Belly fat dissapearing after i started eating croissants

Dave_Fit

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Though impressive, my concern is malnutrition. I experience the same satiation from stearic acid rich foods and find myself somewhat force feeding to get in nutrition.
I had no issues with malnutrition, I constructed my diet in such a way that my macros and micro’s were on point. I tracked everything I ate with cronometer, I knew my vitamin, mineral, amino acid, and breakdown of saturated Vs monounsaturated fats etc. i incorporated 1/2 oz of liver per day, plenty of dairy etc, I did occasionally supplement mag, and always D3 and K2,
 

frannybananny

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Dave Fit (who I believe is member @Dave_Fit) on Youtube has some nice videos going over his success, and some of the pitfalls. I tried a modified version of it before, and didn't see any results, but looking back, I notice some of the issues Dave mentions.

Here's what he ate when he was losing weight (I would skip the fish oil, and think he even dropped it soon after)-


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijqFMLytnWI


I think some men may need strategies to lower cortisol and/or boost testosterone in addition to diet, as the testosterone to cortisol ratio is out of balance in most overweight and obese men (something known since at least the 90s). In studies, TRT seems to have both dramatic and long term effects in helping men to lose weight-


I wonder what this guy's cholesterol number is?
 

frannybananny

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I had no issues with malnutrition, I constructed my diet in such a way that my macros and micro’s were on point. I tracked everything I ate with cronometer, I knew my vitamin, mineral, amino acid, and breakdown of saturated Vs monounsaturated fats etc. i incorporated 1/2 oz of liver per day, plenty of dairy etc, I did occasionally supplement mag, and always D3 and K2,
Thanks for your video...it was truly inspiring and I have ordered the stearic acid from Fire in a Bottle.
 

Dave_Fit

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I'm having good experiences with this, using rice or masa harina as my primary starch. I think it's sound but you may have to lower fat amounts. The nice thing is that you aren't hungry between meals.
 

frannybananny

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Yes, that is the one I get. I
I use TT refined coconut oil and really like it with no side effects or negative effects. In my opinion it is the best…
What is TT? Thanks.

Glad they were useful!
Thanks for your encouragement @Dave_Fit. My second thoughts on the stearic acid is that I have Lipidemia and started wondering if a high fat diet would be very bad for me and increase my trigycerides even more. I am hesitant to start using the stearic acid that was delivered today. It is a saturated fat, no?
 

tankasnowgod

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Thanks for your encouragement @Dave_Fit. My second thoughts on the stearic acid is that I have Lipidemia and started wondering if a high fat diet would be very bad for me and increase my trigycerides even more. I am hesitant to start using the stearic acid that was delivered today. It is a saturated fat, no?
Probably the best thing to do would be a one month experiment, and then test triglycerides. I don't know if there are studies you can find on these things, but one thing I will say is that short term, meal challenge studies often don't reflect what goes on on a longer time frame. Maybe the first week trigs go up, but then they lower over time, being lower after 4-8 weeks, or what have you.

Yes, Stearic is Saturated. Of note, the longer chain SFAs and Saturated Fatty Alcohols actually help the liver to detox and glucoronidate PUFA and other fats, I know Haidut has mentioned this a few times, maybe on podcasts or in posted studies. Beyond that, Stearic helps to increases mitochondrial function, another mechanism that might lower trigs or FFAs over time.
 

Lollipop2

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Thanks for your encouragement @Dave_Fit. My second thoughts on the stearic acid is that I have Lipidemia and started wondering if a high fat diet would be very bad for me and increase my trigycerides even more. I am hesitant to start using the stearic acid that was delivered today. It is a saturated fat, no?
@frannybananny Tropical Traditions Here is the link to the one I get:


It might be expensive but it lasts a long time and I only use a little. My favorite one I have ever bought.
 

Dave_Fit

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Thanks for your encouragement @Dave_Fit. My second thoughts on the stearic acid is that I have Lipidemia and started wondering if a high fat diet would be very bad for me and increase my trigycerides even more. I am hesitant to start using the stearic acid that was delivered today. It is a saturated fat, no?
Yes Stearic Acid is a fully saturated fat. Do you mean Dis-Lipidemia, where LDL is high and HDL is low, with Triglycerides being considered high? This isn't medical advice but I want my HDL at the low end of the reference range and my LDL at the upper end. The reason is simple, I am on a high saturated fat diet with very low (highly oxidable PUFA) The problems with LDL are from the lipid peroxidation caused from PUFA's. I consider a high HDL status a sign of stress not a medical wonder. These lipoproteins (LDL and HDL) are just busses that transport various lipids around the system. PUFA's and the omega 3's raise HDL, so does alcohol consumption for that matter. I don't see any benefit in having a high HDL status. Generally speaking improved thyroid function has a lowering effect on Triglycerides and also to some extent total cholesterol. I am not saying other people should strive for what I am shooting for, only that I don't find it problematic, but rather an indicator of a positive biochemistry. If you have truly high (outside the reference range numbers) you should definitely do more research and consult a medical professional you trust.

