The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting: A Whitworth Perspective
Many 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 good news is, there’s more than one way to succeed at intermittent fasting—and the efforts are well worth it.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
First off, let’s make sure we understand what intermittent fasting is. Put simply, 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. Folks in Whitworth are increasingly turning to this method to enhance their well-being.
Do’s and Don’ts for Successful Intermittent Fasting
Do:
- Start slow. You wouldn’t jump straight from being a couch potato to a marathon runner. The same principle applies to intermittent fasting. Although some folks in Whitworth can go full cold turkey, we recommend starting with small, more achievable goals, like not snacking after dinner or eating breakfast an hour later. Gradually work toward longer fasting periods as your body adjusts.
- Pick the intermittent fasting schedule that works for you. Many find the best results with the 16:8 method, which means fasting for 16 hours between dinner and your first meal the next day. Feel free to adjust your fast start and end times to work best with your lifestyle. If a 16-hour fast isn’t feasible, cut back to 12 or 14 hours. The trick is to find a fasting length that is doable long-term. Try as many schedules as necessary to find the one that you’ll be able to maintain.
- Drink lots of water. It’s good to give our bodies breaks from food, but not from water. Staying hydrated helps us feel fuller and keeps cravings at bay. This is especially useful advice for the often active community in Whitworth.
- Eat wholesome meals. