1/21/2023
Intermittent Fasting and One Meal a Day (O.M.A.D.)
“Everyone has a physician inside him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness.”- Hippocrates
Intermittent fasting when combined with a carbohydrate restricted diet can be a very effective way to control insulin levels, burn fat, and ultimately lose weight. Fasting can also help fight inflammation and enhance heart and brain function. Fasting has been used therapeutically since at least the 5th century BCE, when Greek physician Hippocrates recommended abstinence from food or drink for patients who exhibited certain symptoms of illness. Plato and Aristotle also praised fasting.
Benefits of Intermittent fasting:
– Promotes blood sugar control by reducing insulin resistance
– Fights inflammation
– May enhance heart health by improving blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels
– May boost brain function
– Aids in weight loss by limiting calorie intake and boosting metabolism
– Could delay aging and extend longevity
Fasting also influences some critical health mechanisms of the body such as the circadian clock/rhythm (your internal body clock controlling sleep/wake cycles, digestion, temperature), the gut (directly and positively influences the gut microbiome, also known as our second brain), and insulin sensitivity (lowers insulin levels allowing the body to mobilize energy from the liver and stored fat – reducing the “demand” for more insulin).
Fasting is more of a lifestyle than a diet.
How I fast:
Plan an eating “window” – same times every day – the most popular is 18:6 in a 24 hour day – 6 hours allowed of eating (suggested 12pm-6pm) – those who work shift work can open the eating window from 11pm-5am or 4pm-10pm – doesn’t matter – just make sure you open the eating window for 6 hours (only) and “fast” the other 18 hours.
While fasting – water is key to satiety (feeling satisfied) – more than you would “normally” drink but just space it out. PLAIN water – not flavored waters or ZERO type sport drinks – just PLAIN water.
Plan ahead daily – 2 meals and a couple healthy snacks – as an example:
5:30-6:00am Wake up – Black coffee and water (during 75hard I generally did my 45 minute indoor workout fasted after the 1st cup of coffee)
Then 2-3 black coffees with at least as much volume water through the morning – NO FOOD AT ALL – I stop the coffee by about 10:00 – continue the water. Your body will be burning fat while fasting – even in your sleep – the longer you hold off to “break” the fast, the more fat burned.
12:00 Noon: Meal#1 Chicken salad (about 6oz – I never weigh foods – just estimate) or 4 chicken wings or 2 chicken thighs (dark meat is just fine – even skin), some cheddar cheese, strawberries (3-4), almonds or other nuts (about 20) or parm crisps. I had A LOT of weight to lose so did not even use low carb sandwich wraps during my “diet” – I do eat them now – again just watch the NET carb counts as some are much higher than others.
Hydrate into the afternoon 32-48oz water.
Snack ideas – almonds, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, string cheese, parm crisps, “no sugar added” peanut butter or other nut butters w/ celery. low carb beef Jerky (read labels carefully – several Jerky’s have a bunch of sugar), hard boiled eggs, guac w veggies, low sugar/carb yogurt (2Good brand).
5:30 Meal#2 Large salad (you will need fiber..) Lettuces are fine also most green vegetables(celery, cucumber, broccoli) tomatoes/onions in moderation, avoid carrots (if you have ALOT of weight to lose) .
ADD-IN EZ peel steamed shrimp (from any Giant) or some decent rare roast beef – OR BOTH – Surf and Turf Salad (I like those almost as much as chicken salad) – use FULL FAT Salad dressing – NO LOW FAT or LOW CAL dressings – I honestly think the “good stuff” works much better with this chemistry. I use blue cheese.
6:00pm – Eating stops – period – done – until noon the following day – no exceptions. Breaking the fast will trigger your insulin response and stop the fat burn.
FASTING will help you win the battle against evening/night snacking. After 6pm – water only.
Additional water is encouraged during your evening fast window.
If the 18 hour fasting window it too much – start with an 8 hour eating window (10am-6pm?). Bottom line – if you structure your fasting times and stick to them, you will snack much less on junk and unnecessary calories and be more successful with your weight loss in a shorter time frame.
I’m easier on myself now because I can be BUT I still fast several times a week – still eat 2 meals daily – still plan for 1-2 afternoon snacks – and after doing it for so long, I seldom just go looking to “graze” on food for no reason – when I do – it’s almonds, seeds, berries, cheese, low carb yogurt.
One Meal a Day (OMAD)
Some people will adopt the “One Meal A Day” (OMAD) habit – basically fasting 23.5 hours a day and only opening the “eating window” for (1) meal daily – (1) BIG MEAL. Not starving oneself but mainly maximizing the closed “fat burning” window and ingesting ALL of your daily calories at once.
This is NOT OMAD: “I starve myself all day, then eat a large pepperoni pizza and french fries at 7pm because it fits in my daily macros.
This is OMAD: “I went to Chili’s this afternoon at 2pm with family, I fasted all morning and increased my water intake knowing I’d likely eat a larger than usual portion while eating out. I order the chicken fajitas – tossed the “shells” to the side (eliminate the carb)– ate ALL of the chicken & veggies, topped with the lettuce, guac, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa”
The chicken fajitas at Chilis would normally be about 2 servings, but I eat it all, take nothing home. After that meal you will obviously be pretty darn full (but a good-protein full – not a “sick” full – there’s a difference), it’s about 3pm now – WHY THE HECK WOULD YOU EAT AGAIN AT 6PM?
Proteins will last longer when it comes to feeling satisfied – introduce the carbs and you’ll be eating again in a couple hours – “WHY?” because your insulin levels will “trigger” and you will feel hungry. Eating protein is like putting a big log on the fire – eating carbs is more like throwing a can of gas on – quick flash vs. a slow long burn.
For folks that may not be familiar with fasting, the first reaction to a OMAD approach may be “That’s crazy…I’d be so hungry…”…or “that can’t be healthy” the truth is once the processed sugars/carbs are out of your system the hunger and cravings will greatly subside. Fasting is mainly for those with a large amount of weight to lose and plenty of stored fat to burn.
Spiritual Fasting – All of the information outlined above relates to “physical” fasting. In my 12/22 post, I mentioned leading eating/snacking impulses with your MIND not your EMOTIONS. Spiritual fasting helps us transcend our addiction and attachment to food, and to realize that we don’t live by food alone. The mind gets clearer, and spiritual awareness deepens. Freed from having to satisfy physical hunger, one can then turn one’s attention to feeding the mind and spirit. Spiritual masters like Pythagoras wouldn’t admit any disciple into their higher teachings unless they had first purified themselves through fasting.
Fasting Links:
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