Science-based trade secrets for smart fat loss, that have nothing to do with calories.
Getting ready for YOUR BIG MOMENT.
Today I want to share with you guys a few strategies, that might not seem like a big deal, but they are, and these strategies will help you to get to the next level in your fat loss, health and fitness journey.
But mostly fat loss.
As I’m starting to get ready for a sports model competition in Houston on March 17th, I’m designing a program to get my body ready for MY BIG MOMENT, program, that won’t make me crazy and bored (counting calories always does), program, that doesn’t steal my joy of life (no starvation diets for me — thank you!), program, that gives me energy AND results, program, that is not a guessing game, that is smart and based on science and my professional and personal experience.
I’m bringing out the BIG GUNS!
And even though you might not be getting ready for a competition (but maybe you get inspired to do one?) — you might wanna use these strategies to get ready for YOUR BIG MOMENT.
Wedding, a beach vacation with your special one or your girlfriends/buddies, family or class re-union, professional photo shoot, public talk or other public event, a movie, getting back in shape after baby.
Whatever it is — you don’t want to take chances. You need results, you need them on time, but you don’t want to kill yourself over it.
Here is what I do.
(If you are still eating any kind of sugar, honey etc., processed grains or indulge in ANY processed or junk food — gettinng all of that out of your diet and eating unprocessed whole foods ONLY and whatever you can cook from it, that alone will help you to shed quite a few pounds of fat and water.)
ONE
I limit the time of eating. (Also known in scientific circles as Time-Restricted Feeding/Eating)
No snacking of ANY kind anymore outside feeding hours.
I eat what I got to eat before 4 PM. Then I close my mouth and tell myself, “Suck it up buttercup. You have a goal — work for it.” It’s only challenging first week or so, till your body gets used to your new eating schedule, then your hunger naturally grows in the early hours diminishing later in the day. Once the habit gets conditioned with daily repetitions, your mind stops resisting it, it all gets easier.
That practice alone will increase your fat burning A LOT (during fasted/no-food hours). But not only that, your skin, your energy levels, your sleep, your digestion — it all will improve.
They did studies, people who consumed all their food in a time-restricted window lost more weight (all the rest being equal) compared to people, who ate the same amount of food spread out.
I start eating at around 9 am. I stop consuming ANY calories at 4 pm. No snacks, oils or fats after 4 pm.
TWO
I limit or eliminate all non-whole food calories.
Why?
The less energy it takes for your body to get the energy out of food, the more processed the food is (juices and smoothies might be healthy but they are still processed, compared to whole fruits and vegetables, especially juices, but even smoothies, try to chew all that smoothie stuff — it will take much more time and energy, your jaws might even start getting tired!) the more processed the food is — the more calories will end up in your system, without giving you additional benefits of reducing your hunger and keeping you full.
We want not only to work in the gym, we also want to make our digestive system to work the most, breaking down and digesting our food, getting all the nutrients out.
Workout inside and out!
The same principle applies to cooking.
Do you think you get the same calories from eating a raw potato (not that I recommend the experience) and a cooked potato? Of course not! (If anything, raw potato will probably make you go visit the bathroom faster).
Same applies to broccoli, to carrots or beets — anything, the more smooshy-mushy you make your food — the less work for your digestive system, the more calories you absorb, the less “fat-burning” effect that food will have — the more smooshy-mushy you will look.
That’s why for my competition prep most of my veggies will be either raw and unprocessed (think salads), or cooked “al dente” (think crunchy broccoli). I do cook my proteins — my eggs and fish.
That’s why I’m also not a fan of cheeses and dairy — another smooshy-mushy kind of food, a lot of easy absorbed calories (assuming you are getting the good stuff in the first place, unsweetened, from pasture-raised animals, not some farm-raised crap).
Most of my food is recognizable on my plate — veggies, nuts and seeds, fish, eggs.
The only exception I make personally (just because I know I can afford it (fat loss wise) and because I love it so damn much AND those foods give me additional health benefits, cognitive benefits):
Bulletproof Coffee — 2 cups a day (1 tb spoon of brain octane, 1 tb spoon of butter)
3 Tb spoons of my favorite paleo dressing for the salad, that helps to absorb fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K from all the vegetables (and makes my salad and veggies fun every time).
A piece (30g) of dark, sugar free chocolate
And if I need to speed up the process, that’s where I cut down first too. But I never limit my non-starchy vegetables and leafy greens or my whole food fatty protein (fatty fish and eggs).
THREE
Fasted workouts.
That will burn your fat like crazy. AND will boost your longevity genes.
I do my workouts in an hour after I wake up, having nothing in my stomach. I won’t eat anything and consume any calories for another couple of hours after.
And if I really want to accelerate the progress — 30 minutes of cardio a couple of hours before bed, low to medium intensity.
I’ll be posting all my food and workouts and other competition prep details on my Instagram — comment, ask questions, ask for advice — I’d love to help you to rock YOUR BIG MOMENT.
Follow me on My Fitness Pal — you can see my detailed food diary there, what I eat, how much, and it will show you calories, fats, carbs, proteins, if you are curious.
Let’s go! Let’s get ready for OUR BIG MOMENT!
You don’t get healthy and stay healthy.
HEALTH is a DAILY PRACTICE. One bite at a time.
Daily Bite of Health
