I've never gone more than a day or two without taking my fibers. Not because I experience any symptoms, but because I just believe in keeping my gut well-fed. So I've never tested it beyond a day or two. Wilburnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-81503072345576218692017-02-17T20:00:37.143-09:002017-02-17T20:00:37.143-09:00This is a great response Wilbur. I am new to the f...This is a great response Wilbur. I am new to the forum and have also found that the fiber in PGX (glucommanan) helps with hunger and all those "hypo" symptoms. My question to you is - do you still have to take it to keep your blood sugar regulated or were you able to wean off of it? <br /><br />Thanks. Broth queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01951308593769229597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-63794389616051449412017-02-05T12:04:14.884-09:002017-02-05T12:04:14.884-09:00Thanks for the tip! I'll have to look for the...Thanks for the tip! I'll have to look for these. I get stuck with beans, rice, and potatoes as my staples, it would be nice to expand that a bit.Tim Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01611027687223434753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-49190015562492419892017-02-05T02:44:38.817-09:002017-02-05T02:44:38.817-09:00I should add that you must defrost them appropriat...I should add that you must defrost them appropriately first... :)Ananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-69101976426746678282017-02-05T02:43:17.726-09:002017-02-05T02:43:17.726-09:00Hi Tim,
Thanks for your reply. I'll give this...Hi Tim,<br /><br />Thanks for your reply. I'll give this "root/tuber hack" a go and report back =D.<br /><br />I can find these easily pre-packaged and frozen from most Asian grocers. They also have purple yams too - the real yams. They have all been hand peeled, cut, then immediately frozen, all you have to do is boil them (taro and cassava) or steam the yams.<br /><br />Thanks againAnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-2562757934462274632017-02-04T20:14:11.975-09:002017-02-04T20:14:11.975-09:00I would love to see someone try. Although, I have ...I would love to see someone try. Although, I have not been impressed by other roots as much as I was by potatoes when you look at the nutrition profiles. But for short-term diets, 3-5 days, it should not be that terrible to try. Perhaps a mixture of taro, cassava, plantains, and yams would work. <br /><br />The main reason that I completely overlook these four starches in the Potato Hack is that they are almost completely unknown by "Westerners." Potatoes are in our DNA, lol, but these others are very foreign to most of us. <br /><br />Give it a try and let us know.Tim Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01611027687223434753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-32548786758634597662017-02-04T17:49:19.490-09:002017-02-04T17:49:19.490-09:00Hello Tim,
Thanks for putting out a great resourc...Hello Tim,<br /><br />Thanks for putting out a great resource here on this website.<br /><br />I was wondering if I could get your thoughts on a few question I have regarding the Potato Hack. What do you think of doing the "potato hack", completely potato free, by consuming other roots such as Taro, Cassava, Yams, and Sweet Potatoes solely? I know you have mentioned Sweet Potatoes/Yams in the above article, but what about Taro and Cassava?<br /><br />Also, what do you think about mixing each of the specimens within a meal (such as eating sweet potatoes with taro at the same time, etc)...do you think this would have an effect on the 'hack'? I now you've mentioned mixing varieties throughout the day per meal, just wondering if mixing it within a meal may lose effectiveness.<br /><br />Really appreciate your opinion on this as I'd like to avoid potatoes if possible due to the night shades.<br /><br />Thanks!<br />AnaAnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-3816937539889880022017-02-02T10:55:19.051-09:002017-02-02T10:55:19.051-09:00That's fantastic! From my experience, I think...That's fantastic! From my experience, I think you have succeeded. I have a similar restaurant story, and a desire to return to my diet after being away for a few days. That might be a good method for hypoglycemia too! <br /><br />You might find certain conditions getting better. Less ache. I'm sure that you know this, but be diligent about medicines that have side effects if you are cured -I'm thinking blood pressure meds, but there might be others. <br /><br />Sometime you might even forget about conditions that you barely think about today. The one day something might trigger a memory of it, and you'll be amazed that's it's gone. Or, in my case, find an old bag for trips full of medicines I might need on a trip. I need no such bag now!<br /><br />Baobab is interesting. It's unprocessed. Powdered is the way it comes in the fruit, as I understand. (It might be dried though, I forget.)Wilburnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-47838654321594955612017-02-02T08:33:24.450-09:002017-02-02T08:33:24.450-09:00Hi Tim and Wilbur,
