Rosedale Diet Review

 

The Rosedale Diet is leptin-centric weight loss plan. It was conceived by a nutritionist/metabolism expert and M.D. by the name of Ron Rosedale. Leptin - for those unfamiliar - is a hormone produced by the body's fat cells which regulates appetite. It signals the brain when we are starving (leptin levels are low) and when we are sated (leptin levels are in balance.) The leptin-centric weight loss theories all center around the idea that leptin balances get out of whack in the body due to poor diet (and other lifestyle factors), that levels get high in the body, but that the brain isn't getting the right readings and then the overeating starts, resulting in chronic weight gain.

The hook in Rosedale's leptin theory is that leptin levels are directly related to our consumption of fats, and he posits that if you significantly increase your fat intake (healthy, good fats), your body will believe that it is full, it will produce leptin signaling it's time to stop eating, your leptin levels will stay in balance and you will not overeat.

Nutritionally, the Rosedale Diet is a low carb, high protein, high monounsaturated fats (think olive oil, Mediterranean) affair, broken out into phases a'la South Beach Diet. There are five key principles to the Rosedale Diet:

• Avoid most starchy carbs and sugars
  
• Eat good, mono/unsaturated fats and avoid saturated or trans-fats
  
• Eat the right amount of protein
  
• Eat slowly and don’t eat three hours before bedtime
  
• Eat when you're hungry, but don’t count calories and carbs
  
  

The book is divided into three sections. In section one Rosedale explains what leptin is, the "leptin theory" concept and the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle. In section two Rosedale explains the different types of fats - mono/unsaturated (the good ones known to help lower cholesterol, Mediterranean diet-style), saturated and trans fats (the bad ones) and the principles of a healthy diet. It's in section two that you'll also find the actual diet, which begins with a 3-week phase (where whole grains and starchy carbs are banned) and there is a daily food menu plan and (delicious sounding) recipes for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner for you to follow. You'll also find Rosedale's A, B and C list for eating. The A list are the healthiest meals and snacks, and you'll only eat from this list for the initial 3 week phase. The B list are foods you can have in limited quantities in your life going forward, and the C list are the foods to be avoided altogether forever. A list foods include olive oil, olives, avocados, fish, and some low fat dairy. B list foods include some animal fats, some processed foods, some starchy carbs and higher fat dairy. C list foods include simple carbs and sugars - basically, things like potato chips which you already know you should avoid anyway. The book's section three discusses the importance of protein, providing explanation and calculation of protein requirements for men and women.

As to exercise, Rosedale is rather blase' - he generally recommends 15-20 minutes a day as a good idea but doesn't consider it essential to the success of his weight plan, and so doesn't offer any specific guidance. Where he is specific is on the subject of supplements - they are heavily touted as critical to this program, and while we don't disagree that some supplements are quite beneficial to good health, bear in mind that like most diet gurus cross-promoting supplements with their diet program, Rosedale is in the supplement business too. Buy the pills he recommends and he's effectively making it both ways. There is good nutritional advice here, some not so good advice about exercise, and a sales pitch. The key is to separate the wheat from the chaff.