Intermittent Fasting. Week 8 Results.

Yes, beans + rice can be a good substitute for animal protein, especially on a budget, if your intestinal flora is ready for that... Fish is good for the Omega-3s. Eggs are a near-perfect food, cholesterol is not the enemy, inflammation is... Yogurt for pro-biotics. Vegetables and fruits for pre-biotics and fiber. Healthy fats from Coconut Oil, Avocados, and Extra Virgin, Cold-preseed Olive Oil are important, too.

The sedentary, fast-food lifestyles of the past 50 years need modification on a more sound health basis; it's caused the epidemic of many modern health plagues.

Thanks again for adding to the discussion.

This just in: The problem with grains, beans, and rice is that those are inflammatory foods. In the Paleo diet, eggs, meat, vegetables, and some fruit are ok, but not dairy, grains, legumes, beans...  

http://www.limitless365.com/2012/11/04/paleo-why-no-grains-dairy-and-legumes/

A high grain vegetarian diet is one that fills the body with inflammation, makes it go awry with insulin reactions because there’s no protein to temper the high carbs, and taxes the adrenals. ... the Paleo diet is all about foods that are NOT going to raise insulin levels, foods that won’t acidify the body, and foods that will NOT cause an inflammatory response in the body.

and

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/paleo-diet-playbook

"The diet has nothing to do with carving hunks of red meat off the bone – it’s about focusing on the connection between living off the land and longevity. The Paleo Diet is a lifestyle based on the idea that in the past 40,000 years, our DNA has changed very little. Therefore, eating processed foods like cereals, dairy products, and refined sugars invite disease and weight gain. The Paleo Diet simplifies your food and asserts that eating natural plants and animals is your prescription for optimum health."

also http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/03-30/why-no-grains-and-legumes/

More here: https://www.facebook.com/george.fanucci/posts/495005660557875

Yes, for some, intermittent fasting is simple, easy, and effective -- the fat just melts away. There are several variations to choose from, to fit your own body, goals, and lifestyle. It does take a transition period (a few days, more or less) for the body to naturally adjust to burning fat instead of carbs. Many people try it, and give up much too soon. Everyone is the same, and yet everyone is also different; men and women are biologically different in some key aspects of metabolism... so, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) but I am very enthused with my own results, and very glad that I gave it a try.

Week 12 update: still on track, losing fat, feeling good. Very good, in fact.

Fasting, euphoria, endorphins, hormones, what's going on now?

Having lost about 15 lbs of fat, and gained 2 lbs of lean mass, during the past 12 weeks, as measured on a high-tech electronic scale at home, while using Intermittent Fasting; I am fasting 16-20 hours per day; eating a late-afternoon healthy snack, and a normal healthy dinner; allowing one socially appropriate cheat day per week.

Having no hunger pangs at all, instead of hunger I now have a profoundly satisfying feeling of well-being when fasting, I had first noticed this mildly euphoric feeling about week 6 or 7, now it happens almost daily, begins near 15-16th hour of my fast.

What is it? Ketosis, Lipolysis? Hormone changes in levels of ghrelin, leptin, cortisol, endorphins?

More research is needed, clearly. 

Correction: in the middle of my comment #3 I meant to write HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) not HIT (High Intensity Training.)  HIIT uses a sequence of very brief, very intense, short bursts and recovery periods. I may choose to add this to my plan for health and fitness purposes, after my fasting experiments are done.

:: 16-month UPDATE ::

Changing our habits, both in diet and exercise, will produce a physiological change, but those changes will only last for a short time, that is, until a new homeostasis setpoint is achieved. My theory is "lifestyle change" is the only thing that really works, long-term. Two sides of the same habit-coin: diet and exercise, plus the importance of both WHAT and WHEN you eat . . . or *NOT* eat. 

I've been personally experimenting with intermittent fasting for over a year now. There are many different techniques and methods. Several studies have publicly shown many unexpectedly good results, with both physical and mental benefits.

About 9 out of every 10 days I eat only two meals, about 4pm (light and nutritious snack) and 7pm (normal dinner) thus fasting 20 hours daily, with two or three “cheat-days” per month to “reset” my leptin and other hormones. After the first week, I discovered fasting can be very easy. Whenever I feel hungry, I drink water. Unexpectedly, I have experienced some of the "fasting euphoria" at times.  

It surprised me — after my body switched over to fat metabolism instead of carb metabolism — how my energy, focus, and mood have been great. I eat a normal American “breakfast” — mostly for social reasons — every few weeks.

I had lost about 20 lbs. of fat and gained about 2 lbs. of muscle in the first 4 - 6 months. Over the holidays I let all my fasting habits go, and discovered that I had gained about 5 lbs. of fat. During the spring, I got back on track. The “last 10 lbs. is always the hardest” still seems true for me. 

