Have you ever heard of intermittent fasting? Ever wonder what intermittent fasting is? I like to call it the 8 hour diet…but there are a LOT of different names this style of eating is called. Some people do intermittent fasting naturally! My hubby, for one! And he is super duper lean. I’m jealous lol.
Ok so what exactly is intermittent fasting?
Essentially, intermittent fasting isn’t dieting at all, it’s just skipping meals every once in awhile. For some people, intermittent fasting is going without food for 16-36 hours.
Think about it, we fast every day when we sleep, this is just extending the fasting period =)
Why eat this way? There are actually quite a few benefits to intermittent fasting!
Researchers have found that decreasing calories can lead to a longer, healthier life. There is also research that suggests that limiting food intake may reduce the risk of many common diseases. Furthermore, fasting may also increase the body’s responsiveness to insulin, which regulates blood sugar. This can help to control feelings of hunger and food cravings!
Science shows that it takes your body about 6-8 hours to metabolize stored carbohydrates…then after that happens, your body starts to use your stored fat for fuel. If you are eating every 8 hours or sooner, you make it more difficult for your body to use your fat stores as fuel. Are you sticking with me here? Does this sound like it’s gone against EVERYTHING you’ve been told you’re supposed to do to lose weight? Like you’re supposed to eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism revved up? I hear you!
Why do I like this way of eating? Because when I eat frequently, I feel like I’m not as in tune with my hunger and I end up eating more out of boredom, or because it’s ‘time’ to eat. With intermittent fasting, I know that I’m eating because I’m really hungry! It has helped me become more aware of my body and it’s hunger cues.
How does it work? There are a LOT of different ways you can fast!
One way is to fast for 14-16 hours each day, and then feed for the remaining 6-8 hours. During the fasting period you consume water, black coffee or tea. I add milk to my coffee since umm….ick coffee without milk is just nasty lol. So don’t stress something small stuff like that =)
What’s an easy way of doing this?
I like to fast from 6pm-10am. So after dinner no nibbling on anything (I like to snack!) and eat a breakfast later than normal. Honestly I think that’s the hardest part for me since anyone who knows me knows I eat breakfast like the second I wake up lol. I wake up, pee, then eat. For real. So waiting until 10 the first day felt like an ETERNITY! Now it’s not so hard…this is day three for me =)
Another form of intermittent fasting is to fast for longer periods of time, once or twice a week. So you may fast for 24 hours, then eat normally. What is the main rationale behind eating this way? It can reduce your overall caloric intake without really limiting what you’re able to eat–just how often!
Note that this way of eating will NOT work if you continue to fuel your body with junk (sorry). You MUST eat clean! So think of the food our ancestors ate…fruits, veggies, lean meats, nuts and seeds. There weren’t any twinkles, chips or soda back then…our bodies weren’t made to process those kinds of foods!
A lot of people think of fasting as a form of deprivation or starving–but let me tell you that that is not true!! Our ancestors did not have food available 24/7! If you’re overweight, think about it…do you eat during most of your waking hours? It’s pretty normal in our society today…EVERYTHING is centered around FOOD! Parties, dates, birthdays, any special occasion, watching TV, etc., etc., etc!! So don’t think of intermittent fasting as depriving yourself, rather becoming more in tuned to your body!
Please keep in mind that fasting isn’t for everyone!!! Some people can do this naturally (like my hubby) while other people (especially you breast feeding mamas) get dizzy or light headed without frequent feedings. So, as anything, do what is right for YOU! Don’t try intermittent fasting if you are pregnant or have a history of disordered eating.
I’m going to try it out for a few weeks and see how I do…I think of myself as a diet guinea pig =) I’ve eaten vegan, vegetarian, low carb, high carb, paleo, etc., just to see how my body reacts to different forms of eating. I think I’ve found that eating mostly paleo with some raw milk and a little cheese is a great mix for me…now I’m going to give this a shot =) I’ll keep you updated!
What do you think? Could you try intermittent fasting?
