Ask The Low-Carb Experts

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32: Jimmy Moore | Nutritional Ketosis 6-Month Update Oct 26, 2012

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AIR DATE: October 25, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED TOPIC: “Nutritional Ketosis 6-Month Update” You've heard the old adage "when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade." Well, that's exactly what we had to do with this episode of "Ask The Low-Carb Experts" when our scheduled expert unexpectedly had to cancel at the last minute. We originally had heart surgeon, researcher and author ready to take on your questions about the topic "High-Fat Diets: Good vs. Bad" for Episode 32. But when he couldn't show up, we decided to shift gears and talk about our host Jimmy Moore's current nutritional ketosis experiment since we're coming up on his 6-month update in a couple of weeks. If you've been following his n=1 journey every 30 days at his blog since he first began in May 2012, then you know it has been quite successful for him helping him shed 50+ pounds so far (check out ) when his normal low-carb lifestyle wasn't producing the results he wanted. CHECK OUT THE LOW-CARB MEALS FROM DIET-TO-GO:Low-Carb meal plans from . No carb counting, no cooking.Enter "LLVLC" at checkout for 25% off!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Check out all of Jimmy's latest updates here:- - - - - And don't miss his CarbSmart columns on this topic:- - - Listen in to hear Jimmy give this impromptu update on how this experiment is going for him, take a few questions from the LIVE listeners on the line and share about what's to come in the remaining six months of his n=1. CHECK IT OUT! NOTE: Dr. Gundry will be rescheduled for early 2013. TRY LOUISE'S FOODS LOW-CARB BREAKFAST BITES & GRANOLAUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" AT CHECKOUT FOR 15% OFF!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE:

31: Dr. Colin Champ | Ketogenic Diets And Cancer Oct 19, 2012

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AIR DATE: October 18, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED TOPIC: “Ketogenic Diets & Cancer” Philadelphia physician and the is currently involved in studying a topic that is very near and dear to his heart that happens to be what we'll be discussing in this week's ATLCX podcast. The hot topic we'll be taking on in Episode 31 is "Ketogenic Diets & Cancer" which is gaining a lot of traction amongst researchers looking for nutritional solutions to this horrible disease. Dr. Champ is currently completing his specialty training in radiation oncology and has a keen interest in the dietary effects of carbohydrate restriction on the prevention and treatment of cancer. The connection between our modern American diet, obesity and cancer has been quite remarkable, and Dr. Champ hopes that the work he is doing can help people fight all three. You may have already read his recent review article published in the scientific journal International Journal Of Breast Cancer entitled We're seeing incredible health benefits from carbohydrate-restricted diets and Dr. Champ took on your questions about how ketogenic diets play a role in the treatment of cancers. TRY THESE DELICIOUS NEW PRE-MADE PALEO MEALSUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" FOR 10% OFF YOUR ORDERNOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: TRY THIS NEW LOW-CARB SNACK OPTION FROM NICK'S STICKS:NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: RELEVANT LINKS SHARED IN THIS EPISODE:- (listen to Jimmy's interview with Dr. Fine in Episode 628 of on Monday, October 22, 2012 about his published results)- - - - Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: GEZ ASKS: Do we know which cancers are the most likely to go into remission with a ketogenic diet? And why are other cancers relatively unaffected? JOHANNAH ASKS: I have been very interested in following a ketogenic diet to combat my cancer. Is a very high-fat diet feasible for those of us cancer patients who have had our gall bladder removed? Does this diet also need to be calorie restricted in order to be effective? SANDI ASKS: I have a pituitary adenoma as well as Cushing’s disease and other aliments (lupus/Hashimoto's/Celiac's/PCOS/etc.) and despite every effort I cannot get into ketosis nor can I get my blood sugar below 150. Is it the cortisol that is keeping my blood sugar up and prohibiting me from getting into nutritional ketosis? If not then what other things can prevent ketosis in someone eating a high fat, zero carb, moderate protein diet? FORTUNE ASKS: One of my best FB buddies is a 2-year breast cancer survivor. They did the gene analysis of the tumor and discovered it was a very aggressive one; later she discovered she also had the BRCA genes! She had a double mastectomy and reconstruction. She continues with the usual treatment for cases like hers, a rather expensive medication. She is a very strong person, but we of course are all terrified of a recurrence. Should we recommend low-carb to her? Is there any evidence that low-carb could slow or halt the expression of the BRCA? BRCA can also lead to ovarian cancer, so it's possible she could get that as well. Could low-carb help her delay or even avoid ovarian cancer? JAN ASKS: I was very excited getting to meet ketogenic diet cancer researcher Dr. Thomas Seyfried at the Ancestral Health Symposium in Boston this year and was privileged to spend a lunch hour visiting with him about his work with brain cancer. I was so impressed by what he shared that I wrote down a summary of my thoughts and passed along to my fellow RN friend who is the Clinical Nurse Specialist for Oncology at a leading cancer center in California who regularly speaks on this subject. But I was completely flabbergasted at her response when she said "You're not going to tell me that SUGAR causes cancer" and then she just rattled off a bunch of comments about quacks who are misleading cancer victims and it was just really frustrating to me. This is such an important topic and I know from what I've heard about your work and my visit with Dr. Seyfried that there is a place for this discussion. But I couldn't even get started with this "expert." She wasn’t even the tiniest bit interested in even looking at the research...and this is not the first time. Unfortunately, I've heard this kind of response from a lot of folks who work in cancer treatment. What can low-carb and Paleo practitioners do as a community to get beyond the "quack" label and get people to at least consider this as a viable part of their treatment options for cancer patients? GREG FROM ALBERTA ASKS: As a layman it seems fairly obvious that any tumor that can be imaged using the fluorodeoxyglucose radiotracer is a tumor which can be affected by limiting glucose consumption. As a new ketogenic diet fan, it seems like all cancers might respond well, but this could just be selection bias on my part. Since mitochondria in tumors can also use glutamine and even lipids as a fuel source. To the best of your knowledge are there breast cancers that would be better served on a protein-limited or even a fat-limited diet? Are there any other common cancers where a restricted ketogenic diet as advocated by Dr. Seyfried might not be effective in helping combat cancer? Are there diagnostic tools that can be used to separate out cancers based on what they require for growth (e.g. Carb/protein/fat)? MIKE ASKS: My mother has stage 4 ovarian cancer and is now in her third round of chemotherapy treatment. On this round the doctors have put her on a low dose chemo program which she has now been on for several months. She has some small spots in her liver and hip area, however since the third round of chemo began it doesn't appear that the spots have grown. She is gaining weight (mostly fat) and recently she had a fasting glucose test with a result of 120. I have been encouraging her to eat a ketogenic diet but she says she just doesn't think she can give up bread and sugar, though she has tried to cut back. Do you feel a ketogenic diet would benefit her at this point, especially if her cancer appears stable for the moment? How hard should I push this? C.L. ASKS: I was one of the 50-80% of women who do not fit the risk profile for breast cancer but received a diagnosis of Stage 1, ER+ in 2009. This may be apples and oranges, but is the ketogenic diet easier for the liver to detoxify than the standard low fat/high carb that is recommended by oncologists? I ask because I have the double C mutation for the MTHFR mutation which regulates the enzyme for folate uptake. I take the proper B now, so my folate should be adequate but I am always looking for ways to make life easier for my detoxification pathways. On the face of it, I would think more fat would be more burdensome for the liver but apparently everything I've heard for the last 30 years about fat has been wrong. I am new to this low-carb lifestyle and am reading as fast as I can. When I was diagnosed I was an ethical vegetarian but realized that would have to change when I began reading about the effects of insulin and cancer. If a ketogenic diet proves a valid treatment, do you think esters might have an application for cancer patients who are under treatment and/or want to avoid recurrence? ANDY ASKS: My questions are about Dr. Seyfried's ketogenic cancer therapy. It is predicated on starving malignant tumors of their fermentable nutritional substrates; blood glucose & glutamine. A diligent ketogenic diet manages the blood glucose & prescription sodium phenylbutyrate (Buphenyl) manages the blood glutamine. I have 4 questions regarding this therapy: 1. Is there any evidence regarding its effectiveness (either anecdotal or clinic testing)?2. Are there any side effects (especially for the sodium phenylbutyrate for glutamine)?3. How effective is it when combined with traditional chemo & radiation therapies (radiation supposedly elevates blood glucose)?4. Should regular self-testing of blood glucose & ketones be incorporated into the therapy?

