With Kim Kasem, Pride Strength Training
We (at Pride Strength Training) are big advocates of intermittent fasting because it is the only thing proven to work with cancer patients. We have a kit you can follow that was designed by a doctor I have used for 20-plus years and who has helped me a lot.
Eating is hard for many people because they don’t have structure, they don’t have control, they don’t eat all day, and then they are binging at night. Your body may be craving fat and protein, but you are eating carbohydrates that have no substance. 99 percent of people do those things and don’t talk about it.
Stress is another culprit to weight gain. It increases your cortisol level which increases fat. If your cortisol levels are up and you’re stressed, your body will store more fat because it is trying to protect itself.
Our kit comes with fat burners to help facilitate the fat-burning process in a healthy way. It also comes with a shake and the vitamins that you need. The kit program lasts about a month.
Food Misconceptions
On my journey, I realized that once I started to eat and exercise less, I began to see positive changes in my body. I began feeling better mentally. Before, I was doing what everybody thought I should do, eating small meals throughout the day; fat-free cottage cheese, tuna fish, eggs, chicken, and vegetables. I was eating a balanced diet, but I wasn’t eating enough.
Fact: (Some) fat is good for you!
You see, I used to do fat-free everything. I would eat an entire 32-ounce container of fat-free cottage cheese and still be starving. Then, I started to eat the whole- or low-fat version. I found that I could eat a small portion of whole-fat cottage cheese and be full, versus an entire container of fat-free and still be hungry. It turns out that when you eat fat-free foods or drink diet soda, the preservatives in those products make you hungrier.
Our bodies crave fat, and fat is good for mental health. When you eat foods that don’t supply your body with the fat it needs, you wind up still feeling hungry.
Your Program
#1: BODY COMPOSITION
First, we analyze body composition to see where your body is. How much water do you have? We learn how much fat versus muscle you have. Yes, we get you on the scale—but I don’t really care about the scale right now. I just want to see what your body composition is. The following 90 days will have a target: get into those fat storages and build up your muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn.
#2: COMMITMENT
Our program asks that you commit to three days to the gym. Now, I’ll have you doing something all five days of the week, but at least three of those days will be in the gym. When you are away from the gym, I will have you do something simple like walk your dog for 20 minutes. I will ask you to do some deep breathing exercises, stretching, and then activities you enjoy, like bike riding, walking, and canoeing. I’ll ask you to drink a gallon of water each day and get at least seven hours of sleep each night. And, yes, I will tell you what to eat. And, no, you can’t keep drinking your wine every night. These aren’t horrible sacrifices. It’s simple.