Curious about Intermittent Fasting? I was, so I did a deep dive on all things IF, and gave it a try for 30 days.
I was really skeptical at first. I’ve been on the “breakfast is an essential part of our day” train for a while now, and this basically goes completely against that belief. So let’s first chat about what IF actually is.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
IF is a certain style of eating that cycles between periods of eating and periods of fasting. Fasting means no eating or drinking (though calorie free beverages are allowed during fast times). The focus of IF is WHEN you eat, not WHAT you eat. However, that doesn’t mean if you fast for 16 hours you can then eat donuts for 8 hours straight.
There are a few different ways to approach IF, the most popular are:
- Fast for 14-16 hours a day, eat as you normally would for the remaining hours of each day
- Eat as you normally would 5 days a week and for two days a week, consume about 1/4 of your typical caloric intake (known as the 5:2 plan)
- Fast completely for 24 hours one to two times per week
- Fast for most of the day, eat one meal for dinner
What are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?
There is some controversy over the effectiveness of IF, but supporters say you will burn more fat with this style of eating. When you eat, your body uses glucose as the main source of energy, but when that runs out, your body will start using other sources of energy, like fat cells. Therefore, by giving your body a long period of time before meals, your body is forced to burn fat. IF can lead to weight loss (if there is weight to be lost), improves blood sugars, decreases hunger and improves energy levels.
Another benefit is it’s kind of easy. The main focus is on WHEN you eat, which is much simpler in theory than calorie counting, macro counting, or counting anything else. It’s just sticking to a schedule.
Figuring Out Your IF Window
My IF of choice is something around the 14/10 plan (fast for 14 hours, eat for 10). Definitely make sure part of your fasting time is while you’re sleeping. Easiest fast ever, amirite? Fasting windows take self discipline and preparation. Base your window on when you require the most energy. Think about when you workout and if you require food prior, when you need to be productive at work and so on. Build your window around those times when fuel is needed in your life. It’s different for everyone. For me, I like to workout in the morning on an empty stomach so I start my eating period later in the day. I try to fast between 11pm-1pm
You can always start with a shorter fast and work your way up over time.
Precautions of Intermittent Fasting
It’s a good option for a lot of people, but not for everyone. Pregnant women and those suffering from low blood sugar should not try IF. If you have a history of eating disorders, be very cautious of IF as it can be a trigger and lead to unhealthy restriction. I wouldn’t recommend it if you fall into that category.
My Experience with Intermittent Fasting
I tried IF for 30 days and wrote about the experience on DCRefined, you can read it HERE. The 30 days weren’t so bad, but I wasn’t sure it was something I’d stick long term. It seemed unsustainable as our schedules include lots of traveling and hosting an endless stream of visitors in Barcelona. A huge part of visiting Spain is the food culture and here, dinner typically starts around 10:30pm.
I realized though that I could make small adjustments to my days and stick with IF most days. I’m doing what I call “Intermittent Fasting Light” and it’s what I’m going to keep doing for the time being. I stick to at least a 10 hour fast window most days. If something comes up that throws off my schedule, I don’t let it discourage me. I do it when I can, but I live my life and if there’s a delicious brunch and a late night dinner in the same day, I’ll let IF go and resume the next day.
What I’ve Learned from Intermittent Fasting
It’s Not All or Nothing: With my current lifestyle, it’s not sustainable for me to do every single day, and that’s ok. That’s been one of my biggest learnings from IF, it doesn’t need to be all or nothing. I’m a true all-or-nothing person when it comes to my eating habits, but this has forced me out of that thinking. If I can do IF most days of the week, that’s a success!
Listen to Hunger Cues: I’ve also learned that I eat a lot when I’m not actually hungry. When I wake up, I tend to eat something and it has nothing to do with hunger. We eat for a variety of reasons–out of routine, because there is food in front of us, because we’re bored. While eating is a joyful experience, and I’m not suggesting we should only eat to survive (food is a cultural thing and meant to be enjoyed), a lot of my eating is out of boredom. IF has taught me to think about my hunger cues. If i’m actually hungry, eat, if not, wait it out. There’s probably better food to be enjoyed if I wait until dinner out instead of snacking on random things around the apartment.
Haters Gonna Hate: Like anytime you try a new style of eating or start making healthy choices for YOU, you’re going to get some pushback. It’s one of the biggest challenges of making healthy choices sometimes, which is so sad. If you don’t want to eat at a certain time and you’re trying to make healthy changes for YOU, stick to it. Order a glass of water, coffee or tea. What I’m saying is you do you. If you want to fast, you fast girl! (or boy) Also though, try to surround yourself with supportive people! Those that understand you’re making a healthy choice for you and aren’t going to make you feel weird about it.
If you were feeling a bit in the dark about IF, I hope this shed some light on the topic. If you think it might work for you, give it a try for a few weeks and see how you feel. Remember, as with any change to your eating habits and routine, it takes time to get into the groove and feel good. Don’t expect to do it for a week and feel amazing, these things take time for your body and mind to adjust. To read more about my learnings from my IF experience, check out my story here.
Have you tried Intermittent Fasting? Are you a fan?
