Why is weight loss not happening with Vegan Diet?

By Hollyz32 on October 20, 2016

Posted in Weight Control

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Dear Dr. Linda, Your Blog posts are excellent.....what I've read so far......and although I see the wisdom in the vegan plant based diet.......i am totally frustrated, because I have seen little weight loss....although inflammation was better. I am postmenopausal and have great resistance to losing the pounds I have packed on in the last 5+ years. I have tried Forks Over Knives, McDougall's The Starch Diet....even attended his program and TrueNorth in Santa Rosa last year.....also attended a week long Reunion with Dr. Fuhrman 3 years ago. I can't lose weight following these programs, so end up discouraged and go back to something less than perfect. I started BHRT 6 weeks ago and Running 3 times a week plus walking on off days around the same time. (although, I have always walked or pilates, etc) I eat fairly healthy but not Vegan. Mostly eggs and clean proteins along with the veggies......I am JUST now beginning to see the tape measure move...... My question is WHY do I have such poor results when I eat totally Vegan??? Yet, now beginning to see positive results with Dr. Sara Gottfried's Hormone Reset Diet??? (which allows clean proteins and lots of veggies) I truly want to be a believer for the FOK, McDougall, Fuhrman, Carney, Camps but have seen no results as promised. And yes, of course, if I ate nothing all day but vegetables I would find results, but that is miserable and makes it impossible to eat at anyone's house or out EVER. What gives? Hormnones? What? Why?

Holly,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your frustrations. I do sympathize, because for some of us, weight loss is not easy. Here are tips that may help to shed light:

Insulin resistance: When we eat one bite (just ONE bite!) of the substances which create insulin resistance, we may experience the effects of insulin resistance for 10 – 14 days thereafter. NOT fair! The effects of insulin resistance are food cravings (hunger) and body-fat storage. Among the causes of insulin resistance are animal protein, fats (yes, even whole-foods, unprocessed, plant-based fats), caffeine, and alcohol.
Colon bacteria: When we eat one bite (just ONE bite!) of the substances which destroy the alkaline-loving bacteria of the colon, then that one acid-forming bite of animal protein leaves only the acid-loving colonic bacteria alive. The acid-loving colon bacteria make all the calories available to us, unlike the alkaline-loving colonic bacteria, which cause us to defecate out some of the calories before we can absorb those calories.
Timing of the meals: Big savory breakfasts filled with legumes, intact whole grains (no flour), and veggies satisfy our hunger so well, yet allow us to eat lighter, earlier suppers. The less calorie-concentrated the supper and the earlier the supper, the easier it is to lose weight.
Bedtimes: 2 hours of sleep before midnight are worth 4 hours of sleep after midnight, when it comes to cortisol, grehlin, and leptin, which influence our weight.
Thyroid: I order blood tests for antibodies against the thyroid, which can occur when the immune system is stressed by sleep-disordered breathing or by eating animal protein at any time in the month. The thyroid is a key organ to help us regulate our weight.
Sleep hypoxia: This can thwart our weight loss. When you get tested, make sure your MD orders a sleeping pill just for those nights of the sleep test, to test you at your most sedated.

Holly, please Click Here to read about my Starch-Smartest program. It is free to you and I recommend that you follow it TO THE LETTER for 30 days. What have you got to lose? Except perhaps a pound or more.

Best Wishes,
Dr. Carney

drcarney

7 years ago

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#1259

Der Dr. Carney,

Thank you so much for responding to my question. That all makes sense, and explains why there is soooooooo little success for the efforts. Who has the fortitude to continue beyond two weeks when there is little or no rewards...at least outwardly.

Thank you,

Holly

Hollyz32

7 years ago

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#1260

Holly,

I realize that we did not properly respond to your last email. I suspect that if you try Dr. Carney's Starch-Smarter or Starch-Smartest program for a month you will see results. It seems like most people do provided they do not 'cheat'. :-)

Sean

scarney

7 years ago

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#1270

Hi Holly, I can totally relate to your last statement regarding eating out or eating over at friends. I personally try not to make exceptions in these situations, and either bring my own food, or make do with what is available (maybe there are some carrot sticks to munch on, etc.). It is very difficult, and often friends and family can pressure you into eating unhealthy. I just try to remain strong in my belief that I am doing the best for me, and my focus remains on doing those things that will make me healthy and extend my life. This is what helps me remain true to what I know I should be doing when I am in this types of social eating situations. As an alternative, I invite people over every Friday night where I cook them a healthy meal. This shows them that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring or bland and I satisfy my need for social interaction. Fortunately for me, I love to cook.

Marky

6 years ago

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#1376

Great idea Marky about feeding your friends. Eating is believing. :-)

scarney

6 years ago

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#1379

In order to lose weight, you have to follow a simple strategy. You have to spend more calories than you eat daily. You will see a huge improvement within 30 days.

Guest

6 years ago

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1 Comments

#1486

This statement of course is true but does not really help people to understand what to eat or how much to eat. This is because almost nobody knows how many calories of energy they have consumed or expended in a day. Also a person could lose weight eating a very small amount of junk food daily and lose weight of that was all they ate. That would not make the junk food good for them even though they lost weight. This is why recommending a whole food plant based no oil low fat (WFPBNOLF) diet for weight control and optimum health makes so much sense.

scarney

6 years ago

#10