Some of Leo's weight loss/eat healthy videos

[Ananta]

I watched these today's. They are very good. I started with the first one I posted and worked my way down. I needed some motivation damn it. I've struggled up and down with the same 20lbs for years. Sweets are my enemy!

 

 

[Deezeetho]

Hello Anna1 mate,

I found the best route is not buying the following snacks or junk food when grocery shopping. A buddy carries little zip lockbbag with nuts in it. He's on a ketosis diet. He looks great. Its something that you can consider. Have you ever tried keto?

Don't worry about the twenty pounds. Its a symptom not the cause. It can be stress eating at work. It could be a relationship thing or possibly just getting over the holiday season and hibernation. Do you meal prep?

thanks for the vid links. I'll have a look. I am gaining size in the gym before deloading. I can't wait for Spring, outdoor weather, workout outdoors, calisthenics, gymnastic rings, running outdoors, and looking fantastic in a bathing suit.

 Luck on your healthy goals.

[Ananta]

29 minutes ago, Deezeetho said:

Hello Anna1 mate

Hi DZT mate?

 

29 minutes ago, Deezeetho said:

found the best route is not buying the following snacks or junk food when grocery shopping.

Actually, I order my groceries online and pick them up the next day. Its fabulous! But, I have to order some snacks, because I don't live alone, but I did order some healthy foods too. Which I don't normally do or I don't eat them. I'm going to start mealtime portion control too.

I haven't tried keto diet, since I like carbs. I'd rather count calories or do portion control.

It's stress/emotional eating and my sweets addiction. Leo says in the videos that you stop craving the junk food after awhile and I know that's true, because I have done really well before, but after a bit fell off the wagon.

You sound healthy. That's great. Thanks for the response.?

[Dlavjr]

Intermittent fasting has been doing me wonders so far, it's just a matter about staying strict and consistent. Also, one weird little trick I've learned to keep me from overeating is after every meal, I chew gum. If you keep doing this, and be sure not to eat again for 3-4 hours, eventually your brain will register the gum as a sort of "end of meal" ritual, and once you start chewing it you're no longer hungry. I'm not sure if it's a permanent fix, but it's worth it for me. Little rituals are great to kinda reprogram your brain.

Definitely meal prep though, or at least plan out your meals in advance, just to ensure that you stick to your portions. When I first started intermittent fasting, by the time 12pm rolled around and it was time to eat my eyes were 3x the size of my stomach, and I'd make an excessive amount of food. Granted I wouldn't eat again till 7, but I wouldn't recommend that route. Even if you choose not to fast, meal prepping/planning is a must. 

[Ananta]

18 minutes ago, Dlavjr said:

Intermittent fasting has been doing me wonders so far, it's just a matter about staying strict and consistent.

Well, I don't eat breakfast usually. So, if I stop snacking (except veggies), then I'll just have 2 meals a day. Is that what you do, skip breakfast?

Interesting about the gum trick. Thanks for letting me know. For lunch I have been eating a "lean cuisine" at work and they are pretty low calorie.

So, my struggle lately, other then those damn holiday parties, has been if someone brings donuts and other garbage to work or eating junk/over eating at home.

I usually know what I'm making for dinner the next day or am going out to eat. I'll have to start choosing healthy dinners when I go out and maybe eating only half.

Thanks!

[Dlavjr]

2 minutes ago, Anna1 said:

Well, I don't eat breakfast usually. So, if I stop snacking (except veggies), then I'll just have 2 meals a day. Is that what you do, skip breakfast?

Interesting about the gum trick. Thanks for letting me know. For lunch I have been eating a "lean cuisine" at work and they are pretty low calorie.

So, my struggle lately, other then those damn holiday parties, has been if someone brings donuts and other garbage to work or eating junk/over eating at home.

I usually know what I'm making for dinner the next day or am going out to eat. I'll have to start choosing healthy dinners when I go out and maybe eating only half.

Thanks!

Intermittent fasting is just a 16:8 split. Fast for 16 hours, eat for 8. You can also do 18:6 but that's harder. But you can choose your window. I eat from 12-8 cause I'm usually up pretty late and the hungrier I am the harder it is to sleep, though that problem is starting to go away. But if it works better for you to do like 9-5 or 10-6 you can. 

