Woman Marine Fitness: Intermittent Fasting

Woman Marine Fitness: Intermittent Fasting: INTERMITTENT FASTING I remember the first time I heard the word "Fasting".  I was somewhere in my twenties and I freque...

Intermittent Fasting

INTERMITTENT FASTING

I remember the first time I heard the word "Fasting".  I was somewhere in my twenties and I frequented the gym...OK, I lived there, the same as today and everyday in between.  I heard a few trainers speaking of this phenomena and wondered why they were talking about fasting since I always attributed it to "spiritual fasting".  I kept listening and did some homework of my own to determine exactly what they were talking about.  Back then (in the late 80's and early 90's) there was very little science behind the subject.  It stated that if you calorie restricted for a certain amount of time and worked out on a empty stomach then your body would be forced to burn "fat" as an energy source.  This would result in weight loss and especially FAT LOSS.  While the benefits sounded appealing I was reminded that starving the body for any length of time would cause your metabolism to slow down thus holding onto calories in the future in order to sustain activity.  At that time, I did not know anyone who was experimenting with this philosophy as we were all in our young 20's and let's face it, we could pretty much eat what we wanted, when we wanted it and it would just fall off of us.  Therefore, I said why put my body through that if I really don't have a weight problem and I like the way I look right now.  Right?

Fast forward a few decades (BE NICE) and the topic has once again been presented.  After many years in the military, working for a DOD contractor at a desk job and starting a family, I decided to look into Fitness as a career.  I loved the gym, I enjoyed food, I soaked up as much knowledge as I could on the current fads with weight training, cardiovascular training and of course nutrition.   This stuff really interested me and still does.  Once having children, aging a bit and moving into more Group Fitness related fields than strength training, I noticed my body was not reacting the same as it once did.  NOW I had to work much harder to make half the progress.  I knew metabolism decreased as we age, certain vitamins and minerals would be deficient and honestly, I could not continue to do two-a-days as I had in the past.  So, let me look into this Intermittent Fasting thing again.  I first looked at the benefits:

Fasting Benefits 

• Giving the Digestive System a break
• Helps boost the Immune System
• Puts your body into a state of Ketosis
• Improved clarity
• Improved sleep quality 
• Weight/Fat Loss

Then, on the flip side, I needed to look at the side effects and what to watch for:

Fasting Side Effects

• Moodiness
• Irritability
• Low blood sugar
• Spikes in Cortisol
• Binge eating 

I needed to try it for myself first in order to determine if it was something I could do and give myself 30 days.  Why 30 days?  I feel you need to do something for at least 21 days in order for your body to adjust, break bad habits and instill new habits in their place.  I'm not gonna lie, the first 4-5 days was a challenge.  I woke up hungry (or so I thought) and was lacking energy.  Since I train clients and teach Group Fitness it was not like I could just call in sick.  I had to show up, be present and WORK...HARD.  I could not wait for my window (my 8 hour eating window) to start but I did.  It took me a week or so to figure out the exact things to eat coming off my fast.  You can't just start cramming things into your body.  There is a process.  I needed quality protein, a complex carb with green leafy vegetables and RESTRICT refined sugars.  This would properly fuel my body and upload quickly to repair muscle (from my workout) and control my blood sugar.  In fact, the MOST important meal you eat of the day is the one immediately following your FAST vs. the old saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day".  What I noticed after that first 4-5 days was my body adjusted very well to the new lifestyle.  It was on a schedule and I found I actually had MORE energy and started to lose body fat where I had been stuck at a plateau for some time.  I was not that interested in weight loss (I don't trust a scale with a ten foot pole) but rather fat loss.  Plus, I noticed a reduction in bloating, better sleep patterns (coming from a chronic insomniac, that's HUGE) and waking rested and repaired.  I workout each and every day with little repair and rest so when I sleep I need my body to do just that, REPAIR.  If it is focused on digestion that takes away from the repair process.   I made a list of some things I think you should consider before Intermittent Fasting:

1. Measure your Cortisol  either through blood work (serum) or a saline test (available on-line)
2. Retrain your mind - stress response system (women are more vulnerable to this than men)
3. Get your food in order (remember that most important meal I spoke of earlier)
4. Have some accountability (troubleshooting, talk through that stress, support system)
5. Journal (track how you feel for a month, day to day)

I have been living this lifestyle for over 6 months, have been on vacation (doable as well) and been stressed (other factors) and I did not cave.  My body fat has reduced by 6%, I am leaner and have more definition.  I feel GREAT and have more energy that ever before.  If you feel you want to try this and need some accountability, I am here for you.  Happy Fasting.

Remember, "Eat to Live not Live to Eat"