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spiritualgravity · 5 years

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My Keto Case Study

I can’t remember exactly when I first began to diet. The earliest recollection I have was my freshman year in college, obviously I gained the obligatory “Freshman 15.” A girlfriend of mine was a distributor for Herbal Life — the program included shakes as well as about one million herbal pills.

At some point, I hopped on the Weight Watcher train. My Mother is a “lifer” — meaning she met her goal weight, and for the rest of eternity, will be known as a Life Long member...even if she doesn’t maintain the goal weight. My entire childhood, even until today — on the cusp of turning 40 years old — she still toggles on and off diets regularly...gaining and losing the same 20-30 pounds. We are kindred spirits with a fondness for carbs, but she prefers salty and I prefer sweets.

Over the past five years, I tried WW again, another company with shakes and pills, Whole 30, and I even made up my own program which basically included not eating any processed foods.

Before I got pregnant, I was about 20 pounds overweight. Technically, I actually “should” have weighed 40 pounds less, according to BMI algorithms, but my body has always enjoyed extra padding. I don’t think my infastructure is meant to be stick thin. Going into a process where your body willingly puts on weight in order to grow a human, and you’re already carrying extra poundage, certainly isn’t ideal.

I dropped some weight after giving birth, because said human left my midsection. Then, I’d like to think, that breastfeeding knocked off a few more pounds. Many months later, I eventually got down to the weight I started with when I was pregnant — which was — 20 pounds overweight. Sigh.

{Postpartum Photos}

In June, eight and a half months after giving birth, I stopped breastfeeding, and hadn’t worked out...not even broken a sweat...since right before giving birth. My entire pregnancy, all 41 weeks, I worked out religiously at CrossFit, and then never looked back once becoming a Mommy. This isn’t because I didn’t want to do overhead squats and crazy WODs, but because my baby didn’t sleep. I was essentially a zombie for her first year of life, while juggling and navigating postpartum depression.

Over the summer, while visiting my parents’ home, a friend from childhood came over to see my daughter and catch up. To my surprise, she dropped dozens and dozens of pounds. Our figures are very similar, we could even pass for sisters from below the neck. I was impressed by her success, and curious how she did it. Meanwhile, my Mother sat in the background at the kitchen table, overhearing our entire conversation, and decided she wanted in on the “Ketogenic” program, known as Keto.

Just like my Mom, I have historically lost weight for an event. Weddings were my go-to weight loss event, particularly when I was a bridesmaid (12 times no less). This particular time around, my Mom wanted to lose weight for a cruise she was going on in September; she went on the ship 15 pounds lighter but then subsequently didn’t stick to Keto.

For the next few weeks, after my initial talk with the successful Keto friend, I cannonballed headfirst into Google research. I consumed videos, read articles, watched more videos, and then read some more articles. After my sister’s wedding in early August, during the 13 hour drive back from New York, I spent some more time reading, and reading, and reading. It probably didn’t hurt that I also became privy to photos of me from the wedding — not only did I immediately realize I sadly no longer needed to wear nursing bras with zero support (Dear God, why didn’t anyone tell me?!?), but I did in fact need to get healthier. My body and face looked inflamed, and I was tired of not being able to wear my pre-pregnancy jeans.

I asked countless follow-up questions to my successful Keto friend, and also to another gal who lost a massive amount of weight following the Keto program (under a doctor’s supervision). I decided I was in.

My personality, at a microscopic level, is all in or nothing at all; I do not know what half-assing means. Some people call this discipline, I call it not wasting my time.

So on August 13th, I officially weighed in and measured my Mommy curves to begin the journey on a ketogenic diet. I’ve had curves since I hit puberty. I embrace them, and love that my strong legs resemble tree trunks. An hour glass figure isn’t the worst card to be dealt. So when I say curves, I just mean the extra thickkkkk curves that came with pregnancy.

I wasn’t strict as far as counting macros, I simply counted (in my head) the number of net carbs I was consuming. That’s how my friend did it, so I figured I’d follow her lead. As it turned out, I personally needed to count my macros (ratio of protein / fat / carbs) in order to follow Keto correctly. I began using a free and easy app called Carb Manager for about two months until I got the hang of things and haven’t used it since because now I know what’s what.

Some people call Keto a diet, I’d like to think it’s my new lifestyle. I have absolutely no idea how long I’ll follow this lifestyle. I’m not naive enough to say for my lifetime, but it definitely isn’t going to be a shortlived stint.

This process has been incredibly humbling at a visceral level. For starters, I am embarrassed to admit how incredibly ignorant I used to be when it came to judging things I knew nothing about. One of my best friends, who is fighting a chronic heart condition, first brought up the word “Keto” over the phone last year. I immediately snubbed the idea, exacerbated, I said, “it’s just like Atkins” (which was meant to be a negative connotation), and shut down the thought of her doing this diet. For the record, it’s not like Atkins (that program touts high protein, whereas Keto is moderate protein — this is signficant because too much protein can be turned into glucose/sugar).

“The biggest form of ignorance is rejecting something you know nothing about.” - Wayne Dyer

The Ketogenic gurus are also hyper focused on not eating fake sugar, particularly lots of phony faux sweetners that are labeled “Keto” on the package, but are absolutely not Keto-approved because they will still spike your blood sugar levels as if you’re actually eating sugar.

{Source: Epilepsy Foundation}

The name ketogenic means that it produces ketones in the body. (keto = ketone; genic = producing) Ketones are formed when the body uses fat for its source of energy.

Usually the body uses carbohydrates (such as sugar, bread, pasta) for its fuel. Because the ketogenic diet is very low in carbohydrates, fats become the primary fuel instead. The body can work very well on ketones (and fats).

Ketones are not dangerous. They can be detected in the urine, blood, and breath. Ketones are one of the more likely mechanisms of action of the diet, with higher ketone levels often leading to improved seizure control. However, there are many other theories for why the diet will work.

Secondly, for as long as my temporal lobes can recall, I have been adamantly against fasting…and, I’m not exactly sure why. Again, just another position I claimed with literally zero education or facts. My husband, for years and years, suggested I workout while fasting. I swore to him that I would fall flat on my face if I ever tried such an absurd strategy.

Since I have been a devout low calorie follower, I’ve been chronically hungry. I was brainwashed to believe, with most of America, to have Fatphobia. I drank skim milk, which has a lot of sugar. I ate low fat packaged snacks, which were packed full of sugar. I ate mini meals all day long, 6 times a day. In other words, I was spiking my insulin all day long. My purse was always, without fail, full of munchies. Protein bars, crackers, apples, and a myriad of other nibbles. I would not, could not, leave my house without emergency food within arm’s reach. God forbid I got hungry and immediately turned hangry. Come to think of it, I was basically a 5′4″ child who was, at any given time, on the verge of a meltdown from being ravenousness. I didn’t quite realize it, but I was starving myself, and yet ironically, still overweight.

When I started Keto, my motivation was weight loss. But, what’s fascinating, is learning that weight loss is actually a side effect. The Ketogenic diet was originally designed for people who suffered from epilepsy and helped control their seizures. Ketogenic eating has been known to decrease inflammation in the body, eliminate diseases such as diabetes or heart conditions, sleep issues, GI troubles, and the resolution list goes on and on.

What I’ve learned is that our bodies have 2 primary sources of fuel — glucose (sugar / carbs), and fat. When you eliminate or greatly reduce glucose / sugar / carbs, your body will eventually start to burn fat for fuel. Luckily, I have a tremendous amount of excess fat that’s been waiting for an intevention.

There is an enormous amount of misinformation ‘out there’ about eating Keto, and I am the first to admit I was super skeptical before I did my homework.

Keto can get a bad rap for eating unlimited bacon, cheese, and bacon cheeseburgers. The other night, while out to eat with a group of ladies, for an appetizer I had a wedge salad (which includes veggiesc and crumbled blue cheese), and for dinner I had broccoli, asparagus, and a delicious steak. I put a little bit of real butter on my veggies. Also, the table enjoyed an array of desserts and not only did I not partake in the sugar fix, I didn’t even want any / I didn’t feel like I was missing out. In my past carb-laden life, I plunged my spoon into the dish first, and shoveled the brownie and ice cream into my pie hole as fast as I possibly could. There are varying versions of keto, that range from “dirty” to “clean.” When you eat dirty Keto, that’s what has given the program an unhealthy shadiness reputation on the streets. I fall in line closer to the cleaner side of keto, but have my dirty moments, and always eat organic, nitrate-free, etc. whenever possible. Oh and for the record, I usually drink one glass of red wine with my dinners. I may have lost weight, but I haven’t lost my damn mind. I draw the line at giving up my vino, that’s non-negotiable, and more importantly — I’ve been able to stay in ketosis. And yes I eat a small serving of fruit from time to time, berries are the best option and happen to be my favorite.

Because every one is different, literally and metaphorically, results vary. My personal journey was that I shrunk in size, but the scale didn’t have impressive numbers to show for my effort.

Come October, on the same day that my daughter turned one year old, I joined a gym. By that time, I had two months of Keto under my belt. Since I was a CrossFit junkie for 3 years pre-baby, I had to check my ego at the fitness facility’s door and slowly take it one day at a time. Besides picking up a baby thousands of times, I really hadn’t moved a muscle in 365 days. My body went through an enormous metamorphosis after making a little person, and I knew in my bones that I truly had to ease my way back into a safe grove. I sat down with a registered nurse at the gym and she did a body mass analysis using a machine that can calculate your composition make-up.

This is where my self-fulfilling prophecy manifested, in the form of a personal case study. During college, I sucked at all things math, but ironically I was a wanna-be wizard at statistics. I got a B+ and until this day, I live for stats. With this documented analysis, I was stoked to have a baseline for my Keto journey that was more than just a generic number on a scale. Sure, I have baggage with the God foresaken scale, but now I truly know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the scale does not tell the whole story.

Next up, I went to my Primary Care Physician’s office and had blood work drawn, along with a physical exam. I would also use these clinical insights as a foundation for improving my health, as well as proving that this way of eating is in fact healthy and not destroying my heart or other organs, or jacking up my cholesterol.

Come January, I started to dabble in “I.T.” — intermittent fasting.

Now, when I say I’ve done my research, I mean an absurd amount of research. For almost a decade, my profession has been based in the medical field, so I’ve become a wee bit snobby when it comes to peer reviewed, scientific-based information. Blogs and anecdotal banter do not hold a candle in my book; I want facts, documentation, and proof. I want real stories from real people. I want lab work and the truth.

From mid-October through today, I’ve worked out on average about 4 times a week for one hour at a time. I joined a gym that has a daycare and now the sun shines a little brighter. My mini me gets to socialize with little people, and I get to lift weights (which doesn’t entail lifting a little person). I no longer listen to music while working out and I’ve become unapologetically obsessed with Podcasts. I realize I’m way, way behind the digital audio fad, but nonetheless I can’t get enough of them. Despite my husband’s dismay at potentially drowning my iPhone, I even listen to Youtube videos and Podcasts in the shower for goodness sake. Oprah, Tony Robbins and their leadership development peers make regular appearances, but for the most part, I’m quite literally up to my ears in Keto-related content.

Maybe this is because I’m a real life sponge and adore the process of learning. Maybe it’s because I’ve been trained through my professional line of work that it takes listening/reading/hearing the SAME information at least 5x before you even retain a fraction of it. Who knows.

With that said, I’ve been convinced through dozens and dozens and dozens of 'classroom’ hours that intermittent fasting is a phenomenal practice for our bodies. And, if my own mad scientist research wasn’t enough, then when my friend who is currently battling breast cancer was told by her global team of physicians to do I.T. because it helps shrink those asshole cancer cells, certainly proved the point that removing sugar from our systems is a miracle worker.

I.T. comes in different forms because there are a variety of disciplines, but the most popular one is 16:8 / you don’t eat for a 16 hour window and you do eat for an 8 hour window. Within that 16 hour window, you’re sleeping for hopefully 7-8 hours of them, which basically means you don’t eat breakfast and you start your first meal with lunch. And, here’s the fun part — when you get the majority of your fuel from healthy fats, you aren’t even hungry, so fasting is actually not a big deal. Just like the rest of my journey, I worked up to this goal. I started with 12 hours, then 13, and so on.

I tried a longer fast, about 60 hours, in January. This was supposed to be some type of reset for my body. I felt like my weight loss was stalling, despite no cheats and working out. The first day was extremely difficult for me, I wanted to quit throughout the afternoon. The second day was a complete 180 degree turn — I wasn’t hungry and felt totally fine. But, I wanted to eat anyway. This experience really helped me stare my relationship with food face-to-face. I quieted my mind and asked why did I want to eat, I wasn’t even hungry. I realized that it’s the habit of eating I was used to, even if I wasn’t hungry.

Several people I know have loved ones who had gastric bypass surgery. It broke my heart to hear that there is no counseling after the fact — sure it’s available, but they weren’t utilizing it, nor was it required. And, they were back to their original style of eating and unhealthy types of food that qualified them for this surgery to begin with.

Food can be used as a drug, just like other stereotypical vices including gambling and shopping. I know that no matter what “diet” or lifestyle change I become a VIP member to, it’s just a Band-Aid until I fix the root of the issue — using food to fill me up. I also realize that history has a way of repeating itself and I’ve walked in my Mother’s shoes, witnessing her on some type of diet my entire life.

I am approaching the 8 month mark as a Ketogenic crony, and here is where things currently stand:

I’ve lost 21 pounds.

I’ve lost 14 inches between my hips, waist, thighs and chest.

I’ve lost 2-3 pant sizes — even fitting in to my “goal pants” (which I have never been able to zip up, including when I bought them years ago).

I weigh less than I did at my wedding four years ago.

I mentally and physically feel amazing and am rarely hungry. I repeat, I am not hungry. Eating fat is satiating...what a freaking concept (girl hits empty carb head against brick wall).

In all of my days walking this earth, no one has ever once told me that I was tiny. Last week, two people on the same evening said, “You’re tiny.” Granted, I am not tiny. In fact, I’m technically still overweight on the BMI algorithm, and according to...what I like to refer to as my Momma Kangaroo belly pouch... but that leads me to my next point.

One week ago I had my follow-up appointment with both the gym’s registered nurse as well as my PCP. I had both original tests re-run in order to determine, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was 100% healthy. Obviously being able to stowaway my maternity jeans, and have my leggings become baggy speaks for itself, but I wanted to know what was really going on behind the zippers and elastic bands.

At the PCP appointment, my provider couldn’t stop gloating about how much weight I had dropped since our last visit. The next day, an email came through with results from the blood work as a 3-page report. At the very end it says, and I quote, “Your lipid panel results are acceptable. Continue your Keto diet, it is not detrimental to your cholesterol.”

My body composition test results were also impressive.

BMI —from 30.2 (obese) to 27.9 (overweight)

Body Fat %: 37.2 to 35.2

Blood pressure — from 130/80 to 110/78

And what really made me jump for joy, was finding out the breakdown of my “dry lean mass” and “body fast mass.” The nutritionist, who was a skinny mini, said to me, “Your skeletal muscle mass is nearly above average. I’ve spent my whole life doing massive amounts of cardio, which is why I’m so skinny, but I should have been doing much more weightlifting and less cardio. Keep doing what you’re doing.” In other words, the stupid scale not moving exponentially and “only” losing about 20 pounds is a bunch of bologne. I legitimately have put on muscle, praise the Lord almighty.

So there you have it folks. This is one way of getting healthy. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely for me. I do not feel deprived, whatsoever. The food I eat is absolutely delicious, I’m satisifed after eating, and there are thousands of Keto-friendly recipes to make the process a breeze — including yummy alternative carb staples such as breads.

I’ll sign off with a few insider tips and resources.

Drink a lot of water. People — listen to me — do this anyway. But especially if you’re doing Keto. I drink 3 liters of water a day. My goal is to drink 1 by noon, 1 by 5pm, and the rest before bed.

You’ll lose water weight and with that, electrolytes will flush out, which is why you want to replace them. Otherwise, you’ll get what’s called the “Keto Flu.” Don’t do that. Up your electrolytes (potassium, magnesium and sodium), ideally through whole foods but also in supplements (vitamins and/or electrolyte drinks). By eating Ketogenic-friendly foods, your body won’t get as much of this as it normally would and balanced electrolytes make you feel awesome.

Don’t be scared of veggies just because they have carbs. Veggies are good for you, really really good for you and have tons of fiber. They’re not all created equal of course, but enjoy your greens every single day.

I don’t recommend starting out with Keto-style desserts / sweets or Keto breads. You can work those into your meals later on, once you’ve gotten fat adapted (Google what that means), but they should be considered a treat and not a staple in your everyday regimen.

Check out these links for Dr. Fung —all things Intermittent Fasting — and Dr. Berg for all things Keto and nutrition.

You don’t have to do this in order to follow Keto, but I have enjoyed drinking exogenous ketones for the last few months. I drink it as my “pre workout” drink or while I’m working out. It gives me lots of energy and all the benefits of ketones. I have a customer referral code if anyone would like it.

This may be the first time, in all of my diet dabbling years, that I’ve ever truly faced why I treated food like medication. It’s also the first time I’ve ever tried to lose weight and it wasn’t for an event.

I’m turning 40 years old this summer and we may consider giving my daughter a sibling, if that’s what the good Lord wills. My ‘event’ milestones with a dress size to fit into has been replaced with the lifelong milestone of being a Mother. I want to be a confident woman who my daughter looks up to and admires my health from the inside — out. I want her to know that food is for nutrition, not for stuffing feelings down. I want her to know that the scale doesn’t define her worth. I want her to know that muscles and strength is sexy. I want her to know that she’s perfect exactly the way she is.

#keto #weight loss #before and after #healthy #fitness #low carb #BMI #case study #live happy #mental health #physical health #crossfit #crossfit pregnancy

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organicdietguide · 4 years

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Is intermittent fasting a quick fix | Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting Surprising update! the main reason people try intermittent fasting is to lose fat. Intermittent fasting Weight Loss Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it’s a pattern of eating. It’s a way of scheduling your meals so that you get the most out of them. Intermittent fasting doesn’t change what you eat, it changes when you eat. Why is it worthwhile to change when you’re eating? Well, most notably, it’s a great way to get lean without going on a crazy diet or cutting your calories down to nothing. intermittent fasting is a good way to keep muscle mass on while getting lean. Intermittent fasting Weight Loss To understand how intermittent fasting leads to fat loss we first need to understand the difference between the fed state and the fasted state.

Your body is in the fed state when it is digesting and absorbing food. Typically, the fed state starts when you begin eating and lasts for three to five hours as your body digests and absorbs the food you just ate. When you are in the fed state, it’s very hard for your body to burn fat because your insulin levels are high.

Intermittent fasting Weight Loss After that timespan, your body goes into what is known as the post–absorptive state, which is just a fancy way of saying that your body isn’t processing a meal. The post–absorptive state lasts until 8 to 12 hours after your last meal, which is when you enter the fasted state. It is much easier for you body to burn fat in the fasted state because your insulin levels are low. When you’re in the fasted state your body can burn fat that has been inaccessible during the fed state. Secret Anabolic Recipes | Cook Healthy | Muscle Building Meals Because we don’t enter the fasted state until 12 hours after our last meal, it’s rare that our bodies are in this fat burning state. This is one of the reasons why many people who start intermittent fasting will lose fat without changing what they eat, how much they eat, or how often they exercise. Fasting puts your body in a fat burning state that you rarely make it to during a normal eating schedule. Melt 7 Pounds Every 7 Days The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Fat loss is great, but it isn’t the only benefit of fasting. 1. Intermittent fasting makes your day simpler. I’m big on behavior change, simplicity, and reducing stress. Intermittent fasting provides additional simplicity to my life that I really enjoy. When I wake up, I don’t worry about breakfast. I just grab a glass of water and start my day. I enjoy eating and I don’t mind cooking, so eating three meals a day was never a hassle for me. However, intermittent fasting allows me to eat one less meal, which also means planning one less meal, cooking one less meal, and stressing about one less meal. It makes life a bit simpler and I like that.

Intermittent fasting Weight Loss

2. Intermittent fasting helps you live longer.

Scientists have long known that restricting calories is a way of lengthening life. From a logical standpoint, this makes sense. When you’re starving, your body finds ways to extend your life.

There’s just one problem: who wants to starve themselves in the name of living longer?

I don’t know about you, but I’m interested in enjoying a long life. Starving myself doesn’t sound that appetizing.

The good news is that intermittent fasting activates many of the same mechanisms for extending life as calorie restriction. In other words, you get the benefits of a longer life without the hassle of starving.

Way back in 1945 it was discovered that intermittent fasting extended life in mice. (Here’s the study.) More recently, this study found that alternate day intermittent fasting led to longer lifespans.

3. Intermittent fasting may reduce the risk of cancer.

Belly Fat in Women

This one is up for debate because there hasn’t been a lot of research and experimentation done on the relationship between cancer and fasting. Early reports, however, look positive.

This study of 10 cancer patients suggests that the side effects of chemotherapy may be diminished by fasting before treatment. This finding is also supported by another study that used alternate day fasting with cancer patients and concluded that fasting before chemotherapy would result in better cure rates and fewer deaths.

The simple lifestyle shifts in the Eat Sleep Burn ugly belly fat…

Finally, this comprehensive analysis of many studies on fasting and disease has concluded that fasting appears to not only reduce the risk of cancer but also cardiovascular disease.

4. Intermittent fasting is much easier than dieting.

The reason most diets fail isn’t that we switch to the wrong foods, it’s because we don’t actually follow the diet over the long term. It’s not a nutrition problem, it’s a behavior change problem.

This is where intermittent fasting shines because it’s remarkably easy to implement once you get over the idea that you need to eat all the time. For example, this study found that intermittent fasting was an effective strategy for weight loss in obese adults and concluded that “subjects quickly adapt” to an intermittent fasting routine.

Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Cholesterol

How do I try intermittent fasting?

There are four popular fasting approaches periodic fasting, time-restricted feeding, alternate-day fasting, and the 5:2 diet. Time-restricted feeding, sometimes called daily intermittent fasting, is perhaps the easiest and most popular fasting method. Daily intermittent fasters restrict eating to certain time periods each day, say 11 in the morning to 7 at night. The fasting period is usually around 12 or more hours that, helpfully, includes time spent sleeping overnight. Periodic fasting will feel most familiar: no food or drinks with calories for 24-hour periods. Another type of fast, alternate-day fasting requires severe calorie reduction every other day. Lastly, the 5:2 method was popularized by author Kate Harrison’s book “The 5:2 Diet” and requires fasting on two nonconsecutive days a week.

Intermittent fasting Weight Loss

Is fasting an effective weight-loss method?

If you are obese or overweight, fasting is an effective weight-loss method, if you stick to it. But it is no more effective than a diet that restricts your daily calories. We know this because there were no additional weight-loss or cardiovascular benefits of fasting two days per week, over an ordinary calorie-restriction diet, in a study of 150 obese adults over the course of 50 weeks.

But you should also consider how difficult the diet will be to stick to. In a study of 100 randomized obese and overweight adults published in 2017, the dropout rate was higher with those who were fasting, 38 percent, compared with 29 percent for calorie restrictors, and 26 percent for those who kept eating as they normally did.

