Wednesday
Healthy Nutrition
Weight loss day.
Recipe suggestion – Download the free recipe book available at Slendier Slim – https://www.slendier.com/recipes
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Happy Exercise
Today I want you to do any exercise session that A) gets you huffing and puffing out of your comfort zone and B) uses and overloads all of your muscle groups. You can choose an exercise session from the video instructions HERE, or you can do your own session as long as fits the criteria.
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HOT tip –
Lost your way? Enthusiasm lacking?
Cast your mind back 4 or 5 weeks and Remember why you started.
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HOT lesson
An 18 – 24 hour strategic fast in place of your fat flush day.
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Remember – your goal for weight loss is always a weekly calorie deficit. Strategic Intermittent Fasting is another tool that may help you with that goal.
(7000 calories = 1kg of weight – in either direction).
Fasting has many other added health benefits too. All of which you can read about in the book Eat Stop Eat
Instructions for your fasting day –
- Aim to fast for between 18 – 24 hours once or twice a week and consume a normal balanced meal/s when fast is over. Don’t grab a snack to end your fast. This is STRATEGIC fasting, you should plan when you will end the fast and what your “break-fast” meal will be (and have it organised and prepared) **If your last meal was 6pm on Tuesday, then your 24 hour fast will last til 6pm Wednesday, when you will eat a normal dinner.
- I would recommend to start off with a shorter fast, say 18 – 20 hours and work up to 24 hours,
- Please ensure you end your fast with a normal healthy meal and then continue your day as if the fast never happened. *** I cannot stress this enough. Make sure your food is planned, don’t just scan the local food court or shops.
- Consume zero calories during your fast. Black or green coffee and tea are OK, and (very) limited diet drinks. Please consume LOTS of water. And keep busy.
- FAQ. I cant live without my morning coffee with milk, Can I have it?
- Whilst the technical answer is no, However, if that one cuppa makes the difference between doing the fast and giving up, then I say yes. No sugar and please limit to only one cup.***
- A strategic fast is another tool to help you arrive at a weekly calorie deficit. Crazy as it sounds; some people find it easier to not eat at all on some days than to restrict their eating with regular small and carb free meals. There is no right or wrong. Do whatever works for you and your body. If you find that it has a re-bound effect, therefore NOT helping you arrive at your weekly calorie deficit, then, by all means, go back to the small regular healthy meals of your fat flush day.
- When the fast is over, eat as if the fast never happened. Do NOT over compensate or reward yourself.
- Most people fast on a movement day, not an exercise day. Move lots – 10,000 steps on your pedometer. But if you have no problem with exercising then, that’s fine too. Test both out. (don’t assume, you may be surprised)
- There is some research to suggest that you burn more fat when exercising in a fasted state. Try this out for yourself, but don’t get too hung up on it. The best time to exercise is whenever it best fits into your lifestyle and your week.
- Don’t panic. Fasting for up to 24 hours will not affect your metabolism. Regular (every day for up to 3 weeks) eating of less than 1200 calories per day will negatively affect your metabolism. If you have a low calorie day, then a couple of regular calorie days, then a higher (FREE) day, your metabolism will be fine. ** Please see lesson on “Starvation Mode” for more information on this.
- Some people report a blood sugar crash when fasting after a FREE (higher carbs) day, than they do when fasting after a regular balanced meal day. Try both and test what happens for you.
- Because you are consuming less food and calories when you include a weekly fast, it is even MORE important that you ensure you get all of your nutrients during your eating days. I do NOT recommend eating “whatever you like” on your eating days. You MUST ensure you eat LOT’s of vegetables and sufficient protein to hit your weekly targets for nutrients.
Why should you fast?
- To educate yourself on when you are truly hungry compared to habit / emotional eating. Carry this learning on to all other days. *** This is my personal favourite benefit of fasting.
- To decrease your insulin levels. A fast will decrease your insulin levels even more than a restricted carb fat flush day.
- Calorie restriction, by missing up to 4 meals that day, it will assist you in arriving at your weekly calorie deficit.
- Stop the obsessing about food. Get on with your day without thinking about your next meal all day.
- Hunger control. As crazy as it sounds, some people find it easier to not eat at all, than to limit their portions, or go carb free.
- Create freedom from the “eat every 3 hours” programming
- Increased fat burning
- Increased growth hormone
For those of you who think it is impossible to go without food for a period of time. Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can do it. I am someone who eats ALL the time. And I have found that the thought of fasting for 18 – 24hours is much worse than actually doing it. Just give it a go and see how you go.
Who should NOT fast.
- Anyone with medical issues – check with your Doctor first
- Anyone with prior eating disorders or emotional issues with food
- Anyone with low blood sugar issues
- Pregnant or breast-feeding
- Kids
- Anyone already underweight
- Anyone who strictly sticks to a 1200 or under calorie limit on all other days.
Who should NOT continue with the weekly fast?
- Anyone who feels restricted, deprived or obsessive about the fast. It should give you a sense of freedom and lightness.
- Anyone who has a rebound effect and you are eating more or binging whilst not fasting
- Anyone who feels unwell or light-headed whilst fasting
- Anyone who feels it hinders their weekly goal of a calorie deficit (by re-bounding) rather than helping the goal
**** If you decide that fasting is not for you, try this instead…
When you get that first niggle of hunger and you might normally reach for a snack, please aim to hold off eating for 30 minutes or so and have a glass of water.If you can extend your fat burning window – you will achieve improved fat loss results.
Plus, it teaches you that a little bit of hunger is OK. Hunger is NOT an emergency.
Hunger is usually a sign that insulin is low – when insulin is low, you are probably burning fat.