Turning down tempting food offers is just learned discipline, there's no real trick that I've found for it, but whenever I start heavily craving something I just drink some water or unsweetened tea and keep busy. There's no real harm in indulging here and there so long as you're confident that it won't throw you completely off track, usually on the main holidays I stop worrying about diet and just enjoy myself. 

Don't put too much fixation on weight loss or anything, just learn to love eating healthy and listening to your body and the rest will follow. Nowadays even when I do binge, the aftermath is so horrendous that I just sit in regret and want nothing else but to get back on track. When you primarily eat healthy, the difference in how you feel when you indulge in a donut is much more prominent, and sometimes that's enough to keep you away. 

Also, a great trip I learned about going out to eat is to ask for a to-go box right when you get your meal. Put half of it in the box and don't touch it, keeps you from the temptation to finish the whole plate. 

[Ananta]

On 2/8/2020 at 6:26 PM, Dlavjr said:

Intermittent fasting is just a 16:8 split.

Hmm, I eat dinner at 6p and eat again  at 1130a-12p, so thats perfect. Can you eat low cal veggies ( like 1/2 tomato or cucumber) once in that time period? Or should you not eat at all?

Thank for all the tips.? I heard of the to go container one before, but never did it. 

[Dlavjr]

20 minutes ago, Anna1 said:

Hmm, I eat dinner at 6p and eat again  at 1130a-12p, do thats perfect. Can you eat low cal veggies ( like 1/2 tomato or cucumber) once in that time period? Or should you not eat at all?

Thank for all the tips.? I heard of the to go container one before, but never did it. 

It depends on how strict you want to be with fasting, but ideally you want to not be consuming calories at all. Even "zero calorie" drinks I try to avoid, because things like sugar alcohol can break a fast. I usually stick to black tea or black coffee, and I drink a lot of water during my fasting periods. But again it depends on your goals and how serious you are about it. 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-breaks-a-fast#supplements

Certain things will break a fast but not ketosis, so if you wanted to combine the two (which I've heard that keto and IF go hand in hand, I myself have never done keto) then you can just focus on the keto aspect. If it's better for you, you can always start by only fasting during the weekdays, just to get used to it, and then focus on calorie counting on weekends. You're better off easing into it and finding success over time then diving headfirst and failing. 

[Ananta]

@Dlavjr I'm starting my fast tonight! Ate dinner at 5p and won't eat until 10 or 11a tomorrow. No snacks.

I'm on the fence about the diet coke. Aspartame doesn't have sugar alcohols from what I read and a lot (not all) info online is saying aspartame doesn't spike insulin. See how I want to hang onto my diet soda?

If after a bit I'm not losing, then I'll cut it out.

Thanks again!

[Ananta]

@Keyhole ❤ Thanks!

Since I missed my night snack and had a portioned controlled dinner I have a headache now. ? 

Thanks for the tips!

[Ananta]

9 hours ago, Keyhole said:

@Anna1 You're welcome!
Is the headache from lack of food?

Yes, or it was completely psychological, lol. ?

[Calcifer]

@Anna1 Also one very helpful trick is to observe the patterns that appear when you feel the urge to snack.

Are you snacking because of compulsion or are you snacking because you need more energy.

If you answer the question with the ladder, then go ahead and think about What are the things that I want to eat right now? Carbs ? Fats? Protein? some other nutrients? --> Then you further investigate by slowly shifting your thoughts to different foods while you are observing your appetite.

This works really wonders in my experience. Instead of eating some snacks because my body just needs some fat, I grap my coconut oil jar and take a spoon-ful. And wallah the craving is gone!

If you continue this for a longer period then you have rewired your thoughts in such a way that you don´t feel the need to snack anymore. I´ve been snack-free for almost 2 years and I´m not planning to break the chain

[Ananta]

1 hour ago, Calcifer said:

I´ve been snack-free for almost 2 years and I´m not planning to break the chain

Wow! Awesome, thanks for the tip. ?