30: Dr. Richard Feinman | Getting Low-Carb To Join The Scientific Mainstream Oct 12, 2012

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AIR DATE: October 11, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED TOPIC: “Getting Low-Carb To Join The Scientific Mainstream” In recent years, we've seen a lot of momentum happening within the scientific realm towards carbohydrate restriction that could quite possibly be the beginning of the next low-carb revolution. This is the hypothesis of this week's special expert guest on "Ask The Low-Carb Experts." He is Brooklyn, NY-based SUNY Downstate biochemistry professor and the founder of the named joining us to talk about the hot topic "Getting Low-Carb To Join The Scientific Mainstream." There's a plethora of quality research being conducted out there on carbohydrate-restricted diets on a variety of fronts from metabolic syndrome to epilepsy to cancer. But unfortunately these research projects for the most part are not being funded by major funding sources like the National Institutes for Health or other key sources. So how do we get low-carb to join the scientific mainstream so that more investigation can be done into the veracity of this way of eating? That's what we explored in this conversation with Dr. Feinman. CHECK OUT THE LOW-CARB MEALS FROM DIET-TO-GO:Low-Carb meal plans from . No carb counting, no cooking.Enter "LLVLC" at checkout for 25% off!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: TRY LOUISE'S FOODS LOW-CARB BREAKFAST BITES & GRANOLAUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" AT CHECKOUT FOR 15% OFF!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: ***Dr. Feinman talked about a project he is helping high school senior Matthew Engel with encouraging people on a low-carb diet to take pictures of what you eat and e-mail it to them. Here's the address: *** Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: TC ASKS:I'm interested in what Dr. Feinman thinks about the Harvard study recently cited by Dr. Barry Sears from The Zone Diet entitled HARMONY ASKS:I'm a little too young to properly remember the battle over cigarettes. But are there any lessons we can learn from that experience to use in the promotion of the science behind low-carb diets? DEBBIE ASKS:In Canada, . It seems after decades of nutritional decay, government health leaders there are finally seeing the light on the science. Do you think a similar announcement for adults will be forthcoming in Canada? How close are we in the United States seeing something similar to this happen here? BOB ASKS:It seems to me that the main reason low-carb diets are not an accepted part of the mainstream is that organizations such as the USDA and the NIH produce documents such as the Food Pyramid and MyPlate that push for carbohydrates to be a major part of a healthy diet. In light of the evidence that supports the health benefits of a high-fat, low-carb diet, why has there not been a lawsuit challenging this erroneous advice? Wouldn't someone who has meticulously followed this advice and then developed worse symptoms with their diabetes, for example, have a legitimate case and be able to set the precedent that high-fat, low-carb is a valid alternative? Are you aware of anything like this in the works? NANCY ASKS:People like Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz seem to have a lot of influence with average people when it comes to healthy living because of their prominence on national television. I personally do not watch them because I like to do my own research and come up with my own informed decisions on how to live a healthy life. But everyday I hear people around me asking, 'Oh did you see what Dr. X said about BLANK?' Is there anyone out there who you see breaking into mainstream television like Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz have to promote the scientific principles of low-carb lifestyle? What would it take to make something like this happen in terms of sponsorship, profitability and keeping the messages communicated focused on what the science is showing? RICHELLE ASKS:I would like to suggest that efforts be directed at the universities and scientific publications – especially textbooks. This year I purchased the “Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology 12th edition” and I was mortified by the ignorant comments in the textbook about cholesterol, nutrition, heart disease and basic metabolic processes like lipid metabolism and ketosis which was actually confused with ketoacidosis. This is a current textbook teaching emerging medical professionals and it's spouting information that has long since been dismissed and corrected. Food and pharmaceutical companies pay for research to be conducted in the universities that have the experts that write these textbooks and so it is obvious why it is difficult to change their minds, perhaps unless the government insists. We need to convince our government health departments of the fact that unhealthy populations cost the government and the community a boatload of money. Does Dr. Feinman have any ideas about where and how to start making inroads on this front? PETRO ASKS:Given the remarkable results of treating both metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes with a low-carb diet, is Dr. Feinman aware of any research on the combination of treating either of the two conditions with both a low-carb diet and metformin? Previous research suggests the combination of metformin and exercise may be more complicated than expected. If Type 2 diabetes is the health crisis of the future, it seems that careful research into the combination of treatments typically used is indicated and ought to be ripe for funding by any responsible health organization. DAN ASKS:What research has been done or is planned for the effectiveness of low-carb in controlling diabetes and especially reducing cardiovascular risk for diabetics? Studies like ACCORD or ADVANCE claim to show no or worse cardiovascular benefit to lowering blood sugar with drugs. What about those who maintain excellent blood sugar control with low-carb? Doctors are quick to prescribe statins to diabetics, though I don't see any benefit in the study data for diabetics who haven't already had a heart attack. It would be good have data that shows diabetics who control blood sugar with low-carb have no higher cardiovascular risk than non-diabetics.

29: Dr. Thomas Dayspring | Cholesterol Testing: What Matters Most? Oct 05, 2012

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AIR DATE: October 4, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED TOPIC: “Cholesterol Testing: What Matters Most?” This week we're very excited to bring to you one of the world's leading lipidologists and experts on just about everything you could ever want to know about cholesterol numbers named from . He's the Director of Cardiovascular Education at the in Richmond, Virginia and is one of the most requested speakers in the United States with expertise on atherothrombosis, lipoprotein and vascular biology, advanced lipoprotein testing and more. Dr. Dayspring has given over 4000 lectures in all 50 states educating medical professionals and the lay public alike. Many of you first heard him in and afterwards had lots of questions for Dr. Dayspring about cholesterol. That's why we decided to bring him back on ATLCX to take on the topic "Cholesterol Testing: What Matters Most?" so you can speak directly with him about your burning questions on your cholesterol concerns. This was a golden opportunity to get clarification on any issues regarding cholesterol testing that concern you. TRY THESE DELICIOUS NEW PRE-MADE PALEO MEALSUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" FOR 10% OFF YOUR ORDERNOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: TRY THIS NEW LOW-CARB SNACK OPTION FROM NICK'S STICKS:NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: COLLEEN ASKS:In an ideal world, should everyone know what their LDL-P number is? What is the ideal number or target range for LDL-P? How important is LDL-P as a biomarker for risk of heart disease? Other than diet, what would be common causes of high LDL-P? TRISTA ASKS:If someone has high cholesterol (mine is 307 total, 48 HDL, 239 LDL, and 95 triglycerides with mostly Pattern A LDL cholesterol), is that a reason to stop eating a low-carb diet? And who would you say needs to be taking a statin drug as an appropriate treatment option for lowering cholesterol numbers? UROLOGIST FROM BRAZIL NAMED J.C. ASKS:We know that statins raise insulin resistance and can interfere with blood glucose control in Type 2 diabetics. I have a patient who has already had two heart attacks and seen great improvements in his health since adopting a low-carb diet. Would you consider taking him off simvastatin if his Apo-B remains low after stopping the medication? And for those of us who live outside the United States, how good is an Apo-B test as compared with the NMR Lipoprofile? What is the desirable value for Apo-B? ANDREI ASKS:Do other favorable test readings, such as large fluffy LDL particles, high HDL, low triglycerides or low CRP levels, singularly or in combination, reduce the risk of heart attack posed by a very large LDL-P number? DANNY ASKS:You mentioned in your previous interview with Jimmy that sterols, not just cholesterol, have the potential to incorporate into arterial plaque. I did some research and where arterial plaque was scraped and analyzed and a direct relationship was established between the amount of plants in the diet and the amount of plant based sterols that end up in the arterial wall. What is the mechanism behind plant sterols becoming plaque? Does the addition of plant sterols in the diet make our lab results, especially the calculated LDL tests, look good for no real benefit? And if this is true, why does cholesterol get a bad rap and these sterols enjoy the halo of healthiness? ORLEATHA ASKS:Recently, Paleo diet practitioner Chris Kresser wrote in a blog post that "the number of LDL particles in the blood...is a risk factor for heart disease." After getting an NMR Lipoprofile test run, what number should be cause for concern? BRIAN ASKS:How do cholesterol numbers get calculated? We see LDL, HDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol. And why isn't the NMR Lipoprofile test the standardized cholesterol measurement in the medical profession yet? SHARI ASKS:Is it possible for someone to have too low cholesterol? My total cholesterol has never been more than 95 testing over the past 15 years. Some people in the Paleo community have said I should be very concerned but my general practitioner thinks my very low cholesterol is great. What do you say? FORTUNE ASKS:What should APOE 3/4 or even 4/4 people look for in their lipid tests given that they will probably not be "normal?" And what should APOE 3/4 or 4/4 do to reduce their risk? IKE ASKS:My question is in regards to the test that is performed by Health Diagnostics Laboratory Inc called the Apolipoprotein E Genotype. What are the implications on the lipids of a high-fat, low-carb dieter with the 2/4 genotype combination? I believe that this occurs in 1-2% of the population. Would these people need to eat less saturated fat? WILLIAM ASKS:You have said in more than one interview I have heard that you believe it really boils down to the LDL particle number and that particle size is not as important. With that in mind I would think the Lp(a) test would be all you would need to run to obtain that information. So, what is the BEST, most cost effective lab test to have done if you could do only one test to give you the most information about heart disease risk? ANN ASKS:Does what I eat in the few days prior to my lab draw make a difference in my Apo B and small LDL-P...especially if I overindulge in carbs the day before the draw? If a lab report gives both Apo B and LDL-P and one is high and one is normal which one do you go with? ALLYSON ASKS:Why do you see HDL decrease with autoimmune diseases such as lupus? Is it associated or causal? Does the HDL decrease in response to the disease? Why do you suspect hyper absorption when you see high HDL-C? KAY ASKS:I have been eating low-carb Paleo since January and have lost 45 pounds. I just went to the doctor for the first time since 2007 and he ran blood work. My total cholesterol went up to 334, mostly LDL, and the doctor is alarmed. In order to prevent my doctor from ordering me to take statins, I told him that I had read that losing more than 30 pounds within a few months can temporarily elevate total cholesterol, and that I would have another blood test done in 3-6 months. Is it true that my weight loss may be the reason for the jump in total cholesterol and LDL? ED ASKS:I had the NMR test and it reveals an elevated (high risk) LDL-P count of 1573 but also a calculated, intermediate risk of Apo-B of 62. I recently noticed that these results were from a non-fasting test. Is it possible that the LDL-P and APO-B (both particle counts) are affected by the fact the the test was done in a non-fasted state? Would you recommend this test only be done in only a fasted state? RICHARD ASKS:It has been stated by Chris Masterjohn that within the same individual, cholesterol readings can vary from day to day. In fact, it was reported that total cholesterol has a standard deviation of +/- 17.5 points meaning that a reading of 200 for example, could easily vary between 165 and 235 over a two-day period. So if this is accurate, how meaningful are the various cholesterol readings particularly since most MDs only get one test and make their decisions based on that singular piece of data?

