Sharing my learnings from the book, Fast Burn! By Ian K. Smith, MD
Fast Burn! By Ian K. Smith, MD
Many IF books leave readers to figure out what and how much they should eat during their feeding window, and even how long to fast each day. Smith knows that even readers highly motivated to change their weight and their health need marching orders, and they’re all here in Fast Burn!’s nine-week program. Dr. Ian believes in cleanereating―forget perfect―and the two positively disruptive Jigsaw Weeks he works into his Fast Burn! program not only mix things up so Fast Burners stay on track, but introduce refreshing and less structured plant-based weeks to the program. Fast Burn! goes beyond the daily meal plan, but also includes simple and achievable exercises―with both gym and out-of-gym options―for every week as well as thirty-three recipes focusing on improved calorie quality, including the plan’s signature Burner Smoothie, to use throughout the three stages of the program.
- A healthy body needs the right amount of the right fats.
- fat is inescapable – fat is one of the three macronutrients humans need to survive. But not all fat is made equally, and knowing the difference is important for any diet.
- There are four different categories of fat.
- Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are sometimes called the “good fats” because they bring many health benefits, such as easing inflammation and lowering the risk of heart disease. These fats are found in vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish along with cooking oils like soybean oil and olive oil.
- saturated and trans fats are considered more harmful because they’re more difficult to digest and raise the body’s levels of LDL cholesterol, sometimes also known as “bad cholesterol,” because of the way it builds up in your blood vessels over time, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease. Saturated fats are found in meats like beef, poultry, and lamb along with dairy products and rich oils like coconut oil. Trans fats are usually artificial and found in the hydrogenated oils used in many processed foods.
- Intermittent fasting puts the body on a regular eating schedule.
- our bodies may function best when food isn’t eaten around the clock. This is the theory behind the dietary practice of intermittent fasting
- Intermittent fasting, or IF, is the practice of consciously restricting when you eat.
- The most basic form of IF is time-restricted feeding, or TRF. Practitioners of TRF divide the day into periods of eating – when nutrients are consumed – and fasting, when nothing is eaten. A common structure for TRF is the 12:12 program, where the feeding and fasting windows both last 12 hours. Stricter programs increase the length of the fasting window to 14, 16, or even 18 hours.
- Other forms of IF use different eating schedules. For instance, in the 5:2 model, you eat regularly five days a week, but on two nonconsecutive fasting days, you only consume 500 calories. Other models call for calorie restriction every other day or introduce a full 24-hour fast once a week.
- the food you eat gives your body fuel. During a fast, that fuel is missing, so the body must break down stored fat in order to keep functioning. The longer you fast, the more fat your body transforms into fuel.
- intermittent fasting has many potential benefits like weight loss, improved brain function, and reduced inflammation
- The Ignition period of the Fast Burn program is designed to ease you into the IF lifestyle
- For the first two weeks, start with a 12:12 TRF schedule – that’s a 12-hour feeding window and 12-hour fasting window. During the feeding window, choose your meals carefully, and space them out evenly. And, for the first two weeks, work in 30 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise about four times a week, preferably during your fasting window.
- By week three, your body should be fully acclimated to the 12:12 schedule, so it’s time to turn up the heat. This week, shorten your feeding period by two hours so you’re on a 10:14 time-restricted feeding schedule. Also, ramp up your exercise a bit. Try incorporating some more rigorous aerobic workouts such as body weight exercises or Zumba classes. Only take one rest day this week.
- In week four, continue with your 10:14 TRF schedule. By now, the fasting periods should start feeling more normal. Also, this week is a Jigsaw week, meaning you should alternate your meals between days of normal eating and days that are fully plant-based or vegetarian. This variety will help you take in the right mix of nutrients. Make it through this week, and you’ll be ready for week five: Intermission.
- Use the Intermission week to recuperate and reflect. stick to what was working best in the Ignition stage. You can revert back to a 12:12 TRF schedule, or, if you prefer, maintain the more rigorous 10:14 schedule. you’ll want to exercise five times this week, with rest days on day three and six.
- The full Fast Burn program lays out what to eat each week
- avoid high-calorie junk foods like sodas, white pastas, potatoes, and other items high in sugar and starch. These foods will disrupt your diet even if eaten during the proper eating window.
- The important thing is to keep moving. your workouts can be customized to suit your specific needs. Look back on which workouts you enjoyed, and which ones caused pain or stress.
- Kick your intermittent fasting into high gear with four weeks of Acceleration.
- most rigorous portion of the Fast Burn program
- It starts with week six: the Reload phase. This week, you get back into the IF mindset by maintaining a 10:14 TRF schedule. Continue exercising by dedicating 30 to 45 minutes to working out each day, with only one day of rest on day six.
- Week seven is another Jigsaw week, so the focus is once again on varying the foods you eat.
- week eight, the Stretch week, where things really get tough. If you can, tighten your TRF even more to have an eight-hour feeding period and 16 hours of fasting. This week also includes the Daily Double: two days this week, aim to eat only half the calories you do the other five.
- week nine brings it all home. If you’re feeling brave and healthy enough, this is the week you can tighten your TRF schedule to have just six hours of feeding and 18 hours of fasting.
- Optimize your eating periods with fresh, healthy meals.
- Two hours after waking up in the morning is the ideal time to begin your feeding window. A great way to break your fast and start the day right is the Burner Smoothie. Make this signature drink by blending a three-fourths cup of apple juice, water, or milk with one teaspoon apple cider vinegar, one teaspoon coconut oil, a cup of blueberries, an apple, a banana, and a handful of baby spinach. Top it off with a squeeze of lemon and some ice, and you’ve got one healthy drink!
- For lunch, try a Greek Energy Bowl for four. Start with two cups of cooked brown rice or quinoa. Season two six-ounce pieces of skinless chicken breast with salt and pepper, pan-fry in a couple tablespoons olive oil, and then cut into strips. Crumble a cup of feta cheese, and chop up some avocado, grape tomatoes, and cucumber. Assemble the bowls by layering the ingredients and topping with olives and a couple spoonfuls of balsamic vinaigrette.
- When dinner rolls around, end your feeding period with a cheesy chicken quesadilla. For this simple recipe, start by sautéing two six-ounce cuts of skinless chicken until golden brown. Then, wrap the chopped meat in tortillas along with shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, some diced onions, and half a cup of salsa. Brush the wraps with olive oil, then bake at 400 degrees for five to eight minutes.
Leave a Reply