I doubt that I will ever return to the habit of eating a normal breakfast. Breakfast is clearly the **LEAST** important meal of the day, for me, after switching my metabolism to using fat instead of carbs. 

Hi Jeff and Joe,

The key is to start gradually.... eat breakfast later at the beginning.... after a few days, skip breakfast.... After a week, your body may automatically adjust itself to no breakfast and a much later, lighter lunch.

Two basic keys to intermittent fasting:

1. Be sure to drink plenty of water whenever you feel hungry. Water can very easily and effectively quench any "hunger pangs."

2. After your metaboloism adjusts fully to intermittent fasting, you may discover, as I did, the myth of "low blood sugar." (Check with your doctor about any lab tests, such as fasting blood sugar, or a glucose tolerance test.)

:: 20-month UPDATE ::  (Feb. 2013 — Oct. 2014)

Still doing Intermittent Fasting — A daily fast for 16 - 20 hours, nine out of every ten days, with a few "cheat" days per month for the "metabolic reset" benefit and for social reasons.

After six months there was a weight loss "plateau" — the last ten pounds is always the hardest!  The remaining thing that works for me is to be more active, less sedentary. Activity seems to be the next key to body composition. More exercise helps, walking two or three miles a day, but it takes time. Running has too much impact on my knees, hips, and ankles. I ran in my 30s — about 20 miles a week for 10 years — which took a toll on my joints — they now seem worn out.

Next thing to try? Isometric exercises, 10 - 15 minutes a day, 3 - 4 times per week, to tone, stimulate the core, and burn more calories. (Every exercise involves some sort of muscle contraction. Exercises with movement involve isotonic contractions and exercises without movement involve isometric contractions.) Yoga or Planking?

Running or Walking?  They burn similar calories per mile, but running is more efficient than walking, time-wise. I allocate time for my daily walk, 30 to 45 minutes, 2 or 3 miles per day. Weight-bearing exercise can be very good for the body, but my knees, hips, and ankles are not as resilient now (in my mid-60s) as they were in my 30s. YMMV. Some studies show that running can over-stimulate the appetite. The principle here? Burn more calories than you eat. For most people, 80% of calorie burn is simply your RMR/BMR — basal metabolic rate — just running the brain, breathing, digesting food, and keeping the body warm. Fasting is about restricting calories while preserving lean mass. The bottom line? Diet+Exercise, fasting may be the easiest diet, and walking the easiest exercise.

Cholesterol?  FORGET IT! The villain is not cholesterol — it is inflammation. Vitamin K2  may help (See Okamoto, K2  and Arthritis)  — STATINS  be gone! My blood cholesterol numbers have improved, from slightly above normal, now into the middle of the normal range. My main changes were Vemma, Vitamin K2 and Intermittent Fasting. (Get CRP measured, next blood test? The test costs $15, and it takes only a small amount of blood.)  See also Fiber Myths.

Basic Keys to Intermittent Fasting? 

1. Start gradually, it may take 3 or 4 days for your body to adjust. (For me, "low blood sugar" was a myth, or only very temporary.) 

2. Hungry? Drink a glass of water. Wait an hour. Repeat.  

Yes, it's that simple!  Benefits of Intermittent Fasting? 

• You can easily lose 6 to 10 pounds a month for a few months.
• Many physical, mental, and emotional benefits.
• Better "numbers" on your next blood test or doctor visit. 

More later — If anyone wants to know more about 23andMe personal genome (DNA) testing — please ask me .. I can get you a special invitation — email me! 

http://www.thealternativedaily.com/alerts/coconutoilsecret/clickspecial.php

  ∴∵ 

2016 IF Update :: My Current Intermittent Fasting (IF) Experiences... 

Now at a few years over age 65, and after practicing intermittent fasting for more than 20 out of the past 24 months (currently, my normal practice is 18-20 hours of fasting per day; eating window: 5pm-9pm, about 6-9 out of every 7-10 days) what have I experienced from IF? 
 
IF liberates me. I rarely think about food, unless I am preparing a meal or enjoying one. Whenever I notice that I feel hungry, I drink lots of water (or some green tea for a mental boost) and that hunger is quickly replaced by a feeling of well-being. I have lost more than 25 pounds of fat, and gained nearly 5 pounds of lean mass, in the past year. All of my blood-chemistry test results are normal, better than a few years ago, and I have no need for statins, my blood pressure is better than it was at age 65. I enjoy plenty of energy and normal pursuits during the day. My mood and mental energy is also good. My physical fitness has also imporved. 

Bottom-line? No problems, measureable improvements, IF works! 

