The Best Way To Lose Weight
Youâve heard this before, but that doesn’t make it any less true; eating a healthy, natural food diet and getting moderate exercise almost every day is the best way to lose weight.
First, Cut Back on Starchy Foods and Sugar
Starchy foods and sugar are foods that stimulate the pancreas to release lots of insulin, which is a fat storing hormone. When insulin levels are lower, it is not at all unusual for people to lose as much as 10 pounds in one week, simply by cutting back on carbohydrates.
Donât Forget Protein
If you donât want to end up looking emaciated and flabby then you must eat at least some protein. Protein will not only help to keep your muscles smooth and working well, protein is what keeps you from feeling hungry. If you donât believe it, try a little experiment. Next time you are hungry, try eating a chicken breast and see how long before you are hungry again.
Eat More Vegetables
Yes, this might sound like your grandmaâs advice, but no one ever got fat eating nothing but vegetables. These natural foods from nature are a vital part of healthy eating and give your body many of the nutrients it needs, including fiber, vitamins A, E, and C, potassium, folic acid, magnesium, and calcium. You can eat platefuls of steamed broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, and cauliflower and STILL lose weight!
Why I Started Water Fasting
Well, a few years ago, I followed a medium carb low-fat diet called the Weighless Program.
Personally, I wont call it a diet. Instead, it was a healthy way of eating.
I ditched everything that contributed to my weight gain such as fast food, unhealthy salty cakes, deep-fried foods, and soft drinks.
You can read my weight loss journey here.
Long story short, I lost 41 pounds in 7 months, which I know is slow for some people.
But what I loved about this low carb diet is that you are able to lose weight week after week without starving yourself.
That thing worked! Slowly but it worked and I was able to get rid of my 41 pounds of extra fat. I went from 76.7kgs to 58kgs and I have been sitting at my new weight for almost two years.
And then I started taking back some weight. Not because the program wasnt good but I started eating some junk foods againShame on me I know!
So, I wanted to know how to lose that excess weight as fast as I could.
I started researching about the different and safe ways to lose weight fast.
I stumbled upon water fasting, also known as the zero diet. Frankly, it was a tough decision for me because I simply love eating, and to only imagine I would cut down on everything except water was a bit scary.
But this was the best decision I made to get back to my ideal weight again.
Is There An Easier Alternative To Fasting
According to Dr. Valter Longo, a world-leading longevity researcher, there may be.
At the University of Southern Californias Longevity Institute,;hes found that fasting can increase longevity except for one big problem: He couldnt get the people in his studies to stop eating for long enough to get the benefits!
To make fasting easier for them, he developed a clinically-proven Fasting Mimicking Diet that allows people to eat specific foods during a 5-day fast while still enjoying the benefits of fasting.
And now you can try the diet too.
The biggest downside is it costs $249 per 5-day package.
That said, the $249 cost is offset by the savings of not having to pay for any other food for five days and the package comes with a nutrition consultation session. Plus, Dr. Longo donates all profits from his 60% share in the company to his Create Cures Foundation, so most of your moneys going to a good cause. Still, $249 is too much for an underpaid blogger like me, but if youre worried about not eating at all but want the benefits of fasting and have the cash, its worth a try.
Or, if youre still skeptical like I was, read Dr. Longos book, The Longevity Diet, for more background. I found the book to be easy to understand with plenty of other interesting science and advice on how to eat for a long life.
Read Also: What You Can Eat In Intermittent Fasting
How To End A Water Fast
Any fast should be broken with a light meal or snack, for example, a piece of fruit. For the following few days, its best to take it easy and avoid going overboard on heavy meals or caffeine and alcohol.
During fasting, the stomachs production of hydrochloric acid decreases because there is no food for it to break down. When you start eating again, your stomach needs to adjust to food again. Eating too much or consuming a lot of high-fat or very acidic foods and beverages could result in an overproduction of HCl and lead to painful acid reflux.
Why Would Any Sane Person Spend Do This
There really is just one reason why I put myself through this dangerous weight loss experience.
I wanted to personally demonstrate just how fake the promises of “overnight” weight loss results can be. Now, I did lose more weight in 24 hours, than some people can lose in a month.
But the fact that I regained ALL of it within two days, should tell you that I actually lost little to no body fat.
So hopefully, because of what I did, a few less people will be scammed into dangerous, overnight “quick-fixes”.
