The Montignac Method

[bloviatrix]

I love your definition of stairmaster.

Is it ok to admit that I'm reading this for the photos?

[bleudauvergne]

bloviatrix - I'm just happy you came to see me, thanks for the encouragement.

Montignac explains lunch in a few pages. I will try here to make it simple.

It's a holiday today (Pentecost) so I am able to cook at home today.

Lunch normally consists of the following:

1) Soup / Salad - crudites

2) Fish / Meat / Poultry

3) accompagniments which are any food below 35 on the glycemic index

4) salad

5) cheese

6) drinks

In the French version, it can consist of appetizer, a main dish, cheese, dessert, and drinks. We didn't get that fancy, and the crudites were leftovers from the steamed veggies that had been drizzled with a basalmic vinaigrette and chilled overnight. A few lettuce leaves, and a chicken/mushroom salad made with an egg enriched vinaigrette whipped in the blender until thick. We had cheese, and skipped dessert.

I really really wanted a piece of bread with the meal and my cheese. But I didn't give in.

For the chicken salad:

I sauteed sliced mushrooms until they began to give off their liquid, and set them aside. Then I shredded chicken meat and put the two in a bowl.

The sauce: 1 egg, 1 t. of dry mustard, 1 T basalmic vinegar, 1/2-1 t. salt, and about 1/4 cup of oil, best olive oil and reg salad oil mixed. Whip in blender until it is a thick but pourable sauce.

Pour it over the chicken and mushrooms. season with black pepper. celery, onion, etc. minced would have been good but I was too lazy to do it today. Blame it on the coffee withdrawl.

I was very tired this afternoon, I think because of the lack of coffee, which I really craved at the end of the meal, and because I'm still craving sweets. I guess it'sll be a couple of days before I feel the energy coming back.

Edited May 31, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[redfox]

Lovely to see and read about your lovely meals! The diet looks nice and sensible (only the part about separating carbohydrates and fats into separate meals is a bit mystifying; I wonder, does it just work as a handy way of preventing one from eating too much bread and too many sugars without realizing it?) and your groceries look delectable.

Your kitchen must have gorgeous light!

[bleudauvergne]

A word about fats, and how to best use them when on the Montignac plan. He breaks them down into the following groups with their sources:

1) saturated animal: butter, the fat in meats, sausages, eggs and whole milks.

2) monounsaturated: olive oil, duck and goose fat, foie gras.

3) polyunsaturated vegetable: margarine

4) polyunsaturated animal: fish, shellfish

The source of lipids that augment cholesterol in the blood are : saturated animal fats: charcuterie, butter, cheese, lard, whole milk and palm oil.

The source of lipids that have little effect on our body's cholesterol level are : shellfish, eggs, and skinless poultry (I think that would include rabbit )

The source of lipids that lower the cholesterol are : olive oil, colza, sunflower, corn oil. etc.

These are things to keep in mind as I choose what meats to eat. Although the charcuterie, butter, cheese, and whole milk are allowed, I should watch and be careful about keeping them under control.

Although fish have no effect on cholesterol levels, they are helpful prevent cardio-vascular problems … He recommends that fatty fish are eaten (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardine) hence our upping the fish intake.

He does say that cooking with butter is to be avoided, so I have decided that I will start choosing goose and duck fat over butter, and stop buying butter by the pound. There are plenty of other things to buy from the butter man. So his business won't go under because of my regime.

When I cleaned out the refrigerator, I only had two things to throw away. Anything containing modified food starch or sugar had to go. We weren't eating that junk anyway.

-----------------------------------------------

This morning I had the necatrine to pry my eyes open and we walked along the river instead of doing the stairs. The point was to get out of the house and keep the momentum of the routine change, although I was feeling sore and a bit tired out from all of the stairs yesterday.

We were the first customers are the boulangerie this morning and got the bread hot from the oven! Just from the oven it's got a wonderful thin crisp crust. That's going to become a habit, I think. Needless to say I ate a lot of it this morning. I took a look at the sign, it's made with type 110 flour.

Breakfast:

1 nonfat yougert

2T. strawberry compote

about 150 grams of pain integrale BIO

[Bux]

A word about fats, and how to best use them when on the Montignac plan.  He breaks them down into the following groups with their sources: 

1) saturated animal:  butter, the fat in meats, sausages, eggs and whole milks.

2) monounsaturated:  olive oil, duck and goose fat, foie gras.

