Hi Beth-
I've been doing Fast-5 for almost three years and over the course of many attempts to find what works, I have realized that calories DO matter when trying to LOSE weight. I've eaten a nearly carnivorous diet of meat, fish, and eggs and I can eat 4-5,000 kcals a day and not "gain" weight. But if I need to lose a few pounds, lowering my calorie intake is the only thing I've found to work. Eating all protein and fat will halt weight gain (calories be damned), but unless I use it along with calorie restriction, I will not LOSE weight.
The other thing is, I found that I have psychological triggers that I really need to avoid when I'm trying to lose weight. For instance, if I go into the kitchen and walk past the refrigerator, I think about the jar of peanut butter. Then I think, it's just one scoop so I open the door, get a spoonful, and scarf it down. Then, since I have the taste of PB in my mouth, I go back in and get another scoop. This can easily add 400-600 calories a day!! So in order to prevent that behavior, I will eat my dinner and then go downstairs and read and stay away from the kitchen or walk into the kitchen through another doorway.
Another one I found was having a beer when I get home triggers my insatiable appetite. Even if I just cook with wine or put beer in my chili, the smell will set me off and I'll start snacking before dinner. So I quit drinking any alcohol for a month and when I added it back, I had a beer or shot of whiskey near the end of my window, if at all. Something about having a full stomach and THEN drinking keeps me from pigging out.
Also, my hunger levels went down when I started drinking more water and taking good quality vitamin packs and probiotics. If he's deficient in certain minerals and vitamins, he could be craving a particular nutrient and feeling hungry. This may be the case if he's eating grains and no vegetables. Grains require vitamin C and other nutrients for proper digestion and if he's not eating fruits and vegetables with his grains, he could be deficient. I always suggest that people not eat grains. But that's not realistic in many cases so make sure he's getting his vitamins.
Recent research has brought to light the importance of gut flora in controlling appetite. If the bacteria in his gut is unhealthy, he can gain weight, be hungry, become vitamin deficient, or all of the above. A good probiotic can help.
The last thing is getting enough sleep. I've found (and many studies bear this out) that if I'm sleep deprived, it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to control my appetite. As Dr Herring said, the body is incredibly complicated. There are so many chemical reactions in the body that depend on sleep, so many enzymes and hormones that go to work at night when we sleep, lack of sleep will definitely mess up the part of the body's endocrine system that controls hunger.
These are just some suggestions that I've found work for me. Fast-5 is definitely a discovery of the self more than anything. I think if he sticks with it, he'll figure out what's going on. Good luck.
-Rick
--- In fast5@yahoogroups.com, "Beth" <beth@...> wrote:
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> My husband has been doing fast 5 for about a year now, primarily to lose weight (he is in good health otherwise). Weight loss has stopped completely. He lost 30 pounds over the first 6 months, then nothing. Now he has actually gained back 5 pounds. he needs to lose another 50 pounds.
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> He has eaten outside his window maybe 3 to 5 times the entire year, that's it. His window is early in the day, he has tried to change it but been unsuccessful due to business lunches etc, and whereas it used to be easy, he now finds himself hungry in the evenings, although he doesn't give in and eat. He doesn't eat particularly healthy, but one of the things that attracted him to this lifestyle was that he could eat whatever he wants. He gets very little exercise also, but I can guarantee you that would be the most diffcult thing for him to change.
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> He is so frustrated with hunger and lack of weight loss, I told him I would ask you guys for any ideas.
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> Thanks,
> Beth
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