Tip Lucky # 13 | Fasting!
Did you know that the single best way to lose weight and promote health and longevity is fasting?
That’s right! We’re not talking calorie restriction or starvation. Do not freak out! We’re talking about simply decreasing the number of hours during the day that you are in “feasting” mode - aka your “eating window”.
The best way to clean out the junk, detox the organs, improve long-term metabolism, and promote new cell growth is to give your body a metabolic break. Let your body do its thing without bombarding it with more food, glucose, protein, fat, that it has to stop what its doing and pay attention to processing what you’ve just put in it.
Imagine you are trying to meditate and your husband pops in the room and is droning on about the project he's got going on in the garage. Get out my sh*t, boo! That's what your body is saying when it's trying to meditate and you bust open the door constantly with food distractions.
Fasting is the way our bodies function best. Bodies are meant to eat when a crop comes in; when game meat is available; when it is safe to wander on to the next valley. Fasting is a practice as old as humans and animals.
It has been used for thousands of years to keep bodies healthy and well. It is beneficial for heart health and brain health. Fasting can cure diabetes and slow dementia. It has even been documented to improve sex, memory, and physical fitness. Fasting allows for a process called autophagy to happen. This is when old, sick cells die and new ones form. This happens best when the body can focus on fixing itself and not digesting nutrients that have just been eaten or drinken/drunken/drank (??).
Eating 6 meals per day or constant grazing is a marketing function of the food industry meant to have you buy more and NOTHING ELSE. Give your body the break that it wants so it can clean house everyday.
If you have never tried fasting before, try just putting off breakfast an hour or two over a few weeks. Move into a 16 hour fasting and 8 hour feasting window. That’s 10 am to 6 pm or 12 to 8 or whatever works best for your schedule.
I started this way and have now moved to a 20 hour fasting and 4 hour feasting window everyday. I am healthier and happier and more active than ever in my life. I went from metabolic syndrome (aka pre-diabetes) to the best blood levels I’ve had EVER! I have found that fasting not only saves money and time and stress, but it has cured my IBS and makes me even more excited about meal prep and meal time with my husband!
Give it a try! Listen to your body. Most importantly, when you are in fasting mode - drink plain beverages only - water, tea, coffee, club soda - no sugar, no cream, no fats, no citrus.
If you have questions or concerns, as always, I’m here for you for support, references, and resources.
PODCAST OF THE WEEK | The Tim Ferris Show interview with the amazing Terry Crews! This is a terrific interview and Terry is such a talented athlete, actor, and artist. It was this interview when Tim asks Terry what one healthy behavior he adopted that changed everything - fasting!! Check it out. I hope you enjoy learning more about this (now) America’s Got Talent talent!