“Some people really struggle with having to monitor their intake and constantly record food in an app every day. So the takeaway of the study was if daily calorie restriction doesn’t work for you, maybe alternate-day fasting would be a little easier,” said Krista Varady, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the senior author of the study. “There’s nothing magical here. We’re tricking people into eating less food, in different ways,” she said in 2017.

There is some new evidence that shows different forms of fasting are not equal — in part because some are easier than others, but also because some forms of fasting better match our body’s natural circadian rhythm, thus lowering insulin levels, increasing fat-burning hormones and decreasing appetite.

Intermittent fasting Weight Loss

Basically, because our metabolism has evolved to digest food during the day and rest at night, changing the timing of meals to earlier in the day may be beneficial.

In a study done in Dr. Peterson’s lab, 11 adults did time-restricted feeding (eating from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and a control 12-hour eating period, for four days each. On the last day of each session, researchers measured energy expenditure and hunger hormones and found that time-restricted feeding improves the appetite hormone ghrelin and increases fat burning. “It’s shown to reduce the amount of fat in the liver, which is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Peterson.

Bottom line: If you want to lose weight and are someone who hates counting calories, you might consider fasting, as both methods offer similar weight-loss benefits.

Intermittent fasting Weight Loss

Should I try intermittent fasting?

The most effective diet is the one you can stick to while still living your best life. It’s hard to know which will work best before trying, but doctors and recent studies offer some guidance. Dr. Peterson said that complete, zero-calorie fasts generally prove to be too difficult to maintain. “People stick with them maybe for the short-term, but they get quite hungry in the long-term,” she said.

Time-restricted feeding — fasting overnight and into the next morning — is likely the easiest form of fasting to comply with. A longer than normal fasting period each night allows you to burn through some of your sugar stores, called glycogen. That does a couple of things. It gives your body a little bit more time to burn fat. It also may help your body get rid of any extra salt in your diet, which would lower your blood pressure, Dr. Peterson said.

Intermittent fasting Weight Loss

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#Breast feeding diet health woman mother pregnancy weight loss women

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smugwanderlust · 4 years

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Hello all, I hope everyone is having a splendid quarantine. Ha! What a ridiculous thing to say because I am sure no one is actually enjoying the quarantine, but if you are, good for you.

Like I mentioned in my last blog I am pretty stressed out over all of this and I know that I am not the only one. My husband is an assistant supervisor at a vitamin factory, Designs For Health, and due to high demand he is working way more then he should. Not to mention that half the employees had to leave temporaryly because they were deemed high risk, which results in my husband work 60-90 hour work weeks. Which of course translates to me parenting solo. That is my own personal stress and I know that a lot of people have it worse then me so I am not complaining. Simply, getting my thoughts out of my head.

I’ll be relived, as will most of the nation when this whole thing blows over and life can get back to normal.

Anyways, I am way off topic here. I wanted to talk to you guys about my acne problem and the solutions I have found that have helped me.

First let me just say that I had a slight acne problem in high school. I’d breakout here and there but never anything super serious. Which was very fortunate for me. I think it was because I didn’t wear makeup and I had pretty strict diet. It helped, I guess (depending on how you look at it), that my boyfriend at the time didn’t like it when I wore makeup and was not a fan of junk food. Looking back he was kind of an asshat but c’est la vie. He was a former quarter back of his high school and had big dreams of making it into the NFL, until a snowboarding accident tore that dream apart. Insert dramatic music, dum dum dum…

Anyways, because of his dreams he was always careful of what he ate and watched what I ate as well. Not that I ate much because I had a slight…ok maybe more then slight… eating disorder. I remember one time after school, my ex and I were hanging out and I grabbed some potato chips out of the pantry and he watched me eat them. I counted and 10 chips in he said that was more then enough taking the bag away from me and putting it back into the cupboard. I asked him if he thought I was eating to much and he said, and I’ll never forget this, that I was gaining a little weight but he didn’t like it when I ate junk because it made my face break out. I told him that I could cover it up with makeup and he said makeup was for girls who had something to hide. That if I took care of myself I wouldn’t need it.

Well, I was 115 lbs, and far from fat. It came across the wrong way but the point was a valid one. (Also I just want to say that he turned out to be a really great personal and pastors at a church now. My memories are of him 10 years ago.)

Really quick, let me embarrass myself by showcasing me in high school! What a laugh…

15 & Glamorous (My goth days…)

Back when too much eye-liner was the “cool” thing to do

16 & Sunburnt

17, friends, & the beaches of Mexico

17 & Rocking my first selfie…(yikes!)

Senior Prom

Class of 2009

16 & Sunburnt

Class of 2009

17 & Rocking my first selfie…(yikes!)

Senior Prom

17, friends, & the beaches of Mexico

Back when too much eye-liner was the “cool” thing to do

15 & Glamorous (My goth days…)

Senior Prom

Class of 2009

Senior Prom

17 & Rocking my first selfie…(yikes!)

16 & Sunburnt

Anyways…

When it comes to our skincare and our acne problems one of the first things you can do to help your skin is give it a break. A break from oily makeup and lotions. Also, give your body a break. Being healthy on the inside WILL reflect on the outside. This is coming from the queen of pizza and M&Ms, so believe me, I know how hard it is to switch out the bad for the good. It is my number one thing that I do though if I am experiencing a breakout, cut out the junk.

Like I said, I didn’t have too much trouble with acne in high school, but I had huge amounts of trouble with acne after I had my first child and my pre-thirties hit.

I am almost 30, let’s have a moment if silence…

Ok, moving swiftly on….

Let me show you some pictures of my skin last January.

Gross right?

I tried everything from witch hazel to 29 different skincare lines. Which was A LOT. I bought the high end items at Ulta Beauty, best sellers on Amazon, and almost everything Target had to offer. I also paid for expensive facials, but NOTHING, was working. It was crazy and very embarrassing. Not to mention terrible for my self-esteem.

Anyways, I needed to find something, anything, really that would make my skin look better.

I reached out to my cousin, who is a consultant for Arbonne. We tried a few products and for the first time in this get-this-acne-the-hell-off-my-face journey I had relief. Now I have a solid skincare routine and my face looks SO MUCH BETTER!

See for yourself:

The photo on the left, is screen grabbed from a video I did with my daughter, I didn’t even have enough self esteem to take a selfie last year. Sad right? Well the photo on the right is me one year later and all I am wearing in the second photo is mascara. The difference is evident. However I posted a few more fresh-out-of-the -shower pictures to further drive my my point home.

As you can see I still have few problem areas but overall… IT IS MUCH BETTER! Not bad looking for being a few months shy of the big THREE O (30 in case that was confusing.)

So, here is the deal, I am not an expert or some famed blogger trying to make the big bucks… Is that even a thing? hmmm…

At any rate, I am going to give you some solid tips that really helped me overcome my acne problem.

Acne Tips & Tricks:

Cut out dairy, gluten, soy, unhealthy fats and sugars. I know that this is a tough one, believe I KNOW. I could eat frozen pizza, Dr. Pepper, and M&Ms DAILY. I am a firm believer that if you are healthy on the inside it will reflect on the outside. I am sure there is a lot of science behind this but today I wanted to blog from the heart and not give out an overkill of information.

Use Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil can be a powerful weapon against acne. Several studies have shown that it helps reduce the severity of a breakout. You can make your own acne treatment by mixing one part tea tree oil with nine parts water and applying the mixture to affected areas with a cotton swab once or twice a day, as needed. This for sure works for me, if I of course, combine it with other helpful get-rid-of-acne tricks. Another way to go about this is adding a few drops to your moisturizer.

CHANGE YOUR PILLOWCASE! OK, I know that you don’t want to be yelled at for not changing your pillowcase – especially by some random blogger – but I swear on the bible (Forgive me Jesus) that this works. Think about all the nasty oils your body, hair, and face create throughout the day and at night? Then you sleep in that fifth night after night after night. Ew. just, EW y’all. I change my pillowcase / sheets at least once a week. Even if you shower at night – your sheets still collect the nasties! Especially if you’re doing the nasty (sorry grandma.) So change em!

