On Fri, 26 May 2000, Ken Stuart wrote:

> On the Zone, you eat just enough carbohydrates to prevent gluconeogenesis.  On
> Atkins, you are in full blown ketosis, which seems to work differently

Is it correct that on the Zone you eat just enough carbs to
prevent gluconeogenesis?  I have the idea that Protein Power's
40g/day is adequate for that.  Lyle McDonald has worked this out,
but I don't have the numbers handy.

> However, if one is halfway in between, ie not in full ketosis, but not consuming
> enough carbs to prevent gluconeogenesis, you may end up with the worst of both
> worlds, ie elevated cortisol and lowered thyroid.

If this is true, then it is a *major* strike against Neanderthin,
which can easily put one into that in-between region.  I'm not
sure that it is true, however, because I suspect that the
gluconeogenesis-preventing carb intake is lower.  I'll need to
check into that.

> Thus, I think that perhaps the reason that you reached your lowest bodyfat
> percentage on the Zone was that it balanced your insulin, cortisol and thyroid
> levels.

I think it was because my caloric intake was semi-starvation.
This would also explain my LBM loss and lowered body temperature
on the Zone.

> PS  If you haven't already, you might want to read the Will Brink article on
> thyroid and weight loss that Justin mentioned, again for reference it is at:

It is an interesting article, and I might just try the product.
If my weight regain is caused by diminished thyroid function then
an important question to ask is whether there is anything about
the Neanderthin program that is causing this.

Todd Moody
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