Pink Ladies-2008 I'm No April Fool Challenge

[Rebecca130]

sun, what rules are you working for? Is it a specific program? You have my curiosity peaked.

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by Rebecca130

sun, what rules are you working for? Is it a specific program? You have my curiosity peaked.

Yes it is a specific program, but not about what foods to eat. It is "behaviors" you need to do for managing leptin (and other hormones that interfere with weight loss). The role leptin plays in regulating appetite and fat metabolism may be a key in managing weight and "the rules "help to get the metabolism working right so weight loss can occur. It's not a diet, but a way to adjust your eating.

The theory is that 99.99% of overweight people make too much leptin; however, the leptin does not get into the brain properly (leptin resistance), so the body behaves like a person who makes no leptin at all.(resulting in being fat, fat, fat!)

To correct that you need to learn to eat in harmony with the hormone to reduce leptin resistance, allowing leptin to enter the brain in the natural way.

It isn't easy to live a regular life and live the rules, but when I last did it, I was losing weight and feeling more energy than I have ever had in my life. So I am trying it again. It takes awhile to kick in and see the results.

[Rebecca130]

How did you learn about this? Is there something to conteract the leptin or is it behavior based? I'm even more intrigued about this now.

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by Rebecca130

How did you learn about this? Is there something to conteract the leptin or is it behavior based? I'm even more intrigued about this now.

I have read every thing under the sun I can find about leptin. This plan is behavior based. You can read the book to understand WHY. It all makes sense. You cannot snack. You have to time your meals and when you go to bed. You have to get enough sleep. These are the five rules. see below

What is leptin?
A. Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells. Leptin is essential for survival, guiding the proper response to starvation. Problems with leptin are the cause of the obesity epidemic.

Q. How do leptin problems cause obesity?
A. The brain must properly sense the correct level of leptin in order to determine how much fat should be in storage. The brain determines how fast metabolism can go based on the proper perception of leptin. Obesity occurs when the brain fails to sense the leptin hormone correctly, in turn causing fat to accumulate and metabolism to run slow.

Q. What causes leptin problems?
A. Overeating, eating at night, snacking between meals, lack of exercise, and stress.

Q.How is leptin involved with yo-yo dieting?
A. Leptin is the cause of yo-yo dieting. Leptin is designed to replenish the body’s store of fat after a period of deprivation. In evolutionary times, this was a survival necessity. In modern days, this is the genetic response to a low-calorie diet. The only way to avoid having this problem is to eat in such a way as to not upset leptin balance.

Q. Do overweight people have too much or too little leptin?
A. They have too much leptin in their blood and not enough leptin entering their brain. This problem is called leptin resistance. It means that fat cells are overproducing leptin but the brain does not know it.

Q. Does leptin cause other problems?
A. Malfunctioning leptin causes major health problems. These include insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome X, diabetes, heart disease, reproductive problems, sex hormone problems, thyroid problems, fibromyalgia, increased risk for cancer, and increased risk for cognitive decline. Leptin plays a primary role in these problems and is frequently the main cause of them.

Q. How can leptin cause so many problems?
A. There are three main ways leptin causes problems:

1) Leptin problems enforce starvation metabolism and slow metabolic rate, resulting in adverse consequences in using energy everywhere in the body, which affects everything in an adverse way.

2) Low leptin in the brain exposes brain cells to excess damage, resulting specifically in damage to NMDA receptors thus increasing the risk for Parkinson’s disease. It also provokes an inflammatory chain of events in the brain leading to the accumulation of plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease.

3) Extra pounds of fat give off excess inflammatory signals that cause all diseases of aging.

Key signs of a leptin problem include: uncontrollable sugar and food cravings, late night eating, stress eating, weight gain around the middle, unable to reach a goal weight, yo-yo dieting, low thyroid symptoms. Left unhandled these problems cause obesity, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Leptin problems are now fully proven to be the primary cause of heart disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, circulatory inflammation, and hardening of the arteries. These factors have now been proven regardless of a person's body weight. Conversely, proper leptin function is highly protective of all factors relating to cardiovascular health.