Use a fresh washcloth daily. Ugh, I know, this only means MORE laundry… and trust me I get that. I mean I have a seven month old and a three year old… plus a spouse who rarely does chores. So I get it, I really do, but when a washrag sits out for awhile its collects bacteria and then you wash your face with it… at that point you are only spreading the bacteria all over your face. This is also true for dishtowels. Consider this: Nothing is ever completely germ-free, even a fresh towel that has just come from the dryer. Yikes! So naturally a used washcloth that is left to air out each day gives bacteria and other microbes more of a chance to grow and spread. Yummy… only not so much, right? Each time you use a cloth to wash your face, dead skin cells get caught in it, providing even more food for the bacteria that gather in the towel. Laundering your washcloth regularly may not kill every germ it contains, but it will lessen the overall amount of bacteria and decrease your chances of catching an illness [source: National Institutes of Health]. I know, I know, I said I wouldn’t poulute you with sources tonight but I had to on this one.

Take time to relax: Stress and anxiety are a big cause to my acne flair ups. I have learned to take time for me and relax when I am feeling overwhelmed. As hard as this may be sometimes. and believe me I get that too, but it is needed and will help you look/feel so much better. So do something for you, write, read, watch a movie, girls night out… whatever, just take the time relax and de-stress.

Clean your makeup utensils: I CANNOT stress the importance of this enough. Just as bacteria grows on washcloths, it can grow into your beauty items as well. For more information on this please read my blog, Makeup Brush 101.

Haircare: If you have oily or greasy hair and you wear it down a lot, or you have bangs and it rests on your forehead the oils will spread to your face. If your haircare routine is leaving your hair oily then it’s time to find something new. You don’t want those oils transferring to your face. When my acne flairs up I tend to wear my hair completely out of my face until it clears up.

Don’t pick your face OR pop those pimples: There is so much information on this topic that I am simply going to leave you a link, that you should check out, because it has some great advice. Very Well Health.

Stay hydrated: Like I was talking about earlier it is important to have a healthy gut and part of having a healthy gut is drinking ample amounts of water. Seems weird but I double my water intake every time I have a flare up because toxins flush out my system faster.

Have a good skincare routine: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT! Why?

Our skin sheds itself daily

Beautiful skin is a lifelong process – If you want gorgeous skin 30 years from now, the choices you make today will make that happen.

PREVENTION IS EASIER AND CHEAPER – Taking good care of your skin health daily will save you money in the long run. Skin problems like deep wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, or other skin issues can be prevented with a daily skin care routine and can prevent costly trips to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon in the future.

When you look good you feel good.

Consistency is Key: Trying a new product once or twice and expecting to see dramatic results won’t happen, unfortunately. The best way to see results with your skin is to keep coming back time after time, day after day, and sticking with it. In the end, you’ll see far more results with a long term plan than you will with a week-long “miracle treatment.”

Skin is your largest organ so protect it!

In the end, everyone has different skin, different genes, and a different lifestyles so it is very important to find a skincare solution that works for you and sticking with it. I obviously have my routine down pat. I don’t want this to be some annoying sales pitch, because it is not. These tips can and will help you as long as you maintain good skincare habits along side them.

Now, if you are wanting help finding a good skincare solution, I would be more then willing to help but that is up to you.

Feel free to reach me at [email protected] or my Facebook page.

Love you all & thank you for reading!

Until next time.

Acne 101: How I solved my problem. Hello all, I hope everyone is having a splendid quarantine. Ha! What a ridiculous thing to say because I am sure no one is actually enjoying the quarantine, but if you are, good for you.

#acne #blogging #life #personal

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inpeaks · 5 years

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11 Tips to Lose Weight without Diets

Looking for effective weight loss tips? You may have already been on a diet, but this has not brought tangible results. We have prepared effective tips on how to lose weight without diets, hunger and moral fatigue. The main problem of losing weight is that they choose in advance a disastrous way to lose weight. The feeling of hunger that comes immediately after giving up the usual calorie intake is a signal to the body to save calories, which leads to a slowdown in metabolism and the accumulation of fat even on a diet. And you will not lose weight in this state, in addition, your good mood will disappear and a feeling of depression will come due to a strong lack of calories.

Simple Weight Loss Tips That Work

The “industry” of weight loss is filled with myths. People, following the advice, do absolutely crazy things, most of which have no foundation. How can I lose weight, for example, eating an additional product? That’s right, nothing. However, over the years, scientists have discovered several strategies that are truly effective in weight loss.

1. Drink Water

Especially Before Meal It is often claimed that drinking water can help in reducing excess weight, and this is true. Drinking water can speed up metabolism by 24-30% for 1-1.5 hours, helping you burn more calories. One study proved that half a liter of water half an hour before a meal helped a dieter absorb less calories and lose up to 44% more weight.

2. Eat Eggs

for Breakfast Eating eggs has many benefits, including helping with weight loss. Studies have shown that replacing cereal-based breakfast with eggs can help absorb less calories over the next 36 hours, and lose more weight and more body fat. If you, for some reason, cannot eat eggs, this is not a big deal. Replace them with any other source of quality protein.

3. Drink Coffee

(Preferably Black) In fact, coffee is being demonized unfairly. Quality coffee is rich in antioxidants, and can have several health benefits. Studies have shown that caffeine in coffee can speed up metabolism by 3-11%, and speed up fat burning by 10-29%. Just do not add sugar or other high-calorie ingredients to it. This will negate all the benefits of coffee.

4. Drink Green Tea

This fat burning hack like coffee, green tea also has many advantages, one of which is help in weight loss. Green tea holds a small amount of caffeine, but also contains powerful antioxidants called catechins, which work together with caffeine to increase fat burning. Although the evidence is mixed, there are many studies showing that green tea (both the drink and the addition of extracts from it) can help you lose weight.

5. Cook in Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is very healthy. It contains a lot of special fats called medium chain triglycerides, which are not digested like other fats. These fats showed an acceleration of metabolism of 120 calories per day, as well as a decrease in your appetite, so you consume 256 calories less per day. Keep in mind that this is not about adding coconut oil to the top of your dishes, but about replacing some current dietary fats with it.

6. Add Glucomannan

A fiber called Glucomannan has shown in several studies the ability to help in weight loss. It is a type of fiber that absorbs water and “sits” in your intestines, giving you a feeling of greater saturation, and helps you absorb less calories. Studies have shown that people who added glucomannan lost a little more weight than those who did not.

7. Reduce Extra Sugar Consumption

Added sugar is one of the wrong ingredients in modern nutrition, and most people consume it too much. Studies have shown that consumption of sugar (and high fructose corn syrup) is closely associated with the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and others. If you want to lose weight, you should reduce your sugar intake. For reliability, read the labels, because the so-called healthy foods can be overloaded with sugar.

8. Eat Less Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates are usually sugar or cereal, in which the fibers are bare and lacking in nutrients (including white bread and pasta). Studies have shown that refined carbohydrates can dramatically increase blood sugar, forming peaks that lead to hunger, craving for food, and increase food intake in the next few hours. Eating refined carbohydrates is directly related to obesity.

9. Go on a Low Carbohydrate Diet

If you want to feel all the benefits of carbohydrate reduction, then consider all the ways to achieve this, and then move on to a low carbohydrate diet. Numerous studies have proven that such a diet (or “type of nutrition”) can help you lose 2-3 times more weight than a standard low-fat diet, and at the same time improve your health.

10. Use Small Plates

Some studies have shown that using small plates automatically helps people consume less calories. The paranormal focus, however, does work.

11. Perform Portion Control or Calorie

Counting Controlling portions (eat less) or counting the calories you need to eat for weight loss can be very useful for obvious reasons. There are also studies showing that keeping a food diary with detailed records of what you ate, or photographing all your meals, can help you lose weight. Anything that raises your awareness of what you eat can be used.

As you can see, all tips for losing weight without diets boil down to proper nutrition, which eliminates empty calories, unhealthy foods and a feeling of hunger. You will not be able to switch to such a lifestyle right away, but introducing one piece of advice, you will gradually see how extra pounds go and life becomes joyful.

The post 11 Tips to Lose Weight without Diets appeared on Digital Ideas.

source https://www.inpeaks.com/2020/01/01/11-tips-to-lose-weight-without-diets/

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lenaglittleus · 7 years

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How To Survive Shingles (And Not Go Totally Crazy!)

Remember that time I got the shingles? I know I won’t be forgetting that experience anytime soon…For anyone who has had or currently has shingles, you know this is a pain you won’t soon forget. They call it adult chicken pox, but I can assure you it’s far worse than chicken pox ever was. That or my memory is playing tricks on me!

But it’s not all bad around here. My Dad always jokes that whenever shit hits the fan around here, it makes for a great blog post and well, he’s definitely right about that. THM is my personal version of making lemonade! Or in this case, make shingles recovery out of shingles!

I’m going to skip over the whole medical diagnosis part since your doctor should probably be the one doing that but instead describe my personal experience with the shingles and what I did to nip it in the bud. The first thing I did when I got diagnosed, was immediately take to the internet to see if anyone had helpful tips for healing shingles. I read a lot of horror stories, some not-so-horror stories but also some really productive tips. I’m hoping this post can be that for some of you. Or if you have a friend or family member suffering, feel free to pass onto them. We got this!

So, first things first…

THE DIAGNOSIS

I actually told the full story in this Instagram post so I won’t go into too much detail. Basically, a couple days before the infamous shingles rash appeared, my lymph nodes on the left side of my neck and ear blew up. I then developed a lot of pain in my ear the next day so I went to the doctor to see if I had an ear infection. That morning I noticed two huge zits on my forehead which I thought was strange (because I never breakout on my forehead) but they didn’t occur to me as anything but zits. You know those huge underground zits you get? They looked and felt like those.

My doctor looked in my ear, felt my lymph nodes and informed me I did not have an ear infection but likely some kind of virus that my body was trying to fight. Neither of us thought anything of the zits and I went home feeling pretty crappy but relieved it wasn’t an ear infection.

Over the next few hours is when the rash really started to develop. A few more bumps on my forehead, one on my eyebrow and those big “zits” started to become really painful. The pain I felt in my ear started moving into my head and my swollen lymph nodes made it difficult to turn my neck. I later found out that the pain in my ear was likely caused by the fact that my shingles developed in my trigeminal nerve which is right next to your middle ear.

I knew pretty much as soon as the pain migrated to my forehead that I had the shingles. People have been shocked to discover that you can a) get shingles under the age of 60 and b) get shingles on your face. I knew both were possible because my Mom had them on her face when I was really young. Thankfully that situation clued me into what was happening with my own body but for any of you out there who don’t know this, you can get shingles at any age and they can happen at any nerve root in your body, including your face!

THE TREATMENT

Because I pretty quickly tuned into what was happening, I was able to get started with my shingles recovery fairly quickly. If you manage to catch it within 72 hours of the rash appearing, the antivirals are most effective. I’m lucky I caught it within that window and am certain the quick duration of my symptoms was because of this. Of course, not everyone will know right away, but if you have a gut feeling or any of the symptoms I described above, go to your doctor!

Besides my antiviral 3x a day I was also prescribed pain meds, which I honestly didn’t end up taking. Heavy pain meds make me feel sick and groggy so except for the first two days when the pain was pretty excruciating, I used advil and tylenol to help manage the pain. For as hippie dippie as I may be, when stuff like this happens I think the path of least resistance is often the best. I wasn’t doing myself any favors by trying to overcomplicate.

Of course, I also turned to diet and lifestyle choices to also help manage the symptoms. I’m fairly confident that in addition to the antivirals, these choices helped to decrease the span of my shingles experience. So let’s get into that…

HOW TO SURVIVE SHINGLES (and not go totally crazy!)

I think the most important piece of this post is this section. Of course, catching it early and taking the antivirals help a ton but shingles is so much more than just popping some pills and hoping for the best. I’m not here to throw conventional medicine under the rug. I don’t think I’d have had such a quick turnaround if it hadn’t been for the full course of antivirals I took, but there are a lot of natural treatments you can incorporate to also help speed up the process and the pain and itchiness that typically ensues.

CBD/THC

In addition to OTC pain meds, I used CBD and THC to help manage the pain. I’ve been playing around with different types of CBD and found the Calm pen from Dosist to be most effective. For THC I used topical salve on the rash itself and it was literally a godsend to help manage the pain.

BONE BROTH

There’s a reason your body craves broth when you’re sick. Bone broth is super anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting. It contains vitamins and minerals that help support gut health and reduce pain and inflammation.

I’ve had two cups of bone broth every single day for the last two weeks. Currently obsessed with Kettle and Fire and especially their mushroom and chicken broth!

KOMBUCHA/PROBIOTICS

When they say “it all starts in your gut”, they’re not kidding! After my bout with SIBO I had to eliminate and then slowly add in fermented foods and probiotics. I can’t even tell you how much I missed kombucha…It’s been almost 6 months since then and I am now happily back to taking my daily probiotic and guzzling my Healthade kombucha. 5:00 PM because my “kombucha happy hour” and I think that’s going to stick around for a while!

SUPPLEMENTS

Pretty much everyone under the sun will recommend a different supplement to you when they hear you have shingles. Truthfully, there are many MANY out there that could benefit you, shingles or not. I decided to stick with what I had from my Care/of packs and add in one that was consensus amongst everyone, L-Lysine.

Zinc – supports immune function and has an antiviral effect

L-lysine – an amino acid that helps reduce the spread of the shingles virus

Rhodiola – an adaptogenic herb that’s shown stress relieving properties

Astragalus – another herb that helps support immune function and has an antiviral effect

LEMON BALM

I wasn’t sure which category to put this under, so instead it gets a category of it’s own. Lemon Balm is an herb that is known to help reduce pain from shingles, both internally and topically. I pretty much got all my hydration from drinking 6-8 cups of Lemon Balm Tea a day and once the initial couple of days of pain went down, I used a topical lemon balm to help reduce inflammation, reduce pain and help promote healing. Someone on Instagram told me to order this Lemon Balm Salve from Amazon and it was literally the best advice I got from everyone.

DIET

I am a true believer in the healing power of food. Now I don’t think eating perfectly “clean” replaces other lifestyle habits or conventional medicine, but it is a great tertiary care to support your body. And truthfully, when you’re sick (at least when I’m sick), I’m not craving the same foods I normally do. I think when you really tap in and listen you’ll realize that the foods you crave like bone broth and vegetables are actually your body’s way of supporting you.

In my case I literally wanted all the warm, green veggies in broth. Particularly kale and bok choy. Interestingly my acupuncturist told me that bok choy is a common healing and cooling food in Traditional Chinese Medicine and that because shingles is excessive heat in your body, bok choy was a great cooling choice. Our bodies are crazy!

In addition to plenty of veggies, I also found myself gravitating towards antioxidant fruits like berries and lots of bananas. I didn’t intionally do it, but pretty much ate zero refined sugar for a week. As I started to feel better I was like “give me the brownies!!!” but while I was still heavy in the pain-zone I didn’t want any of it.

I also consumed more turmeric that I ever thought I could and especially loved it in my morning Matcha and Turmeric Latte. My body was NOT craving coffee so my morning matcha really did the trick.

ESSENTIAL OILS

I’ll be honest, when I’m sick I often turn to essential oils for primary support, but for shingles they definitely played second fiddle. I rubbed fortify on my chest and neck lymph nodes to support my immune system and diffused grounding and soothing blends like unwind, spa spirit and tranquility to help stay calm and promote self-care.

THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP FOR SHINGLES

I know that this is a lot of information so give yourself time to take it all in. Perhaps, more importantly take this one piece of advice: RELAX. Shingles is usually brought on by stress in your life. While I didn’t think I had a lot of stress (I’ve become a lot better at managing it!), when I listed everything on my plate it’s easy to see how my body was overburdened.

The biggest lesson learned through this process is how important it is to really, truly support your body. People often mentioned how lucky I was to be able to have a job that works from home, but when you’re sick it’s easy to just reach for your phone in bed or work on a project while recovering on the couch. The boundaries are less clear. Though I did the bare minimum I needed to do, I mostly took a lot of time to rest, nap, journal, watch TV and essentially do nothing.

I would have loved to have gone on walks or been outside but the pain of the wind on my face made it impossible. I was upset over this but C reminded me that compassion is a big part of the recovery process. So even though I felt stir crazy, I also knew that going outside actually created more stress in my life. Acknowledging those stressors and putting in plans of action to eliminate or diffuse them is the key to getting over shingles.

* * * * *

I’m still not 100% pain-free but that’s to be expected after 2.5 weeks out. I’m continuing most of what I listed above and easing myself back into work. I’m also doing acupuncture to help manage the pain and have also found it super helpful in reducing my stress levels.

Overall I can tell I’m drastically improved from where I was and also have learned one of life’s most important lessons: STRESS IS REAL and it can manifest physically, so don’t ignore it!

Have you ever had or currently have shingles? Any tips to add? Drop them below!

The post How To Survive Shingles (And Not Go Totally Crazy!) appeared first on The Healthy Maven.

from News About Health https://www.thehealthymaven.com/2018/03/shingles-recovery.html

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brandyfields66-blog · 7 years

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Intermittent Fasting Is All the Rage-But Is It Healthy?

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When you hear the word “fasting,” you probably think of gimmicky diets-and, um, feeling “hangry.” But a growing body of research suggests that cycling super low-calorie days into your normal eating plan could potentially improve your health (more on that later). But before you skip lunch and let your gut start growling, read on for everything you need to know about intermittent fasting.

What is intermittent fasting (IF)?

In very basic terms, IF is occasional starvation done in a strategic way. The idea is to cycle between periods of regular eating and fasting, during which you severely restrict your calorie intake or don't consume any food at all. Some people fast for hours, while some may go for a full day or longer.

Fasting isn't one size fits all

IF may mean something different depending on who you talk to. One of the more commonly known fasting systems is the 5:2 diet, which involves restricting calories for two non-consecutive days a week and eating without calorie restraints on the other five days. (Jimmy Kimmel credited the 5:2 diet with his weight loss in a Men's Journal story last year.)

Others may fast on a day-to-day basis by eating only during a specific time window. Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging in Maryland who has researched the subject extensively, shared with the New York Times that most days he skips breakfast and lunch and eats all of his calories within a six-hour window starting in the afternoon. And, Hugh Jackman revealed that he fasted for 16 hours and ate within an 8-hour window to get in shape for his role as Wolverine in 2013.

The health benefits of fasting go beyond weight loss

Fasting may improve your overall health and extend your life, likely due to the ways that it affects cell and hormone function, according to several studies. In one recent study in Cell Metabolism, for example, periodic fasting was linked to lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and aging.

So why does fasting have such a positive health impact? During the fasting phase, many cells die and stem cells turn on, which starts a regeneration process and gives rise to new, younger cells, study author Valter Longo, PhD, recently explained to Health. “It sounds too good to be true, but it's not,” he said.

Other studies have shown that intermittent fasting may decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, as well as inflammation. Additionally, IF may improve insulin resistance, which, in turn, helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

RELATED: 49 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Feeling Full

It typically focuses on when to eat, not necessarily what to eat

There's no one-size-fits-all fasting diet; plans can be highly individualized. Some folks allow themselves to drink black coffee and green juice during the no-food period, while others may give themselves a cap of 500 calories on fasting days.

For instance, Kimmel told Men's Journal that on fasting days his "meals" might consist of peanut butter and an apple, the whites of hard-boiled eggs, or possibly a bowl of oatmeal. “The rest of the week I'm a glutton-pizza and pasta and steak,” he told the mag.

But here, Kimmel reveals one of the issues with fasting diets, says Libby Mills, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The focus isn't always on nutrition," she says. "A lot of the time it's just about calories.”

“Some people may also interpret the normal eating time as free rein to go calorie crazy,” Mills adds, “which can backfire.”

It can help with weight loss, but it may not work for everyone

Hey, it helped Kimmel and Jackman shape up. But Mills warns that while a fasting program may aid weight loss, it's not a plan that is practical or sustainable for everyone.

“It's not something that I personally recommend in my practice because I think there are lots of ways to get a jumpstart on weight loss without going cold turkey with food,” she explains. “You can instead focus on eating more vegetables and fruits. That way you're focusing on picking healthy calories and adding nutrients. It's a positive change as opposed to an all-or-nothing mindset."

You also don't know how you will react physically and mentally to calorie restriction, she adds. “You may not know how your body will respond to, say, low blood sugar,” Mills says. “Or, some people find that fasting seems like a piece of cake until around 3 o'clock, and then suddenly cravings come on and you end up eating all sorts of things you normally wouldn't.”

The bottom line? “You have to consider how you personally are affected by restriction,” she says.

RELATED: 4 Reasons NOT to Try Intermittent Fasting

You should talk to a doctor before trying a fasting diet

Your personality is just one factor to consider before you try IF; your overall health is another.

“Whether you're thinking about trying a fasting system for preventive reasons or as a treatment, the doctor should be involved,” Longo says. “There are many factors that must be considered, like your current diet, or whether you have diabetes or a metabolic disorder.”

Also, it's important to determine with a health or nutrition professional what sort of system makes sense for your lifestyle.

“An athlete with a perfect pescatarian diet may benefit from only fasting twice a year,” Longo explains. “But someone with high cholesterol and excess abdominal fat may see more improvement by doing it more regularly.”

The long-term effects of fasting diets aren't well understood. Much of the research on the topic has been done across short time frames. And while experts have done some studies in humans and are doing more, a lot of the current info is from animal samples.

A lot more research needs to be done, Mills says. But if you are curious about incorporating fasting into your eating plan, you should ask a health professional to help you design a plan that ensures you are eating the right foods on both fasting and non-fasting days to guarantee you stay in good health.

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reynoldslevi10-blog · 7 years

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Intermittent Fasting Is All the Rage-But Is It Healthy?

[brightcove:5672527937001 default]

What is intermittent fasting (IF)?

Fasting isn't one size fits all

The health benefits of fasting go beyond weight loss

RELATED: 49 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Feeling Full

It typically focuses on when to eat, not necessarily what to eat

“Some people may also interpret the normal eating time as free rein to go calorie crazy,” Mills adds, “which can backfire.”

It can help with weight loss, but it may not work for everyone

Hey, it helped Kimmel and Jackman shape up. But Mills warns that while a fasting program may aid weight loss, it's not a plan that is practical or sustainable for everyone.

The bottom line? “You have to consider how you personally are affected by restriction,” she says.

RELATED: 4 Reasons NOT to Try Intermittent Fasting

You should talk to a doctor before trying a fasting diet

Your personality is just one factor to consider before you try IF; your overall health is another.

Also, it's important to determine with a health or nutrition professional what sort of system makes sense for your lifestyle.

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mounasser · 7 years

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Getting Older Is Not About Eating Less, It Is About Enough Nutrition

I have been helping PEOPLE FIND their best health for a while. Nutrition for the middle age and above is eating to feel good, and avoid genetic diseases, and definitely keep the belly fat to a minimum. Food that works for one does not work for another.

