As we've learned how beneficial intermittent fasting can be in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, now let's learn how to put it into practice!!
There are many different ways to practice intermittent fasting depending on your health goals. What I am giving you is a very basic, yet fundamental, form of fasting that will still give you a metabolic reset, increased energy, decreased cravings, and waist slimming, fat loss.
Disclaimer: Fasting is not for everyone. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you want to AVOID FASTING. If you have acute or chronic illnesses or have a history of eating disorders, you can take a 1:1 approach with a certified holistic coach or functional medicine practitioner to see if intermittent fasting is right for you. I am simply sharing my personal experience and information that I've read in books.
Let's go over some frequently asked fasting questions:
What to consume during fast
WATER
Flushes out toxins, prevent joint pain and muscle fatigue
Avoid drinking a lot of water before you eat- interferes with digestion
Drink water at room temperature- cold can shock the body and cause cramps
Drink water when you are craving
Avoid anything with considerable calories
No juices, or broth
Electrolytes (pos or neg ions that dissolve in water)
Play an essential role in regulating fluid balance, blood pressure, and pH
Add fruit and veggies to your water
Most electrolyte drinks are full of artificial flavors, sugar, preservatives
If you're sweating a lot, add salt
MCT oil
Deepens ketosis because it converts it to usable energy for your cells
Have negligible calories and no sugar
Supercharging fasting benefits:
Improve brain health and memory
Increase ketone production
Energy source
Antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal abilities
Supports the microbiome
Increase metabolism, exercise performance, and insulin sensitivity
Protect liver and GI tract
Lowers LDL and increases HDL
Too much can lead to cramps and diarrhea
Start with 1 tsp a day and work up to 2-3 TBSP a day
Coffee
Antioxidants, inflammation-fighting, fat burning, and insulin balancing properties if BLACK AND ORGANIC
Can add MCT oil and ghee to boost the fast
Don't drink too much
Some people are more sensitive to caffeine
You can test for the genetic variant CYP1A2 to find out!
Tea
Certain kinds of tea can fight anxiety, stress, insulin resistance, fatigue, inflammation, etc.
Buy ORGANIC (can be contaminated with heavy metals and mold) and avoid buying your tea leaves that were harvested in China (pollution), Japan is a better option
Metaphysical meals
Fasting leaves a lot of time to focus on the whole body experience.
Reflect
Journal, pray, meditate, slow down, and put your phone down!!!
Sleep
The more sleep you get, the fewer cravings you have for sweets and salty foods
One single night of sleep deprivation increases hunger cravings, improve decision making, and normalize INSULIN SENSITIVITY
Also increases stress and inflammation levels
You can't truly be healthy without good sleep
Chamomile tea is good to have right before bed and contains 200mg of magnesium, valerian, and L-theanine
Melatonin is only good for fixing jet lag or short term use, do not take it every day
Exercise
Fasted workouts burn more fat, especially if you do cardio
When your break your fast after (cleanly) working out, your metabolism will still be revved up
Might feel low energy and tired at first
Your muscles need to learn how to use fat for fuel instead of carbs
Eventually, you feel more energy and lighter and more agile
Save harder workouts for non-fasting days
Exercise doesn’t have to be going to the gym. walking, jogging, and stretching are too. Do not limit workouts to the gym. Be active in everything!
De-stress
Stress can ruin everything metabolically and can inhibit ketosis even if you’re doing everything thing else right
Sleeping well and exercising are 2 of big steps to stress less
More tips: have yourself a morning; wake up early and do you
Make to-do lists - DON'T MULTITASK (I struggle with this too)
Nature!! Puts our minds at ease and increases our quality of life
Declutter
SOCIAL MEDIA - have boundaries
Community
You may receive judgment or criticism - just because something is common doesn’t make it normal - feeling lousy and eating unhealthy food is a really hot button topic for people and you might ruffle some feathers
Write down why you decided to take this journey and then read that note anytime someone makes you question your efforts
Breathing
4-7-8 for stressful moments, a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system
(inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds)
How to break a fast
Breaking a fast with refined carbs and sugar will spike your blood sugar and disrupt your gut. Eating the right thing will supercharge your fast. The longer the fast, the more important. If you are fasting 12-16 hours, you probably don't need a transition meal but make sure your first meal is easily digestible.
