Intermittent Fasting | all about the clock
Maybe you’ve heard some buzz about Intermittent Fasting. It’s been on the news and it’s popping up in your insta feed, so you are beginning to think maybe you should give it a try. But what’s the fuss all about?
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is not a diet, it’s simply an eating schedule.
Your body is always in one of two states:
1. fed (anytime you are digesting food) or
2. fasted (8-12 hours after your body finishes digesting)
So when you practice IF, you consume your meals or calories during a specific eating window of your awake hours. The cool thing is Intermittent Fasting doesn’t necessarily change WHAT you eat, it actually changes WHEN you eat.
This makes intermittent fasting a super easy strategy to implement, right now!
“But, isn’t breakfast the most important meal of the day?”
Science is beginning to show us that intermittent fasting has a ton of benefits from preventing diseases, boosting your immune system, lowering insulin levels and much more.
“Um, How Do I Start?”
start slowly | stop eating after dinner
The most popular practice is 16/8 Intermittent Fasting – 16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating. If you’ve never skipped breakfast it’s a good idea to start slowly. We highly recommend starting with a 12-hour fast. Cut off your eating at 7 or 8 pm, then don’t eat breakfast until 12 hours later. It’s very doable and is probably a period of time you already fast, you’ll be sleeping for most of this time, hopefully! Eventually you can gradually increase the length of your fast until you reach the 16-hour mark. You’ve got this!
stay hydrated | water is your friend
I know you know the benefits of water, right? You probably already carry a water bottle every where you go. If you are going to start Intermittent Fasting you need to make staying hydrated a priority! Water is essential for just about everything, it flushes out toxins, helps lubricate joints, can boost metabolism and may help fight off hunger. Did you know the same signal that tells us we are hungry is the same signal that tells us we’re thirsty!? Just knowing this info will be helpful as you begin to test out Intermittent Fasting. Feeling hunger pangs? It’s ok, many of our clients report those pesky pangs go away once they drink a full glass of water! Oh and it’s totally ok to drink black coffee and herbal teas during your fasting period. Let’s do this!
stay busy | plan your day
Some clients report clarity and increased energy during their fasting window! Amazing! I know you have projects you want to knock out, so plan to stay busy during your fasting window. Plus you aren’t prepping food all morning, so hey, you have a little more time to focus on your to-do list! Yay, get things done!
grab a buddy | life is way more fun with friends
Life has us feeling all upside down right now. We’ve realized how important human connection is to us. With the days feeling longer and a little strange, having a strong support system is definitely key! So grab a bestie, family member, co-worker or even your spouse to connect with. You can encourage each other, swap tips and motivate one another. It’s really one of my favorite things about the FASTer Way! With 1,000s of clients living the FASTer Way lifestyle, we have an amazing supportive virtual online community. We chat wins, challenge each other and swap secrets on how to live our very best lives! Sign me up!
recognize your roadblocks | find your why
Most of us don’t usually work in such close proximity to our fridges as we do now. So as you are navigating your new normal, be sure you aren’t starting to build a habit of reaching for food when you need another type of relief. A walk outside, a great workout, talking with a trusted friend, connecting online with a group, all of these ways can provide you the comfort you are actually searching for. The FASTer Way Mindset is extremely important to our success. Identifying a strong “why” or specific reasons for improving your fitness and nutrition will help you stay focused as you begin to implement your new healthy habits. Let’s go!
Putting It Together?
Intermittent Fasting is a highly effective strategy, but when you combine it with whole foods, balanced macros, effective workouts, and carb cycling, you will become a fat-burning machine!
If you’d like help implementing Intermittent Fasting into your healthy lifestyle, I’d love to help. Join my next round of the The FASTer Way to Fat Loss and learn how to make Intermittent Fasting work for you!
*Results vary person to person. Please consult your physician before starting any new wellness routine
Resources:
https://www.fasterwaytofatloss.com/blog/category/nutrition
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide
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