Bo, my friend, is getting complaints about not eating the meals that are being fixed for him. He is a Blood Type B, and has found out that by eliminating chicken from his diet, he has lessened his chronic fatigue. It is challenging to do this eating plan, because there is so much pressure from his peers. He found, it is best to keep quiet and go and find food that is "right" for him. It is also a challenge, as it is amazing how many products have ingredients in them that are not "good" for him. This is why I heartily recommend whole food. It is much easier to put a meal together this way. Bo is feeling better and his overall health is improved, his arthritis is greatly improved, and CHRONIC FATIGUE is a thing of the past. Sallie is my friend from college, who graduated as a Medical Technologist with me. She first heard about the "Eat for Your Blood-Type Diet" and was skeptical. I gave her the book, and she said nothing grabbed her attention. She gave the book away. Then in 2009 her daughter-in-law gave her another book. She had undergone allergy testing, and wheat, corn, and peanuts came up positive on the test. She was amazed when she looked under Type B in the book that wheat, corn, and peanuts were on the AVOID list. These for, Blood Type B, are especially responsible for weight gain, and are inhibitors of an efficient metabolism. She had to stop and think about her diet, and how she felt at 58. She found it interesting that she had always disliked tomatoes and beans, both on the avoid list. (There are beneficial, kidney, navy and lima beans for Blood Type B.) I personally, have some kind of beans EVERY DAY. She had been on a gluten-free DIET for about 2 years, and hadn't felt many changes, except her GI tract seemed to be better. The same wheat, corn, and peanuts also cause hypoglycemia in Blood Type B. She has had trouble with hypoglycemia all her life. She decided to first cut out the wheat, corn, and peanuts. She still eats yogurt, which had previously, made her hypoglycemic, and made sure she found brands with NO corn syrup. (in my 8 keys to basic health which have been expanded to 10, I recommend, that no one eat high fructose corn syrup). Within a couple of months, she noticed she wasn't hypoglycemic. She would get hungry, and not get the awful symptoms of hypoglycemia. She lost 5 pounds without trying, and was suddenly IMPRESSED! Since she has been diligent about avoiding foods that cause hypoglycemia and weight gain. She also stays clear of foods on the avoid lists. She slowly added in the highly beneficial foods to her DIET, and also now eats non-processed foods at all meals. She is eating more vegetables, which is hard for her. It takes time and effort to fix something we have not grown up with, so we can eat it. She now eats nuts and fruits too. As a Blood Type B she is challenged, finding some meats, and she now eats lamb and fish plus beef, buffalo, and turkey. She still makes chicken for her family even though it is an avoid. I assume she doesn't eat any. The hardest and most challenging part of the diet is eliminating wheat and corn. She thought gluten-free was a challenge, and wheat, and/or corn are in everything. Gluten-free products usually contain corn flour or corn starch. She just found out that the gluten-free flour blend she was using contains gelatin, which is on her avoid list. She would try a bakery gluten-free bread, and later discover it has corn flour or buckwheat in it. She has done a lot of internet searches to find usable products. She found an almond flour cookbook that is fabulous, and uses ingredients she can use. Almond flour can also be used to produce low glycemic goodies. Mexican, Italian and Chinese food contain wheat, corn, and tomatoes. Tomatoes are also on her avoid list. She says it makes eating out difficult. (Turkey would be most beneficial for her or buffalo burgers, and not too many restaurants serve this.) She will try to eat small amounts of wheat or other avoidance food maybe twice a month. She doesn't notice any new symptoms unless she eats way too much of a certain food. She ate a whole wheat waffle just to see what would happen. That night she woke up with a MIGRAINE HEADACHE. She hadn't had a headache in years. She has had blood work done regularly, and 6 months after starting the blood type DIET, she had more tests run. She was surprised to see that her A1C levels, glucose, and insulin levels declined dramatically. In the past they had steadily risen. She now had proof her metabolism was more efficient. Her intestinal tract improved even more, and her allergies have almost, disappeared. She has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue with is common for Blood Type B. She is not sure the diet has/or will cure this, still she does feel better. (I hope she gets 100% better.) She was taking arginine for her heart, since Blood Type B's need this to help get rid of their stress factors, and support their heart. She Googled fibromyalgia, and found that it may be caused, or be a result of too much nitric oxide. To get arginine naturally, turkey and spinach are good for starters. It is better to eat precursors and nutrients naturally. Pills can be "too much". Working to DECREASE STRESS is most important, as this can inflame our adrenals, and even make us hungrier. Knowing what foods benefit your system the most, can reduce one factor of stress. She sees a chiropractor and physical therapist, which have all contributed to better health. She takes extra magnesium, and is on a licorice SUPPLEMENT from a naturopath. Her next step should probably be adding in a memory herb, like ginseng or ginkgo, and do the Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail in the morning. Eating for your blood type is quite the journey. Her family thinks she is crazy. She will continue to follow this DIET. This diet fixed her hypoglycemia, and is all the proof she needs, to know, that it works. She looks forward to more research results and hopefully improved health. I, myself, am a Blood Type A. When I started this eating plan, my cholesterol was over 200 (about 225 and rising). I am concerned about heart disease, and type II diabetes, since high cholesterol and sugar, run in my mother's side, and fat bellies run in my father's side. I would "try" things too, in essence I would sabotage my eating plan with potato chips and white rice. Hence, this process is a journey, and healing your colon, so it recognizes good food, and can process it effectively. I eat totally the opposite of the BLOOD Type B's. Buffalo, Beef, Lamb are on my avoid list. Fish, (the cold water kind) are on my highly beneficial list, and Chicken and turkey are on my neutral list. I actually eat a fish every day. I eat canned salmon, canned tuna or grilled salmon. on top of a large green (romaine) salad, with beans. (Blood Type A beans, are Black eyed Pea, Black Beans and Pinto Beans) I have managed to lower my cholesterol under 200 (187) and normalize my hdl's and ldl's (according to Sallie, out of balance ldl's especially L 3 and L 4 are what cause heart disease in women.) Very important to normalize those ldl's. I even fixed my constipation problem, and take care to keep things running smoothly. In my other articles I have described how eating too much fruit caused problems, and how finally something on my avoid list caught up with me. I have formatted my e-mails to give important health advice, and how I eat my fruits and vegetables to get some of each, and not cause DIGESTIVE issues. I have since seen this way of combining protein and veggies, TWICE! When to eat fruits in Marilu Henner's book, and "The Truth about Abs". It works!! My family thinks I am crazy too. I KNOW I feel better, and have found what my genetics are missing, so I can correct it with alternative sources. I will never quit eating this way. Log into the 8 keys to basic health and the FREE every-other day e-mails, that will teach you how to put your best eating plan into service, saving you from unsatisfied hunger, surprise inflammation and disease, and irritable bowels. Every-other day to get you started, as fast as possible, to feeling healthier, and more like your best self. And be sure and obtain your copy of the "Eat Right For Your Blood Type Book" under Books to find which foods are highly beneficial for you. Opting into the 10 Keys to Basic Health, will help you put your own eating plan together, and give you the basics of better health.The blogs give support for questions of DIGESTION to energy. The book Eat Right 4 Your Type is the basis of putting your eating plan together. If you don't know your blood type, you can find out for less than $10.00, Both the book, and the blood typing kit can be found under "books and tests". You will gain the knowledge of everything needed to maintain optimum health. If you can follow and implement the information, you will achieve better health, Get your free "healthier" chocolate chip cookie recipe, too! http://ift.tt/1DTHqdY Article Source: http://ift.tt/2okyhxU

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inpeaks · 5 years

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Simple Weight Loss Tips That Work

1. Drink Water

2. Eat Eggs

3. Drink Coffee

4. Drink Green Tea

5. Cook in Coconut Oil

6. Add Glucomannan

7. Reduce Extra Sugar Consumption

8. Eat Less Refined Carbohydrates

9. Go on a Low Carbohydrate Diet

10. Use Small Plates

Some studies have shown that using small plates automatically helps people consume less calories. The paranormal focus, however, does work.

11. Perform Portion Control or Calorie

The post 11 Tips to Lose Weight without Diets appeared on Digital Ideas.

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