Hello all! I know this might be long for a first post, but I hope someone will bear with me, I need help.

I am starting the Body RX diet by Dr. Scott Connelly and have a pretty good grasp of of how it works. I like it because you can do low (starchy) carbs on this if you so choose, but I do have a few questions, perhaps someone is familiar with this diet and can help?

I am 180 lbs, so according to BodyRX my daily protein should be 180g (six 30g/4.5oz servings of protein per day). I am taking his advice and in the place of two of the meals drinking two met-rx protein shakes per day (each with 38g protein). Now, he doesn't say anywhere in the book about treating the protein drinks any differently in terms of counting their protein grams, but I am worried that if I drink two protein drinks and eat four other meals I will gain (as in a person trying to gain adding protein drinks to their diet); so my question is should I, say, deduct the 76 protein drink grams (because the 38g is a little more than the 30g I should be having at each meal) from my daily 180g and then divide that into the 4 remaining meals? Or just keep my grams the same with the protein drinks simply replacing two meals....since he doesn't mention it. (However, he does mention things like if you have a bigger steak at one meal, have a smaller piece of some kind of protein at another, so....)

*sigh*....I know I am "thinking" too much, but I don't want to overdue it and gain weight.

I used to do Atkins but never had any real success with it; however, now when I do other diets I feel like I am just doing Atkins wrong. Like, this diet calls for high protein, high fiber, low fat, low carbs. Which, if followong Atkins is Atkins done wrong. It's hard to get my mind away from that idea. Any imput about Body RX in regards to this would be so helpful!

OH!...Also, one more thing: Fat still confuses me a bit. Body RX just says don't add "too much". How much is "too much"? Is there some kind of guidline?

Thanks so much and I hope I wasn't dreadfully confusing.

i know that low fat, low carb causes low satiety. meaning you aren't satisfied with the food in your belly for very long and want to eat again. and again. and again. to each his own.

I'm not sure I could do low carb AND low fat AND high protein. I gotta have a little (okay, maybe a lot of fat!) with my protein. I think I'd be hungry all the time.

I don't know anything about the diet you are starting...don't really know much about any "diets" but I know how to do low carb and it seems easy for me...less to remember and keep track of!

I don't know your diet but it's similar to a body building setup .
Only diff. maybe that there its 1.5 g protein per/pd bdwt.


Your diet question (low fat, hi low GI, hi protein?) is opposite of this forum and thats where your confusion will come in.
However, what it sounds like to me is that you just replace the shakes with meat or visa versa. You count the total protein/day incl the shakes.
Say u have 180 total proteins available...two shakes= roughly 80, so you have 100 protein left- devided over however meals usually 4 remaining. The idea is to not call it breakfast, lunch supper, snacks but meal one meal two...each with about the same number of nutrients esp. protein with each.

You just need to adjust the rest of your nutrients accordingly.

Sorry, but just don't know anything specifically about this diet.

Well, the Body Rx Diet divides protein sources into green, yellow, and red. Green protein sources should make up the majority of your protein requirement. Yellow protein sources are to be approached with caution. Red protein sources are to be "rarely" used. Connelly tries to declare low fat / low carb protein sources as "green", medium carb / fat protein sources as "yellow", high carb / fat protein sources as "red". Think cottage cheese and broiled fish as "green", skim milk and steak as "yellow", cream cheese and bacon as "red".

The only things to be counted are:
1) grams of protein
2) grams of fiber
3) grams of carbs ( probably net carbs )

The recommendations for protein and fiber are minimums, while the grams of carbs recommendation is a maximum. AND, most fresh fruit and vegetables are declared as no net carbs, which simplifies matters. There are four phases to the diet, and the recommendations in each phase is dependent on body weight.

A sample recommendation is:
240 grams protein, 60 grams fiber, 100 grams carbs.

Try to keep added fat down, but don't sweat it. Connelly hates added fructose in foods.

IMHO: To get the protein and fiber grams, you won't have the appetite for any "bad" stuff. I don't adhere to this diet, but I use it as a guideline.

- ldcowboy

Hello!

