What To Eat On The Leptin Boost Diet

Leptin, a hormone made by fat cells, acts as your body's internal stop sign--sending signals to the brain when it is time to stop eating. When the leptin in your body, it can lead to weight gain, fatigue and carbohydrate cravings, says Dr. Scott Isaacs, author of, "The Leptin Boost Diet."

Consuming a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and dairy products throughout the day is your key to balancing your body's leptin and achieving lasting weight loss.

Fruits

Eat at least five servings of fruit per day to boost leptin levels. Serving size will vary depending on the particular fruit. One apple, 3/4 cup of blueberries or blackberries, 12 cherries or 17 grapes all represent a single serving of fruit. Eat fresh or frozen fruit, but avoid fruit juices and canned fruit as these are often higher in sugar and calories.

Vegetables

When it comes to vegetables, you can eat as many as you want to help balance the leptin in your body. Dr. Isaacs recommends eating 1 cup fresh vegetables or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables at least five times per day to optimize leptin. Consume fresh vegetables as your primary source of carbohydrates for maximum weight loss on The Leptin Boost Diet.

Omega-3

Dr. Leo Galland says you should eat a diet rich in Omega-3, an essential fatty acid, to lower leptin resistance in the body. Leptin resistance occurs when communication between the brain and the fat cells breaks down, and the brain does not know when the body has enough stored fat. Examples of foods that are high in Omega-3 include sesame seeds, peanuts, walnuts, tuna and kidney beans. Salmon, which contains more than 85 percent of your daily recommended value, is another great dietary source of Omega-3.

Dairy

Dairy products are an important part of the Leptin Boost Diet because they provide calcium, an essential vitamin your body needs to speed up the metabolism and decrease fat storage. Dairy products high in calcium include nonfat yogurt and Swiss and American cheese. Milk, with 300mg of calcium per 8oz serving provides more than 20 percent of your recommended daily intake.

Protein

Eat protein at breakfast to keep hunger at bay all day long, says Dr. Scott Isaacs. Protein decreases production of the hormones that stimulate appetite and increases production of hormones that decrease appetite. Eat egg whites, fish, soy products or cottage cheese to add protein to your morning meal. With 25g of protein per 3.5oz serving, cheddar cheese is an excellent choice to meet your protein needs.