Fasting for weight loss with Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore

I will use ketosis to manage my body composition, which invariably leads to fasting for weight loss.  In the new book, The Complete Guide to Fasting, Dr. Jason Fung (77)and Jimmy Moore (18, 23, 28) explain how we can use fasting to improve our health and lose weight.  Fasting for weight loss can be done in a healthy and safe way.  Dr. Fung uses fasting in his clinic to address obesity and type II diabetes.  Jimmy Moore has been experimenting with fasting and shares his experiences in the first and only complete guide on fasting.

Fasting for weight loss

Virtually half of our medical conditions today are caused by obesity and type II diabetes.  Fasting for weight loss can be an effective protocol to manage obesity and type II diabetes.

Types of fasting

Intermittent Fast – By pushing your normal nighttime fast to 16 to 24 hours, you'll get many of the benefits of fasting in a very manageable way.

Alternate Day Fast – This style fasting is where you eat every other day, which leads to a 36 hour fast.

Extended Fast – An extended fast goes from 3 days, but most people find that the first three days are the hardest.  Jimmy is currently on day 11 of a 21 day fast.

Diets don't work

Most diets focus your attention on eating.  You're told to eat from the time you wake up until you go to bed.  If you're adding energy to your system as you need it, you won't lose weight.  Fasting is an approach that will allow you to lose weight.

Fasting is not a cause of eating disorders

Fasting is a normal part of the human condition.  Today it is mostly associated with religious rituals.  When it is brought up as a way to manage weight and health, some will complain that this will cause an eating disorder.  This logic would tell you that instructing your children to wash their hands before dinner will lead to OCD.  Eating disorders are associated with body image, not triggered by someone doing a fast.

Postscript on fasting

After I stopped recording the call, Dr. Fung, Jimmy and I kept talking and some wonderful gems came out that we wanted to make sure we captured it for you.

When you fast, you'll lose weight.  When you stop fasting, you'll gain some of that weight back.  This happens for two reasons:

1. Water – With the resumption of eating your body will store more water.
2. Homeostasis – Your body has a tendency to stick to a given state/body weight.  This is the cause of plateaus and the reason your body will work to get back to the previous set weight.

When you lose weight from intermittent fasting, it isn't due to calorie restriction but rather from hormone changes.  Insulin is reduced and eventually, you begin healing your insulin resistance.

Follow up on Jimmy's 21-Day Fast

We discussed that Jimmy was on a 21-day fast. Up through day 11, Jimmy had had only had one cup of bone broth. I asked Jimmy for an update on his fast and here is what he said:

I made it the full 21 days and had two meals (one at the end of Day 12 and one at the end of Day 18). I lost 27 pounds in the 21 days even with these meals, saw many of my skin tags shrivel up and fall off (a sign of insulin resistance healing), and became more abundantly aware that my need for eating as often is likely unnecessary. Will be continuing to implement lessons from this fast into my everyday lifestyle moving forward as I continue to pursue healing the insulin resistance. 🙂

Links

www.intensivedietarymanagement.com
dietdoctor.com
Fungsweigh Facebook Group
livinlavidalowcarb.com
Jimmy on Periscope

 

 

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Can fasting be a healthy solution for weight loss | Jimmy Moore

Crack the obesity code

11 Things you should know about macros

I asked members of the 40+ Fitness Podcast Group what topics I could cover and one of them was about macros (macronutrients).  Having a good general understanding of macros is important for maintaining good health and fitness.

 

11 things you should know about macros

Protein

1) Building block – This macro is something you must have in order to rebuild.  But this is not a “more of a good thing” is good macro.  You need to get just enough protein to allow your body to rebuild.
2) Essential amino acids – Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.  There are some amino acids that our body cannot make.  We must eat them to have what we need.
3) Complete proteins – A complete protein is one that has all of the amino acids.  An egg is often referred to as the perfect protein because it is a complete protein.  Vegetarians should be very diligent in their food choices to ensure the way they mix and match their protein sources gives them all of the amino acids.

Fats

4) Mono/Poly/Saturated – Saturated fat has been demonized and recent science seems to show this to be unfair.
5) Omega 3 / Omega 6 – When animals are permitted to live their lives the way they choose, their meat tends to have a 1 to 1 ration of omega 3 to omega 6.  This is a healthy ratio.  When animals are feed grains, their omega 6 goes up, breaking this ratio.  As a result, we are not getting enough omega 3.  Eating fish or taking fish or kreel oil can help you rebalance if you're not able to get grass fed and finished beef.
6) MCT – This is a medium chain triglyceride.  Your body cannot use MCT for anything but energy.
7) Bad fats and oils – Fats and oils can go rancid.  Make sure you're properly storing fats and oils to avoid this.  You should also be sure you're avoiding partially hydrogenated oil.  This man-made oil is very bad for us.

