Intermittent Fasting is everywhere these days! Everyone is talking about it, and maybe you’ve wondered, “Can I try Intermittent Fasting on my own?” But there’s more to it than simply skipping breakfast. Amanda Tress, founder and CEO of the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, appeared on Bloom TV to talk about Intermittent Fasting and what everyone needs to know about it.

Who is Amanda Tress?

Amanda struggled with health issues beginning in her teenage years including high blood pressure and a metabolic disorder. She set out on a journey to solve her own problems and eventually became a certified personal trainer and certified nutrition coach so she could empower others to change their lives as well.

She developed the FASTer Way to Fat Loss in 2016, which incorporates Intermittent Fasting, carb cycling, whole-food nutrition, and effective 30-minute workouts. Her clients saw incredible success and the program spread quickly—the FASTer Way has now served more than 130,000 clients.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent Fasting is NOT a diet. Rather, it’s an eating schedule with defined windows for eating and fasting. We are either digesting or healing—our bodies can’t do both at the same time. Intermittent Fasting allows us to heal, burn fat, improve the immune system, and increase energy.

The Problem with Intermittent Fasting

A lot of women come to the FASTer Way after trying Intermittent Fasting on their own—and failing—because they didn’t have the proper guidance and they didn’t do it correctly. Many people try IF without doing any research. They usually limit calories and undereat long term, which means they could damage their metabolism, promote weight gain, cause hormone imbalance, and other issues.

What Intermittent Fasting ISN’T

The fasting window is NOT an excuse to eat junk food and it’s NOT a way to limit calories. Most people who Try IF on their own are severely undereating, which is compromising their goals as well as their health.

It’s important to eat enough of the right foods at the right time, and it’s vital to eat enough of the right macronutrients and micronutrients so we can optimize metabolism, burn fat, maintain lean muscle, and receive all of the incredible health benefits.

Should I check with my Dr before I start IF? Many traditional doctors are not familiar with IF as a beneficial nutrition strategy. Do some research, speak with someone on the FASTer Way team, or speak with a functional medicine doctor. Find an expert who can give you sound advice.

Should Everyone Do Intermittent Fasting?

Yes! Everyone should be doing a minimum of a 12/12 Intermittent Fasting protocol, which means the feeding window and fasting window are each 12 hours.

Most people are able to go up to a 16/8 fasting protocol and see incredible benefits, and this is where working with a professional will be hugely beneficial. They’ll help you figure out what’s best for your body.

Many women struggle with adrenal fatigue, hormone imbalance, suboptimal thyroid function, etc. It’s important to know how to modify fasting to work for you so it doesn’t contribute to your problems rather than promote healing. Work with a credentialed professional to find the best protocol for you.