That CRAZY diet

Last night I was at a BBQ with a bunch of people Ihaven't seen for several months. It was really nice to have so many compliments on how I look. I even overheard a conversation where two people were saying, "Have you seen how amazing Jenna looks. Wow she is beautiful." That felt really nice, for a very long part of my life I certainly didn't feel beautiful at all.

One of my friends said to me, "Are you still on that CRAZY diet?" I had to laugh at that one. I told him, it isn't crazy, and you know why? Because I am still doing it.

Crazy diets are not possible to maintain long term. It has been 8 months since I started this "crazy" way of living and there is no way I could ever follow a crazy diet that long. No one can.

Society is not always on mark for what is the best for you...take a look at what society has told us to do in the past.

“For a better start in life, start cola earlier!

How soon is too soon? Not soon enough. Laboratory tests over the last few years have proven that babies who start drinking soda during that early formative period have a much higher chance of gaining acceptance and “fitting in” during those awkward pre-teen and teen years. So, do yourself a favor. Do your child a favor. Start them on a strict regimen of sodas and other sugary carbonated beverages right now, for a lifetime of guaranteed happiness. PROMOTES ACTIVE LIFESTYLE, BOOSTS PERSONALITY, GIVES BODY ESSENTIAL SUGARS!"

"Why we have the youngest customers in the business.

This young man is 11 months old-and he isn't our youngest customer by any means. For 7-up is so pure, so wholesome, you can even give it to babies and feel good about it. Look at the back of a 7-up bottle. Notice that all our ingredients are listed. (That isn't required of soft drinks, you know - but we're proud to do it and we think you're pleased that we do.) By the way, Mom, when it comes to toddlers-if they like to be coerced to drink their milk, try this: Add 7-up to the milk in equal parts, pouring the 7-up gently into the milk. It's a wholesome combination - and it works! Make 7-up your family drink. You like it...it likes you! Nothing DOES IT like a 7-up!"

"Enjoy an ice cream cone shortly before lunch. Sugar can be the willpower you need to undereat.

When you're hungry, it usually means your energy's down. By eating something with sugar in it, you can get your energy up fast. In fact, sugar is the fastest energy food around. And when your energy's up, there's a good chance you'll have the willpower to undereat at mealtime. How's that for a sweet idea? Sugar...only 18 calories per teaspoon, and it's all energy."

"No diets, no baths, no exercise, FAT, the ENEMY that is shortening your life, BANISHED! How? with Sanitized TAPE WORMS, jar packed. Friends for a fair form. Easy to swallow. No ill effects!"

Everyone who stays thin is essentially on a diet

I was thinking about intermittent fasting and how it has become part of my life and engrained in my routine. It has really just become my lifestyle. It is helping me lose weight and I know that once I reach my goal weight it will be what helps me to stay there. It is not a diet but it is how I will stay thin.

That is true with everyone who stays thin. People who have never been overweight and those who have lost weight and kept it off. They are all technically on a diet I suppose, they just don't realize it. Whatever it is that they do to stay thin is just a part of their lives, it is how they go about their day, they exercise and eat right and live a balanced lifestyle. (of course there are some people out there who eat like mad and don't gain weight thanks to good genes)

Each of them probably do it in their own way. They eat six small meals a day, they eat small portions, they avoid those high calorie sweets, they exercise regularly, they incorporate fasting or cleanses. Whatever it is, that is what keeps them looking the way they do, their lifestyle.

Anyone who has ever dieted, lost weight and re-gained it plus some more, knows that it was a failure because the diet was too difficult to incorporate into their lifestyle long term.

I guess I am starting to really feel confidence and relaxation because I have found something that has become a part of my daily routine that I can do for life. I can just live and put my efforts to something else, because for me, intermittent fasting no longer requires any effort, it is just as much a part of my routine as getting up and going to work.

So, when I look around and see those people who always seem to be in great shape, I no longer wonder how in the world they do it when it is so difficult for me. I now know that once you find what works for you, it just comes naturally, and the weight goes away, and stays away.

Are you allowed to have...

When you are losing weight, no matter what method you use, do you ever get people asking you the same question?

Are you allowed to have...?

That is something I still get all the time, even though, to me, I am not dieting. I am just living this new lifestyle. It has become just the way I live, not something I have to really think about or follow or restrict anything. But when I am with friends and there is cake, someone will always ask, "Are you allowed to have cake?" or whatever the treat is that everyone else is eating.

For some reason, this always gets my back up. I have to make an effort not to scream, "I CAN HAVE WHATEVER I WANT, JUST LIKE YOU!" I know they mean well, and there is no ill will behind the question, but it bugs me. It makes me feel like an outsider.

What is really going on though is that they don't understand any way of losing weight that doesn't include feeling deprived. They don't understand that I can eat any food I feel like eating and enjoy with NO GUILT whatsoever.

