When people bring up the topic of intermittent fasting, all we ever hear is the word “fasting” and it can come off a little daunting. Is fasting even good for our bodies? When we are cultured to eat every single day on the hour as soon as we wake up, fasting can be a difficult concept to grasp. What does intermittent mean? Intermittent means to occur at various different intervals. Most people that interval fast follow a 16:8 ratio rule, meaning that you eat for 8 hours a day and fast for the remaining 16 hours. Intermittent fasting is incredibly beneficial for people that want to reduce bloating, lose body weight, and control poor eating habits. According to a 2014 study, intermittent fasting was found to decrease body fat by 3-8 percent over a 3-24 week period. You might want to incorporate fasting in your daily routine, especially if you’re looking for a fresh approach to improving your eating habits. Here are 5 tips on how you should approach intermittent fasting as a beginner:
Ease into intermittent fasting.
Give yourself time to ease into this new way of interval eating to stay consistent. Starting is exciting because you want to conquer your health goals. However, when you dive head first into intermittent fasting there may be an increased feeling of hunger and irritation. Choose a day out of the week to fast and gradually add on another day.
Eat for the health of your body.
When you start intermittent fasting, there is going to be a period where you try to tell yourself you can eat whatever you want in those 8 hours. Try to eat for the health of your body from when you break your fast to the last hour. Meal prepping helps with choosing healthy meal options.
Drink plenty of water.
Make sure you are staying hydrated even when you are fasting. Drinking plenty of water not only curves your appetite, it eliminates feelings of fatigue. A couple of liters of water is essential during the day.
Break your fast gradually.
By breaking your fast gradually, you are avoiding bloating and packing on unwanted inches on your waistline. Start by drinking tea, water and a carefully assembled breakfast. Make sure you have protein, fruits, carbs and good fats. Avoid binge eating when you break your fast by eating with intention.
Listen to your body.
There are going to be times where it’s important to just listen to your body. If you are experiencing nausea, fatigue or lack of concentration it’s best to go ahead and break your fast.
Anyone can try intermittent fasting to not only lose a significant amount on your waistline, but to also create structure around their eating. Some people practice IF without even realizing it because they wait until around 11 a.m to 12 p.m to break their fast and stop eating around 7 p.m to 8 p.m. That is intermittent fasting. Consider incorporating IF into your lifestyle if you want a fresh approach to the way you eat.
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