The five basic rules of the Leptin Diet

1. Never eat after dinner
Never go to bed on a full stomach - leaving a gap of 11-12 hours between dinner and breakfast. This allows enough time for optimum fat burning. Fat burning happens at night while you are asleep
2. Eat 3 meals per day
In stark contrast to those programs that advocate eating 5-6 times a day, the leptin diet calls for a gap of 5 hours between eating. During the first 3 hours after a meal, the hormone insulin will be storing the energy from food - and our bodies are not fat-burning mode. This is extremely important.
3. Do not eat large meals
Regular large meals leads to leptin and insulin resistance.
4. Eat a high-protein breakfast
This supports blood sugar levels throughout the day. Late afternoon energy crashes are often due to eating a breakfast high in carbohydrates and little protein. A high carbohydrate breakfast, combined with leptin resistance can lead to overeating.
5. Reduce the amount and glycemic index of carbohydrates consumed
This is not implying cutting out all carbs, but reducing, in particular starchy carbs.

The book is: Mastering Leptin by Byron J. RIchards.

[Rebecca130]

Sun, thanks for the info. I actually got on the website just a little while ago and read about it. I am going to call Borders tomorrow and see if they have it. I have a 20% coupon. I wonder if that's probably part of my problem, I have a low thyroid (I take synthroid. That was discovered in October), high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, lots of symptoms that he was talking about. I'm going to look at the diet book and the mastering one. Which one would you suggest if I was to buy one? I've NEVER heard of this before "meeting" you, but you've opened my eyes to this and I think it may be a possiblity to having this. Is there any blood test to determine this, do you know?

[Rebecca130]

forgot to add that after a 5 hour glucose tolerance test, the doc said that I was hypoglycemic. Interesting, huh?

[Rebecca130]

Sorry to keep bugging you, I just noticed about the Parkinson's disease. My dad passed away from heart problems and Parkinson's disease and they still haven't determined if Parkinsons has a genetic link. This is really getting my radar going. Thank you so much for sharing this information with me.

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by Rebecca130

Sun, thanks for the info. I actually got on the website just a little while ago and read about it. I am going to call Borders tomorrow and see if they have it. I have a 20% coupon. I wonder if that's probably part of my problem, I have a low thyroid (I take synthroid. That was discovered in October), high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, lots of symptoms that he was talking about. I'm going to look at the diet book and the mastering one. Which one would you suggest if I was to buy one? I've NEVER heard of this before "meeting" you, but you've opened my eyes to this and I think it may be a possiblity to having this. Is there any blood test to determine this, do you know?

This is the BEST book!!

The book is: Mastering Leptin by Byron J. RIchards. ( I have the other one too, but Mastering Leptin EXPLAINS way more than the other one.

There is a blood test for leptin, however according to Richards, bloodwork won't show whether leptin is actually working properly or not. It's a matter of function, not quantity, they say.

If you think your eyes are opened now, just wait until you read the book. I had a highlighter out the first time I read it, and I ended up highlighting every thing!! It just spoke to me as nothing else has and explained what I have been fighting all my life.

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by Rebecca130

Sorry to keep bugging you, I just noticed about the Parkinson's disease. My dad passed away from heart problems and Parkinson's disease and they still haven't determined if Parkinsons has a genetic link. This is really getting my radar going. Thank you so much for sharing this information with me.

You aren't bugging me!!

It is nice to share this with someone actually. Not many people are really interested in it. The majority of people believe in 5-6 small meals a day and you see that all over the place that snacking helps weight loss. In Richards explanation, I see why snacking isn't good. I was a 5-6 a day snacker for years.

[joflora]

sun That is some very interesting info!

rebecca

bridget Thats okay dont worry about discouraging me.
No, when I was doing that to myself I actually was not hungry at all....And when I did eat it wasnt that much cause my stomach shrunk.

