Here’s a great question:
…Also, aside from fasting, what is your next most recommended weight loss regimen? I really need to lose 10 lbs but no way can I fast.
Now, obviously I could be “that guy” and get on my soap box and start lecturing on the benefits of fasting, however since I’m not a one trick pony, I think it would be fun to investigate this question a little further.
Of course, to do this, we have to start with fasting.
So what is fasting?
Really, fasting is nothing more than a food custom or ritual that allows you to eat less.
Forget all the metabolism and hormonal benefits, because none of it matters if you aren’t fasting. So the benefit of fasting is how easily the RITUAL or CUSTOM of flexible intermittent fasting fits into your life.
In fact, the REAL “secret” to the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle is eating less while enjoying the foods you eat – Fasting is just the easiest means to get there.
So if you don’t want to fast then you simply need to find other rituals or customs that fit into your life and allow you eat less.
I talk about this extensively in “The Ten Day Diet Solution” and some interviews I did with Craig Ballantyne for his TTmembers.com site.
Here are some of my favorite ‘diet’ rituals:
- No eating in the car – Cuts down on a lot of mindless eating for the commuters (and keeps your car clean).
- No eating after a certain time of night – Cuts down on mindless snacking in front of the TV and sets practical limits.
And here is one of my all time favorites – at night, clean your kitchen.
Once you are done cleaning your kitchen is officially ‘closed’. The benefit of this is
A) no night time eating and
B) You wake up to a nice clean kitchen the next morning (I find the cleaner the kitchen the better you eat – not sure why).
The bottom line is that weight loss is all about eating less. Sustainable weight loss is all about eating less while enjoying the foods you eat.
Rather then follow a super regimented diet program, look for simple, easy customs that you can implement into your life that help you eat less without compromising your lifestyle.
I think the ‘on/off’ switch mentality of fasting is the ultimate way to do this, but if you aren’t into fasting, then look for other, just as easy alternatives.
BP
PS – Here’s one more Eat Stop Eat Q n’ A for you:
Question:
Hi Brad–I bought your ebook Eat Stop Eat and aced the first fast. #2 fast is today–I’m going for every 5 days but if something comes up it seems like it’ll be easy to adjust. It’s also pretty easy to do this around my shift work.
Quick question though—Is it okay to chew gum while fasting on Eat Stop Eat? My wife was scolded for chewing gum once by an anesthesiologist before her procedure. She was told chewing gum ‘tricks’ the body into thinking it’s going to eat…
Thanks Jim.
My Answer:
Hi Jim,
I’m glad your are finding your fasts easy. Regarding gum, I’d say this is more a matter of personal preference. If one or two pieces helps you make it through your fasts then I see no problems with it. However, if the gum makes your fasts MORE difficult, then avoid it. Realistically, it’s very hard to “tick” your body – it’s pretty darn smart.
BP
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Filed under: Fasting for Weight Loss
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Nice tips Brad, keep it simple for fat loss. Keep making it easy for folks to lose fat through lifestyle.
craig
Clean up and Close the Kitchen up!
I like this idea. So many times I have made the trip down to the main floor kitchen from my office after 11pm for a snack… and I am rarely hungry. When the kitchen is clean like that I do feel like taking the time to prepare something healthy versus a quick solution grab’n'run
Keeps your car from stinking too. Especially if you’re a fast food eater!
I love the clean kitchen plan. Another one I heard said to leave things dirty to remind yourself that you just ate a while ago.
thanx for this BP. i have a sister who gets sick every time she skips breakfast. this approach ill use with her so she can develope her own custom built habits in reducing intake. whatever the method, when it comes to food (especially unhealthy food) less is more!
