Gravity Fx Fitness

Did my short term fasting today until dinner time.  Intermittent fasting is where you go approximately 24 hours without eating, just lots of water to flush out the garbage that accumulates.

Which means plenty of trips to the bathroom!  Today was the perfect day for it since I work third shift for two nights.  Which means I slept in this morning…..

the perfect time to fast, since I’ll be sleeping for some of that time.  By doing this once or twice a week you reduce the number of calories you consume in a week, while helping to cleanse your body.

Its not that difficult for most people and its really more mental than anything.  I don’t do it that much but definitely notice a difference when I do and since Summer is fast approaching, every little bit helps.

This is Brad Pilon’s Eat Stop Eat program and I think its going to help me trim some fat off my abs.  I’ve also been reading through Leigh Peele’s Fat Loss Troubleshoot and getting some good ideas.  If you have tried exercising and dieting in the past without results, she may have the answers you’re looking for.

For my workout I kept it simple, alternating pushups with 1 arm rows using a kettlebell, but a dumbbell will also do the trick.  I added some overhead lifts with the sandbag and a few light sandbag squats.  Still a little fatigued.

So if you’ve noticed, I don’t isolate muscles like bodybuilders do.  Instead I do exercises that use multiple muscles and go from a pushing move to a pulling exercise, so while I’m resting one group of muscles I’m working the opposite ones.

This saves time and lets you get a great workout in less time.  Many people spend too much time at the healthclub for the results they get (or lack of).  Unless you’re training for a specific competition, you don’t need to train like someone who is.

Work several muscles in each session with some intensity, get your heart rate up and limit your rest in between exercises.  If you’re not training for an endurance competition, such as running long distances, interval training is more time efficient than steady pace aerobics.

There’s a lot more to losing fat than just exercising more and eating less.  If it was that easy, you wouldn’t see so many people getting frustrated and stop going to the gym after not getting the results they want.

The third component is social support/accountability and I will talk about that tomorrow.  There is a phsychological component that many have to conquer to get optimal results.

Get moving!

Brian

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After a few days of eating poorly, I decided to do a 24 hour fast to help my body get rid of the “junk” I put into it.  I’ve done intermittant fasting a little in the past and it can be an effective way to lose weight.

One program I followed several years ago involved going without eating throughout the day and then eating a large meal at dinner time, where you ate as much as you want.

While this might sound kinda strange, there is actually some good points brought up.  For one, throughout history we haven’t always had refrigerators stocked with food that we could go to whenever we wanted to eat.

Which is probably why obesity was never as much of a problem as it is today.

….but it was normal to go through periods of feast and famine, where at times there was plenty to eat and other times where you might have to go without food.

Anyway, I’ve tried a different type of program a little here and there and decided to go back on it for today.  Basically, you go without eating for about 24 hours and then resume your normal routine.

For example, last night my last meal was eaten by 7pm and today I won’t eat until 7pm, give or take.  You drink plenty of water to help flush out the waste products that can sometimes build up in your body.  Besides the obvious part of consuming fewer calories each week, which should lead to some weight loss, your body is supposed to be doing some “house cleaning” during the fasting time.

You can do this either once or twice a week without changing your normal eating pattern very much.

As I’ve said before, I have no problem training intensely, but my eating habits have never been perfect.  I tend to take in too much sugar and processed foods.  I get stressed out at times too, and enjoy my comfort foods.

Going without eating for 24 hours is really more mental than anything else and since you’re asleep for part of that time, it really isn’t that long anyway.

This might not work for people with diabetes or other health issues, but otherwise healthy people should have no problems.  Like I said, its much more mental than anything and it can really identify those for whom food is an emotional crutch.

Its not for everyone, but I definitely notice a difference when I do it.  If you would like more info go over to Eat Stop Eat.

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