Losing weight becomes really not an effort anymore when my body got used to intermittent fasting. My eating window is from 10 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon, max is 4 p.m. where I should have been done eating. Then my daily fast starts at 5 p.m. It’s an 18 hour fast that becomes part of my daily routine. I’m used to it, now that I don’t feel hungry anymore during the fasting window.
I read up to get educated about Ghrelin hormone, known as the hunger hormone. It’s a little complicated, but I will pursue to learn more about it. This hormone has the capacity to either make us overeat or under eat, so it seems. It’s a growth hormone releasing peptide.
According to News Medical Net: ~ “a hormone that counteracts the effects of ghrelin is leptin, which is produced by the fat or adipose tissue in the body. Leptin induces satiation or a feeling of fullness after a meal. When the leptin level is high, hunger is decreased. Since ghrelin increases hunger, several weight loss procedures aim to reduce the ghrelin level in order to increase satiation, even with a small meal.”
I read up on leptin and I gathered some information as to why a good sleep schedule and eating whole, raw plant based foods work perfectly together with intermittent fasting.
According to Wikipedia, Leptin , the “satiety hormone, is a hormone made by adipose cells that helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger. Leptin is opposed by the actions of the hormone ghrelin, the “hunger hormone”. Both hormones act on receptors in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus to regulate appetite to achieve energy homeostasis. In obesity, a decreased sensitivity to leptin occurs, resulting in an inability to detect satiety despite high energy stores.
“Dr. Leo Galland’s blog on Huntington post about leptin read: ~ “what can impact leptin based on the research done at the Laval University in Quebec is that 7-8 hours of sleep each night, on average, was associated with relatively higher levels of leptin. In contrast, getting less sleep meant lower levels of leptin and higher body mass index in the study.
Part of my weight loss journey is getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Doing intermittent fasting makes me sleep better as I do not experience heartburn anymore or any stomach disturbance. I consume my last glass of my 8 glasses a day regimen by 7 in the evening, so that I don’t have to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Dr. Galland said that: “Regular exercise stimulates the activity of fat-burning enzymes. The exciting news is that the hormone leptin also stimulates these enzymes, which can increase your metabolic rate even when you’re not exercising. This is important because for most people, the resting metabolic rate accounts for two-thirds of the total number of calories they burn each day.”
He listed ways to increase metabolism. He suggested Omega-3 oils: “Benefit from Omega-3 Oils. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are essential to the healthy functioning of the body and brain. Omega-3s help heal inflammation as well as promoting a wide range of cellular activities, and improving or preventing depression, Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders. Plant sources of Omega-3s include: ground flax seed, walnuts, and beans — especially navy, kidney and soy. Animal sources include fish, especially oily cold-water fish such as salmon or tuna.”
Part of my eating regimen is eating fish and ground flax seeds.
Dr. Galland suggested to: “Up the Fruit and Veg Servings to 9 or 10 a Day. Find delicious ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal. Choose those fruits and vegetables with deep colors and intense flavors that reflect their high content of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, like carotenoids and flavonoids. The deepest red and blue flavonoids belong to a subgroup called anthocyanins, found in the jewel-like colors of blueberries, cherries and pomegranates.”
I incorporate strawberries and blueberries with my whole grain cereal. I add blackberries, raspberries and banana to my green juice which consists of kale, spinach, broccoli, carrots or whatever veggies I have in the fridge. And I always have veggie salads with mushrooms, yellow and red bell peppers, radicchio, cherry tomatoes and other veggies. I add pieces of avocados and making sure to not having so much as it’s high in calories. I also use pickled beets in small portion. I make sure they are all organic. I recently made some pesto with basil from my garden, organic cheese, olive oil, garlic and pine nuts.
He also suggested to have some snacks to satisfy hunger, and desserts add fun and satisfaction to a meal. Indulge, but in healthy choices only. Enjoy delicious snacks such as crunchy walnuts or almonds, and dessert treats made from fruit and yogurt that will excite your palate while keeping you satisfied.
Since I am on calorie counting to lose weight; to control my food portion, I limit my intakes of nuts and seeds, but I try to always have a few handful everyday during my eating window which is about 6 to 7 hours. My favorites are sunflower seeds, chia and hemp seeds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews and chestnuts.
Intermittent fasting is not a form of starvation but a way for you to time your meals to maximize your body’s ability to burn fat.
Our portion sizes are way, way out of proportion
In recent years, the amount of food we consider to be a single serving has ballooned. In some foods, it’s increased as much as a whopping 700%. What most people would think of as a serving of ice cream, for example, is probably about a cup. In reality, though, a 230-calorie “serving” of Ben and Jerry’s is half a cup, or just about 8 large spoonfuls!
“Portion size is a big problem. Most people would say, ‘Well that looks like a serving,’ but in reality it’s two or three servings.”
Think of this the time you’re out to eat. If you get a bowl of pasta, consider taking half to-go. If you’re eating family-style, start by covering half your plate in salad greens.
Greatest GIFT - Naomi Jeremiah 
August 28, 2015 at 5:51 pm
Very informative, thank you
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