Article #6: The Code Red Nutrition Protocol: Why "Low Fat" Made Us Fat

By Connor with Honor

Medical Disclaimer: I am a retired First Responder and Realtor, not a doctor. The story of my 135-pound weight loss involves strategies that worked for me, including fasting and dietary changes. This information is for motivation and education. Always consult your physician before changing your diet or stopping medications, especially if you are diabetic or have heart conditions.

Introduction: The "Husky" Kid in the 16-Inch Pants

I grew up in Southern New Mexico in the 1970s. It was a time of atomic testing nearby and "Husky" sections in the clothing store. I was a Husky kid.

My mom, bless her heart, was always trying to lose "the last 15 pounds." She loved me, and in our house, food was love. But looking back, the food that was supposed to be "diet" food was actually the poison that kept us fat, sick, and tired.

We have been lied to for decades. We were told that fat was the villain. We were told to eat 100-calorie packs of processed garbage. We were told to eat "heart-healthy" grains.

The result? I ended up 365 pounds with a 65-inch waist, sweating through my clothes at listing appointments, with legs that were turning purple from poor circulation. I was a walking heart attack until I flipped the script.

This is the Code Red Nutrition Protocol. It is not a diet. It is a deprogramming.

Part 1: The Great Deception – "Ayds" and Cereal Bowls

To understand how to fix your weight, you have to understand how you broke it. For most of us growing up in that era, we were broken by the "Low Fat" craze.

I distinctly remember a product my mom bought called "Ayds" (pronounced like the disease that would later terrify the world). They were caramel candies. The box said they would suppress your appetite. They were "diet food."

I found that box one day. I didn't suppress my appetite; I ate the entire box. Over 100 caramels. Why? Because they were sugar. And sugar is addictive. My mom wasn't even mad; she just bought more, thinking they were helping.

The Pyrex Ritual

I was a latchkey kid. I had access to the kitchen, and I had boredom. My drug of choice was Frosted Flakes. The serving size is 1/2 a cup. That is a joke. I would take a large Pyrex mixing bowl—the kind you make a cake in. I would fill it with flakes. Then, I would take my chubby hand and crush them down to make room for more. I would repeat this until the bowl was a solid brick of compressed sugar corn. Then came the whole milk, delivered by the milkman with the cream on top.

I wasn't eating for fuel. I was eating for dopamine. I was eating to feel good.

The Lesson: If you are eating processed food, "low fat" snacks, or anything that comes in a box with a cartoon character on it, you are not feeding your body. You are feeding your addiction.

Part 2: The Myth of Moderation

People love to talk about "Moderation." "Everything in moderation!" they say. "Just have one cookie."

Let me ask you this: If you had a friend who was a recovering alcoholic, would you tell them, "Just have one shot of whiskey, it's fine in moderation"? No. You wouldn't. Because you know that for an addict, one is too many and a thousand is never enough.

I am not good at moderation. I quit drinking alcohol entirely on June 21, 2023. I quit smoking after 23 years cold turkey. I couldn't "chip" a cigarette occasionally.

Food is the same. The modern food supply is engineered to be addictive. It hits the same dopamine receptors in your brain as cocaine. When you are 365 pounds, you have lost the right to "moderation." You need elimination.

You have to stop lying to yourself. You are not a person who can have "just one" donut. I know I'm not. If I have one, I want the box. So, the Code Red Protocol starts with a hard truth: We do not negotiate with terrorists, and sugar is a terrorist.

Part 3: The Insulin & Testosterone Connection

Why did the "Low Fat" diet make us fat? Because when they took the fat out, they put the sugar in to make it taste good.

When you eat sugar (or carbohydrates that turn into sugar, like bread and pasta), your body spikes Insulin. Insulin is a storage hormone. Its job is to take energy and store it as fat. If you are eating six small meals a day (another lie we were told), your insulin is chronically high. You are in "Storage Mode" 24 hours a day. You never give your body a chance to switch to "Burn Mode."

