Hooray! I’ve found a weight loss strategy that I can easily maintain without too much thought or fuss. I ordered my copy of ‘Burn Fat Fast’, like I said I would, and have just had a chance to peek inside. Literally – that’s all I’ve done is skim the pages and I get it. It’s that simple. Patrick Holford – you are THE BEST! Thank you!
Special offer
Just as I always do in these emails, I’m passing on an offer from Cygnus books – if you quote ‘I AM IN’ as a gift voucher code, you’ll get 10% off ‘Burn Fat Fast’ if you order from them before midnight next Tuesday 6th. They’ve also said that they are happy for me to share a little something from the book with you. I’ve chosen the one thing that has me air grabbing with a triumphant ‘yes!’ – Patrick Holford’s three simple steps. I’d lost hope of finding a dieting system that would fit my busy lifestyle until I read this (I’ve mixed together the best from the few pages I’ve read so far):
The three simple steps
- Eating less carbohydrate (and those that release their sugar slowly) / low-GLs. For those new to low-GL, it stands for low glycemic load and is a way to keep your blood sugar level even. When your blood sugar level goes high, insulin is released into the blood to take the glucose (sugar) out. Some of it goes to the brain and the muscles, but if you’ve eaten more than you need, the remainder goes to the liver, which turns it into fat and stores it in the nearest place possible, starting with your waist. Insulin is, therefore, the fat-storing hormone. Once insulin kick in, blood glucose levels drop and this triggers hunger and the release of stress hormones to get you ready to go hunting for more food. Your appetite, sugar and carb cravings kick in as a result.
- Always eating protein with carbs, which further slows down their sugar release. I recommend you eat some fat and protein with your carbohydrate, because this will further lessen the effect the carbohydrate has on your blood sugar, thereby lowering the GL of the meal.
- Eating little and often by having three main meals and two snacks daily.
Good news
The book has an easy reference guide to the GL ratings of fruits, starchy vegetables and grains/breads/cereal. Now, I’ve always followed the rule of thumb that with fruit I’m ‘good to go’. I’ve always been a bit foggy on Carbohydrates though and particularly reluctant to give them up. Because I’ve always just expected them as part of my meal, I wasn’t quite sure how I would manage them or even if I would want to … so I just didn’t. Patrick Holford has managed to changed my mind on that though – I was very pleased to discover white pasta listed as ‘okay’ and even the stereotypically British comfort food, baked beans! Kidney beans and pearl barley are listed as ‘good’ and I happily chuck these into stews and casseroles, so following this healthy diet is already looking totally do-able!
Bonuses
I can see that this book is teeming with bonus points – I have the book open right now on a page that gives two proven supplements for diabetes care that improve blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity and help reduce cravings. My favourite though is the eight-minute exercise by former athlete and celebrity trainer Kate Staples. Apparently the routine does something to our metabolism and genes that ‘turns us into fat-burners’ – it’s all explained in the book but to be honest, all I care about is
- Can I fit it into my day, every day?
- Is it easy to follow (I’m no good at following pictures and instructions in a book when it comes to exercise)?
- Does it work?
My first question is answered in Patrick Holford’s introduction to the book:
‘Kate’s exercise programme doesn’t require a huge time input and lots of specialist equipment – quite the opposite, in fact. You really need little more than your body and a few minutes, which can be found by tightening up the order of your day or just setting your alarm clock to go off 15 minutes earlier in the morning’
My second question I was impressed to see answered with a website link to video instructions. In these videos Kate clearly illustrates and talks us through each of the moves – from beginner to advanced levels. The moves are so straight forward you’ll likely only need to watch the videos a few times.
My third question is answered by feedback, from those following the plan, along with a detailed case study. To answer my questions fully, though, it’s up to me to put it to the test – which I am gladly ready to do! I’ve been writing a lot about how it helps to be proactive with our state of minds, spirit and emotions … our physical health goes hand in hand with that so it’s time I literally walk my talk. I’ll let you know how it goes! If you’re in, maybe you’d like to share your progress on this blog page too. I hope to see you there!
One love,
Louisa