Intermittent fasting can be very beneficial for sustainable weight loss, however, it can be a tricky road to navigate. If you’ve tried diet after diet and still can’t maintain a healthy weight, intermittent fasting is something to consider experimenting with. There are different ways to do this, some are more effective than others.

Today I’ll share how you might benefit from intermittent fasting and how to utilize this simple tool to make it work for you. There are physical and psychological benefits of going for extended periods of time without eating (or drinking anything with calories) so we’ll dive into both today.

Before we dive into intermittent fasting tips for weight loss, let’s talk about what intermittent fasting (a.k.a. IF) actually is and how you can benefit from it.

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

Intermittent fasting is an extended period of time (at least 8 hours) that you go without consuming energy (a.k.a calories) in the form of food and beverages. Plain, unflavored water has no calories so it’s totally okay to drink water while you’re fasting. I’m going to state the obvious here - it’s highly recommended that you continue to drink water while you’re fasting. I realize this should be common sense but I just want to be super clear. When I’m fasting, I drink more water than usual probably because I’m not getting additional water from food. Yup, your food has water in it, especially if you’re eating whole foods like meat, veggies, and fruit.

Your Body’s Built-In Healer

When your body’s not having to metabolize food or beverages, it’s “take out the trash” process kicks in. Basically, your body gets rid of cells that could cause cancer, heart disease (which the risk increases for women as we age), and other diseases. This process can also boost your immune system which is obviously a win because who wants to get sick?

Activate Your Inner Fat-Burner

When you fast and your body needs energy, it will either dip into your fat stores or make glucose (yes, this is a thing) from protein. So, when your body is forced to dip into it’s fat stores, what does it do? It burns more fat!

One caveat about your body making glucose is it either makes it from food you consume (i.e. meat or eggs) or from your lean muscle mass. Obviously the preferred way to do this is from protein you eat so your hard work in the gym isn’t wasted on your body making glucose from your muscles. On that note, if you’re working on building muscle, long periods of fasting (12 hours or more) may not be best for you. You want to be sure your activity level aligns with your calorie consumption and you’re getting enough nutrients to replenish the extra calories burned.

Hungry or Just Bored?

One thing I noticed 13 years ago when I first experimented with IF was that I was eating when I wasn’t actually hungry. Looking back, this was probably the catalyst for my weight loss at that time. I remember when my now hubby first introduced me to IF. I thought he was crazy. Skipping a meal was not what I considered healthy. After a while, my body adjusted to it and it changed my life. While I still struggle with my hunger cues (mostly when I’m tired or stressed) I’ve learned how to know when I’m eating just to eat or if I’m eating to give my body the nutrients it needs.

Take Your Power Back from the Pantry

Piggy backing off of dialing in your hunger cues, IF helps you scale back your snacking if you’re a snacker (which I am!). One thing I’ve noticed when I’m doing a planned fast is that I don’t snack at all. When I do an intentional fast, it’s usually because I’ve eaten a huge meal the night before (which happens pretty much every Thanksgiving) and indulged in baked goods or booze more than usual. This is how I don’t over consume calories when I’ve already eaten way too much. So, if you’re a snacker, especially after dinner, experimenting with intentional fasting, say not eating anything after 7pm, could help you kick your nighttime snacking habits.

Navigating the Path of IF

Before you start experimenting with IF, you’ll want to ask yourself these questions:
What am I looking to get out of IF?
Do I ever feel hangry when I’m hungry?
Do I have energy lulls in the afternoon?
Do I have (or have had) an eating disorder? (This is a super important one!)

These are questions I ask my clients if they want to implement intermittent fasting in their life and here’s why. Experimenting with IF may not be a good fit for you if you’re doing it just because it’s healthy or your bestie is doing it and it works for her. Your body is unique which means what works for your bestie may not work for you. Plus, you’ll probably need to make some changes to your schedule, so if you’re not willing to do this it might not be a good fit for you at this time. If you’re at a point where you know you need to make a few lifestyle habit tweaks and you’re willing to make the necessary changes, then go for it and be strategic about it.

Let’s start with the last question. If you’ve had an eating disorder in the past or if you think you could have one, please do not experiment with intermittent fasting. Eating disorders are difficult enough to navigate on their own which means you don’t need another thing like IF to make it more challenging. If you’re working with a professional about your eating disorder, I recommend talking with them before starting any other type of eating style.

So, how do you be strategic about IF?

If you feel hangry when you’re hungry, you’re probably not ready to experiment with fasting (other than when you sleep). One reason for this might be too many processed foods (pizza, sandwiches, bagels, cereal, etc.) and not enough whole foods. This means your body needs external calories (a.k.a. food) for energy too frequently throughout the day to maintain your energy levels. When you eat satiating foods such as chicken, beef, and eggs along with healthy fats (avocado, butter, etc.) and you eat enough of it in one sitting, your body will slowly metabolize the food. This will give you consistent energy levels throughout the day without have to refuel with food every 3-4 hours.

If this is you and you truly want to experiment with IF to either jumpstart your weight loss or get out of a plateau, I recommend focusing on eating whole foods every day for at least 21 days, preferably protein forward meals. What do I mean by protein forward? Well, I’m glad you asked. When putting a meal together, choose (and eat) your protein first. Think outside the box with this one. You don’t need to eat eggs every day for breakfast. Throw some chicken or leftover meat from dinner the night before on your breakfast plate.

By the way, if you haven’t done so already go check out my podcast episode called 3 Signs You’re Not Eating Enough Protein. This could be motivation and inspiration for your protein forward meals.

One of my super easy go-to protein forward breakfasts during the work week is hardboiled eggs (we buy them cooked, peeled and ready to eat from Costco) and cooked breakfast sausages (without the crappy ingredients). All I need to do is open the eggs and pop the sausages in the microwave for one minute and I have my nutrient-dense meal in minutes.

This might take a bit of planning in the beginning but it’s totally worth it. You’ll experience consistent energy levels throughout the day and other benefits such as better sleep, improved mood, and sustainable weight loss.

Where to Start with IF

If you’re already eating whole foods most of the time, you don’t get hangry and you don’t have an eating disorder, you’re probably ready to start your first experimenting with intermittent fasting.

There are several ways to do this. One way is to have a condensed eating window every day. A great way to start with this is to simply extend your morning fast by a few hours. For example, if you’re finished with dinner by 7pm and you eat your breakfast at 6am the next morning (which is an 11 hour fast), try waiting until 8am or 9am to eat your first meal of the day. If this isn’t possible, try a 12 hour fast where you would eat at 7am. You may need to make some shifts to your morning routine if possible.

You can also start with extending your fast in the morning on the weekend when you don’t need to be somewhere at a specific time. This will give you more flexibility to make some shifts to your morning routine. By the way, you don’t need to intermittent fast every day for it to be effective. I only fast occasionally and it works for me.

Now, this is where it’s important to really think about whether or not you’re willing to make changes. If it’s too stressful for you to shift 10 things around in the morning then don’t do it. It will only cause more stress and will be counterproductive to it’s purpose: a healthier body.

If you’re ready to do this and want to activate your inner fat-burner, my 4-Week Summer Slim Down will help you get your whole food eating style dialed in so you can experiment with fasting and get results. It’s a self-paced program that walks you through how to create a whole food eating style that works for you. You’ll also learn how to create fitness and sleep routines to help your body burn fat more efficiently. Plus, you can message me at any time through your Practice Better account for text support throughout the program. If you want more personalized and video chat support from me, group and one-on-one coaching is available with limited spots open.