Next up for review
is The Obesity Code: Unlocking The
Secrets Of Weight Loss. The
author, Dr. Jason Fung is a Canadian Nephrologist.
Introduction
This book
theorizes that overeating and a sedentary lifestyle have little to do with the
obesity epidemic. Dr. Fung believes that obesity is caused by high levels of
insulin. The book includes sections on the origins of the obesity epidemic, why
overeating and exercise are not that important, Dr. Fung’s new model of obesity,
what is wrong with our diet and the solution, which details when to eat and
what to eat. The book is 315 pages long and very well written. I enjoyed
reading it.
5 Things I Really Liked About The Obesity Code
1) Dr. Fung uses a
lot of research to back up his claims. While he does make a few errors in
interpreting the nutrition literature, this is a refreshing change in
comparison to most best-selling weight loss books.
2) I agree that
insulin levels have a lot to do with weight gain. This is a major reason why I
recommend a low glycemic load approach for weight loss with my own clients.
3) I totally agree
with the restriction on snacking. Even small amounts of extra calories consumed
daily can add up to significant weight gain over time. Three balanced meals a
day are all we need.
4) I totally agree
that added sugars and refined carbohydrates are major causes of weight gain for
most of us. Eliminating them needs to be a big part of any weight loss
strategy.
5) I like the section
on the importance of sleep in weight loss. The research is really beginning to
back this up. Short sleep appears to decrease leptin levels and increase
ghrelin levels. Both hormones have a lot to do with your ability to lose
weight.
5 Things I Didn’t Agree With in The Obesity Code
1) I do not
understand Dr. Fung’s theories on exercise. Here is an example:
Page 50: “Physical
activity has virtually no relationship to the prevalence of obesity.”
Many studies show
that physical activity is a big part of the strategy for those that are
successful losing weight. A white paper on my website summarizes a number of
these studies (you can find it here).
Page 51: “Exercise
has not decreased since hunter gatherer times.” Does Dr. Fung really believe
that a sedentary office worker that drives to work and sits in front of a
computer all day gets as much physical activity as a caveman who had to walk
everywhere he went and hunt and forage for every calorie he ingested?
Page 54: “Exercise
has many benefits, but weight loss is not among them”. Strangely, right after
this quotation, Dr. Fung cites a randomized trial showing that subjects who
exercised 5 times per week lost an extra 10 pounds over 10 months when compared
to those that did not exercise.
Generally,
exercise by itself is not enough to hit your weight loss goals, but in combination
with dietary change, exercise plays a critical role.
2) Similar to his
view on cardio, this book makes absolutely no mention of the importance of
resistance training. Lifting weights decreases the loss of lean body mass as we
lose weight. This makes it much more likely that weight we lose will stay off. Building
muscle with weight training increases metabolism since muscle burns three times as many calories as fat. Burning more calories per day makes it much easier
to lose weight over the long-term.
3) Dr. Fung believes
that saturated fat is harmless. He recommends a regular consumption of butter,
coconut oil, full fat dairy and beef tallow. He cites a reference from the
Nurses’ Health Study to show that total fat is not associated with risk of
heart disease (New England Journal of Medicine, 1997; 337:1491). While this is
accurate, the rest of this study shows that the type of fat is very important. Saturated
fat increased risk of heart disease in this cohort, while mono- and
polyunsaturated fat decreased risk. Ironically, after citing this study, Dr.
Fung says that saturated fat is fine and that vegetable oils have a negative
impact on health. I am not quite sure how he mixed this up. Either way,
saturated fat is to be avoided, it increases risk of heart disease.
4) I didn’t agree
with the alcohol recommendations in The
Obesity Code. Dr. Fung says up to 2 drinks a day are fine. It is my opinion
that 14 drinks a week will seriously impede weight loss in both men and women. I
have my clients cut down quite a bit on the alcohol if they are trying to lose
weight.
5) This book
recommends fasting 24 to 36 hours, two to three times per week. I don’t think
this is a good idea. In the last year or so, I have blogged on 3 separate studies
that examined fasting and were published in top journals. The results were not
favorable. Among the findings:
-Drop out rates
were higher in those fasting compared to more modest calorie restriction. This
means it is much harder to stick to a fasting weight loss plan.
-There was no
difference in weight loss between those fasting and those moderately
restricting calories.
-LDL cholesterol
significantly increased in subjects fasting.
-Several studies
showed glucose dysregulation when fasting.
-Subjects fasting
had an increase in inflammation.
-Subjects ate
significantly more calories than normal the day after fasting.
-Energy
expenditure decreased when fasting.
In The Obesity Code, Dr. Fung gives a
number of tips when fasting. Here are a
few:
-Take cinnamon and
eat chia seeds to reduce hunger.
-Drink salt water
when you get dizzy.
-Take a magnesium
supplement when you get muscle cramping.
-Drink salt water
when you get headaches.
-Take Metamucil
when you get constipated.
-Take a multivitamin
because you won’t be getting any micronutrients on fasting days.
Maybe it’s just
me, but having to do all of these things leads me to believe that fasting is
neither a healthy or normal way for the human body to lose weight.
Is The
Obesity Code Worth Reading?
Absolutely! It is
important for me to read nutrition books that differ from my own personal
philosophy. This book makes a lot of really good points. Levels of insulin have
much to do with obesity. Limiting sugar and refined carbs are a huge part of
the solution. Adequate sleep and limiting snacking are also big players. I
would just add a bit to this good advice, notably; lift weights at least twice
a week to build muscle, daily cardiovascular exercise is a huge part of weight
loss, there is no need to fast, and lastly be sure to limit saturated fats and
substitute them with more healthy vegetable fats.
