Intermittent Fasting -- The beginning

A few weeks ago I *discovered* Intermittent Fasting (IF) as a way to control insulin levels, lower the risk of heart disease, and improve upon general health. I saw it as a practical way to reduce calorie intake and jump start my weight loss.

I started this experiment at 175 lbs, three weeks ago (June 15th). Yikes! This is by far the heaviest I've ever been (5ft 7) and my size 14 jeans were growing uncomfortably smaller. I decided that I'm not going to wear a 16 -- that's my catalyst for change.

I started by accident really: I had eaten a sandwich Tues @ 2pm, and when Wednesday 10am rolled around -- I realized I hadn't eaten anything in 20 hours. Excited by the thought, I decided to wait until 2pm to eat again. This I ate over the next 24 hours until 2pm Thurs, then fasted until 2pm Friday. I'm not going to say it was a breeze, but it was MUCH easier than I thought it would be. On my fast mornings, I'd have my usual coffee (low fat creamer, no sugar and I'd drink LOTS of water. Each time I felt a hunger growl, I'd get up and get another glass of water. That first week I shed a lot of water weight, since I'm normally perpetually dehydrated. (I enjoy an Adult Beverage with frequency.)

When it came time to break the fast, I had read on Mark's Daily Apple and on "Free The Animal" that high protein can help to slow the body's breakdown of carbohydrates into sugars. Also, high carb diets tend to make us crave more carbs and sugars. These blogs focus on the Primal/Paleo diets, and while I think the science supports their claims, I just can't imagine my life with out beer, pasta, and rice. Sorry. But I do love the ideas behind it.

Speaking of beer... that first week on my fast days, I didn't drink any Adult Beverages (ABs) because I had school from 6 - 10pm after my 9 hours work day. Normally, I'm a get home, get into PJ's, grab a glass of something and plop down. I have an extreme aversion to exercise, which explains why I'm 30 lbs. overweight. But I'm a drinker, and I'm not going to stop that 'till pregnancy becomes a realistic goal. And booze + exercise = puke in my mouth (which I avoid at ALL costs). In the mean time, even when I fast I'll usually have a drink or two. I notice that it does increase my appetite, so I've got to watch out for that, but I become a real cheap date, and can actually share the 12-pack in the fridge with my husband. (Kidding...)

That first day I spent about 5 hours learning all about fasting for health, metabolic rates, cleansing and re-setting the body. In an article explaining the "Biochemistry of Fasting" by Ralph Cinque D.C., "After eight to ten hours one-half of muscle fuel is from fatty acids." So, the longer we can go after 10 hours -- say another 14 hours -- the more fat stores will be broken down and converted and burned. BTW - this is an outstanding article on fasting for health. He is essentially talking about a week long fast, but the information applies to the 24-hour or Alternative Day Fast (ADF).

However, the body will begin to breakdown muscle also. This is why breaking the fast with high protein is essential. I'm a HUGE fan of beef jerky (yeah, yeah I know store-bought has lots of sugar, but it's low calorie, low fat, high protein, and DELICIOUS). Some jerky and then a peanut-butter snack!

Some other aspects I've discovered:

1. I'm not "addicted" to food. I don't think about it as often. I don't crave it as often. And on days when I do eat, I eat when I'm hungry -- and I don't over-eat (since my stomach has "shrunk").

2. The psychological effect also is that I'm more conscientious of what I am eating and doing. After three weeks of IF, I'm more inclined to go for a walk and I've entertained the notion of some yoga and weight training. (When I actually pick up a weight, I'll let you know....)

I've heard that you can "break" a carb craving after 3 weeks of a high-protein diet, and right at the end there, I snapped and fell into a carb frenzy. So, here's the breakdown of weight:

Week one, started @ 175.xx lbs.
Week two, started @ 171.4 lbs.
Week three, started @ 169.4 lbs. (SUPER excited here!! Very noticeable to my friends/family.)
Week four (today) -- 174.5 lbs.

WOAH! What happened? Well, I only fasted twice last week, while I've been pretty diligent about ADF previously. I've been boozing it up pretty heavy for the last 10 days: Wine pairing party w/ friends, graduation party, a "good" Friday night, trip to Reno... And of course, when I'm hung as f*** fasting is the last thing I'm thinking about. So, dehydrated, carb pig-out, retaining water -- yeah... two steps forward, 1.5 back.

I know that a whole lot of water will help get rid of the dehydration effects, and getting back on the IF consistently will get me right back where I want to be. Even though I haven't gotten down to a size 12 jeans, and I'm convinced that I'm not entirely back to square one. The mental part has changed and that's always the most important step.