Weight Loss

Weight-loss secrets from the land of the Vikings

By: Jeff Tunks, as told to Nicole Alper
Published: October 2008   [ Updated: Nov 2, 2008 - 3:29:56 PM ]

"Bathroom scales go only so high. I found their limit when a nurse tried to weigh me before my back surgery five years ago: 350 pounds. I'd recently opened my first restaurant, DC Coast, in Washington, D.C., and I was so pressed for time that I was eating one gigantic meal a day, like an anaconda. When I was diagnosed with early-onset adult diabetes and sleep apnea, my life insurance shot to $7,000 a year. I knew I'd wind up dead if I didn't change my ways.

Soon after my diabetes diagnosis, I flew to Iceland to participate in its annual food competition. Icelanders, it turns out, enjoy one of the world's longest life expectancies—79 years for men—and one of Europe's lowest rates of heart disease, according to the World Health Organization. Research suggests the country's food deserves much of the credit. Icelandic law has banned the import of most livestock since 1882 and forbids the use of hormones and antibiotics; high amounts of omega-3s exist in Iceland's free-range eggs and wild fish; and a popular snack is a thick fat-free yogurt called skyr.

Back home, I discovered that Icelandic farmers now export their nutritious foods to high-end grocery stores. Starting each day with a protein-rich breakfast, lightening my meals as the day progressed, and reducing my carb intake increased my metabolism and fueled my workouts with a personal trainer, which helped me build lean muscle and burn more calories. I went from wearing size 54 jeans to size 42 in one year. Now I'm a size 40. I've had my wedding ring resized, and my life insurance company has slashed my payments by two-thirds. Here's how you can import the Icelandic diet too."

Chef Jeff Tunks, 46, is the executive chef and coproprietor of four award-winning restaurants in Washington, D.C.: DC Coast, TenPenh, Ceiba, and Acadiana.

THE PLAN: Eat protein-rich Icelandic foods to fuel your body's fat burners
Breakfast Whisk together one whole free-range egg plus two egg whites, scramble in a nonstick pan with olive oil, and serve on multigrain toast with sliced ham or turkey. "A protein-rich breakfast helps curb my hunger," says Tunks, "and prevents me from nibbling at the restaurant during our lunch rush."

Lunch Order a lamb sandwich, ideally made from roast leg of lean, free-range Icelandic lamb. Spread a thin layer of mustard (instead of mayo) on multigrain toast and top with mixed greens lightly sprinkled with mustard–sherry wine vinaigrette. Substitute carrot sticks for potato chips.

Snack Skyr, a thick Icelandic nonfat yogurt, dates back to the Vikings. Making it requires three times more milk than yogurt (the water is strained away). Just six ounces has 17 grams of protein. "Many nonfat foods have no nutritional value and leave you hungry," says Tunks. "This fills you up, not out." skyr.com