Everyone is different, but you should continue losing just fine.

I wouldn’t exactly say she’s obese, but a large belly starts with a little pooch. And 40 clearly is getting into middle-age range, so she may be suffering the same effects as the rest of us.

I just bought the book this weekend, and it is good stuff. I had been using a protocol similar to the first phase (weeks 1-2) of the plan. (In fact, it was partially based on your book “Thin So Fast”).

A few of the major differences were these: 1) I used high levels of fish oil, where I don’t see that as being recommended at all in your new book. 2) I consumed nut butter one time a day (mostly almond, but also some peanut). 3) I used a blend of whey and casein to promote satiety.

The solid meal was meat + green veggies, so essentially the same.

I had great success with this plan, and I have high hopes for following your new version of it. I am willing to forgo the nut butters and the megadoses of fish oil in lieu of organic cream/coconut milk, however, I’m curious about your recommendation to use whey instead of a whey-casein blend. I find that I am hungry pretty quickly if I drink a purely whey shake, yet a casein shake “sticks to the ribs” a bit better.

So, two part question:

1. Is there a reason you didn’t recommend casein as one of the components of the shake?
2. Do you think that using a whey/casein blend will hamper any aspect of the first two weeks?

I did a search, but the only information was on using casein to maintain after fat loss (dating back to 2005).

Dan McVicker

Casein protein isn’t a problem in the shakes. If they make you feel fuller, go for it. We’re just so used to whey protein that that’s what we think of as shake material. A whey/casein blend shouldn’t hamper anything. Sorry for the confusion.

If you could trust the meat source, I would think that would just about suffice for food prep most of the time. If a person liked raw meat, that is. My favorite cut currently is the flatiron cut, and I cook the outside just enough to take care of any bad germ issues but the inside might as well be raw. Mmmmm.

Re: the tryptophan thing… it converts to serotonin, then to melatonin. But it only makes that last conversion in darkness. Someone having trouble sleeping could try making their bedroom completely dark (or as near to it as possible) before they try bedtime tea with sugar.

Have you ever read Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival? The author is a bit of a crackpot about replacement hormone therapy for postmenopausal women (if menopause is so bad for you, why do we go through it at all?), but she has some very interesting things to say about the relationship between indoor lighting, sleep habits, and hormone/neurotransmitter balance. I do know that when I’m high-carbing it I get insomnia a lot more often. And I sleep better since I moved to a new place with a darker bedroom.

I, too, like flatiron steaks cooked lightly. To cook them sous vide is the best. Tenderizes them so you end up with the great taste of that cut of steak and the tenderness of a filet.

I did read the book Lights Out years ago, but to tell you the truth, I can’t remember much about it.

I’m about tearing my hair out over the fat acceptance blogs stating there is no obesity epidemic because they changed the BMI charts. I think I can see who’s fat and who isn’t without a chart, thank you.

I’ve been waiting 7 years, and it ain’t happening, lol. The only thing that has helped (besides the lower body lift I had 2 years ago) is the replacement physiological levels of leptin as part of an experimental study.

Other than damaged/redundant skin cells a major reason skin looks loose after weight loss is the fact that hyperinsulinemia causes white fat cells to multiply like a tumor in certain areas of the body – those prone to severe obesity (this is genetically determined). Leptin has helped as leptin induces white fat cell apotosis, which helps even out the appearance of the body and “loose skin”.
Unfortunately, maintaining massive weight loss results in a state of hypoleptinemia. Ignorant of the potential for morbid obesity induced by an unnatural diet, the body was designed to maintain its highest weights, it seems. It suppresses leptin production when fat cells are too small, even if total fat in kilos is normal.

But, generally speaking, no the skin does not snap back. It improves with time (because rapid weight loss related malnutrition cause skin to look unfortunate) but in the case of significant obesity it is unrealistic to expect a body as if it were never obese.

Sounds like your protein is a little high. I would stick it more in the 30 g per shake range. The egg adds only about 6 g of protein, so I would use it in the calculations. But you don’t really need the egg unless your not eating any meat at all as part of your program.

I would go with the smaller shake if you’re only 5′ 2″.