My weight went up 1/2lb this last week So you can mark me in for 180 again.
Me and DH took our 16yr old to the dirt bike race track in Tulare over the weekend and I didnt have any time to plan.
I ended up eating a breakfast burrito while I was there...." I would have felt funny sitting there tearing it apart in front of everyone, so I just ate the tortillia."

You would not believe it there was men in their 70's out riding dirt bikes and racing!
There was a few wrecks that had happend and one man had a heart attach, it was awful!

The ambulance had came out atleast three times that day!!!
I looked at my son and said there is no way he is going to get into racing...." He just rolled his eyes at me."
It's pretty scary to see about 21 bikes out their racing on the track up and over the hill's- around the corners ect~ (WRECKING)
The group of men that were racing came from all over and I feel for the family that had lost that man w/heart attach he just got done w/practice and was at his R.V.

Ophelia, blanche, paws,lora how ya doing?

I felt really bloated as well yesterday bridget, I dont know if if was because of the burrito or not enough water over the weekend.
I am still inducting, and thinking about just doing the egg and meat fast for a week.

Have a good day everyone.

[joflora]

bridget Bring out an eraser!!! I got back on the scale again and it said 179 this time!
If I am not going to loose I am happy with that.
"Going to set my stat's."

sun Did you ever try that egg cream shake???

My menu will be all the same this week with protein shakes for breakfast, and tuna melts for lunch...
Either hamburgers for dinner or our homemade sausage from wild boar.

Next time I go out with the family I will be sure to atleast have something prepared for myself so that dont happen again.

We did stop at a little store on the way for some drinks and I got a rockstar, which was really good. But they didnt have anything for me doing induction in that store that I could find....
"Except for the salad I found in a container that had wilted lettuce." For four dollars! It looked very old.

[Ophelia]

Hi all,

Uck, I feel bloated. Was out of town over the weekend and didn't weigh and measure. My bad.

Back in town, took a kick-ass advanced yoga class on Sunday (had to take a nap afterwards; that's how hard it was! ) and rode my bike 40 minutes today. I'm weighing and measuring again as well.

Sunny, I never get itchy eyelashes. How strange. I only get a rash on the back of my head and neck, and swollen glands in the same areas. I had some fried plantain over the weekend--hence the bloating, but no rash today!

I have two doctors appointments tomorrow. Ick.

Hope everyone is well and PINK!

O.

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by joflora

sun Did you ever try that egg cream shake???

.

I did!! It was fine, didn't taste the egg, but I actually prefer mine 'cause I like them thick. Really thick. The egg cream shake was too thin for me.

[Rebecca130]

Sun, I ordered both books from Borders today by Byron Richards, they said it would take about a week to get in.


Going to bed, had a BUSY day. Nite.

[Ophelia]

Joflora has me jonesing for tuna melts! Might have to make some this week with my hemp protein "bagels".

Went out to dinner and had two glasses of wine, but they fit into my counts for the day, so I'm happy!!

Here are my stats:

MON, APRIL 7, 2008

Total: 1571
Fat: 100 896 59%
Sat: 35 315 21%
Poly: 5 48 3%
Mono: 11 98 6%
Carbs: 38 71 5%
Fiber: 20 0 0%
NC: 18
Protein: 91 364 24%
Alcohol: 27 194 13%

Exercise: approx 40 minutes cycling (4.3 mi)

Went clothes shopping over the weekend and couldn't fit into anything made for my height and size, because of the bloat. Was very frustrating. Did find a couple sweaters, but no luck fitting into any dress for the wedding I'll be attending this month. Grr. Will try again later this week. It's amazing what a difference a measly five or ten pounds makes.

You'd think with all the exercise I do, that I'd look like a gazelle by now. It's a drag.

Keeping on keeping on.....

O.

