The Schwarzbein Principle, Program: Losing Weight the Healthy Way

The Schwarzbein Principle Works!

I tried to do the Atkins diet and actually gained ten pounds. I then came across the Schwarzbein Principle and realized that the Atkins diet (too much fat and not enough healthy carbs) was not the right diet for me. I have since made major changes with my diet (increasing vegetable carbs and watching too much fat), and I have lost fourteen pounds.

—Marina James, Sebastapol, CA

For three years I had been extremely proud of my twenty-eight-pound weight loss with Weight Watchers. Then my compounding pharmacist led me to The Schwarzbein Principle, [which he said was] thoroughly researched and offered the best advice he had seen. After launching into The Schwarzbein Principle, I am astounded at how ignorant I was. There is diabetes in my family. . . . And I was leading myself down that path faster! I never realized how caffeine and sugar addicted I was. I have had much success with weaning off of sugar and what a HUGE difference in my life. I am no longer subject to sugar highs and lows throughout the day. I haven’t slept this well in decades and it’s amazing how easy it is to stay away from processed foods. Dr. Schwarzbein, thanks for this direction—so logical and so sound.

—Betsy, Elmira, NY

One year ago I was on thyroid hormones, insulin sensitizers, antidepressants and various medications for migraine headaches. . . . I battled bulimia for seven years. I tried zero carb diets that left me feeling awful. . . . The mother of a child I baby-sit for gave me The Schwarzbein Principle. Everything made sense when I read the book, but I can’t even describe the incredible change that took place in my life. In three months, my insulin and thyroxine levels returned to normal. The hormonal changes I experienced were so intense I didn’t even feel like the same person! I’m now off all of my medicines and have lost four pants sizes! I have incredible energy and best of all, I don’t obsess about food anymore. My friends think I must have a fast metabolism because I eat avocados, coconuts, cashews, cottage cheese, and tofu and peanut sauce in whatever quantities I need. Dr. Schwarzbein is to be commended for quite possibly saving my life.

—Raven, Arcata, CA

My internist told me I was Type II diabetic. He said that, unless I lost weight and a lot of it, I would have full-blown diabetes within five years. I got the message [and started the Schwarzbein Program]. After eight weeks, I went back to the same internist. I had lost over sixty pounds (which he declared was medically impossible). . . . As of this writing, I have lost a total of 122 pounds and am only about ten pounds from my goal. My suits almost wrap around me twice. I have been at it for only eighteen weeks. My blood pressure is 110/68; my resting heart rate is 50. My doctor said, It doesn’t get any better than this. You have the blood profile of a teenager.

—David Shomers, Lauderdale Lakes, FL

I have gone from 249 to 206 pounds since April. My BMI is now at 24. Thank you, Dr. Schwarzbein, for finally coming out with the truth about diabetics’ diets.

—Stephen Houston, Aurora, CO

I have always taken supplements, which give me energy and good results. But I craved carbs. Now I have no craving for carbs and really enjoy eating. Everyone has noticed my change and I receive compliments often. The women’s group at my church wants to have a workshop on this new way of eating and living. I could go on forever with nothing but praises about this new way to eat.

—Vicki Jarboe, Valley City, OH

When I was six, my parents took me to a dietician for the first time.

By the age of twelve, I was put into the Weight Watchers program.

By age sixteen, through a strict regime of low-fat foods and calorie counting, along with a daily aerobic routine, I had worked my way down to a size sixteen.

By age eighteen, I was gaining weight all over again and doing bizarre diets, such as those consisting of nothing but fruit and plain rice.

By twenty-three, I was bulimic.

By twenty-five, I had had enough. No more diets. I was tired of people telling me there was something wrong with my body. I just wanted to love and be who I was.

By thirty, I was going to a bunch of different health professionals, trying to figure out why I was having headaches all the time.

At thirty-three, they said I had fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).

When I turned thirty-four, I was beyond knowing that something had to change. I just didn’t know what to do. I bought Dr. Schwarzbein’s book and started doing the program. I am the type of person who needs to understand why it is important to do a thing before I will do it. The Schwarzbein Principle explains it all. Now I finally get how food works in my body, why I was always hungry, why it was so hard to quit smoking (no wonder I craved candy!), why I was addicted to diet cola and why I was starting to feel so old while I was still so young. It is impossible to read The Schwarzbein Principle and not have everything click into place inside your head. It makes so much sense. . . .

It has only been five months, and the difference the Schwarzbein Principle has made in my life is incredible. I know for me that it is just the beginning. I will be following this program for the rest of my days. I feel like Dr. Schwarzbein has saved my life.

—Susan, British Columbia, Canada

I bought the original Schwarzbein program book along with the cookbook. Although it was hard at first to cut back on the carbs (due to job-loss stress), I did stick to the plan. . . . The results are: I do not get PMS. I have steady moods. I have no desire for sweets. My body composition is one of muscular strength. I want to scream at people when I see they are not eating or exercising properly. I often recommend the program. It really works!!!

—Camille, Sausalito, CA

My doctor suggested [I read The Schwarzbein Principle]. My first thought during reading what my eating requirements would be was, Oh, yea, in an ideal world where I don’t work. That was followed shortly by a chuckle and the realization that, Hey! This is exactly the way I’d be eating in quite a few other countries anyway—all natural, unprocessed, organic fare. . . . I have lost sixteen pounds in about a month and am up to two miles a day on the treadmill. Yippee.

—Marie, Watsonville, GA

When I got married at age twenty-two, I was generally in good health, but knew I could lose a few pounds. As a young, married couple, my husband and I often ate cheaply. By the time our one-year anniversary came around, I was about thirty-five pounds overweight. I knew of the Schwarzbein program because my dad and mom were following it, and I definitely agreed with it in theory. My husband and I started incorporating some of the aspects of the program into our lives. We slowly began to eliminate the extra, processed carbs we’d been addicted to, and as time went on, we got rid of the soda drinks and all the products with sugar and partially hydrogenated oils (we became pros at reading labels!). . . . Midway through that year, I had already lost twenty pounds and felt great. Suddenly, neither of us had the desire to eat sugar anymore. We began to appreciate and love the taste of real food. Going grocery shopping became an adventure. Altering recipes to be Schwarzbein-friendly became one of my favorite hobbies. I eventually lost thirty-five pounds, and I now fit into the clothes sizes I never dreamed I’d fit! I feel better than I ever have and love that I am enjoying eggs, cheese, peanut butter, olive oil, and more, while dieters I know are starving themselves with meal-replacement bars and energy drinks. It is obvious to me that the Schwarzbein program is the most natural, most balanced, and most logical way to get the body to its optimum level of health and weight.

—Kelly Pinkham, La Palma, CA

I started my menstrual cycle at age thirteen. By the time I was sixteen, my cycle had stopped. I was overweight and had acne on my face, chest, and back. My first visit to a gynecologist was a disaster—and it was every year until I was thirty-eight. . . . Then I found the Schwarzbein Principle. I am amazed that I have gone down six dress sizes and have started having my menstrual cycles without medication, which has not happened since I was a teenager. This is a wonderful, life-changing program!

—Karen M., Chattanooga, TN

I had tried unsuccessfully for many years to lose weight by skipping meals and eating salads. Dr. Schwarzbein showed me how to eat healthy meals and got my hormone levels in proper balance. I have lost eleven pounds in five months and have been able to stop taking most of my asthma medicines. I’m never hungry now and it’s great to feel good again!

—Carol Matthews, Ventura, CA

For many years I ate what I now know to be a high carbohydrate vegetarian diet, which included eggs and dairy for protein. I also drank a glass of wine almost every night. My job was very stressful, and I traveled every week. Over time I developed chronic fatigue, bloating, poor fingernails, and incessant yeast infections. My doctors simply told me to find another job. A few years later I was advised to remove my uterus due to abnormal PAP smears. Then I went into early menopause. . . . [That’s when] I heard about Dr. Schwarzbein and read her books. I am now eating a truly balanced diet of organic foods. I exercise daily and have eliminated sugar and alcohol. My body is finally healing, and I can’t believe the difference!

—Elisabeth Gambill-Niksich, Atlanta, GA

I started the Schwarzbein Principle about 4½ months ago with the support of my gynecologist, who totally believes in it. I have released twenty-five pounds so far. It is interesting that this program is not better known. . . . I wish it were.

—Marianne, Cave Creek, AZ

In the spring of 2003 I weighed near 190 pounds and was taking medication for Type II diabetes. Neither my wife nor I enjoy taking medications. After reading Dr. Schwarzbein’s books, my wife convinced me that we should try to get my blood sugar under control with the program. Since that time I have lost twenty-five pounds, my blood sugar is normal every morning (no more medication) and goes up to a reasonable amount after a meal. I’m so glad that my wife convinced me to do this program.

—Paul Byard, Worthington, OH

Dear Dr. Schwarzbein: Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am fifty-nine years old and have been more or less concerned about good health from the age of twenty-four, following the birth of my second child. Over the years I’ve done various activities to keep fit—aerobics, walking, swimming, and yoga. And over the years, I continued to gain weight. Six months ago I was going to the gym six days a week and still weighed 150 pounds on a 5'3" frame.

I was very discouraged. Then, someone told me about your book. . . . It has been unbelievable. It’s been six months now, and I have lost fifteen pounds, 2½ inches off my waist and the same off my hips. I’ve gone down two dress sizes. You were so right when you said to throw away the scales. The number doesn’t matter; it’s what is happening at the metabolic level that counts.

—Jude, New Brunswick, Canada

My husband bought The Schwarzbein Principle to read for weight loss purposes. Being a registered nurse I scoffed at it. My training is in direct opposition to the idea that one should eat more fat and protein! But after reading Dr. Schwarzbein’s introduction to the book, I realized it made sense, so I decided to follow the eating principles for a two-month trial. After just two weeks of eating according to the Principle I was amazed at the physical changes that occurred, which I hadn’t known were wrong in the first place! I quit having frequent headaches and feeling shaky before lunch, and I slept much more deeply, almost like the sleep I enjoyed as a child. I am convinced!

