Intermittent fasting is a simple, safe, and sustainable way to health and wellness. It’s not a diet but an eating pattern, so it’s more about when you eat instead of what you eat.
The idea is that when you’re not eating, your body still is — on your own fat that is. So, intermittent fasting burns fat instead of sugar (glucose).
Most people see it as another fad diet, and they may be unsure about giving it a try since it seems like a daunting task for health and wellness. A good start is to break it down into small, doable steps; observe your progress, then make changes for the better.
Here’s how to get started with intermittent fasting!
Choose a Method That Works for You
There are many ways to go about this. All of the methods involve breaking down the day or week into eating and fasting periods. The three most popular forms of intermittent fasting are listed below:
16/8 Method: The 16/8 method or the lean-gains protocol is a fasting method that involves skipping breakfast and limiting your eating period to 8 hours. The eating period is usually between 1-9 p.m. After that, you fast for the next 16 hours.
5:2 Method: This second method of intermittent fasting allows you to consume 500 to 600 calories two (non-consecutive) days a week. It means you don’t need to follow any rules on the other five days.
Eat-Stop-Eat Method: The third method of intermittent fasting involves fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week. This means you fast from dinner, lunch, or breakfast to your next dinner, lunch, or breakfast.
Plan Your Meals for Eating Windows
You will enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting as long as you don’t compensate by overeating during the eating periods. A good tip is to plan your meals when you’re not fasting.
Your meal plans don’t need to be overly restrictive. As long as you stick to your calorie intake goals and include proper nutrients in your diet, you are on the right track.
The best way to get started with intermittent fasting is by choosing the correct method for you. Be sure to keep your usual routine during your fasting window and make healthy food choices — this will help keep your mind off the hunger, speeding up your goal to a new body!
