Feast Like a Greek God and have the body of one this Xmas

Everyone wants to overeat over Xmas. We are programmed to do it in the northern hemisphere it is dark and cold and it’s a time of year when we need cheering up.

However the downside in the modern age is that we don’t want to put on excess fat. The average fat gain over the holiday period has been estimated at 3-5 lbs. OUCH

What you’ll LEARN in this article is a STRATEGY that is rooted in robust science that enables you

Feast Like a Greek God and have the body of one too.

Go out for Meals and drink like a fish and stay the same weight as you started the holidays maybe even drop a couple of pounds.  

No one needs any instruction on how to overeat and gorge yourself, pick up the fork, open your cake hole and shovel food in.

What ensures the success of this system is WHAT YOU DO when you are not FEASTING and how we plan around those times is the key skill that I’ll teach you here.

It’s a skill that science has proven

• Will help you burn fat
• Manage your hunger hormones
• Help you build muscle
• Boost your brain function
• Improve your energy levels

Not only will it help you over Xmas but learning it now and implementing it into your daily and weekly routine could add years to your life and help protect against neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinsons.

If you are going to FEAST

then you MUST FAST as well

Learning how to STRATEGICALLY FAST, enables you to have periods when you can FEAST not worrying about the food and quantity and benefit physically and metabolically when you Fast.  Get the strategy unbalanced and it’s a recipe for disaster.

Before we cover strategy that let's talk about 2 popular Fasting Strategies

Intermittent Fasting  (IF) or Time Restricted Eating

The simplest way to explain IF  is either skipping breakfast or your evening meal. If you usually eat at 8 pm and Breakfast at 8 am you’re already fasting for 12 hours, by extending that fasting window out to 12 noon (16 Hour fasting) not only are you missing out 400-600 calories per day from your breakfast you also start generating a whole host of internal metabolic and health benefits.

ONE MEAL A DAY (OMAD)

This can be useful if you are going to a party with plentiful food or there may be an expectation that a lot of alcohol may or WILL be consumed.  You simply fast during the day and eat all your food and drink in one sitting. The average man’s maintenance calories is 2500 - 3000 Kcal per day, you’ll find that hard to eat that all in one go especially after a day of fasting.

Scientists have discovered that you feel less hungry the longer you go without food, hunger is primarily controlled by the hormone Ghrelin, it’s production is governed somewhat by our habits, so if we usually have breakfast at 8 there will be a corresponding high around that time, however when we skip breakfast and fast by lunchtime the Ghrelin levels will be lower and lower still by evening.

PROLONGED FASTING 24- 72 Hours

Inserting  prolonged fasts into your calendar over the Xmas period can really pay dividends. When you fast longer than 36 hours you will burn through your glycogen (stored carbs) and be breaking down fat stores for energy, so you not only benefit by reducing calories you have the added advantage of getting into the fat burning mode called ketosis where your body produces Ketones for fuel.

Ketones are a more efficient cleaner burning fuel than glucose, they also help suppress your appetite and give you a surge of energy, many people report feeling more ‘lively’ with an improved mood and want to exercise .

With a prolonged fast your body naturally increases the amount of Growth Hormone (GH). Levels of GH are implicated in how much body fat you carry, muscle mass you have and how fast you recover. Low levels of GH are a primary reason that as we age many people find it harder to lose fat.

Structuring your Holiday Routine

1 START with FOOD and DRINK RELATED EVENTS you will be attending.  The bigger the event the longer you’ll want to fast before it. You could fast 20-23rd December and then Feast 24 to 26 Dec

2 TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS JUST BEFORE YOU BREAK YOUR FAST

E.g. you have a party on Saturday 15th, it’s a sit down meal at a friends house and likely to be lots of delish and food and the wine and bubbles will be flowing freely.

One strategy is to start a Fast on Friday night after your last meal, Fast all day Saturday go to the gym at 5 o’clock do a weights session, come home by 6.30, get changed and go party after a 24 hour fast.  This is a strategy I teach to the executives I coach, they love it because they do not have to worry about taking time out to eat breakfast, lunch and snack and they can power through their working day and go out and enjoy a corporate dinner.

What to Drink to support your FAST

I’ve created a FREE 5 Day Fasting guide that covers these drinks in detail and strategies for breaking your fast, we also have a Face Book Group for Prolonged Fasting and for Weight Loss

1 Water

2 Salt Shots - This is vital. Do not fast past 24 hours without electrolytes

3 Coffee and Teas (no milk or sugar)

4 Bone Broth - Make your own or purchase

5 Ketone Drinks

Make this Christmas different to all your others, come out the other side in better shape than you went in. Implement any of these strategies and you'll be on your way

Gavin Allinson