Another diet and fitness experiment

[Brewman_Jax]

I watched the PBS show by Nicholas Perricone, MD on his book The Wrinkle Cure. He talked about the negative effects of the stress hormone Cortisol and how that can add unwanted body fat. One thing he said was by just cutting the morning coffee boost and drinking green tea instead, that ALONE can take off 7-10 lbs in 2-4 weeks.

Sounds like an experiment to me. I will cut coffee (:cry: ) for at least 2 weeks to see the results. I'll enter regular progress reports.

Summer is coming and gotta be able to fit into my shorts again.

[vikegirl]

1. Did he say if it was cutting the coffee

or drinking the green tea that resulted in the weight loss? I ask because I quit coffee about 6 months ago (:-( - high blood pressure) and now drink only water, but I sure didn't lose 7-10 lbs!

[Brewman_Jax]

2. He said to do both

but it was not clear in his statement if just cutting the coffee AND/OR drinking green tea produced the weight loss. I will have to double check the tape to be sure.

That's a good question! :thumbsup:

[supernova]

3. It's the coffee

In order to wake you up, coffee makes you release cortisol. Cortisol, besides being the "fight or flight" hormone, like insulin, tells your body, "Store my fat!"

That's when I switched to herbal teas. I only recently started drinking decaf green tea. But you may not be as sensitive to it as I am.

I remember seeing Dr Perricone the past couple of years on My PBS station at begathon time. I wonder how old he is?

[MissMillie]

5. Is it just coffee or all caffeinated drinks?

I don't drink coffee or tea in the a.m., but I usually have an iced tea in the afternoon.....

[supernova]

7. It's the caffeine

Sorry to say. So, if you are trying to lose weight, caffeine is a no no. I should have been more specific.

[wildeyed]

4. I drink coffee in the AM and I do it before breakfast.

I know it is naughty, but I need caffeine before I can deal with the kids. Also learned my lesson about posting on DU sans caffeine. Not pretty.

I do drink green tea in the afternoon.

Good luck with the caffeine withdrawal headache. You are going to have a doozy!

[seemunkee]

6. Pfffft

I drink tea every day 2-4 cups half of which are green or herbal. After 30 years I should be down to skin and bones if that was true.
Calories in vs. Calories out.

[Brewman_Jax]

8. We'll see

The good doctor did not imply that the weight loss would be continuous. I'll post my progress.
Like you said, Calories in vs. Calories out.

[TexasSissy]

9. I think Perricone is a snake oil salesman. He has a line of skin

care products that he touts on PBS in seminar format. I bought his book AND some of his skin care. I used his skin care religiously for three months on one hand, while using cheap stuff on the other. At the end of the three months the hand I'd used the cheap stuff on looked better than the hand I'd used his expensive stuff on.

His explanations and reasoning for the ingredients in the skin care sounded so....official, knowledgeable, medical-ly. But in the end, it either works or it doesn't. It didn't.

But about Cortisol...I'm reading and hearing this in several places. I think there IS something to it. But it sounds too simplistic to say that if you cut out one item of food for a certain # of weeks, you'll lose a certain # of pounds. That just sounds like something a snake oil salesman would say.

I have the newest Suzanne Sommers diet/hormone book...she mentions cortisol, I think. I've read elsewhere, also, that Cortisol contributes to weight gain around the torso. But also important are insulin, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, etc. I'm in the middle of researching all this and will post here what I find out and what I do.

DO let us know your results, though. But giving up coffee is not an option for me. I'm of French heritage and have been drinking coffee since the age of 10. It's a way of life. But if there's one way to do something, there is usually ANOTHER way to do it, too. (Sommers says that ensuring you sleep 8 or so hours a night keeps your weight down, for example.)

[Brewman_Jax]

11. In the Perrione tape

my mother has the hour-long video on his talk, and he does talk about insulin, testosterone, estrogen, and the major hormones. I would like to watch the lecture again.

Agree, there's usually more than one way to accomplish any task. To add, there's usually more than one source of information. Perrione does talk about the same things that Suzanne Sommers talks about. Thus, I'd say that they have valid points.

Coffee is normally used to make up for shortened sleep times. Both Perrione and Sommers talk about the need for adequate sleep time, which will often decrease the need for that morning coffee blast.

I'll post my progress. The first week ends on Monday.

[TexasSissy]

10. Where'd you get the little smiley weightlifter? Did you download

a bunch of smileys onto your hard drive? Do tell. That is way cool.

[Brewman_Jax]

12. The smileys I use

are found here at http://bffc.net/icon_gallery.html

The weightlifter is on page 2.