For what it is worth when I started The Croissant Diet I didn't use stearic acid the first few months and lost over 20 lbs, so I by no means think it is required. I did add it when Brad made it available and thought it was useful in getting the last more stubborn pounds off over the next 4-5 months.

I went from 258 lbs down to an all time (adult) low of 206 lbs in roughly 8 months. 206 was too low for me, yes I was leaner, but I am 6' 4" tall and this was a bit emaciated. I actually intended to stop loosing at 215 but even adding calories back in I kept loosing. I eventually found the right now higher caloric level and stopped the loss. Over time I have deliberately put back on about 12 lbs. and now weigh roughly 218-220. This is a healthy weight for me, and I know if i ever want to lean out a bit I just increase my saturated fat, and decrease my carbs (a little) and calories a little and like magic the little extra fat comes back off. I have done this a couple times over the past year, going from as much as 225 down to 215 etc. I can make this shift in about 4-5 weeks and it is painless, just a little more monitoring on my end is all that is needed.
 
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frannybananny

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Yes Stearic Acid is a fully saturated fat. Do you mean Dis-Lipidemia, where LDL is high and HDL is low, with Triglycerides being considered high? This isn't medical advice but I want my HDL at the low end of the reference range and my LDL at the upper end. The reason is simple, I am on a high saturated fat diet with very low (highly oxidable PUFA) The problems with LDL are from the lipid peroxidation caused from PUFA's. I consider a high HDL status a sign of stress not a medical wonder. These lipoproteins (LDL and HDL) are just busses that transport various lipids around the system. PUFA's and the omega 3's raise HDL, so does alcohol consumption for that matter. I don't see any benefit in having a high HDL status. Generally speaking improved thyroid function has a lowering effect on Triglycerides and also to some extent total cholesterol. I am not saying other people should strive for what I am shooting for, only that I don't find it problematic, but rather an indicator of a positive biochemistry. If you have truly high (outside the reference range numbers) you should definitely do more research and consult a medical professional you trust.

For what it is worth when I started The Croissant Diet I didn't use stearic acid the first few months and lost over 20 lbs, so I by no means think it is required. I did add it when Brad made it available and thought it was useful in getting the last more stubborn pounds off over the next 4-5 months.

I went from 258 lbs down to an all time (adult) low of 206 lbs in roughly 8 months. 206 was too low for me, yes I was leaner, but I am 6' 4" tall and this was a bit emaciated. I actually intended to stop loosing at 215 but even adding calories back in I kept loosing. I eventually found the right now higher caloric level and stopped the loss. Over time I have deliberately put back on about 12 lbs. and now weigh roughly 218-220. This is a healthy weight for me, and I know if i ever want to lean out a bit I just increase my saturated fat, and decrease my carbs (a little) and calories a little and like magic the little extra fat comes back off. I have done this a couple times over the past year, going from as much as 225 down to 215 etc. I can make this shift in about 4-5 weeks and it is painless, just a little more monitoring on my end is all that is needed.
I think we are talking about the same thing except my dr calls it hyperlipidemia but my total cholesterol is 174 with HDL being 63 , and LDL being 81. That's not good. So I am thinking I'd better hold off on the stearic acid or in thinking that a high fat diet would be good for me. I am soooo disappointed but I also have fatty liver and trying to get that under control. Thanks for your help.
 

frannybananny

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Probably the best thing to do would be a one month experiment, and then test triglycerides. I don't know if there are studies you can find on these things, but one thing I will say is that short term, meal challenge studies often don't reflect what goes on on a longer time frame. Maybe the first week trigs go up, but then they lower over time, being lower after 4-8 weeks, or what have you.

Yes, Stearic is Saturated. Of note, the longer chain SFAs and Saturated Fatty Alcohols actually help the liver to detox and glucoronidate PUFA and other fats, I know Haidut has mentioned this a few times, maybe on podcasts or in posted studies. Beyond that, Stearic helps to increases mitochondrial function, another mechanism that might lower trigs or FFAs over time.
Yes, I had read that PubMed study that said saturated fat would help detoxify the liver but I already have fatty liver and therefore I am hesitant to go on more saturated fats. It somehow seems backwards to me. But thanks for your help Tank, please see my reply to Dave Fit.
 

