What Should We Eat to Lose Weight?

Hi,

Brad Pilon has revised his book "Eat Stop Eat" and since I am on his mailing list from having purchased his last version I have been given the opportunity to read his revision and provide feed back to him, if I have any, before he publishes it. What a great idea. In my former life I was a proof reader and typesetter so this is "old hat" to me and I enjoy doing it. So I am again reading his book and thinking about some of his statements.

I am again struck by this one: ...research was trying to uncover the completely backwards idea, "What should we eat to lose weight?"

Sometimes it is so simple we do not see the forest for the trees. When a person wants to lose weight they immediately look for a "diet plan," or "way to eat," which nearly always has a "diet guru" to go along with it. The guru can be a person, like a celebrity, or an organization, like Weight Watchers, etc.

In reality the only thing that is needed is an actual calorie reduction. It is not completely about that, but the main thing of impact is the reduction in calories. Some people, like me, also need to pay attention to how many carbs are eaten, but, for the most part, if you simply eat less you will lose weight.

By far the easiest way that I have found to reduce calories is with intermittent fasting. You give up a few meals a couple of times a week and voila! you have reduced your calorie intact while not really changing how or what you eat the rest of the time.

The only pit fall is if you suddenly start eating more in between fasts. That is the formula for gaining weight. Remember the Sumo Wrestler exercises, fasts every morning, and eats two 10,000 calorie meals -- every day. (http://cureprediabetes.blogspot.com/2012/06/same-dedication-different-goal.html)

Is it not eating excessive amounts of food that makes us fat? So does it not follow that not eating food for a period of time would help you to lose weight? And guess what.... weight loss is not the only result. During a 24-hour fast blood sugars improve, cholesterol improves, fat is actually used rather than stored, and you feel alert, alive, and peppy, too.

Think about animals in the wild. They hunt down some food, kill and eat. Then they go without, until they find something more to eat. The ancient human hunter/gatherer did the same thing. Find a rabbit and some berries. Have a feast. The food is gone so now they fast until they find some more food to eat which could be on the same day, but was very likely, the next day.... or even the next. Water, in this scenario, becomes really important.

In between eating, they drank water.... as they fasted. Did they not prefer to live near water? Did not civilizations grow up right next to a body of water?

So now. Looking at my own life, when I fast for two 24-hour periods each week, I either maintain my weight or lose a little -- I don't usually gain. If I eat veggies and protein in between fasts, my body likes it better.

I started my fast today at 11:30 after eating a breakfast of steamed broccoli and lemon slices with two eggs over easy. It is always easier to start a fast after eating a nice healthy meal.

I'll go swimming in a little while, and then tomorrow at 11:30, I'll eat again.

If I do that a couple of times a week. I am in like flint.

The hard part for me is sometimes I just don't want to. I get lazy and want to do things my way (which is the way that got me into trouble in the first place). Reading Brad's book always gets me motivated again because it reminds me of all the benefits of fasting.

Seeking the Lord is the same, in that if I remember the benefits, it is so much easier, and becomes more constant in my life. It is the constancy that I want.

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Read the rest of Psalm 103 and you will be blessed.

Be back soon,

Marcia