"The Men Who Made Us Fat" and Leptin

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I recenly watched this three part docu from BBC, and let me tell you, my eyes were opened.

I would highly reccomend it to all.

I have previously lost weight, and then gained it, and more back, and am now back on to losing. I pretty much figured out last time what is good for my body and what works.

I basically eat only organic, no processed foods, no junk, no eating out, minimal amts of alcohol, NO processed sugar, and I also do gluten free.

I am saying all this, to say, that I do understand the basics of what is in processed foods and that they should be avoided at all times. But even still, this docu was extremely illuminating for me

One of the main things that has really helped me from it, is that you find out about a natural hormone we have in our bodies - leptin. This hormone is a neuro hormone, it is basically the chemical that communicates with our brains and tells us it is time to stop eating bc we are full.

Well, if you have an overabundance of fructose in the body, which is found in both plain sugar and corn syrup, it floods the liver and makes this hormone stop working properly, and can result in overeating. They tested it on rats, fed them a high sugar diet, and sure enough, the rats ate themselves into obesity.

Anywhos, I just found this very helpful information and also slightly affirming that high amts of sugar, are indeed, oh so very bad for us one more than one level!
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Replies

  • mskimber99
    mskimber99 Posts: 30
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    my dr has put me on leptilift i take 2 capsules before lunch supposed to make me feel full -
  • issystclaire
    issystclaire Posts: 113 Member
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    I have been curious about this since I watched this. Taking leptin supplements to get it working properly again if yours happens to be off. I would assume it would be a type of thing where you only take it for so long, until your body evens itself out - and obviously avoid fructose as this would only put it back out of whack. But, I need to do more research on it first. I would be very interested in hearing an update from you in some weeks time if you would be happy to let me know how it goes?
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Fat loss is more so about controlling portions and nutrition than it is hunger/satiety. Simply because you aren't full, doesn't mean you literally cannot stop eating.

    You are right however about the hormone and the feeling of hunger. However, I have never ignored my cognitive processes and relied solely on my feelings to guide my actions.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    You are assuming that avoidance is the answer when dosage is absolutely relevant here. EDIT: Just because X amount of a food item may have adverse effects, does not mean that X/2 of that item will.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    What is considered an "overabundance of fructose "?
  • redshoeshelley
    redshoeshelley Posts: 206 Member
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    bumpity bump, bump ...
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    And here I am losing weight eating a large cookie and a glass of wine every day.

    My body must be weird.

    (IIFYM)
  • pattyproulx
    pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
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    And here I am losing weight eating a large cookie and a glass of wine every day.

    My body must be weird.

    (IIFYM)

    I don't think anyone's saying you can't lose weight eating sugar - the issue being discussed is that sugar impairs the function of the leptin hormone (which is basically a fact).
    If people count their calories and plan on doing that for the rest of their lives, they shouldn't have a problem.

    The thing is that many people don't count calories and listen to their body to eat, so if their body is telling them they're hungry, they overeat.

    It's easy to say the problem is overeating and people just need to have more willpower. It's also easy to do it for a few months and lose some weight, but if your body is telling you it's hungry when it really shouldn't be, then you run into maintenance issues in the long run because you can't just ignore hunger for the rest of your life.
  • bettertracie
    bettertracie Posts: 196 Member
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    I am starting a food plan today (scary since I've not done this since high school, and when I lost the bulk of my weight it was sheerly by making right choices, not being guided through each step.

    That being said, it is a mainly Paleo diet that includes a very high % of good fats... It is designed to reset the body's leptin and insulin sensitivity to help regulate my hormones. I never thought I would get to a point where I thought this would be important; and now I can't imagine NOT focusing on these key elements...

    I have gone from obese and depressed, taking waay too much pain medication and not moving. Now I consider myself an elite athlete! Training for my 2nd marathon (this year)... and at some point, not always or forever, you gotta buckle down and really see what these machines called our bodies can really do when omptimized!!
  • lrkidd
    lrkidd Posts: 74 Member
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    I went a bit further in my research and found that synthetic Leptin does not work as a weight loss aid. The only thing that works is a reduction of your sugar intake. The comments thus far have come from people who do not have sugar issues and cannot possibly understand the battle that goes on between your body and your brain when your Leptin levels are "out of whack". It can only be equated to a drug addiction. You HAVE to reduce the number of carbs going into your system to allow your body to adjust and get back to normal glucose levels and thus bringing your Leptin levels back in check.
  • lrkidd
    lrkidd Posts: 74 Member
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    I am starting a food plan today (scary since I've not done this since high school, and when I lost the bulk of my weight it was sheerly by making right choices, not being guided through each step.

    That being said, it is a mainly Paleo diet that includes a very high % of good fats... It is designed to reset the body's leptin and insulin sensitivity to help regulate my hormones. I never thought I would get to a point where I thought this would be important; and now I can't imagine NOT focusing on these key elements...

    I have gone from obese and depressed, taking waay too much pain medication and not moving. Now I consider myself an elite athlete! Training for my 2nd marathon (this year)... and at some point, not always or forever, you gotta buckle down and really see what these machines called our bodies can really do when omptimized!!


