Stay at Home and Intermittent Fasting

March 29, 2020 Kurian#intermittentfasting, #stayathome, @irefusetogiveup, @jabeela, @jinjuvijaya, @kadhavashesha, @nainanair, @neelambari13, @nimmygangadharan, @savithasblog, @seems123, @shyamabethlehem, @thebeyoutifulgal, @thetenthzodiacLeave a comment

We are in a different environment with ‘stay at home’ strategy to counter the spread of the dangerous virus.

For intermittent fasters, this has brought about some challenges with family being together all the time and the meal times.

There are indications that intermittent fasting boosts the immune system, which is a major plus in these difficult times. And of course there are numerous other benefits with intermittent fasting.

As a mentor to a small group of intermittent fasters, my advice is to stick to their usual schedule without making much of a change now.

An aggressive 3 day water only fast could reset the immune system quite positively. I have clearly advised the group not to try it now as it has to be done under proper supervision.

And if someone wishes to start intermittent fasting to gain it’s benefits now, here are some tips suggested by Max Lowery, personal trainer and intermittent fasting champion, who is the author of The 2 Meal Day fasting method,

First, eliminate snacking in between meals by eating three square meals a day. Once you are used to this, move onto step 2.
Finish consuming any calories by 8pm.
Try waiting an hour to break your fast in the morning.
Try extending your overnight fast to 12 hours.
If the first four steps go well, try upping your overnight fast to 14-16 hours.

Take care, stay safe!

Fitness Consulting

March 3, 2020 Kurian#ageingwell, #intermittentfasting, #Weightloss, #Wellness, @decodinghappyness, @deesplatter, @irefusetogiveup, @lifesfinewhine, @megalaskitchen, @nimmygangadharan, @radhikasreflection, @savithasblog, @socialanimalonline, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

I chose fitness consulting as an activity, as i have something to share from my personal focus on fitness as a tool to age well.

Perhaps the compelling reason is the positive results of intermittent fasting which I have been following for over a year now.

Intermittent Fasting is the wellness program where rich rewards are on offer with perhaps the easier sacrifices. And I am confident in suggesting the routine to my friends with just one caution of consulting the doctor on restricting any prescribed medicine, only during eating window.

Nobel Prize winning studies and researches on both animals and humans are suggesting unimaginable positive benefits of this period fasting and delaying food intake.

Naturally, this attracts a large number of experts on the subject. This is good as long as a commercial interest or powerful lobby do not influence a slight variation for the sake of the product or idea they are paid to promote.

Honest sharing of personal experience is important and that’s what I am aiming to achieve here.

Today’s focus is on fat burning and weight loss with intermittent fasting. 12 hours into fasting, the food based energy released by liver get completely used up. Then starts the fat burning.

If so, exercising vigorously during the fasting hours after 12 hours should accelerate fat being used more as fuel.

I adjusted my schedule accordingly, doing some good yoga and weights during the last few hours of fasting.

But the improved energy levels and concentration seem to be getting affected, with something like a fatigue setting in. Of course the one hour weights have been vigorous with six packs in mind.

Going through some researches and studies, it indicates that the fat burning is almost the same when working out on empty stomach or with food fuel. Worse, vigorous weight training on empty stomach could result in getting muscles used as fuel and resultant muscle loss.

I am shifting schedule again with weights and swimming moving into the eating window with just yoga during fasting hours.

The results and observations will be shared here and in the Intermittent Fasting Group.

Fitness Consulting!

February 28, 2020 Kurian#fitness, #intermittentfasting, @decodinghappyness, @deesplatter, @irefusetogiveup, @lifesfinewhine, @megalaskitchen, @nimmygangadharan, @radhikasreflection, @savithasblog, @socialanimalonline, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018, randomthoughtsbydreamerLeave a comment

I have recently updated my LinkedIn profile as a ‘fitness consultant’.

Fitness has been a passion from early years and I used to work out regularly with not much of a result in looks and body shape, except during my stay in Hong Kong where the gym in the building was fabulous and youngsters were looking at me for advice as I could show some muscles.

But the 45 minutes non stop swimming at the house pool while working in Philippines didn’t produce much results with weight slightly increasing. And I blamed osmosis!

