Intermittent Fasting in Garstang: What You Need to Know
As the practice of intermittent fasting has become more commonplace, it has also attracted its fair share of misconceptions. So, what should we believe? The intermittent fasting success stories or the intermittent fasting naysayers? Here in Garstang, we like to get to the bottom of things, so let’s dive in.
Intermittent Fasting: Good or Bad?
Let’s cut straight to the chase. Intermittent fasting, when done right, is healthy for most people. Many folks in Garstang have found that intermittent fasting is an excellent way to manage weight, while it also helps to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary practice that focuses on a time-restricted eating schedule. This means fluctuating between periods of eating and fasting, with the fasting window typically lasting 12–16 hours. The most common IF schedule is the 16:8 method, where you consume all your meals within an eight-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours.
The misconceptions about intermittent fasting mainly come from not doing it correctly. To understand how intermittent fasting works, it’s important first to clarify what intermittent fasting is not:
- Starving yourself: The point of intermittent fasting isn’t to constantly deprive your body of food, but to give your body a longer break from food each day. This helps stabilize blood sugar levels and allows your body to focus on more than just digestion.
- Anti-food: Intermittent fasting doesn’t villainize food. Rather, its purpose is to help us eat at the right times each day and allow our bodies to get natural breaks from eating.
- An excuse to eat anything you want: Binge-eating after a long fast might feel like a reward, but this can negate the benefits of fasting and even cause weight gain. For best results, focus on a healthy, well-balanced diet during your eating window. Overloading on carbs and processed foods will increase hunger and cravings later, making intermittent fasting harder than it ought to be.
- Impossible to maintain long term: Though fasting for more than 12 hours each day might sound daunting, humans have evolved to thrive on this schedule. Our bodies need this downtime to rest and process nutrients. Constantly eating during waking hours can disrupt circadian rhythms and heighten the risk of metabolic conditions. Intermittent fasting helps our bodies revert to a more natural eating and fasting cycle.
In Garstang, like everywhere, fasting is often associated with hunger, which can make us think it’s inherently “bad.” But in truth, intermittent fasting is more doable than it sounds.
Getting the Fasting Window Right
For starters, most fasting happens while we sleep. Simply delaying breakfast a few hours and/or avoiding snacks after dinner can maximize the benefits of intermittent fasting—no skipped meals required.
If you’re considering intermittent fasting, here’s how to get started on the right foot:
Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle, and for any lifestyle to be sustainable, it needs to work with your daily routine. Finding the right fasting window for you is key. If you can’t start your morning without breakfast, then don’t skip it—have your breakfast and plan an earlier dinner instead. If you prefer a late dinner, then breaking your fast around 11 AM or noon might be more suitable.
The length of your fast should suit your personal needs and lifestyle, too. While a 16-hour fast is generally considered optimal, it’s perfectly fine to shorten that to 12 or 14 hours if necessary. The first week or two may be the hardest, but if you’re still struggling after a few weeks, it might be time to make some adjustments.
The great thing about intermittent fasting is its flexibility. It can work with nearly any lifestyle. As long as you find a fasting window you can commit to, you’ll reap the benefits over time.
The Bottom Line
Finding an intermittent fasting schedule that suits you may take some adjustments, but generally, intermittent fasting is healthy for most people. However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a history of eating disorders, or have a medical condition, it’s essential to consult your doctor before making significant dietary changes. Here in Garstang, it’s always best to play it safe and get proper guidance.