50% PROTEIN/FAT & 50% CARBS
A Bear Diet is typically recommended when Diet Typing results show that both blood pH and oxidative rate are normal (or balanced). Thus, the goal of the Bear Diet is to maintain balance, and this means you can eat a little protein, fat, and carbs at every meal.
Your body gets the maximum amount of energy from a diet balanced in protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It is very similar to what a bear would eat, and that’s how we came up with the name! The Bear Diet emphasizes variety within all the food groups. This variety is coupled with the need for moderate portions, as many Bears feel they can “eat anything.” Though you may feel good on all types of food, portion control is a must! Bears tend to overeat. You should only eat until the first sign of feeling full. Do not eat until you are almost full or stuffed.
General Guidelines To Following The Bear Diet
Below is a pyramid that you can use as a guideline for which foods are most important in following the Bear Diet. As you can see, your meals should be a mix of fresh foods. For instance, a great Bear meal is a large veggie salad topped with chicken and black beans, and an oil-based dressing. You would have vegetables coming from the salad, protein from the chicken, fat from the dressing, and complex carbohydrates from the black beans. This means you are choosing a little from each of the primary food groups a Bear needs to eat: Protein, Complex Carbs, Fat, and Vegetables. Bears should be trying to combine these food groups with every meal. Yes, that means even having some veggies with breakfast, such as in an omelet or a side of tomato slices!
KEY POINTS
• Bears need to choose well balanced meals of protein, fat, vegetables, and complex carbs.
• Portion control is a must!
• Eat until you just begin to feel full.
How to Make Your Bear Diet More Energy Efficient
Ok, so there’s an enormous waiting list for fuel efficient cars, the light bulb has been re-invented to be more energy efficient, but what have you done for your diet to maximize the energy output from the fuel you give it? We are not just talking about eating less, but making sure what you eat is actually giving you energy. Remember, food is the fuel for our bodies, and we want to put in the right fuel to give us the most amount of energy.
“To have more energy” is the number one goal of most patients we see here for the Hauser Diet program. For various reasons, their energy just seems depleted. It is an effort to make it through the day, and no matter how “healthy” they feel they eat, they feel tired.
Let’s review the basics of “energy efficiency” on the Bear Diet:
EATING SENSIBLE PORTIONS
This is one of the main reasons why Bears feel tired after eating. This Diet Type needs to focus on well balanced meals in moderate portions. Once you even begin to feel full, put the fork down and step away! Gorging yourself now will only mean sluggishness later.
DO NOT SKIP MEALS
This can be as bad as overeating, and can often be done by the same person who is overeating. Bears are not likely going to have a whole lot of energy on only one meal per day, especially if it is one huge meal and nothing else throughout the day. Bears do better with a routine: 2-3 meals per day, sometimes with snacks in between. Your body will repay you for this routine with more mental and physical energy.
LIMITING SIMPLE CARBS
Bears want it all! They literally want to have their cake and eat it too! Unfortunately, Bears eat too much cake and sweets in general. Most Bears feel ok eating a variety of foods, but they tend to overeat simple carbohydrates. We believe this is in part for convenience, cost, and “comfort.” Unfortunately, too many white pastas and breads, potatoes, sweets, and sodas eventually leave them feeling spaced out, hazy, and tired.
DUMPING PROCESSED FOODS
The Hauser Diet is all about bringing fresh, whole foods back to the table. It is amazing the difference we often see in patients after getting them to drop the heavily processed meats, pre-made sandwiches, frozen and boxed meals, and get them to start cooking more from scratch. We are talking simple meals that take the same amount of time to cook as it would to wait for the pizza delivery guy. Now, we are not saying a Bear can’t enjoy a good pizza now and then-who doesn’t?! But eating pizza 4 times a week, along with canned/boxed, and pre-made meals is not conducive to an energy efficient Bear Diet.
What Vegetables Should A Bear Eat?
BETTER VEGETABLES
Brightly colored vegetables are usually nutrient dense and rich in antioxidants. Keep in mind the colors of a stoplight when choosing veggies (Red, Yellow, Green) – Broccoli, bell peppers, asparagus, brussel sprouts, spinach, beets, zucchini, squash, tomatoes.
VEGETABLES WITH LITTLE NUTRITIONAL VALUE
Iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, onions, and celery are watery vegetables that really provide little nutritional value.
How Much Fruit Should A Bear Eat?
The Bear Diet includes two servings of fruit for every 2000 calories. A serving is a medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup of berries, or if eating a banana, it’s only 1/2 of a banana. However this can vary from person to person. We would really rather coach individuals on what they need. For example, test results may show us that even though someone is a Bear Diet Type, they should only have 1 serving a fruit a day because they may need to watch their sugar intake, or perhaps they are on an eating plan less than 2,000 calories per day. The recommendation is general and may not be right for everyone. As we’ve said before, a thorough Diet Typing consultation is the best way to know what you should be eating.
What Foods Should Bears Avoid?
FIVE FOODS BEARS SHOULD AVOID
Are all foods Bear-friendly? The goal of the Bear Diet is to maintain balance – and this means you can eat a little bit of everything. Bears need protein, fats, and carbohydrates. But you Don’t NEED THESE!
1. Fried fish and chicken: Bears need to consume a balanced source of protein, but not high fat, fried sources. Just because you can eat “everything” doesn’t technically mean “everything.” Choose fresh fish and chicken, preferably organic if available.