Later a Kuwait based friend introduced me to Intermittent Fasting. And, like in all passions, I started on it religiously on the 19th of January 2019. I am even mentoring a whatsapp group on Intermittent Fasting.

Studies followed, as being a mentor vested in some responsibilities. These studies led to workouts during fasting hours to accelerate energy usage, fat burning and the onset of autophagy.

I have now a schedule of only water for about 16 to 18 hours from dinner, serious yoga from 12 hours into fasting, some weights and gym before a late lunch which is first meal from dinner on previous day. The major exercise swimming however is just before end of the 6 to 8 hours eating window, but It has also the competitive masters game as objective. These workouts burn about 1200 to 1400 calories a day.

Autophagy is the main objective where cellular repair, less inflammation, prevention and cure to some deadly diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer etc are indicated.

But there’s a problem! The experts on the subject seem to promote a product and to do that might be altering the speech to highlight the benefits of that product to boost autophagy. Coffee, bullet proof variety of it, green tea, dark chocolate etc are good for autophagy, but may not be good during fasting hours. All these and Keto can be during eating window. One expert even suggests that toxins are not cleaned during autophagy, instead accelerates it’s release into body. The expert runs a residential detox program franchise. You see!

So, there’s an opportunity for fitness consultant. And I am thinking about it. The aim is to advise unbiased and researched solutions to fitness.

Watch this space.

The Fitness Club. It’s not easy, even with pain.

February 25, 2020 Kurian#autophagy, #detox, #intermittentfasting, #Wellness, @deesplatter, @irefusetogiveup, @lifesfinewhine, @megalaskitchen, @nimmygangadharan, @radhikasreflection, @savithasblog, @socialanimalonline, @stilllovedstillmissed, @theshowersofblessings, @thinkingclearly2018Leave a comment

‘No pain, no gain’ is the fitness mantra! But pain alone doesn’t guarantee the gain. It’s complicated!

I have been a sports enthusiast and been aware of the need to be physically fit. But the pain that I was prepared to go through had limitations. That at least gave the reason to be not looking that good.

Then I decided to look fit, and in the process decided to take in the pain for it. But then the results made the pain quite sweet.

I admit, Intermittent Fasting, swimming long hours, doing weights and yoga including 12 full sets of suryanamaskar are not easy, but worth the pain with reduced weight, toned body and tremendously enhanced mood as gains.

Sharing success and not so inadvertently showing off are all good things. For that, better knowledge is handy and hence all the reading and research. But, there’s a problem!

There are so many experts out there. They agree with the proven and Nobel Prize winning theories, but add riders. These riders are confusing and sometimes quite upsetting. And one could suspect some commercial interest behind all the riders and modified theorems.

Some of them, however warrants attention. For example, the objective of intermittent fasting is autophagy. One expert agree with the cellular repair and other benefits of autophagy, but highlights a theory that it doesn’t cure or remove toxins, but actually accelerates toxins in the body. Symptoms mentioned include insomnia and hair loss.

Well I have trouble with good sleep and lost most hair, while I know that I am in autophagy stage with Intermittent Fasting. Do I need a toxic detox!

The dilemma is that the good doctor who’s alerting me of toxin output of autophagy is also a detox specialist offering 3 month residential detox programs.

The best way is to pool in genuine responses from our own small group. Then our small intermittent fasting group is of high relevance.

I am happy to invite more friends to join in the broadcast group. Send your interest as whatsapp to my number +91 9400056031 and benefit from real unbiased experiences and practical solutions.

Age, Ageing and Being Masters!

February 22, 2020February 22, 2020 Kurian#intermittentfasting, #sixpacks, @colouroutsidethelines11116 Comments

‘Learn to age gracefully’ was an uninvited comment when there was a discussion on my pettiness to hide my age.

That was a challenge. And I decided to take it up. Luckily I didn’t choose to be resigned to the natural process. I decided to challenge it a bit.

Intermittent fasting has been the proverbial ‘paradigm shift’. And I plunged on sincerely. It works.

Perhaps another important factor is my ability to interact comfortably with any age group, particularly with the very young. It’s actually a revelation, you get to learn many things from the youth and it’s marvellous.

