Byron Richards | Byron J. Richards | Mary Guignon Richards
1 K.C. Maisch
I have finally read the right book!! After many, many tries and different approaches, these 5 simple rules have given me the right information to not only lose weight but feel so much better. Since I no longer snack in between meals, I can safely put food out of my thoughts for hours at a time. Then, when I do have a meal, I am truly hungry, get to eat real food and enjoy it without guilt. At first, I'll admit, my body experienced some discomfort waiting the 5-6 hours to eat but after just a few weeks I've adjusted and do not find it difficult at all. I do have real hunger by meal time but don't feel weak or lightheaded anymore. If you do this, give yourself time to adjust and don't give up. It is very freeing.
2 The Answer I Have Been Looking For
About 5 years ago, having gained about 30 pounds during the preceding 30 years, I decided to make an effort to lose weight without dieting. Being a corporate tax consultant by profession and not knowing anything about weight loss, I decided to use my professional skills to come up with a 'strategy' to deal with my weight problem rather than consult one of a myriad of diet books. What I came up with was that Sumo wrestlers have known a great deal about putting fat on the human body, having developed, over many centuries, various approaches to gaining weight for their livelihood. I decided that if I knew enough about how they ate and trained, perhaps I could develop an approach that was the opposite of theirs and, as a result, lose rather than gain weight. Well, it worked. Although my weight never varied by more than 2 pounds when I began exercising in the gym over a 2 year period, once I had developed my "Anti-Sumo" Eating Strategy, I proceeded to lose 25 pounds in the space of 4 months. The weight has never come back although I never had the slightest idea why it worked until I read "Mastering Leptin" by Byron Richards. By the way, anyone interested in reading my tongue in cheek article on weight loss for tax professionals will find it in the August 31, 2004 issue of Tax Notes, perhaps the leading tax publication in America. Because there are quite a number of similarities between what I developed from studying the habits of Sumo wrestlers and what the Richards demonstrate based upon science and observation, it is not surprising that I benefitted from what I had discovered. As a result, with a bit of fine tuning, I am now able to maintain my weight in accordance with The Leptin Diet and have little doubt that I will follow it the rest of my life. I forgive them completely for their turgid prose. What is important is what they have to say, not how they say it.
3 An extraordinary book!
An extraordinary book! Rarely do we have the opportunity to learn about current scientific findings about how our bodies operate in such a readable form. The authors have summarized a huge range of research results in a practical and usable way for the reader. I couldn't put the book down. And I am implementing the suggestions as quickly as I can. And in just the seven days it took me to read the book and put the "Five Rules" into effect, I am already feeling better. Thank you to the authors for this monumental accomplishment!
4 Very enlightening, up-to-date research
I was impressed with the fact that this husband and wife team,in their early 50's, is so committed to bringing us the latest breaking news on leptin and the research related to solving obesity in this country. Their book (now the 2nd edition) explains why leptin is the key hormone that regulates all other hormones in the body, and how leptin imbalance is the precursor to heart disease, thyroid conditions, and cancer. The information is not their opinions, but rather a compilation of ALL scientific data on leptin to date, presented in a fairly easy-to-follow writing style. They give special guidelines for correcting leptin imbalances,including the use of certain supplements, which in turn will lead to correction of a host of other imbalances, like insulin resistance. (As an aside, insulin resistance alone affects 50% of our country's population, contributing hugely to the obesity epidemic.)
I agree that the book is a bit choppy. I think a professional writer could have helped smooth out the rough edges. However, the content is exceptional. I have recently discovered that I am a borderline diabetic with a low-functioning thyroid and insulin resistance, which likely developed as a result of my last pregnancy. Prior to that I had no apparent problems in these areas. This book helps to explain how this happened and is guiding me back to healthy. I am indebted to these authors.
I have also read the Rosedale Diet, which I think is also very good. However, I believe Mastering Leptin explains leptin and all its implications more completely. Mastering Leptin also explains the wisdom in waiting 5 hours between meals and avoiding snacks, and how that is critical to bringing leptin in line. Dr. Rosedale includes snacks in his book, focusing more on the types of foods to eat rather than on scheduling to allow your body to restore its natural rhythm. Eating all the time keeps our bodies too focused on digestion and keeps our insulin levels up. I'd go to the Rosedale Diet for the recipes but to the Mastering Leptin book for the guidance. Good luck to you all.
5 I'm sorry, I have a problem with this
Knock 3 to 4 hours a day off of your eating schedule by not eating 3 to 4 hours before bed,
Don't eat between meals
eliminate junk food and refined sugar products
eat breakfast
Excercise
It doesn't sound revolutionary to me, it sounds like the same advice that doctors have been giving for decades. I can't see spending 15 bucks for a book to tell why that's a good idea. I could just sign on to the American Heart Association's website and get the same info.
6 Finally a no-diet diet book!
Thanks to the authors for producing the first-ever (in my opinion) truly no-diet diet book. This book has revolutionized my understanding of food and the function of the body. I've only had a minor weight issue (5-8 lbs) but it's so frustrating to use diet after diet and not keep the weight off, and not understand why. This book explains why. I'm an avid health reader and have read many books on metabolism and body types and nutritional strategies, but this is the first to address the core of the issue that has plagued me.
As a hypoglycemic with a thyroid problem (and a family history of diabetes), I've been told to eat many small meals in a day. WRONG! This book explains why NOT snacking is the best thing you can do for your hormones. And it's been working great for me. It also explains when to exercise in relation to eating, why you have cravings and how to make them stop (REALLY!), etc, etc. All very practical information with no stupid meal plans, recipes, calorie counters, or food lists to follow. This book is about giving you knowledge, not controlling your life. It's very liberating.
The book is not elegantly written, but the authors are nutritionists and medical researchers, not poets. There are extensive footnotes that reference hundreds of medical journals that will be relevant to medical professionals, but the book is also organized in a way that you can skip all the technical info and just read the chapter summaries at the end of each chapter. Or, if you're really short on time or patience, you can just read the guidlines - there are 5, which would be easy to state here, but really I think it's worth the price of the book to purchase it. Also important are the exercise tips - wait at least 3 hours after eating and take antioxidants right before exercising. Simple guidelines like that are what this book is about. Backed up with hundreds of scientific reasons why, if you're the type that needs that. These people didn't pull the leptin theory out of thin air, but they are the first to organize the research and bring it to the public.
Bravo and thanks.
7 Complex explanations + Simple rules = SUCCESS!
I'm a typical 48 year woman... When I hit 44 I started adding 10 pounds a year. I thought the middle age spread was my destiny until an older woman in my office lost weight. I bought this book in January and followed Byron Richards' simple rules religously and added some of the basic supplements he recommended for my particular issues (purchased at Walmart). In 30 weeks I lost 30 pounds, most significantly I lost the roll around the middle and I feel great!!! Richards' approach to health maintenance is truly a life style change.
