SO LONG STUBBORN FAT!
Drop 9-18 lbs in one week
David Perlmutter, MD reveals the secret ingredient that transforms Paleo into the most rapid weight loss ever
SLEEP DEEPER
THINK CLEARER
FEEL HAPPIER
END BODY ACHES
The Paleo diet has been study proven to deliver an array of impressive health benefits, including a 72 percent drop in triglycerides, a 39 percent decrease in heart disease risk, a 34 percent reduction in diabetes risk… and of course, there’s also rapid weight loss, especially for women over 40. Research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that postmenopausal women who adopt the ancient way of eating lose five times more body fat over two months than women following a lowfat plan. But as anyone who has tried Paleo knows, sticking with the food formula is easier said than done. We start off with the best of intentions, but within weeks weight loss slows to a crawl, stubborn plateaus set in and intense cravings become hard to shake.
Now experts have uncovered a sneaky reason many Paleo plans are such a struggle: They’re too high in protein. “There’s a misconception that loading up on extra protein will help you burn more fat and build more muscle. But in fact, excessive dietary protein actually enhances the body’s production of sugar,” says weight-loss expert David Perlmutter, M.D. He explains that on a low-carb, high-protein diet like Paleo, the body uses protein for muscle maintenance and repair, then converts a small amount of protein into glucose to fuel the brain (which prefers glucose as its primary source of fuel). But when there’s excess protein above and beyond what the brain and muscles need to function at their peak, the body turns that extra protein into glucose as well. As a result, blood sugar spikes, triggering a release of insulin that shifts the body into fatstorage mode and drives up cravings.
Swapping extra protein for a Paleo plan richer in fat, though, supercharges metabolism. “Fat has been looked upon as an enemy for decades, so it’s no surprise that we believe we should favor protein over fat,” says Dr. Perlmutter. “But dietary fats actually pave the way for weight loss.” When the diet is mostly fat, he explains, the body converts just enough protein into glucose to power the brain—and then turns dietary fat and stored body fat into a form of fuel called ketones. “It’s not just fuel, it’s a superfuel,” asserts Nora Gedgaudas, a board-certified nutritionist with 25 years of experience studying the Paleo diet. “The mitochondria in our cells use ketones to produce energy, so we are essentially burning our own fat for fuel. Any excess fat on the belly, love handles, hips and thighs gets burned, and we’re able to maintain constant energy.” Indeed, FIRST readers who follow a fat-powered Paleo plan report losing up to 10 pounds every week without experiencing the plateaus that are com- mon on more protein-focused plans.
Increasing fat intake also makes sticking to the Paleo diet easier. “The more quality fat a meal contains, the less hungry you’ll feel. You’ll actually gain better appetite control,” promises Gedgaudas. “This shift can make weight loss virtually effortless.”
The proof: In a 2015 study, researchers at Texas Tech University in Lubbock found that healthy fats decrease the production of hungerpromoting hormones and increase the production of satiety-boosting hormones. According to research in Nutrition Journal, the combined effect can help dieters reduce their calorie intake by 40 percent for up to 4 hours.
Speedy deprivation-free slimming is just the beginning. As the body burns away fat for fuel, hormones come into balance to banish mood swings, ease body aches and lower cholesterol. “Within the first week you’ll feel the payoff,” says Dr. Perlmutter. “You’ll have less brain fog and you’ll have a heightened protection against illness.” Studies show you can also feel 52 percent sunnier and sleep 21 percent better. Read on to discover the strategies that will help you eat fat and get slim, plus success secrets from women who have whittled their waistline and transformed their health.
“When you derive most of your calories from fat, you turn your body into a fatburning machine.” —David Perlmutter,
M.D.