By David Saunders | UPDATED: 11:28, 01 April 2020
Whether you’re stuck inside, looking to sneak a quick workout in or simply prefer to exercise in the comfort of your own home, by doing so you will be strengthening your immune system as well as the rest of your body.
Thankfully, The Fast 800 makes small-space, equipment-free sessions easy, so you can get started in your own home today.
Current scientific evidence suggests by leading a physically active lifestyle, we may be less likely to contract contagious and non-contagious diseases.
It’s important to incorporate a combination of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and resistance exercise into your lifestyle, as is set out for you as a member of our 12-week online programme, because the science tells us this combination, alongside incidental exercise, leads to weight loss and positive health outcomes.
And if you’re also struggling to eat healthily at home and are looking on advice on what to eat, Michael also shares his tips on how to blood sugar regular and prevent weight gain..
At the heart of weight gain is the hormone, insulin. One of the main reasons why so many people struggle to lose weight is not because they are idle or greedy but because their muscles have become resistant to insulin.
Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas. It controls your blood sugar levels, but it does far more than that. It also controls fat storage. When you eat a meal, particularly one that is rich in sugary carbs, your insulin levels go up.
Insulin’s job is to bring down the fat and sugar that you’ve absorbed from your meals and which is now circulating in your blood. Ideally it would push those excess calories into cells like your muscles to be burnt as fuel. But if you are ‘insulin resistant’ then your muscles find it hard to absorb these calories. Instead they get dumped into your fat cells.
The trouble is, your body still craves fuel, so you will soon start feeling hungry again. So you eat, again. But because you are insulin resistant many of the calories you absorb get diverted into your fat cells. You get fatter, but still stay hungry.
Insulin resistance commonly start in your muscles when you are younger. The muscles are where a lot of the energy you consume are burnt up. If you are very active then when you do eat food which causes a spike in blood sugar, it is mopped up and used by the muscles before it causes problems.
When you eat a bit too much and do too little exercise, fat builds up inside your muscles. This is why we strongly encourage people to also increase their activity levels alongside the diet and move more, as this will enhance the improvement in blood sugar levels, reversing diabetes and metabolic syndrome and improve general wellbeing and health.
The Fast 800 Immune Boosting 7 Day Workout can be found in full here:
Snacking
The good news for those keen to stick to the Fast800 diet is that there are a number of extremely low calorie foods that can be used to increase your overall food volume.
It is possible to find snacks which come in under 50-100 calories a serving which means you can supplement your three small meals with a couple of extras if you need something to tide you over and keep your blood sugar levels even.
Miso soup
At 21 calories a serving, miso soup is very nutritious, warming, tasty and comforting. It is a great way to fill up between meals. It is also very convenient to pop a sachet into a work bag – as all you need to do is add boiling water.
Chopped vegetable sticks
Crudités are a great option to snack on. There are so many varieties to opt for too – so you could vary your snacks to avoid boredom. Try slices of a tricolour of peppers; carrot batons; celery sticks; or flourettes of cauliflower, and because they are fibrous too, they will make you feel fuller between meals.
Berries
Berries of all kinds are the best fruits to opt for. A serving of 100g of blue berries come in at 57 calories and satiate a sweetness craving. They are also king of the antioxidants and known as a superfood.
Nuts
Nuts are a great source of protein and fibre. However, I would advise avoiding salted or sweetened nuts, which can be moreish. 2 almonds equal 28 calories whilst 7 walnut halves equal 90 calories,
Chocolate
The psychology of dieting shouldn’t be all about deprivation. Two squares 70 per cent dark chocolate (110 cals) is a luxurious ‘treat’ which can be nibbled and create a melt in the mouth comforting feeling.
There are also some great new snack recipes to be found on the Fast800 programme website https://thefast800.com/articles-and-recipes/
Tips to avoid snacking
· Full fat milk and yoghurt is encouraged. To people’s great surprise (including me), there have been a large number of recent studies demonstrating that full-fat milk drinkers not only tend to be slimmer than those on lower-fat varieties, but also have a lower risk of metabolic syndrome – or raised blood pressure, elevated blood sugars and raised levels of fats in the blood that can increase your risk of heart disease.
The likely explanation, according to studies, is that consuming high-fat dairy products keeps you fuller for longer, reducing the lure of sugary snacks.
· Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water can keep the hunger at bay. You can also try adding fresh ginger, a slice of fresh lemon or lime to hot water or to sparkling water. Black coffee and tea are fine to have during your fasting hours.
· Keep exercising: a fitness programme is key to preventing cravings from taking over. However, avoid endurance or highly demanding exercise on a fast day.
· As soon as you have finished the last meal of the day, brush your teeth. It’ll help you to keep away from snacks and nibbles! It is also psychological trigger that this is the end of the day.
I highly recommend registering on www.thefast800.com for the added support that you receive. Not only will you be given a personalised diet, but will be able to access a fantastic array of recipes (for veggies and vegans too), shopping lists and a fitness plan which is specific to your needs.
You’ll also get access to an interactive forum which is full of others currently using the plan, you’ll also get access to one of our health care professionals who monitor the forum and can offer advice.
There is also an extensive video library of HITT and mindfulness programmes, as well as lots of tips from myself. We also send you weekly updates with fresh information, fresh tips and loads more ideas to keep you motivated.