Being physically fit is a dream. We say ‘happiness is……… (many things)! What if ‘happiness is when you look at the bathroom mirror’!

That’s when the six packs become important. It’s harder when you are older. But perhaps not impossible.

I always remember my teenage dream of acquiring six packs, shave the head and walk around in black tight T-shirt. The hair part is done, and I learned shaving off the bits left. The mission is to get the other and of course the T-shirt is on sale.

Oh, I started with ageing gracefully. Masters Games is the answer. Now I can be better in my age group and feel happy with the number in age.

Happy to be the Master Games Medalist, Fitness Consultant aspiring to wear a six pack.

The ‘No Pain, No Gain’ Mantra!

February 1, 2020 Kurian#autophagy, #health, #intermittentfasting, #Wellness6 Comments

It’s so true in almost everything, perhaps in everything good and desirable.

We say this mantra, especially when we refer to working out in the gym for better health.

Then the same should be applicable to the best wellness program, Intermittent Fasting!

Intermittent Fasting is a top subject when it comes to better health and benefits. And when something is so popular, it’s only natural that a whole lot of people start giving opinions.

Giving information is good, but not so when commercial interests work on it.

We need to be guarded again such attempts to corrupt a good thing for business interest.

A case in point is the view that one shouldn’t miss breakfast. But then breakfast is the most branded meal with a number of multinationals producing breakfast items. We don’t know if breakfast is unbreakable or it’s the lobby saying it.

When we read research on Intermittent Fasting and it’s goal of autophagy, it’s clear that clean fasting is better and if you can do dry fasting, then it’s even better.

But there are people saying that black coffee, black tea, herbs, good fat, green drinks etc are okay while fasting. Well here we can see some multinational product lobby, probably hiding behind.

So, do Intermittent Fasting the clean way with only water. If you are comfortable enough try dry fasting in between or more.

But if you are willing to dilute the best results with some calories from black coffee etc. do it. But only if you’re already on coffee or tea. But please don’t start an addiction for the sake of it.

Just remember, ‘no pain, no gain’.

Like I always offer, if interested in starting the best wellness program with unbiased advice and discussions, join our exclusive group where privacy is assured. Send your interest to my whatsapp number +91 9400056031.

Intermittent Fasting- The Best Wellness Program.

January 18, 2020 Kurian#autophagy, #health, #intermittentfasting, #swimming, #Weightloss, #Wellness12 Comments

Today I am completing one year in Intermittent Fasting. I started it on 19, January 2019 when my friend from Kuwait asked my opinion about it, citing very positive changes to her friend who was on the fasting.

I am mostly devoted and strict with the schedule ever since.

It has changed my life in a very positive way. Right now I am preparing for a national level swimming competition in February. I am looking at developing my dream six packs.

I am also much more positive in life. I am even looking for movie acting roles after a chance appearance in a Malayalam movie, acting as the president of India. I even think positively to a classmate’s comment that I could be the lucky Mascot for the hugely successful movie.

Autophagy is my target in Intermittent Fasting and as such I supplement fasting with some High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which alone could usher in autophagy. For this I do intense sets of swimming with Interval rests.

I am slowly getting into a swimmers body shape which comes with six packs.

I feel and perhaps look much younger to my actual age.

The only problem to mention is the ‘Dawn’s Phenomenon’ I seem to have developed. That’s my blood glucose reading of 85 in the early morning hours, going up to like 130 as I progress into fasting. Some say Dawn’s is okay, but I need to get out of it.

I run a whatsapp broadcast group on Intermittent Fasting. This is a broadcast group and privacy and phone numbers are kept confidential.

I am happy to have more interested members and the benefits of sharing experiences and opinions in the group are highly beneficial.

I must also add that I lost 8 kgs in the program, while eating well during the eating window. This is in spite of the muscles I have built on.

If interested, send a message to my whatsapp number +91 9400056031. I will add you to the group, which I am sure you will enjoy and benefit.

I will have the satisfaction of sharing my wellness experience to the group members and by being the mentor to the group.

The learnings from group members are priceless.

Happy IF anniversary to me!