My Experience with Faster Way to Fat Loss…

 

My Experience with Faster Way to Fat Loss^®

Late last year I had the opportunity to try a new diet and fitness plan, and I will tell you I absolutely love it! The plan, called Faster Way to Fat Loss (FWTFL), was intriguing for me as it incorporated most of the weight loss strategies I had success with in the past on my own. In the past I used calorie counting/carb restriction with regular exercise to lose weight. However, the FWTFL protocol differs from this in that it incorporates intermittent fasting, carb cycling, and macro counting while at the same time strategically timing workouts to maximize your results. I had heard about intermittent fasting before, but had never actually formally tried it (though I will say if left to my own devices I do this naturally). Carb cycling was something completely foreign to me, but after learning more about it this totally makes sense. And while I’ve always counted calories, never before had I counted macros, but I understand why it is done. And doing this may sound complicated, but by using My Fitness Pal, it is so easy to do! 

I began my FASTer Way To Fat Loss journey on in July 2019.  The program runs in 6-week cycles with an additional “prep week” in the beginning to give you the opportunity to learn more about the program and start practicing some of the strategies.  During the program I had a fantastic coach, Cathy Dezorzi, and she was instrumental in teaching me about the program and motivating me throughout my journey. She does this through a Facebook group she sets up for the program. I was in it along with several other women. We posted recipes and workout tips as well as our own personal experiences. It was really nice to be in this group as it is a way to “check” myself and to make sure I adhered to the program. 

Components of the Faster Way to Fat Loss^®Program

The FWTFL uses three main strategies to help you with your weight loss journey – carb cycling, counting macros, and intermittent fasting. It can sound intimidating to have to think about so many different things, but it really is easier than it sounds. And as I said before, my coach Cathy made it so easy to put into practice everything FWTFL teaches. And using My Fitness Pal makes the process extremely easy.

CARB CYCLING

I’ve always heard about carb cycling, but never really knew what it was about until I joined the FWTFL program. Basically, carb cycling is a dietary approach in which you alternate carbohydrate intake on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. It is thought that by doing this you can lose more fat, maintain physical performance while dieting, and overcome a weight loss plateau. With FWTFL, Monday and Tuesday are “low carb” days. Your individual carbohydrate goals will vary depending on your starting weight and height. For me, this meant I could have 50 net carbs on those days. To achieve this I avoided all processed carbohydrates (though I did allow myself to have a small amount of dark chocolate on those days). On these days I would also do HIIT workouts (with video demonstrations on my personal FTWFL page). The idea behind this is to maximize your fat-burning capabilities.  And avoiding carbohydrates on those days made me appreciate the carbohydrates I could have on my regular macro days! On the regular macro days (more on this below) my carbohydrate intake is liberalized to 150 carbs/day. Because I eat a low carb breakfast every day (see below) I actually found eating enough carbohydrates was pretty hard for me to do. 

 

How To Count Macros

So what on earth is a macro? Macro is short for macronutrient – which includes carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Every day of the program I used My Fitness Pal to log everything I ate each day. And the app will show you how many carbohydrates, protein, and fats you have consumed each day. Even though calorie counting is not necessary with FWTFL I did it anyway (limiting myself to 1200 calories/day, which is a small limitation for me). The program really encourages you to eat heathy, whole foods, which is what I really like about it (and it is what I tell my patients to eat every single day). To achieve a balanced diet you really do need to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, along with healthy fats and lean proteins. During the program my coach Cathy gave lots of recipe inspiration that works with the FWTFL program. 

Above is an example of an almost perfect macro day. This was from today, where I had sausage and eggs for breakfast (and I even had a bowl of cereal for a treat!). I had an apple for lunch (as I really wasn’t hungry after eating a bigger breakfast later in the morning). For dinner I had fresh salmon with rice and asparagus. 

Intermittent Fasting

The intermittent fasting aspect of FWTFL is what is most interesting to me. Numerous studies have shown the wide range of benefits for many health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, cancer, and neurologic disorders. Animal models show that intermittent fasting improves health throughout the lifespan (thought this is yet to be determined for humans). It is thought that the beneficial effects of intermittent fasting involve metabolic switching and cellular stress resistance. FWTFL utilizes the 16/8 method (eat during an 8 hour window and fast for 16 hours). This was not hard for me at all as I have found the ideal time for me to eat breakfast is 10:00 am. In the past I reflexively ate breakfast at 7:30 am, just because that was how I was raised. But now matter what I ate in the morning, I found myself getting hungry at 10 am. By delaying when I eat breakfast, I find myself snacking less, and remaining satiated throughout the day. And historically dinner is around 5 pm (and I am not one to snack after dinner). So all in all I have found that intermittent fasting is something my body is naturally geared to do (as I truly believe humans have evolved to eat this way).

Exercise

While exercise is not required for the program, it will be so much more effective if you do it. With FWTFL there are specific exercise videos for each day of the week, and you can do them in the comfort of your own home. They are geared towards strengthening your legs and your core muscles. I often did the exercises, but most of the time I just made sure to get 10,000 steps per day (via running and walking) combined with a moderate amount of strength training. I did make sure to do the HIIT exercises recommended by the program on the low carb days, to maximize my fat burning potential. 

My Results

As for my results from the program, I will say I am so impressed with the changes (after 6 weeks)! I lost 3 pounds (for me, 1/2 pound per week is a healthy amount of weight to lose). I wasn’t terribly overweight to begin with (which I am very happy about considering after birthing four children I am now only 3 pounds heavier than I was on my wedding day). More importantly I lost 2″ from my waist, which means my jeans and leggings fit so much better. And overall I feel like I eat healthier, and ultimately through this program I have learned skills to help me lead a longer and healthier life! I do not hesitate to recommend the Faster Way to Fat Loss program!

The Next FWFL Round Starts Today!

Are you interested in becoming healthier and in better shape? Or perhaps you want to lose a few pounds. The next round with my coach Cathy starts today, January 6th (and you have until January 8th to sign up if you are interested). And here is what you get when you sign up for the program:

• All program materials for $199, to accelerate your success in the FASTer Way.
• live trainings to help you in your success.
• Weekly workout plans that include low impact, home, and gym workouts.
• Community group with certified FASTer Way coach Cathy, who provides daily accountability, training, and support.
• Meal plan and recipe guide to assist you in the FASTer Way.
• Nutrition recommendations with a focus on whole food nutrition, balanced macros, intermittent fasting, carb cycling, and effective workouts to transform your life.

So I hope you have found today’s post helpful, and please let me know if you decide to do the program!

Thanks so much!

xo | April

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