Interesting article in Times 2 today (I only have hard copy; the soft copy is behind a paywall, sadly) with the above headline.
US doctor Sara Gottfried is suggesting that for many of us women, the issue may be low testosterone. She argues that "traditional" dieting often doesn't work for women in the same way as men, because our hormones are very different. She advocates a veg-rich diet, plenty of "healthy fats" but that women in particular should avoid a very low carb keto diet: apparently we need 20 - 25g carbs a day for weight loss and 25 - 30g a day to maintain weight - any lower results in stress, counter-intuitively weight gain and thyroid issues: "Women need some carbs but when you restrict them too much, it blocks thyroid function ... carbs are very important and we need them for optimal thyroid and adrenal function"
She claims 95% of her patients lost fat on the 16:8 [eating all your calories in an 8 hour window] "two or three times a week" - I assume this is people with no thyroid functions as 3 1/2 years of it 7 days a week hasn't lost me any weight so far
There's no other specific reference to thyroid in the article [which is to plug her new book, out on Thursday, so other papers may pick up on what she's saying in the next few days too] - but I was wondering if there's any research into or correlation between hypothyroidism and low testosterone - I've certainly never had mine tested ...
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fuchsia-pink
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Sorry you find the 16/8 system doesn’t work for you fuchsia-pink . I found it the best change I ever made and it’s improved my digestive system related issues massively. Not too certain about it as an eating style for everyone to be honest. My husband couldn’t hack it at all.
I am also diabetic so it may be that’s why I do well, I also eat sone protein at every meal. I enjoy healthy fats, no low fat alternatives here in addition to a good range of veg and fruit, but avoid processed foods, refined carbs. I don’t count calories anymore and find my quality of life is better for that.
A lifetime of dieting including 300 calories a day in the 1960s makes me appreciate eating real food in sensible without too much effort.
Don't get me wrong I'm very happy doing it (or I would have stopped a LONG time ago!) - and it keeps my weight stable, which is half the battle - but I haven't actually lost weight on it
Localhero - give it a try and see if it suits. I just have hot water until mid-day - at which point the first cuppa tastes amazing and try not to eat anything after 7pm. Agree with Miffie that it's important to eat fresh-cooked real food.
My nutrients are good (I don't supplement, except vit D in the darker months) and my thyroid meds are right for me - so I feel pretty good. I was just cautioning that 16:8 isn't necessarily the weight-loss miracle cure she implies - although I'm aware that other people on this forum have lost weight reasonably easily on it x
I wonder if it means they do 16:8 two or three days a week and eat normally the other four? I watched a program about IF on MindValley where the presenter spoke of doing 16:8 weekdays and eating normally at weekends.
I think it was for people who struggle with doing it all the time - the idea is that improves your metabolism even if you do it just sometimes - but I completely agree it makes more sense to do it all the time x
In each 24 hour period you only eat within an 8 hour window. I haven't heard any mention of a calorie limit, but this sounds like a Michael Mosley plan, the 800 plan. So you would eat your calories within that 8 hour window.
But any plan you like that gives however many calories you like, of low carb, or whatever, would work if you are trying to lose weight at least according to the read up on the 800 diet.......presumably. It is the 16 hours of fasting that is the way it works.
I have done the 800 diet and I did like it, but as my hypothyroid symptoms got worse, it was no longer working for me. Most things do with hypothyroid, I have found. Well I am still using the 16:8 ish.
I very rarely want to eat in the morning, I usually get peckish at about 3pm, then I have a smaller meal later. I don't count calories any more, or write a food diary, but if I was desperate to lose weight I might even try that.
I get my carbs from veg and I eat gluten free and got a great recipe for gluten free flatbreads, that I make in big batches and freeze, fish, chicken, eggs. I try to stay off high carbs like potatoes and rice, it suits me better I think.
Well, first came Michael Mosley and the 5:2 diet, you ate 2 days a week on a stricter diet, I think the calories allowed on that waere 500 calories. The other 5 days a week, you ate more calories and could have more variety in your diet.
This totally failed to lose me an ounce, but as I was on Levo, I gradually gained on even this.
I don't have three meals lol. Hot water until noon, then small lunch at mid-day and veg-heavy supper around 6pm. Part of the idea is that you naturally reduce calories this way, as you aren't filling up on totally unnecessary sugary cereal first thing. Other people have a proteiny- breakfast and late lunch then nothing after that. But there's nothing to stop you cramming in three meals if you want!
I don’t think it would work for me, or even us both. I hate hot water and don’t eat sugar or cakes, that type of thing. We also have dinner in the middle of the day.
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