In one of my series in my blog post on how to Lose Weight and Get Bikini Body Ready with a Pole Dance Workout, I was able to share the kind of diet I am currently following. On Part 2 of the series, I was able to mention that I do intermittent fasting and the Paleo diet in aggregate to my 30-minute pole dancing workout at home. Most of you will probably know about this, some of you might not. That is why I decided to write this article so that you would have a better idea about it just in case you follow suit.

The reason why I decided to try to do intermittent fasting in conjunction with a Paleo diet is that it makes you lose weight faster than just Paleo alone. Consequently, the weight you lose from following this fitness trend is not just water weight but most importantly fat. Now what is great about that is not only will you lose your unwanted fat but retain muscle mass in the process. And as many of you know, muscles are a key player when it comes to maintaining weight, fighting obesity and diabetes as well as improve disease recovery and preserve bone density.These are very crucial factors to consider when you are doing pole fitness and want to maximize its benefits. You want to be strong to be able to do amazing tricks and recover quickly from your intensive practices.

The Paleo Diet

The Paleolithic diet better known as the Paleo diet is based on the way of eating of our ancestors which are rich in fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, and nuts. Eating processed foods is highly discouraged as proponents of the diet say that our digestive system is not adapted to eating and digesting these specific foods. Since this kind of diet has a healthy ratio of saturated fats, it lessens the body’s glycemic load which curbs our tendency to snack and it also increases vitamin and mineral absorption due to the balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. A typical Paleo diet will have its total daily caloric intake from 35% fats, 35% from carbohydrates and 30% from protein.

What’s also great about going Paleo is the wonderful community you get along the way. It is surprising to know that there are actually numerous groups you can join online. They give you awesome support through chat forums and weekly meet-ups which you don’t get from other diets.

Moreover, the Paleo diet isn’t just all about food. It is also about exercise like pole fitness! One of its basic principles is actually using food to fuel your daily activities.

Paleo also heals a lot of health issues stemming from autoimmune disorders that are rampant in the world nowadays.  Many of you know that I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism which has an underlying autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto’s.  This particular problem is becoming very common in women, especially in the US, it’s my desire to help as many people heal as I can.  Paleo will help you heal from health problems like these.

When I’m following my Paleo diet, I can actually love fat, even though I’m hypothyroid AND I’m not depressed, I have energy, and life is just better – everything I need to get back to dancing on the pole and stay there!

When I’m not following Paleo, the autoimmune reactions get the best of me and severe depression and weight gains start to creep back into my life like a disease I just can’t shake.

So Paleo is healing, Paleo is life, IT’S NOT JUST A DIET YOU START AND THEN DITCH!!!

Try Paleo the Easy Way Now ==>

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is a style of eating where you alternate periods of fasting and eating.  I use this in addition to Paleo, because like I said, I’m hypothyroid and frankly, losing fat is a Bitch!  Even if you’re not hypothyroid like me, adding this method to Paleo is sure to rock you fat loss world!

There are three methods of intermittent fasting. The first method is 16:8 where you fast for 16 hours and then eat during the remaining 8 hours of the day. Ideally, you skip breakfast in this method and this couldn’t be more perfect for those people who are always on the go. The second method, eat-stop-eat means you have to fast 24 hours for 2 days in a week and the last method, 5:2 specifies that you eat normally for 5 days and then cut back your calories to 500 or 600 in 2 days.

The idea behind intermittent fasting is that by eating fewer calories (which you shouldn’t compensate during your window of eating) should make you lose weight. However, among the three, I find that the 16:8 method is the simplest and most sustainable method to do.

Besides weight loss, there are also other benefits you can get by doing intermittent fasting like protecting you from type 2 diabetes by reducing your insulin, lowering your blood sugar levels by 3-6% and fasting insulin levels by 20-31%. Another benefit you get from it is that it also lowers your inflammation markers which are a key component in the incidence of chronic diseases. Furthermore, it also lowers your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides which are a risk factor for heart disease. It also protects from Alzheimer’s disease since it helps nerve cells grow in the brain through the proliferation of the brain hormone BDNF. And perhaps what all women want, it slows down aging.

Everything may sound so technical to you, but it is always good to know the science behind things – this is life remember, NOT A FAD. A good understanding of your diet and exercise means you are protecting yourself from following blindly any fad that comes out in the health and wellness market.

To show you exactly how intermittent fasting and the Paleo diet works, here is a sample of my meal plan. As they say, always lead by example.

Here is the exact Intermittent Fasting Plan I follow =>  Oh – And did I mention?  It’s only $10!

Does that entice you just yet? If you want to try intermittent fasting or the Paleo diet like me, here’s a tip for you. Pinterest is a treasure trove of sumptuous Paleo recipes making sure you don’t get bored with your diet. They also have advice on how to do this lifestyle on a budget!

I would like to note though that like with any other person, what may work for me may not work for you. It is still important to “experiment” and see which diet works best for you and your body type – we are not cooky cutters.

If you have any questions or comments please leave a message below! = )