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How To Deal With Insomnia
Insomnia happens on fasts. Especially with long fasts you should expect it. The easiest way to deal with it is let it happen. Then on the next day take a nap.
If you come home late from work, just set a time for 30 minutes and take a power nap. Try not to nap longer than 30 minutes. Youll likely trigger another night of insomnia.
If insomnia will affect your job then account for that when deciding on doing a longer fast. It may not be the best fit for your lifestyle. You can get a lot of the benefits of fasting by short, intermittent fasts instead.
Avoid medications. Again, if you are on medication you should discuss this with your doctor before starting a fast. You should not need sleep medications while fasting.
Cleaning out your body is part of the experience.
Insomnia is a great opportunity to take some alone time to do the following:
Exercise On A Regular Basis
Exercise may be one of the best ways to reduce water weight in the short term. Any form of exercise increases sweat, which means you will lose water.
The average fluid loss during one hour of exercise is anywhere between 1664 ounces per hour, depending on factors such as heat and clothing .
During exercise, your body also shifts a lot of water into your muscles.
This can help reduce water outside of the cell and decrease the soft look people report from excessive water retention .
However, you still need to drink plenty of water during your training session.
Another good option to increase sweat and water loss is the sauna, which you could add in after your gym session.
Summary Regular exercise can help you maintain a natural balance of body fluids and sweat out excess stored water.
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How Can I Prepare Beforehand To Make My Fast Easier
Eat healthily. If youre addicted to sugar and refined grains, youre going to be fighting that addiction as well as hunger during your fast. Thats super tough, so the more you can kick your refined carb addiction before your fast, the better. You do this by eating whole, unprocessed foods, and a diet high in naturally occurring fats .
Eat irregularly. As explained in the answer to Wont I feel hungry? the more irregularly you eat the more you kill off the hormones that make you feel hungry.
Find a friend. Dr. Fung doesnt mention it in his book, but what works for me too is to find a friend to join you on your fast-inating journey. They provide support and accountability and celebrate;with you after.
Clear your calendar.;You probably want to avoid dinner parties and lunch meetings. Stick to going for coffee or tea with friends.
What Foods Do You Eat On The 3
The 3-Day Diet is a very specific food plan that is meant to be followed exactly as outlined. Portions must be eaten exactly as specified. Eating more than is recommended is not advised and it recommends dieters consume all meals, even if they are not hungry. Dieters are also instructed to drink 4 cups of water or other beverages that do not have any calories each day.
Foods to eat on The 3-Day Diet include:;
- Day 1
- Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
- ½ grapefruit or juice
- 1 piece toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
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What To Expect The Hunger Gate
The first few days are the most difficult. Lets call it the hunger gate. Your body has plenty of glycogen stored to get you through the first 12 16 hours. Still, you will experience intense hunger.
Pay attention though and youll notice its during meal times.
This isnt true hunger. Its psychological hunger.
Your mind expects to eat at certain times of day. When those times come it rings the internal dinner bell and you get hungry.
Its the same as Pavlovs dogs salivating when they heard a bell. They were trained to expect food right after the bell sound. It wasnt hunger. Its just habit.
Benefits & Negatives Of A 3 Day Water Fast
Im only six days out, so I cant give you more details on how I feel after this. However, I did want to talk about some of the benefits I felt and some of the negatives I experienced. The biggest benefit for me was getting rid of all that water weight I was carrying around after my trip to NYC. My clothes felt better, I felt lighter, and my digestion improved. The other major benefit was when I started eating, food tasted so much better. I gave my body a break, and after only three days, I remembered how fantastic foods taste. Steamed broccoli, with nothing on it, tastes great. Tilapia with a little bit of seasoning, is really fantastic. I personally appreciated these whole foods a lot more after taking a break from all the junk.
One interesting thing that happened the first feeding day . I mentioned I went to Starbucks and had an iced coffee. I usually use two artificial sweeteners in a venti sized coffee. When I tried to drink it, it tasted horrible to me. It wasnt the coffee, which I love, it was the artificial sweetener. I simply couldnt drink it and I asked them to replace it with a new version without any sweetener. Its amazing to me that my go-to drink suddenly tasted disgusting.
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If You Feel Unwell Stop Fasting
Again, you should always prioritize your health. Fasting is not something you have to be stubborn about. If you feel like you are not ready or that fasting for 3 days is not your cup of tea, dont push yourself. There are plenty of other methods of weight loss and health improvement. You dont need to give up your wellness in exchange for the weight loss results. Instead, focus on a healthy diet that creates an adequate caloric deficit and exercise regularly to enjoy a successful and gradual weight loss.