[joflora]

ophelia Love the tuna melt, I think I wont get tired of it for a while.
I also love your pork chops, pork diplomat! I have that whenever I can.
Sorry for the frustration, I know what its like when I go shopping.
You will look great in that dress, and get there I just know it!
Keep up the good work

sun How do you make yours really thick, is it homemade?
I make me one every morning now for breakfast cause its quick and I like coffee.

rebecca Are you going to do what sun is and repair your metabolism?

bridget How are you doing?

Yesterday I didnt have much, but it was okay. " I didnt feel hungry."

coffee w/2tsp cream
Protein shake
tuna melt (ophelia)
bbq hamb and sausage mixed patty.
Less than 15 carbs for the day.

[Rebecca130]

I'm thinking of doing what Sun is, I want to read the books first though. Since I have hypothyroidism I think it's the way I should go, the only thing that I worry about is that I'm also hypoglycemic and I wonder what eating 3 meals a day will do and going without food in between. Any ideas on that Sun???

[sungoddess]

Jo- for my shake, I make it at home. I use water, whey protein powder, Davinci syrup in the flavor I want to make, like banana, a bit of banana extract, some Fiberfit, and for thickener, I use WellBetx PGX with mulberry soluble fiber. I empty out about 6 capsules. I pop it on the blender and add a few ice cubes until it is rich and thick and creamy. Yum!!

Ophie- I am sorry about the dress. You will find something lovely I am sure. It is so frustrating to clothes shop sometimes!!

Rebecca- I would check with my doctor about my own individual case, but once you read the book you will see he addresses your situation. Byron 's professional experience with nutrition, thyroid, and weight issues goes back to 1985 when he began working as the nutritionist for one of the top leading thyroid doctors, Keith W. Sehnert, MD. They are experts in the area of thyroid health, hypothyroidism, and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I also have hypothyroidism and it took my body "training" to stop snacking. He explains how. He also is a firm believer in supplements to repair your body, so if that isn't for you, neither is his plan. You are suppose to eat enough at each meal to tie you over for the 5-6 hours. I can do it now, but I feel my leptin talking to me about 5:00. I try to exercise from 5:00-6:00 and that is suppose to help my leptin stop trying to control me so much and it works.

Here is an article he wrote that you might appreciate--

You are not alone if you think a sluggish thyroid is causing you to gain weight. Contrary to this popular belief, in most cases it is just the other way around. Gaining weight is actually causing the thyroid to become sluggish. If your thyroid is struggling, the problem tends to get worse the more times you go on a diet and lose some weight and then gain it all back again, typically with a few extra pounds for good measure. Once in motion, thyroid and weight problems feed off each other like a chicken and egg, locking in a nasty metabolic catch 22 that is quite difficult to solve.

Leptin is the key hormone that governs body weight. Leptin is produced in fat, travels through the blood and up to the brain, enters the brain and informs the subconscious brain how much fat is in reserves. If there is an adequate amount of fat in storage leptin permits the thyroid system to set a faster basal metabolic rate. Leptin is in control of thyroid, thyroid does not control leptin. Think of thyroid hormone as the drummer in the band, setting the pace or tempo. Think of leptin as the conductor of the band, determining what piece of music will be played.

This leptin and thyroid relationship is fundamental to survival. During evolution there was often a scarcity of food. This required that stored fat be broken down to use as fuel. The stored fat now produces less leptin, which means to the brain it is time to slow down metabolism to conserve energy so as not to perish. If a faster basal metabolic pace was allowed a person would die from malnutrition at a quicker rate. Thus, leptin intentionally creates a hypothyroid state in order to survive.

Then, when more food is available, leptin commands that fat storage is replenished before thyroid is allowed to go faster. This is a mode your body uses to recover from a period of famine, otherwise known as a diet. This mechanism is the bane of any dieter, and the cause of the yo-yo dieting response.

The curse of prosperity is that we now have ready access to too much food. Our bodies did not evolve with overeating as the primary issue. Too much food really creates a lot of stress. Extra pounds of fat crank out way too much leptin. At the same time extra fat in the blood (triglycerides) blocks leptin from getting into the brain, inducing a problem called leptin resistance. This makes your subconscious brain think you are starving even though you have plenty of extra fat on hand. This is a false state of perceived starvation, with the undesirable side effect of slowing down thyroid function to set a slower metabolic pace (hypothyroid).

Now it is certainly possible to create a thyroid problem in some other way, such as chemical poisoning of the thyroid gland by exposure to fluoride or perchlorate. This will slow down metabolism and make a person more likely to gain weight. However, once the person starts gaining weight then the leptin problem makes the thyroid problem worse.

The problem isn’t too bad if a person can cut back on calories and increase exercise and lose the extra weight. However, this leptin-thyroid conundrum is at the root of difficult weight loss and ongoing sluggish thyroid problems in overweight people. Such people run out of energy and get in a really bad mood from cutting calories long before they reach their goal weight. And they easily gain weight back eating even moderate amounts of food.

The only way out of this trap is to understand leptin and to eat in harmony with the hormone. By following the Five Rules you can readily improve thyroid function. This enables your metabolism to run faster while eating proper portions, permitting weight loss without inducing the thyroid-deteriorating starvation response that is invariably followed by weight gain. Those who consistently follow the Five Rules for a number of months in a row have the best results. Nutrients that support thyroid function and leptin function are also helpful tools, along with consistent exercise, to assist you in overcoming this thyroid and leptin rut.

[Rebecca130]

Thanks Sun, that is interesting. Can't wait til my books come in. I'm worried about the hypoglycemia though and not eating for 5 hours between meals.

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by Rebecca130

Thanks Sun, that is interesting. Can't wait til my books come in. I'm worried about the hypoglycemia though and not eating for 5 hours between meals.

If you have to, you can start with 4 meals. He explains it. I was worried too but now I am doing great. It gives me a tremendous energy.
Read it and decide for yourself what will work and what won't. Only you know your body best. This method is certainly not for everyone!! It is fun to talk about it with you though.

[joflora]

rebecca Thats wonderful, if you found something that works good for you! I cant wait to hear how you are doing on it and the results.

sun I am not doing that plan but it does look like I am doing the five rules.
I cant wait to get a book on Paleo that is what I am very interested in doing.
" Sounds kinda harder though than inductionI couldnt have rock stars."

Your protein shake sounds wonderful, I would have to order some whey protein powder and syrup.
Along with the fiber fit, and WellBetx PGX with mulberry soluble fiber....

I dont have any of that in my house

Yesterday I had pretty much the same-ol thing.
coffee w/cream
protein shake
2 tuna melts
hamb patty w/mustard
water, and water.

I seem to loose more weight just doing protein? If I add in the veggies and keep my carbs at about 20-25 I yo~yo.......
So I will see how this works out for me for a while, and I will work in some veggies slowly.
I am not using a fat burner yet, I really want to try one this summer.

I had just realized that I only lost 8lbs since Nov 22 of last year
I have been doing this induction since January.....
( Must be due to my falling off's.)


ophelia As good as you are about exercizing, I can see you getting into that dress!
Keep up the good work

As soon as my arm heals I plan to start working out, it has been a bad year for me thus far.
I have been able to go hiking here in the hills looking for artifacts and at the scenery, since my ankle is healing well.
I found some indian grinding holes, and a arrow smoothing tool!

"Pretty cool"

Have a good day everyone!

[joflora]

Snuck a peak on the scale today.....177.5!
My weigh in day is Saturday I'm getting excited.

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by joflora

rebecca

sun I am not doing that plan but it does look like I am doing the five rules.

Really??

I seem to loose more weight just doing protein? If I add in the veggies and keep my carbs at about 20-25 I yo~yo.......
So I will see how this works out for me for a while, and I will work in some veggies slowly.
I am not using a fat burner yet, I really want to try one this summer.

I am the same way. People on here are always preaching "Eat your veggies", but for some people, it isn't as effective. Each person has to do what works for them.

Congrats on your weight loss!!

I wonder where Bridget is??