3) polyunsaturated vegetable:  margarine

4) polyunsaturated animal:  fish, shellfish

The source of lipids that augment cholesterol in the blood are :  saturated animal fats:  charcuterie, butter, cheese, lard, whole milk and palm oil.

The source of lipids that have little effect on our body's cholesterol level are :  shellfish, eggs, and skinless poultry (I think that would include rabbit  )

The source of lipids that lower the cholesterol are : olive oil, colza, sunflower, corn oil. etc. 

I'm glad to see the fat of water fowl put in its rightful place. Foie gras is in that same place as duck and goose fat, by the way. I've long understood goose and duck fats to be chemically closer to olive oil than to butter.

I'm not anything like an expert on fats. I only know enough to understand that many accepted "facts" have been discounted by Dr. Walter Willett through years of research at Harvard. A good book on the subject of fats is Fran McCullough's The Good Fat Cookbook. In it, she reports on Dr. Willett's work and does her best to rehabilitate the tropical fats--coconut and palm oil and establish trans fats as the villain. She also makes great distinctions between the various supposedly healthy oils and notes that heating even olive oil will produce trans fats. She goes on to say that highly processed oils are quite different from those that are cold pressed or expeller pressed, but that even those cold pressed oils in the health food stores go rancid faster than the naturually saturated fats which may in the end, be healthier for you. Clearly it's all confusing and I'm not explaining it very well because I don't have it well processed in my mind. I don't mean to take this thread off track and will invite those who want to continue a discussion on fats and oils to take it to the General food forum, but I thought it was worth offering a little information for thought here. I believe Dr. Montignac's diet is intended not just as a means of weight loss but for health as well and should appeal to people who might also be intersted in what's discussed in Ms. McCullough's book. [Disclosure, if needed: My daughter had a part in editing this book.]

[bleudauvergne]

I don't think it's off topic at all, Bux. It's interesting to note. I had no idea that they are similar in chemistry, and I had heard that olive oil's not the best for cooking at high temperatures...

I know of Mme McCullough's work as the editor of my favorite contemporary compilation of recipes. And I've seen that she has written a few books on low carb cooking. I haven't had a chance to pick them up, though.

[mags]

I have all three of McCollough's books (major cookbook junkie). I agree with Bux, the "Good Fats" book is swell. I'm less enthralled with the low-carb books, even though that's how i'm tending to cook these days. There are a few good tips, like using mashed cauliflower as a (surprisingly delicious) substitute for mashed potatoes (especially when you throw in some butter and/or cream cheese -- like that hurts anything), but by and large, if you are already a cook and have a solid selection of cookbooks, there's little in the low-carb books that you don't already have.

The good-fats book, though, is interesting, though more for the info than for the recipes.

[tighe]

Wow, I think that blog'ing one's progress on a diet is very brave. Maybe that's what I need to do to actually get myself to stick with something.

Great pics.

Question: what is the reasoning behind giving up coffee completely on this diet? I know many diets advocate for drinking more water and less caffeinated drinks, but I haven't seen the "none at all" strategy before.

[bleudauvergne]

Tighe, you're welcome to join me.

Giving up coffee during stage I serves two purposes - since coffee has been shown to cause a false spike in insulin thus possibly affecting the way my body is interpreting incoming nutrients. 1) to get used to the body finding it's own energy instead of relying on coffee and sweets to keep it going 2) to stay on an even keel in order to avoid crashes and sugar cravings.

In any case, I accidentally ordered a coffee yesterday after lunch totally forgot about it and had one with my colleagues - I realized once I started getting the shakes that I remembered! Imagine getting the shakes after one cup of coffee! I normally have coffee all day and only stop around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I thought my head was going to explode when I stopped three days ago but I can feel the difference already. I won't be having any more coffee until stage I is over.

Edited June 2, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

I guess it's time to talk about weight, because what's the point of logging in the regime unless I am logging in my progress as well.

Everyone carries weight differently, and some people feel and look better carrying a few pounds. For about 13 years, I had a Body Mass Index of around 21 - 23. It has only been the last 5 years that I have slowly put on more and more weight, gaining my last whopping 8 lbs. since February

Here's a link to a BMI calculator.

BMI day 1 : 29.1 (very scary to find that out.)

BMI day 4 : 28.5

Goal BMI: 22.5

Pounds lost so far: 4

Yes, I have lost 4 lbs. in 3 days. I don't expect to keep up that rate of loss, but Montignac says that those people with weight to lose will drop it off faster in the beginning.

