Fastest Atkins ever!
LOSE 22 LBS in 2 weeks with Dr. Pescatore’s amino acid breakthrough!
When supermodels, business moguls, actresses and even Grammy-winning superstars show up at the New York offices of Fred Pescatore, M.D., they’re not looking for second best. “They say to me, ‘If Atkins or Paleo or Wheat Belly can help me lose 10 pounds every two weeks, how can you help me lose more?’ ” says Dr. Pescatore, who spent five years working with Dr. Atkins himself. “I’m constantly being pushed to take low-carb results to the next level—and it has paid off.” Dr. Pescatore’s latest discovery is a technique that not only anchors his new A-list Diet but can make Atkins or any low-carb plan work dramatically faster. The secret: Amino acids— compounds that are the building blocks of protein and make up a large proportion of each of our cells. Inspired by a Japanese study that hinted that increasing dietary intake of amino acids may lead to massive fat loss, he began trying it with patients. “I started seeing turbocharged weight loss and improvements in blood work that would make most doctors’ heads spin,” he reports. So far, folks have dropped up to 22 pounds in 14 days and 112 pounds in all.
How aminos slim
Like Atkins and other low-carb plans, Dr. Pescatore’s A-list approach limits carbs—a trick
that dramatically slashes blood sugar
and forces our bodies to stop burning sugar and start burning fat for fuel. Yet sometimes we do this and the scale barely budges. Why? “Amino acids are often the reason,” he explains. While our bodies can make most of their own amino acids, there are nine essential varieties we can only get from protein-rich food. And since the compounds “are key to every metabolic process,” any shortfall can mean a sluggish metabolism. “Even on a higher-protein diet, women often go for too limited a variety of protein or rely on low- quality processed protein sources. Do that, and you’re not supplying your body with enough essential amino acids for a super-charged metabolism.” Dr. Pescatore’s fix? For starters, increased quality and variety of protein. Take ground beef, for example. You’re encouraged to go for grass-fed when possible and to frequently switch between as many options as you can—beef, lamb, pork, bison, venison and chicken. He also urges you to experiment with different types of seafood, vegetarian protein, even organ meats. “By simply switching your proteins you can improve your amino acid levels enough to break through plateaus,” he says. Want to go to the next level? That’s where supplements come in . . .
The power trio
Citing research and his own clinical experience, Dr. Pescatore says three particular amino acids—leucine, isoleucine and valine, also known as branched-chain amino acids or Bcaas—are most crucial to weight loss. Lab tests on BCAAS have already proven they help shift body composition so that we have a lot more firm muscle and a lot less jiggly fat. In one study, volunteers taking them even showed a 34% reduction in belly fat after just 19 days! “I’ve found that most patients don’t get optimal amounts of BCAAS even through a high-quality diet,” says Dr. Pescatore. His basic Rx for women: A small dose of BCAAS upon rising and before bed, plus a bigger dose midday. (He sells his own supplements at Alistdietbook.com; other brands are widely available at superstores and drugstores.) “It will help you lose like never before,” he promises.
How much will you lose?
To find out, try our special version of Dr. Pescatore’s plan, below. “It works quickly, and as a bonus, you’ll experience changes in your body chemistry that basically eliminate cravings,” he adds. That was certainly the case for Netranie Jagdeo. After stress eating led to lasting bad habits for the working mom, no diet seemed to help for long. Luckily, she asked Dr. Pescatore for advice. “Adding the amino acids made a huge difference. I used to lose very slowly, if at all. This time I lost 28 pounds in my first 28 days!” says the New York massage therapist, 47, down 46 pounds in all. “Plus, on other diets, I felt like I was missing out. Now when I eat with my family, I have no cravings for what they’re having. This diet is amazing!”