Carbs

8) Simple carbs and sugar – These carbs are turned to blood sugar (glucose) very quickly.  Where there is more than you need, your body produces insulin to protect the brain from excess glucose.  It stores the glucose as body fat.
9) Soluble fiber – This fiber is digested very slowly.  It is also referred to as a slow carb.  These are good sources of energy and should be focus of your consumption of this macro.
10) Non-soluble fiber – This fiber cannot be used by your body so it just passes through you.  This can help you keep regular.
11) There are no essential carbs – While our body needs protein and oil, it does not need this macro.  Carbs can be part of a healthy diet, but they are not essential.

 

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https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/shop-good-food/

Ketogenic diet for weight loss

My weight loss while on a ketogenic diet[/caption]

In this episode, I discuss how I used the ketogenic diet for weight loss.  Ketosis is a physical phenomenon, where your body adapts to using fat for energy instead of sugar. Susan, who you met on episode 142, joined me on this conversation so she can ask questions as I went.  I switched my eating to allow me to go into ketosis so I could drop some weight I'd gained over the past few months.

To get into ketosis, you lower your carbohydrates (carbs) to 20 grams or less and you increase your fat to make up the calories. You'll keep your protein moderate to ensure it doesn't spike your blood sugar.

In ketosis, your body burns the fat and produces ketones.  These ketones can be used by the brain as fuel.  In fact, most of the science on ketosis shows that the brain favors ketones.   I know I feel better when I'm in ketosis.

Concerns with Ketosis

• Ketoacidosis – This is a dangerous condition that is typically limited to type I diabetics. In this condition, your ketone level gets dangerously high and the blood sugar is also high.  This is a very rare condition and not something you'll
• Compliance – The ketogenic diet is difficult.  It is not easy to go from being a sugar burner to a fat burner.  Staying at 20 grams of carbs per day is very limiting.  Fortunately, once you're in ketosis, you may be able to ratchet up your carb intake.
• Carb withdrawal/Keto flu – During the transition, you'll likely have some fatigue, effectively feeling like you have the flu.
• Medications – If you're a diabetic and take meds to help manage your blood sugar, you should talk to your doctor.  You'll have to monitor yourself very closely.  The ketogenic diet can be an effective way to reverse diabetes.

Ketogenic Diet Tools

You should be able to feel that you're in ketosis, but there are tools to measure ketones.  To be in nutritional ketosis you will have a ketone reading of 0.5 – 7:0.  You can measure ketones three ways:

• Keto-sticks are a cost effective way to measure the ketone bodies in your urine.  However, once you get fat adapted, you won't be excreting ketones, and they will stop working.  This makes them great for showing that you're in ketosis when you first start.
• The Precision Plus with ketone strips can measure the ketones in your blood.  This is the most accurate way to determine when you're in ketosis.
• The Ketonix is a tool you can use to measure ketones in your breath.  This is a pain and mess free way to do the measurement.  I haven't seen any science to prove this tool is as accurate as the blood.

Other Considerations for the Ketogenic Diet

• Tweak your protein intake based on your exercise intensity.
• Make sure you're getting enough sodium and potassium.  With a ketogenic diet, you'll lose water weight and with that some electrolytes.
• You'll likely lose some water weight early in the ketogenic diet.
• There are extraneous sources of ketones that you can take to increase the ketones.  These can help when you need more energy.
• Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCT), which is processed from coconut oil.  Because of the nature of this oil, it increased your ketone level quickly.  Just make sure you ease into using it as it can cause diarrhea.

Whether you choose to use ketosis as a way to lose weight, now you understand what it is when you hear someone talking about it.  More and more people are trying ketosis.

If you have any questions about the ketogenic diet, feel free to comment on this post.

Have a happy and healthy day!

Allan

Below are the links I mentioned in the podcast.

Keto-stix

Precision Plus with Keto Strips

Ketonix

Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore

The scoop on ketosis with Jimmy Moore

 

Understanding macros

Understanding macros is an important component to determining how you should be fueling your body. There are three core macros: protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

One gram of protein has four calories. Think of protein as the building blocks for muscles. If you don’t eat enough protein, your body will take muscle it believes you don’t need and apply it to other areas. Consuming excess protein is also not a good approach, as the excess can be stored as fat.

One gram of carboyhydrate also has four calories. For each gram consumed, the body will try to use those carbohydrates for energy. Simple carbs will be turned into blood sugar and used to fuel movement. However, if the body gets too much, it has no option but to store the excess as fat.

One gram of fat has nine calories. Fat is the first macro that your body will use for energy. This process forms ketones, which are also used for energy. So one gram of fat provides a great deal of energy, more so than that of the carbohydrates or protein.

