Step 1: Understand How the Body Wants to Burn Stored Energy
The body-fat is the body’s emergency plan for when the food runs out. It’s like a battery backup. To the body this is a precious resource. It will never waste it. It will always run on food while it’s available.
This is the power of fasting. It gives the body space and allows it to activate its natural, hard-wired fat-burning pathways. It’s like a switch.
Every time you eat you reset the system back in food burning mode. It takes 12 hours without eating to flip the switch back to fasting mode and start running off the reserve energy.
Step 2: Adopt a Routine That Activates Your Fasting Metabolism
Level 1 is 2 meals/day within 6-8 hours.
* Water = Water, Coffee (Black), Tea, Sparkling Water.
** These are flexible concepts. You decide the exact schedule that fits your life.
*** If you have to have a snack try to put it in the eating window.
Step 3: Fill Your Meals with Healthy Unprocessed Foods
These menus present aggressive low-carb options. You can adjust the menu to suit your tastes and expand healthy carbohydrates depending on your goals. If you are having trouble losing weight you can try adhering to this sort of regimen more closely. See the recommended foods page for details.
If you are pursuing a level 1 practice of two low-carb meals within 6 hours and you are not achieving your goals the next step is to advance the fasting level to one meal per day and/or consider higher level fasting. I outline this on the plans page.
I believe anyone can lose weight without exercise. That said, exercise is extremely healthy and once the diet is in the right place a measured approach to fasted exercise can certainly aid in weight loss efforts.
Tips:
- If you are feeling hungry in the fasted interval try drinking a big glass of water and waiting 10 min.
- Hunger comes in waves. Find a pleasant distraction, read a book, take a walk etc and it will pass.
- Most people find it takes 2-3 weeks to adjust to a new dietary pattern. It can get easier!
- Don’t stress! If you’re not up for this plan today take a pass. There is always another day to try.
- This page also exists as a printable PDF Document.