Tips And Tricks About Fasting
#1) Dont freak out! Stop wondering: can I fast 15 hours instead of 16? or what if I eat an apple during my fasted period, will that ruin everything? Relax. Your body is a complex piece of machinery and learns to adapt. Everything is not as cut and dry as you think.
If you want to eat breakfast one day but not another, thats okay. If you are going for optimal aesthetic or athletic performance, I can see the need to be more rigid in your discipline, but otherwisefreaking chill out and dont stress over minutiae!
Dont let perfect be the enemy of good when it comes to your intermittent fasting plan.
#2) Consider fasted walks in the morning. I found these to be very helpful in reducing body fat, and also gave my day a great start to clear my mind and prepare for the day.
Simply wake up and go for a mile walk. Maybe you could even start walking to Mordor?
#3) Listen to your body during your strength training workouts. If you get light headed, make sure you are consuming enough water.
If you notice a significant drop in performance, make sure you are eating enough calories during your feasting window.
And if you feel severely off, pause your workout. Give yourself permission to EASE into intermittent fasting and fasted workouts. This is especially true if you are an endurance athlete.
#4) Expect funny looks if you spend a lot of mornings with breakfast eaters.
#7) Track your results, listen to your body:
This is just one tool that can contribute to your success.
Preparing For The Fast
The normal fast involves abstaining from all forms of food, but not from water, and commonly lasts 24 hours, from sunrise to sunrise. If you are fasting for the first time, you might begin by missing a meal or two. Over time, you can build up to a full day or more.
Begin by refraining from solid food, but drink liquids. Water is the best, since soft drinks are not good for the digestive system, and coffee and tea stimulate the nervous system. Before beginning a fast, it is best to eat lightly and cut back on caffeinated drinks. During the first few days of a multi-day fast, it is common to experience headaches as the body withdraws from caffeine.
If you are planning for an extended fast , you should prepare mentally and physically by cutting down on food intake one week before the actual fast, taking on a vegetarian diet to control cravings for food. Reduce your intake of beverages like coffee, tea and soft drinks as well.
Drink plenty of water.
The Utter Simplicity Of Intermittent Fasting
Most of us eat throughout the day, starting with breakfast when we wake up and perhaps ending with a dessert or snack after dinner. If you have breakfast at 7 a.m. and a final snack at 8 p.m., you’re consuming food for 13 hours that’s your current “eating window.” The idea behind IF is simply to shorten that window — not necessarily to eat less , but to eat less often.
For example, most experts agree that you can start to experience IF benefits with an eight-hour eating window, meaning a 16-hour fast. So you could have lunch at noon and still finish your snack by 8 p.m. That’s it. If you can stick to that, it may be enough to produce results.
But, wait: Isn’t that just skipping breakfast? And haven’t we heard for years that skipping breakfast actually leads to weight gain? Yes and yes. However, IF requires a “clean” fast to be effective , and once you get accustomed to it, your appetite should correct so that you no longer overeat once your window opens.
Here’s what I love about this: It costs nothing. It requires nothing. You don’t have to buy books or gear or supplements or meals. You just adapt yourself to a slightly different way of eating and that’s it. The simplicity — and affordability — of IF is what drew me to it.
Read more:How to do intermittent fasting safely
Recommended Reading: What Is 16 8 Intermitten Fasting
What Is 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
The practice of 16/8 intermittent fasting involves limiting your intake of foods and calorie-containing beverages to a set window of 8 hours per day. You abstain from food for the remaining 16 hours, though youre still allowed to drink water and other no-calorie beverages, like plain coffee or tea.
You can repeat this cycle as frequently as youd like from just once or twice per week to every day, depending on your preference.
The popularity of this fasting method has grown widely among those looking to lose weight and burn fat. 16/8 intermittent fasting is also believed to improve blood sugar control and enhance longevity.
While other diets often set strict rules, 16/8 intermittent fasting is easy to follow and may provide measurable results with minimal disruption to your diet. Its generally considered less restrictive and more flexible than many other diets and works with most lifestyles.
Summary
With 16/8 intermittent fasting, you restrict your food intake to an 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. This practice may support weight loss, improve blood sugar, and increase longevity.
It is simple, safe, and sustainable to do 16/8 intermittent fasting.
Different Types Of Fasts And Their Uses Explained:
There are three main types of fasts: calorie restriction, nutrient restriction, and seasonal eating.
Calorie Restriction Fasts
The most basic type of fast is a calorie restriction fast. This is what most people think about when they hear the term fasting. It is simply going without food for a certain period of time. These types of fasts are typically done between 18-48 hours. To use this type of fast effectively make sure whoever is fasting has consumed adequate calories in the days before to support the fast. Then pick a day, eat dinner early, and fast for the designated time. During the fast only consume water and keep activity levels low to support the fasted state.