So I finished 4 days of potato...Hi Tim and Wilbur,<br /><br />So I finished 4 days of potatoes last week, and actually felt REALLY good by the 4th day. I went with my cousin to a restaurant and watched him eat a beautiful gourmet burger on a brioche bun with cheese, etc., and I had no desire for it. If I wasn't going on a ski trip Friday, I would have pushed it another couple days. I think something happened after forcing myself to just eat potatoes for a few days. My body started adjusting metabolically, and I became extremely aware of the difference between hunger eating and pleasure eating. For someone who's been on a mostly whole foods diet for many years now, I really thought I knew that already, but eating potatoes really brought a new level of awareness.<br /><br />On my ski trip I ate whatever was available (pizza, steak, sandwiches). Returning this past Monday, I felt a strong urge to eat very simply again. I'm now eating 80% potatoes, and a few other very plain foods: chicken breast, boiled eggs, a couple raw veggies. I plan to eat this way, off and on, as my social schedule permits, and see what the results are over the next few weeks.<br /><br />I should also mention that I have lost some weight. Not sure the exact amount, but my waist is about 3/4" smaller, and I noticed this morning as I was walking around my apartment that I couldn't feel my thighs touching as much as I walked. Woohoo!<br /><br />Tim, I think a good approach for hypoglycemic types on the potato diet, is to add a little bit of protein (chicken breast maybe) whenever the body is feeling extremely stressed by a pure carb diet. Even right from the start, so the diet is doable for them. I'm guessing that if they did a longer hack, they might even be able to drop the protein after the first few days, if they wanted to be a purist about it.<br /><br />Wilbur, thank you for your comments about using fibers for hypoglycemia. I'm definitely going to start doing that more. I've never had baobab, and didn't really know what it was, but I'm very intrigued now!Robin H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12519266671879332784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-90763050743961605902017-01-26T11:44:51.465-09:002017-01-26T11:44:51.465-09:00I know the in-edge feeling you have. I've also...I know the in-edge feeling you have. I've also experienced the calming effect of saturated fat. <br /><br />I just put glucomannan in with the other fibers.<br /><br />A couple of thoughts. My daughter has/had hypoglycemia. I've been giving her a fiber mix in a chocolate smoothie. It helped but was not 100%. Lately, though, she hasn't been eating snacks and yet has no trouble doing math and stuff 5-6 hours after eating. <br /><br />The only thing I remember changing is that I've been putting baobab and amla in her drink because I discovered that raw cacao hides a lot of nasty flavor. It could be that one of these two helps. Or maybe it's the high levels of antioxidants they have. I have used these pretty much from the beginning. I use a rounded tablespoon of baobab and maybe two teaspooons of amla. <br /><br />Also, I have some strong aversion to commercial yogurt. I've eaten a bite or two and nothing happened, but the message is strong. I use water for my fiber drinks, and stick to fermented vegetables for probiotics. <br /><br />I do my drinks about 30 minutes after a meal. I've read that bad fats and other stuff get absorbed by the fiber, particularly psyllium and phgg because they don't ferment. My evening drink just has these plus inulin and potato starch. That's so far the best for me.<br /><br />I'll think some more and let you know if anything else comes to mind. Yes, I was able to avoid it (mostly) before. This is completely different. I am so thankful that I discovered this, and wish I knew which part did the trick. It might also be that I am super strict about the fiber. But I drink beer and wine, eat desserts, eat bread and fries, etc. The fiber is constant. Wilburnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-38060949852649576002017-01-26T09:55:14.164-09:002017-01-26T09:55:14.164-09:00Robin
"hangry" sounds nasty.
Do you ea...Robin<br /><br />"hangry" sounds nasty.<br /><br />Do you eat some honey sometimes?Gemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18051515271519007652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-57817537615745184822017-01-26T09:51:03.052-09:002017-01-26T09:51:03.052-09:00and Tim you're right, "hanger" is ju...and Tim you're right, "hanger" is just a funny term people use, but I'm convinced that it's also a real phenomenon. Not having eaten for 2-3 hours should not cause such an extreme reaction. It's not a healthy, normal hunger. And people who get hangry usually have a known problem with hanger. Not everyone get's hangry. I'd love to see more studies done on this ideopathic postprandial syndrome. It wouldn't just benefit the hangry people, as we can always stand to learn more about how glucose metabolism works. My own testing leads me to believe that the glucose is not able to get into the cells (thus the sudden blood sugar rise, along with hunger). It could be a leptin thing, in which case we're screwed, because leptin is just way too complicated.Robin H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12519266671879332784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-44290728711206432832017-01-26T09:50:36.121-09:002017-01-26T09:50:36.121-09:00Thanks for your replies Tim and Wilbur!
I didn&#...Thanks for your replies Tim and Wilbur! <br /><br />I didn't have any horrible episodes yesterday, so that was a relief. I didn't feel stable either though. It was very stressful, and I made some work mistakes that were not good :-/ Tim, I think you're right that maybe the potato hack is just not for me. <br /><br />Wilbur, I know how you feel about saturated fat. When I'm finished with this potato hack (I'm doing one more day today, just because I have so many boiled potatoes, and because I like to punish myself), I'm going to have a piece of meat or some cheese, or whatever, and within minutes, a wave of calm and relief will wash over me. Eating fat free feels like nails against a chalkboard all day long. I still think it's related to glucose instability, but it may be other things too. I know the Irish peasants subsisted off of nothing but potatoes for long periods, and maybe if I was raised that way, I could too. I sometimes wonder what would happen if i became a prisoner in some 3rd world country, and they gave me only potatoes and water. Would I adapt completely after a few weeks? I guess (hopefully at least) I'll never know.<br /><br />Wilbur, I too love glucomannan. I also use it in cooking a lot, as it has some very useful qualities, but I also add some to a fiber blend I take most days (as per Grace of gutinstitute) Do you take it at the same time as you eat carbs? How specifically do you use it for your hypoglycemia?<br /><br />I also grew up in the fat free era. Remember Entenmanns fat free brownies in the late 80s? I would get reactive hypoglycemia just looking at those. I was a mess during those years. After discovering an old, yellowed Atkins book at a garage sale around 1991, I was quickly disabused of all that fat-free insanity. I considered myself a paleolithic eater by the mid 90s and started hanging around Art De Vany in grad school. All that worked beautifully for me until I hit my mid 40s (I'm now 48). Low carb still works well for hypoglycemia, but not for weight loss.<br /><br />I stayed far away from fat free foods for a long time, but have had some recent interest due to Denise Minger's writing about the rice diet and veganism, and Tim's writings about potatoes. Although I'm apparently not a good fit for the rice diet or the potato hack, I've learned a lot from all this. I no longer demonize carbs as I once did. I still need to be careful about them and consume them only as whole, unprocessed foods, or occasionally WAPF sourdough. <br /><br />I can usually avoid hypoglycemia by eating a WAPF diet, as long as I'm near my kitchen. Wilbur, I so envy you for being able to only eat once a day. I hate being a slave to food. I don't even like being away from home, because I know I'm going to be stuck without access to appropriate food at some point and have a meltdown. <br /><br />But the other things is that I'd love to lose some weight. Just 10 pounds even! I'm one of those many women you hear about reaching a certain age, and then nothing works anymore for weight loss. Exercise, whole foods, low carb, low fat, low cal. Nada. I've had tons of testing done on hormones, etc., and everything seems optimal, so it's just a really mysterious phenomenon. I do seem to have a little bit of dysbiosis or leaky gut (probably due to drinking too much wine over the past many years), so that's the only thing I can specifically try to fix at the moment. I doubt that would have any relation to my weight loss resistance though.Robin H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12519266671879332784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6914086676454800973.post-89497508770181596532017-01-25T18:09:04.837-09:002017-01-25T18:09:04.837-09:00To clarify a little: In the decades I had hypogly...To clarify a little: In the decades I had hypoglycemia, I avoided fats. I grew up in the era that demonized them. It was only after taking the fiber gave me relentless cravings for them that the hypoglycemia vanished. Was it fiber or fats? I don't know. <br /><br />I do know that the fiber glucomannan had a significant effect on eliminating my hypoglycemia. It was the nail in the coffin, so to speak. Wilburnoreply@blogger.com