Intermittent Fasting: Why I'm Obsessed

You guys, I am LOVING the intermittent fasting (IF) lifestyle. It has simplified my life, my workouts are working better for me, and I feel amazing!

Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating; an eating schedule rather than a diet. Your body is always in one of two states: fed or fasted. It takes roughly 12 hours for our bodies to finish digesting food and begin to burn fat for fuel. People rarely get to a fasted state throughout the day because we are always eating. And while eating several small meals throughout the day can lead to weight loss (calorie deficit diets always do), you will likely burn both muscle and fat. When you lose calorie-burning muscle, you lower your metabolic rate and make it harder for your body to burn fat over time. Reducing the hours in the day when we are eating allows our body to switch from sugar burners to fat burners, and that is where the awesome benefits start to transpire.


What are some of the benefits of Intermittent Fasting?

Here are a number of other documented benefits of intermittent fasting, all backed by science:

  • boosting insulin resistance

  • reducing inflammation of the body

  • loss of belly fat

  • increasing your metabolic rate

  • improving numerous risk factors for heart disease

  • improvement of brain function

  • Decreased insulin levels and increased insulin sensitivity

  • Increase of the breakdown of fats

  • Improved energy

  • Improvement of muscle tone

  • Increased life expectancy

Let me explain my personal routine with IF:

I begin my fast in the evening after dinner, usually around 6-7 pm. And I break my fast around 11-12 the following day. I enjoy my coffee, plenty of water, BCAAs and tea if necessary during the hours of 6-11 am. I might feel a bit hungry first thing in the morning, but all of those drinks keep me satisfied. When I break my fast I eat a large meal and it's amazing how you really aren't ravenous at this meal. I eat a snack in the afternoon and then dinner in the evening. If I'm still hungry I will have a snack after dinner. 

Most days I get my workout in in the morning, while I'm still in the fasted state. I love working out fasted for the energy boost and the extra fat burn! I drink my BCAAs throughout to fuel my muscles, and if it is a heavy lifting day, I might break my fast with a protein shake. 

You can benefit from IF even just 3-4 days per week! I typically use IF 6 days per week. 

This is such an effective strategy for improved health and fat loss! You'll be amazed at how your body adapts at this eating schedule in a short amount of time!