I really think I'm starting to get the hang of this HFLC diet by now: I don't get hunger pangs randomly throughout the day, I can go for more than a couple hours without snacking, and the sole mention of dessert doesn't get me salivating like Pavlov's dogs. In a nutshell, I've managed to completely change my way of eating (a literal 180 turn), without a hitch.
Ah, the young metabolism.
I've truly learnt to appreciate the massive diet changes my body can adapt to, given that I basically spent a month in a carb-heavy diet, and now I completely switched over to a fat-heavy one. That is, my carbohydrate intake in the HCLF (high carb, low fat) diet was around 200-250 grams of carbs a day, and no more than 50 grams of fat, and now I consume no more than 50 grams a day of carbs and around 100 grams of fat. Protein intake went from around 75 grams for HCLF, to around 125 grams for HFLC, but that is also taking into account that protein is usually mixed with fat (as with cheese, meat, etc.).
A regular lunch meal for me would be something like (thank you menu.hfs.psu.edu):
A grilled chicken breast (or two)
Cucumber sauce
Grilled onions and pepper strips
Provolone cheese cubes
And greek yogurt for dessert.
That's roughly 20.3 grams of fat, 7.7 grams of carbs, and 31.9 grams of protein for my lunch, which keeps me satiated for around four hours.
A huge difference that I noticed from HCLF to HFLC was the amount of food I consumed decreased in volume. This is a very strange feeling, as I'm eating less food (in terms of volume), and therefore I feel less "full", but more satisfied with what I'm having. (Does this even make sense?)
It was definitely a tricky thing to manage at first, and I found myself overeating the first week, just to feel as full as I did when I was eating a greater amount of food. I did gain a pound in the first two weeks. However, I've since lost it, and stayed at a stable weight. I do feel that for this diet I've had to snack a bit more between meals, but since the amount of pre-packed cheese and nut snacks available in the market is staggering, I've had no problem with snacking at all.
So far, even with the slight hunger problem in the beginning, this diet has been extremely manageable and convenient in terms of college student life. A quick check of the dining hall website, and I'm on my way to a happy dining experience.
That's all for this time, folks! Thank you for navigating this experience with me, and staying tuned to my travels through the dining halls.
See you next week!
I'm glad the dining commons is finally serving foods that meet your purposes. I look forward to reading your blog every week! Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteYour commitment to this blog and the differnt diets is very impressive and I find this topic interesting. I always look forward to seeing your progress.
ReplyDeleteWow, only 50g carba per day?! You're really dedicated and passionate and it's evidenced through your great blog posts every week. I have never heard of HFLC and I was shcoked to see how little your carb intake was. This was very informative and fun!
ReplyDeleteI love how dedicated you are to this diet and trying to stay away from the freshman 15 (same girl) and these diets are intersting in terms of intake as well as protein and fat levels. Love your posts!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit it would be very difficult for me to only intake 50 carbs a day but your posts are your journey with the HFLC diet is very inspirtational.
ReplyDeleteYour dedication to these different diets is amazing, and reading about what each one does for you is interesting and informative. Can't wait for next week!
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