/ˈfərvəd/ Fitness

This might come as a surprise but--I'm unashamed to say--I have developed an eating disorder. I started noticing the signs about a month ago--after trying to combine intermittent fasting protocols--where I admitted to a few people that I don't really have control over my food intake during my feeding window. And by admitting it, I realised that what I considered as a 'healthy' habit had become an obsession. But before I continue, let me clarify that intermittent fasting will not cause an eating disorder in everyone and it is certainly not the sole contributor. I know that there are a few factors that caused mine--I recently removed carbs and fruits from my diet, and even challenged myself to eliminate sugar and gluten for 60 days straight (which, of course, I failed). I wouldn't have noticed anything wrong with my constant need to remove food groups, if not for the increase of binge eating episodes. Once I did some research, I discovered that I have orthorexia-...

It has been over a month since I embarked on this IF combo. And, based on my experience, I've decided to drop it. Why? I'm dropping it not because this combination isn't sustainable. I believe it is very doable. But, because of the adjustments I made to my workout regime, this combo became rather difficult to adhere to. What were these changes? In WEEK 2 of this combo, I started swimming. I swam for 25 minutes 5 days a week, on top of my weight training. Jump roping barefoot on tiles for a season was taking a toll on my feet. So, I decided to go low impact--in this case 'no' impact--for cardio. And with a pool an elevator ride away, I incorporated swimming into my regime. During that week of swimming, I realised that 500 calories today couldn't sustain my workout tomorrow . So when WEEK 3 rolled around, I tossed the 5:2 protocol out the window and ate in the 1000 calorie range. I also readjusted my workout schedule, moving my recovery day to help my b...

After my week of  liquid fast , I decided to make minor changes to my nutrition and fasting routine. This intermittent fasting combo is the tweak I'm making to my fasting game. But before I explain how I'm bringing these two protocols together, let's start with what is what. WHAT IS OMAD? OMAD stands for one meal a day. Some people call it the warrior fast, where you fast for 20 hours and feed within 4 hours. But many who've adopted the warrior fast find it easier to just have one meal, often making it a 23:1 fasting to feeding window. Personally, I've been doing OMAD for 8 months now and it hasn't affected my health or my gains. I've been growing in strength despite training fasted, and 'hunger' is no longer a word I use - the growls in my stomach are daily occurrences I've acclimatised to. WHAT IS 5:2? The 5:2 protocol involves consuming normal daily calories for 5 days a week, with 2 days where calorie intake is dropped to 500 fo...

From January 8 to 12, I went on a liquid fast. I didn't do it for health purposes, but as part of my church's prayer and fasting week. Since I'm already on the one meal a day intermittent fasting protocol (which has become second nature to me), I needed to up my fasting game. Hence, a liquid fast. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. What I'm sharing is based on my own experience.  So before I started the fast on Monday, I prepared myself physically and mentally. I consumed a high-protein and calorie-dense meal on Sunday, with added dessert (because 'why not'). I also planned the liquids I were to consume during the week and tweaked my weight-training program. DAILY LIQUID MEALS A post-workout shake of 333 calories - Nitro Tech Protein (160 calories) - 200 ml of full cream milk (124 calories) - A tablespoon of chia seeds (49 calories) A pre-bedtime shake of 264 calories - Nitro Tech Nighttime Protein (140 calories) - 200 ml of full cream milk (124 ca...

I know it's not Tuesday, but I stumbled upon a cool video by TED-Ed today. It answers one of the most common misconceptions people have about fasting. If you're one of the many wondering if intermittent fasting will cause stomach ulcers, it is definitely worth watching. Disclaimer: I do not own the video. All rights belong to TED-Ed. As their tagline is 'Lessons Worth Sharing', I'm doing just that. On a separate note, I know I've been missing in action for a while. September has been a transitional month for me - I changed day job, and rewrote a portion of my fantasy novel upon my publisher's request. Did I tell you I'm an author? A royalty-free one, that is. Pun intended. Anyway, I'll be back in action soon. But till then, I hope this video-post has debunked a fasting myth for you. Now, isn't this a lesson worth sharing ? Thank you, TED-Ed! --- If you like what you've read,  SUBSCRIBE  for more content!

Often times, you'll come across posts on how you should fast and what you should do while fasting. So instead of repeating what has already been said, I'd like to share what you shouldn't do. I wouldn't say my don'ts are new, but they've not been emphasized enough. Hopefully, my post adds to their importance. #1 DON'T FEED 30-60 MINUTES BEFORE BEDTIME Whether you're on the 16:8 protocol or the warrior fast, do not feed too close to bedtime. Why? Because you'll have trouble sleeping. There are two reasons why you struggle to snooze: one, your heart is beating faster than usual. Most of us break fast with larger meals. And if your meal contains high amounts of carbohydrates, your insulin level will rise resulting in an increased heart rate. But what if you consume little carbs? A large meal naturally releases more hormones. These hormones bump your heart rate too, and possibly extend its tenure. Two, you're just too full. It goes withou...

