photo by jonjon2k8

Ok well for those doing the IF 30day challenge we are on day #5 and wrapping up the first week. I hope everyone has been able to get on track this week and making some good progress. Remember, progress is all about the small but important things done right on a consistent basis. So keep up the good work everyone, this is the beginning of hopefully some great lifestyle adjustments for you to continue on with.

For this weekend, let’s take our focus to probably the two most addictive things we all own…..a cell phone and a computer. Let’s take our “Intermittent Fasting” strategy to those two items. Remember from yesterday’s post about the little stressors in life adding up? Would you like more free time to not worry about things like email, returning calls, etc? I know once I shut off my computer and walk away, it’s like I feel 10lbs lighter (not in the sense of weight loss of course….but in terms of it weighing in my subconscious). Ok so here’s the plan, you choose what you want to do, but I guarantee it might be the start of something you will enjoy doing…and freeing up more of your time to go spend with friends, family, outside playing or whatever you enjoy doing. A rested and rejuvinated spirit will always be more productive and give you a new sense of happiness and direction in life. When you quiet the noise of phones and computers for a period of time….you may be surprised what you may be inspired to do or finally get some clearer vision of where you want to go in your personal/professional life. So this weekend….try to:

• Minimize cell phone usage. I know, we communicate with friends and family…but it’s become an excuse for many people to say they need the cell phone glued to their head because: “Well what if someone needs me in an emergency”? Really? How many real emergencies are you getting on a daily basis? If it’s not someone calling you for an urgent reason (and you can tell by the caller ID), do you still pick it up? Are you interrupting time with friends, exercise, doing inspiring work to answer the phone on every ring?
• Turn the cell phone on silent. You have voicemail….if it’s urgent people will leave you a message. Don’t jump at every ring, just go check for messages however often you want to….every hour…every 2 hours…..at the end of the day. Go put the phone down on silent in one place and walk away (don’t carry it with you). Feel free to do anything you want with your time now.
• Leave the cell phone in the car/at home when out with friends. Why do you need a cell phone with you? Is their company not good enough? Are you waiting for some better invite to come along? Are you really able to enjoy the moment you are in if you are looking down waiting for someone else to talk to? What signal does this tell the people you are with and how important their company is? Look around and take notice of everyone else wrapped up in their cell phone…and not enjoying whatever is going on around them.
• Do you really need to check emails on the weekend? How many times? Limit your computer time to checking it once in the morning if need be, get on, read your email, reply right then and delete (don’t save anything for later, file it or toss it), check out any websites you want and then turn it off and don’t come back to it till the next day. Shutoff the computer with no emails left for later (as you will have that sitting on your subconscious for something you need to do). Or better yet…..don’t check email for the weekend! Don’t worry….it will be there on Monday for you to read.

Honestly what you do with your computer and cell phone rests on you. You can choose to never use them on a weekend….or use them in short bursts. The key being this weekend, really become aware and take notice how much time and effort goes into your cell phone and computer usage…take control your time…don’t be under control by it. Try just leaving the cell phone in the car the next time you go out with friends, try not to check the computer for a whole day like Sunday and see if the world stops…I don’t think it will. Find some freedom back with your time….and find other more inspiring activities that can lead to a greater and more rewarding life. I get more work done if I know I have to check email and get off the computer in a certain amount of time…..than if I was checking it every hour during a full day (it’s called the “going on vacation” syndrome…you get more work done when you only have so much time and need to finish it…try it, it works!). Focus, get things done….and then go live the life you want. That’s the key, even for the most successful people who get lots of things done….they have plenty of free time as they just focus on the most important things to be done, do it, and ignore anything that isn’t important. Who knows, maybe this weekend can lead to better weekday habits, more focus with work, more productivity, more income, more success, more opportunities, and more free time to enjoy it all…..you never know until you take action.

photo by thornypup

Ask anyone and they will probably tell you that stress is not good….and then they go on telling you how stressed out they are all the time. In today’s world we have to take action to stop stress from taking over our lives (and taking it in the wrong direction). First let’s look at what is really going on inside of us.

Your autonomic nervous system (ANS) is an involuntary response system built into your body that controls many of your organs and muscles (heart, lungs, glands, stomach, blood vessels). We don’t even know it is working most of the time except when maybe we feel it in extreme situations (increased HR). What it does, is very important. You may also recognize it as the system that controls your “Fight or Flight” response (what keeps you alive when you need to fight off your attacker or run away from a dangerous situation). The 2 main parts of the ANS are comprised of the:

• Sympathetic Nervous System - Fight or Flight
  
• Parasympathetic Nervous System - Rest and Digest

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is responsible for getting us ready for action from an oncoming “stressor” (whatever that may be). It is our innate primal protective system that was meant to be used in times of stress that would cause harm to us. When it kicks in, it does the following:

• Releases Adrenaline/Noradrenaline
• Accelerates Heartbeat/Increases Blood Pressure
• Dilates Trachea and Bronchi (lungs)
• Stimulates conversion of Liver Glycogen into Glucose
• Takes blood away from the skin and other internal organs and increases it to the muscles, heart and brain
• Inhibits digestion (food movement through the gut and limited blood flow to the stomach)
• Inhibits saliva (enzymes needed for digestion start here)
• Contracts rectum

The Parasympathetic Nervous System is when there is no perceived threat (or stressor) and the body can relax and get back to normal function. The PNS does the following:

• Slows down the Heartbeat/Lowers the Blood Pressure
• Stimulates saliva. Simulates release of bile from the liver/gallbladder (needed to break down and digest fats)
• Relaxes the Rectum
• Stimulates Digestion
• Increases Blood Flow to Skin and other Internal Organs (stomach, liver, gallbladder

Looking at everything above, you can see why we want to have the PNS on most of the time (as that is what helps us digest food, detox the body, increase organ function, boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, builds muscles, etc..etc). The SNS is meant for shorts bursts only, as once the fight or flight is over…then the body can slow down, shift over to the PNS response and heal and repair itself as needed. The problem is not with the short bursts of stress, but the chronic stress (ongoing for extended periods of time) in our lives…the ones that keep the SNS activated all day and do not allow the PNS to take over. Chronic SNS can lead to reduced digestion, improper organ function, malabsorption of essential vitamins and minerals (as part of the digestive process), lowered immune function, muscle breakdown and loss, sickness, increased inflammation, etc..etc. Not a road we want to go down I would assume for all of us.

Everyone has heard of the hormone called Cortisol, it’s a stress hormone and goes up when the SNS is activated (in response to adrenaline/noradrenaline). It’s a natural hormone that is actually needed to even wake up! As we wake up at 8am, our cortisol level is at it’s highest converting liver glycogen into glucose and increasing blood glucose levels to give us energy. (Hence if you ever see anyone suffering from Chronic fatigue or can’t wake up in the morning, chances are their cortisol output is very small….as sign of burnout from too much SNS activation and chronic cortisol production). What we want to do for optimal health and weight loss is to manage sources of chronic or excessive cortisol as it can lead to increased insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation, muscle loss, and a host of other bad things listed above (a distinct sign of cortisol and it’s related insulin resistance role on fat gain, is seeing it more in our “problem” areas). Cortisol has a half life of about 1hour, so it can go down if we give it a chance. Our natural rhythms should be higher cortisol in the morning, and then shifting into lower and lower amounts until we hit bedtime around 10pm where our cortisol is so low (along with blood glucose) that we are tired and need to go to sleep. Then the cycle starts over again. Unfortunately, this cycle is messed up with alot of people and unless it is corrected and controlled, some may never see the weight loss they want because of all the other hormonal things going wrong in the body.

So, to sum up what we have gone over so far:

• Fight or Flight Response is made for quick situations (will turn on the SNS response and increase levels of cortisol)
• Chronic Stress is the Main Issue. It is keeping the SNS turned on (and levels of cortisol higher) and can lead to muscle loss, cortisol burnout (chronic fatigue), high blood pressure, obesity (through insulin resistance), compromised digestion, depressed immune function and a host of other bad things.
• We have to learn to control stress, and find periods that allow the PNS to turn on and do it’s job. (our bodies were not designed to have the SNS on all the time and still operate effectively, aka have a healthy body).