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

A great fat burning strategy to start the day

Strike/Stroll/Shiver

1. Strike: black coffee or some form of caffeine in a moderate amount to mobilize fatty acids (cant have any calories to break fast) this is optional but does increase fasting metabolism 

2. Stroll- Go on a walk or engage in a mild to moderate intensity of exercise for around 20-30 mins or so

3. Shiver- cold shower, 2-5 minutes with deep breathing to activate parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) and improve circulation. 
 

Then you can break your fast with a high protein/fat meal, basically no high amounts of fast digesting carbs to prevent energy crashes. This should all be within your daily 12 or so hour fasting window for gut health.

This is a great strategy to improve cognitive performance throughout the day with a slow and steady energy. Hope people can benefit from this.

 

[Ananta]

1 hour ago, TrynaBeTurquoise said:

Shiver- cold shower, 2-5 minutes with deep breathing

You trying to kill me!?

But, seriously, thanks for the tips, however I'm not a morning person. I'm lucky I make it to work.

[LfcCharlie4]

@TrynaBeTurquoise A fellow Ben Greenfield fan I see  top advice. The 10 Second Hot, 20 Second cold for 10 rounds will really help you, ideally 2x a day if possible. You could also try Sauanas which activate heat shock proteins and have amazing healthy benefits on top of weightloss. 

@Anna1 I LOVE fasting, but Women have to take special precautions when fasting compared to men due to hormones and fertility reasons, closer to 12 hours is usually ideal for Women. 

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/nutrition-articles/benefits-of-fasting/

I believe, if you're <18% Body Fat as a women you should aim for closer to 12 hours, and I'd say only water, Black coffee or tea while fasting. 

In terms of exercise you don't actually need to kill yourself in the Gym everyday, instead you can incorporate 'low level physical activity' and make the gym an option. This is basically things like Burpees, Jumping Jacks, Star Jumps, Light Cycling on stationary bikes etc etc every 25-30 mins, or at least a walk around the office. The Pomodoro technique can help with this. 

Then, you can also add Tabata sets once a day which are 4 minutes of intense activity, I'll link a video. Studies show they are as impactful as 30 minutes of steady state cardio for fat loss. 

 

The idea is to make this a lifestyle, not a chore, doing stuff you hate will eventually lead to a backlash, so ideally find exercise you enjoy, healthy food you can eat regularly and incorporate low-level activity into your daily routine. Sounds stupid but small things like running on the spot every time the kettle boils can really help. 

Finally, you mentioned about portion control and eating too many sweets. The best idea is to of course not buy them, but in terms of portion control, the easiest thing to do is use smaller plates and smaller spoons. 

Say you're eating oatmeal use a smaller bowl and a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon, sounds silly but multiple studies have shown people eat less when they do this, even PT's and nutritional scientists, etc, a simple trick to hack the mind. 

Sorry if that's too much info in one go, but remember the journey is the fun part when you make it a lifestyle it's amazing fun  

 

 

 

[Michael569]

23 minutes ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

I LOVE fasting, but Women have to take special precautions when fasting compared to men due to hormones and fertility reasons, closer to 12 hours is usually ideal for Women. 

Well said ! Women are not supposed to intermittent fast too often, or at least not skip breakfast, it wrecks their hormones. Skipping breakfast puts you into cortisol overdrive. Cortisol steals progesterone because they share the same production pathway and over time hormonal problems as well as reproductive problems may develop. 

Regular consumption of 3 balanced meals with dinner being the smallest + daily activity including 15,000 steps is the way to weigh loss. IF is a fancy short-sighted strategy that never works long term and can cause more harm than good. 

[LfcCharlie4]

@Michael569 Exactly, Women have to take special precautions, however, disagree with the latter comments, a 12-16 hour daily fast for the majority of people is pretty effortless and makes weight loss easy. But, as you said needs to be regulated, people often think oh let's fast longer and longer etc and do it unregulated which can cause issues. It's also not meant to be a starvation tactic, you should still eat a healthy amount of calories and get all the nutrients we require. 

Also, if you're talking about OMAD, ADF, 5:2 etc I agree, but I feel a 12-16 hour daily fast is the easiest way to implement and get the benefits of fasting and is incredibly effective. 