The No S diet http://www.nosdiet.com/ is a good way for some people to lose weight without fasting. It follows those principles/rituals you describe here, in that you don’t eat at night — because you’re only eating at meal times. No S is no snacks, no sweets, no seconds (helpings) except somedays on days that start with S, and on special days like holidays and birthdays. I followed No S prior to trying the mini-fasts you advocate, Brad, and I think that really helped because I was already trained not to eat between meals. I “simply” had to remind myself that I could eat the next evening (I did a dinner-to-dinner fast). The discipline I needed to make it to the next meal without eating was important to developing the discipline to make it through 24 hours without eating. I still do No S while incorporating ESE one – two days/week. No remarkable weight loss yet but I only want to lose a few pounds. However, after 4-5 mini-fasts in a couple of months, my waist is smaller (maybe by 1/2 inch), which is nice.
Betsy
One of my tricks to eating less is to brush my teeth right after I eat enough of somethime. I am far less likely to eat something else when my mouth feels nice and clean, after brushing my teeth. This really works in the evening at home.
“somethime” should be “something”. typing with my elbows…
Brad,
Would eating extremely small meals throughout the course of a day (Less than 30 calories each lets say) offer the same benefits as a complete fast? I once went 24 hours on a small can of tunafish and some veggie but I ate from it in very small bites every hour or so throughout the day. By the end of the evening I noticed a high energy level and suprisingly I seem to have reduced water retention and my waist was very flat.
Nice post Brad,
I’m actually tracking a 48 hour fast I’m trying out for the first time. I’ll put it on my blog and send it to ya when I’m through with it (3 hours left).
I’ll say this though, it’s not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.
Anyway great post Brad!
Jeremy Reeves
http://www.HassleFreeFatLoss.com
Very good article Brad!
One thing that I do to pass my cravings during a fast is drink 10oz of water every time they hit. By the end of the day I drank over a gallon of great detoxing and energizing water as well as never had overcome all cravings.
-Bob Garon
Hi
Will 2 12 hr fasts be as effective as one 24 hr fast?
Cool. Nice post. Reminds me of a lot of the tips in the book Mindless Eating. I think I read that after seeing you mention it on Twitter or perhaps in Eat Stop Eat. Can’t recall for sure.
I find that it’s best for someone else to clean up the kitchen as I will snack on leftovers while putting them away. Or at least get another family member to put the food away and then I wash dishes etc.
Brad,
I think I’ll send you testimonial and results photos when I’m done cutting using ESE and good diet. Little extra motivation for me to get results.
Brad: I’m 140 pounds and I’m keeping my muscle tone OK. But I need to lower my body fat percentage. Will fasting help? Or do you have another suggestion? My nutrition is spot on.
Thanks, Kevin
Brad might not realize it but the Clean The Kitchen tip also helps preserve sanity in parents. Kids learn to eat and snack at regular intervals and probably avoid developing the grazing habit that does us all in later in life.
I’d also throw in the tip of buying a slow cooker and learning some fabulous recipes. I’ve done this recently and the weight started downward again. And it’s all great food, nothing artificial or processed. Eating till you’re stuffed usually entails 1 bowl of stew or small serving of chicken/rice. It feels like you’re eating big but the calorie count is low and the nutrition is high.
Hi Brad, Eat Stop Eat has been my saving. I’ve lost 28lbs in 9 weeks fasting 2 days per week.I’ve found that it has stopped me obsessing over food – what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat etc – something I never thought would happen. Such an easy programme, I automatically eat healthier and feel great. My weight loss is averaging now at 2lb per week so I’m steadily making my way towards my goal. I’m lovin’ it!!
Another food diversion: the dental floss sticks (a little pick with floss at the end) are BRILLIANT if you’re watching TV or driving and want something to do with your mouth or hands that does not involve eating or smoking, for that matter.
Hi Brad, i fast fm 2pm to 2pm next day. However, i do my workout at night and have PWO shake after the session, will it affect the fast?
Hi… I have a question if anyone can answer it. I like to do the program twice a week,but sometime my schedule is a little on the busy side..Just like everyone else in the world. Anyways, if I start a fast on Tuesday at Noon – End Wednesday at Noon.. Eat lunch Then fast from Wednesday Noon – Thursday Noon. Bad Idea or not?
