Most people will have some combination of hormone/organ factors involved in their weight problems, but by finding out which hormones/organs are the MOST involved, you can find out specifically what you need to do in terms of diet and exercise to maximize your weight loss. 


Since the liver is involved in the production and/or activation of all of the fat burning hormones, the first set of questions is used to determine whether you would benefit from a few weeks of a diet (www.myfoodwiththought.com) to allow for liver recovery:

Liver Indicators:

1.  Have you had gallbladder surgery?

2.  Do you have a history of gallstones or gallbladder "attacks"?

3.  Do you have trouble losing weight on the Atkin's diet, or other high-protein, high-fat diet?

4.  Do you dislike heavy-protein foods such as beef and pork?

5.  Do you have difficulty digesting high-fat foods (such as fried foods or fatty meat), particularly at night?

6.  Do you have a history of liver disease (hepatitis, fatty liver, etc.)?

7.  Do you have a protruding, distended belly - a "potbelly" or "beer gut"?

8.  Do you crave fried foods or  chips?

9.  Do you tend to be in a bad mood in the morning?

10. Do you get tightness or soreness in your right lower stomach area or rib cage?

11. Do you have chronic pain or tightness in the right shoulder blade area that is not related to a specific injury?

12. Do you have flaky skin or dandruff in your eyebrows or on your head?

13. Do you tend to have very dark-colored urine?

14. Do your feet tend to feel hot or get swollen a lot?

15. Do you experience headaches frequently, or experience a heavy feeling in your head when you wake up in the morning?

16. Do you have skin problems such as psoriasis or eczema?

17. Do you tend to feel more awake at night than in the morning?

18. Does your tongue have a deep groove down the center of it, or have a white film covering it?

19. Do you tend to feel a lot of itching at night?

If you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, you would likely benefit from at least a couple of weeks on a very low animal protein diet to give your liver an opportunity to rest.  I'll tell you more about this at the end of the quiz.

The next section of the quiz will assess the contribution of the thyroid hormones, the adrenal hormones, and the ovarian (female) hormones to your weight problems. 


Thyroid Indicators:

1.  Do you crave carbohydrates, such as sugary foods, breads, rice, or pasta?

2. Do you suffer from depression or feelings of hopelessness?

3.  Do you feel better when you eat a lot of fruit?

4.  Do you have brittle finger nails with vertical ridges in them?

5.  Do you gain weight all over your body - arms, torso, hips, and legs?

6.  Do you have dry skin, especially on your hands and elbows?

7. Do you have indentations on the sides of your tongue where the teeth push against it?

8.  Have you lost the hair on the outer one-third of your eyebrows?

9.  Do you have cold feet?

10. Do you have a lot of puffiness around your eyes?

11. Does the skin under your arms sag?

12.  Do you have dry hair and/or thinning hair?

13.  Do you have difficulty maintaining a curl in your hair?

If you answered "Yes" to 5 or more of the above questions, then The Thyroid is probably a significant factor in your weight problems.  I'll discuss specific recommendations for this situation at the end of the quiz.


Adrenal Indicators:

1.  Do you crave salt and salty foods and/or chocolate?

2.  Do you tend to be anxious and nervous?

3.  Do you need caffeine or other stimulants to wake up?

4.  For Females:  Do you grow facial hair?

5.  Do you tend to carry your excess weight primarily as a sagging, loose, "pooch" in the lower abdomen?

6.  Do you tend to have swelling in your feet and ankles?

7.  Do you have weakness or disporportionately small muscles in your thighs?

8.  Do you feel dizzy if you stand up quickly?

9.  Do you have problems with inflammation, such as arthritis or allergies?

10. Do you get a lot of twitching in your left upper or lower eyelid?

11. Do you get out of breath easily, especially when walking up stairs or up a hill?

12. Do you frequently wake up in the middle of the night, especially between 1:00 and 3:00 A.M.?

13. Do you tend to get cramping in your calves at night?

If you answered "Yes" to 5 or more of the above questions, the function of your adrenal glands is likely playing a role in your weight problems. It is recommended that you follow the diet and exercise suggestions for the "Adrenal Type" in the book and at the end of this quiz.


Ovarian (Female) Hormone Indicators:  These questions are of course primarily directed at women, but for men who find that some of these issues apply, it is further indication of Adrenal involvement (as the adrenal glands do produce small amounts of "female hormones" in men).

1.  Do you crave dairy products?

2.  Do you get particularly moody at consistent times each month in association with your menstrual cycle?

3. Do you get constipated during your menstrual cycle?

4.  Do you tend to get pain in your left lower back and hip area?

5.  Do you tend to carry your excess weight in the butt, thighs, and hips?

6.  Do you tend to lose hair during certain times of your menstrual cycle?

7.  Do you get hot flashes, or have a history of menstrual problems?

8.  Do you get "brain fog" associated with your menstrual cycle?

9.  Do you have a low sex drive?

10. Do you gain weight rapidly in the week prior to your menstrual period?

11. Do you have an upper body that is thinner than your lower body (a "pear-shaped" body)?

12. Do you tend to retain a lot of water during your menstrual period?

If you answered "Yes" to 5 or more of the above questions, it is likely that your ovarian (female) hormones are involved in your weight problems.  Besides the diet and exercise recommendations I'm about to give, there is an additional issue to consider.  If you are taking birth control or hormone replacement pills, these medications may be dramatically interfering with your ability to lose weight and you might benefit from discussing other options with your healthcare provider.



Diet And Exercise Recommendations
Based On Quiz Results:

Please refer to the general diet and exercise information in the Free E-book,
"The TOTAL Solution For The Weight Loss Impaired".

For those with multiple Liver indicators, it is recommended that you begin the diet by excluding animal proteins (especially meats) as much as possible during at least the first 2 weeks in order to let the liver recover and begin to work more effectively.  After that, animal protein should be kept relatively low - no more than about 30 grams of animal protein per day (see book for protein content of common foods), unless you start feeling cold or light-headed, in which case gradually add in more protein and/or eat more frequently until those feelings go away.  Remember, you can eat unlimited vegetarian proteins (nuts, seeds, nut butters, beans, etc.), it's just the animal proteins you need to keep to a minimum. 

For those with multiple Thyroid indicators, you also should keep animal proteins relatively low.  I suggest you begin and maintain at about 30 to 40 grams of protein per day and increase if needed to prevent feeling cold or light-headed.

For those with either multiple Adrenal or Ovarian indicators (or both), you can have animal protein in whatever quantity you desire (within the confines of the recommendations made in the book - up to about 80 grams per day). For customized recipes and menus I suggest looking into www.myfoodwiththought.com or call My Food with Thought at (210) 341-4370.

With regards to Exercise, those with multiple Liver, Thyroid, and/or Ovarian indicators will do best to focus on the high-intensity, "interval training" anaerobic type of exercise as discussed in the book.

For those with multiple Adrenal indicators, it is recommended that you avoid the high-intensity exercise and instead focus on relatively low-intensity, long-duration aerobic exercise, as discussed in detail in the book.