28: Jonathan Bailor | The Truth About Low-Carb Research Sep 28, 2012

Show notes

AIR DATE: September 27, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED TOPIC: “The Truth About Low-Carb Research” On this week's episode of "Ask The Low-Carb Experts" we delve deeply into the science supporting carbohydrate-restricted diets as we welcome an outstanding health and fitness researcher named . You may recall hearing him in or on his own outstanding Top 20 discussing his comprehensive book examining all the historical research on nutrition, fitness and health entitled . And he'll be joining us as one of the special guest speakers on the . Jonathan spent over a decade pouring over literally thousands of pages of research data in an effort to learn so much more about what's true and not true about diets and can articulate practically anything you want to know about low-carb diets as found in the research literature. He has become very well-versed at the overwhelming evidence supporting this healthy way of eating and we were so pleased to have him joining us in Episode 28 to take on YOUR questions about this topic. CHECK OUT THE LOW-CARB MEALS FROM DIET-TO-GO:Low-Carb meal plans from . No carb counting, no cooking.Enter "LLVLC" at checkout for 25% off!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: TRY LOUISE'S FOODS LOW-CARB BREAKFAST BITES & GRANOLAUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" AT CHECKOUT FOR 15% OFF YOUR ORDER!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: MIKE ASKS:I've read Good Calories Bad Calories as well as Why We Get Fat both by Gary Taubes. Are there areas of Taubes' research where you uncovered different or conflicting findings from the data? Also, has anything in your research uncovered whether different diets tend to benefit different people? It seems to me that the diet community is very polarized and everyone is seeking a "one-size-fits-all" solution. Based on your research do you think some people would do better on a low-carb diet than others? Do you think we are close to determining at the outset which lifestyle modifications will work best for certain people? For example, are we headed towards a day where someone can answer a questionnaire or take a blood test and get feedback on the types of diets likely to work best for them? Thanks for your responses to my questions. REBECCA FROM AUSTRALIA ASKS:I have a question about fat. Why is it in The Smarter Science Of Slim that only low/no-fat products are recommended? For example, you only cite the use of low-fat dairy. And not very much of it at that. This is disturbing to me particularly since I find fat much more satiating than green veggies or protein. I know that Jonathan also recommends including healthy fats in your diet, but it's not much either. I still have a major issue with the whole low-fat ideas he is promoting. I have listened to Jonathan being interviewed on podcasts many times, and also regularly listen to his "Smarter Science Of Slim" podcast. But this question has never really, to my mind, been appropriately addressed and answered. I know he can talk a lot about the research, but I would really appreciate a simple answer that doesn't include the re-telling of all that research. NICK ASKS:You emphasize LEAN protein and LOW-FAT dairy. While you do say that some fat can be healthy and yet there still seems to be a remnant of lipophobia - or perhaps, lipo-skepticism - in your diet plan? Despite all the emerging evidence, you still seem to believe, to a degree, that fat makes you fat. You call your program SANE, but isn't this a quite in-SANE position on nutrition you are taking? JEAN ASKS:I am currently making changes to my diet eating low-carb and using the principles of The Smarter Science Of Slim. I have lost some weight and have felt better overall, but sometimes I have a craving for sweets like chocolate brownies. Recently I heard and she talked about taking amino acids when you crave carbs or sweets. I am wondering if you have seen any research on the use of amino acids in curbing carbohydrate cravings. If so, would you recommend using them as supplements and in what dosage? A PALEO REGISTERED DIETITIAN NAMED KELLY ASKS:Want to address your input on the Paleo diet for people with Type 1 diabetes. It has done wonders for me as well as my clients. In your research, have you determined what amount of carbohydrate intake is ideal for a Type 1? Or do you think it is best for Type 1 patients to cycle their carbohydrates or use intermittent fasting as a means for lowering blood sugar and insulin requirements? DAYTONA ASKS:Many of us have to convince our doctors that we aren’t killing ourselves on a low-carb diet. If you could make a one-page handout that we could bring with us to the doctor with references to major studies highlighting the effects of a low-carb diet on health (for example, weight control, cholesterol, kidneys and blood sugar) and any other convincing data, what would you include? BOB ASKS:In listening to both Jonathan's and Jimmy's podcasts and it seems that the major difference in what you each are advocating is the amount of protein that can or should be consumed. I understand the reasoning behind each of your positions, but what conclusion do you come to collectively? Or do you just agree to disagree? CLAIR ASKS:My question is about yogurt! I am so confused about what yogurt to eat and how to count it. Jonathan recommends low-fat greek yogurt and I have heard that the carb count on yogurt is not actually what it says due to the bacteria in it. I have been getting a low-carb yogurt from a particular grocery store across the border in Canada and I just don't know if this is the best option. I am not a huge fan of greek yogurt, but would be willing to choke it down if it is indeed the best choice.

27: Jenny Ruhl | Overcoming The Problems With A Low-Carb Diet Sep 21, 2012

Show notes

This week we shift gears a bit from our typical topics on “Ask The Low-Carb Experts” when we welcome a very popular blood sugar control advocate and outspoken health blogger to the show. She appeared in earlier this year and raised some eyebrows amongst my listeners there with her frank messages about certain issues that can happen to people when they go on a carbohydrate-restricted diet as she outlined so beautifully in her latest book . The response to that podcast interview with Jenny was so overwhelming that I decided to invite her on ATCLX to field questions directly from my listeners about the topic “Overcoming The Problems With A Low-Carb Diet” which was sure to be one of the more controversial and most talked about episodes in the short history of this podcast! Get ready for an in-depth examination into what real-life low-carb living is all about. TRY THESE DELICIOUS NEW PRE-MADE PALEO MEALSUSE COUPON CODE “LLVLC” FOR 10% OFF YOUR ORDERNOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: TRY THIS NEW LOW-CARB SNACK OPTION FROM NICK’S STICKS:NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: YVONNE ASKS:I have been eating a Paleo low-carb diet for over 18 months and as you can imagine I have had great success with it. Besides the weight loss I just started feeling better overall, sleeping better, working out better, you name it. I’ve always had a sweet tooth, but I find that in the past couple of months my sugar cravings are so intense that I have a hard time not giving in. I must have no willpower at all and will stuff my face with all kinds of sugary treats. I see the chocolate or ice cream and I just eat it. How is it possible that I still have such intense sugar cravings after all this time on the Paleo low-carb diet? DEBY ASKS:I am a 55-year old, 273-pound woman with Type 2 diabetes and an A1c of 5.6. I control my diabetes with a good grain-free, low-carb diet and no medications. My carb intake is around 20-30g daily and I don’t eat any added sugars or sugar substitutes. My calories generally fall between 1300-1600 daily and I track everything I consume to keep myself honest. I have had all kinds of tests run on myself and everything shows I’m good. However, I’ve been doing this since the beginning of the year and I just can’t lose weight. I’ve tested my ketones and they show I am not producing any. What am I doing wrong and what else can I do? I am very discouraged right now. My doctor recommended that I increase my calories to 2100 a day because I am so big, but in the first week of doing that I gained two more pounds. Needless to say I went back down to what I was doing previously. I tried asking about this on the Atkins diet forum and they told me that I MUST be doing something wrong which upset me because I have been doing everything exactly right. Believe me, I am not cheating or doing it wrong. Do you have any suggestions or help so that I don’t feel like the lone duck on an island. KIM ASKS:I’ve been following a low-carb eating plan for 3 1/2 months and can’t seem to lose more than 7-9 pounds all of which happened within the first seven weeks. I keep close track of what I eat, which ranges between 20-40g carbs per day, moderate protein (usually about 80-100g) and higher fat. My ratios are usually around 75% fat, 18% protein, 7% carb. I can’t figure out why I’m not losing weight. My carbs are coming mainly from vegetables and some processed meats. I tried increasing my fat and decreasing protein and I gained weight. I only tried this for about a week because the last thing I want to do is GAIN weight! I’m 5’6” and weigh 194 pounds, so it’s not like I don’t have extra weight to shed. I am 47 years old, and have been on medications for hypothyroid for 15 years. I’ve recently been diagnosed with iron-deficient anemia, but I don’t know if that has any bearing on this or not. I do use artificial sweeteners, but they do not seem to affect my blood glucose levels. I exercise by walking by dog about 45 minutes, 5 days a week. I kept track of my blood glucose levels for about 3 weeks trying to find out what the problem could be, but didn’t really know what I should be looking for. My fasting levels are about 91 each morning, and never went higher than 105 at any time that I tested, usually hovering between 83 and 93. When I fast for any length of time, I get extremely sleepy, so I don’t seem to be able to do well with that. I’m totally flummoxed and don’t know what to do. It’s very depressing to think I’ve avoided sugar and flour for almost four months and have lost hardly any weight at all. I know this is the best way to eat and plan on continuing to do so regardless. But I really want to lose weight in the process of eating healthier. Do you have any suggestions for me? BARB ASKS:I am a 44-year old pre-menopausal woman following a low carb diet as prescribed by Dr. Steve Phinney. That amounts to around 100g of protein daily, about 135g of good animal fats like butter, ghee, whole eggs and all cuts and types of meats, coconuts, olive oil and avocados. My carbs are kept around 20g total per day and are all from fibrous vegetables. I don’t eat any starchy vegetables and no fruit or sugar. My diet basically follows a Paleo template, so I know that I am not getting any hidden carbs in my meals as I simply do not eat anything processed. This works out to be close to 1800 calories per day as I precisely weigh and measure all of my food. I am not taking any medications and I feel well overall. My energy levels are really good and I have no signs of thyroid issues. I am doing CrossFit for exercise 2-3 times per week. In the first two weeks of low-carbing as described above, I lost 7 pounds. The next week I lost nothing. The next week I actually gained a pound. I realize that the scale is not the be all, end all. But I am hearing about all of these other people having wonderful results with a well-formulated low-carb diet–but it is not happening for me. Are there some people that low-carb diets simply do not work for? Perhaps the reason why I’m not losing weight is that I’m still eating too much at 1800 calories? My CrossFit workouts take a ton of energy so I can’t see myself feeling or performing well on much less food than this. Help! LEEANN ASKS:I have 20 more pounds I want to lose and am having a difficult time figuring out how to do it. There are experts that state that exercise is required, others say only lift weights and don’t do cardio; still others state that exercise isn’t required to lose weight. Some even say you have to decrease your calories or intermittent fast in order to lose weight. And there’s even those who say that even if you’re eating “low-carb” you can’t have certain foods (such as dairy) in order to lose weight. I’M SO CONFUSED! I currently eat until I’m satisfied enjoying my meats, eggs, cheese, heavy cream, and of course my veggies. I avoid grains, eat very low sugar (less than 15g daily), low-carb (less than 40g) every day and I have maintained my weight for 6 months without hunger, so I’m really happy about that. I am healthy as all my current metabolic health numbers look fabulous. How can I get most of that 20 pounds I have left to shed off my body? CRIS ASKS:I’m a 53-year old woman and I have lost 50 pounds on a low-carb diet over the past year and a half. I still need to lose 50 more pounds, but have been stalled out for nine months. I have great blood sugar, cholesterol and other key health markers thanks to my healthy low-carb way of life. I do still have high blood pressure, though, and have come to grips with the fact I may never lose all the weight that I want to. I just want to be healthy and OFF these blood pressure medications for good. But I feel like my blood pressure will not budge until I lose more weight. I have tried lowering my protein, increasing dietary fat and more–but nothing is working. Should I start counting calories now? How would I determine what level of calories a woman like me should be consuming? VINCENT ASKS:I have been eating low-carb for over a month but my morning fasting blood glucose level is still pretty high ranging from 97-111. This is the same that it was prior to starting my low-carb lifestyle. The rest of the day my blood sugar is pretty normal with numbers in the 80s. Do I need to be concerned about this? JANA ASKS:I’m a 34-year old, 5’4″ tall, 185-pound woman who just started a low-carb diet last week and I’ve already lost quite a bit of weight. However, at night when I lay down my joints in my shoulders and hips hurt. I felt this same way at the end of both of my pregnancies. Also, my lower back has been hurting which combined with the joint pain has made it difficult for me to get good sleep. Are toxins being released in my body making this happen and when will it stop? BEN ASKS:Whenever I go on a low-carb diet I pass through several phases. The first phase is the initial withdrawal from sugar and carbs. This can last up to two weeks for me, involving intense cravings, headaches and nausea. The second phase is when these withdrawal symptoms disappear and I enter into a state of mild euphoria in which I feel amazing. I am free from cravings, I have newfound energy and my mood elevates. I love the food choices I am eating and feel motivated. It’s the third phase that always slips me up and causes me difficulty. Usually after about one month or so into my low-carb way of eating, my cravings come back full force, which is odd because I am not doing anything drastically different. It feels as if I am constantly experiencing a blood sugar low (even though when I check my numbers they are right on target). This is also accompanied by growing boredom with my food choices. There are times when I wake up in the morning and I don’t eat for half the day because I am so bored with my food choices. I don’t want to break the diet, but I can’t stand eating bacon & eggs or any other low-carb food choice. I just hit a motivational brick wall. I feel spent and can’t seem to go any further. I am completely burnt out. After a month or so of these feelings, I usually give up and binge on high-carb, sugary foods. Is there any way to avoid this combination of boredom, monotony and a return of sugar cravings? Have you heard of many other people who have gone through a similar pattern of experience with low-carb diets? DIANNE FROM THE UK ASKS:I have read your Diet 101 book and it seems that you are saying that not all low-carbers have to stick to around 50g net carbs or less daily. To clarify, are you saying that up to 100g or even 120g of carbs per day can still be ketogenic for some people? Or that not all low-carbers have to be ketogenic to gain the weight loss and heart health benefits of the low-carb lifestyle? LISA ASKS:I have noticed the following pattern happen a few times and I wanted to get your comments about it. After a couple days when my carbs are kept below 50g daily, I’ll lose a little bit of weight, but I will also feel a bit shaky kind of like I used to feel when I was hungry before going low-carb with obvious weakness and a faster heart rate that is gone by noon. Have you heard of this and is there some sort of correlation between having lost weight and the shaky feelings? CLAUDE ASKS:I have been on the low-carb diet off and on for years. While I believe in it I can’t seem to lose much weight on it. I do feel good while consuming less than 20g carbs a day. I believe my problem might be too much protein. I tend to eat about 16-20 ounces of meat a day. I currently weigh 350 pounds which is down from my all-time high of 440 pounds. I have lost 50 pounds over the past year, but my weight has stalled out for three months in a row. I drink a lot of diet soda, so maybe that’s preventing me from getting over the hump. Do you have any ideas for me? GRETA ASKS:I am reading your Diet 101 book and I have to say that while it’s not exactly an uplifting and encouraging work of prose, I definitely appreciate the honesty. Here is my issue: When I want to see if something I ate is going to work for me, how do I tell if it’s something I should keep eating? I read that I’m not supposed to use a scale and that testing my urine ketones with Ketostix is unreliable. So how do I tell if I should keep eating dairy or if stevia is okay for me, for example. If I weigh and I’m up from the day before, can I extrapolate that to mean something I did the day before didn’t work for me? JO ASKS:What is the true impact of low-carb and ketogenic diets on female reproductive hormones? I am someone who battles with estrogen dominance and these diets as well as intermittent fasting have all wreaked havoc with my hormones. My menstrual cycle becomes irregular and PMS symptoms were off the scale eating that way. I also found that my candida problems got worse on a ketogenic diet and my weight predictably increased. I also dealt with a nasty spell of constipation while on a very low-carb, ketogenic diet. Paul Jaminet talks about adding in small amounts of safe starch to help and this certainly worked for me. I follow a fairly strict Paleo diet protocol, so I don’t tend to eat a high-carb diet anyway–just a small amount of starchy veggies amounting to under 150g a day. And I consume plenty of good fats. I think there needs to be more education for women so they can work out how low-carb they can safely go without experiencing these adverse side effects. Have you seen this? MICHELLE FROM CANADA ASKS:I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes a couple of years ago and since have adopted a Paleo lifestyle for the past six months to stop any progression towards diabetes which runs in my family. I test daily and my fasting blood sugar numbers and they’re looking really good at around 74 in the mornings. Getting a blood glucose monitor has really helped me in figuring out which foods spike my sugars. My question is about something that Diane Kress from The Diabetes Miracle has talked about regarding the liver self-feeding every 5 hours so you need to space your meals in less than five hours intervals to prevent it from releasing glycogen on its own. I’ve read her book to try to learn more about this but haven’t seen this really addressed anywhere else and am wondering if it’s really a concern. I’d like to hear Jenny’s thoughts on this and if it is a concern, how often to eat and how much. I have done a couple of experiments testing my fasting blood glucose numbers first thing in the morning and then don’t eat anything until later in the day. When I check my numbers hourly throughout the morning while still fasting, I noticed that my glucose numbers gradually rise over the course of the morning. Is this because of what Diane Kress says about the liver’s self-feeding mechanism?