The fatigue from the second day is gone, although I have to admit I am still trying to get used to starting the day without coffee.

Next post: Recipe for the fish coconut soup I've had for dinner and a record of yesterdays' lunch.

[bleudauvergne]

Lunch Day 3 was cafeteria food, about what I normally eat, really.

about 125 grams of lamb on a shish kebab

200 grams spinach

a salad plate with green beans and tomatoes

a plain yogurt

water

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Spicy Coconut Fish Soup

800 ml chicken stock

2 red hot peppers (very small, very hot, purchased at the chinese grocery, don't know what kind they are!)

1T. ginger root

½ smallish celery root

1 can of coconut milk

300g. fish (I used a fish called lingue, white colored fillets, but any fish will do!)

½ t. salt

white pepper

parsley

Bring soup stock to a simmer. Slice up the hot pepper and ginger, and put into bouquet ball, and add ball to soup.

Peel & cube the celery root into ¾” cubes. Place in glass bowl and cover with water. Microwave at 900W for 5 minutes. Transfer to blender and puree. Add to stock. Let simmer 5 minutes more.

Add coconut milk, salt, and white pepper to soup, bring to a boil and lower heat again.

Add the fish cubes and bring heat back to simmer. Simmer three minutes and serve.

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I snacked on cherries before dinner.

Edited June 2, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Today we were up and out at the crack of dawn, and I started my day with a bowl of strawberries in bed.

It was raining and I had my camera, so we didn't venture too far from home, and enjoyed a brisk circuit across the bridge, up the river, and back across the foot bridge that ends up at my boulanger.

Breakfast:

2 large slabs of warm moist crusty pain integrale BIO

1 yougurt 0%

2 generous T. of strawberry compote

Morning at the office:

1 cup decaf

2 cups of water

Lunch, cafeteria:

Large salad with oil & vinegar / sliced brie.

1 boiled egg

1/2 a tomato

a yougurt

(I actually intended to have fish for lunch but it turned out to be covered in a goopy slime which could not have been anything but flour based so I passed it up. I also realized that the accompanying vegetables had mashed potatoes mixed into it so I was completely out of luck. )

I think I'll have fruit this afternoon, and I've just got a bottle of water.

I know I'm being bad about photos. Promise to post photos of what I cook tonight.

Edited June 3, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

Dinner was an apple once home from work, and then tete de veau, which I prepared tonight. There are more details about this dish here (click).

Followed by a glass of tomato juice and some leftover peas.

Edited June 3, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bloviatrix]

Last night's soup sounds good. I've thinking about trying a fish soup for a while so I might give your recipe a try.

BTW, I'm impressed you went walking in the rain. Normally that's a sign to climb back into bed.

[tighe]

Tighe, you're welcome to join me.

Can I move into your house also, so I can eat all this great food you're showing us?

My wife is having a baby this summer, so I think coffee will be a fact of life for at least several more months. It is inspiring to follow your thread though.

[redfox]

My wife is having a baby this summer, so I think coffee will be a fact of life for at least several more months.

Coffee for you!

I must say that the prospect of having my coffee taken away from me is one of the many things that makes pregnancy and nursing sound like a less-than-enticing state of affairs.

I would like to be much better about the waking up at the crack of dawn. Following up by going out for a walk would be even better! I will now fantasize about a world in which my husband were suddenly motivated to rouse me to do such a thing. Alas, I am the better-at-rousing one in this house, which is not promising. Unless I have some sort of work-terror to drive me out of bed ("Oh no, must prep for morning class!") it's quite hopeless.

A fine ripe nectarine would probably help, though.

Edited June 2, 2004 by redfox (log)

[Lesley C]

I must say that the prospect of having my coffee taken away from me is one of the many things that makes pregnancy and nursing sound like a less-than-enticing state of affairs.

I drank one coffee every morning of my pregnancy and nursing and everything turned out brilliantly. I even drank the occasional glass of wine with dinner. I really don't get that no coffee thing. Moderation is obviously key.

OK, sorry, back to Montiganc.

Another interesting Montiganc diet fact: no raw carrots! That must be a diet-world first.

