Fast Diets For Dummies
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You can take your fasting to the next level by following these ten sneaky, little tricks to boost the effects of fasting so that you burn more fat, increase productivity, and stave off hunger. They don’t take much effort, and they do produce large results. Implement the ones you want.

Exercise intermittently

To dramatically enhance the effectiveness of your fasts, without question, you should exercise. Intermittent exercise is performing exercise, in small chunks, sporadically throughout the day. You can go about doing it in a number of ways, such as working in some form of movement every hour that you’re awake. It doesn’t need to be long to be effective. Short bouts, even as little as 15 seconds at a time, are often more than enough to get what you need. You can perform push-ups, pull-ups, kettlebell swings, and goblet squats.

Sip on some green tea

Green tea is a potent fat burner; not to mention, it’s bursting with antioxidants. Other good tea options include pu-erh tea and most black teas. Don’t drink decaffeinated tea, however, because many of the vital nutrients are stripped in the decaffeination process.

Green tea also contains L-Theanine, a natural amino acid that enhances mood and promotes relaxation. Perhaps this natural combination of L-Theanine and caffeine allows even those people who are normally quite sensitive to caffeine to be able to tolerate most green teas without suffering from a case of the jitters.

Drink some coffee

Coffee can be good for you, as long as you consume it in moderation. Coffee can help to increase lipolysis (fat burning) and further speed along the fat-burning effects of fasting and exercise. While fasting, a cup or two of coffee can give you an immediate energy boost when working out, enhance your mental focus and concentration, and suppress your hunger. When selecting coffee, go organic, if possible.

Don’t pollute your coffee with sugar, artificial sweeteners, or creamer. These substances do far more harm than good. In fact, they do no good. Instead, if you want to add some flavor to your coffee, try adding in some freshly ground cinnamon.

Add medium-chain triglycerides

Putting medium chain triglycerides (think of them as quick metabolized fats, or fats that provide nearly instant energy and put little strain on the digestive system) in coffee or tea in the form of either coconut oil or grass-fed butter can provide additional energy support and nutrition. They give your coffee a nice taste.

Go for a walk

Brisk walking has some astounding health benefits. The best time for a brisk walk is first thing in the morning while you’re in fasted state and immediately after an intense exercise section. Every day, walk for 30 to 60 minutes, whether you’re fasting or not.

Exercise intensely

You also want to exercise intensely, which can be separate from your bouts of intermittent exercise or in addition. Intense exercise is any bout of physical hardship, which may involve sprinting and heavy weight lifting. Most aerobic activities, such as jogging, don’t qualify and don’t produce the same results.

When it comes to intense exercise, less is often more. You should never leave an exercise session feeling worse than when you started; that is a classic sign that you’re overdoing it. Strive always to do the least amount you need to do to get the job done, and not a smidgen more!

Meditate

Fasting is a classically religious and spiritual practice. But you don’t have to be a spiritual person to benefit from meditation. The practice of meditation offers enormous cognitive and physical benefits, such as lower stress, more energy, more creativity, less risk of illness, less anxiety, and more awareness and control over your body.

To meditate on a basis level, sit quietly, for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, and focus your mind intently on your breathing. If other thoughts arise, acknowledge them and let them pass — don’t dwell on them — and return your focus to the breath. Meditation, like any other skill, takes time. Don’t get frustrated if at first your mind races wildly.

Take some psyllium husk

Psyllium husk is an herb found most commonly in India. It has many useful purposes, but it’s most frequently used as a fiber supplement. Psyllium husk alleviates many pesky digestive ailments, including irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. It works to sweep the colon clean of unwelcome and undigested debris that often lingers in the colon. You can almost think of psyllium husk as a scrub for the colon. When looking for a psyllium husk supplement, choose one that adds in no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colors.

Ease into fiber supplementation and discuss the matter with your healthcare provider.

Drink fruit and vegetable juice

Juicing fresh fruits and vegetables is a practice best suited for the 5:2 Diet, which allows you to eat 500 or 600 calories a day, depending on your gender, or the Warrior Diet, which promotes a period of controlled fasting or undereating rather than strict fasting. But the occasional glass of fresh juice can likely benefit any fasting protocol.

Play!

Whatever you like doing, do it! Just make sure you keep on the move. Physical play, both alone and others, is a natural — if not essential — part of human health and well-being. Play allows you to explore various body positions, move through complex ranges of motion, and work multiple muscle groups and energy systems. Play is unobligated exercise, but exercise nonetheless.

About This Article

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Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, author and nutritionist, appears on various news streams nationally and conducts workshops and seminars worldwide to help people feel — and look — their best. She is also the author of the popular website www.DrKellyann.com and gives daily news, tips and inspiration on twitter @drkellyann. Patrick Flynn, a fitness minimalist, is the coauthor of Paleo Workouts For Dummies, and the driving force behind a top 500 Health and Wellness blog Chronicleofstrength.com.

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