While fat loss can be boiled down to move more and eat less, it isn't always as simple as that. 

As you said Cortisol (stress) is a big factor, as are hormones, inflammation, Glycemic variability, Sleep, Toxins and Chemicals, intolerances, deficiencies, thyroid etc. 

However, this is often overwhelming for beginners, but if someone isn't losing weight it isn't always as simple as reducing calories further and increasing exercise (chronic cardio 1+ hour daily can actually inhibit weight loss studies have shown) and it's annoying to see people just think obese people can't lose weight because they aren't trying hard enough. That sort of lifestyle has other detrimental effects that need to be addressed, which many don't begin to address. 

Like you said it's about making fat loss as easy and manageable as possible, and turning yourself into a fat burning machine but making this an effortless lifestyle to maintain. 

a 24 hour daily fast and hour of cardio a day is near impossible to maintain, as are starvation diets and ridiculous regimes, hence the yo-yo diets we see in the world, even in bodybuilding with the exaggerated Bulk/ Cut cycles. 

[Michael569]

@LfcCharlie4 I agree that most people will get very good weight loss results with IF because there is only so much calories you can cram in the eating window, it is simple reduction of caloric intake which is the number one goal of weight loss, can't disagree on that.  But is it an efficient long-term strategy? Will you do IF for the rest of your life to sustain the weight loss? What happens once you stop and get back to regular eating. We've seen patients in the clinic who did exactly this...weight came back and along with it anxieties of weight gain so they went back which only created vicious cycle and eating disorder, suggesting breakfast to these people was met with same reaction as if I said "I would like you to eat a bowl of dog-poo every morning"> 

Beginners first of all need to learn how to eat properly, what foods to eat in abundance and what foods only occasionally. Orthorexia and eating disorders are more rampant than ever these days. People are completely scared of carbohydrates and fats so they end up relying on protein for their nutrients eating chicken and vegetables. Even fruit is the new boogeyman. Restricted eating starves microbiome, it sends starvation signals to the body, stimulating the production of Reverse T3 in Thyroid which just slows everything down. Once someone who has been on IF for a while gets back on regular eating the weight starts adding up...the body is constantly trying to avoid a period of starvation and when there is a risk, it will pack every calory it can. Only by regular eating is your metabolism receiving the signal that food is abundant and that weight does not need to be packed and stored around the abdomen. 

Occasional fasting such as once a week is great to allow your digestive organs to enter autophagy, mop up cellular debris, repair damaged DNA and save some energy to put where it needs to go. I'm not gonna argue about the incredible benefits of not eating, there is the place for that when healing your stomach, healing ulcers, intestinal inflammation, in cancer and other disease but the fast should be an occasional thing rather than the daily pattern. 

I am open to being wrong of course. Tried the IF, tried 24-hour fasting. Personally, regular eating works the best for me and that is how I've achieved greatest weightloss years ago. Regular meals with slightly reduced portions and regular exercise. We are all the same of course and genetics play a role as does the environment and cultural eating patterns. 

Btw I agree that prolonged cardio such as 1h on a treadmill can be very detrimental. You want to build lean muscle mass which is metabolically highly active and burns shitload of energy. HIIT is great metabolic shock as well to induce progress in weight loss where weightloss was stuck but should not be done too fast because it produces too many free radical byproducts which taxes kidneys. 

Edited February 10, 2020 by Michael569

[LfcCharlie4]

@Michael569  I completely agree with most of what you said, fasting isn't for everyone, especially those with eating disorders as you mentioned, and yes, many are simply scared of healthy Carbs and Fats, I agree Fasting isn't a magic pill to weight loss. 

The issue with books such as 'don't deny' delay' is that it keeps up the old unhealthy eating habits of processed garbage. The most important part of someone's journey is implementing healthy eating and weight loss habits, not Biggest Loser kind of extreme dieting that causes yo-yo effects. 

