I’ve Started Fasting. Now What Do I Eat?
Why starting with protein first is the key to satiety.
Although this newsletter is centered around fasting, it’s also about eating. In fact, I often tell people that I fast so that I can feast. A delicious feast is the end goal of this whole fasting endeavor.
When I was heavy and unhealthy, I didn’t fully enjoy eating because I felt conflicted. I knew I was eating too much, but wasn’t sure how to change. Now I feast on delicious foods with zero guilt.
So you’ve started with a nice, easy 16-hour fast. But now you’re good and hungry. Should you stuff your face with just anything?
My number 1 tip for you is to prioritize protein.
Dr. Ted Naiman, a family physician out of Seattle, wrote an excellent book called The P:E Diet referring to the protein-to-energy ratio. Dr. Naiman provides overwhelming evidence that you can dial in leanness and satiety (i.e., feeling full) simply by controlling the percentage of protein you eat. The higher protein you eat, the leaner you will become. He references numerous studies that illustrate this.
The very best source of protein is that good old red meat that we now know doesn’t cause cancer. My husband and I have a burger patty or two (no bun) for lunch just about every day (on the days I eat.) I always encourage my husband to eat as much as he possibly can. If he feels like three burger patties, I’ll make him three. If you eat enough protein, you will be surprised at how your sugar and carb cravings begin to completely vanish.
I heard Dr. Berry say in a video yesterday that carbs and sugar are the food of slaves. If you need to feed a mass of people for really cheap, and you don’t really care about their health, feed them carbs. If you want to sell a group of people a slew of expensive pharmaceuticals, feed them carbs. Carbs are cheap to mass produce, have a shelf life of twenty-some years, and are superb at fostering addiction.
When you drive from Illinois to Colorado, you pass millions of acres of obesity blowing in the wind in the form of corn and soy. Much of the corn is turned into high fructose corn syrup for our sodas and packaged foods and the soy is turned into soybean oil, a highly inflammatory, unnatural food full of plant estrogens.
You and I are the slaves of Big Food and Big Pharma. We can’t even walk into a gas station without little bags and bottles of diabetes assaulting us on all sides. Ninety percent of what we encounter in the grocery store is slave food.
I did something funny the other day. I went to the grocery hungry (at the end of a 36-hour fast) and I saw some beautiful, shiny, white fillets of fresh fish looking up at me so longingly. I made an impulse buy. I grabbed the fish before I knew what I was doing. Later, I sauteed them in butter and lemon with a special spice mix sprinkled on top. It tasted like the best thing I’d ever eaten.
I often hear fasters say after doing something like that, “Who am I anymore? Who is this person who wants fish instead of candy bars?”
Well, I can tell you who I’m not. I’m no longer a slave to Big Food and Big Pharma.
This 10-minute video is an introduction to how eating more protein can radically change the way you eat:[This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or intended to treat, diagnose, or cure a medical disease. Talk to your doctor before beginning any dietary changes or starting fasting, especially if you are on medications for diabetes. Fasting while taking certain medications such as Metformin and especially insulin can lead to dangerously low blood sugars. If your doctor does not support fasting, search for a physician who will support your fasting journey. Fasting is not recommended for those pregnant, breastfeeding, or for children and teens still growing and developing. For those with diabetes, personal fasting coaches are available through TheFastingMethod.com. I receive no compensation or ad revenue for anything in this newsletter including links to books, videos, websites, coaching services, podcasts, or supplements.]
Starting my three week challenge today!Thanks for the inspiration. I don't like watching videos (I'm short on time and data) - can you please give me a simple formula to figure out a good protein target?