Macro Nutrient Restriction Fasts
This type of fast involves restricting a certain macronutrient . Typically these fasts are protein deloads. These types of fast work best for athletes who have a higher protein requirement and are consistently stressing their guts. In this type of fast the athlete will consume only high-quality fats, carbohydrates, and thoroughly cooked vegetables for 2-3 days in a month. The reduction in protein consumption will give the gut a break and allow it to heal. Keep in mind that it is still important to make sure that their activity is very minimal during this time period.
(Coachs Resource: Learn our basic fitness coaching principles in this free course.
Seasonal Eating:
Fasting May Help Nutritional Goals but Is Not the Solution
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How To Do A Biblical Fast
There are two types of fasts commonly practiced by Christians today:
1. A partial fast. This is described in the book of Daniel. For three weeks, Daniel, who was a prophet during a time when Israel lived in exile, abstained only from delicacies like meat and wine .
2. A complete fast. A complete fast means drinking only water or sometimes juice when fasting for an extended period. Juice fasts will provide you with more energy than water-only fasts and still lead you into the humbling experience of denying your desire for solid, chewable food.
If you are new to fasting, start slow. Progressive steps help your body become accustomed to the drop in food intake. You can start by fasting for one meal a day, one day a week or one week a month.
Fasting And Medical Safety
According to The Foods and Nutrition Encyclopedia, For healthy individuals, no harm results from short-term fasting. The average healthy person can go without food between 21 and 40 or more days before the body begins to eliminate vital tissue . Consult your physician before beginning any fast lasting longer than three days.
If you have underlying health conditions such as pregnancy, anemia, behavioral disorders or other chronic health problems, you should never fast without consulting a physician first.
Recommended Reading: When You Are Fasting Can You Drink Water
Isnt Fasting The Same As Reducing Calories
No, not necessarily. Fasting can reduce the time you spend eating and primarily addresses the question of when to eat.62 Calorie reduction addresses the question of what and how much to eat. They are separate issues and should not be confused with each other.
Fasting may reduce calories but its benefits extend far beyond that.63Learn more
Is Fasting An Effective Weight
If you are obese or overweight, fasting is an effective weight-loss method, if you stick to it. But it is no more effective than a diet that restricts your daily calories. We know this because there were no additional weight-loss or cardiovascular benefits of fasting two days per week, over an ordinary calorie-restriction diet, in a study of 150 obese adults over the course of 50 weeks.
But you should also consider how difficult the diet will be to stick to. In a study of 100 randomized obese and overweight adults , the dropout rate was higher with those who were fasting, 38 percent, compared with 29 percent for calorie restrictors and 26 percent for those who kept eating as they normally did.
Some people really struggle with having to monitor their intake and constantly record food in an app every day. So the takeaway of the study was if daily calorie restriction doesnt work for you, maybe alternate-day fasting would be a little easier, said Krista Varady, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the senior author of the study. Theres nothing magical here. Were tricking people into eating less food, in different ways, she said in 2017.
There is some new evidence that shows different forms of fasting are not equal in part because some are easier than others, but also because some forms of fasting better match our bodys natural circadian rhythm, thus lowering insulin levels, increasing fat-burning hormones and decreasing appetite.
Also Check: How Many Calories Should You Eat When Intermittent Fasting
How To Do Intermittent Fasting
If you are just getting started with intermittent fasting, we recommend slowly working up to your target fasting schedule over the course of several weeks or months. Start by reflecting on your eating habits. Do you snack in between meals or after dinner? If so, try a 12-hour fast overnight. This means you finish dinner by 7 pm, for example, and dont eat anything else until 7 am the next day. If you usually dont feel the need to eat after dinner or between meals, try a 14-16 hour fast . If youd like to fast longer, add 1-hour increments every 5 days or so. Drink water to keep you both hydrated and distracted from hunger. If you need caffeine, drink unsweetened black coffee and tea.
31 daily challenges to get started with intermittent fasting
What You Need To Know About Fasting From Food And Drink
a progression should be observed in your fasting, especially if this discipline is new to you and you are unfamiliar with its physical effects. Dont start out with a weeklong water fast! Begin by skipping one meal each day for two to three days and setting aside the money it would have cost to give to the poor. Spend the time praying that you would have used for eating.”
“If youve never fasted before, be aware that in the early stages you may get dizzy and have headaches. This is part of the bodys cleansing process and will pass with time. Be sure that you break the fast gradually with fresh fruit and vegetables. Do not overeat after the fast. Chili and pizza may sound good after several days of not eating, but please, exercise a little restraint and say no! What Christians Need to Know about Fasting by Sam Storms
When starting your fast, consider possible dietary restrictions. Pastor Brian Croft writes, Be mindful of any health issues that could make a fast unwise. For example, if you are a diabetic or have any other physical condition that requires a strict diet, be especially mindful not to put yourself in a compromised position as a result of a fast.”
For more Practical Guidelines for Fasting, click here.