[TexasSissy]

13. Thanks! n/t

[Brewman_Jax]

14. End of Week 1

No appreciable change in the scale or the test trousers. But, it hasn't been without benefit. Knowing that there's no coffee blast first thing in the morning, I've had to go to sleep earlier. Knowing that I'm going to sleep earlier, I prepare for the next day earlier instead of goofing off. Going to sleep earlier has made morning easier to deal with. I'm actually more rested. Saving the money from coffee isn't bad, either.

It'll be at least 2 weeks before I notice the weight changes.

[wildeyed]

15. Here is a weight loss experiment I did after having my second baby.

I gained 55 lbs. And it wasn't "all baby" either, lol.

Don't eat after 7 PM.

What I found was, to lose weight I actually had to be hungry part of the time. So better to be hungry while I was asleep than during the day. Plus being hungry makes me cranky and mean and it is harder to yell at people while I am snoozing.

There is actually some research on this tactic. But I can't remember the details or where I heard about it. Maybe Oprah?

Anyway, it seemed to help me.

[Brewman_Jax]

16. Now that you mention it

I found that I was hungry thru' most of the week, esp. before lunch. Sometimes after lunch and my workout. This is in spite of having breakfast. I have some of the power food bars (by Genisoy :9 and Atkins x(, but the Atkins bars were on sale) in my desk. Supposedly, being hungry means that you're burning the reserve fat and I think that you're to drink more water.

I forgot to add that I have been eating breakfast early most mornings. (During the week, about 6:45)

I've heard of the eat early tactic before, and Oprah is a proponent of it.

[wildeyed]

17. Eating breakfast is supposed to rev your metabolism.

I try to eat breakfast every morning, usually oatmeal, nuts and dried fruit. The fiber and a bit of fat keep my stomach occupied for most of the morning.

Then I eat a good lunch, usually leftover dinner from the day before. Early dinner with the kidlets. If I am not trying to lose weight, I sometimes have a snack before bed, but if I am, I skip the snack, try to fall asleep fast before I get too hungry.

I dunno, it's working for me, but everyone is different.

My main problem, too much time in Cooking and Baking Forum. Waaaay too many yummy desert recipes.

[Brewman_Jax]

18. End of Week 2

No drastic changes to weight or test trousers. I didn't get the usual caffeine headache during the first week. I have been more diligent about eating breakfast early and getting to bed early.

I seen to have energy to burn, did a workout double yesterday. Weekend's activity sked:

Fri.--step choreography (45min)
Sat.--5 mile run
Sun.--walking all day at the GA Renaissance Festival
Mon.--aerobic step (45min) at lunch, 3 mile run after work

I'll do this for at least one more week.

[wildeyed]

19. Do you think the extra energy is from the improved sleep habits

or the decrease in caffeine?

I have had an extended low energy period and I am looking for things that might help me get the zip back.

[Brewman_Jax]

20. I think it's the decrease in caffeine

because I've been a little less than diligent in getting to sleep early over the weekend. Regular aerobic workouts don't hurt either.

An extended low energy period? You should consult your physician to make sure that you aren't sufferering from a medical condition, like CFS or hormonal imbalance. If you don't have a medical problem, you may want to try some herbal preparations or herb teas (mint is a low-level stimulant), found in your local health food store.

[wildeyed]

21. My energy is normally cyclical,

it is just that this low cycle seems to be lasting longer than usual. But I think the low energy may just be a lifestyle problem. I am trying to clean up my diet and do less, see if that helps. If I don't see improvement in the next few weeks, I will seek some more answers.

Cutting down on the caffeine is probably a good idea, to start.

[Brewman_Jax]

22. End of Week 3 and experiment

I noted no substantial weight loss via the scale or the test trousers. The experience was not without benefit. I didn't experience the standard withdrawal symptoms (headaches, shakes, mood swings). I've been regularly eating breakfast, I've had to plan ahead since I'm not staying up late (as much), and getting more sleep. The weight loss noted by Dr. Perricone may be for individuals that are severely overweight or obese.

I'm close to fitting into my shorts, but that may be from increased activity.

[Brewman_Jax]

23. I stand corrected

Although the number on the scale dropped 4 lbs, there has been more tangible benefit--I am sitting comfortably in my size 34 black jeans! I haven't been able to fit in them in too many months. I will continue to self-monitor and back off on the coffee and up the activity.

:thumbsup:

[wildeyed]

24. I cut the caffeine and have been doing higher protein snacks

throughout the day. It seems to be helping. I think my blood sugar has been a little whacked out and that has been tiring me out. That and hating GWB. But alas, there is not a simple cure for that.

What is your next diet experiment? It is good that you just do one thing at a time and gage the results. I tend to change about 1/2 dozen things at once, so it is hard to tell what exactly is working.

Congrats on the jeans,

:toast: