Intermittent fasting is a way of eating. There are many methods of intermittent fasting, so one can easily fit your lifestyle. When I refer to fasting, it is a period of time of not eating. This time allows your digestion tract to break down any of food you ate through the day, properly absorb nutrients, and then relax.
Methods:
1. Typical Intermittent Fasting: 16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating. I do this one because it is convenient for my lifestyle and it makes me still feel like I have been eating all day!
2. 20 hours of fasting, 4 hours of eating.
3. Fast for a full 24 hours, then eat 6 out of seven days of the week. I personally do not recommend this approach.
4. 19 hours fasted, 5 hours fed. Also known as the fast five!
5. Alternative days of fasting: 16 hours fasted, 8 hours fed.
People ask me, “Well why do you do this?” The benefits are the reason why I was so intrigued in this lifestyle habit.
Here are some of the benefits:
– It is very convenient for my lifestyle as a student
– Helps with weight loss and belly fat
– Helps with overeating
– Helps increase productivity
– Flexible dieting
– Lowers your risk for Type 2 Diabetes
– Can reduce oxidative stress
– Decrease inflammation in the body
– Good for heart health
the list goes on about benefits of fasting…
Here are some personal tips about Intermittent Fasting:
1. Exercise is still needed. It is still valued in this diet and does not mean you can just stop exercising because of the way you eat. Plus, it is so good for you as well.
2. Do not overindulge when you can eat. This doesn’t mean eat ice cream, candy, and cookies for eight hours a day instead of salad just because you’re fasting for 16 hours. It don’t work like that.
3. Figure out what times work best for you. I notice for me that 11 am to 7 pm work best with my schedule. Base your time on your fasting method.
4. Figure out your calories and macros. In those eight hours, you should still be hitting your macros and calorie count. Starving yourself is not going to help or overeating as well. You should still be getting the same amount of nutrients as you should.
5. Make this diet flexible to you. If you want to go on a late date, start eating later in the day. If you have an early class, finish eating earlier in the day. The diet is convenient to your schedule for that particular day.
6. My best tip: DON’T BE SO HARSH ON YOURSELF.
If you go over your calorie count one day, that is okay. If you eat thirty minutes after your stop time, that is okay. We are human, and we cannot be so harsh on ourselves regarding a diet when there are so many other things we need to focus or worry about whether it be school, work, the children, relax. Remind yourself about the goal you have and use it to motivate you. Lastly, you should not have to sacrifice everything just to maintain this lifestyle change. If you want a cookie, eat a cookie- it ain’t going to kill you and make you gain 5 pounds.
Just always remember you are beautiful on the inside and outside. Do what makes you happy, and do not let anyone stop you. Let people comment on your diet. Let people talk because the only opinion that matters is yours. Let yourself be confident.