Sports Bra Lorna Jane Ultra Violet Bra $44.99 / Lorna Jane Prime Booty Support Tight $79.99 / Shoes (similiar) Nike Free RN 2 Running Shoe $75
Today I thought I would touch on a topic that is gaining a TON of attention right now in the health world and is showing marked improvements in overall wellness and assistance in fat loss. Intermittent fasting is essentially a form of eating in which you “fast” for 18 hours. This time without food allows your body to go into mild ketosis, which is a metabolic state that forces your body to begin burning fat for energy. This methodology has been shown to assist with weight loss, build lean muscle, increase strength, and even possibly assist with prevention in chronic disease.
Although during this fast, you are encouraged not to eat food, you can have what is called bulletproof coffee or coffee that is made with MCT oil and butter (sounds weird I know, but trust me it tastes like heaven). The oil and butter essentially provide you with the energy to make it through the fast so that you aren’t dragging during the morning. A lot of people even substitute MCT oil for coconut oil, which is another option and coffee for tea. However, it is important to mention that there is only one brand (Bulletproof) that actually provides MCT oil with brain octane. The brain octane component is essentially advertised as a facet that can help with mental clarity during the fast and is known to be found in small amounts within coconut oil, which is why it can be used as substitute. The Bulletproof company, has essentially concentrated this component in their product, in order to provide you with the “purest energy source possible.” If you do find another company of MCT oil with brain octane, I would love to hear about it!
So, how does it work? As mentioned, it is best to fast for 18 hours, which is allows your body to optimize ketosis and encourage fat loss, however, if 18 hours is too long, you can start with a smaller time frame. The goal is to stop eating at night by 8 pm and not eat again until 2 pm. In between the time that you awake and your first meal at 2 pm, you are encouraged to drink as much bulletproof coffee as desired.
There are different methods for intermittent fasting that do not include bulletproof coffee at all and have a smaller time frame of fasting. Leangains.com is an excellent resource for plain intermittent fasting. Without bulletproof coffee, it is recommended that women begin fasting for only 14 hours and then build their tolerance up to 16 hours. In this case, they would stop eating at 8pm and have their first meal at noon. If you are interested in trying something like this, this may be a better option for you.
I share this information with you because A) I am a nurse and have become fascinated with the new research on ketosis and its effects on overall health B) I myself have begun to practice a mild version of intermittent fasting and although I do not have the desire to lose weight, I do feel that it has helped to lean my body out and provide me with more mental clarity C) I think topics likes these can be confusing and I hope in providing this information, I can help shed clarity and understanding on a somewhat confusing topic. I am by no means an expert on this information and have to continue to do more research on the topic, but I thought it would be something interesting to share, especially given your feedback on social media and the desire to have more fitness and health related information.
I hope you enjoyed this type of material and I fully understand it is quite a bit different from fashion and style. Through this outlet, I hope to not only share my passion for fashion, but also for fitness and health, especially given my representation in the healthcare industry. Please comment below if you found this useful and would like to see more of these various topics.
And as always, a do anywhere workout! 30 – 35 min
Warm up: 5 min light jogging or jump roping; 20 squats; 10 pushups
Today will be a sprint workout with active recovery –> 10, 100 meter sprints
First four at 70% of your maximum speed (this means your all out sprint would be 100%, so decrease by 30%)
Next two at 80%
Last four at 90%
After each sprint you will alternate between these 5 exercises (thus completing each exercise twice)
5 squats
30 russian twists (15 per side)
45 second plank
20 static lunges (10 per side)
10 push-ups (modification: doing them on your knees)
Complete workout with 5 min cool down of light jogging and stretching
The goal of this workout is to allow the exercises in between the sprints to be your active recovery. As always, if you need additional time to catch your breath, take it.
xoxo,
Melissa
