TODAY ON MY BIRTHDAY, I SAY: ‘THERE GOES, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, ME’.

April 8, 2021 Kurian#autophagy, #birthday, #breadpudding, #intermittentfasting, #Wellness, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

When I did 36 hours of continuous fasting as part of intermittent fasting, a friend asked if I see any benefit and my answer sounded ‘There goes, but for the grace of God, me’. That comparison makes any pain quite joyous.

If I take a stock on this birthday, I have a few things! To start with I am now a bank customer from a banker. That’s after working in 6 banks in 11 locations spanning 5 countries.

Sportsman never retires, my main activity is around Masters Swimming where the super ambitious target is a medal in the world championship.

En route, is the wellness program. Intermittent Fasting is a lifestyle. It’s a little beyond that, I am mentoring a group towards the lifestyle.

Other things which would make me busier than in my previous years include planting trees, becoming an ardent nature lover, restorer of traditional dishes and cooking, continue working towards a six pack, target autophagy on a daily basis to reverse ageing.

Above all, a loving husband, proud father, super grandfather, a good friend to all including the growing circle of social media friends.

The single candle symbolising ‘the number ONE’ is not on a cake but something very special and loving. This is the traditional Kerala steamed bread pudding. The white icing is rare and unique of whipped egg white with lime juice and sugar.

Sunu knows what is best of the best for me.

Intermittent Fasting, A 36 Hour Clock!

April 3, 2021April 3, 2021 Kurian#autophagy, #goodfriday, #intermittentfasting, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

I have adopted intermittent fasting as lifestyle with target of 19 hours fasting and eating window of 5 hours. And I have been achieving 20 hours on average with occasional one meal a day.

Yesterday was Good Friday and I started the day with fasting from 3.15 pm on Thursday. That’s when I realised that one of the disciplines I learned from my mother was observing one meal a day on Good Friday.

I can’t be called very religious, but I follow some good things that I was trained through the childhood. Eating once only on Good Friday is one of them which was observed with some difficulty with occasional deviations.

It’s a shame then that I don’t find it difficult or forced by custom to do intermittent fasting and one meal a day.

So I decided to do some penance on Good Friday and extended fasting to 36 hours for the first time in life.

I did good, had only one black coffee on the 25th hour. Felt energetic and did 200 meters more than usual in the swimming pool.

The only thing noted was the 36 hours was to end at 3.15 am today. Sleep was affected and I raided the kitchen at about 3.50 am. Autophagy must have worked for about 20 hours and some of the damaged cells would have been repaired and age reversed to that extend etc etc.

Now I can look at a 3 day fast, say once in 6 months which would reset my metabolism positively.

Goal post can keep shifting.

Intermittent Fasting and Cheat Days.

March 27, 2021 Kurian#cheatdays, #intermittentfasting, #Wellness, @aarunya1, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @cherrylsblog, @easyindianfood, @enteblog.com.blog, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @melodyofwords, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @preetikumari858, @rachelmankowitz, @recollectionsatfall, @rhoolarney, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @smalltownmusing, @smrithiheyasblog.in, @stilllovedstillmissed, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamer, saania2806Leave a comment

I have adopted intermittent fasting as a lifestyle. Clearly it’s the best wellness program and benefits range from weight loss to prevention of deadly diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer and then to the dream benefit of reversing ageing.

Having seen and enjoyed some benefits, I am keen to be a serious practitioner of this program and look for information wherever available. I even mentor a group of fasters.

Apparently there’s no fixed schedule suited for everyone. Benefits vary from individual to individual and one needs to arrive at the best schedule to make it a lifestyle.

I have 19:5 as the lifestyle, that is 19 hours of fasting with 5 hours for eating. As the picture above shows I have been strict, exceeding fasting time many a day.

That’s when I hear that a cheating day is good for better results. After reaching so far in life cheat is not a word I like.

But I looked at it again. Perhaps this cheating has some scientific background. Here I am to cheat my body mechanism preventing it from adjusting to my lifestyle by slowing down my body metabolism. That is adjusting it to work with the less quantity of food at a fixed time.

That won’t help as I want the body to dig into my stored fat when food based energy is finished. So cheat it by occasionally showing that I have more food if I want. So cheat by eating more frequently on one day of a week.

If interested in fasting and in knowing what I have learned, let me know.

To Be Well With Wellness.

