Are you on intermittent fasting, or a low-carb diet? And do you often feel starved because you eat just once a day, wondering what else you can have to assuage hunger even for a moment? I have good news for you. Coffee and chocolate will help you, but you must know how, or lose your hard efforts.
Photo by Steve Harvey on Unsplash.
When I first did a 12-hour daily fast, it was okay. I ate at any time between 7 am to 5 am. So I had a light breakfast (3 eggs) and lunch with minimal rice serving (3/4 cup). Then I had late afternoon snacks of one to two pieces bread toast with butter or white cheese. Lots of white cheese, actually (I buy the brand with no chemical or sugar content). It was fine, didn't have problems. But I had to level up, so later I did a 16-hour fast and cut out the rice. No serious problems either.
But a 20-hour fast was something else. I started having headaches, dizziness, weakness and I was starving. So I searched for answers, and I found several youtube videos by experts (some of them medical doctors) that suggested coffee and/or chocolate drink. It should be black coffee or pure chocolate (better if cacao) with zero sugar. And it did the trick. I felt better. Later, I had not more side effects.
How Coffee Helps
Coffee and pure chocolate drinks give you added energy to make you strong enough up to meal time without being famished and languid. In fact, they helped me physically workout later to tone and improve muscles while doing intermittent fasting. Yup, fasting and working out is possible. It helped me do my online work better, too. But I did this much later after my body had adapted. It took me weeks.
But don't take black coffee right after waking in the morning. I drink two glasses of water, let that sink and circulate in my system, and took my black coffee later, about one or two hours after. Drink another glass right before your coffee. Your stomach will be ready for it and it prevents acid reflux from developing. Better yet, put in some butter. The same with your chocolate drink.
Bulletproof Coffee
No idea why it's called that, but bulletproof coffee keeps you energetic amid intermittent fasting. Mine is simple (you can blend your own, too). I put a little virgin coconut oil, butter, cinnamon and Magnolia cream. That perks me up to do my work and workout later, lifting some weights and bending my iron spring bar, plus martial arts.
The result? From 170 pounds in December 2021, I'm down to 150 pounds today, July 26. 2022. Leaner, stronger, more energetic, faster and athletic. Less fats in my body (especially the belly) and more lean muscles perfect for fast and powerful martial arts action. What more when I reach my first year (which would be January 2023)?
Before
After
Fat Adapted
When you see that your body is fat adapted (it relies on burning fat for energy than carbohydrates), you gradually start your workouts. You burn fat faster this way. You eat lesser carbs and more protein, plus fats and veggie fibers, though some veggies are carbs, too, like squash, sweet potatoes and other root crops. So you go easy on them, too.
Wait--cream, oil, butter and fats? Aren't they the very ones that make you fat? Not really. That's obsolete information. The latest finding is that carbs and sweets are responsible for making you fat--and terribly ill with serious illnesses like diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension and others. It's not meat, fats or oil (olive or lauric coconut oil). We were told to avoid fats and replace meats and fats with carbs instead. Turned out to be wrong.
Anyway, I won't go in-depth with that.
What I want to share here is how coffee and pure chocolate drinks (zero sugar and milk) help us lose weight, not exactly as fat burners, but energy level extenders during intermittent fasting (although cacao burns fat). Fasting burns our body fats as long as you stay eating low carbs and zero sugars. If not, then carbs and sugar become the primary fuels that our metabolism burns and shelves or stores fats in the body (especially in the belly).
Fit and trim at 62. Doing 40 push-ups a set.
What About Caffeine?
Caffeine in coffee and chocolate boosts energy during fasting so we don't feel weak and groggy. A mug a day won't hurt you. Health experts say 5 cups a day is okay. Opt for brewed coffee and stay away from 3-in-one instant. Anyway, black coffee has healthy antioxidants beneficial for health, especially mental health. NCBI says:
Antioxidant activity of coffee is related to chlorogenic, ferulic, caffeic, and n-coumaric acids contained in it. In roasted coffee, melanoidins (brown pigments) are synthesized—these are strong antioxidants. In some publications, caffeine and trigonelline are considered to be antioxidants also. Phenylalanines which are formed during the roasting process show high antioxidant activity, as do heterocyclic compounds. Source
And with pure chocolate:
Chocolate and cocoa powder are derived from beans that contain hefty quantities of natural antioxidants called flavonoids. The researchers found natural cocoa contains the highest capacity of the antioxidant procyanidin. Antioxidants are thought to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Source
Eat Carbs Again
When I have attained my target physique, I'll go back to eating some carbs again. Because here's the thing--once you're rid of fats and developed trim muscles, your body will just keep burning carbs even at rest or while sleeping--if you keep working out regularly. So you can eat just enough carbs again and maybe sweets once a week in minimal amounts.
Remember, my advocacy is no diet slim. Just eat! (with no sugar) 😃.
Disclaimer
If you have health problems or are on maintenance drug, consult your doctor first and get his approval before you try doing anything you read on this article. Work with your medical doctor. The info here is meant for sharing only. The blog owner or author will not be responsible for any bad effect on your health when applying the info here.
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Simple yet powerful ways to lose weight without starving yourself or sacrificing your favorite food! NO DIET SLIM is where you get plenty of slimming tips so you never have any excuse left for staying overweight.
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