26: Dr. Jonny Bowden | All Things Vitamins (Supplements 101) Sep 14, 2012

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AIR DATE: September 13, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED TOPIC: “All Things Vitamins (Supplements 101)” We all know it's important for us to be getting our vitamins and minerals from the food we eat as much as we possibly can. But what about those critical nutrients that our bodies need that we can't quite get enough of even on our low-carb diet? That's where getting the right kind of supplementation may come into play for so many of us who have a vested interest in being optimally healthy. That's why I’m excited to have an expert on supplements joining us in Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of many books, including (listen to my “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show” podcast interview with him about this book in and ). Dr. Bowden is indeed one of the most knowledgeable experts in the world about vitamins and minerals and we were happy to have him here answering YOUR questions about this topic. CHECK OUT THE LOW-CARB MEALS FROM DIET-TO-GO:Low-Carb meal plans from . No carb counting, no cooking.Enter "LLVLC" at checkout for 25% off!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: TRY LOUISE'S FOODS LOW-CARB BREAKFAST BITES & GRANOLAUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" AT CHECKOUT FOR 15% OFF YOUR ORDER!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: FRANKYN ASKS:I'm on a tight budget. What vitamins and minerals will give me the most optimal results for my health? SHERRI ASKS:I have been reading a lot about adding baking soda to your water can improve alkalinity. Is this true and can you overdo it? ROBERT ASKS:Are you aware of any supplements that are effective for blood glucose control? JEAN ASKS:Do you know of any supplements that are effective for reversing peripheral artery (vascular) disease? RENEE ASKS:I am a post-menopausal 51 year old woman and I've been taking 50 mg of DHEA for a few months to help me sleep better. I also added tryptophan at night and that helps me to really sleep deep. Is it fine to keep using these supplements over the long term? I've used melatonin in the past, but I have better results using DHEA and tryptophan. KRIS ASKS:I would like to know how to find out what forms of vitamins are best to take. I have seen two types of B12, three types of Magnesium and many types of iron. How do we know if what we are buying will be absorbed and how will it respond with other supplements we may be taking? ORLEATHA ASKS:I'd like to know what supplements are best for people with eczema. I have two types - one being dishydrotic. I eat a clean Paleo diet and drink water and kombucha but still have a few stubborn patches. RICK ASKS:I'm a 40 year old male in mostly good health: 5'11", 185 pounds, good muscle development and a solid exercise regimen. But I've had hypertension for years. I went Paleo in March 2012 and have had positive results across the board with my health, but my BP is still pretty high, often close to the 140/90 range before I lie down. I haven't seen diastolic less than 70 for 15-20 years. My allopathic doc just wants to prescribe medication without nailing down the cause. But there's a reason, and I want to know what it is so I can do something about it! I'm trying to hack my own way to a solution to this problem. I only drink maybe 2-3 cups of green tea per day; no other caffeine. I rarely consume 100g carbs/day, often less than 50g. My sodium intake shouldn't be an issue with this way of eating, especially with some folks talking about the need to supplement with salt! I get 7-8 hours sleep almost every night, and my life isn't full of stress, so I assume I'm not a ticking cortisol bomb. I supplement with magnesium, eat lots of green, leafy vegetables, and drink a cup of bone broth most days, so I'm probably good with most trace nutrients. Other than that, the only other supplement I take are a multivitamin and a drop of liquid Vitamin D3 daily. Am I relegated to prescription medication for the rest of my life to control my BP? I feel like I'm already addressing most of the known causes. LEANNA ASKS:I have blood pressure that stays around 130/90 unless I am relaxed in bed. What vitamins can help normalize this and in what dose. I am 5'2" and 140 pounds, I've lost 30 pounds over the past year and a half via Paleo, but that has only brought my BP down a little. BRIAN ASKS:What is the best supplement for dropping LDL and improving the particle size? LEEANN ASKS:I've been low-carbing for 6 months and feel great. I get my information based on what I read in books as well as listening to podcasts! I take a daily multivitamin, as well as iron, D3, Potassium, Magnesium and CoQ-10. I take these all in the morning. Is it possible to take too many supplements if I eat a low-carb/moderate protein/high-fat diet for a 44 year old woman in good health? And are there other vitamins that are best taken at night like magnesium or at a different time during the day for optimum effect? DARIO ASKS:Is it possible to get a sufficient amount of vitamins from mostly green, leafy vegetables on a very low-carb diet or is it better to take a multivitamin to help supplement this way of eating? JAY ASKS:Where do you see the future of supplements going? I've been reading more and more of the FDA trying to limit them (Codex Alimentarius). And what is your advice for finding more reliable suppliers?