Body RX is a book/WOL by Dr. Scott Connelly, who specializes in critical care, metabolism, and cardiovascular anesthesiology. Years ago—haunted by and dedicating himself to the study of "wasting syndrome"—he developed a special protein drink for critical care patients who were being fed intravenously but still wasting away. His protein drink turned out to save many lives and was sold to met-rx becoming the main ingredient in the Met-Rx protein drinks. He also helped Bill Phillips develop the Body For Life program. The Body RX book is really good....(and he looks pretty good too! )

Anyway, I think I might have summarized the diet wrong. Added fats are limited (see below) but there is plenty of fat in the allowed meats. He believes by simply eating the right amount of Protein and Fiber, you will lose weight and actually gain muscle—without doing anything else! (As in his critical care patients who drank his protein/fiber drink and actually gained muscle, even while in a coma. Naturally, he recommends you do other things, it's just the diet is based on the principle of sufficient protein/fiber. Exercise is even optional (in terms of weight loss) but recommended in terms of health and optimal body transformation; however, he believes cardio for weight loss is not necessary if weightlifting a certain way! ...Fabulous! ).


The program consists of six meals per day and goes in four six-week cycles (the final being lifetime maintenance).

Allowable foods are broken down into groups. Super Green/Green, Yellow, Red. Obviously, green means go, yellow means slow it down, red means (pretty much) stop.

Super green proteins (unlimited - those with a very large body fat percentage are recommended to eat primarily from this super green group) are things like skinless white meat chicken and turkey, buffalo, venison, whitefish, scallops, cottage cheese. (etc.)
Green Proteins (unlimited) are things like sirloin, filet mignon, rump, veal chop, lamb leg, pork tenderloin, skinless duck, salmon, lobster, shrimp, eggs, and some lower fat cheeses. (etc.)

Yellow Proteins (limited - see below) are things like prime rib, corned beef, short ribs, porterhouse/t-bone, veal cutlet, lamb rib roast/ground, pork butt, sausage, dark meat chicken and turkey, fried fish, and feta, ricotta, mozzarella. (etc.)

Red Proteins (limited - see below) are things like deli meats, bacon, hot dogs, spareribs, fried chicken, all cheeses, all nuts and nut butters. (etc.)

Green Fiber and Carbohydrates (unlimited) Fiber requirements are counted (only) from all greens, veggies, fruits, and grains - All Bran or Fiber-One cereal (with fat free milk).

Yellow Fiber and Carbohydrates (limited - see below) is counted from starchy vegetables, breads, pastas, cereals, and grains.

Red Carbohydrates (limited - see below) We all know what those Red Carb's are.........the yummy stuff.

Fats come from the meats and he suggests adding only about 2 tablespoons per day of addtional fats from things like olive oil, butter, spreads, etc.


Cycle 1 (Strengthen)

• 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day mostly from Super Green/Green Proteins, Yellow Proteins 3x per week, and occasional proteins from Red (no more than 1x per week).

• 30 grams of Fiber per day counted from the Green Fiber/Carbs section.

• Maximum(not minimum or required) of 2 grams per body pound of carbs from Yellow Carbs, and occasional Red Carbs but no more than 1x per week.

Cycle 2 (Sculpt)

• Increase to 1.25 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day mostly from Super Green/Green Proteins, Yellow Proteins go down to 1x per week, and occasional proteins from Red (still no more than 1x per week).

• Increase Fiber to 45 grams per day counted from Green Fiber/Carbs section.

• Reduce to a maximum of 1 gram per body pound of carbs from Yellow Carbs, and occasional Red Carbs (but still no more than 1x per week).

Cycle 3 (Burn fat)

• 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day all from Super Green/Green Proteins, Yellow and Red avoided for this cycle.

• Increase Fiber to 60 grams per day counted from Green Fiber/Carbs section.

• Reduce maximum to 0.5 grams per body pound of carbs from Yellow Carbs and occasional Red Carbs (try to avoid; and still no more than 1x per week).

Cycle 4 (Maintain)

• Back to 1.25 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day mostly from Super Green/Green Proteins, Yellow Proteins now up to 4x per week, and occasional proteins from Red Proteins.

• Continue to eat around 30 grams of Fiber or more counted from Green Fiber/Carbs section.

• Maximum of 1.5 grams per body pound of carbs is allowed from Yellow Carbs and occasional Red Carbs (good to keep it at no more than 1 or 2x per week).

