Beauty Health for Life

"Q: I heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Will it affect me if I miss breakfast on a fast day?
"There is no scientific evidence to prove that breakfast is any more important than lunch or dinner for adults. As a matter of fact, there is no scientific evidence proving three meals per day are any better than one."

Above is a quote from Brad Pilons book, "Eat Stop Eat" which can be found at:
http://www.eatstopeat.com/?vtid=eatblogeat&utm_expid=7760520-13&utm_errer=http%3A%2F%2Fbradpilon.com%2Fbooks%2F

When I found the above quote among the FAQs in Brads book it addressed a particular thought that I had been having about whether I could simply eat a good meal once a day and fast the rest of the time in order to speed up my weight loss. Also wondering if I could try that every day, or just a few times a week.

I had the idea to do that once before (which I blogged about) but I got waylaid by worry. I was worried that I would not be able to go that long every day without having a snack. That got turned into "two snacks" and soon it was three meals again, so I never actually tried it out.

Now that I have the experience of fasting "under my belt" I think I could actually do it. Without planning to, I did it yesterday (Saturday) and noticed I lost a few pounds this morning even though I ate two meals last night within a few hours of one another. As I thought about it, I dont think I went overboard on the daily calories, although I only made guess-timations on the calorie count.

Since I belong to the 5:2 Diet group on Facebook Ive been reading how the other participants are doing with their calorie counting and actually eating small meals on their fast days. They go for about 36 hours twice a week, on average, and eat 500 cals during their fast. Then on the other days they are supposed to eat "normally" but most of them count calories on those days, too, keeping it under whatever level they have calculated to fit their body and metabolism. They seem to lose an average of  about a pound a week doing all this.

For myself, when Dr Robbins measured my bodys daily caloric burn on her machine it came to 2400 per day.  This means that I could eat 2400 calories each day and I would not put on any more weight. She wanted me to eat 1800 calories a day and I went off the deep end when I tried calorie counting. I could not keep my intake that low and counting calories is such an offensive way to eat. I ended up gaining weight as I resisted the whole idea and quit doing it. (I blogged about that, too. LOL)

Brad suggests fasting for 24 hours straight with only water or calorie free drinks and then simply eating normally on the other days. "Eating normally" to Brad means not increasing your intake to compensate for the time that you spent fasting. This makes sense if your goal is to reduce your weekly calories and lose weight, along with all the other health benefits that come from fasting.

I tried those diets, too, that said you should eat 4 or 5 times a day and found that easier to take emotionally than calorie counting, but "many meals" turns out to be tedious to do in real life, also. Either counting calories, or eating many small meals in the day, turned out to be, for me, a lot of hard work, in addition to the rest of my life. I find that either method forces me to worry about food and eating all day long. Id really per to not have to think about that all the time.

On the other hand, the "Eat Stop Eat" program does seem to work for me and my daily life. It is so much easier to simply not pay attention to food during a fasting period and then look forward to having a good meal at the proper time, when I break the fast. Amazingly, I find, that I dont mind how I feel when Im not eating. Having an empty stomach is kind of a treat. Who knew? LOL

I find that when I resume eating that my body gets back all its old "feelings" again. It is a little bit odd to find out that processing food puts a "drag" on my body. I feel more sluggish and full and not so light and efficient as I feel when Im fasting.

Since Brad says there is no real scientific evidence that I have to eat breakfast or even eat three meals a day, let alone, four or five, I see no problem with simply holding out on my eating until dinner time each day and then have the meal I would really like to have.

I always fear that someone is going to get all scared that Im going to have 22,000-calorie Sumo meals but that is not what I am talking about. Im talking about a regular, ordinary, dinner with or without dessert as the occasion fits. And then stop eating for the day.

Under those conditions, even having another snack at the end of the day should not be a problem but Im not going to build that in. That is the mistake I did last time. I built in the snack then they got out of hand. I am kind of an odd duck. If I build it in, then it somehow gets translated into my mind that not only "I can" but eventually "I have to" and I dont want to trigger that response either. Ill just plan on eating normally, for me, and thats the end of it.