25: All Things Slow Lifting (Slow Burn 101) | Fred Hahn Sep 07, 2012

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These days, exercise has been relegated to forcing yourself to hop on a treadmill for 30-60 minutes a day or engage in rigorous weight lifting as a means for losing weight and getting stronger. But what if you could get the benefits of cardiovascular exercise AND resistance training in just 15-20 minutes a WEEK? That's precisely what New York slow lifting fitness expert Fred Hahn prescribes for his clients and what he has outlined in his outstanding book entitled co-written with Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. He's also written a follow-up book for teaching children the benefits of proper strength training called . This week's topic is "All Things Slow Lifting (Slow Burn 101)." Have you ever wanted to know why lifting at a slower pace less frequently is preferred over traditional weight lifting at a faster speed and more often? Fred Hahn is the man to answer YOUR questions about it! TRY THESE DELICIOUS NEW PRE-MADE PALEO MEALSUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" FOR 10% OFF YOUR ORDERNOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: WILLIAM ASKS:I have been doing Slow Burn-style lifting since June 2012. I feel that I have been going to failure and then adding 10 seconds. I always feel spent after a workout of 5-8 different exercises. I started out doing 2 workouts per week and have now decreased to 1 workout weekly. My problem is I am not seeing the gains I would like to see in either my strength or appearance. I don't think anyone can tell I've been working out out based on my appearance. I still have a fair amount of body fat but even in the areas where there is little body fat I don't see great improvements. I am currently following a low-carb diet and have lost over 100 pounds. I still need to lose another 75 pounds to be at goal weight. What's going on here? I noticed something and I wanted to ask Fred about it. I know that Ken Hutchins said that the range of time for lifting can be between 6-15 seconds and that 10 seconds is just a good round number. But I have noticed that when I decrease my time to around 6-7 seconds both positive and negative I enjoy lifting so much more. This is purely subjective but there is something about making myself go to 10 seconds that takes the "fun" out of lifting and makes it more like work. Have you heard of this before and is there a good explanation for why I do better at the shorter times than the longer ones? PHILIS ASKS:What is Fred's personal exercise regimen per week? Surely he does more than one 15-20 minute resistance training session a week. And why does he not like the power plate for muscle building exercises? FORTUNE ASKS:I've been lifting slow for just about a year and I really enjoy it--certainly much more than I thought I would. Being really out of shape at the beginning, I could barely leg press 95 pounds. Now I've been doing 300 pounds for the past month. But I feel like I'm stuck at 300 and want to know what I need to do to break through 300. I've set a personal mini-goal of 320 pounds for myself and would like to get there soon. What's the best way to do it? My trainer says to just be patient, but is it going to take a while to build up the strength? RICHARD ASKS:I am in the Navy and I am looking for suggestions for a Slow Burn approach to getting ready for an upcoming Navy fitness test. For the past four months I have been doing the Big 5 workout from the Body By Science program and I have been seeing terrific results in my strength. My upcoming test is about 8 weeks away and will require me to do as many sit-ups as I can in two minutes followed by as many pushups as I can in two minutes followed by 12 minutes of maximum effort on a stationary bike. I am having a hard time balancing my current strength program with preparing specifically for this test and still getting enough rest days to maximize recovery. I am considering putting the Body By Science program I've been doing on hold until after the test and instead working on pushups and sit-ups in a super slow manner and the bike test full out about once per week. Does this sound like a good approach or do you have any other suggestions? My wife has also been doing a High Intensity, Super Slow workout program for the last few months. Recently we found out she is pregnant. We have read that this is a good routine for someone who is with child, but do you have any specific recommendations both for how to approach her workout now and as the weeks go on? And are there any things we should be concerned about or things we should watch out for to make sure she and the baby are safe? PETER ASKS:I'm a 41-year-old pretty skinny dude who is 6 feet tall. How do I put more meat on my bones? I've never done any kind of weight training before and I don't have access to a gym. DEANNA ASKS:Would the slow lifting technique work for someone who is brand new to exercise? And what kind of results have you seen with women? LISA ASKS:I do Slow Burn at the gym two days a week during my lunch hour. Many of my colleagues do not eat before they workout but I always have part of my lunch before engaging in exercise. I think part of it is my fear of being weak and hungry reminding me of my pre-low-carb days but I think the other part is that I feel stronger. However, after a workout I am a bit shaky for about 30 minutes and not hungry until about an hour later when I'm able to finish the rest of my lunch. Do you think I should eat my entire lunch before my workout? What is your favorite pre- and post-workout snack or meal? SCOTT ASKS:Fred, I know you're an opponent of kettlebell training. I'd love to hear what your arguments are for this. Is it strictly because there are better ways to get similar results or due to a high-level of perceived injury risk? I think the former is very subjective and anecdotal, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. As for the injury risk, what if you're someone with vast experience in kettlebell training or someone working with an RKC certified instructor? I tend to think kettlebell training is something, when done right and with the appropriate weight and periodization, is something people really enjoy and can get legitimate results from. What are your thoughts? AMBERLY ASKS:I have four kids under the age of 7 and my time is really tight. I can either drive my son to school or take 30 minutes to walk with him. If I HAD to choose, which would be a better use of my time for me and my family: walking my child to school or doing the resistance training? I know I should do both, but what if I can ONLY do one? JONATHAN ASKS:How do you figure out the level of your starting weight on a Slow Burn lifting routine? I read a recommendation of 80% of maximum in Body by Science, but I have no clue what my maximum is so that doesn't really help me. KIM ASKS:I'd like to know the best way to get going again with lifting weights. I personally have muscular/skeletal issues from sitting at a desk all day and I get easily tired and sore. DAVID ASKS:Can you ask Fred to touch on why a person should do the concentric and eccentric portion of the exercise as opposed to doing each one only. There seems to be proponents of doing only the eccentric portion, so what gives? Also, how would you go about learning how to become certified in your Slow Burn technique to help train others? JUNE ASKS:After listening to previous interviews with you about Slow Burn, I've decided to change to weight training using one very slow set of 10-12 reps for each lift. It takes me about 20 minutes to complete my upper body. Do you dedicate the next day for lower body then following day to repeat the upper body? I still walk in the pool to get full step motion and to do back, chest, and neck stretches but I have cut my time in the pool down from 1 hour to 30 minutes which has helped me get more done in my day. CHARLES ASKS:I have been doing slow lifting one set to failure a la Doug McGuff's Body By Science for about 3-4 weeks now. It's experimental for me to see if I can make muscle gains with this way of lifting. Currently I'm doing one day of slow lifting, one day of sprints, one day of body weight exercises including pushups, pull-ups, air squats and planks, and one day I run a mile with the goal of getting my mile time down to around 7:30, then add distance until I can comfortably run a 5k. I am a 25 year old, 5'10" and about 150 pound man with around 12-15% body fat looking to get to single digits. I eat strict Paleo and have recently cut out fruits opting instead for eating meats and veggies to keep my total sugar intake down. My primary goal is to lean out and then gain 15-20 pounds of muscle in the next year or so. I'm wondering whether these are realistic goals with that type of training protocol? How do you compare slow lifting one set to failure to something like Wendler's 5/3/1 program? And which would you say is better for long-term strength gains?