• One FREE DAY per week to eat whatever you want!

And that's the plan (and the book is a good read too) with an accompanying 4-cycle weight-lifting program for those who so chose (as I do).

Hope that was helpful for anyone interested—and if there is anyone out there familiar with this plan I hope you can help me out with a few questions I still need answered.


PT.........I never had any luck on Atkins, I don't know why (hypothyroid?), but I wish I did because I really like Atkins and the philosophy—a lot. But I think this BodyRX is pretty good too. I'm never hungry and don't feel deprived. [shrug]........We'll see if it works.

Any and all comments welcomed!

Hey...cowboy, didn't see your post before I posted this! (whoops) ...So you are familiar with this diet then? I know he tells you not to stress the counting, so I am wondering if that means I should just replace two meals with a protein drink and not think about it? Or should I take the remaining protein grams and divide them up evenly between the remaining four meals?

Or is it, in fact, as you mentioned that the protein is simply a minimum? (I guess I didn't realize that.) I mean, my guy friends who are trying to gain weight add protein drinks to their existing diet so I guess I am worried that that's what I'll be doing? Adding/gaining?

Thanks all!

I know what you mean. I guess I am here because I've pretty much done Atkins for years bu it just doesn't seem to work for me (or I can't work it), which sucks. I still eat lower carb as always and as this diet allows (well, the starchy ones anyway); I just wouldn't feel comfortable posting in a place that doesn't agree (largely, anyway) with a low-carb lifestyle (and wanted to tell me how I should eat potatoes and bread). If I could just get Atkins to work for me, I would still do it!

I can live with this diet, so I am trying it. ....And it's kinda sorta low carb....ish?

The protein is simply a minimum. Another way of looking at it is to have each meal have at least 30 grams of protein. A shake can count as a meal. I don't know the fiber content of a shake, so you might want to have something high-fiber with the shake.

IMHO: My personal "diet" is a combination of a lot of aerobic exercise, the insulin resistance diet, and BodyRx. I do six miles of walking six days per week, keep the carbs/protein ratio lower than 2, and eat lots of fiber. BodyRx sounds like a good diet to strive for, but I'm not there yet.

- ldcowboy

P.S. I've found that any Subway sandwich can be converted to a wrap, and the wrap alone has 11 grams of fiber in it. Consider a 7 under 6 turkey wrap as one of your meals. I've been known to have two wraps for dinner.

well it still looks like most plans I have seen in Body building mags mostly for beginners workouts.

I would post in the BFL section if he was part of this plan.
They may see similarities.
I have done BFL workout but not the meal plan.

Good Luck to you, hope it works out and keep us posted if it does please. I am interested in real life science ...

Bu

BFL section? I must be blind; I can't find it. Can you link me?

hi there,

Your thread is now in the Specific Exercise Plans forum, where other members with some knowledge about the BodyRx plan may be able to help with your diet and also workout regimen.

I haven't read BodyRx (yet), but I might have the library put a copy on hold. I'd like to read more about his theories regarding protein requirements

Good luck with your program!


Doreen

I'm intrigued, too. That's a LOT of protein... and fiber!

Thank you Doreen for moving this for me! I hope you and Kristine will check out the book. I really like it because, to me, it's kinda sorta somewhere between BFL and Atkins!

Anyone reading this, I would love to hear more about Body RX as I am new to it. I am having a hard time grasping the protein requirements as a minimum because it sounds like the process my friends would go through when trying to gain weight.

Also, I am one of those people who like clearly marked guidlines and wish I could get a better guidline on fat allowances.

Lastly, i fell like this diet is similar to my diet when I would do Atkins wrong . Like, having too many carbs from even veggies and stuff; can anyone shed some light?

Thanks and I am so glad to have found this place!

Good Advice!

Hey, do you (or anyone) know what the purpose is of each stage? Like, how nessecary each one is? For instance, why can't I just go to Cycle 3 - Fat Burning? Especially if Protein/Fiber are simply minimums. Because, in that case, if I wen't over my Cycle 1 minimums (while keeping my carbs low as I do), wouldn't that put me where Cycle 3 wants me (higher protein/fiber/lower carbs)? ...I am not really grasping the purpose of the four stages and their specific purposes.

Thanks, again, for any help.