So let’s wrap this up with a list of what the most common chronic stress factors are and things you can do to control it. Remember that it’s up to you to identify and control what comes in and out of your life. You may think you are getting away with it now, but if you keep the SNS on and limit the PNS activity, then you are most certainly heading down a road of illness and disease.

• Do not starve yourself or stay on a low calorie diet too long. Remember when we talk about IF, we always say “get your calories in”. Fasting is one thing with proper nutrition, starving yourself is another. Long term starvation (which does not happen in a few days) will only lead to elevated cortisol, muscle loss, immune system depression, etc. Eat smart, eat healthy and like mentioned before add in a higher calorie day once in a while if you think you are not eating enough daily. IF done right will actually lower blood pressure, total cholesterol, insulin resistance and yes….even total daily cortisol (why people on IF can gain muscle and not lose it like seen in general CR diets)
• Don’t do excessive exercise. This again will only start to increase your cortisol levels. More is not better in many cases. Usually anything under 45min of pretty intense exercise is the limit, after that your muscle saving hormones (test, GH) start to decline and cortisol starts to rise. Keep your weight training short and intense and any other aerobic activity (that is a higher HR) to under 45-60min. There are some other tricks you can use: Vit C taken in divided doses through out the day (or even pre/post exercise) can lower overall cortisol levels. Try taking 500mg-1000mg 3x a day (divided as it is water soluble and passes through your system), first thing AM, last thing PM, 30min pre-workout, post workout or just during very stressful times.
• Get your SLEEP. This can not be “stressed” enough (pardon the pun). If you are not going to bed early, staying up late, sleeping very little….you are just setting yourself up for disaster with lower GH levels, messed up melatonin, and higher cortisol peaks too soon (may cause restless sleep or waking up during the night, preventing that healing deep sleep). Not good. So the whole get your sleep saying should always be a top priority! Turn off the TV early, relax, do some deep breathing, turn down the lights (light is a stimulus!) let your cortisol levels drop like it should and you will feel and look better.
• Limit your use of stimulants. Yes, coffee and other caffeine stimulate the adrenaline/noradrenaline hormones. You are turning on the SNS response, which as we know…is meant for short bursts. Limit your use and certainly don’t have any later in the day, as that will not help your cortisol to lower and you get good sleep.
• Reduce stress and stop the weight gain. Ever notice when people say they eat more sugar when they are stressed out? (and lead to more insulin resistance, spiking insulin, taking in excess calories and more weight gain) This is your body’s response to the threat, it’s yelling “give me sugar for action”….so hence higher chronic stress (especially after liver glycogen is tapped out) means more cravings! Get rid of the stress, get rid of the cravings.
• Simplify your life, your possessions you are worrying about, don’t over commit to people, clear your schedule and keep tasks simple. Life is meant to be taken slowly and at an enjoyable pace. Slow and steady wins the race. Fast and chaotic makes you fat and sick.
• Stop stressing out over things you can not control or don’t matter. Whether at work, home, in the car. Practice stress reduction techniques like smiling more, ask yourself “will this even matter in a month…or year”, deep breathing exercises, go for a walk in nature, go exercise, simplify your life and it’s demands on you, learn to say “No” to people and take control of your time and life, turn off the TV, read something inspiring, don’t eat in front of the TV or while distracted, turn off the computer, turn off the cell phone, sit in traffic without the radio on and just focus on relaxing…..we are constantly being bombarded with stimulus and stressors every second of the day. Time to take notice and take control. You may not feel the SNS kicking in, but with every motorist that cuts you off, or every explosion/tense moment on a TV show, or every time the cell phone rings….your body responds in some way for possible future action (aka SNS response). Little chronic stressors can lead to bigger issues. Got some fat you are not losing? Well them….time to look at your whole lifestyle and see there may be something bigger in the works.