[bleudauvergne]

3 JUN 2004

Starting BMI: 29.1

Today's BMI: 28.4

Goal BMI: 22.5

Pounds lost so far: 4.5

Giving up coffee has actually not been that difficult after the first few days. I think I was going through physical withdrawal symptoms. But it’s fine now. And I can have the smell and taste with decaf. This weekend I plan to blow some cash on interesting infusions.

The day began with an apple, which had been in the fridge overnight. It was wonderful.

This morning’s walk was a particularly pretty one, mainly because of the angle of the sun, which I rarely see like I did this morning. The city is different in the morning. It’s quiet.

The only thing we heard was the sound of our footsteps. The stairs, which took 15 minutes to get to the top of the last time, took 12 minutes this morning. I think it was because I pretended I was on the Stairmaster, so I had a better rhythm this morning. When we got to the top a refreshing cool wind was blowing as we looked out over the city. We saw two other people on our walk – the man who had the keys to the public garden, which he was opening when we arrived to the top, and another man with an absolutely magnificent Boston terrier on his way up the hill when we were going down. The dog got one look at us and high tailed it in the other direction – it was cute! Apparently he must have thought that the garden belonged to him, and we were a big surprise!

When we went by the boulangerie, the bread wasn’t ready yet, but he said he'd put one aside for us to pick up later.

Protiedo-lipid breakfast.

2 eggs, cooked with a little bit of goose fat and salt

½ a large tomato, upon which I melted St. Marcellin cheese and added a generous grind of black pepper. Pepper and St. Marcellin go really well together.

Edited June 3, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[bleudauvergne]

I would like to be much better about the waking up at the crack of dawn. Following up by going out for a walk would be even better! I will now fantasize about a world in which my husband were suddenly motivated to rouse me to do such a thing.

Red - think of it like daylight savings time. Once a year we begin to wake up an hour earlier than usual, yes? It happens over a weekend. So imagine just adjusting your body clock to one hour earlier - try it next weekend!

When I was a child I had a morning paper route. Although it was a bummer sometimes, I also really enjoyed my walk through the neighborhood most of the time. I think about that.

Last night my husband began to ask me why we had to do this, etc. And I stuck to my guns. Then he said - "do we have to do the stairs?" "YES" I retorted. Then I remembered that even though it was raining yesterday, he was trying to get me to do the stairs, and I wouldn't do it. My hubby is always very gung ho about climbing anything, including steep mountain trails, which is sometimes problematic for me. At that moment I realised that he had used reverse psychology to get me to be the one saying we HAD to do it. I got a chuckle out of that.

Anyway it was easier today and the stairs were easier.

Edited June 3, 2004 by bleudauvergne (log)

[curlywurlyfi]

an absolutely magnificent Boston terrier

ahhh, they are the sweetest dogs in the world!!! (apart maybe from dachshunds.)

Lucy, this sounds great. Good luck with the programme. I recently went to stay with an ex-boyfriend and he and his wife have lost quite literally a quarter of their respective bodyweights doing the Montignac programme (Alex could never give up his wine, he said!) We had delicious food when I was there - my favourite was grilled salmon on a mixture of fried shredded Savoy cabbage, leeks + peas finished with cream + white wine. He also produced chocolate fondue for dessert - just high quality chocolate + cream, with cherries for dipping - delicious.

Did you know that in London there is a Montignac restaurant (it is very near my office, not that I have ever been)?

Fi

[Louisa Chu]

You have got to love a "diet" with tete de veau.

Lucy - felicitations - on starting this - on making it public - on your beautiful and thoughtful journal.

I predict that you will soon discover hordes of American Atkins refugees on your doorstep in Lyon - begging for your warm, moist, bio breadcrumbs!

[bloviatrix]

You have got to love a "diet" with tete de veau.

And goose fat.

[Pumpkin Lover]

Bleu is blogging again! YES! ::dances with joy::

You're right about the phenomenon of losing weight quickly on a diet when you have pounds to lose. My BF started a diet of his own making around the beginning of the year (I vaguely recall late January or February, but I'll say he's been on it for five months). It's a no-dairy diet; he loves anything dairy. By cutting down on dairy, reducing his intake of all other animal fats except chicken, and eating more veggies and rice (and hardly any refined flour or sugar), he's lost something like 20 lbs. So, it looks like you are on a path to guaranteed success, Bleu!

[Pumpkin Lover]

This picture is absolutely amazing, BTW. It kills me softly with its song. Oh mah gah.

[bleudauvergne]

Thank you for all your wishes for good luck and encouragement!