Three Proven Steps
There are three proven steps I use that can vastly improve your health, and best of all, they are ALL-NATURAL! As we go through these steps, I will point out important keys that will help you succeed. As a note of transparency - I utilize a supplement to help me with the three steps. I will address it at the end. If you're like me, you want to get to the point without a bunch of over-explaining, so let's get to it.
INTERMITTENT FASTING (step one)
There are various forms of fasting, and different types of fasts (water fast, partial fast, absolute fast, juice fast, and many more), but the form I rely mostly upon is the 16:8 method. When using 16:8, you allow yourself an 8 hour window to eat two meals (no snacking in-between). And then you fast (don't eat or snack) for 16 hours.
If you have a hard time jumping into something like this, start out with a 12:12 and work your way up. I find that being flexible to an extent and not being overly hard on yourself if you mess up is important. I find that utilizing your sleep schedule as part of your fast helps tremendously. The way I approach it? I skip breakfast, have lunch and dinner (dinner and supper depending on where you are). That's it. Eat two HEALTHY meals within the 8 hours, skip breakfast and repeat.
For example: My lunch at work is typically around 11 am. So I have lunch then, and make sure I finish my dinner by 7pm. No snacking in-between. No bedtime or midnight snack. Skip breakfast and start over.
Occasionally I throw in a longer fast for my own personal preference. I may include a week of OMAD (One Meal A Day), or an extended fast. When doing extended fasts, be sure to research them first and do them properly so you stay healthy. My extended fasts include using a tea, a vitamin supplement, and water - my longest extended fast was 5 days (120 hours). DO NOT JUST STOP EATING/DRINKING. And to truly be safe, you should extended fast with a doctor's supervision.
Yes you can have coffee and tea (so long as they are sugar free), and if you use creamer, keep it minimal. If you HAVE TO have a sweetener - try some Stevia or Monkfruit. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water!
LOW CARB, HIGH FAT AND PROTEIN (step two)
Eating healthy can be done fairly simply, but for most of us, it takes extreme willpower to avoid those things we crave and should not be eating. I have a hard time with this.
Reduce those carbs! We eat way too many carbs. Potatoes, breads, pasta, candies, cakes, cookies, rice, - you know what I'm talking about. All the sweets we love and the fillers that go along with comfort food. Drastically reduce them. Elliminate? I didn't say that. I'm not a fan of complete ellimination. We still need some carbs, but nowhere near as many as we consume.
Increase the fruits and veggies! We need the beneficial things they provide (antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, etc), and they also count toward our fiber intake. Don't juice them! We need that fiber they naturally contain. Juicing may give you the vitamins and minerals, but it cuts that key fiber we need. If you are type 2 diabetic, be careful of which fruits you choose - the sweeter ones can still boost your glucose (bananas, grapes, mangoes, raisins to name a few). Fresh fruit is always best. Try to avoid dried or processed/canned fruits.
Keep up that protein! We still need it to increase lean muscle mass, stabilize glucose levels, stronger bones, enhances heart health, etc. Protein does a lot to build and repair our body. It's one of the key building blocks. Try to eat good, quality protein for optimal results - things like chicken, turkey, lean cuts of beef, bison, fatty fishes, white fishes (that are not fatty), seafood, eggs, tofu, soybeans, nuts and nut butters (watch ingredients!!). You can still eat protein from plants if you are vegetarian/vegan, but you have to consume a LOT! It's been scientifically proven that our bodies absorb/utilize meat protein much more effeciently than plant protein.
Now for the big one - FIBER. Fiber. Fiber. Fiber. We fall SHORT on our fiber intake! In The United States, it's estimated we only injest approximately 14 grams of fiber per day. How much do we need? Roughly 25 - 30 grams per day (these numbers vary depending on age, gender, ethnicity, etc). Needless to say, we fall very short - which can be attributed to many things. Processed foods remove fiber to improve shelf life (and to keep you hungry and buying more). Fast food is notoriously lower in fiber thanks to their manufacturing practices. Juices remove fiber. And overall, people generally don't wish to eat plate after plate of leafy green stuff all day. So yes, we really need those fruits and veggies mentioned above. We need a good BLEND of fibers - both soluble and insoluble. These help our digestion and nourish our gut health, just to name a couple benefits.
Eating healthy also means avoiding some things as well. Fast foods and soda are two of the main things we should avoid. When it comes down to it, we know fast food is not healthy for us. I don't think I need to go into great detail on that. Sodas - same thing... water, chemicals and sugars. There is no nutritional value in sodas. The thing is, we have become completely complacent in "grabbing something on the way" or hitting the drive thru if we "don't feel like cooking". And it's just so darn convenient! They're everywhere and in our face all the time on street corners and advertising. But deep down... we know. We know they're not healthy.
