Beginner's Guide to Intermittent Fasting
Have you heard of intermittent fasting? Have you tried intermittent fasting?
I’m going to cover, 4 questions that I regularly get asked about regarding intermittent fasting:
What exactly is intermittent fasting?
What can you have, if anything, during your fasting window?
What are the benefits of fasting?
What are some tips for beginners if they want to starting implementing intermittent fasting?
Y’all, I have to start by saying, I love intermittent fasting. I know it seems weird and a little crazy, but once you get into the habit of fasting, it is easy. I personally had not heard of intermittent fasting before I started the FASTer Way to Fat Loss program, but I quickly learned that it is one of the key techniques that is used in the program to help clients burn fat.
So, what is intermittent fasting (IF)?
Intermittent Fasting is not a type of diet, but an eating schedule. IF is not about cutting calories, but it is consuming all of your food intake in a shorten period of time. I personally like a 16/8 schedule, 16 hours of fasting and eating all of my food in an 8 hour period. For me that means that I start my fast at 8pm (after I finished dinner) and don’t eat again until 12pm the next day.
IF is an intentional eating pattern, where we cycle between, a fed state and a fasted state. IF trains our bodies to burn fat as fuel, rather than sugar.
When you are fasting, your insulin levels are lower and your body is better able to reach into fat stores for energy - which is awesome! When you are fasting you are burning fat for fuel.
(There are various ways to practice intermittent fasting. You may want to start with a 12/12 schedule, 12 hours of fasting and 12 hours of eating and work your way up to a 16/8, 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating.)
What can you have during intermittent fasting?
When you are in your fasting window, there are some things that you can consume. Water, black coffee, coffee with unsweetened nut milk, such as almond milk or coconut milk, stevia (as long as it does not contain maltodextrin - maltodextrin will break your fast), and herbal teas.
One main thing to remember while fasting is that you want to stay hydrated, so please make sure you are drinking plenty of liquids during this time.
What are some of the benefits I have experience while practicing intermittent fasting?
I personally have been practicing intermittent fasting for well over a year now, and I still think it is great. Along with following a whole foods diet (most of the time), and exercising, I have lost weight & notice less brain fog. When I do eat, I feel fuller longer, and have seen major improvements in my gut health.
Studies show that intermittent fasting also helps decrease insulin levels, increase human growth hormone, induces cellular repair, and has been linked to protection against disease. (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting)
Intermittent fasting tips for beginners:
Sounds great, right?! Are you ready to jump in and try out intermittent fasting?
You must make sure you are eat enough the day before to sustain yourself through intermittent fasting. You cannot restrict calories/intake and still properly and effectively practice IF. It is important that we properly fuel our bodies.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - drink lots of water, herbal teas and yes, even coffee during your fasting window
Slowly introduce IF. Try to fast for one hour longer than you normally do. If you usually eat breakfast at 7am, try to wait until 8am, and then the next day wait a little longer, and continue that until you reach the 16 hour mark (if you are practicing a 16:8 routine - 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating)
Stay busy. Until you adjust, stay busy. Schedule meetings, go for a walk, clean house, whatever it is, stay busy and distracted.
When you break your fast, break your fast with something that has protein and fats.
And, again, eat enough macros the day before so your body can sustain through the fast.
In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss® I teach my clients how to properly practice intermittent fasting, get that metabolism going and burn fat. I go over the science behind the strategy, more tips and tricks to get you through, and provide moral support along the way all while having lots of fun! If you would like more information about the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, click on the link at the top of the page marked FASTer Way to Fat Loss or leave a comment below.
*All information is based on my personal experience with intermittent fasting, and is my opinion. Please check with your doctor before beginning any new practice.