The Man-Killer: Estrogen & Low T

When you carry excess fat, especially visceral fat (the belly), that fat acts as an active organ. It converts your testosterone into estrogen. I went to a doctor when I was fat and tired. He tested my blood. My testosterone levels were that of an 80-year-old man. I was in my early 50s. No wonder I had no energy. No wonder I couldn't build muscle. My own fat was castrating me.

The Fix:

1. Fasting: Drops insulin to rock bottom.

2. Code Red Diet: Removes the insulin spikes.

3. Hormone Optimization: Getting my testosterone fixed (under doctor supervision) was a game changer. It helped me torch fat and build the muscle that burns calories at rest.

Part 4: The 5 Pillars of the Code Red Diet

So, if we aren't eating 100-calorie snack packs and Frosted Flakes, what are we eating? When I finally torched the fat—dropping 5 to 7 pounds a week at my peak—I simplified everything.

We are returning to the human diet. We are eating what humans ate before obesity became an epidemic.

The 5 Pillars:

1. Meat: Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, game. Unprocessed. The fattier the better (ribeye over chicken breast) because fat keeps you full and doesn't spike insulin.

2. Fish: Salmon, tuna, mackerel. Real food from the sea.

3. Eggs: The perfect food. Eat the yolk. That's where the nutrients are.

4. Vegetables: Green, leafy, fibrous. They are vehicles for butter and salt.

5. Seasonal Fruit (With Caution): Fruit today is not what it was 100 years ago. Modern fruit is candy growing on trees. It has been genetically modified to be super sweet and seedless. If you are trying to torch fat, limit fruit. Berries are okay; bananas are sugar bombs.

What is NOT on the list:

• Bread

• Pasta

• Cereal

• Soda (even diet soda triggers cravings)

• Seed Oils (Canola, Soybean, Corn oil)

Part 5: Honor the Refeed

Fasting is the tool that empties the tank. The "Refeed" is how you refill it. Many people fast for 20 hours and then ruin it by bingeing on pizza. This is "Dirty Fasting." It doesn't work long term.

You must Honor the Refeed. When you break your fast, your body is like a dry sponge. It is ready to absorb nutrients. Do not give it garbage.

My Protocol:

• Break Fast: Bone broth or a hard-boiled egg. Wait 30 minutes. Let the digestive system wake up gently.

• The Meal: A large portion of protein (Steak/Ground Beef) and healthy fats. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.

• The Stop: Close the eating window. Done.

Part 6: The "Clot City" Wake Up Call

Why am I so passionate about this? Because I remember looking at my legs when I was 365 pounds. They were red. They had brown spots. My ankles were swollen like Frodo's. I realized that was "Clot City." My circulation was failing. I was looking at the same path my father and grandfather took—amputation due to diabetes.

I wasn't ready to lose a leg. I wasn't ready to die. I decided to stop waiting for the "perfect time." I stopped waiting for Monday. I forgave myself for the years of abuse I put my body through, and I started that day.

Conclusion: A Visit from Your Future Self

Imagine this. You are sitting in a chair. Your "Future Self" from 5 years from now walks in the room. They only have 5 minutes. What do they look like? Are they leaner? Stronger? Are they moving without pain? Or are they in a wheelchair? Are they missing a limb?

My Future Self told me: "Get the fat off. Do it now. The journey is better than you can imagine."

I torched 135 pounds. I went from a 65-inch waist to a 34-inch waist. I don't recognize the man in the mirror sometimes, but I love the way he feels.

You have a billion-dollar machine (your body). Stop putting water in the gas tank. Put in the premium fuel. Push away from the table. Fast. Eat Meat. Lift Heavy.

In the next article, we will discuss The Mental Game of Fasting—how to handle the "Ghrelin Gremlin," how to sit with hunger without getting angry, and how to make your mind as strong as your new body.