Health+wellbeing, diet+exercise all seeming to resonate naturally now. I average about 6 - 8 hours per week of walking, hiking, or jogging. No gym, no weights, just a few brief body-weight exercises per week, some planking perhaps, and occasional stretching to relieve any kinks. Each week I do a few (2 - 3 mile) walks around town, and one or two longer hikes (3 - 6 miles) in Los Altos Hills — or jogging about 20 minutes (HIIT method) if I don't have the time for my longer hikes in the hills. Being outdoors is truly a lift for the senses!

Positively habituated to IF, I have discovered that I am able to hike 9 miles (in less than 3 hours) in steep hills after fasting 16-18 hours — with no problems — having plenty of energy, healthy heart rates, and aerobic capacity to spare. 

 Stay hydrated, my friend!  

My strategic weekly exercise goals (since mid-2015) include my hikes (5 - 9 sets of hills) with my measured peak exercise heart rate at about 85%-90% of my max HR, at least twice a week. What if I don't have time to go into the nearby hills for a 1-2 hour, 3-6 mile hike? Do about 20 minutes of wind-sprints {aka fartlek, aka interval training, aka HIIT workout} with 5-7 sets of alternating 30-60 second bursts of running and 90-120 seconds walk/jog recovery time. (HR varying between 60-90% of MHR during those intervals.)

Never say diet! Say Conscious, Mindful Eating... Recently, I eat a light, healthy snack (my breakfast) about 5pm, then a normal dinner about 7pm, and maybe a dark chocolate (and/or kefir or cottage cheese) for a treat about 9pm –– and most of the time that is my entire caloric and nurtient intake for the whole day. I enjoy green tea with a dash of lemon juice in the mornings. {{ Note: Any beverage, up to 25 or 30 calories per hour, does not break my fast, they say. With plain green tea, or black coffee -- make it mocha -- add a tablespoon of pure cocoa -- which has 10 calories -- sweetened with just a little honey -- keeps it under 25 calories, and provides even more health benefits from dark CHOCOLATE! }}

I also take a daily multivitamin and a few supplements for insurance. My daily caloric deficit (a few hundred calories) produces about 2 pounds of fat loss per month, while preserving (or gaining) lean mass.  

My IF routine? On most days, one light and healthy SNACK, late in the afternoon, and one main MEAL, a normal dinner, is all I need to be fully satisfied. Every 6-9 days or so, I can eat whatever I want, and as much as I want, Ad Libitum, my cheat-day... One FEAST day follows about nine IF days, to provide a (leptin-metabolic) reset from IF. I have plenty of energy, feel good, and still lose a pound or two of fat per month, gaining some lean mass every month, while I am practicing Intermittent Fasting.

How to measure progress? If you are not making forward-progress, you are regressing or plateauing. I use an electronic biometric bathroom scale (Taylor 7226SFC, under $30 at Costco) to monitor my stats. I've gradually gone from about 200 to under 175 pounds in a year. I see no reason to change my practices now, or until I get to 160 pounds, or under 15% body fat, my weight when I was in the military in my early 20s and running 20 miles per week in my 30s.

To summarize, IF (with walking and hiking in the hills or doing brief HIIT exercise) is all about losing fat while gaining lean mass without even thinking about dieting or feeling any hunger.     
 

Some IF and HIIT references: Diet+Exercise is the Key!

For solid, scientific inspiration, Greg O'Gallagher is an excellent fitness guru. He currently has more than 17 million views on his YouTube channel, and nearly 200,000 followers. Check out his IF video on YouTube, or view his website at 

KinoBody.com

http://youtu.be/uGMH9Mxwfqc

 
HIIT? See 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitness-fact-article/3317/high-intensity-interval-training/

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/01/27/kick-your-ass-and-kickstart-your-metabolism-in-20-minutes/

IF for beginners?

Intermittent Fasting 101 – The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide - By Kris Gunnars, BSc, November, 2015  (Over 200,000 views.)
http://authoritynutrition.com/intermittent-fasting-guide/

IF Benefits?

10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting http://authoritynutrition.com/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/
  

My most recent finds!  The IF advantage:

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/the-fasting-advantage-part-14/

The myth of the CICO cycle HERE:

• One of the major mistakes made by the Calories In/ Calories Out (CICO) hypothesis is the presumption that energy is stored in the body as a single compartment.
• https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/obesity-solving-the-two-compartment-problem/

My IF blog?  http://actvra.in/TNd

Thank you for reading my 2015 annual report. Any questions or comments?
 

Body weight... Fat storage... It's about your insulin, leptin, ghrelin, and other endocrine factors. Fasting and Exercise are the key. Calories are important, but not the whole story!