So get a notebook and start writing down everything you are doing all day, what stresses you out, what you worry about. Most stress is based on future events. You can’t control the future, you can only influence it’s outcome by what you are doing right NOW. So stop wasting your time stressing, and just take action. If you take the right actions now, there is nothing to worry about in the future. Enjoy your life and take control….and if you must, take time out to visualize something that relaxes you while at work….here, let’s all just drop all our worries for a few minutes and head out to the beach…..

photo by jorgemiente

Here at Mark’s Daily Apple, we advocate the Primal Blueprint Lifestyle, that is, a health philosophy that in large part acts to mimic the diet and physical activity of our pre-agricultural ancestors.

And, while we’ve explained in the past what it means to “Get Primal,” we figured what’s not to love about a bulleted list that reminds us how to incorporate these methods into our everyday lives.

Read on to learn how you can get primal on every level on every occasion:

Hike:

Whether it was searching for food, shelter or just greener pastures, our ancestors spent a lot of time taking the heel-toe express! (Though, it wasn’t exactly heel-toe in those days.) These days, of course, we have planes, trains and automobiles to get us from A to B, which means hoofing it has become our least likely mode of transport. To get back to the Primal Blueprint, set aside some time every week to participate in sustained activity as a way to return your body to its natural state (that is, being in a constant state of motion). And, although hiking was the primary modality for sustained exercise for our predecessors, feel free to substitute it for biking or any other low-level physical activity you can do for a long period with little interruption.

Sprint:

Although eat or be eaten is no longer really considered a threat in today’s society, for our ancestors, it was a pretty big (and potentially lethal) deal. The solution? Run fast, run hard, and run for your life! You can incorporate these same theories by adding a series of short sprints into your exercise routine (see Mark explain his sprint routine here). The idea here isn’t necessarily to be the fastest kid on the block (although that would be awesome), but rather to give all you’ve got for a brief period of time. Also, bear in mind that this concept of going hard and fast for a few seconds isn’t limited to the act of sprinting; you could try water sprints, power cycling, jump rope intervals or any other activity that requires short, intense bursts of energy.

Lift Hard:

Think Cavemen killed time pounding weights in a dingy gym? Think again! Our ancestors tested their strength only in real-life situations (as opposed to having a pose-off with the meathead in the cut-off shirt!) and grew strong by doing, for the most part, weight bearing exercises. Naturally, they focused on activities that would help them carry out real life functions. Want to work out like your primal ancestors? Try weight bearing activities such as squats or dead lifts, which our ancestors did when lifting a heavy rock or log for building; lunges, which mimic the action of transversing steep terrain or stepping into a throw; pull-ups and standing rows to mimic the movement of pulling a heavy object towards the body; pushing, to mimic the motion of… well, pushing things; and twisting motions such as medicine ball throws or cable woodchoppers, which our ancestors did when throwing spears or hoisting objects. For a new challenge (and an exercise that combines just about all of the above motions, try the Turkish get-up (YouTube link)

Ditch Grains and Sugar:

With the tagline “so simple even a caveman could do it,” the commercial suggests that our ancestors were, well, not the sharpest tools in the shed. But, clearly they were smart enough to shun grains and sugar (a feat that the majority of current day Americans have yet to accomplish). In fact, according to some anthropologists, our ancestors only consumed about 80 g of carbohydrates per day, largely because sources of carbohydrates – such as grains, beans and potatoes – are toxic in raw form. To keep it primal, avoid all grains, including bread, pasta, rice and noodles, and all refined sugar. It should also probably be noted that the majority (if not all) of processed foods are packed with carbs - either in the form of a grain, sugar, or both - so it’s best to cut those out too!

Eat Meat and Fish:

When dinner time rolled around for our ancestors, they weren’t exactly reaching for the yellow pages! Instead, they were reaching for a spear, ax or some other weapon to catch their meal. While we’re certainly not advocating that you begin hunting for your own entrees (people might talk!) we do recommend that you begin thinking about your diet in a way that resembles their dietary habits. That is, if you can’t catch it or find it in nature, you can’t eat it. In short, opt for meat and fish and don’t get hung up on the fat content. Not only is fat integral to health, it will also help keep you feeling satiated longer!