2. Iceberg lettuce: Why even consider this a food? It’s just a carrier for salad dressing. Choose nutrient dense romaine, arugula, or spinach.
3. White bread: Wonder? Never! Whole grain, high fiber is the way to go. Helps keep you regular and prevent colon problems later in life too!
4. Desserts: Although Bears are allowed a small serving of simple carbs each day, this does not give them jurisdiction to consume them every day ad lib. Limit desserts as much as you can – especially if you are trying to lose weight.
5. White pasta: Bears cannot turn into pasta-eating machines! Who wouldn’t want to – pasta tastes great! But Bears require complex carbs – so this means whole grain pastas. Watch your portions too! It’s easy to overeat when it comes to the delectable Italian dishes such as pasta!
Can I Drink Coffee On The Bear Diet?
It’s okay for Bears to have a little bit of coffee, but too much of it could have a negative effect depending on certain physiological factors…including Blood pH and blood sugars.
If you are a Bear that has a normal blood pH and had a normal Glucose Tolerance Test result, then having a cup a day won’t hurt. The Bears that need to be careful about their coffee and caffeine intake are those that had an acidic blood pH (below 7.420).
Having either of these test results shows that sugar is not the best thing for you. Caffeine can affect the blood in the same manner that carbohydrates/sugar does- it acidifies the blood and aggravates hypoglycemic symptoms. These are the patients that we tell to always have a source of protein along with carbs. You are someone who can feel fatigued from sugar and caffeine because of its effect on blood sugar.
Is Oatmeal Good for Bears?
Bears are able to eat a little bit of everything in their diet. Organic, homemade oatmeal is a good meal for a Bear, but when the typical toppings of brown sugar and dried fruit start getting added in, the sugar content can easily escalate.
Bears need balance. The perfect bowl of oatmeal for a bear would include a few nuts, a few pieces of dried fruit, and some cinnamon for flavor. And don’t neglect the homemade organic oatmeal – adding hot water to a packet of flavored oatmeal is not a good source of nutrition. The sugar and additives in these packets counteract all of the health benefits that pure oatmeal has to offer. So when adding this superfood to your diet, be sure to choose the right balance for your Hauser Diet Type with organic oatmeal that is free of additives.
BEAR FIBER
Because of the variety involved in the Bear Diet, it may be easy to be inconsistent with fiber intake. The recommended daily intake for fiber is 20 grams. If you are finding that your bowel movements are not as regular as they should be, or you’re feeling constipated take a look at your daily food intake. Whole grains, vegetables, and fruits are the main sources of dietary fiber.
However, they are not all equal. Although fruits are not an abundant part of the Bear Diet, you should be able to get in 20 grams by eating the proper grains and vegetables.
Choosing high fiber cereals, legumes, and fibrous vegetables will help you get to 20 grams per day very easily. If you eat a slice of whole grain bread for each of your allowed complex carbs, and only have carrots and tomatoes for your vegetables, you may not be cutting it with fiber.
How to follow a Bear Diet in a Restaurant?
My family wants to eat out – I guess I’ll just have to cheat on my diet again, right? Wrong! You can still eat out while following your Hauser Bear Diet. As a Bear, remember to be balanced!
FOUR BEAR TIPS FOR EATING ITALIAN:
- Think meat, carbohydrate, and vegetables, like Chicken Parmesan with pasta and grilled vegetables.
- Go easy on the breadsticks – grab one and send the basket to the other end of the table!
- Alcohol in moderation is ok. If you want to indulge, order one small glass of red wine.
- Dessert? An occasional dessert is ok (and splitting it is even better) – but if you had wine and breadsticks with the meal you should pass. Choose one of the above, not all three!
Sample Italian Bear Meal: Linguine with marinara meat sauce, a side salad with oil and vinegar, and grilled veggies.
FOUR BEAR TIPS FOR EATING ASIAN:
- Choose a rice or noodle dish with both protein and vegetables in it, like a chicken and vegetable stir fry, or Asian lettuce wraps and spring rolls.
- Say no to the high fat fried items like egg rolls and fried orange chicken.
- Be sure to include one of the delicious herbal teas that are on the menu!
- You can read your fortune and eat it too – one small fortune cookie is fine for a Bear.
Sample Asian Bear Meal: Chicken potsticker appetizer, Chicken and Veggie stir fry with brown rice, Jasmine tea.
FOUR BEAR TIPS FOR EATING MEXICAN:
- You can choose almost any traditional Mexican dish, but be sure there are veggies on the plate!
- Choose a beef or chicken taco, tortilla, fajita, or quesadilla and order extra grilled veggies.
- Chips, anyone? A handful of chips are ok, but not the whole basket! Put a few chips on your plate and send the basket away.
- Skip the margaritas and go for iced tea or water with lime. If you must indulge in alcohol, a small glass of red wine is best.
Sample Mexican Bear Meal: Two chicken soft tacos, lettuce, tomato, and cheese with a side of black bean soup.
FOUR BEAR TIPS FOR EATING AMERICAN:
- Choose a delicious sandwich with a soup or salad.
- Want a burger? Go for it, but nix the fries, chips, onion rings, and bread baskets. Try salad, baked beans, or veggie based sides.
- Love that brew? A beer on occasion is okay. But remember it is a simple carbohydrate, so fries, beer, and a dessert = not okay.
- There are some great desserts out there, but remember moderation. Only an occasional dessert for you Bears.
Sample American Bear Meal: ½ turkey club sandwich with a side salad and bowl of soup.