24: All Things Protein (Protein 101) | Dr. Donald Layman Aug 31, 2012

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Do you struggle with how much protein is right for you? More? Less? Well here's your chance to ask THE protein aficionado himself. We are thrilled to have with us to discuss what role protein can and should play within the context of a low-carbohydrate diet. He is a professor of nutrition in the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition at the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in Urbana, Illinois. He is one of the foremost experts in the world on the subject of protein and has been studying the effects of proteins and amino acids to determine their effect on exercise performance as well as the role they play in overall health for decades. CHECK OUT THE LOW-CARB MEALS FROM DIET-TO-GO:Low-Carb meal plans from . No carb counting, no cooking.Enter "LLVLC" at checkout for 25% off!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: MARYLOU ASKS:I'm a 69-year-old female who has been in a power wheelchair for the past 12 years due to MS. I remain fairly active in my upper body doing light housekeeping, cooking, and shopping, taking care of grandchildren twice a week, driving as needed with hand controls, and exercising at the gym twice a week for about an hour. My weight has come down to 140 from 155 by eating low-carb for the past five years. But I would feel much more comfortable, as I'm sitting all day, with less body fat around my middle. I eat under 20 grams of carbs with the recommended .8 grams protein per kilo of ideal body weight, but I seem to be an expert at gluconeogenesis and can't get into ketosis. Does being unable to walk allow for a smaller protein requirement for people like me? I'm also "pre-diabetic" with fasting blood glucose readings around 110 dropping into the 90's when I eat the smaller protein amount. MEGHANN ASKS:I need to accurately calculate my protein requirement -- what do I need to measure to do that for myself? Should my protein intake be for my current weight or my ideal body weight? I want to make sure I'm getting just the right amount of protein in preparation for a triathlon that will not send me into fat-storing mode. There are just so many conflicting opinions about this. JAMIE ASKS:Are there any guidelines to the protein serving size that minimizes insulin response? Are you aware of any studies comparing the satiety of various proteins such as eggs, beef, lamb, game, chicken, soy, whey, milk, cheese and yogurt? MARYANN ASKS:How much protein should a person who has the gene H63D for hemochromatosis and an iron level of 601 eat and what kinds? I also have episodes of atrial fibrillation. It's kind of a mystery knowing what to do for someone with afib and high iron levels because it seems like they have opposite solutions. MARGIE ASKS:What happens if someone eats too much protein in a day? What level of protein intake would that be and what would happen if someone consumed that much protein? KATARINA ASKS:Why does beef or game seem to give better control over hunger than the same amount of chicken? That's been my personal experience over the past six years. Whenever I eat a larger amount of chicken, for example, that makes me hungry for even more meat sooner than a smaller amount of beef or game with similar protein. And when I say hungry for meat, that means an intense craving that makes me want steak or liver and lots of it fried lots of butter--right now! Is this satiety difference related to the fat quality of these meats? KAT ASKS:Why is it that after not eating all day I can eat a big hunk of protein and within minutes of finishing I am suddenly sleepy? JOSH ASKS:I switched over to a low-carb/ketogenic diet last June and one thing I noticed within a few days is that my hands and feet didn't get cold anymore. After reading on the low-carb blogs about how consuming too much protein can get converted into glucose, I started lowering my protein intake down from 150+ grams daily to just over 100 grams. Then I started having cold hands and feet again and for the past few days I've been upping my protein again to see what would happen. My cold extremities have improved again. Is it safe to assume that this means I've found the right level of protein I need? Or what else is going on here? KATHERINE ASKS:When determining the optimal protein intake for preservation of muscle mass during weight loss, should it be figured on a per kg BW basis or total energy in the diet basis and why? What figure would you use and is it different for men vs. women and why? AMBERLY ASKS:My son is allergic to dairy and I'm looking for an acceptable alternative to protein shakes made with whey protein. Is rice protein an acceptable alternative or are there better ones? EXCEPTIONALLY BRASH ASKS:Can you address the differing opinions from various low-carb doctors on the subject of protein. Dr. Ron Rosedale seems to think that excess protein is unhealthy and can shorten your lifespan while Dr. Jack Kruse and Dr. Michael Eades don't think protein consumption is an issue. Is there any research on longevity or other health benefits with keeping your protein minimized? A.J.C. ASKS:I intermittent fast for 16 hours and then squeeze in three meals in the span of 8 hours. My question for you is when I'm eating this way with about 35-40g of protein per meal, how does this influence protein digestion and use during the rest of the day when I'm not eating? Is this an adequate amount of protein to consume? What happens if I'm so satisfied with what I've eaten in only one or two of those meals consisting of 35-40g protein each that I skip a meal or two? KEITH ASKS:I am an active 45-year-old who lost 75 pounds on the Atkins diet. I have been working on building muscle and have increased my intake of protein to facilitate that. Obviously, I get most of my protein intake from real whole foods, but I have been targeting 1g of protein per pound of lean body weight each day and I am finding that even with a low-carb lifestyle, I am needing to supplement with whey protein to reach that goal. But I'm concerned because I have heard from one of my favorite fitness bloggers that whey protein increases insulin more than even white bread! Needless to say, I was shocked and disappointed as I have had good results drinking whey protein shakes. I am desperately trying to avoid consuming soy protein and have not liked the products I have tried with casein and hemp proteins, am I okay sticking with whey protein as long as I time the supplementation to coincide with my workouts to avoid the insuligenic effect? Would beef protein supplementation be even better as an alternative? BARBARA ASKS:Are there certain foods rich in protein that should be avoided? I love the rich selection of cheeses that we can get here in England, but wondered if consuming all that dairy was bad for me. PETRO ASKS:Would Dr. Layman please address the branch chain amino acids, particularly leucine, isoleucine and valine and their ability to raise insulin levels, but relatively suppress glucagon levels. Alternatively, the amino acids phenylalanine, glycine, serine and asparagine seem to raise glucagon relative to insulin according to studies done in dogs. Are there better protein sources for people that might cause a lower insulin response and a greater glucagon response that would possibly enhance weight loss?

23: Long-Term Stalls & Weight Gain Even On A Well-Formulated Low-Carb Diet | Dr. Stephen Phinney Aug 24, 2012

