Intermittent Fasting. It’s TIME To Make A Change
There are thousands of differing opinions out there on diet and nutrition. It is so challenging to sift through them all and try to figure out which one will actually work for you. While what you put into your body is EXTREMLY important, it is also very important to consider when you are putting it in. Some suggest eating within 30 minutes of waking up while others say it doesn’t matter. I am always looking for commonalities between people who I look to for #Fitspiration and this is one thing I have seen time and time again.
You know I am totally against fad diets offering rapid results, but this is different. I’m not going to tell you to ditch carbs or do some extreme calorie cutting. It’s not like that. Simply tightening up our eating schedule can make a world of difference. I’m talking about Fasting. Okay, don’t jump ship yet…If you are a food lover like me, the thought of fasting might be a little scary, but it’s something we already do… It’s just usually called SLEEPING.
If you haven’t heard of it yet, Intermittent Fasting is basically the idea that you eat within an 8 (men)- 10 (women) hour window in order to give your body longer periods of “fasting” time. I’m sure you have heard that you shouldn’t eat past 7pm or to stop eating 2 hours prior to bed time and while there is definitely some truth to that, focusing less on what specific times you eat and more on when you don’t eat is the key. The science here is that when your body isn’t working to digest food (during the fasting period) it is actually able to burn stored fat as fuel. An article in Men’s Health adds that it “works on a cellular level and triggers the energy centers of the body’s cells (mitochondria) to selectively burn fat for energy. This method is also said to reduce the amount of cancer-causing cell damage that is often caused by a crappy diet. Double bonus! So think about it… If you are working out, eating right and on a better eating schedule, you’re going to be a lean mean fit machine!
Here’s the deal. It can take 6+ hours for your body to really digest food and during this time it is difficult for your body to burn into fat storage as it tends to instead burn the readily available sugar. It isn’t until about 8-12hrs after eating that your body goes into a “fasting” stage where it can really utilize the fat. So…giving yourself a 14-16 hr window of not eating will give you time to actually benefit from it.
Like all things you have to learn what works for you. I am a true believer in self-experimentation. Does it make sense for you? What do you need to adjust. Start eating later? Finish Earlier? Can you make it a lifestyle? You won’t know unless you try, but it just might be what you need to change your life.
Simple Steps To Intermittent Fasting:
- Look at your schedule.
- Give yourself an 8-10hr window of time to eat within
- Eat the same normal, healthy amount you do now. Fasting does NOT mean you can eat whatever you want during that time. You still should be eating the same meals you would throughout the day.
- Know it might take some getting used to. If you currently eat sporadically between 6am and 8pm your body is probably going to wonder what is going on. Drink water or tea during the times you feel like you want something outside of your hours especially as you retrain your bodies internal food clock
My Tips For Success:
During my weight loss journey I tried so many tricks, but for me, intermittent fasting has been the most beneficial and practical for my schedule. Here are a few things to consider if you give it a try.
- Don’t Get Crazy! You don’t have to be on the exact schedule every day: For example, if I know I have a late dinner I will adjust my start time to later in the day to make it work.
- Listen to your body! Of course the first week your head is going to be saying “feed me it’s 7am” and you will have to ignore it, but once you are into your groove, really pay attention. You might have a day where your body is telling you you need to eat and that’s ok. Just do it. One wonderful part of this style of fasting is that it really teaches you to learn the difference between when you want food and when you’re actually need food to fuel your body.
- It’s NOT a Means to an End! This isn’t a quick fix diet or a way for you to lose those 10lbs and then stop. It really is a way of life. I’m not saying it is right for everyones lifestyle, but it might just be what you are missing in yours. You will still have plenty of energy for workouts and should make sure what you are putting into your body is going to nourish and fuel you properly.
Let me know in the comments if you are going to be giving this a try! Again, not everything will work for everybody, but I am confidently say it has helped me and others I respect in the fitness community. There is a TON of information out there that goes into more detail about all of the random health benefits of fasting. It’s pretty fascinating how a simple change in your schedule can completely change how your body functions. Just remember, like everything we do consistency is key!
@lovesweatfitness
I’m going to give this a try 🙂 i normally eat between those times anyway when i get up in the mornings, just now i will be more mindful of it. Can’t wait to start.
Thank you lovely x
Oh that’s so awesome! I admit there are those random days I just need to eat earlier, but then I just adjust my time and am good to go! Let me know how it goes 🙂
I’m going to give this a try to stop me eating so late at night!
Love it! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Hi Katie. I’m going to try this out. I’m excited to start this journey with you. Thanks for being an inspiration.
Lots of love,
Kassie
Oh great! So glad you are giving it a go! 🙂 I can’t even tell you how much you just made my day. Nothing makes me happier then to be able to help other women along their journeys too! YAY! Xoxo
Hey Katie, it’s definitely about finding what works for yourself and after years of trying different weight loss ideas such as Weight Watchers, IIFYM, Macro Counting, Eating 1200 cals a day etc Intermittent fasting works for me YAY!!
Being a food lover too, I find it’s the best way to control what goes my mouth, especially as I have a desk job for 8 hours a day. I have a coffee in the morning and I do sip on some OxyShred just to get me through to when I start eating at midday.
🙂 xx
Yay! I totally know where you are coming from Nia, it was incredibly frustrating for me finding the right solution for years. Intermittent fasting is of course not going to make everything change, but it’s a great part of the process.
Being in the office 8 hours a day can make it incredibly tough to control what you eat. Like you said, this gives you a game plan for the day! Glad it works for you too 🙂
Hey Katie!!! So– if I understand correctly, I need to give myself 10 hours and eat in that time frame? So, for example, 10am-8pm and I can ONLY eat within that time frame? Am I correct?
Hey Chelsea! Yes, that is ideal 🙂 It’s not always easy to do, thats for sure…but if you are able to make it happen, you will no doubt see/feel the results <3
Hi there! Quick question, does coffee count as food? 🙂 I could probably just do a coffee in the moring and then a late breakfast. We tend to eat dinner around 8pm. I love this concept btw, and cannot wait to try it!
Hi! There are some mixed opinions on this, but general consensus is that coffee is ok in the morning if it is black ( i know… not the most exciting) but I definitely wouldn’t add any creams or milks.
Katie,
What are your thoughts on working out on an empty stomach?
Amanda
Hey Amanda! Fasted workouts (or working out before eating) can be effective in burning more fat. There are have studies that suggest it could even burn up to 20% more than when eating a meal before hand. If you typically workout in the mornings and are going to practice intermittent fasting, then it would work very well for you!
Hey Katie! I’m curious to know what your eating schedule looks like. Based on other meal plans that I’ve followed in the past, most suggest eating every 2-3 hours. Is this something something I should try to achieve within the 10 hour window?
Thanks!
Casey
Hey Casey! If you’re eating about every two hours you can still get in all
the food you need in a day. I switch up my eating schedule to keep my body guessing but in general you could eat 8am 10am 12pm 2pm 4pm 6pm
Hey katie I have a questio for you. For the most part I do eat from 730-530 each day with the exception of a random late dinner, but I will def keep this schedule in mind each day. My question is, does a protein shake after a late workout count as eating after my 10 hour period is over? Say I finish a workout at 730 and have a protein shake then.
Angela
hi! It would because your body has to process the food. That being said I definitely think it is important to switch up your diet and eating schedule. It’s also more important that you are getting the right amount of food your body needs than it is to stick to the window. 🙂 It can definitely be hard to make it work depending on your schedule so do what is best for your body and drink that shake 🙂