Intermittent Fasting
What the ... is IF?!
Unfortunately, some of my recent & accidental selfies have been hinting to me that I could possibly stand to lose a few lbs, so….
I’m trying intermittent fasting (IF) to lose some weight. IF seems to be a “buzz” word these days so I thought I’d give it a try. I don’t have any major health issues so fasting is safe for me. (Please ask your doctor if fasting is safe for you before you try it.)
Basically, IF is going without food for longer than 12 hours at a time to give your body time to burn stored fat rather than the most recent brownie… I mean, meal. There are lots of other benefits to IF. Check out this website for more scientific details.
My Love Affair with Food.
There’s something you need to know about me…. I LOVE FOOD. I love eating. I especially love eating sweet food. I’d even say that food and I have a special relationship. Certain special foods, like dark chocolate, have helped me through some tough, depressing times. When my sister first introduced me to IF, I thought about going without food for an extended amount of time & I literally laughed out loud! 😂 😂 😂
BUT, I gave it a shot… and I DID IT!!
I thought it would be feasible to fast for 16 hours at a time, so that’s where I started. From 8pm- 12pm (noon) the next day, I go without eating anything, which means I still get lunch and dinner. I also can drink as much water as I want, thank goodness! (I also LOVE water)
Some people pair IF with a high protein diet, like Keto. That sounds nice, but for now I’m not limiting any types of food. I figured I would “baby-step” my way into IF first and see what happens.
And the results are…
It's Working!
After one week of fasting 8pm-noon, without cheating, I have lost 2 pounds! Yay! I think that deserves two thumbs up! 👍👍
I drank this yummy electrolyte drink every morning and I also exercised about 4 times this week. I downloaded an app that helps track your fasting hours and progress. It’s called Life.
It was not all easy though. There was one morning that I was SO sleepy and weak that I had to take a few naps. There were times when I really wanted to cheat, but I didn’t. I surprised myself! I would think to myself, “It’s only one more hour until I can eat.” I would go swimming for an hour or get lost in a book, then before I knew it, it was noon!
I’m planning on doing the exact same thing this coming week as I did last week. I’m hoping it will get easier and easier to say “no” to food. Then after that, I want to gradually progress into more healthy habits.
I would love to hear if you’ve tried IF and what you think about it. Please comment or send me some tips, tricks, advice and encouragement. I would greatly appreciate it!
Have a great week and take care of yourselves. You are worth it!
Love, Rach
