Not because it’s the end all be all or answer to weight loss, but because I hate eating breakfast first thing in the morning and honestly feel way better!

So what’s the deal? Intermittent fasting (I’m gonna call it IF for short) is basically just going a set period of time without eating. This can be super simple, like eating dinner at a certain time, then not eating anything between then and a later breakfast.

IF is basically giving your body a break from having to process food allllll the freaking time. It lets your body use some of the energy it’s already stored from what you’ve eaten throughout the day (and – bonus – this means burning fat!). I mean, think about it. If you never give your body a chance to work through what you’ve already eaten, doesn’t it make sense that you get a backlog that can make you gain weight and feel sluggish? That’s why IF is so awesome.

Plus, I mean, not having to prep food right when you wake up is pretty great! That’s extra time to squeeze in your LSF App workout, read a book, or do whatever else will make you happy!

TYPES OF IF 

There are a few different ways to do IF. The method I mentioned above is one way to do it, but there are some other routes you can try to find what works best for your body and your lifestyle! Here’s a peek at some of the most common ways to try IF:

Overnight/time-restricted fasting: This is the type of IF I mentioned above, where you stop eating for a certain number of hours each day. It’s easiest to do overnight, obvi. Some people just do twelve hours, but you can get the biggest benefit by going 14 to 16 hours between your last meal of the night and your next one the next day. Most people say this is the easiest way to do IF.

5:2 method: If you’re really ready to give this IF thing a try, 5:2 fasting could be for you. For 5 days, you eat totally normally (but still healthily, of course!). Then, on the other 2 days, you only eat 500 calories to give your body a break so it can detox itself and use up all your stored energy. This is really effective for weight loss IF you still eat a healthy, balanced diet on your 5 normal days.

24-hour fasts: Or, if you want to go for the full deal, you can try 24-hour fasts once a week. This pretty much means fasting from dinner to dinner, breakfast to breakfast, or lunch to lunch. Basically, you just want to go 24 hours without eating. This one is HARD, but people swear that it makes them feel more balanced and energized.

• Meal skipping: Does a full day without eating sound, like, impossible? I get it! A great way to try IF without feeling like you’re gonna starve to death is to try meal skipping. Basically, this is just skipping a meal when it’s convenient. Don’t feel like cooking dinner tonight? Perfect! Give your body a break and you can jump back on the food wagon at breakfast tomorrow.

Are you ready? You should be! Seriously, intermittent fasting has been such a game-changer for me and I’m excited to get you guys started with it! Check out my vlog to see how we’re using IF at LSF.