Intermittent Fasting: Eating in an Eight Hour Daily Window

Eating in an Eight Hour Daily Window

• Begin to Progressively Delay Eating First Meal Until 10 AM to Noon 
• May Have Coffee, Tea and Water and Milk--No More Than a Total of 50 Calories
• Exercise Prior to Eating (But Not More Than 30 Minutes Prior to Eating)
• Avoid Any Psychological Temptation to Eat More During First Meal
• Eat Three Meals (Limit Carbohydrates to 30--60 G Per Meal--Daily 110--200 G)
• Two Small Snacks only if Hungry (Veggies, Nuts, Yogurt, Nut Butters & Fruit)
• Drink at Least Eight Glasses of Water During the Day
• Eat Dinner Six to Eight Hours After the First Meal
• Alter to Fit Your Body Needs and Lifestyle (Any Time Reduction May Help)
• Adapt for Social Reasons with No Guilt (Having Fun with Family and Friends is Important---This is Only One Tool in a Big Bag of Tricks to Burn Fat)
• Challenge Yourself and Do These Suggested Tips for Two Weeks (Did Your Ability to Burn Fat and Lose Weight Improve?)
•  If Yes, Begin to Incorporate as an Eating Lifestyle

Now that you have begun to implement the initial information of, Veggie HIIT Adventure: A Path to Weight Loss and Healthy Eating, or might be experiencing a plateau in your weight loss, perhaps you are up for an additional adventure challenge to assist with weight loss?  If so let's explore the principles of intermittent fasting. Let's go!

There are a variety of different types and techniques of intermittent fasting. This article lists five  popular methods:  http://dailyburn.com/life/health/intermittent-fasting-methods/  Striving to reduce the daily eating window to an eight hour period is one that seems to be the most popular and easiest to follow for most people. It was for me. The list above are the intermittent fasting principles I follow and have done so for the past 17 months, during my 52 pound weight loss.

Here's a few suggestions for getting started, which I found were not difficult to integrate into my retired lifestyle. Gradually each day delay eating your first meal by a half hour until you have been up in the morning 3-5 hours (usually somewhere around 10 am to noon) before your first meal. Enjoy morning coffee, tea and water prior to your meal. Milk or a creamer can be added as long as the calories don't exceed 50 calories during the intermittent fast. My first meal frequently still is composed of "traditional" breakfast foods, such as eggs but also with at least half of my meal being vegetables. Is my weight loss due to intermittent fasting?  It is hard to say for sure--as I've implemented a lot of lifestyle changes that have contributed to this weight loss--but what I can say with certainty is I'm eating less food.  And likely due to my first meal being around 11:00 am while I strive to stop eating at 7 or 8 pm dependent on family needs.

If you work in the mornings, you likely will need to alter these principles to your current lifestyle situation. For example, consider making a smoothie or preparing other food to take with you to eat, either at work, on the road, or during other activities, sometime around 10-11 am perhaps during a coffee/water break time.

I recommend adapting your eating schedule for social reasons, as your emotional and mental health are also important and are primarily fed through social relationships. Personally, I don't think it is healthy to be rigid about intermittent fasting or for that matter anything--except creating and maintaining strong relationships with people who matter to us. Strong relationships are important to our emotional and mental health so be cautious not to allow intermittent fasting to interfere with sharing time or a meal with people who are important to you.

Since intermittent fasting currently is one of the buzz concepts for weight loss, one can easily find internet information. I have included some of the sites and articles I have found useful in  providing information and may increase your understanding on the concept of intermittent fasting.

The graphic below is taken from Dr. Mercola's website which clearly outlines the major principles of this technique. While the principles of intermittent fasting as he describes them are fairly universally accepted, know that much of his advice on other medical topics is highly controversial and suspect. They should be carefully reviewed bearing this in mind prior to implementing them.  Additionally, I am always suspect of health websites like Dr. Mercola's where the content supports sale of various products.  I do not believe you need to buy any supplement or expensive protein drink from anyone's website, as local retailers such as Costco have "Muscle Milk Protein", which is a fine protein shake mix or an addition to your smoothie for an economical price. Link: www.mercola.com/infographics/intermittent-fasting.htm 

Another source on intermittent fasting http://lifehacker.com/what-ive-learned-from-2-years-of-intermittent-fasting-1458916019 , which also provide a link to an audio podcast may be helpful, especially for auditory learners.

So in summary, if you have mastered the major concepts of Veggie HIIT Adventure: A Path to Weight Loss and Healthy Eating, or if you have plateau in your weight loss, try the additional adventure challenge of intermittent fasting.  I think you'll find like many others have, it isn't hard to delay your first meal and might just be the eating technique that jump starts further weight loss.

Become a "Veggie HIIT Adventurers" Groupie

Photo by Sara Chapman used with permission from web site LoveThatImage.com

I am inviting you to join an on-line support group entitled, "Veggie-HIIT Adventurers" which I have created through the on-line program MyFitnessPal.  This commitment will just be a 3-week push. For you, hopefully the three weeks will give you a sense of what this exercise-nutrition (not diet) program is and how it might work for you.

For me, its a chance to refocus, with support from an on-line group.  I don't know about you but at times I find myself stalled out on achieving my goals, and would enjoy your support.  So please consider joining me---for whatever your reason might be, whether it is to benefit from group support and accountability or for another reason.

Here's my proposal:

1) Sign up through MyFitnessPal (no cost).  Its a easy tool to track what we eat and how much we exercise, and its also a social tool so we can support each others' efforts.  Its simple - create a profile, then click on 'Community' then on "Group" then search for Veggie-HIIT Adventurers ... and join that group.

2) Let's commit to start following the principles of the Veggie-HIIT Adventure on Feb 7th and go until Feb 29th.  I provided a quick summary of the principles in the group description if you need an easy reference.

3) Just sign in to MyFitnessPal everyday and record your food intake and your exercise.  I created and entered (HIIT) high intensity interval training workout as a regular exercise.  In addition I entered the system's "aerobics, low-impact"as about half the time I do this type of exercise.  You can create or select your exercise choices.  And, MyFitnessPal provides you with an assessment of your carb intake as well as other nutritional info on the foods you eat, so you don't have to figure out a way to calculate all of that.

4) And let's support each other in seeing how much progress we can make in three weeks.  Maybe these three weeks of support is just what we need to see some initial results and get fully committed to a new course. The cool thing is we can provide affirmations to one another, share ideas, struggles and delicious vegetable recipes.  I will try to answer questions, concerns or comments as my time allows.  But the system allows all of us to become cheerleaders to each other-----and of course the hope is all of us will be more accountable to sticking with the choice to eat healthy, than if we slogged the course alone. We all have heard and likely always knew we need to eat more vegetables for our health------but now is the time for a sustainable lifestyle change!  

Let's Go Veggie HITT Adventurers!  We Can Do This!

HIIT Tips for Beginners

 HIIT Tips to Lose Weight 

• Target Heart Rate 50%-- 70% of maximium
• Move & Modify-- to Obtain Target Heart Rate 
• Follow the Low to Moderate HIIT Routine Options
• Prevent Injuries--No Jumping Twists to Joints
• Knee Bends or Squats are in Line with Toes--and Knees Should Never Go Over Your Toes
• Change HIIT Exercises Daily to Work All Muscles
• For Low Impact to Lower Extremities Add 2 to 3 lb. Hand-weights to Obtain 50%-70% of THR
  
• Five to Six Days a Week 
• 20 to 40 Minute HIIT Routines either 1--2 times a day
• Exercise for 20 Minutes Before Breakfast
• Exercise for 20 Minutes Before Evening Meal  
• Listen to Your Body-Drop the "No Pain No Gain" 

Let's go through the above key tips.  The last blog post discussed the importance of determining your target heart range according to your age and the desired exercise intensity level.  I recommend reviewing it, as it is of utmost importance. We all have heard of people who have suffered a heart attack while exercising.  Use the "conversation guideline" (ability to converse while exercising) to assist in determining your intensity level. If you are in doubt about your ability, prior to exercise it is always a good idea to consult your doctor.

I started out adapting or following the low intensity level, and after about eight weeks time gradually progressed to the moderate intensity level of 70% of my target heart rate. Once again if you are older, out of shape and overweight, I think you will be surprised how easy it is to achieve your target heart range. I did HIIT 5 to 6 days a week as my primary goal was weight loss. The below image has some typical HIIT exercises:
 

Source:  HIITACADEMY.COM@HIITACADEMY

When I first started doing HIIT, I joined a fitness center and went to group classes. I lost 15 pounds in six weeks of doing HIIT and following the dietary guideline of 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrate per meal.  For men, or people in the 20 to 45 age group, or an active lifestyle the carbohydrates likely would be more in the 45 to 60 gram range--if they are trying to lose weight.This was not as difficult as I had first thought it might be, as I had control of my time and meal preparation. On week seven, I had a two week trip coming up and I was anxious, as my access to a fitness center would be limited.  I was determined to keep this weight loss permanent!