:: Thanks to intensivedietarymanagement.com by Jason Fung (c) 2016 ::

:: 

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/obesity-solving-the-two-compartment-problem/

• "One of the major mistakes made by the Calories In/ Calories Out (CICO) hypothesis is the presumption that energy is stored in the body as a single compartment. They consider that all foods can be reduced to their caloric equivalent and then stored in a single compartment in the body (Calories In). The body then uses this energy for basal metabolism and exercise (Calories Out)."
• . . . 
• "It’s well known that insulin inhibits lipolysis. That’s a fancy way of saying that insulin stops fat burning. Well, that’s normal. Insulin goes up when you eat, so it tells the body to start using the incoming food energy and stop using the fat in the freezer.
  So, if your insulin is high from insulin resistance, you may find that your body is not able to get at the fat in the freezer. "

Quick update. Two years later.

I never get hungry. Rarely have any cravings. Unless food is present, hunger is absent. Eating is 100% conscious and mindful choice. I can easily go 20 hours with no food, and I do it daily. My metabolism is very efficient now. I allow one cheat day every few weeks, mainly for social reasons.

I can go for a 5-6 mile hike in the hills after fasting 15-20 hours and feel great.

Weight loss, so far: 30 pounds. Currently losing a pound a month. Five pounds to go. Lean mass is slightly up. Body fat significantly down. Cholesterol and other blood chemistry results improved. 

It's easy to adapt if you begin gradually. Just skip breakfast, the least important meal of the day! As always, drink plenty of water.

I would not have expected any of this. This is a lifestyle choice, not a diet.

One more note   :: IF + HIIT ::

30-months in :: NO gym; NO equipment; Walk. Hike. Jog. Run. Yoga.

Plus Intermittent Fasting. 20 hour fast every day. Exercise while fasting.

 . . Lost 50 pounds of fat. 

 . . Gained 10 pounds of muscle. 

 . . Waist from 37 inches to 32 inches. 

 . . Body fat from over 32% to under 20%. 

 . . Blood chemistry results nearly down-the-middle of the chart. No problems. 

Now I am back to my college and military weight and body measurements, of 40-years ago. Aerobic capacity is very satisfying for long hikes on steep trails. 

When you hit a plateau in results, change something. Add more (frequency, intensity, duration, variety) to your workout efforts. Start gradually. Some heavy breathing and sweating are good for you. Push it, but not too much, depending on your age. Exceed your prior week results by just a little.

EATING: 1,500 kcal/day. (Up to 1,800 kcal for workout days.)

BURNING: 600 to 1,200 kcal every other day.

Walk, jog, hike, run, and sprint: total 20-30 workout miles/week.

Every-other-day is a rest day, my recovery day.

Hike. Rest. Run. Rest. repeat every 4 days.

Hike day: 2 or more hours with 2,000 or more feet ascent and descent; 5 to 10 miles. Run on the level and downhill parts. Hike on the steep parts, as necessary. (During the first month, I had to take breaks on the steepest sections. Not anymore. I can go 2 hours on steep trails without resting now. HYDRATION is very important, before, during, and after long hikes, especially in hot weather. ) Hiking 5 to 10 miles per hike day. Average Continuous Exercise HR: 140 BPM. Maximum Exercise HR: 180 BPM or occasionally higher, up to 190 BPM. Recovery HR: 120 BPM. (From peak exertion to cool-down; my HR drops from over 180 to under 120 BPM in 3 to 4 minutes if I paced myself correctly.)

Rest day: Walking 2 miles on rest days. Light, dynamic stretching. Six to eight hours sleep per night.

Run day: Warmup; do 1-mile walk; then do 3 miles in 30 minutes: run, sprint, walk, repeat. Sprint to your maximum exercise HR (mine is now 180 BPM but I am over 65 and that is a 40-year old MHR.) I am sprinting 30-seconds, walking 1 minute; repeat 12 times. At the outset, it was 4 reps. Now, 4 months into HIIT, it is 12-16 reps; 3-4 miles in 30-40 minutes. {HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training. Burns more visceral fat (the worst kind of fat) than long-slow-distance exercise does.} Do NOT do more than 2 HIIT workouts per week, they are stressful, need recovery time.

Stretch: Stretching, dynamic stretching, or yoga (10-15 minutes) almost every day, a great diagnostic tool to find out if your rest is producing recovery, or if your body needs more time to recover between workouts (aka bouts of exercise) or less intensity per workout. Goal: recover 80~90% before next workout. Stretching is best if you first walk at least 5 minutes for warm-up.

Fitness tests now tell me I am 40-ish. But my calendar age is over 65. Age is just a number. My measured results have been consistently improving, for more than 2 years, especially in the past 6 months!

Having been sedentary in my early 60s; now it seems I've have turned the body clock back 25 years? Yes, it seems possible!