Sometimes I dont know if all this is just a "nice thought" or an actual "plan." It feels like a plan, at this moment so Im going to try it out and see how it goes. Im always flexible if Im nothing else, so Im not going to worry about it.

Another thing... on the 5:2 Diet facebook group page they have been talking about chia seeds so I got mine out and made up a batch. I used to take two tablespoons full like everybody always directs when you read about them, but I never really noticed any particular effect with that and it soon fell by the wayside. If I cannot see the benefit, I usually just leave it behind. Today, I filled a cup with the gelatinous solution of chia seeds in water and drank it down.

My belly feels as full as if Id eaten but I dont feel the drag on my body. Ill have to wait and see if there are any other side effects. Im hoping it will keep the plumbing moving along, too.

Anyway, thats where I am today.

Be back soon,

Marcia

excerpt from "Eat Stop Eat" by Brad Pilon:

(Women of course should keep on consuming fish or fish oil supplements. In addition to all the benefits listed below:

Regular use of fish oil supplements, which contain high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, was linked with a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer.

In the first population-based study in women of childbearing age, those who rarely or never ate fish had 50 percent more cardiovascular problems over eight years than those who ate fish regularly. Compared to women who ate fish high in omega-3 weekly, the risk was 90 percent higher for those who rarely or never ate fish.)

The report about the Omega-3 very strong connection to prostate cancer is very disturbing, although personally, that risk is in the past. Nevertheless, for almost all males, a risk-reward calculation should be made of the risk vs.the benefits of Omega-3 consumption. Because, while the risks are great, so are the rewards.

Heres what I wrote in 2008:

Jons Health Tips: Eating Fish

I eat a lot of fish – mostly salmon, but lots of other fish as well. However, I avoid swordfish and tuna, especially tuna steaks and albacore because of high levels of mercury, and tilapia because of high levels of omega-6. I eat fish because its healthy and I like it, and when I’m eating fish I’m not eating meat. I supplement my fish consumption with fish oil or flaxseed oil on days that I do eat meat.

My daughter, who is a pediatrician and vegetarian, also uses flaxseed oil and gives her 3 children fish oil supplements.

Here’s why: (see link above for details on each of these)

Fish reduces asthma and allergies

Eating fish may explain very low levels of heart disease in Japan

Eating Fish May Prevent Memory Loss and Stroke

A diet rich in fish and omega-3 oils, may lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the November 13, 2007, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. People who ate fish at least once a week had a 35-percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and 40-percent lower risk of dementia.

Oily fish can protect against rheumatoid arthritis

Eating fish and foods with omega-3 fatty acids linked to lower risk of age-related eye disease

The evidence of health benefits has grown even stronger since then. Here is a small sampling:


1. There is mounting evidence that omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil supplements not only help prevent cardiovascular diseases in healthy individuals, but also reduce the incidence of cardiac events and mortality in patients with existing heart disease. A new study, published in the August 11, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, extensively reviews data from a broad range of studies in tens of thousands of patients and sets forth suggested daily targets for omega-3 consumption.

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids=Reduced Risk of Colon Cancer

3. Omega-3 fatty acid kills neuroblastoma cancer cells

4. New research has shown for the first time that omega-3 in fish oil could "substantially and significantly" reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis.

5. Eating at least two servings of oily fish a week is moderately but significantly associated with a reduced risk of stroke, finds a study published on bmj.com today. But taking fish oil supplements doesnt seem to have the same effect, say the researchers.

And most important:

6. Older adults who have higher levels of blood omega-3 levels—fatty acids found almost exclusively in fatty fish and seafood—may be able to lower their overall mortality risk by as much as 27% and their mortality risk from heart disease by about 35%, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Washington. Researchers found that older adults who had the highest blood levels of the fatty acids found in fish lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with lower levels.