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Episode 4: Intermittent Fasting
May 22, 2019
EPISODE TIP
Plan what you want to eat before you go out with friends.
On today's podcast
- A look back on the week: Went to a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game and went to the VA mountains for golf with friends
- Product review for an energy drink: Monster
- Questions: How can intermittent fasting benefit keto dieters?
A look back on the week
It's been a pretty uneventful week, however I did do two things that got me out of the ordinary. On a normal week, I work here at my office and make sure to shop ahead, then portion out snacks/meals to bring with me to the office be ready to eat. Dinner at home is usually a meat and a vegetable. In most cases, I have a salad ready to eat and then top it with some cooked chicken breast and blue cheese dressing.
The first event that got me out of my zone was I went to a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game. I stopped at a barbecue place in the arena was able to order a pulled pork sandwich without the bun and a diet soda. I did avoid alcoholic beverages.
The other event that happened was I drove a few hours up to the Virginia mountains to meet up with some friends for a round of golf. I planned for the day by packing up a few things that I wanted to eat such as some pistachios and pecans and a bag of Duke's meats. On the way back, I stopped for dinner and had a chicken breast with a double order of vegetables topped with butter. I had a pretty smooth week and found it easy to stick with my diet.
Product review for an energy drink: Monster
I'm not generally a big fan of diet drinks, but I do like having the Monster Zero Energy Drink. This isn't the typical Monster drink. This Monster Zero has zero calories and zero sugar and comes in several flavors such as one in a white can that tastes and looks similar to a Sprite. It also comes in purple grape, blue raspberry, and orange flavors. The thing I like about this drink is the caffeine content. It's similar to a cup of coffee and isn't loaded with stimulants. I like that It has some B vitamins and is sweetened with erythritol , which tastes better and is less likely to get you out of ketosis than other artificial sweeteners. I think it's a superior drink and my favorite flavor is the white flavor, which I'm currently enjoying at the office. They are a little pricier than other energy drinks, but you can be on the lookout for deals and sales.
How can intermittent fasting benefit keto dieters?
Intermittent fasting is currently a popular topic and is in many diet conversations today. A colleague of mine, Dr. Jason Fung who practices in the Washington D.C. area has really done a lot to advance this conversation because he treats his very sick patients with Intermittent fasting. He's published a few books on this topic and has reported his results to the general public which has helped spread the word on intermittent fasting.
Therefore, many practitioners like myself often uses this technique not only for weight loss, but also to improve many health parameters.
What is intermittent fasting? This is not a fast due to a lack of food, such as what our ancestors experienced or a fast being forced upon individuals. This is choosing to not eat for a certain part of the day and allowing yourself a window of time to eat. It's strictly voluntary.
Our DNA is inherited from our ancestors and that DNA is adapted to their environment where they fasted frequently. A lack of electricity, refrigeration and modern power left our ancestors with no choice but to fast during certain times. They often went for extended periods of time without food, which is now programmed in our DNA today. We now live in a society with an overabundance of food such as refined flour and refined sugars.
The idea of intermittent fasting awakens your body to what its supposed to do and gives your body a break from the foods we shouldn't be eating and gets your body in tune.
Benefits of intermittent fasting include weight loss, increased muscle mass, and faster recovery from injuries. It also slows down the aging process and increases brain function and reduces inflammation. This is fantastic for those who are pre-diabetic or diabetic because it helps with insulin sensitivity. Always consult your doctor first because intermittent fasting may interfere with medications that you are taking.
What are the common ways to do intermittent fasting? There isn't a right way for everyone as their are a variety of fasting and eating windows. A common window I see in many of my patients is a 16-hour window of fasting and an 8-hour window of eating. Or, an 18-hour of fasting and a 6-hour window of eating. There is a wide variation of intermittent fasting and I think they are all good. Everyone is different, but the 16:8 is a good window to start with.
This can be done with any type of diet for weight loss and health benefits, however I think the perfect combination is the Keto diet and intermittent fasting. When you do a keto diet, your body is trained to be a fat burner. Everyone has fat stores, so when you have trained your body to burn fat with Keto as the main energy source, your body will continue to burn body fat and generate ketones during the fasting window. Clinically, I have seen patients have a harder time with intermittent fasting when they are following a carbohydrate based diet.
That's it for our show. Stay tuned next week for another episode. And send us your questions you'd like featured on an episode.
A look back on the week: Work, Concert and Dining Out, Product Review: Alexia Cauliflower Risotto, Questions: Carb Cravings, Why You Get Them & How To Stop Them
On this week's podcast: A look back on the week: Getting back on track: carnivore diet, Product Review: Catalina Crunch Cereal and Questions: Why do I recommend 30 grams or more protein per meal?
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Both the Keto Diet and Atkins Diet focus on reducing carbs and changing the way you eat so that your body will start to burn off all of the excess fat it has stored in your body. Curious to learn more about the Keto Diet and Atkins Diet? Read on as we take a deeper look at each.
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Peanut butter is a food that many keto followers want to know whether or not it is keto-approved. This post will answer all of your questions.
The keto diet is a very popular lifestyle that is well-known for helping followers lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It has also gained a reputation for its very strict dietary requirements. This leaves many concerned that they will no longer be able to indulge their sweet tooth or enjoy a treat from time-to-time. This is not the case. You've probably seen or even had fat bombs, yet many people may not really understand what they are. However, for those on the keto diet, they are an excellent way to maintain your lifestyle while treating yourself at the same time! This is your guide to fat bombs, the keto diet, and common pitfalls to avoid!
Having the correct ingredients on hand to cook any delicious Keto meal is essential for staying with and enjoying your Keto diet. The following are low-carb essentials to keep in your pantry.
