Intermittent Fasting...What's All the Fuss About???

If you’ve either trained, or spent any significant time talking "exercise", with me in the past 3 months the subject of "intermittent fasting" has undoubtedly been discussed. Lately, "IF" has been mentioned on the Internet as a "trend", implying that it is in some way new. It isn’t. Fasting, intermittently and otherwise, has been around since our ancestors hunted and gathered their food. Certainly, there were times for them when food was either not available, or wasn’t plentiful enough, for everyone to "get their share".

WHAT IS IT?

Dictionary.com defines a "fast" as "an abstinence from food". This implies a myriad of scenarios. A fast may be hours or days, or even weeks. It just depends upon the goal, and the motivation for initiating the fast.

A friend of mine, who’s a personal trainer in Seattle, told me about his success using daily fasting to drop body fat without compromising lean body mass. He shared some of the documentation that he’s written regarding food choices and "lifting" guidelines depending upon whether that exercise takes place in a fasted, or non-fasted state.

I’ve expanded on that a little. Based upon my reading there’s not an appreciable difference in the results obtained by fasting daily vs. fasting every other day. So, my implementation was to fast every other day, consuming nearly zero calories until I’d been up at least 5 hours.

POSSIBLE POSITIVE EFFECTS:
(I use the word "possible" regarding the positives of IF. Although research continues to bear these effects out it is not yet definitive!)

• Reduced blood pressure
• Reduced systemic inflammation
• Increased insulin sensitivity
• Increased growth hormone secretion
• Increased fat burning capability
• Increased longevity

WHAT IT'S LIKE:
Because there are so many fasting protocols, and so many theories being bandied about these days, I’ll stick to what I’ve learned from my own research and experience.

By fasting every other day, during the first 5-6 hours after rising, for most of the 3 months from August ‘til November I’ve dropped my body fat about 3.5% while maintaining nearly all of my muscle and losing none of my strength. I’m also at a weight that my scale hasn’t seen since 1994! (…and yes, I’ve kept records since ’94 and prior…please keep your comments to yourself!) In short, intermittent fasting is the most effective, efficient fat loss protocol I’ve ever used!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all a picnic! No food until at least noon on fasting days is tough, especially at the beginning. There’s brain fog, stomach rumbling, and sometimes a general bitchiness that doesn’t go away until you consume that first meal of the day. This sort of nutritional plan takes some getting used to. Once adapted, "some" people find that they have more energy and get more done during their fasting hours than during the rest of the day. Other people, (like me), just focus on the goal and endure!

The bottom line: Intermittent fasting is not for everyone, and doesn’t lend itself well to every goal. The nutritional guidelines are strict, and it requires a customized training program to get the best results. However, it seems to work especially well for eliminating plateaus, getting rid of that last few pounds, and perhaps getting you into some "skinny jeans" to go with those knee-high boots you’ve been coveting!

Let me know if you’d like to discuss intermittent fasting as a way to reach your body composition goals, and we’ll figure out if it may be right for you.

I WORK OUT, NOW WHAT ?

Ok, so we all "know" that we "should" go to the gym and work out. We know about healthy bones, healthy blood, looking good, and all that "stuff". But it’s a lot of time to spend, week after week! I’m sure that on occasion you may ask yourself, "Is this all there is?!" The answer is HECK NO! We need to make this "gym time" about more than the lifting, and the sweating, and the "work" in "working out". One of the most important benefits of spending time getting healthy is what your higher level of fitness allows you to do outside of the gym. Hiking is one of those 'outside of the gym' activities.  It's a simple and inexpensive way to exploit your higher level of fitness, see the great outdoors, breath clean air, and be social.

Hiking is also a nearly perfect body fat burning activity. According to Backpacker Magazine, (March, 2011), high intensity aerobic activities like running derive about 80% of their fuel from carbohydrates and 20% of their fuel from body fat. Hiking derives 45% of it’s calories from carbohydrates and a whopping 55% from body fat.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, we have the unique opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Thousands of people come to our state every year to see and experience what we have in our "own backyard". To hike, you need decent footwear, water to drink, snacks, and someone to go with. (Oh yeah, a camera is valuable too ‘cause what you see hiking you probably won’t see anywhere else! Check out the pictures below!)

Beginning this Spring I will be organizing day hikes for women to various areas around Seattle. Some hikes will occur during the week and some on weekends. The distance and intensity will vary. Scheduling will depend on how many of you are interested, and what days you are available to walk in the woods! No experience is required, you just have to be able to put one foot in front of the other!
Please email me with questions, and if this is something you’d like to do!

  Heather Lake, Washington

Wallace Falls, Washington

Maple Pass Loop, Washington

The Fountain of Youth OR Why Strength Train???!!

Remember Ponce de Leon ? He was the Spanish dude who searched for the Fountain of Youth hundreds of years ago to remedy his own aging. Too bad no one told him about lifting weights!
Ok, so there’s no "real" Fountain of Youth, but lifting weights comes pretty darn close!
There’s good news and bad news about aging, let’s get the bad news out of the way first!

THE BAD NEWS
We all, regardless of gender, begin losing lean body mass (muscle) at    
between age 25 and 30, at a rate of approximately (for sedentary people)  
1% each year until age 60. Then it increases to about 1.5% each year until
age 70, then increases to about 2% each year after that!
Strength decreases even faster than muscle mass; on the order of DOUBLE!  Bone density peaks at approximately age 30; then it begins to decline.  A number of factors accelerate the loss of bone: diabetes, menopause (Women may lose up to 20% of their bone mass upon completion of menopause!), smoking, excessive alcohol use, lack of physical activity, vitamin D deficiency, and chemotherapy.

Less bone and muscle means a greater risk of injury, lack of strength, decreased range of motion, poor balance, a lack of confidence, and a less independent, active lifestyle as we age.

THE GOOD NEWS
We can stop our bone density and muscle loss! We can even reverse it and gain it back! The most effective way to do this is to resistance train. Yep, it’s hard work, technique intensive (insert picky trainer’s voice here!), and not always fun. However, it is the only proven, natural way to be healthy, happy, and active as we age. Sounds like a Fountain of Youth to me!
What this means is lift weights, please! It doesn’t mean high reps-low weight, Pilates, Yoga, BodyPump, Zumba class, or spin class! These activities have a specific application and can be fun. Unfortunately, increasing bone density and muscle mass are not by-products of these activities.
(If you don’t believe me, or think I say these things ‘cause I really enjoy lifting weights and have a skewed point of view… Google "strength training benefits"! It’s not just me, I promise!)

Resistance training not only positively impacts bone and muscle, it does other great stuff too!

Improves glucose control (helps with diabetes)Increases "good" cholesterol and reduces triglycerides
Reduces hypertension (high blood pressure)
Reduces the symptoms of arthritis
Reduces depression
Reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) by up to 30%
Boosts self-esteem and self-confidence
Impacts hormone levels: growth hormone (helps break down fat and bolsters the immune system), insulin (lowers blood glucose levels), and others
Decreases insulin resistance, a precursor to Type 2 diabetesThe National Strength and Conditioning Association reported in June, 2010 that only 27% of the US population resistance trains!  The numbers drop significantly at age 50. Of those 75 years and older less than 10% resistance train.

The positive impact of resistance training has been known for years, but it can be difficult at times to stick to a routine. Perhaps the next time you feel less than motivated to go to the gym you’ll remember some of the information presented here!

Let’s all be as active, strong, and healthy as we can for as long as we can! Modern medicine can do a great job of helping us live a long time; it’s up to us to behave in ways that contribute to a high quality of life!