UTILIZE CHLOROGENIC ACID (step three)
Chlorogenic acid is a polyphenol found in many plants, fruits and vegetables, including coffee beans and teas. It has a lot of properties that are good for the body. It's an anti-inflamatory agent, antioxidant, antimicrobial, regulates blood sugar, regulates blood pressure, helps cardiovascular health, can aid weight loss, helps cognitive function, enables quicker recovery from workouts, and increases your natural production of GLP-1 in your gut.
Let's focus on that last one first, because we hear so much about GLP-1 and chemicals that are prescribed for it. GLP-1 is a hormone that is created in your gut which helps regulate blood sugar, appetite and digestion. Utilizing chlorogenic acid can naturally boost your GLP-1 levels safely without the side effects of the alternative man-made chemicals we hear about. Items that raise your GLP-1 level are actually referred to as "agonists". You don't actually inject or injest GLP-1, itself.
Where do we get chlorogenic acids? It comes in many fruits and vegetables. It's found in a variety of plants. And most commonly, we find it in green coffee beans and teas like Yerba Mate. Yes, when you're drinking your coffee, you are indeed boosting your GLP-1 naturally (so long as you didn't fill it with sugar, creamer, etc.). When purchasing things like tea or drinks that may contain chlorogenic acid - be sure to check the ingredients and make sure there aren't a lot of unhealthy additives.
HELPFUL TIPS
When taking on such an endeavor as improving your health, there are some things to keep in mind.
Such as (the biggest one) YOU DIDN'T GET THIS WAY OVERNIGHT. The majority of health issues we face today can be linked to dietary changes over the last several decades and the choices of foods we make. Our health has become what it is over time, so don't expect miraculous recoveries in a week. Realize that each step will work together to help you improve gradually. Don't get frustrated if you don't see results immediately - everyone is different and each person has their own sets of issues to deal with. Some people have been sick for a very, very long time and may take longer to get results.
Secondly, CONSISTENCY IS KEY! Stay consistent. Keep pushing and plugging away at it. I am very well aware of how easy it is to feel defeated or down on how the progress is going. Baby steps is crucial. Consistency achieves that. Each step is a win.
Thirdly, alternatively regarding wins, DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP if you happen to "fall off" what you're doing. If you give in and have a snack, accept it, let it go, and strive to do better next time around. Don't get down on yourself when an emotional binge sets in and you grab things you should't. It happens. Learn from it. Assert yourself to do better next time, and keep going. Positivity is going to help you keep going. Getting down on yourself will just make things harder.
Fourth (fourthly?) - FIND A SUPPORT COMMUNITY. It helps to have someone to discuss things with, who understands the types of issues you're going through. You are not alone. There are many others out here struggling with the same issues, fears, feelings of defeat, and doubts. Here at Fiyre It Up, I am striving to put together a community of people who are working toward the same goal - being healthier and helping others do the same. Building a "family" of people to encourage one another is something I feel is truly important.
THE SUPPLEMENT
In the first part, I mentioned I use a supplement to help me with the three steps. I'm clarifying this as a statement of trasnparency. I utilize a supplement because I have a terrible time with emotion/stress eating and it seriously affects my willpower to stick to the plan above.
These supplements got their start in the late 1980's but most people have never heard of them. They are direct marketed and don't run ads like the big pharma agencies. Even so, they are being used in over 60 countries and are expanding daily. They come with a 90 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.
The supplement consists of two parts - a tea and a fiber. Combine these with the three steps above and you get an amazing method to help improve your health. These supplements are all-natural, and unlike many supplements these are actually listed in the PDR (Prescribers Digital Reference - previously the Physicians Desktop Reference) - the resource that doctors use to evaluate medications, substances, etc.
Do you "have to" use a supplement? No. The three steps above will help improve your health. The supplements are there to help those of us that have a harder time with altering our eating habits. They also give a boost such as curbing hunger while fasting, increasing GLP-1, regulating blood sugar (as well as cholesterol and blood pressure), enhancing mood and helping cognitive function. The supplement just makes the process MUCH easier!
Do you have to use a supplement forever? No. The goal is to build healthy eating habits while on your health journey, so that you can maintain your health once you reach your goals. When you arrive at the health you desire, you don't want to go back to how you used to eat - it will put you back into the poor health you had. Learning how to truly eat and live healthy is the goal.
Are the supplements expensive? Some say they are, but when you consider what is spent on medications, junk food, sodas, fast food, etc. daily - no. I used to stop at the gas station each morning on the way to work to grab three bottles of soda, a bag of chips, and some donuts (and oftentimes a few more snacks), which would run me $15 or more per day. The cost of the supplement is less than $6 per day. Cheaper than a trip to a favorite coffee chain or a fast food drive thru.
Research the supplements and decide for yourself. Take a look at the link below and be sure to read the "Learn More" for both items. There is also a research tab with links to studies which back up the science of the products. This link will lead you to the lowest price available, and utilizing the subscription gets you extra perks.
