I had gained much weight gradually but I didn’t realise it until I saw my photo that was taken by my sister four months ago. I was shocked to see myself looking so fat. Actually when anybody gains weight and sees one self daily in the mirror, it doesn’t give the correct picture. Taking a photo is the best solution to get horrified and to get motivation to loose weight! Same thing happened to me. I thank God for that moment.
First I determined in my mind that I will change my lifestyle no matter what! Although I used to walk five times a week regularly for 30 minutes. But I was eating all types of junk foods and sweets every now and then . My worst scenario was to eat while watching movies on Netflix and eating snacks late night.
It increased my weight to 71 kg!
I never wanted a diet plan that can not be followed throughout so I never tried keto diet or protein diet etc to loose enormous weight but on quitting the diet again become overweight. I don’t want a drastic change in my weight as I don’t have to go for a cat walk! So I needed a dietary plan on which I could adjust my life. I opted for intermittent fasting! I found it excellent and easy to be followed. I want to share the benefits of it that were revealed on me! I am following 16 hours fasting which includes in the morning, after 45 minutes of brisk walk, a glass of warm water and put one tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder with a few drops of lemon juice. I stir it thoroughly as cinnamon powder is hard to dissolve. I drink this and a cup of black tea only. I do all household chores then I prepare my breakfast and take it to my college where I teach. I eat my breakfast at 11:30 a.m, after my lecture. My breakfast includes an omelette with a little oil and lots of veggies (spinach plucked from my patio, onions, tomato, green chilli and green onions). I toast two slices of bran bread, one with a little butter and strawberry jam and a cup of hot tea with milk that I crave for! I eat one fruit also. I enjoy my breakfast so much. When I return home, I am not hungry so I take a glass of namkeen lassi and one fruit for lunch. I go to hospital at 4 pm and return at 7 pm. I take my dinner at 7 pm as I am too hungry by that time. I take chicken or fish with two slices of bran bread, salad, namkeen lassi again and a fruit. Then I enjoy my tea with milk. Before Maghrib prayer my dinner is over. I do not eat any thing till I go to sleep except a hot cup of ginger tea with lemon. I do 15 minutes of whole body workout daily before going to sleep. That’s how I carry out 16 hours intermittent fasting! I can not believe that I have gradually lost 5 kg weight in four months. I weigh 66 kg now! I enjoy everything about my daily routine.
Now let me tell what is the scientific reason of loosing weight by intermittent fasting? When we take carbohydrates it stimulates pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin is an energy abundance hormone. It utilises glucose and when in excess, it stores glucose in the liver in the form of glycogen. If still in excess, it converts glucose into fats that are deposited in our adipose tissues. Insulin also promotes protein synthesis. So as a result we become fat. If we fast intermittently, insulin will be not secreted and as a result stored fat will be mobilised from adipose tissues and will be utilised for energy. Similarly stored glycogen will be broken down, muscle fat will also decrease and weight will be lost. Eating every now and then as bits of snacks, even cookies, chips, sweets, fruit juices and soft drinks never let our pancreas rest! It keeps on sending insulin to deal with abundant carbohydrates! If we exercise there is reverse of all storage functions of insulin. Without exercise, there will be continued increase in deposition of fats and subsequently weight will increase!
Physiologically when we eat, food volume distend our stomach wall and it’s stretch triggers a reflex that goes to the brain then comes back to stomach wall to decrease the tone of muscles in the wall. As a result, stomach wall further moves outward to accommodate more food and that’s how when we eat more, our stomach distends more to accommodate more food. If we eat less, no reflex to stretch the wall and stomach assumes a smaller size. So initial difficulty of abstaining from food will be over soon when stomach wall tone maintains to become small in size and we become used to it!
So take no sugar in tea, no sugary drinks and sweets. It’s equally necessary to drink 8 glasses of water daily. During intermittent fasting, water, Black tea or black coffee without sugar is allowed. Nothing else until breakfast time at 11 am.
With this amazing routine I feel that my ginger tea and tea with milk comes as a treat! So I enjoy more having it. The feeling of well being is marvellous. I feel more energetic now! I have a cheat day once a month that is the first Saturday of each month when I go for breakfast at Pathan bhai’s khoka and eat paratha with malai! Oops! Why I shared this secret?! Happy intermittent fasting! 27th July, 2019