Dave_Fit

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For any that are wondering. When I started The Croissant Diet (TCD) I was cruising the web reading health and fitness blogs/articles and ran across Brad Marshals Fire In a bottle website. I thought the whole thing sounded crazy but I read what Brad had written at the time and it made sense from a research based perspective. At that time I was also listening to Chris Masterjohn and toying with the concept of Stan Efferding's Vertical diet. I hadn't landed on Ray Peat at that point.

I wanted to construct my version of TCD in a way that I also didn't have any nutritional holes in my plan. I started putting everything I ate into cronometer and tracking all of my macros and micro's. Some of the things I eventually chose then weren't very Peaty (raw baby spinach) in my Stearic acid smoothie, with 3 oz of OJ and 2 oz cranberry juice. I did this for the b vitamins and vitamin K (I use better sources now). I adjusted some of my micronutrient requirements based on Chris Masterjohn's work, like biotin based on grams of protein consumed etc. I was also taking fish oil based on some of Brads research, once I found and read/listened to enough Ray I dropped that. Interestingly Stan Efferding had a daily carrot as part of his diet which I did.

Eventfully I did the handful of YouTube videos and it wasn't until several people commented that my diet was very Ray Peat like that I did the deep dive on Ray. One thing that I think is important is nutritional status. My cronometer was always at or very near 100% on every nutrient. I didn't want poor nutritional status to compromise my plan. I was constantly looking for foods to ensure I could get all my vitamins and minerals and make it simple. I did supplement with D3 and eventually K2.

When I found Ray it all made much more sense. If you are using a mechanism of the mitochondria to burn fat and you look into the Kreb cycle and electron transport chain you will start to notice all these vitamin, coenzymes, and minerals that are involved in all these steps. It's my feeling that if any of these are lacking they could become a limiting factor in the plan. For me it wasn't just about eating Croissants, or just simply eating more long chain saturated fat while avoiding PUFA's. It was about constructing it in what I felt was the best way to ensure the goal.

I hope this is useful to anyone interested.
 
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Dave_Fit

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I think we are talking about the same thing except my dr calls it hyperlipidemia but my total cholesterol is 174 with HDL being 63 , and LDL being 81. That's not good. So I am thinking I'd better hold off on the stearic acid or in thinking that a high fat diet would be good for me. I am soooo disappointed but I also have fatty liver and trying to get that under control. Thanks for your help.
None of your numbers are outside the reference ranges for a healthy individual. Below 200 on total is considered healthy (Ray would say higher if you're older) 60 or higher for HDL, you are above that, and below 100 for LDL, you are below that. Unless there is something else going on those numbers are right in the normal healthy range.

here is a reference for you.

 

jdr75bulldog

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I’m assuming all wheat/bread products in Canada are fortified...I buy my croissants from Costco and although they are labeled as “all butter”, they use some canola oil as well (less than ideal). I figure by adding more butter and limiting my intake to two a day, it’s ok for me. Again, I wish I could find real butter croissants but I could be doing much worse and probably wouldn’t be able to afford such a luxury..
In the Walmart bakery area they sell All Butter Croissants with zero vegetable oils. I've been eating them for years along with more butter on top. I can go awhile with not eating as well.
 

Dave_Fit

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I think we are talking about the same thing except my dr calls it hyperlipidemia but my total cholesterol is 174 with HDL being 63 , and LDL being 81. That's not good. So I am thinking I'd better hold off on the stearic acid or in thinking that a high fat diet would be good for me. I am soooo disappointed but I also have fatty liver and trying to get that under control. Thanks for your help.
Also choline supplementation is very useful for fatty liver.
 

Dave_Fit

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In the Walmart bakery area they sell All Butter Croissants with zero vegetable oils. I've been eating them for years along with more butter on top. I can go awhile with not eating as well.
Those are the ones I used predominately. Gotta always read the labels though, Publix brand croissants are made with vegetable oils.
 

frannybananny

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None of your numbers are outside the reference ranges for a healthy individual. Below 200 on total is considered healthy (Ray would say higher if you're older) 60 or higher for HDL, you are above that, and below 100 for LDL, you are below that. Unless there is something else going on those numbers are right in the normal healthy range.

here is a reference for you.

Thank you Dave! I am not concerned about my cholesterol numbers per se... more about my liver but I don't want to "overshare" here. My triglycerides are 178 and the recommended amount is below 149. I wish we had a private message component to the forum here, or do we?
 

Dave_Fit

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Thank you Dave! I am not concerned about my cholesterol numbers per se... more about my liver but I don't want to "overshare" here. My triglycerides are 178 and the recommended amount is below 149. I wish we had a private message component to the forum here, or do
We do have that. I messaged you.
 

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