It's been a little over a month. This means... it's time. Now, I don't usually post my physique online. In fact, this is my first time going public . As I'm not 100% confident with my body, I have a fear of being judged. But because there're barely any before and after pictures on the internet - trust me, I've scoured the web for some motivation - I decided to bite the bullet and share. Who knows, maybe a random passerby would find the motivation they were looking for (though, I must say, the results aren't mind-blowing ). BEFORE & AFTER Before: 3 June, 2017 Weight: 59.3 kg Measurements - Chest: 34 inches, Waist: 28 inches, Hip: 38 inches After: 8 July, 2017 Weight: 58.5 kg Measurements - Chest: 34 inches, Waist: 27 inches, Hip: 38 inches Fat loss in 35 days: 600 gm OBSERVATION I didn't expect a dramatic change in just one month. It would be foolish to think I'd have a six-pack simply by doing the warrior fast. However...

Setting an ideal IF schedule can be tricky. And to be honest, it's much trickier for me with the 20/4 protocol. I had to consider my workout time, when to take my protein, and settle with only warrior fasting 6 days a week. But eventually, I found a schedule that worked. I don't know how much of a help my schedule would be to you, but I've noticed many asking about it online. So, here's mine at your disposal. WEEKDAY - 20/4 SCHEDULE 7am - Get up and head to work. 9am - Kickstart day, while halting stomach growls, with coffee. 1pm - Curb midday hunger with sencha (powdered green tea). 5:30pm - Break fast with protein shake (30g of protein). 6:30pm -  Weight-train for 45-65 minutes, incorporating cardio once a week. 7:30pm -  Meal of the day consisting of vegetables, more protein, minimal carbs, and homemade coconut oil  chocolate . 9:30pm - Close feeding window with fruits. *On Thursdays and Fridays -  family sit down dinner nights -  I eat my main...

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. These tips are what I use to tackle the impulse of overeating during intermittent fasting. What you'll find below are in regards to intermittent fasting, and unrelated to medical conditions such as binge eating disorder.   Overeating is a common problem among intermittent fast-ers. There'll come a time when we trick ourselves into believing we can eat a whole lot, in a short period, because fasting will balance off what we're about to consume. We believe, with the evidence of results, that fasting will counter our bad habits. But let's face reality - fasting isn't a free pass to unhealthy eating. And if we continue to buy into the idea that it is, we could possibly develop an eating disorder. Wouldn't that make us worse off than before? Personally, I'm no stranger to  binging . After a month of intermittent fasting, I began consuming more food than usual. While on a 3 meal a day plan, I had better control over food po...

Yes, the warrior fast , commonly known as the warrior diet . The reason why I use 'fast', instead of 'diet', is because I dislike the latter word. Also, I'm adopting the fasting protocol and not the original diet itself. So despite interchangeable terms, there's actually a difference. 'What' you ask? THE WARRIOR DIET This diet isn't an intermittent fasting protocol per se. Instead, it's 20 hours of under-feeding and 4 hours of over-feeding. During the under-feeding hours, you're allowed to consume small portions of fruits, nuts, vegetables, and protein to curb the hunger pangs. Then, when you break fast, you'll have to follow an eating order of vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates. There're also food combinations to avoid - only proteins and vegetables can be eaten with anything, while nuts and fruits, and grains and fruits, cannot go together. The warrior diet has a handful of rules to follow. And after reading up on th...

What an over-dramatic title, huh? Well, I'm back! I had a great 11 days away from reality, downing ramen and sweet treats while on a flexible  IF protocol. To be honest, it's actually difficult to stick to a set fasting and feeding window. With an itinerary involving long distance traveling, I couldn't actually predict meal times. I was also on the road with my family and needed to feed while they fed. Therefore, my fasting window changed daily, from 14 hours to 16 hours - sometimes 18 hours. Also, almost everyday of the trip, I broke fast with ice-cream (#noregrets). In terms of physical activity, it was below my usual. I'm a writer/editor - my day job requires sitting at a desk - and my weight-training makes a huge difference. During the trip, I did zero weight-training and spent about 25 hours in the car. Despite completing a few hiking trails, and approximately 30km of cycling, I was definitely not working as hard as I'm used to. So, with all that said,...