And, yeah, people often do eat less when fasting, but to me it's not about that, if you're trying to lose weight, of course, eat SLIGHTLY under maintenance levels, but not ridiculously low like many programmes have people do, like you said it has to become sustainable and part of one's lifestyle. I do a 16/8 fast 90% of the time, but this varies between a 12-16 hour fast depending on what I'm doing, and often when I go out with my friends drinking I only wait 12 hours to eat sunday morning. I feel this is something I can effortlessly keep up with for the rest of my life, easily. I don't think I'd be able to sustain any of the other methods such as ADF, 5:2, Eat-Fast-Eat etc, to me they can help some but for most aren't sustainable. 

When trying to gain muscle I still eat 3 meals in the allotted 8 hours, I'm currently on a slight fat loss, so only eat 2 meals but fairly large meals and focus on getting all my nutrients etc. 

I see your concerns and they are certainly merited, especially with typical fasting diets. In regards to metabolism as you said no increase has been shown in having more than 3 meals a day, it's one of those bodybuilding myths in my eyes/ 

But you've done the right thing, you've found what works for you, and that's the overall goal, finding what works for you as an individual. Most proponents of fasting will say just that, it isn't for everyone, Dr. Fung makes this clear, as does Ben etc. It certainly works for me, and has made this cut effortless, to me it is also more sustainable in terms of longevity than just normal calorie restriction. But, yes many use fasting as an excuse to further restrict calories. 

I also completed my first 24 hour fast yesterday, and it was tough not gonna lie, that was more for the benefits you listed and I think I will complete one monthly, I won't be doing extended 3-5 day fasts as I'm a relatively lean and active individual so doesn't fit my lifestyle. These also require MUCH more protocol and often the help of a professional. But, I agree, many misuse this tool!

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/nutrition-articles/benefits-of-fasting/

Long Copy and paste from an article here: 

WHO SHOULD PROCEED WITH CAUTION

There are several populations who should take caution and only fast under the direct supervision of their physician:

People with gout: Gout is the result of a chronic build-up of uric acid. During fasting periods, the elimination of uric acid through urine decreases, which leads to increased levels in the body. Fasting has not been shown to cause gout, but those with a preexisting condition should take extra precautions when beginning fasting.

People taking prescription medications: Certain medications are only to be taken with food, so people taking these medications need to plan their fasting schedules accordingly. It is possible to work medications into your fasting pattern, depending on what kind of fasting regimen you choose and how often you need to take medications. This is especially true for those with diabetes and other blood sugar regulation issues who are at an increased risk for hypoglycemia.

Extremely lean individuals: Very lean individuals (men under 10% body fat and women under 18% body fat) are at an increased risk for hormonal imbalances as a result of calorie restriction. These individuals also don’t have as much energy to burn, which puts more strain on their bodies during fasting.

Diabetics (Type 1 or 2): People with diabetes run the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, a complication that occurs when the body can’t produce enough insulin. When the body doesn’t have enough insulin during the fasting periods, diabetics run the risk of over producing ketones, which could potentially damage the kidneys and cause swelling in the brain.

WHO SHOULD NOT FAST

Though fasting is a great practice, it’s ultimately a tool, and no tool is right for every situation. There are several populations who may not benefit from fasting, including:

People with a history of eating disorders

People who are malnourished and/or underweight (BMI < 18.5)

Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Those with sub-clinical hypothyroidism

Children under the age of 18

Those dealing with HPA Axis Dysregulation

People who have recently undergone surgery

People with mental health conditions

People with conditions for which Warfarin is prescribed

Caution: Fasting For Women

While there is not a lot of solid scientific evidence to support exactly how women respond to fasting, we do know the female body is more sensitive to caloric restriction than male physiology. When done improperly or excessively, fasting may result in irregular menstrual cycles, hormone imbalances, and blood sugar dysregulation.

That doesn’t mean that women shouldn’t fast at all – they just may need to fast differently or take extra precautions. Women should consider shorter fasting periods of 12-14 hours, or fast less frequently such as 2-3x/week. Females should also take extra care to ensure they meet their macro- and micro-nutrient needs during their feeding windows.

 

I think that covers a lot of your issues with fasting and like I said it isn't for everyone and isn't a miracle cure, more an extra tool to help turn your body into a fat-burning machine