Intermittent Fasting is a popular weight loss (as well as fat loss) strategy that’s trending in both the fitness and health industries because of all the incredible things it can do for the body. Learn how to utilize this simple, free strategy to improve your health and accelerate your fitness goals!
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent Fasting is simply an eating schedule, NOT a diet. Any type of food can be eaten while you’re Intermittent Fasting, but whole, unprocessed foods are always the best option for a healthy lifestyle (and the best results).
There are various ways to practice IF, but at the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, we promote the 16/8 protocol. This simply means you’ll fast for 16 hours and then consume all of your food (or calories or macros) within an 8-hour window. This gives your body the time it needs to do several things that you can’t see or feel including:
Lower insulin levels
Reduce liver fat
Lower cholesterol
Improve blood pressure
Reduce inflammation
Engage in autophagy (removing damaged cells in the body)
Use fat for fuel
How to get started with Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting is safe for everyone, but we recommend it for adults age 18 and older. However, it’s always a good idea to refer to your doctor before starting a new health regimen—especially if you have any health concerns that are affected by diet (such as diabetes). If your doctor is not current on his or her Intermittent Fasting research, make sure to do your own! You may even consider seeing a functional medicine doctor, as they are usually up-to-date on strategies like IF.
When you’re ready to start Intermittent Fasting, simply decide on your start date. Stop eating after dinner (usually around 6 pm–8 pm), and then break your fast 16 hours later (around 10 am–12 pm). That’s it!
If this seems like too much all at once, you can ease into with a shorter fasting window (12 hours is a good starting point), or try fasting once or twice a week. Gradually increase your fasting window or the number of days you fast each week, and soon you’ll be practicing daily!
How Many Hours Should I Fast Every Day?
In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, we typically practice the 16/8 protocol. This is a great fit for most people, however, it’s important to listen to your body! This is especially true if you have an underlying issue such as adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism, suboptimal thyroid function, etc. In this case, start with a 12/12 split and gradually increase (again, while listening to your body).
Everyone should be doing a minimum of a 12/12 daily intermittent fast. This isn’t an extreme timeframe, it’s actually a very average eating window for many people who aren’t purposely practicing IF. A typical 12/12 window would be finishing dinner at 7 pm (which begins the fast) and having breakfast at 7 am (which ends the fast). With this protocol, you can still eat three meals at typical intervals!
Can I eat or drink anything during my fast?
Eating will break your fast, so that should be avoided during your fasting window, but we encourage you to drink LOTS of water! This will help flush out those toxins that your body is naturally detoxing. You may also drink black coffee or tea—usually without breaking your fast. Read this article for more information about whether or not black coffee will break your fast.
What if I get hungry in the mornings?
If your body is accustomed to eating breakfast, it could take a short adjustment period to break the habit. You may feel hungry, but if you do, don’t be afraid to scale back on your fasting window by an hour or two while you get used to your new schedule.
Pro Tip: sometimes thirst actually feels like hunger! If you feel hungry during your fast, try drinking a glass of water. Wait for 5–10 minutes and see how you feel. You may be surprised at how quickly your hunger goes away and you can go all the way to the end of your fasting window with no problem!
If you still feel hungry after that, assess what you ate the day before. Did you hit your goals or come up short? If you under-ate, your body may be telling you it’s time to eat. Don’t be afraid to listen to your body! If you need to break your fast early, that’s okay. It’s most important to give your body what it needs. But just remember, if you’re fueling correctly on a daily basis, you should be able to fast without too much trouble.
Are there any risks associated with IF?
When done correctly, IF is safe. However, we see a lot of bad advice out there, and when done incorrectly—like anything else—IF can cause problems.
One of the biggest issues we see with IF gone wrong is UNDEREATING. Your body NEEDS proper fuel, and when you don’t get it, it can depress your metabolism, push you into a plateau, and negatively impact your overall health. On top of all that, it can even cause weight gain if you don’t eat enough. Please make sure you’re eating properly to meet your body’s needs!
The easiest way to avoid risk is to work with a coach that specializes in Intermittent Fasting. A coach can answer your questions, provide sound advice and helpful tips, and hold you accountable so you can reach your goals and feel your best!
Maximize Your Intermittent Fast!
On its own, Intermittent Fasting is a powerful tool that can accelerate your goals and help you achieve real health and wellness. But can you make it work harder for you?
YES!
When you combine other safe and effective strategies with Intermittent Fasting, you’ll see even better results. In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, we combine IF with carb cycling, whole-food nutrition, balanced macros, and effective workouts. We simplify everything for you, even providing weekly meal plans so you can get healthy, delicious meals on the table with less effort. We know you’re busy and you just don’t have time to do it all. That’s where we come in! We’ll bridge the gap between wanting to live a healthy lifestyle and truly living your best life.
For more information about the FASTer Way strategies:
