I listened to all 20 chapters of the Obesity Code. First 19 chapters was interesting, but I already knew that healthy diet for losing/maintaining weight included: 1) reducing added sugar; 2) reducing processed grains; 3) managing protein intake; 4) consuming natural fat; and 5) increasing consumption of fiber. However, the last chapter provided information new to me. Not only is what you eat important, which is what I knew how to do and have lost 50 pounds implementing it. But then I promptly gained 20 pounds back. Always without fail, if only focusing on what you eat there will be weight gain, according to author of the Obesity Code. The body has a set weight, or like a thermostat. Unless the body set weight changes, whether you lose or gain weight temporarily, your body will want to go back to the set weight. To lose weight, Dr. Fung argues, you have to lower the body set weight, by lowering insulin resistance. you can create lower insulin levels by creating gaps in your day where you are eating. in otherwords, fasting can reset your body so it will alter its body set weight (lowering the thermostat) so you can lose weight and maintain weight loss. The analogy of body set weight to thermostat was very helpful in this book. Dr. Fung talks about diets as bringing in fans or heaters to the house to control the temperature in the house. Unless you reset the “thermostat” of your body, your body will rebound and gain or lose weight to the set weight it started at before your weight fluctuated.
I grew up being normal weight. In my early thirties, I started gaining weight. And Dr. Fung is right. Obesity takes time. I gained weight at a rate of 1-2 lbs a year. Some years, I gained more than 1-2 lbs. I was not exercising. I was taking medicine that listed weight gain as side effect. I ate whatever and whenever I wanted. During this time I was gaining weight, I also started eating throughout the day, meaning, I didn’t stop eating at night. This is the most problematic aspect of my diet pattern that keeps me from maintaining my weight. Even now, I know when I don’t eat in the middle of the night, I will lose weight. On days I eat in the middle of the night, I won’t lose weight. It kind of made sense to me. I’m consuming more calories when I eat in the middle of the night. But even if calorie intake was similar, on nights I ate, I wake up with poor sleep, wake up at a later time, and I gained or at least haven’t lose weight. Now it makes sense to me. Dr. Fung would explain that the night time is crucial for fasting, for giving your body time to lower your insulin level. Otherwise, food, whatever food I would eat, would raise the insulin level and cause weight gain. So the challenge for me, giving that I follow the guidelines for healthy what to eat list. I will try to follow when to eat guide.
Intermittent fasting for some people can mean not eating all day or even consecutive days. Fluids are encouraged, and those who have diabetes or are pre-diabetic should definitely consult their doctors. I was surprised in the book, Dr. Fung writes that small amounts of milk in coffee is permissible. That’s always been a difficult part for me, having to drink coffee black if I tried not to eat in the mornings. For me, intermittent fasting will mean not eating from dinner to breakfast. And I will report back on this in few weeks. In the mean time if you have experience with intermittent fasting, do share.
Posting a link to the obesity code to amazon. I don’t make money whether you use this link or not. But just posting for your convenience. I didn’t read the obesity code to exact, I listened to the entire book on audible.com, the audio book app by amazon. They have exclusive rights to audible book. The Obesity Code
revalicekim 