Creating An Easier Fast T'isha B'Av Version

Vicki Rothschild/Weight Management ~ “A Plan for LIFE”

Life Should Be Delicious!!

917-533-1794 www.facebook.com/vickiweightloss vickirothschild@gmail.com

Creating an Easier Fast

Before we talk about what’s best before & after a fast,

I’d like to clarify something:

Every food falls into only one of three categories and no, it’s not meat, dairy & pareve. It’s proteins, fats and carbohydrates. I’m going to focus now on carbohydrates as this is what comes up most often when discussing what should be eaten prior to fasting and is indeed the most crucial to having an easier one. Being that it’s recommended that 45-60% of our caloric intake come from carbs, it’s pretty crucial on a daily basis as well.

Soda is a carbohydrate, as are jelly beans, M&M’s, breads, apples, peaches, string beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celery. Yes people, vegetables are carbs!! We need carbs. Carbohydrate is an organic compound made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates are our main energy source; they are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly. But here’s the thing, and it’s major: not all carbs are created equally; there are 2 different TYPES. Simple and complex.

Simple Carbohydrates are the “bad” carbs. The sugars, white flour, white rice, candy, muffins, cakes, pretzels, bagels, etc. They are “bad” for many reasons. They are made of simple molecules that are easy for your body to breakdown; they deliver sugar to the bloodstream quickly. They breakdown quickly causing a fast spike in blood sugar. That's where you get a rush of energy, then a big drop -- and your mood goes right along with it. Plus, when too much sugar floods the system all at once, your body can't use it all for energy and converts it to... guess what? Fat. Yes, your body ultimately converts excess sugar into glycogen and then into fat for storage. And worse, constantly overwhelming the cells with high levels of sugar is associated with blood sugar related diseases like hypoglycemia, diabetes, and insulin resistance. More reasons for their – bad-ness? They are either mostly or totally devoid of any nutrients. They are non-filling and make you desire and crave more bad carbs; a vicious cycle. They contribute greatly to poor health and obesity.

Complex Carbohydrates are the "good carbs". These would be whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans. They have complicated molecules that breakdown slowly, delivering a steady supply of sugar to the bloodstream. When sugar is delivered to the cells gradually, they can burn it for energy and our energy levels and moods stay stable. These foods are ALL high in nutritional value – fiber, minerals and vitamins and will leave you the fullest for longest. These foods optimal for sustaining overall good health.

Back to the fast. Yes, we need carbs before a fast. But here's the thing: we need the COMPLEX carbs; not white rice, pasta, bread & potato carbs. Consumption of complex carbohydrates helps to ease the pangs of a fast because they take longer to break down in the digestive process. In addition, these carbohydrates help your body absorb water more efficiently, so eating them aids in staying hydrated during the fast. Proteins and fats do not have this same hydration benefit. Fruits/vegetables and 100% whole grains that are high in fiber are best, as these will not only provide energy longer, but are slower to digest and will keep you feeling fuller the longest.

What we need the most? WATER, WATER & more WATER. Most of the discomfort we feel is due to dehydration. And no, we needn’t be totally dehydrated to experience negative effects of too little water. Drink non-caffeinated fluids. Providing the body with enough fluids to function properly is a daily business. Your recommended intake is six to eight 8-ounce glasses per day, but that should be upped to 8 to 10 glasses the days before a fast. So drink the extra water & eat water based foods. Most fruits, for instance, are more than 80 percent water. Eggs consist of 75 percent water; vegetables, from 70 to 95 percent. And again, those fruits and veggies are your complex (good) carbs. It’s a win-win situation.

Good carbs: FRUITS Fruits are high in water content, fiber, vitamins and they have virtually no fat at all. Fruits packed with complex carbohydrates include apricots, oranges, plums, pears, melon, apples, peaches, berries, grapefruits..

VEGETABLES Vegetables are high in water, low in fat, have multiple vitamins and minerals and most varieties are complex carbs. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, turnip greens, eggplant, squashes, yams, carrots, onions, all types of lettuce, celery, cucumbers, cabbage, artichokes and asparagus are all examples of these.

LEGUMES Legumes are oftentimes called pulses. These are characterized by seeds that have an exterior pod surrounding them. Beans are a type of legume that is a complex carbohydrate. Specific examples include lentils, kidney beans, black beans, peas, garbanzo beans, soy beans and pinto beans.

WHOLE GRAIN PRODUCTS Oatmeal. Whole wheat pasta, brown rice, 100% whole grain bread, however these foods are higher in calories per serving and need to be eaten in moderation.

THE DAY OF THE FAST

Eat Normal Sized Meals: While being well hydrated will help stave off the effects of dehydration, overeating will NOT stave off the effects of hunger and will make you more uncomfortable. In fact, the excess fluids needed for your body to process large meals may contribute to dehydration.

Eat normal sized meals leading up to the fast and reduce the amount of proteins and fats as the day goes on. The final meal should include only small amounts of protein. Protein actually attracts and leaches water from your tissues. (Most of the dramatic weight loss that people experience on high-protein diets is lost water that protein molecules cannot hold onto or bring into your system – water that you want around during a fast.) Also keep in mind if you are filling up on bad carbs, you won’t have room for the good ones, which will in fact help you as the fast progresses. As always avoid heavily salted, highly spiced foods & caffeine.

WHAT TO EAT:

Please note: Each and every one of these suggestions is great for either breakfast, lunch or dinner and breaking the fast as well

Breakfast: 4 -5 Egg white fully loaded veggie frittata is perfect, along with Israeli Salad

Lunch: Large veggie loaded salad with tuna or a 3 oz portion of salmon or ½ cup of either quinoa or garbanzo beans.

OR: some sort of Poke’ Bowl – roasted veggies galore with a protein (fish, quinoa, beans, tofu).

Snack: on fruits and veggies such as melon, grapes, grape tomatoes

Drink : tons of water throughout the day, not just at one sitting

Dinner: About 5 ozs of flounder, halibut, fresh tuna, with lots of veggies. Veggies could/should be cauliflower~mushroom~onion “farfel” or a ratatouille type “Stew”; really, any and all are good.

End the meal with watermelon and/or cantaloupe or honey dew.

Brush your teeth. Have some more water.

THE BEST WAY TO BREAK A FAST: Just like in the pre-fast meal, the POST-fast meal should consist of water & water based foods. You need to re-hydrate first and foremost. So yup, immediately grab a glass of water or two. AVOID orange juice & all citrus fruits as they are acidic and hard on the stomach. Where it came to be that orange juice is a good choice had to come from Tropicana! You then want to focus on a combination of water based & easily digestible foods, such as watermelon, honeydew or grapes. Yes, have dessert first. Eggs. They are the perfect post fast foods, rich in protein & water & easily digested. Load em' up with complex carbs to get a quick lasting energy boost - that would be veggies people, (NOT bagels) such as spinach, broccoli and onions. A homemade veggie soup is also good. A bowl of fruit laden oatmeal is another good choice. And of course my oatmeal bake. Oooh, a baked apple stuffed with oats is great too! Please do not overfeed. It is night time and there is only so much digestion that can comfortably take place at that hour.