Thanks for the tips Brad. I have not ordered your online book because $39 = R500 (South Africas) and that is a bit steep in these tough economic times. I have just started my first fast (was told about this on Monday) and hopefully it will go well. I really enjoyed the tips, esp the kitchen cleaning at night and then it’s closed. Going to implement that one very quickly
Your book is fantastic, Brad! I did have a question regarding the length of fasts. I notice that the magical numbers from your studies show 24-36 hrs. Is there anything detrimental to fasting longer if we can handle it? Say, 48 or 60 hrs? Thanks!
Hi Brad,
Have just started using ESE program in last two weeks. Simple question – if I do 1pm to 1pm after lunch the first day should I only have a snack not a complete lunch the second day so that I fast 24hr and miss all 3 main meals?.
@Chris
Not sure what Brad will say, but I do 12 hours of perfect nutrition (lots vegis, plus fruits, nuts, meats/eggs) between back-to-back fasts. Gives me piece of mind knowing my body is going to have all the building blocks it needs. I do workout hard during my fasts.
Of course on the other hand, I’ve fasted almost that long with no eating in the middle and had no guilt. Go figure.
@Betsy
I’m cool with the idea of no snacks and no seconds, but no desserts? That’s just torture.
B
@terrence
I’ve heard this one from a number of fitness competitors…makes a lot of sense, and makes dentists everywhere happy.
B
@Bob Garon
It’s amazing how well that works, especially during fasts.
B
@Terry Mordia
From a calorie perspective – yes. From the perspective of learning to deal with eating habits and cues to overeat, I doubt it.
B
@pnw fitness
Sounds great.
B
@Art
The slow cooker is a great idea. You put work into making a meal, but then you need to wait for the meal to be ready…as a reward based tool, that sounds like it might work.
B
@lorenzo
Yes. I would skip the PWO shake.
B
@Chris
that would be rough, but not impossible. You could always just fast once on those weeks.
I think a lot of people would be surprised at how beneficial even one fast a week can be.
I typically fast once every 4-5 days, so on some weeks, I only fast once.
B
@Aaron
ONLY if you can handle it…don’t turn fasting into a chore. It should be simple and easy. Actually it NEEDS to be simply and easy to be effective…so work within your abilities.
B
@Donnar
I think today’s blog post will help answer your question.
http://bradpilon.com/2009/03/what-to-eat-after-you-fast.html
B
@Brad Pilon
I hear ya, Brad! No sweets M-F was tough to start with, but knowing I can have them on the weekends and special days like holidays and family birthdays helps. And I try to make them really special, an occasion.
Brad, I have now fasted two days in the week and I found that after each fast, where everybody else in the office who joined me lost up to 3 lbs I just put on weight. Why does this happen? When not fasting I stick to an 840 calorie per day diet. This is really downheartening. I really don’t want to give up doing this but feel very discouraged. Any ideas or pointers will be very welcome.
Hi Carrie,
Your story strikes me as very odd. Firstly, the reason I promote fasting is so people don’t have to eat 840 Calories a day. I just can’t see how that can be fun or enjoyable.
If you are eating 840 Calories AND Fasting AND not losing weight then we need to really examine what is going on.
When you say you gained weight did you mean DURING the time you were fasting or over the course of the week?
B
Brad
I fasted on Friday, not a problem, then Saturday, because we were moving house I was so busy that I only had time for a rushed sandwich, went out with friends for dinner on Saturday and had some fish with salad. When I weighed on Sunday morning I was 3 pounds up. No idea why. Didn’t even have any alcohol with dinner as I was so tired I just wanted to get home and drop into bed! Somebody at work suggested I am eating too little and should be eating more and that is a problem for me as I do tend to skip meals quite often due to being too busy to just stop and take a break. I would dearly love some “light” on this.
Brad, I love ESE and have lost 8 pounds so far over three weeks. I have two friends who want to try it too, but they are nervous. One is diabetic and is anxious that a 24 hr fast will impact her blood sugar badly, the other is on permanent medication (for lupus) and has to take her meds 3xdaily “with food”. (she gets stomach cramps if she takes the meds solo)
Is fasting “out” for my two friends? Thank you!