18-22 hour fasts need a transition meal:
Broth, soup, smoothie, or soft-cooked food
Helps prepare your mucosal lining and intestinal villi
Avoid eating too many raw veggies
Aim for a low carb, low fat, moderate protein meal
After a long fast, your body will be more insulin sensitive, and cortisol and adrenaline will be higher
Add pink salt and cinnamon to your meal- this stabilizes your blood sugar and also hydrates your cells
1-2 hours later, have a bigger meal
4 Week Fasting Plan:
Week 1- Reset
Daily 12 hour fast
Example: Fast 8pm-8am
Benefits:
Less hunger
Fewer cravings
Gut reset
When the gut is able to rest it can work more efficiently and balance hormones
Thus, reduces inflammation
Goals:
Drink enough water
Get at least 7 hours of sleep
Don't over caffeinate
Go for a walk when you’re hungry/craving
Don't cut calories, eat until your full
BE AS CONSISTENT AS YOU CAN, may need to repeat this week
Week 2- Recharge
14-18 hour fasts
Fast for at least 14 hours every day, some days do 16 and 18 hours
18 hour fast example: 6pm to 12pm
You want to work around your sleep
Benefits:
Improved heart health
Lowers cholesterol
Lowers blood sugar and insulin resistance
Enhanced energy and mood
Week 3- Renew
20-22 hr fast every other day
You can do this with the 'One Meal A Day' (OMAD) technique
Example: one day fast for 12 hours, eat during a 2-4 hour window, and then fast again for 12 hours. The next day eat normally. The day after fast 12 hours, eat during a 2-4 hour window, fast for 12 hours.
Tips: Drink a lot of water, add salt. Use MCT oil to curb hunger. Exercise on non-fasting days.
Benefits:
Cells are launching into adaptive stress response (hormesis)
Increasing their expression of antioxidant defenses
Protein quality control
DNA repair increases in stem cells
Mitochondria biogenesis
Downregulation of inflammation
Autophagy
Week 4- Rebalance
Return to 12 hr fasts daily
Benefits:
Improved sleep
Hormone balance
Maintenance Fasting:
If you're looking for a minimal effort, maximum results type of fasting:
On a daily basis, aim for fasting 10-12 hours per day
On a weekly basis try to do at least one 16-18 hour fast
On a monthly basis try to do at least one 22 hour fast or a 'one meal a day' fast
^^^ This is what I currently practice
Other tips
Fasting can be enhanced by eating a high fat, low carb plant-based diet. But, you can still see results without changing your diet.
You can change your eating and fasting window as much as you want. 8am-8pm one day, 12 am-12pm the next. Find a way of eating that works for you, your schedule, and your lifestyle to make it more sustainable for YOU.
Like I said above, this is just the basics. To dive in deeper on the 4-week plan, check out the book Intuitive Fasting by Dr. Will Cole.
My Story with IF
I first heard about IF from podcasts around this time last year. I dabbled, not really knowing what I was doing, skipping breakfast here and there. Then I read Eat Smarter which touched on IF and it's fat loss/waist-slimming potential. My interest peaked again and I finally bought Dr. Will Cole's book and read it. Mind blown after every page, I was like, how do people not know about this?? And the book has so much more to offer than just fasting. I learned so much more about food, ratios, finding balance, and disease prevention. I strongly recommend it. Anyway, after almost a year of practicing IF, I owe most of my hormone balance and lower body fat percentage to it.
Additionally, I (low key) had my first ~nutrition coach~ client, whose goal was to lose weight (specifically fat). In 4 weeks, she lost 2 inches off her waist and lost 3 pounds!! There was more to it, but I had her fast at least 12 hours every day in weeks 1 and 2 and then 14-16 hours in weeks 3 and 4.
So, it's confirmed, intermittent fasting is a more than a fad.
References:
Cole, W., & Lidicker, G. (2021). Intuitive fasting: The flexible four-week intermittent fasting plan to recharge your metabolism and renew your health. Yellow Kite.
Stevenson, S. (2021). Eat smarter: Use the power of food to reboot your metabolism, Upgrade your brain, and Transform your life. Little, Brown.
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