Image Source: Pixabay
As its name might suggest, the leptin diet is focused on leptin, the human body’s satiety-triggering hormone. First discovered in 1994, leptin basically prompts us to stop eating once we’re full. Through this, it also controls metabolism and can support weight loss. When it moves through the nervous system, it stimulates calorie burning.
According to DefendYourHealthcare.us, it was created by a man named Byron J. Richard, who was both a respected and board-certified nutritionist, as well as a businessman. Through his approach, he proposed a way to retrain neurotransmitter signals. Unfortunately, many of the pesky extra pounds that bother us are caused by an improper hormone to brain connection.
The main negative consequence of this consists in overeating. A leptin buildup in the bloodstream is mainly responsible for this. The hormone travels through the circulatory system to reach the brain’s appetite center, and when problems arise due to stress or obesity, they become visible once you hop on the scale.
Table of Contents
The 5 Simple Rules
Just like many other trendy diets, the leptin diet is all about eating clean, organic food made with the help of the freshest ingredients. What sets it apart from other similar meal plans is the fact that it is based on five straightforward rules that have created quite a few particular recipes you can use. Here they are explained and in no particular order.
1. Prepare a Protein-Rich Breakfast
The leptin diet is one that emphasizes greatly the importance of breakfast. After all, it is truly the most important meal of the day. Its guidelines recommend ingesting between 20 and 30 grams of protein in the morning after a 12-hour break. This boosts your metabolism by as much as 30%, which is beneficial for weight loss because it accelerates the burning of fat.
2. Consume Three Meals Per Day
Another important principle of the leptin diet is that of no more and no less than three meals per day. Studies show that this is the ideal amount we need to stay nourished and fully functional. And because an excess of nutrients is what causes leptin buildup, ensuring that you abide by this simple rule is essential. Also, keep in mind that snacking is not allowed.
3. Don’t Eat Anything After Dinner
If you want to approach this weight loss program the right way, it’s important to be aware of the importance of dinner. You must have this meal exactly 12 hours prior breakfast, and three before your bedtime. If you eat anything past this point, it will be stored directly as fat. So, to give your metabolism a boost in the right direction, stick to the schedule religiously.
4. Focus on Portion Control
To retrain the neurotransmitter activated by leptin, you need to control your portions carefully during the diet. Therefore, you shouldn’t aim to eat until you feel full, as this can be misleading. Instead, ingest just enough food to keep you nourished. If you have trouble measuring this amount, there are special plates available on the market to help you with it.
5. Reduce Carbohydrate Intake
The final rule of the leptin diet you should respect has to do with carb intake reduction. You need to rely on triglycerides to fuel your body. Of course, you shouldn’t ban them entirely from your diet, as they are an essential nutrient. Just be careful not to go overboard on the bread and pasta if you want to see results.
How to Prepare the Meals
To ensure that you get all the necessary protein for breakfast, there’s nothing better than eggs and steak. However, if you feel like this is too heavy for the first meal of the day, enjoy some oatmeal with Greek yogurt and fruit. You can simply add protein powder to it for that extra boost recommended by the leptin diet.
As far as lunch is concerned, salad is the perfect dish. The varieties recommended by author Byron J. Richard are roasted beet and goat cheese salad, crab salad, quinoa and lentil salad, and cranberry spinach quinoa salad. Any one of these will provide you with just the right amount of nutrients so that you can stay energized until dinner.
Come dinner time, you must focus on lean protein. Salmon, seafood, turkey, and chicken are all accepted varieties of meat to integrate into your menu. Accompany them by a healthy side of steamed non-starchy vegetables, such as asparagus, green beans, peppers, mushrooms, or eggplant. Salmon taco, chicken cutlets with cherry salsa, or turkey burgers are all great options.
Final Thoughts
If you have been considering the leptin diet, you need to first ask yourself if it is something you can adhere to in the long run. Various meal plans cater to the needs of various individuals, and if it doesn’t work for you, you shouldn’t blame yourself. After all, there isn’t a universal approach for anyone. And when you’re unsure whether or not the leptin diet is for you, always consult with your doctor.