Eat Berries, Nuts and Unbridled Amounts of Veggies:

Again, when selecting foods, remember that you’re playing the role of the hunter and gatherer, so feel free to indulge in foods you would find in nature. Specifically, the Primal diet recommends berries, which are low in sugar and packed with vitamins, antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients, and nuts, including walnuts, brazil nuts, macadamias and almonds (but not peanuts which are a legume and should also be avoided for fear of aflatoxins). When it comes to vegetables, seek out root vegetables including carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas and Swede (but not potatoes or other starchy, high-carb varieties), leafy greens, tomatoes and other brightly-hued vegetables (which not only add color to dishes, but also seriously improve the nutrition value).

Drink Water:

Although there is some back and forth about how much water our early ancestors actually consumed (with some anthropologists suggesting that early man got most of his water from the vegetables he consumed as opposed to risking his life standing in line with the other predators and prey at the local waterhole), the reality is that even if early man didn’t consume that much pure water, he certainly wasn’t reaching for a Coke. Get back to your primal roots by ditching the Gatorade, the soda (including the diet ones – they’re nearly as bad!) and especially the juice. All you really need is water, and lucky for you, it’s as easy as turning on the tap.

Sleep Smart:

When the sun went down, early man started prepping for bed. When the sun sets today, most men (and women) will do the dishes, watch Grey’s Anatomy, finish up paperwork, pay bills and check their email before falling asleep with the television blaring Conan O’Brien. No offense to Mr. O’Brien, but when nature starts heading to bed, so too should you. To catch Zzzs like our ancestors, remove all electronics from the bedroom and focus on creating an environment that is dark, quiet and serene. Also, while it might seem counterintuitive to not close the blinds, allowing natural light to be your wake-up call is far more refreshing (and natural) then waking to the shrills of an alarm clock.

Relax:

As much as we harp on about how hard early man had it (what with having to work hard to survive and all that), make no mistake, early man liked his downtime too! Unlike our ancestors, however, many of us tend to spend our downtime plunked in front of the TV or computer engaged(?) in mindless activity for hours on end. To get back to our primal roots, select an activity that will clear your mind and help you recharge and refocus. And don’t forget that part of this getting up and moving around a bit.

Crack a Coconut, Spear your Dinner and Sleep in a Cave:

Ok, maybe we’re kidding on this last one. But imagine how primal it’d make you feel!

IF Life Note: Thanks to our friends at Mark’s Daily Apple for the Guest Post!

IF Challenge Day #2 Tip: Make sure you get enough quality calories in

I am sure if you tell anyone that you are doing any type of fasting they will respond “But that isn’t healthy to starve yourself”. No, of course starving yourself is not healthy, but IF is not about starving yourself. In fact you can still get in enough healthy calories in your eating windows. Make sure your IF plan does not leave you with little calories for too long. Like any diet that is just low on calories, you can see results quickly…but then your metabolism will slow down and you will see the weight come back on. That is the “starvation” reflex built in to our system.

Our fat cells have different receptors on them (alpha and beta) that are signaled by hormones to do certain things. Think of it like a couple guards sitting outside the gates of the fat cells…they will get messages whether to open the door one way to start emptying out fat to be burned, or will open the door the other way to let more fat in to get stored inside the cell. A fat cell is just a storage tank…and waits for the right signals to either empty or fill the tanks. (If you need a refresher course on the fat loss hormones, re-read the fat loss 101 post) For fat loss you have what are known as Beta-1 (B1) and Alpha-2 (A2) receptors on the fat cells, each cell has them but the % of the type of cell can vary. Cells with more B1 receptors (good) will easily burn the fat…it’s the first to come off when losing weight. Cells with more A2 receptors (bad stubborn fat) will not as easily burn the fat, this is what we call our “trouble spots”. Another reason we can not spot reduce, because it is more dictated by the hormones and receptors involved. When you stay on a low calorie diet for too long, you actually increase the number of A2 receptors on fat cells, so when your metabolism drops and you start putting the weight back on…now it will become harder and harder to get off (this and the loss of muscle that usually occurs).

