Intermittent Fasting for Beginners

I promised myself this year that I would pay more attention to my diet. In doing so I had to be mindful of what I eat. For the past couple of months I’ve been practicing intermittent fasting and it has helped me to eat healthy meals and to lose weight too!

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is when you eat and fast (not eat) during certain time periods. For example,  you can choose to eat between 9am to 5pm. That means any time outside of that time window you are fasting (not eating). In the most simplest explanation, this process has helped me lose weight because during the fasting period my body uses whatever energy sources(s) it already has rather than reaching first for the energy stores that I gain after eating a meal.

How do you begin intermittent fasting?

I’d suggest that the easiest way to begin intermittent fasting is slowly! When implementing  a new lifestyle change its always a good idea to start off slowly and work your way up. This way, you’re more likely to stick to it.

1. Start off slowly. Start off with a few days and then work your way up. Personally I started my intermittent fasting journey by doing it 3 out of 7 days. I’d fast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and resume my regular eating habits on the other days. Once I was comfortable with fasting for 3 days I’d gradually add more days week-by-week until I could do it a full week.
2. Drink plain water. Drinking water is important when fasting. You must stay hydrated and personally, it helps me to curve hunger cravings. The best part about intermittent fasting is that it has helped my drink more water. An added benefit!
3. Always have food prepared to break your fast. When it’s time for me to eat, it time for me to eat! I’ve found that having my food ready and waiting for me to eat has made fasting an easy process for me.
4. Choose to eat nutritionally dense foods. Through trial and error I’ve found that eating healthy foods helps to not only keep me full but also feeling full of energy! When choosing to eat healthy balanced foods consisting of balanced portions of protein, carbs and fats I’ve found that it does make my fasting periods easier because I don’t get too hungry and I’m still getting all the nutrients that I need.

As I mentioned earlier I’ve been on this new lifestyle journey and so far it’s been working well for me. I like how it’s gotten me more organized in my eating habits, encourages me to choose healthy foods and bonus; I no longer have to worry about making breakfast! 😉

xo,

Eseeri