A high fat, low carbohydrate perspective is popular because fat cannot be stored as fat, while excess protein and carbohydrates can become fat. While your body needs certain levels of protein and fat, your body can function in a healthy manner without any carbohydrates. If you choose to eat carbohydrates, select fiber or nutrient dense foods like broccoli, kale, and asparagus.

In the end, there is no one size fits all solution for everyone. Each body is unique and its needs can even change daily. By understanding macros, you can focus on getting the proper nutrition that will allow your body to thrive, not just survive.

 

 

Should I take protein supplements post-workout?

Crack the obesity code

The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss is the new book by today’s guest, Dr. Jason Fung.   In this episode we talk about a variety of strategies to break through your body set weight, or what we often refer to as a plateau.

Dr. Jason Fung completed medical school at the University of Toronto and a fellowship in nephrology at the University of California. He founded the Intensive Dietary Management program in Toronto that provides a unique treatment focus for type 2 diabetes and obesity.

We discuss with Dr. Fung the role of hormones – such as insulin — and how they drive weight gain and obesity. He feels that only by understanding the role of insulin and insulin resistance can we achieve lasting weight loss. If excess insulin, not excess calories, is causing obesity, Dr. Fung feels the clear answer is in reducing insulin levels.

To do this, Dr. Jason Fung suggests the use of intermittent fasting to break the cycle of insulin resistance and to reach a healthy weight.   The Obesity Code outlines five basic steps to establish lifelong habits that will improve your health and control your insulin levels.   Additional information about Dr. Fung, The Obesity Code and the Intensive Dietary Management program can be found at intensivedietarymanagement.com.

 

Why am I always hungry? | Dr. David Ludwig

Low carb versus low fat diets

Have you ever wondered about the science behind low fat and low carb diets? Which one is better?

In a study from 2003, 40 people between the ages of 24 and 61 were evaluated during a 10-week program. This program looked at health outcomes as a result of being part of a low carb or low fat diet.

Those within the low carb diet had no more than 15% of their calories coming from carbohydrates. Those within the low fat diet had less than 18% fat in their diet. In the end, both groups improved and lost nearly the same amount of weight, with the low fat group having lost 18.2 pounds on average and the low carb group having lost an average of 18.8 pounds.

In addition, both groups lowered their triglycerides and cardiovascular risk. However, the low carb diet increased their HDL but saw no change in LDL. The low fat diet saw improved insulin sensitivity, whereas the low carb group saw no change with this. The low carb group also saw their ketones increase, while the low fat group did not experience this.

So both diets worked well in their own ways and showed weight loss. But how do you decide what will work best for you? To do this, you have to prioritize what matters most to you. If you want to impact your insulin sensitivity, perhaps the low fat diet is for you. If you want to see your ketones increase, then the low carb diet might be the right choice.

Ultimately, the right choice for you is the one that will work with your lifestyle. If the changes are not sustainable in the long-term, it won’t be the right fit. Consider what food you have access to and the nature of your everyday lifestyle. Be realistic. If you know you cannot give up bread and carbs, then perhaps the low carb diet is not for you. Choose one or the other and stick with it. The choice over a low fat or low carb diet is truly yours to make!

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Can fasting be a healthy solution for weight loss | Jimmy Moore

This is part three of a three-part series with Jimmy Moore. If you are yet to listen to previous two parts, I recommend you to go back and listen to those.

Jimmy has been experimenting with fasting for a while. In fact, he was in his day fifteen of his fasting at the time of recording of this podcast. As he fasts quite often, it has become quite easy for him to forget to eat. Fasting for a period of 16 to 24 hours was no big deal for him because of his past and because he had been 410 pounds. In this regard, Jimmy consulted with Toronto-based Nephrologist doctor Jason Fung. Jimmy is currently collaborating a book called “Fasting Clarity” with him. Dr. Fung recommends fasting for periods of one to two weeks. Dr. Thomas Seyfried from Boston College advocates fasting for a week each year to prevent cancer.

It was a couple month ago when Jimmy started his first long fast. At the time of fasting, he drinks water, bone broth with sea salt, and kombucha. At the time of his fasting, Jimmy consumes about 100 calories per day. During a recent 17 1/2 day fasts, he lost 19 pounds. He was happy with the outcome. He is documenting every small detail so that he can include his findings in his book next year.

Jimmy wonders why fasting is not recommended more by medical professionals. Even temporary period of fasting can do well for our health. One reason he is writing his book is he wants people to know the benefits of fasting.

The scoop on ketosis with Jimmy Moore

 

Understanding cholesterol with Jimmy Moore

Music used for the podcast Intro and Outro: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music