Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting

Hey all, I know some of you have asked me about IF (Intermittent Fasting, will be using this acronym) and I've been meaning to do this article, so here it is! If you have any other questions about IF at the end, don't hesitate to email me and ask.

THE INTRODUCTION:

Intermittent Fasting is not a diet at all, so throw away all those notions. It is simply a different way of eating, a different scheduling. I've been practicing IF since the beginning of the summer and have no bad things to say about it. There are a couple ways you can practice IF, but I'm going to discuss the way I use it, because I think it's the simplest and most effective form. This form of IF consists of an 8 hour eating period, with a 16 hour fasting period. It also involves skipping breakfast, which I wrote an article on here. Typically wake up and take 3-5 hours before you have your first meal (I'll have coffee with a splash of cream and splenda with some water when I wake up); I use to eat my first meal around 1:30-2 pm and my last one around 8 pm. Since I've began working, I have my first meal around 9-10 am and my last one around 6 pm. While in the fasting period, make sure to stay under 50 calories to keep your body in this unique fat burning state. But, it doesn't matter when you start it, just do what works for you. Whenever you start, count out 8 hours after and that's when your eating period ends. Since I've began IF, I've seen weight loss along with a muscle increase. I'm stronger and leaner, who wouldn't want that? I'm eating the same things, just in a different and more structured pattern. IF has stopped my snacking completely, which is probably one of the best things I’ve gotten out of it, because I was a huge snacker (I know a lot of you are too!). So, now you probably have some questions on how this is all possible. Let's get to the explanation about IF and why it's so effective.

WHY IS INTERMITTENT FASTING BECOMING MORE POPULAR?:

Intermittent Fasting is becoming popular, because it's an effective way to lose weight without changing WHAT you eat. Like I said before, it's not changing what you eat, but how you eat. This being said, it's also a lot easier than the crazy diets out there, so you will be more likely to stick with it. With eating two meals a day, you usually wind up trying to get all your calories in these two meals. Unless you go completely insane and eat five cows a day, you will have a rough time doing this. So, you are creating a calorie deficit which is a necessity to lose any type of weight. IF requires little change and has endless benefits, why wouldn't you do it?

WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF INTERMITTENT FASTING?:

This answer is simple. A lot of people are unaware of IF, because it has ZERO marketing ability. There is nothing to sell about IF, except less meals and less food. Not one company out there will make money from you practicing IF, so no one is going to try to sell you on it. These companies will only make money from marketing there products and getting you to buy them. Why do you think that the whole 6 meals a day strategy was so popular for a while, BECAUSE IT ENCOURAGED YOU TO EAT AND BUY MORE FREQUENTLY! No matter if you eat 6 meals a day or 2 meals a day, THE AMOUNT OF CALORIES IS THE SAME, so it will do the SAME THING TO YOUR BODY. Really trying to stress that point there people. If the 6 meals or 2 meals add up to the same amount of calories, it will affect your body the same exact way. IF seems strange because it can't be marketed, but it really does work guys.

MY EXPERIENCE:

I started IF a little over a month ago. I use the 8 hour eating period and the 16 hour fasting period. The breakfast article in the introduction has the science on the 16 hour fasting period and why it works. I've dropped about 5 lbs since I've began, but that's not the best benefit. Having my two scheduled eating period has stopped my snacking completely. I know when I'm going to eat and when my next meal is going to come, so I never want to ruin it by mindless snacking. Especially after my last meal, I KNOW my eating is over till tomorrow, so that bag of goldfish will remain closed no matter what! I don't want to mess up my eating period for tomorrow, so that really makes me not even think about snacking. With the eating periods, my mental strength has increased by leaps and bounds. I don't revolve my life around food and I know I can go long periods of times without it. I've gone 24 hours without eating multiple times and have been completely fine. You WILL BE OKAY! Also, with only eating two meals a day, if I have a huge meal, I don't feel bad. I know its one of my only meals of the day and I need my calories, so there really is no guilt with having a huge meal.

SIMPLE BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING:

With IF you'll be eating less, so you won't have to buy as much. So one, you'll be saving money in the food store. Especially with not eating breakfast it will save a ton. I know every week last semester I went to the food store and bought a half gallon of milk and two boxes of cereal for the week, I loved breakfast. Thinking back on it, I spent quite a bit of money buy that stuff every week. Thinking now, I'm a lot happier knowing I won't have to make that trip and will save that $10 every week. Since you are only eating two meals a day, that's one less meal to worry about preparing also. Put the snacks down in the food store too, you won't be needing them. Plus, if you don't buy them, you can't eat them, so don't even buy them in the first place. Your saving yourself over 10 meals a week, around 40 meals a month, that adds up, doesn't it? This is a GREAT article on the health benefits on IF, I suggest you all read it.

THE MENTAL BARRIER:

This is the hardest thing to get over with intermittent fasting. Just the idea of skipping breakfast, or only eating twice a day might sound crazy. Not eating for 24 hours might also sound crazy, well hell, it probably does. Even if you don't decide to implement IF into your life, I suggest you all try a 24 hour fast once, just so you know you CAN and WILL live without food! You can all do it and your body will adjust to it, the human body always adapts to change, that's how it works. Don't worry about hunger pains from skipping breakfast, I go to work on an empty stomach every day (my job requires hard labor) and I am completely fine 100% of the time. You will not die if you don't eat, you will be fine, you will probably benefit more from eating than not eating. I knew the mental aspect would be the hardest part to get over with intermittent fasting, just adjusting. A little over a month into it and I can say that I've gained so much mental strength and completely destroyed the mental barrier.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The bottom line, is that IF is a simple way to drop weight. Everyone wants to drop a couple pounds and intermittent fasting can help you achieve this without changing your life. Have your eating period and then your fasting period (sleeping hours count as fasting hours). If you want to gain weight, eat more in your eating period, if you want to lose weight, eat less and keep it down to two meals. The best thing about intermittent fasting is that it will make you realize that you don't need food and that you can refuse food when it's put in front of you easily. Intermittent fasting also put some structure in life with eating, which really makes it easier to say no. If your eating periods are structured, you know when to say no and when you can eat, its simple. I believe the benefits of intermittent fasting are astronomical, it just makes so much sense. Still getting all the calories you need, putting your body in an exclusive fat burning state for 2-4 hours a day, and improved mental strength and clarity. Plus all the money one can save in the food store from eating one less meal a day and not eating breakfast anymore. Intermittent fasting is becoming more popular, because it offers tons of awesome benefits, without changing your life. No calorie counting, no crazy diet plan, no eating like a squirrel all day. It just makes sense guys and I hope some of you try it and begin to reap all of these benefits!

I hope everyone enjoyed this article. If anyone has ANY questions about Intermittent Fasting, please don't hesitate to e-mail me and I'll gladly help you out. Remember to click the ads on the side PLEASE and tell your friends about this blog! Have a great weekend.

dcorrigan50@gmail.com