    THIS!!!! You are so spot on!!!
  • AbbsyBabbsy
    AbbsyBabbsy Posts: 184 Member
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    I watched the documentary. I couldn't get past how it blamed America for all of Britain's weight problems. The series has a low-carb angle, for sure. Robert Lustig and Gary Taubes are both interviewed, but no counterpoint voice to the idea that sugar and corn aren't the devil.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I watched the documentary. I couldn't get past how it blamed America for all of Britain's weight problems. The series has a low-carb angle, for sure. Robert Lustig and Gary Taubes are both interviewed, but no counterpoint voice to the idea that sugar and corn aren't the devil.

    We Americans make everyone fat apparently. I read an article the other day about Asians getting heavier because of American fast food companies.
  • 1Cor1510
    1Cor1510 Posts: 413 Member
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    If you're interested, Jillian Michael's book Master your Metabolism has some interesting information on these topics. The main thing I took from it is that it is BAD BAD BAD to try to take synthetic hormones to get your body going again. If you eat properly unprocessed food your body will start working correctly again on it's own. (Although years of eating poorly can wreak irreparable havoc). It doesn't know what to do with processed food and so it gets out of whack. She recommends seeing an endocrinologist if you really want to know what your body is doing. This is a very simplistic summery of a small part of the book, but on point, I believe.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I watched the documentary. I couldn't get past how it blamed America for all of Britain's weight problems. The series has a low-carb angle, for sure. Robert Lustig and Gary Taubes are both interviewed, but no counterpoint voice to the idea that sugar and corn aren't the devil.

    The alarmism certainly reeks of the above two dudes.
  • laus_8882
    laus_8882 Posts: 217 Member
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    I watched the documentary. I couldn't get past how it blamed America for all of Britain's weight problems. The series has a low-carb angle, for sure. Robert Lustig and Gary Taubes are both interviewed, but no counterpoint voice to the idea that sugar and corn aren't the devil.

    To be fair, you've exported some amazing stuff abroad. Krispy Kreme, McDonalds, Grape Fanta, Oreos, Burger King, that really good prawn chain place in HK. For heaven's sake bring it to Aus RIGHT NOW. I always say the reason I will never ever ever travel to the US is because I'd have to be flown back as cargo.

    Downloaded the doco and basically it was a lot of "it's not your fault, you're a victim". Fair enough, maybe some people ate larger and larger meals and bought larger and larger trousers because of advertising and an incredible lack of self awareness of their rapidly expanding frame. Maybe. But you'd have to be a bit dull to be that sort of person. Still, entertaining in the style of most tabloid news shows.
  • AbbsyBabbsy
    AbbsyBabbsy Posts: 184 Member
    Options
    I watched the documentary. I couldn't get past how it blamed America for all of Britain's weight problems. The series has a low-carb angle, for sure. Robert Lustig and Gary Taubes are both interviewed, but no counterpoint voice to the idea that sugar and corn aren't the devil.

    To be fair, you've exported some amazing stuff abroad. Krispy Kreme, McDonalds, Grape Fanta, Oreos, Burger King, that really good prawn chain place in HK. For heaven's sake bring it to Aus RIGHT NOW. I always say the reason I will never ever ever travel to the US is because I'd have to be flown back as cargo.

    Downloaded the doco and basically it was a lot of "it's not your fault, you're a victim". Fair enough, maybe some people ate larger and larger meals and bought larger and larger trousers because of advertising and an incredible lack of self awareness of their rapidly expanding frame. Maybe. But you'd have to be a bit dull to be that sort of person. Still, entertaining in the style of most tabloid news shows.

    Are you from Australia? Because you guys have something called Tim Tams over there, and I'm so jealous. Maybe we can work out a trade.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    I recenly watched this three part docu from BBC, and let me tell you, my eyes were opened.

    I would highly reccomend it to all.

    I have previously lost weight, and then gained it, and more back, and am now back on to losing. I pretty much figured out last time what is good for my body and what works.

    I basically eat only organic, no processed foods, no junk, no eating out, minimal amts of alcohol, NO processed sugar, and I also do gluten free.

    I am saying all this, to say, that I do understand the basics of what is in processed foods and that they should be avoided at all times. But even still, this docu was extremely illuminating for me

    One of the main things that has really helped me from it, is that you find out about a natural hormone we have in our bodies - leptin. This hormone is a neuro hormone, it is basically the chemical that communicates with our brains and tells us it is time to stop eating bc we are full.

    Well, if you have an overabundance of fructose in the body, which is found in both plain sugar and corn syrup, it floods the liver and makes this hormone stop working properly, and can result in overeating. They tested it on rats, fed them a high sugar diet, and sure enough, the rats ate themselves into obesity.

    Anywhos, I just found this very helpful information and also slightly affirming that high amts of sugar, are indeed, oh so very bad for us one more than one level!

    Metabolically speaking, how is processed sugar different from natural sugar?
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    I pretty much figured out last time what is good for my body and what works.

    I played a pickup game of football last weekend. I pretty much figured out what I need to play in the pros.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    I don't think anyone's saying you can't lose weight eating sugar - the issue being discussed is that sugar impairs the function of the leptin hormone (which is basically a fact).

    Sorry, the bolded part makes it too easy.