I started working full-time and enrolled as a full-time student in August. I didn't have the time to work out and I allowed my diet to succumb to convenient restaurant meals (mostly pizza). I knew my health would take a temporary hit and that I would get back on track after I completed the semester. I was done with classes in mid December and I weighed in at my all-time high. This was the sign I needed to take drastic measures.
I had tried fasting before and had great results. According to all the scientific research I had read, it was one of the only ways to increase life expectancy and longevity. Further research suggested that the drugs Metformin and Rapamycin could have similar effects. Metformin regulates glucose/insulin and Rapamycin limits mTOR. mTOR initiates cell growth and proliferation and is correlated with insulin. So fasting has a similar effect to Metformin and Rapamycin, and all 3 of which are correlated with increased lifespan. It makes sense to reason that when deciding to eat, insulin release should be limited. Thus, in addition to fasting, I wanted to eat only one meal a day and zero carbs. This meant a diet of ONLY steak, eggs, fish, and cheese.
I immediately began with a 4 day fast. A few days later I followed it up with a 3 day fast. I allowed myself to eat as much as I wanted as long as there were no carbs involved. It wasn't easy because I love food. The constant thought of food in the afternoons was a strange type of mental torture. But I wanted to close out 2019 strong and that's what I did. I also started going back to the gym 3-4 times a week. I lost 10 pounds during the second half of December and I feel better than ever.
I will continue this strict lifestyle until the end of January. At that point I will take a comprehensive $500 blood test to ensure that all systems are functioning properly. The last time I took a similar type of blood test, I got back perfect results except for cholesterol which was close to 300. At the time I was on a Ketogenic diet. I had felt amazing so the results of the blood test shocked me. I researched why my cholesterol was well above the recommended limits. What I discovered is that the conventional medical wisdom on cholesterol is being turned upside down.
Cholesterol is so important that the body produces it on its own. The body's production is 3-4 times the amount that is recommended to eat. In addition, it can be excreted from the body when in excess. The reason my cholesterol was high was because my body turned to fat metabolism for energy as opposed to traditional glucose stores. Fat requires cholesterol to transport it in the blood. But could this excess cholesterol deposit itself in my arteries? Not necessarily, but I wouldn't know for sure without further testing. My guess is that if the other risk factors are limited - blood pressure, smoking, insulin resistance, obesity, inactivity, etc - I would NOT be prone to atherosclerosis.
The results so far have been outstanding - 11 pounds in 17 days 💪