I Lost 100 Pounds by Fasting and Here's How
Rosa Charice (@rosacharice) is a TikTok influencer who lost 100 pounds. Her feed is filled with videos revealing all of her weight loss secrets, including recipes and detailed accounts of what she eats in a day. In one viral video, she reveals that fasting was instrumental in her weight loss. "I lost a hundred pounds in only four months, and one of the ways I was able to do this was by intermittent fasting," she says in the clip. "If you guys are interested in intermittent fasting and how I was able to lose weight this quickly, here are some things that I did while fasting that helped me along my weight loss journey." We also asked The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, to weigh in on her strategy.
Drink Coffee
"So the first thing that I did while I was in intermittent fasting was to drink black coffee or any type of plain tea that had caffeine in it," says Rosa. "This is because caffeine actually speeds up your metabolism and suppresses your appetite. So it'll help you while intermittent fasting to burn fat faster and also curb your hunger."
Related: 7 Rules to Losing a Lot of Weight Quickly
Cut Out Processed Food and Sugar
"Another thing that I did to easily intermittent fast is cut out processed food and sugar," Rosa continues. "This type of food makes it harder for you to intermittent fast and it makes you hungry."
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Use an App
"Lastly, I still intermittent fast, so I use this app," she says about WeFast: Intermittent Fasting app. "This app allows you to track your intermittent fasting hours. You can also set reminders and keep track of your progress. And the best part is WeFast is free."
This Is What an Average Day of Eating Looks Like for Her
@rosacharice What I ate to lose 100lbs💕 #smallbusinesstiktok #fitnesstiktok #blkwater @Blk.water ♬ SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY – Remix – Amaarae & Kali Uchis
In another video she reveals some of the foods she ate while intermittent fasting. For her first meal of the day she had four eggs with spinach and cheese and four slices of bacon. The next meal? Seasoned chicken cooked in olive oil with cauliflower rice and bell pepper.
First Off, Caffeine Doesn't Significantly Increase Metabolism, Says RDN
Caffeine doesn't significantly increase metabolism, says Collingwood. "It will increase heart rate and provide 'false' energy because it is a stimulant, making you feel like you are more awake and have more energy. It also can help to reduce hunger so many people like to rely on it." However, suppressing your appetite is not necessarily a good thing. "When you tell your body that it isn't getting fed, it may take energy from your stores (fat and muscle) as you need it, but eventually it will try to hang on to these stores the more you fast and don't eat."
Cut Out Most Processed Food, She Says
Collingwood does agree that most processed food is not good for you and "added sugar is high in calories and does not usually provide any nutritional value (unless in foods that have nutritional value)," she says. "So cutting out a lot of the sweets is a good idea." However, it is not practical to cut out all processed foods. "Rice, pasta, bread, frozen veggies, etc. are all processed. I would say cut out 'junk' foods or foods with low nutritional value but high in calories like chips, fries, desserts, pastries, etc."
Related: 7 Surprising Reasons Why You Should Walk 10,000+ Steps a Day
She Also Suggests Slightly Modifying the Meals
As for her breakfast, 4 eggs and 4 bacon "is a lot of fat and saturated fat," notes Collingwood. "I would prefer 2 eggs (spinach is great!), 2 bacon (maybe turkey bacon or crisp bacon with a lot of fat cooked off), and some fruit and a slice of whole grain toast." She adds that cauliflower rice and peppers and chicken are all very healthy, "but just don't cut out all grains and carbs other than veggies. You need carbs for energy and the nutrients and fiber that go with fruit and whole grains and beans."
💪🔥Body Booster: Drinking coffee might not speed up your metabolism, but a daily cup of Joe offers other health benefits, including improved cognition. It can also give you a brief burst of energy to get through a workout. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