Show notes

We’ve all run into those times during our healthy low-carb lifestyle when the weight loss just doesn’t want to cooperate with us despite doing everything the same as we always have when weight loss has happened before. You might be asking yourself what the heck is going on and what am I doing wrong? Has anybody ever felt that way before? Are you even living this in your own life RIGHT NOW? This week’s expert guest is here to help you circumnavigate through what might be happening to help you get on the right track again. He is low-carbohydrate diet researcher Dr. Stephen Phinney, the co-author of the 2010 New York Times bestselling book in 2011 and in 2012. CHECK OUT THE LOW-CARB MEALS FROM DIET-TO-GO:Low-Carb meal plans from . No carb counting, no cooking.Enter “LLVLC” at checkout for 25% off!NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: ELISABETH FROM SWEDEN ASKS:Hi Dr. Phinney, I live in Sweden and I follow the LCHF diet (low-carb high-fat). I’m a 5’10″ tall female and weigh 195 pounds. I am hypothyroid and am taking 25 mg Levaxin. For exercise, I perform high intensity training (boxing), workout at the gym, and running about 10-12 hours/week. I’d like to lose another 25 pounds so I can perform better at my sports activities, but I’ve always had a really hard time losing weight even on 1000 calories/day. My current macronutrient ratios have been about 80% fat, 16-20% protein and 1-4% carbs–in other words very ketogenic. In the beginning I felt very good because all my cravings went away and I felt good mentally. After being faithfully ketogenic for the past five months I have: a. Gained 18 pounds while consuming 2000-2500 calories a dayb. My TSH level increased 50%c. I lack energy, am fatigued and experience an elevated heart rate during workoutsd. I’m having difficulty falling asleep If this really the optimal diet for everyone? Whenever I consume some carbohydrates one hour before my workouts my performance seems to get better. Maybe I should be eating more carbs and slightly less fat but I know I’ll be starving doing that. I just want to be at a healthy weight and feel good during my workouts. Any advice? JIMMY ASKS:I’ve been off and on low-carb diets for many years and keep trying to lose my gut. But whenever I return to low-carb again I tend to lose weight quickly in about month which is great. But after about another month or so I tend to return to my old eating patterns and put on even more weight–and so the cycle continues. When I first started low-carbing I was about 40 years old and now I’m 62 and 224 pounds on my 5’10″ body. Do you think I should start from scratch with two weeks of a well-formulated low-carb ketogenic diet? But then what? JOSH ASKS:Have you seen any successful methods for women wanting to lose weight in their abdomen after multiple pregnancies? Is a temporary or permanent change in their diet and exercise routine necessary to return to a normal weight again? CAROL ASKS:I’m a 5′ tall, 60-year old woman and in the past two years I have lost 50 pounds–25 on Weight Watchers and when that stopped working, Atkins for the last 25 pounds. I still have about 15-20 pounds to reach my goal and I’ve been hovering at around 134 pounds for the past six months. I can’t seem to get past this point. I’ve tried the Atkins Fat Fast, counting total carbohydrates, avoiding sugar alcohols, gave up wine and even limited calories to 1200 daily–all to no avail. To say I’m frustrated is an understatement. Would going even lower than 25g carbs a day be worth trying? MATT ASKS:I have been eating Paleo/low-carb for about 2 years after I found CrossFit. About eight months into my new way of eating, my CrossFit coaches encouraged me to reintroduce 16 ounces of milk and sweet potatoes post-workout. That was the end of my weight loss. My average daily intake consists of about 60-80g fat, less than 100g carb and 150g protein a day. I am very consistent with my meals. Breakfast is either eggs and a fruit or a protein drink with almond milk, lunch most of the time is a chicken breast and spinach, dinner is a meat and veggie. I do not use any form of sugar or substitutes and I get an average of 8 hours of sleep a night. Any thoughts? ELLEN ASKS:My question pertains to tweaking the low-carb diet to work for a complete and total screwed up enigma…me! I’m a 44-year old woman in good overall health and taking no medications. I have struggled with my weight all my life and have seen success following the Richard Simmons Deal-A-Meal and Weight Watchers plans in the past. At the age of 35, I decided to become an amateur bodybuilder over a four-year period that had me on a calorie-restricted, high-protein, low-carb, zero fat diet. My coach put me on fat burners, diuretics and low-dose anabolic drugs for short periods of time. This was the biggest mistake of my life! I actually started gaining weight despite keeping calories very low and exercising excessively. I finally wised up and quit this insanity but now I’m 195 pounds on my 5’6″ body. I’m fairly muscular because of my weight training, but no amount of dieting helps me lose weight. I’ve tried raising calories, lowering calories, carb cycling, ketogenic…you name it. I am currently on a low-carb Paleo plan and I’ve also played around with various types and intensities of exercise. I feel generally well with good energy levels. But I’m afraid I’ve messed up my body forever. I refuse to give up, but I desperately need your help! BARB ASKS:I understand that the body can and will make its own glucose if necessary. Is it correct to assume that the body will only make as much glucose as it needs or will it make an excessive amount of glucose if too much protein is consumed? Or will it only make as much glucose as is needed and convert the rest of the excess protein into fat? I have been told by my personal trainer that our bodies have a difficult time converting protein to fat. Is that true? LAURA ASKS:I am a 33 year-old female with Type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto’s with normal thyroid panels. For the past two years I have followed a very low-carb diet as per Dr. Richard Bernstein’s recommendations in his book Diabetes Solution. My days my carb intakes stays at 30g or less and I believe my diet is ketogenic because I’m not eating more than moderate levels of protein. But in two years of low-carb eating, my weight has not changed at all and my body composition has not seemed to change either. I follow this way of eating due to the excellent diabetes control that it provides me. But I am surprised and a little bit frustrated that I have not lost any weight. I am not excessively overweight by any means but could afford to probably lose 10 pounds or so to be at a healthier weight. I recognize that body composition is a better way of measuring a healthy weight, but something’s gotta give. I walk quite a bit every single day as I live in a city but I have found it hard to find a routine that doesn’t adversely affect the stability of my blood sugar levels. I eat to satiety with a variety of low-carb vegetables, fattier cuts of meat, eggs, etc. What might the culprit in my weight loss struggles be? Is it due to excessive calories because of my high dietary fat intake? I have never lost a single pound following a low-carb diet. MIRIAM ASKS:What other approaches would you suggest for obese people who do not seem to lose any weight despite keeping calories low along with their high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet with regular exercise? What other biological factors besides insulin resistance can prevent weight loss from happening? SHIRLEY ASKS:Is it better to split up your protein intake on a low-carb over several meals throughout the day to prevent gluconeogenesis from creating too much glucose in the body that could stall weight loss? EJA ASKS:I eat a handful each of almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts, flax seeds and Brazil nuts everyday. I’m trying to lose about 10 pounds and I eat a super-clean Paleo diet with zero processed food or anything with a label. Just protein, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. But although I eat clean, my weight loss is completely stalled. Do you think I should totally give up the nuts and fruit as I’m sure I’m eating way too many calories and carbs a day from them. Is there anything in nuts and fruit that I really need that I can’t get elsewhere in my diet? ANNE ASKS:My husband and I have been on low-carb for the past six weeks, but we’re not seeing any good results so far. I have lost 160 pounds with Weight Watchers in the past, but I gained 70 pounds back putting me at 220 pounds for a 5’5″ tall, 55-year old woman. My husband is currently 200 pounds at 5’8″ tall and 59 years old. We both are consuming 20g carbohydrates or less daily, so I’m thinking calories must be too high although I certainly don’t feel like I’m overeating. Is there a range of calories we should be striving for? BARBRA ASKS:I’m a 50-year old woman (5’8” and 215 pounds) who has been on the low-carb lifestyle for over a decade. I started gaining weight in 2007 and put on 65 pounds by 2011 even on a very low-carb diet. I was recently diagnosed with T2 diabetes and started Metformin twice a day. I read a study last year that stated eating a 600 calorie low-carb diet could reverse diabetes, so I came up with a modified version of it for me that amounted to consuming 800 calories/day before returning to my 1400-1800 calorie low-carb plan again. I lost 31 pounds over a 10-week period and my blood sugars returned to normal for about 3 weeks after doing this. But then my weight started creeping up again and I’ve since gained back half of the weight I had lost. When I was on the 800-calorie diet, I noticed I had to keep my protein under 60 grams a day, so I’m wondering if it’s not just the carbs, but also the protein that is causing the problems for me. I’d like to think I can live on more than 800 calories a day for the rest of my life, so any solution you might have for me would be appreciated. FORTUNE ASKS:I have a question that pertains to the ladies. I seem to stall out two weeks a month due to hormones and then lose weight for only two weeks. This is quite frustrating! What can I do to kick my ketone levels up higher so I can lose weight more steadily even through my menstrual cycle? Or is it natural for women to get kicked out of ketosis during this time that will obviously stall their weight loss progress? LJ ASKS:If you’re eating a well-formulated low-carb diet where carbohydrates are less than 20g, protein is 85g or less and fat consists of at least 65% of calories, how is it possible to experience voracious hunger? I’ve been stalled out eating this way for nearly a year and perhaps I’m eating way too many calories. I’ve tried increasing or decreasing each of the three macronutrients at different times for at least two weeks at a time to see what works. For me, increasing protein seems to work best but it is temporary in keeping my hunger under control. Nothing seems to help for more than a week or two before the hunger bug comes on with a vengeance. This hunger is overwhelming unless I eat a LOT of food–upwards of 2500-3000 calories per day with at least 130g coming from protein. But this level of eating prevents me from losing weight. Calorie restriction means unbearable hunger for me and that’s absolutely unsustainable. The ketogenic recipe for blunting hunger and natural calorie control doesn’t seem to work for me. I know I’m not alone in this. What do you suggest for people like me? JOSH ASKS:Do higher levels of ketosis mean you will experience more rapid weight loss? I’ve been measuring my blood ketones and wondered if readings over 2.0 millimolar meant that I was in the ideal range for optimal fat loss. CATHY ASKS:I am a postmenopausal woman who lost 55 pounds in one year on the Atkins diet. I still have another 50 pounds to lose as I am still classified as obese. Unfortunately, I’ve been in a holding pattern for nearly two years despite attempting several strategies including the leptin reset, intermittent fasting, the Atkins fat fast, calorie cycling and most recently decreasing protein and upping my dietary fat intake. I walk everyday for exercise and I’ve actually regained about six pounds in the past 6 months. It’s obvious I’m still producing too much insulin in my body. What can I do to get better control of this besides a high-fat, adequate protein, low-carb nutritional approach. I think I may have morphed into a Zucker rat. AMBERLY ASKS:I have heard from people in the Paleo community that a very low-carb diet can possibly interfere with thyroid function and/or stress the adrenals which may be a culprit in preventing weight loss from happening. Are you aware of any scientific evidence that supports or refutes this claim? AVIV ASKS:I’m a competitive bike racer and putting on a few extra pounds led me start on a low-carb Paleo diet. I made the mistake of eating a lot of the “safe starches” with my high-fat intake and quickly gained 15-20 pounds. Needless to say, I stopped racing and started examining nutrition more closely. Through the work of Dr. Peter Attia, I found your books and immediately started following a ketogenic diet. But I’ve been having trouble getting into ketosis over the past 3-4 months and I find it hard to understand why I’m gaining weight or not losing on such a well-formulated low-carb diet. Maybe my body needs more time to adapt to this way of eating, but it looks like it will preferentially store fat from the diet rather than burn it. Despite this, I do believe becoming keto-adapted is the natural way for humans to live. Should I just hang in there eating this way to give my body more time to adjust and let the weight come down eventually? And what about using intermittent fasting to help kickstart the weight loss? It seems to be quite easy and natural to do when you eat a ketogenic diet. CHRISTI ASKS:Have you seen any correlation between high blood ketone levels, normal blood sugar levels and weight loss? Also, what amount of protein is considered too little? What signs or symptoms should you look for? Finally, is it possible to eat too much dietary fat while on a ketogenic low-carb diet? Thanks for answering my questions! SUZANNE ASKS:I am a relatively new convert to low-carb after having spent the last 25 years of my life as a low-fat, high-carb eating running machine. I converted to a low-carb diet 8 months ago because I’m a 52-year old woman who has seen my weight “creep up” slowly but surely mostly in my thighs and buttocks with the same amount of exercise in recent years. I am convinced I am one of those people who has a love/hate relationship with carbs and I cannot believe how much better I feel following a low-carb lifestyle. My question is this: how much do you think peri-menopause and the hormonal changes that go with that play a part in fat gain? Everything I’ve heard says the LAST thing a woman at this stage in her life should do is diet since the fat cells are genetically programmed to hang on to their fat in order to manufacture more estrogen to replace that which is not coming from the ovaries anymore. Am I on the right track in following the low-carb lifestyle in order to lose the 10 extra pounds I have put on? WOODROW ASKS:Hey Dr. Phinney, I’ve read both of your “Art And Science” books and many others and I would love some clarification on how easy it is to lose keto-adaption and switch from fat burning to sugar burning. If you have a cheat day or a higher carb meal such as a pizza and a couple of beers for example weekly, will that take you out of keto-adaption and cause you to start over for 2-4 weeks every time you do it? How perfect do you need to be with carb intake to stay keto-adapted? DANA ASKS:Does the body tend to want to be a certain weight? I am 24-year old female and slightly overweight. Even though I have lost a significant amount of weight before, I always seem t…

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