—Carol Feenstra, Mason, OH

The Schwarzbein Principle has helped me immensely. In the weeks after I began following the book’s directives I began to immediately feel better and look better. I dropped two belt sizes and began wearing pants that I had not worn in almost seven years. I have also kept the weight off and no longer crave carbohydrates like I once did. I have also given up caffeine and only occasionally do I sip a glass of wine. Irritable Bowel Syndrome no longer plagues me. I don’t know how I put up with that problem for so long! I’m so glad to have found the answer!

—Paul C., Milford, NH

I feel a thousand times better since starting the Schwarzbein Principle—it’s great!

—Leslie Hilton, Denver, CO

losing weight the healthy way

an easy, 5-step, no-nonsense approach

Diana Schwarzbein, M.D.

Health Communications, Inc.

Deerfield Beach, Florida

www.hcibooks.com

The Schwarzbein Principle is not intended as a substitute for the advice and/or medical care of the reader’s physician, nor is it meant to discourage or dissuade the reader from the advice of his or her physician. The reader should regularly consult with a physician in matters relating to his or her health, and especially with regard to symptoms that may require diagnosis. Any eating or lifestyle regimen should be undertaken under the direct supervision of the reader’s physician. Moreover, anyone with chronic or serious ailments should undertake any eating and lifestyle program, and/or changes to his or her personal eating and lifestyle regimen, under the direct supervision of his or her physician. If the reader has any questions concerning the information presented in this book, or its application to his or her particular medical profile, or if the reader has unusual medical or nutritional needs or constraints that may conflict with the advice in this book, he or she should consult his or her physician. If the reader is pregnant or nursing she should consult her physician before embarking on the nutrition and lifestyle program outlined in this book. The reader should not stop prescription medications without the advice and guidance of his or her personal physician.

The Library of Congress has catalogued the printed edition as follows:

Schwarzbein, Diana, 1960-

The Schwarzbein principle : the program : losing weight the healthy way : an easy, 5-step, no-nonsense approach / Diana Schwarzbein.

   p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7573-0227-5

ISBN-10: 0-7573-0227-0

1. Weight loss. 2. Health. 3. Nutrition. I. Title.

RM222.2.S359 2004

613.2'5—dc22

2004054274

© 2004 Diana Schwarzbein

         ISBN-13: 978-0-7573-9502-4 (e-book)

         ISBN-10: 0-7573-9502-3 (e-book)

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

HCI, its logos and marks are trademarks of Health Communications, Inc.

Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.

                  3201 S.W. 15th Street

                  Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190

R-3-11

Cover design by Larissa Hise Henoch

Inside book design by Lawna Oldfield Patterson

Inside book formatting by Dawn Von Strolley Grove

To Edison and Martha Schwarzbein.

I got the best from the both of you—20 percent

genetic, 80 percent environmental. Thank you

for the wonderful childhood and for still being

there when I need you.

Contents

Author’s Note

Acknowledgments

Introduction

PART I: THE SCHWARZBEIN PRINCIPLE

One: The Schwarzbein Principle

Two: The Power of Metabolism: The Science Behind the Schwarzbein Principle

Three: The Truth About Diets and Exercise

PART II: THE SCHWARZBEIN PROGRAM

Four: The Promise of the Schwarzbein Program: A Unique Approach to Health

Five: Nutrition

Six: Stress Management

Seven: Toxic Chemicals

Eight: Exercise

Nine: Hormones

PART III: THE SCHWARZBEIN PLANS

Ten: The Path to Balance

Eleven: Your Personal Assessment

Twelve: The Healing Plan

Thirteen: The Maintenance Plan

Conclusion

Appendix A

Appendix B

author’s note

Welcome to The Schwarzbein Principle: The Program. In this book, as well as my others, you will learn how your body functions and what you can do to live a long and healthy life. All three books have something to offer you.

I wrote my first book, The Schwarzbein Principle, with the goal of getting people to start eating healthy fats again and lower their overall consumption of carbohydrates. This book also helps people conquer their fear of fats.

My second book, The Schwarzbein Principle II: The Transition, was written to give you a deeper understanding of the importance of carbohydrates and what you will go through as your metabolism heals. This is where you will find the in-depth scientific explanations behind my program. It is the book to have if you want to know how it all works.

As more people turned to me to help them heal from years of dieting and overexercising, I had to come up with innovative new ways to teach both the public and professionals about my program. The result is this book. The Schwarzbein Principle: The Program is the most straightforward approach to following my five-step program as I intend it to be followed. It includes the latest healing and maintenance plans and the most updated information I have to offer. Whether you are already familiar with my program or not, this is the book to have and to follow!

The knowledge in this book is complete and can be applied by anyone. However, if you still want to learn more, I recommend