What to do to make this goal a reality?  I did an internet search and purchased some DVD's with HIIT routines to take with me when traveling. Wow! I was impressed with the quality and the trainers on the DVD's. I recommend, if you choose to buy some, to determine if an instructor models low/moderate and not just high intensity level exercises.  Of course you can always modify any exercise demonstrated, but it is easier when you have a person to follow who is doing the lower intensity level.  What I discovered was at a fitness center the instructors always modeled the high intensity rate, and as a beginner it was challenging to adapt the exercise to low intensity. The instructors on the DVD did a better job of explaining and role modeling than instructors at a fitness center.  Some DVD's I still use once a week are:

• Women's Health Ultimate Fat Burn: Amy Dixon (intensities low, moderate and high)
• Burstfit Fire:  Dr. Josh Axe and Chelsea Axe (intensities of low, moderate and high)
• High Intensity Interval Training (5 complete 10-minute workouts):  Lisa Kinder
• After-Burn Low Impact Series: www.cathe.com

One could engage a personal trainer---but this is expensive for the average person, who may be struggling to just pay for the use of the fitness center.  I think more fitness centers need to include group instructive classes for HIIT beginners who desire to lose weight.

To prevent injuries listen to the instructions given by the instructors on the proper techniques to do the exercises.  Also, remember while we are trying to experience a "muscle burn" sensation with HIIT, this is different from experiencing pain. Our bodies are informing us to alter our activity when pain occurs. Learn to listen to your body as your primary guide for an activity level.  Some primary injury prevention guidelines are: 

1. Bending your knees or squats: Keep knees in alignment with your toes---never extend them over your toes. 
2. Keep good body alignment posture:  For upright exercises imagine that the top your head has a string, which is attached the ceiling.  
3. Avoid jump twists and quick pivots---may be okay for younger and conditioned people 

I learned the hard way. I injured my knee tendons doing a jumping twist, which took three months to heal.  Bummer! I urge you to be careful on jumping pivots that can twist your knee, especially if you are over 40, and perhaps just avoid doing them. Because of this injury I began to do low-impact HIIT, until my knee tendons healed. I discovered with the addition of 2 or 3 lb. hand-weights and complimentary arm exercises my heart rate was in the desired intensity level just doing high knees, toe taps and toe raises. An additional benefit of using hand-weights was that my arm, shoulder and back muscles were strengthened and toned. The arm flab began to diminish. Another way to raise your heart level, if necessary but likely will not be if you are overweight, is to wear a weighted vest during low impact exercises.  

Currently, even though my knee is healed and I don't have any current joint issues, approximately half to one third of my HIIT exercises are low-impact.  I choose this method because, as a sixty year old woman who is doing HIIT five to six times a week and a desire to continue doing HIIT for decades, I want to preserve, protect and prevent any joint problems.

Source:  twitter.com/ohStarz

If desired try these low impact exercises:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlsGj8v6hPs
Or when injured and need low impact:       https://www.pinterest.com/pin/5981411979920768/

The research states:
HIIT  raises metabolic rates better than most other types of exercises. 

Some authorities state doing exercise prior to breakfast boosts our metabolic rate. Other sources state the time of day doesn't matter, as all exercise will boost metabolic rates and thus burn more calories. As a rule I exercise for 20 to 30 minutes prior to eating breakfast. Not sure if this contributed to my weight loss--but it did discipline exercise--and stopped my past problematic behavior---of never quite getting around to actually exercising. The no food rule until after morning exercise did create an incentive.  

The first seven months, in hopes of re-booting my metabolic rate I did an additional HIIT DVD for 20 minutes, in the late afternoon prior to dinner.
For information on metabolic rates:
http://www.bupa.com.au/health-and-wellness/health-information/az-health-information/exercise-and-metabolism 
I believe the delay of eating breakfast until 10 or 11 am is a factor in weight loss success.  I will discuss the benefits of "short time window" for food intake in the next post.