Intermittent Fasting in Fleetwood: Your Comprehensive Guide to Success
Many have tried intermittent fasting as a way to manage their weight or support healthy insulin and cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, most don’t stick with it long enough to see real benefits. However, when done properly, the efforts truly pay off. This guide will provide you with the essential do’s and don’ts as you incorporate intermittent fasting into your lifestyle in Fleetwood.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between eating and fasting each day. The idea is to go longer periods of time—say, 16 hours, a lot of which happen while you’re sleeping—without eating. This allows your body to tap into stored fat for energy and supports healthy blood sugar levels. With that in mind, let’s dive into some tips to help you get the best results from intermittent fasting right here in Fleetwood.
The Do’s of Intermittent Fasting
- Start Slow: You wouldn’t jump straight from couch potato to marathon runner, right? The same principle applies to intermittent fasting. While some folks find success going cold turkey, it’s often best to start with smaller, more achievable goals. For instance, you might begin by not snacking after dinner or eating breakfast an hour later. Gradually work towards a longer fasting period as your body adjusts.
- Pick the Right Schedule: Many find the 16:8 method to be most effective, which involves fasting for 16 hours and eating during an 8-hour window. For example, you could eat all of your meals between noon and 8 p.m. and then fast until noon the next day. You can adjust the fasting start and end times to fit your lifestyle. If a 16-hour fast isn’t doable, don’t fret—start with 12 or 14 hours and gradually build up.
- Stay Hydrated: It’s imperative to give your body breaks from food, but not from water. Staying hydrated will help improve overall bodily functions and can make you feel fuller, reducing cravings.
- Eat Wholesome Meals: No matter how long your eating window is, fill it with nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, and fiber. Wholesome foods can help you get the nutrients you need each day and make it easier to manage longer fasting periods.
- Keep an IF Journal: When starting, track the foods you eat, the different schedules you try, and how you feel each day. This can help you identify what works best for you, enabling you to create a long-term, personalized fasting plan.
The Don’ts of Intermittent Fasting
- Don’t Binge: Just because you fasted for 16 hours doesn’t mean you have free rein to eat anything and everything for the next 8 hours. Focus on consuming wholesome foods and avoid high-calorie, non-filling foods.
- Avoid Not Eating Enough: Intermittent fasting isn’t a diet; it’s a time-based eating pattern. Make sure you’re still consuming enough nutrients and calories by focusing on wholesome, nutritious foods.
- Don’t Give Up Too Soon: To start seeing benefits, you’ll need to stick with intermittent fasting for at least 30 days. If you find it tough, try shortening the fasting period instead of quitting. Once you’re used to a 12- or 14-hour fast, extending it to 16 hours might be easier.
- Don’t Expect Perfection: A single bad day won’t erase your progress. Interruptions are a part of life. Aim for consistency, not perfection. As long as you’re intermittent fasting correctly most of the time, you’ll be on the right path.
When Willpower Isn’t Enough
Sometimes, willpower alone may not suffice for long-term intermittent fasting success. Fortunately, Unicity products like Unimate and Balance can make the journey much easier.
Unimate is a yerba mate drink containing up to 10 times the amount of chlorogenic acid found in premium coffee. It boosts your mood, and supports mental stamina, focus, and motivation, all while helping fend off cravings between meals. On the other hand, Balance is a pre-meal drink with a patented fiber matrix that includes bioactive plant compounds, polysaccharides, and micronutrients. It helps mitigate the impact of excess carbohydrates and cholesterol and curbs your appetite.
We call these two products, combined with intermittent fasting, the Feel Great Program. Fleetwood residents, you’ll find that this method helps you reap the full benefits of intermittent fasting without working harder for it.
Learn more about the Feel Great Program and see how it can enhance your intermittent fasting journey in Fleetwood.