IF Challenge Day 2

Oh yeah! How great do I feel today?

I decided to do 15 hour daily fasts during the week with the weekends off. So that means daily dinner Mon - Fri, with 'up' or high calorie days on the weekend. Got and hour walk in today and yesterday.

Dinner is Swordfish, salad, avocado, raspberries and yoghurt. Mmmm.

Starting to think this is a very achievable goal.

Intermittent Fasting

There's been a lot of talk about Intermittent Fasting.

In a nutshell you just alternate eating days. The plan combines the benefits of fasting (better insulin response, detoxifying waste tissues and metabolising fat) with a Paleo-style eating plan. Check here for IF and here for the Paleo low down.

I'll be doing a 30 day challenge over at The IF Life, and posting my progress here. I've let my nutrition go of late and am going to snap back into my old healthy habits. I could also use a kick in the pants to get my exercise happening more regularly. I'm using this month to refresh and refocus.

Here are my goals for the 30 days.
1. Lose a few kilograms and gain some muscle tone back
2. Walk an hour each day and do a weights session twice a week
3. Treat my body with respect and give it HQ nutrition
4. Increase my cardio fitness to the point where I can easily run 2kms at full speed (not a big deal I know, but huge for me! I'm strong, but unfit.)
5. Feel more energised!

There seems to be a number of different intermittent fasting regimens that work well. I'll be setting up my cutoff time at 7pm. On the day I start, I'll eat until 7pm, then fast until 7pm the next day. On the next day I'll eat supper right after 7pm and breakfast and lunch (and a few snacks) the next day, until 7pm when I start fasting again.

The advantage of this regimen is that I'll be able to eat every day. One day I'll eat supper–the next day breakfast and lunch. On no days will I abstain entirely from food. This plan looks like it will work the best for me.

The method may seem a bit confusing at first. To summarize:

Day 1: eat bf & lunch (eat before 7pm)
Day 2: eat dinner (start eating after 7pm)
Day 3: eat bf & lunch (eat before 7pm)
Day 4: just like day 2... & repeat....

So basically it goes like this - / dinner-lunch-breakfast / fast / dinner-lunch-breakfast / fast /
Simple.

I've taken some before snaps to help keep me motivated and I will post them here when I complete the challenge.If anyone wants to join me, feel free to comment and I'll buddy up with you!

Pro-Ana Fairytale

Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was a healthy young girl who lived a perfectly happy life.

One day, while walking through the forest of glossies she spied a magazine. This magazine was a special magazine. It told her magical secrets. It told her that she could become the most beautiful princess in the land. Inside its pages shone a magic apple.

This apple was called "The Apple of Perfection". It was shiny and delicious, it made you stare. Crunchy, sweet and tempting, the girl took the apple to discover it's secrets and become a beautiful princess.

Little did she know, the apple was cursed. "Whomever shall eat The Apple of Perfection and seek to become a princess shall suffer a thousand years of torment. They shall be cursed with the burden of unworthiness, the horror of the scale and the dagger of hunger. Every flaw will be magnified to such an extent that only the flaws will remain. Few are the ones strong enough to break the curse, for they must seek the chalice of contentment, which lies beyond the valley of self-hatred."

Slowly the girl changed. Where once was a healthy glow, now was a veil of pallor. Where there was vitality only bones protruded.

Lost in a fog of darkness and despair, a light suddenly flashed forth!

"Young girl! Why are you crying?"

"Because I am mud. I am nothing."

"Hush! You must now listen. You are loved. You are more than your outward appearance. Look inside yourself and see the girl you once were. You are a good person."

The girl opened her eyes. She saw the ravages of The Apple. She remembered how long ago she would run on the sand of the beach and laugh over coffee with friends. Where was that girl now? Who was this shadow of herself that remained?

Standing up she lit a torch. Placing the burning ember on the mountains of media entombing her she cried...

"No more! Never will I believe in The Apple again! I was born as I am, nothing can change that! From this day forward I vow to be content with what I was given. A strong body that will serve me well all the years of my life. A focused mind that can overcome the most insurmountable obstacles. A face that can smile, laugh and tell my story. I am me."

As the flames roared behind her, finally the girl began to smile.

Little 'ol Me...?

Hey there cyber peeps! I'm no longer a virgin! In blog terms that is... This is my very first post, how exciting!

So you are probably wondering:

1. Who is this chick?
2. What is she on about?
3. Where does she come from?
4. Why is she so annoying?
5. How do I be more like her?

Well, the answers my friends are simple.

I'm a self-confessed OCD foodie who has a penchant for dried figs and 80% dark chocolate..... (drools)

I'm out to change the world, one plate at a time! I want people to find real answers to diet and nutrition questions in the fog of media hype. I want YOU to help me find that truth.

From Queensland, Australia, but no slinging off at Aussies! Lived here my whole life, love it.

Annoying, hang on, did I miss something? I thought I was interesting and engaging. If you think I'm annoying better not read any of my posts, they'll only get worse.

The only way you're going to be more like me is practice. Lots of practice.