DescriptionThe Rosedale diet is based around the belief that
leptin signals the body when to be hungry, when to be
full, when to make fat, and when to burn fat. Leptin is
a hormone secreted by fat. High leptin levels should
tell the brain that there is plenty of stored fat, and that
the body doesn’t need to store any more. Some stored
fat is important, because the body wants to make sure
that if food becomes scarce, the body has a back-up
store of energy so that it can survive until food
becomes more plentiful.
Dr. Rosedale believes that many people with
weight problems have become leptin resistant. This
means that although their fat continues to produce
leptin at normal levels, the brain cannot ‘‘hear’’ those
signals correctly any more. Dr. Rosedale compares it
to being in an room that smells bad for a long time,
and no longer noticing the smell. When a person has a
lot of stored fat the leptin signals going to the brain
may eventually cause the same kind of phenomenon,
beginning a vicious cycle of increased weight gain and
increased leptin levels. Because the brain does not hearthe leptin correctly, the brain thinks that the body has
low levels of leptin. This signals the brain that the body
needs to eat more and store more fat. Therefore, a
person gets hungry and the body converts much of
the food that gets eaten into fat.
The Rosedale diet is designed to get the body’s
leptin levels back into balance, and allow the brain to
know that there is excess fat stored on the body.
According to Dr. Rosedale, this will tell the brain to
send signals to the dieter that he or she is satiated and
not hungry, even if he or she has not eaten recently.
Then the body will burn the fat stores, and weight loss
will occur. Rosedale claims that this weight loss can
occur without the muscle mass loss usually associated
with weight loss, if leptin levels are balanced correctly.
The diet begins with a three week period of severe
restriction. The only foods allowed during this period
come from Dr. Rosedale’s set of ‘‘A list’’ foods. Dur-
ing this period almost no carbohydrates are consumed,
andproteinconsumption is limited. Saturatedfatsare
restricted, but unsaturated fats are encouraged. Some
of the foods suggested during this part of the diet
include goat cheese, crab, lobster and other seafoods,
olives, avocados, and many types of nuts.
Foods from the ‘‘B list’’ of foods are reintroduced
after the initial phase of the diet. Some of the foods
eventually allowed include fruit, lamb chops, steak,
and beans. The second phase of the diet is intended to
be followed for a lifetime to help maintain the body’s
leptin levels.
Dr. Rosedale suggests that dieters exercise for
15 minutes each day while on this diet. He also
makes many recommendations for supplements that
he suggests will help dieters lose weight and be more
healthy while dieting. At one time, many of these
recommended supplements were available from his
company Rosedale Metabolics.Function
The Rosedale diet claims to be able help dieters
lose fat mass without losing muscle mass. It is intended
to be a lifestyle changing diet that continues after the
initial three weeks are over as a changed set of eating
habits that continue for a lifetime. It is intended to
provide overall better health and well being.Benefits
Dr. Rosedale claims that this diet will allow dieters
to lose weight, be more healthy, and even live longer.
The diet is supposed to help dieters lose weight by
regularizing their leptin levels. Because leptin is believedKEY TERMS
Diabetes mellitus—A condition in which the body
either does not make or cannot respond to the
hormone insulin. As a result, the body cannot use
glucose (sugar). There are two types, type 1 or
juvenile onset and type 2 or adult onset.
Dietary supplement—A product, such as a vitamin,
mineral, herb, amino acid, or enzyme, that is
intended to be consumed in addition to an individ-
ual’s diet with the expectation that it will improve
health.
Leptin—A hormone produced by fat cells (adipose
tissue) that tells the brain that the body has eaten
calories and should stop eating.
Mineral—An inorganic substance found in the earth
that is necessary in small quantities for the body to
maintain a health. Examples: zinc, copper, iron.
Obese—More than 20% over the individual’s ideal
weight for their height and age or having a body
mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater.
Vitamin—A nutrient that the body needs in small
amounts to remain healthy but that the body cannot
manufacture for itself and must acquire through
diet.Rosedale diet