Last Updated on October 12, 2024
Leptin diets are catching people’s attention in recent years but what exactly is this type of diet? What do you eat on the leptin diet to lose weight? Is it really healthy, safe, or science-based, or is it rather just the next faux craze to sell people overpriced food supplements? We’ll try to cover each of those points below.
Table of Contents
What Is A Leptin Diet Exactly? What Do You Eat On The Leptin Diet?
The leptin diet is indeed pretty new as it’s based on the 1994 discovery of the leptin hormone. The discovery was made by the clinical nutritionist Byron J. Richards who determined that leptin is a hormone produced by the body’s fat stores. The sole purpose of leptin for the body is to inform the brain when we are full and we can stop feeling hungry.
Naturally, leptin was deemed to be incredibly important for our body’s metabolism, health, weight gain, and weight loss, and became the center of a lot of research and diets, including the leptin diet.
What is the main takeaway of most of this research that the leptin diet is based on? There are two main points here:
- Eating lots of carbohydrates, processed foods, too much fat, or just too much in general can lead to leptin resistance which stops your brain from receiving the leptin signals telling it to stop being hungry
- Some diets can trigger a leptin response, telling your brain and body to start storing up fats because of the lack of food.
Based on such conclusions, Richards developed the leptin diet – a diet intended to help you lose weight slowly and in a healthy manner.
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The 5 Rules Of The Leptin Diet – What Do You Eat On The Leptin Diet?
This diet can be summed up by the following 5 rules:
- Don’t eat before sleep/after dinner
- Don’t go over 3 meals a day
- Make sure each meal is moderate in size, usually between 500 and 700 calories – the goal is to never be hungry but to never be “completely full” either
- The breakfast is an important meal and should be as rich as the lunch and dinner, especially in protein (but not exclusively)
- You should cut back on the carbohydrates but still eat some. The ideal ratio, according to the leptin diet is 40/30/30 of proteins/fat/carbs
The extra 6th rule often cited by proponents of the leptin diet is that moderate daily exercise should also be practiced. It doesn’t need to be anything special, you just need at least ~30 minutes of moderate exercise to keep your body active and your metabolism and hormonal balance in check.
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What Do You Eat On The Leptin Diet?
The great thing about the leptin diet is that it’s very well balanced. It doesn’t cut out carbs completely like the keto diet but just limits them to a healthy degree. This allows you to eat diverse and delicious food as long as it’s healthy – lots of vegetables and salads, lean meats and fish, fruits (berries, in particular), whole grains and legumes, and so on. Essentially, it’s what most people imagine when they hear about “a healthy diet”.
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So, Is The Leptin Diet Right For You?
The key thing to remember when looking at a new diet is that every person is different. What works wonderfully for some can be outright life-threatening for others. This extreme is not the case here, of course, as the leptin diet is pretty well-balanced.
Still, even here it’s wise to talk with a medical professional before you start. For example, a lot of people’s genetic profile works better with 5 or 6 smaller meals a day rather than only 3 moderate-sized meals. For some people, big and protein-rich breakfasts are ill-advised due to their blood pressure levels. Not to mention that you may have a very severe leptin resistance that necessitates the use of certain medical supplements.
So, consulting with a doctor is always advisable here. That being said, the leptin diet does look very well-balanced overall and suitable for the vast majority of people.
FAQ’s
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Barbara is an environmental activist and sustainability advocate who loves living green and sustainable. She firmly believes in reducing her carbon footprint and has been making great strides towards achieving this goal. Barbara is a vegan and avid recycler and has been actively involved in community gardens and other green initiatives. She is passionate about spreading awareness about the importance of living in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner. Barbara is always looking for ways to make a difference in her community and beyond. She is a huge advocate for preserving nature and the planet for future generations.