What Other Surprises Can I Look Forward To From Fasting
If you have never had a day without food in your life, let alone multiple days in a row, fasting will boggle your mind in some surprising ways. You will:
- Have so much extra time on your hands since youre no longer cooking, eating, or taking dumps.
- Wonder whether you need to brush your teeth or not.
- Experience a de-bloating of your stomach, where its not less-fat, but sort of caves in
- Start considering what other habits other than eating you can tinker with to experience a whole new perspective on life.
- Appreciate food even more than ever when you get back to eating. No cherry ever tasted better than that first one I ate after my most recent five day fast.
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Why You Should Avoid Doing A Water Fast For Longer Than 2 Days
If you want to get to a healthy weight, look at water fasting not as a diet but a tactic that you try for a few days before returning to eating. Perhaps youve tried to exercise and use portion control. Maybe youve even eaten the highest quality foods that fill you up on the fewest calories. Not confident that those two options are doing the trick? This is where water fasting might come into play. But note: Theres no metabolic magic in fasting, and it may only work as well as caloric restriction, Katz says.
The problem with fasting, whether its water fasting or another type? Many people assume that if theyre not eating one or two days a week, they can eat whatever they want on the other days, and thats just plain wrong. Food isnt just about losing weight, Katz says. Everything in your body depends on the quality of your diet.
You might see that three- and seven-day water fasts are popular online, but thats longer than most experts advise. If you dont have any conditions that would make a water fast a no-go for you and youve cleared this approach with your healthcare team first Bhatia recommends not doing it any longer than 24 to 48 hours. This is when issues of brain fog and fatigue really start to set in, she says. Check with your physician first, and if at any point you dont feel well during the fast, call your doctor.
May Lead To Dizziness On Standing Up
This is also known as orthostatic hypotension, and it is the result of an unsafe and sudden fall in blood pressure that occurs when you stand up quickly. Other than dehydration, this condition is caused by anemia, heart conditions, long-term bed rest, blood pressure medications, nervous system disorders, and more .
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Dangers Of Water Fasting
When you go without food, you may experience undesirable side effects like dizziness, headaches, weakness, brain fog, and even fainting due to drops in blood sugar and blood pressure.;
You may also experience dehydration, nutrient deficiencies, and muscle loss can also occur, especially if you fast for too long or dont follow a proper protocol.;
In one study, participants underwent 11-day water fast and their renal function decreased. The patients had to be on special diets once they ended their fasts to bring electrolyte levels up in a healthy way.;
If you want to try a water fast, choose to do it on days that you can relax and stay at home.
What Happens Metabolically When You Fast
Our bodys preferred source of energy is the monosaccharide, glucose. Glucose is stored in the body in chains known as glycogen. During a fast, our body taps into our glycogen stores to get the energy it needs. Once the stored glycogen is used up , the body starts breaking down protein and fat. After about 48 hours, the body goes into a protein-sparing mode and relies predominantly on fat for fuel, turning it into glucose and molecules known as ketones to be used as energy. This adaptation is known as ketosis, the bodys starvation mode.
Without incoming nutrients, many physiological processes related to growth slow down. Fasting results in decreases in the hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 . High levels of IGF-1 have been associated with chronic disease in adults. Fasting also results in decreased levels of insulin and leptin and increases in the fat-burning hormone adiponectin.;Meanwhile, antioxidant and stress-resistant enzymes are activated in response to decreases in these hormones, which is believed to be one mechanism by which fasting results in disease prevention.
Additionally, some individuals report increased mental acuity during fasting. However, one study of a three-week ketogenic diet showed no differences in cognition and mood in healthy adult participants.
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How To Break A Fast
As you prepare to break your fast, you may be planning a huge refeed meal. However, your digestive system needs some time to return to normal function. If you were to break your fast with a huge meal, you may be in for a world of digestive pain. I recommend slowly easing back into things by consuming some low-fiber foods that are gentle on the stomach:
- Break your fast with something light and easy to digest a small cup of bone or vegetable broth or green tea and a few nuts such as cashews
- An hour later have some eggs, yogurt, greens powder, or bit of avocado
- 2-3 hours later, go ahead and have a regular meal