Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle change I made years ago that has altered the way I feel about fasting.
With the holidays coming up, people often feel like they want to change up their eating habits to either accommodate for all of the holiday food or to counteract it all. Intermittent fasting is a great way to eat (somewhat) guilt-free.
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is when you fast for 14-16 hours per day and eat for the remaining hours. (Don’t let the word “fast” scare you!)
What’s so great about intermittent fasting?
When we eat, our bodies break down food into different components, one of them being glucose (which is a simple sugar). Your body uses glucose for energy and extra glucose is stored in your liver as glycogen. When you fast for more than 12 hours (ideally 14+), your body shifts from using available glucose to breaking down glycogen (known as glycogenolysis, big word!) for energy, which can help regulate blood sugar and even help with weight loss!
(For a list of benefits of intermittent fasting, check out my blog post here.)
What’s a good way to start?
Start slowly, don’t immediately try to fast for 16 hours a day – you’ll probably feel hungry and restricted. Try starting with a 12 hour fast. If you normally eat breakfast by 8am, try to finish your dinner before 8pm. The 12 hours you’re fasting will mostly happen while you sleep, not too tough so far, right? Over time, as you get more comfortable with the fast,you can try extending your fast time in half an hour increments up to 16 hours.
What if I feel hungry?
It’s totally normal to feel hungry when you first start transitioning to intermittent fasting. In my opinion, if you’re hungry, you should eat! The most important thing is to listen to your body and know your limits. If you’re starting to feel light headed, dizzy, or nauseas – stop fasting and eat something. You can always try again the next day. Don’t push yourself; it could make the process of this lifestyle modification feel like a burden or too difficult to stick with.
What else?
Make sure to stay hydrated! Water doesn’t affect your fast (but sugary drinks like sodas and juices sure do!). Try to lessen your physical activity until you feel more comfortable with the fast.
Should I start now?
Consult your doctor before beginning a fasting regime.
Please always consult your physician before making any changes. This post is strictly for education purposes and should not be misconstrued as medical advice.
Interested?
Book a free 15 minute consultation
Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5783752/
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