Feed Your Brain, Lose Your Belly: A Brain Surgeon Reveals the Weight-Loss Secrets of the Brain-Belly Connection by Larry McCleary, MD

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


An ad for this book on www.goodreads.com website caught my attention just when I was in the process of setting up my Food & Exercise Diary for the DASH diet. I was intrigued by the synopsis and the reviews. I borrowed a copy from my library.

I have a hobbyist's interest in neuroscience so I had no problem following his hypothesis and logic for suggesting that a high carbohydrate-low fat diet might continue to contribute to a high enough level of insulin that glucose may be stored faster and released slower from its stores giving a hunger signal that encourages eating before the meal's calories are expended. McCleary suggests that a food plan with 25% carbohydrates from the lower end of the Glycemic Index, 55% Fat from things such as ground flax seeds, flaxseed oil, or coconut oil, and 20% protein which I can choose from salmon, nuts, and beans for my preference. It was not difficult to change the settings in my Food and Exercise Diary software. I can continue to use the healthy foods in my refrigerator and pantry. My only additional purchase was coconut oil. I think I don't feel as hungery as I did with the 55% carbohydrates, 27% fat and 23% protein of the DASH diet, plus the restriction of nuts, seeds, and legumes to 3 times on the DASH diet a week was too harsh for my meat-free preference. This FYBLYB diet had a clinical trial for only 6-weeks, and control group 2 (FYBLRB diet without supplement) averaged a 5 pound weight-loss during those 6 weeks. As I write this review, I have only been on it for 1 week with a 1 pound weight-loss.

The recommended exercise is basic. Walk for 30 minutes three times daily and use a pedometer to keep track of steps throughout the day. Basic weight-bearing exercises are to be done two or three times daily. Simple stretches round out the exercise program.

The one objection I have to this book is its recommendation to supplement the diet and exercise with McCleary's proprietary supplement called Vita-Loss which retails for $69.95/month supply and available at his website. I rate this only 3 stars for I don't know if I will be able to stay with its guidelines for the length of time I need to return to my healthy weight. If I get there, it will get one or two more stars.



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I also should give a shout out to the website for the weightloss software I use, Food and Exercise Diary