February 11, 2021 Kurian#intermittentfasting, #lookinggood, #sixpacks, #Weightloss, #Wellness, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, diet, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

Wellness is the desire for all of us. We can have different measures for it. It’s important that we have a plan for our desires.

Wellness coaching is a tricky thing. There are numerous methods and recommendations towards a healthy life. Then how to choose a good one poses a challenge

The best way to do that is to set our own goals and try out what suits and works best for us.

That means, we need to be researchers. Look at recommendations and statistics, but test and evolve what’s good for us.

If I share my experience, I have found intermittent fasting as something really working. I consider Gin Stephens book ‘Delay, Don’t Deny’ as a good guide for it. She narrates based on own experiences, tests and trials.

Goals differ from people to people. I have set what could be considered as a very tough goal of acquiring six packs. That’s to look good.

Looking good is perhaps equally important like being healthy. Weight loss for many of us is looking good.

Personally, I don’t want to sacrifice much while going for the looking good and younger goal. One such sacrifice sought to be avoided is eating my favourite sweets.

Technically, internet fasting is okay when anything is eaten but confined only to the eating window. That perhaps take care of the sweet tooth. But there’s more to be done.

Losing fat, weight and toning up muscles need some extra bit of efforts. What if avoiding sugar and processed food help the task better. Well, worth giving a try.

So it’s worthwhile to look at diet, workout, and fasting to gain the best results.

For me they will be intermittent fasting as a lifestyle, some sensible eating during the window, exercises for weight loss and muscle building and swimming.

What we have to do is to select what work for realising the goal and make it the lifestyle.

Why Do We Exercise!

February 4, 2021 Kurian#exercise, #intermittentfasting, #mastersswimming, #sixpacks, #Weightloss, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamer4 Comments

Sometime back I was attracted to the saying that we exercise to impress the neighbor.

Now I look at it as need based also. Weight loss is a universally accepted reason. Better health, keeping fit etc are others.

Walking perhaps is most common with gym visits, weight training and others in the list.

There are quite a few who exercise for the company of fellow athletes.

But then, after a time we want to see some results. Some adjustments are required for it to happen.

Research says that slower walking helps losing weight better than jogging or running. So there’s some science behind all these.

This is what I do now:

I have adopted intermittent fasting as a lifestyle. To compliment the weight loss. I do some slow walking.

I want to walk on stones barefoot, like I used to do in childhood days when chasing fish in the river. So my walking for fat burning is barefoot on the cobbled ground with enough pebbles to toughen the barefoot.

I have a dream to acquire six packs. So I want to lift weight, do push-ups, pull-ups and crunches.

I want to get rid of my lower belly and love handles. For this I do anabolic and HIIT workout.

I am looking at some medals in Masters Swimming competitions. So I swim like a trained swimmer.

I want to acquire some yogic benefits. So I do yoga.

That’s hell of a lot.

Barrier Broken! Fasting Crossed 24 Hours.

January 30, 2021 Kurian#delaydontdeny, #intermittentfasting, #onemealaday, #Wellness, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

I have been doing intermittent fasting for the past two years, enjoying great benefits. The maximum continuous fasting so far has been 24 hours, that too a couple of times during the period.

But I just managed to break the barrier and I am into the 25th hour and just had one black coffee other than water during the period.

I am feeling good and this could be the beginning of a new phase where 36 hours upto 72 hours can be looked at for a total metabolic reset.

So it’s a lifestyle of one meal a day (one square meal and some snacks/ soups) during a eating window of 5 hours. In intermittent fasting terms it’s a 19.5 program. Which is 19 hours fasting and 5 hours of eating window.

Now I can aim for an occasional 36 hours progressing to a 3 days fasting once in 6 months.

We have a small group of intermittent fasters and if you want to join send a whatsapp to my number +91 9400056031.

Starting is easy, fast for just 14 hours to begin with which includes sleeping time. And enjoy the wellness.

‘Delay, Don’t Deny’! The Best On Intermittent Fasting.

January 29, 2021 Kurian#beetrootcarrotsoup, #delaydontdeny, #intermittentfasting, #Wellness, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

Intermittent Fasting is perhaps the best in wellness and Gin Stephen’s book ‘Delay, Don’t Deny’ is the best I have seen on it. Moreover, it’s a pleasure to be listening to the book on Audible.

