Lean Mean Fat Burning Machine

using the IMW Triple Stack

How to become a LEAN, MEAN, FAT BURNING MACHINE

Let’s use the IMW Triple Stack.

No it’s not pancakes.

It’s also not a supplement regimen.

So what is it?

It’s what you have been challenging yourself to do these past 3 months by following along the #IMWChallenge

So let me recap a bit with a few additions.

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Your goal is to get to a more optimal healthy weight.

To achieve this you need to have your body respond to your diet so that you can burn excess fat instead of store it. The hormone INSULIN is responsible for storing fat derived from excess dietary carbohydrates. So the more dietary carbohydrates you eat, the more insulin you produce, the more fat you will be storing ===> weight gain.

If we can adjust your diet so that your body produces less insulin, you should start burning excess fat and losing excess body weight.

ALL Carbohydrates in the diet greatly INCREASE insulin production, especially processed carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cookies, cake, added sugars, grains, juices, sweetened beverages. So these are No-No’s !!

But, and this is an important but, if you have greatly lowered or removed the processed carbohydrates from your diet and you are not losing weight or you have stalled, then you may need another tweak. But first you need to know the following.

ALL PLANT FOOD IS CARBOHYDRATE

I’ll repeat that for emphasis.

ALL PLANT FOOD IS CARBOHYDRATE

This means your fruits, vegetables and salads are carbohydrates.

Pretty much anything that can not run, swim or fly away from you is carbs.

If the food could have run, swam or flown away, it means it has muscles and organs which are made up primarily of protein and fat. Have you ever seen a head of lettuce run away from you all by itself without any help?? If you do see this please get it on film and send it to me.

So you may need to consider reducing plant foods as well IF you are not at your optimal weight or health. If you are more plant based and are at a healthy weight and health, do not change. While lower carbohydrate diets are very helpful for the metabolically challenged, not everyone needs to change.

But take a peek at what happened to the percentage of our population that has become Obese since our government got into recommending what we eat with the Low-Fat Guidelines in the late 1970’s.

Moving from carbohydrates:

Protein in the diet only slightly increases insulin.

Fat in the diet does not affect insulin levels.

Foods that contain mostly natural fats and proteins should be the staple of your diet, unless you are allergic or sensitive. These foods are meats, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy.

If your goal is to lose weight by losing excess fat stores, then you want to minimize carbohydrates, and eat more fat and protein. This keeps insulin levels low enough to allow fat burning.

There are the 3 IMW steps IN ORDER to take to make this eating style successful as well as easy and enjoyable. They are also the first three #IMWChallenges of 2022.

Step 1: February 2022 #IMWChallenge

Lower your dietary carbohydrates to no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day. We may adjust this later, but to start you will do best if you limit to less than 20 grams daily.

This type of eating plan has been called any of the following and they are all similar.

Low Carb High Fat

Ketogenic Diet

Carnivore

Lower carbohydrate diets lowers your Insulin, stopping fat storage and allowing your fat cells to begin the process of burning their excess fat stores when your body needs energy. This means weight loss.

Usually in a short period of time, within 1-2 weeks, you will notice your appetite and cravings diminishing. When you have noticed a reduced appetite you are ready to go to step 2.

Step 2:

Intermittent Fasting (IF) - March 2022 #IMWChallenge

Intermittent Fasting limits your eating window to no more than 8 hours. This means you will need to go at least 16 consecutive hours of not eating, other than non-caloric fluids. This is known as 16:8, with 16 being the CONSECUTIVE hours fasting, and 8 being the window of time where you are allowed to eat. The longer you go without eating, meaning if you extend the 16 hours longer, the lower your insulin drops, making your fat cells even better available to burn their excess energy which leads to Fat Loss and Weight Loss. It may seem daunting at first, but as your body switches to a fat burning metabolism, it becomes easier and a fun challenge.

If you want to be in Fat Burning mode you want to be in the green on the diagram above.

You can use Intermittent Fasting 1-3 days a week, or daily, your choice.

You can switch from 16:8 Intermittent Fasting to only eating “one meal a day”, known as OMAD. This time period is up to you.

With time, your body will adjust to this eating style and your appetite and cravings will both reduce, and then, even better, your energy level will start increasing.

At this point you can move on to Step 3.

But before Step 3, if you want more help with Intermittent Fasting, I recommend a great book, “The Obesity Code” – by Jason Fung. There is also a free 12 week online email program from Jason Fung’s group, Intensive Dietary Management that I recommend. You can sign up at www.IDMprogram.com

Step 3:

Increase exercise - April 2022 #IMWChallenge

With Steps 1 and 2 working for you, your appetite down and your energy level up, it is time to increase your activity level and build up some muscle. Muscle, even at rest, burns more energy than fat. This means your resting metabolism, the amount of energy/calories your body burns at rest is higher. This will help you maintain your weight loss and help to prevent plateaus in your weight loss,

Resistance training is the best method. I would recommend you working with a trainer, at least at first, to make sure you are doing your exercise correctly.

Now it would be great if I actually looked like that pic. I am working on it but will never get there. The body attached to my face is from another famous lower carb doc who also has a great exercise regimen.

I used this pic once before over two years ago. All I remember is my mother Nikki, who I hope many of you remember as she worked in my office for many years before she passed, well my mother Nikki saw this pic and couldn’t stop laughing. Isn’t it great when your own mother looks at you and laughs???

OK, back to the topic.

There were quite a few guest authors this month who can help you with exercise so look back at some of the past Common Sense Health and Wellness posts. We also have one more guest author before we move on to the May 2022 #IMWChallenge.

Step 3 is important for overall health, but it is the least important of the steps for weight loss. But everyone has their own health journey, so where exercise fits in for your own health goals is up to you!

I’ll end with one of my favorite pics.

If you need further help with any of the #IMWChallenges, be sure to get in touch.