A FAST SOLUTION?
One of the more interesting trends in weight loss zeroes in on short
windows of fasting (twelve hours). Many of us normally go without food
for only six to eight hours a day, eating periodically throughout our sixteen
to eighteen waking hours. More and more evidence is showing that
regularly going longer periods without food is an effective strategy for
losing weight.
In one study, subjects lost 10 percent of their weight in twelve weeks
following a fasting principle. And some data shows subjects who use
fasting methods had a reduction in total cholesterol (up to 21 percent) and
triglyceride levels (up to 42 percent).
There are many variations of the fasting method—such as cutting back
your calories by 25 percent a day or two a week. I don’t want you to try
this method during the 21-Day Plan. If you add fasting to your new eating
approach, experiment with going for twelve-hour periods without food. For
example, you could fast from seven P.M. to seven A.M. if you like an early
breakfast to get you going, and don’t mind an early dinner. You could also
do midnight to noon if you find that you don’t need breakfast first thing.
You can still use my 21-Day Plan with the same meals and recipes. Try it a
few days a week to see how you feel. At the very least, absorb this
message: If you’re a night eater, skipping that last snack will have some
helpful weight-loss effects.
Researchers say it’s not yet clear why fasting may be effective. It could
increase the body’s response to insulin or could change the way in which
fat is utilized. Fat may be used for energy in the absence of immediately
available food during fasting periods.One note: Fasting doesn’t give you licence to eat like a T. rex the rest of
the time. That is, if you fast for the twelve-hour window, but then gorge on
junk, recalibrating your system won’t work.Everything in this book will help you lose the kilos. But I also want to share
common strategies and ways of thinking among people who lose weight. My
knowledge about this comes from working with and interviewing thousands of