I am now on ‘One Meal a Day’ after reading the book. Well, it’s not exactly eating once, but having one square meal and one or two smaller ones during an eating window of 5 hours.

I have been on the lookout for these smaller meals. The big one, of course eat my heart out, with all the favourite things which are many sweets too.

A friend of mine suggested beetroot- carrot soup. Well here’s what I made based on her recipe.

Two beets, two carrots, one tomato, 5 shallots, 3 garlic pods, 1/2 inch ginger, chicken broth, coconut milk, feta cheese, pepper and salt are ingredients.

Steam skinned and cut beetroots and carrots in pressure cooker for 4 whistles. Drain the liquid into a hard bottom vessel. Mash the boiled and cooled vegetables in a mixer along with tomato, ginger, garlic and shallots.

Put the vessel on medium fire and add the mashed contents. When hot add one cup of chicken broth and bring to boil. (Vegetarians, go for vegetable broth). Reduce flame and add coconut milk and allow it to simmer adding salt and pepper.

Add feta cheese and the soup is ready to enjoy.

I am planning a life style of eating what I want for lunch at around 1pm and a soup like this and two boiled eggs at around 4.30 pm as the last meal of the day.

That’s, just delay and not deny what I want to eat for a sustainable and beneficial intermittent fasting routine.

Audible. Will Read For You!

January 23, 2021 Kurian#amazon, #audible, #audiobook, #intermittentfasting, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

With a parent organisation as powerful as Amazon, Audible the Audiobook application is a very interesting development.

I was introduced to Audible by a friend in the fasting group who recommended a book on fasting which she said is currently available on audible only in india.

So I subscribed to the free trial and bought the audio book. And I am to stay put.

I am enjoying the book being read out to me by someone with a sweet voice who I can definitely imagine as the author and for that matter the lead character in the book.

So, perhaps move over the paperback, kindle and tablets. And of course, there’s no need for the reading specs even.

Fantastic.

New Year And Resolutions.

January 5, 2021 Kurian#intermittentfasting, #newyearresolutions, #sixpacks, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamer2 Comments

2020, well we want to forget the year. That’s fine provided we can make 2021 worthwhile.

Sometimes, we can’t just start from scratch. It’s applicable with new year resolutions. It’s better to pick up from where it was left.

The most ambitious and key resolution I had was to acquire six packs by end 2020. There were others, now being reclassified into ‘bucket list’.

Did I acquire six packs? Well we can see it here. Some work is required. Of course, the happenings in 2020 is the excuse.

So it’s just carried forward. That means, six packs is in the list.

Others

Years of corporate life, suited and booted made my feet tender. I can’t walk on the mud without footwear. Here’s a resolution to run on stones. I am already walking in the compound, barefoot.

Continue, guide and mentor intermittent fasting. Be a coach.

Sleep seven plus hours.

Eat sensibly, less sugar more good food.

Plant trees, grow fruits and vegetables

Cook exotic, traditional and specialty food.

Travel more.

Happy 2021.

Best Things In Life Have A Sin Tag. But Can’t Let Go Most!

November 24, 2020November 24, 2020 Kurian#intermittentfasting, #Wellness, @artofbeingfabulous, @aswathyalappadu, @chitrasrecipes, @irefusetogiveup, @itsmystyleofliving, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @mazeepuran, @muddlingthroughmymiddleage, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @rachelmankowitz, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @sonibindaas571181659, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

Succumbing to the weakness for pleasurable things has some drawbacks like bad health, law enforcement scrutiny and being at the wrong side of those moral guardians.

We have the option to say no to that icecream or the unique Kunju’s Jamroll. Once walked away, the opportunity to relish the pleasure is lost, at least for that time.

And if we stay and enjoy the sin, we’re called ‘the weak’, lacking self discipline and a carefree vagabond.

What if we can have the cake and eat it too. There are some defence mechanisms. I am going to talk about one of them. The Intermittent Fasting.

Research and studies have shown that intermittent fasting is probably the best wellness program.

The good thing about the program is that it talks about a certain period without food, with a window of certain hours during the day for eating.

An array of health benefits, including a fashionable weight loss are the attractions. And if these can be achieved while enjoying the favourite things, then why not!

We have a small group sharing information and support on intermittent fasting. If interested let me know with a message to my whatsapp number +91 9400056031.

Note: if healthy eating is adopted during eating window, the benefits multiply.