Long term calorie reduction, whether it’s eliminating carbohydrates (Keto) or whatever doesn’t work. Why? Because when your body detects a calorie reduction from what it has gotten used to, it does two things: crank-up the hunger hormones so you crave food, and then it dials-back your metabolism just in case there is a famine coming. Your basic metabolism is about 2/3rds of the calories you burn every day. I’ve written about this before. Your body does this regardless of whether or not you’re getting too many calories. It doesn’t know better. It’s the ultimate hoarder.
In order to beat this system, you have to be fast! (See what I did there?) Intermittently fast. Our bodies pretty much ignore missing a meal or two, or even days without eating. It uses the time to start digesting junk that”s been laying around. (True story — it’s called autophagy). So yes, the best way to reduce caloric intake is, surprise! Just don’t eat. Not eating is actually easier than eating just a little, as this amazing video from “What I’ve Learned” explains:
Flavors of No Flavors
Intermittent fasting as it’s practiced, comes several numeric short-hands: 16/8 is also called using a “feeding window” of 8 hours, and taking no food during 16 hours. That gives your blood insulin level time to drop so that your body can use fat for fuel. Your pancreas pumps out insulin every time you eat, and goes into overdrive when you eat sugary or starchy foods. When insulin is around, fat stays locked up. Since 8 of those 16 hours are in bed (or should be) its pretty easy to only eat, say, from 11am to 7pm. Just skip “the most important meal of the day” (insert eye-roll emoji.)
Congratulations, you’ve just cut 25-30% of your caloric intake with hardly any downsides.
Better yet is the 5/2. Pick two days a week, and just don’t eat. Water, black tea or coffee. Maybe a multivitamin, and a bit of salt (part of hunger is craving salt). A full 24 hours really gives your body time to re-arrange. You’ll get hungry during your usual meal times, but just wait it out an it goes away. Congrats, you’ve just cut your caloric intake by 40%, and your body didn’t have time to lower your metabolism. As a matter of fact, the body thinks you need energy to go find food, so your metabolism and growth hormones crank up a bit for your hunting and gathering.
Getting Real About Weight Loss
The grandaddy of intermittent fasting is ADF, or alternate day fasting. Just skip eating every other day. The most inspirational video I’ve seen for this method is Rachel Sharp. She’s not selling anything, just talking about how nothing else worked for losing weight for her, until she did ADF. BTW, someone reading this might be horrified, thinking this is extreme or unhealthy. Quite the opposite. Humans a clearly not designed for a continual intake of food, and it’s making us sick and fat. Having said that, you shouldn’t fast if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or have a history of severe eating disorders. I’m not a doctor, as I say in my disclaimer.
I must add for your reading pleasure, “Top Ten Fasting Myths Debunked” on the LeanGains blog by the absolute King, Martin Berkhan. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Most of our evolution was spent somewhat food-insecure. At the mercy of Nature, it was never certain where your next meal would come from. So our bodies are well adapted to missing meals — or days — without food. What we are NOT adapted for is a continual stream of tasty non-nutritious food, high insulin levels and low activity.
Crunch Your Movement and Dieting Time
There you have it! Two ways of getting big healthy hits in less time. I don’t want to hear, “But I don’t have time to get healthy!” You have time for a shower every day, so you have time to walk, then trot up a hill a few times. “But I don’t want to count my calories.” Then just count to zero a few hours or better yet, days per week. You can count to zero, can’t you?
Go back and read “Short Attention-Span Health, (Part One)” if you haven’t already.
Changing habits like, oh, not eating every few hours, isn’t easy without help. Any habit change, even less intense than this, can be hard. A coach can help you find and glow-up your motivation, and help you keep accountable to yourself. Why not schedule a FREE Discovery Consult and begin to explore just what is possible for you.