When anyone eats a big bad meal of say burgers, fries, dessert etc...they would have some guilt. Guilt because they know it is a high calorie meal whether they are dieting or not. If they are dieting, the guilt is more intense, of course. Yesterday I ate my big treat meal, a big bacon cheese burger with mayo, onion rings and half fries, half caesar salad. It was delicious. I even had a small mini dessert of brownie and chocolate ice cream. I felt ZERO guilt. I just enjoyed.

I am not saying that intermittent fasting is a licence to eat this everyday, but once in a blue moon go and have that meal you always wish for. Enjoy it, savour it, and walk away without any guilt at all. It will taste all the better for it.

After my big meal last night, I got on the scale this morning. I was down two pounds!

Yes, I am allowed to have that.

Is it worth it?

Have you ever done a spinning class?

I did one once and it was so hard that I actually felt like I would faint. They work HARD. It is a MAJOR workout. The other day I was talking to a woman who LOVED spinning class. I thought, wow, good for you, that is one hard class.

We began talking about exercise for weight loss. I mentioned that exercise is not really the key for weight loss, how much you eat is really where you will see results. She said, "well, in my spinning class, you can burn up to 400 calories per class."

Wow, 400 calories! REALLY? You mean all that work, all that sweat, all those chest pains and nausea, the feeling that I am going to pass out and the bruise on my bottom that is so bad I can't sit right for days and I burn a whopping 400 calories?!

400 calories:

1 large soda = 400 calories

1 large sesame seed bagel = 400 calories

Starbucks coffee cake = 390 calories

Starbucks Cinnamon Roll = 490 calories

Medium French Fries from McDonalds = 390 calories

If you like spinning class, go for it.

If you go to spinning class because it is good for the health of your heart, go for it.

If you go to spinning class because you want to lose body fat, why?

Would you rather go through the torture of a spinning class or skip your morning bagel?

Think about it.

Great site

Check out this great site for all things nutrition. You can track your calories, your water consumption, your daily nutrients and much, much more...

Spark People

Many different ways to fast

There are so many ways to incorporate intermittent fasting into your life. That is the beauty of intermittent fasting. Each person can choose what method works for them. Intermittent fasting can be adapted to fit your lifestyle rather than what most diets demand (adapting your lifestyle to fit the diet).

Fasting every other day

Some people use the fasting every other day method. This consists of eating normally, three meals a day, every other day and fasting for an entire day every other day. This would mean that you would be fasting for approximately 35 hours every other day (assuming you stopped eating at 8pm on January 1st and broke your fast at 7am on January 3rd for example).

This is a very effective method. Little less flexibility though as inevitably there will be an event or celebration on your fast day that you would have to adjust your eating days for. You can still do this though as intermittent fasting can be adjusted no matter which method you use.

Eat, Stop, Eat

Brad Pilon created this method of fasting and it consists of incorporating a 24 hour fast 2-3 days per week. Those fasting days can move around as needed, which creates a high level of flexibility. You would eat normally on non-fasting days, three meals per day, then incorporate a 24 hour fast as your schedule allows. Finish eating at 8pm the night before a fast and then break that fast the next day at 8pm so you have fasted for a total of 24 hours. He also advocates for weight training. "Lift something heavy." as he puts it. He says use how much you eat to lose weight and use weight training to build muscle, not the other way around. More info at www.bradpilon.com

I like the flexibility of the Eat, Stop, Eat program and I also love how to the point Brad Pilon is.

Fast 5

Fast 5 is the method that I use with elements of Eat, Stop, Eat. I eat within a 5 hour window each day. The window can be any time you like 12-5, 5-10, 8-1. Whatever fits your schedule. This program was created by Dr. Bert Herring, more info at www.fast-5.com. You can even download his book FOR FREE if you sign in with your email address.

In my window (12 - 5pm) I eat a normal meal and then around 3 or 4 I will have a snack. I also incorporate one long fast per week which is usually 35-40 hours long. I find this helps to keep me plateau free and creates a calorie deficit that keeps me on track if I over eat during my eating windows throughout the week.

The beauty of Fast 5 is that you can move the window to any 5 hour period, if a special dinner is planned then you just wait to eat until dinner time and then your window is open from that time on for five hours.

Whatever method you choose, intermittent fasting is flexible. Move it, mold it, adjust it to fit you and your lifestyle. Intermittent fasting allows you to eat the foods you love and not feel deprived. There is no time when you have to say, "I can't have that." Have it. Of course you don't want to binge and eat donuts all day long but one donut is fine. Everything in moderation.

Fasting allows you to enjoy food and live among the living. Go to that restaurant for that celebration dinner next week with you family, eat and enjoy! No counting, no substituting for low fat, and salad dressing on the side, no special meals or packaged powders, just real life food that realistically will include occasional treats.

Fasting = Freedom!