Extreme Carbohydrate sensitivity?

Question
Hi.
Is this common?
My hubby is 55.He doesnt have have diabetes (yet), but there is a family history. He does have the symptoms of metabolic syndrome.He is overweight with a huge belly-the rest is normal.He can only shrink his belly if I keep his daily carb intake under 50 grams, which is extremely low. Thats OK I he doesnt crave carbs much anyway, and he fills up on fruits and veggies and lean meat. He feel a lot better generally too-less gas, overall inflammation, etc.
I used to think he had a thyroid problem or slow metabolism but our doctor says he is OK in that regard.
Your thoughts appreciated!

Answer
Hi Susan,

There could be a variety of reasons your husband is holding onto excessive belly fat. One thing is age. While I don't buy into age as an excuse to slow down the reality is that in age the body changes. Metabolism can change with it. But at age 55, 65, 75 or whatever you're never too old to exercise and influence changes in how your body works. Studies prove that a 60 year old who eats right and exercises regurally can be in better physical condition than that of a 30 year old who is sedentary. The body has no concept of how old it is. Just like a car, if you maintain it right it can operate at peak for years.

What is his activity level like? Diet is 80% of it but there is no success in fitness without exercise. I only advise a complete program that includes resistance training and cardio, thats for men and women of all ages.

As for his carb intake have you ever tried carb cycling? I understand that he is carb sensitive, however the body adapts to things pretty fast. So say you have him on a diet where he gets 2000 calories, but only 50 from carbs. The body gets used to this and the metabolism can stall. One way to get around this is to cycle his intake. Maybe Monday he eats starchy carbs with breakfast and lunch. Tuesday he drops the starch at lunch then Wednesday he only has starch at breakfast. Thursday eat Monday's menu and so on.
I should also tell you that a constant low or no carb diet can also lead to metabolic syndrome.

Is he getting enough fat in his diet? He could really benefit from eating monounsaturated fats like those found in extra virgin olive oil. Other good sources of fat are nuts, low fat dairy and fish.

Another thing you should do is examine everything he eats. Try to get foods as pure as possible. Lots of packaged and processed foods contain chemicals that collect in the body and can cause bloating and belly fat. Things like excessive intake of artificial sweetners can cause bloating in the abdominal region. Diet drinks aren't that great either because they can lead to a host of problems. Check out this article from my site about diet drinks http://bestfitnessnow.com/2011/11/not-so-diet-drinks/

I'm sure you know this too but he should watch his sugar intake. Read labels too because sugar hides everywhere. If you see something on a food label ending in OSE that means sugar.

Finally you should make sure he gets enough fiber in his diet. Taking in enough fiber can help avoid build up of gases and other matter that builds up in the body. A good mild detox tea can help too. Nothing extreme, just something you can buy in your local grocery or health food store. A good one is called Yogi detox tea. It costs about 3-4 dollars and it made up of different herbs. It is mild enough to drink daily, though it can have a slight spicy taste.

Sorry my answer was a little jumbled there. Just trying to give you a variety of options.
You're always free to write back though and check out my site for articles on nutrition and training.

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