Unlock the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting in Skelmersdale
Many folks in Skelmersdale have tried intermittent fasting as a way to manage their weight or support healthy insulin and cholesterol levels. However, most don’t stick with it long enough to see real benefits. The great news is that there’s more than one way to succeed at intermittent fasting—and the efforts are worth it. Keep these do’s and don’ts in mind as you incorporate intermittent fasting into your lifestyle.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
First off, let’s make sure we understand what intermittent fasting is. In simple terms, 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 take place 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 start with tips that will help you get the best results from intermittent fasting.
Do:
- Start Slow: You wouldn’t jump straight from couch potato to marathon runner. Similarly, start intermittent fasting with small, more achievable goals, like not snacking after dinner or eating breakfast an hour later. Gradually work toward a longer fasting period as your body adjusts.
- Pick the Intermittent Fasting Schedule that Works for You: Many in Skelmersdale find success with the 16:8 method, fasting for 16 hours between dinner and your first meal the next day. For example, eat all meals between noon and 8 p.m., then fast until noon the following day. Adjust your fasting schedule to suit your lifestyle.
- Drink Lots of Water: It’s essential to give our bodies breaks from food, but not water. Staying hydrated helps us feel fuller and stave off cravings.
- Eat Wholesome Meals: Fill your eating window with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, and fiber. Foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates can leave you hungry soon after eating.
- Keep an IF Journal: Track the foods you eat, different schedules tried, and how you feel each day to determine what’s working and build a long-term plan.
Don’t:
- Binge During Your Eating Window: Fasting for 16 hours doesn’t give you a free pass to eat anything for eight hours straight. Focus on wholesome foods and avoid high-calorie, non-filling foods.
- Not Eat Enough: Intermittent fasting isn’t about extreme dieting but allowing our bodies to tap into stored fat for energy rather than relying on constant carbohydrates.
- Give Up Too Soon: Stick with intermittent fasting for at least 30 days to start seeing benefits. If it’s too hard, try shorter fasting periods before gradually increasing.
- Expect Perfection: You don’t have to be perfect to succeed at intermittent fasting. Aim for consistency rather than perfection. Interruptions happen, and occasional lapses won’t set you back indefinitely.
When Willpower Isn’t Enough
When it comes down to it, willpower alone may not be enough to succeed at intermittent fasting long-term. But with a little help, intermittent fasting becomes much more doable.
Two Unicity products—Unimate and Balance—work together to help you extend the time between dinner and your first meal the following day:
- Unimate: A yerba mate drink containing up to 10 times the amount of chlorogenic acid found in premium coffee. It helps boost mood, supports mental stamina, focus, and motivation, and fends off cravings.
- Balance: A pre-meal drink with a patented fiber matrix that includes bioactive plant compounds, polysaccharides, and micronutrients. It helps curb appetite and ease the impact of excess carbohydrates and cholesterol.
We call these two products plus intermittent fasting the Feel Great program because people really do feel great when they stick to this method. Learn more about Feel Great and see how it can help you get the most out of intermittent fasting without making you work harder for it.
So, if you’re in Skelmersdale and keen on giving intermittent fasting a proper go, remember these tips and keep at it. Your journey towards better health and well-being could be just a fasting window away!