IT’S A HABIT!
I have often thought about motivation and habits. Motivation will get us started toward a goal, but habits will consistently keep us going when motivation fluctuates. To me, habit formation is much more important, since habits give us the foundation to sustain us in uncertain times. Relying only on motivation can be risky. We all have lapses.
While recently reflecting on my weight loss history, I cited hydration, slower chewing and deep breathing as the primary reasons for slimming down. Plus workouts and avoidance of quick fixes.
But I left out intermittent fasting, maybe the most important factor of all. When I began intermittent fasting almost 4 years ago, I was concerned. Could I really stay with it? Was it safe from a health standpoint? Would fasting cause me to overeat the next day?
I found it to be surprisingly easy to adopt as a fitness measure. It is not recommended for people who are diabetic, pregnant or under 18 years of age. But it worked well for me. I was able to lose weight (fat, really) without trying too hard.
Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Dr. Mark Mattson tells us us that it benefits our health in these ways:
- It boosts the working memory in animals and verbal memory in adult humans
- It improves our blood pressure and resting heart rate
- Young men who fasted for 16 hours showed fat loss while maintaining muscle mass. Mice who were fed only on alternate days showed better endurance in running.
- Intermittent fasting prevented obesity in studies of animals. Obese adult humans lost weight in 6 studies. It helps people lower their levels of fasting glucose, fasting insulin and leptin – while reducing insulin resistance and levels of leptin.
- In animals, it reduced tissue damage in surgery.
Please check my prior posts on intermittent fasting:
Intermittent fasting as a diet plan – September 12, 2022
My experience with intermittent fasting – November 30, 2021
This post will be relatively very short. A few books from Amazon will be featured and I will close with final thoughts.
AMAZON
I am affiliated with Amazon as both a customer and as a marketing associate. As a customer, I enjoy the fast service and wide product line. As an associate, I may use Amazon links when they are relevant to my content. I may earn commissions when the links are converted to sales. This is affiliate marketing. See my upper menu, “Become An Affiliate Marketer”, for details.
The Amazon links will show full information, pictures, prices, reviews and suggestions for other similar or complementary items.
Intermittent fasting for men and women over 50
Intermittent fasting transformation – 45 day program for women
Intermittent fasting for dummies – the dummies books are always great
Intermittent fasting – guide and cookbook
Fasting for health – rest your body through intermittent fasting
The men’s health guide to intermittent fasting
Also, check these items:
Intermittent fasting drink mix – raspberry lime
Intermittent fasting bars – nuts and honey, chocolate chip and coconut macadamia nut
FINAL THOUGHTS
Only a couple of days ago, I realized that I had forgotten that I was still doing intermittent fasting. I really wasn’t thinking about it. Formerly, I was watching my time of meals and sleep very carefully. But recently, I was only concerned with keeping my workouts going every morning and eating carefully.
But I did a quick review. I was not eating breakfast until about 11 am or later. My morning workout always preceded my first meal. The workout was a combination of physical therapy, core training and either cardio or strength exercise, which were alternated.
My final meal was begun no later than 4:30 – 5 pm and concluded within 30 minutes, unless I was going out.
I was still fasting about 18 hours per day and not even thinking about it. This is the strength of habit, in the same sense that I give a turn signal when I am driving, even when I turn into my garage. We act, we don’t think, when habits become ingrained.
My weight loss has amounted to at least 80 pounds if I consider my weight about 25 years ago, but it has been 40 pounds in the last 4 years, since I began intermittent fasting.
It’s a lifestyle change, not a diet. Still, check with your doctor before beginning. Lots of weight may come off, most of it fat.
Please leave me any comments or questions in the “Comments” section below. Or email me, richard@myworkoutathome.com.
Be well!