So make sure you are not putting yourself in the starvation mode by:

• Eating enough healthy foods during the window to maintain metabolism & muscle (but also some calorie deficit to burn fat…not usually a problem with IF unless you are eating alot of high calorie processed foods. Remember IF is not an excuse to eat poorly, eat healthy and you will never have to count calories again!)
• Try adding a weekly non IF day to expand your eating window (more important for those doing the daily IF windows) such as taking the weekends off if you IF weekdays. Just in case you are not eating enough during the week, having an up day in calories at least once every 7-10 days will help signal that there is no prolonged period of starvation. (this is the standard trick when dealing with any lower calorie diet for weight loss). Again this is not a pass to dive face first into the bakery, this is to just remove the IF window to get in some more calories than normal (assuming the you are still in deficit during the week). Note: The biggest thing I see go wrong in an IF plan (especially in more active people who have more recovery needs) is just not getting enough calories in the IF window. If that is the case, taking a day off once in a while to get some more calories in can be a great benefit in reseting the metabolism. (and not lead to thyroid issues down the road) Remember use your non IF day wisely….you can still overdo it and cause fat gain from excess calorie and carbohydrate spillover (not stored in muscle glycogen, stored in fat cells instead). If you reach a fat loss plateau while doing IF, this could be the thing your body is looking for. Again, it’s all about continual progress for weight loss.
• Do not fast too much or too long (depending on what type you do). Again IF is about good fasts with proper recovery/calorie, more fasting is not necessarily going to be better. Start slow if you have to, but don’t take it to the extreme thinking more fat loss will occur by longer and more periods of not eating.
• Remember IF is about a lifestyle change, not a quick weight loss gimick. While you can lose a good amount of fat while doing IF, like any real lasting change it has to be a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. (otherwise you can easily rebound and make weight loss tougher in the future, as explained above) Find what works for you physically and mentally and enjoy the journey.

Ok, so today begins the first day of the challenge. Part of my own personal challenge is posting every weekday some little tips to help you along the way whether it be in weight loss, exercise or just simplifying and enjoying life. So here’s the first of many posts for the 30 day challenge (along with other regular posts). I hope everyone can take something from this, make great permanent changes, get results and most importantly find a new lifestyle plan that gives you increased health, fitness and happiness. So let’s get started.

Does everyone have their plan in place? Do you know what you need to do? Do you know what foods you should be eating? Do you know when you are going to get your exercise in and what you are going to do? No more excuses….you have the time, so now it’s just time to prioritize it. Here are some steps to take today:

• If you need some guidance on getting a clear vision, re-read the post How to Get Anything You Want in Life
  
• Make sure you start off the day knowing what you need to do, have a plan (be active everyday, know what kind of exercise you are going to do and when, know when you are eating and what you are having)
• If you shouldn’t be eating it, get it OUT of the house! Clean up your environment around you and make sure it supports your positive goals (You can’t be tempted by anything if it is not around!)
• Shop at the grocery mart with a list (know what you need to get, and then get out!), don’t wander the isles and don’t ever shop hungry! (as you will end up buying things based on cravings….which will not be good)
• Know you can do it, just focus on what you are doing at the present moment and make it happen. Don’t worry about what happened in the past…or hasn’t happened yet. You only have control over what you do right now. You can plan for future, but you can only act in the present.
• Take a picture of yourself, weight yourself…and then don’t worry about it for 30 days. Don’t get obsessive about weight loss…as that will never leave you feeling happy. Just know what you need to do every day, and then repeat….daily. Success is consistency. You can make sure you are making progress just by looking in the mirror and seeing how you feel.

IF is meant to be a realistic and relaxing lifestyle that can get you the results. This challenge is what YOU make of it…whether it is about health, fitness or just making your life more simple and enjoyable. So focus on living and appreciating the daily journey, make the right decisions and the results will follow!