Read Also: Does Fasting Make You Skinny
Should You Try 1: 8 Fasting
Ultimately, it’s a personal choice. But there are a few beneficial behaviors you can try without committing to the riskier elements of 16-hour fasts. The first is to better understand mindfulness and how it relates to your food choices. To get started, consider these questions when you’re deciding when and what to eat:
Where are you physically when you decide to eat?
Many of us eat based on scenario, not hunger levels. Case in point: Raise your hand if youve ever gone to the movies after dinner and suddenly wanted popcorn? Yep, me too!
By considering the moments when you eat, you may become aware of patterns you didn’t notice before. Say youre a person who loves to graze during The Bachelor. If youre fasting after 8 p.m., youve automatically cut hours and subsequently, calories from your post-dinner snacking.
Are you getting enough sleep?
If you’ve cut out late-night snacking, that alone could help you go to bed earlier a very crucial component to any weight loss plan. Getting seven hours of sleep per night has been linked to better weight management, reduced risk of chronic disease, and improved metabolism.
Ive Made The Decision To Fast So How Long Should I Fast For
There arent any studies right now that state exactly how long one should fast. Researchers, like Dr. Peterson, are working on that. The minimum amount of time it takes to make fasting efficacious hasnt been proven via study, but the prevailing notion is its somewhere between 12 and 18 hours. But it can take a few days sometimes weeks of fasting regularly for your body to start burning fat for fuel. Brooke Alpert, nutritionist and author of The Diet Detox, suggests starting by moving your last meal to around 7 p.m. She said the reason for this is our bodies are better at doing some things at certain times. Our bodies are better at processing sugar in the morning than at night, said Dr. Varady. So eat bigger meals in the morning, for example.
And how often do you have to do daily intermittent fasting to see the benefit? Again, there hasnt been a study thats shown exactly how many days you need to fast, but a recent study in rodents showed they get about the same benefits fasting five days per week as they did fasting every day. The great thing is that were learning is that this type of fasting isnt all or nothing, said Dr. Peterson.
Also Check: Can You Do Keto And Intermittent Fasting
What Exactly Is Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting is nothing more than timing up your food at certain times throughout the day and basically having a window in which you eat. That window can be anywhere between four to eight hours, and you close that window or widen it. You typically put that window in the last third of the day which is when you tend to be more insulin sensitive naturally.
Lets talk about that window for example, instead of eating between 7AM and 8PM, thats a thirteen hour window, were taking that and closing it down maybe to eight, or five, or four hours.
How You Feel: Hungry
This stage is when your body transitions into fasting mode and, for many people, its the most challenging part of their fast. This stage is where you start to feel the hunger pangs as you skip your regular mealtime routine. Most first time fasters start to feel a reduction in their energy levels. These effects can induce a negative mood or irritability for most fasters. Its wise to prepare yourself for the possibility of being short on patience during this stage.
Also Check: What Is The Best Time To Start Intermittent Fasting
Racism And The Bmi Index
A study in counties across the United States demonstrated that discriminatory policies that lead to health disparities and poor health outcomes in some individuals influences higher BMI in Black people .
BMI is strongly correlated with race. For example, white men have the lowest trajectories for weight gain, and Black women have the highest odds of developing obesity and higher BMIs 6% higher than everyone else .
Furthermore, the BMI may be considered inherently racist. Its metrics are based on a narrow study population of white people and dont account for differences in body composition between ethnic groups, but its been used to classify obesity and health in these groups anyway.
Racism continues to be of scientific interest for the role it plays in health disparities, BMI among racial and ethnic groups, and disease rates .
Summary
BMI cannot distinguish body composition and often wrongly classifies people with higher muscle mass as overweight. Its unclear if ethnic differences in body composition have clinical significance, but structural racism contributes to higher BMIs.
Accurate measures of excess body fat or obesity are important for screening tests, such as for type 2 diabetes.
Here are three health metrics aside from BMI that may be more accurate for Black women.
Is Fasting Healthy And Safe What Complaints Are Associated With Fasting
For most people, yes. And prolonged fasting contributes to transformative, sustained health benefits. However, if you have a health condition of any kind, or any concerns about fasting, you should speak to your healthcare provider before starting a prolonged fast.
Due to nature of fasting, there are common complaints associated with it including fatigue, headache, dizziness/ lightheadedness, musculoskeletal pain, nausea, and difficulty with concentration during the fasting period. Complaints are mild and tolerated for most people.
ProLon is a food-based program. Any significant change in diet can contribute to changes in your gut such as bloating, cramping and gassiness, constipation, or diarrhea.
ProLon is designed to prevent many of these symptoms of fasting by providing specific macro and micronutrients. However, because it is still a low-calorie program, we encourage you to discuss with your healthcare provider whether the practice of fasting or the use of fasting mimicking diet is right for you. To minimize any risks associated with fasting, please follow these recommendations during the 5-day program: Please avoid the following during the 5-days of the program:
Read Also: How To Properly Begin Intermittent Fasting
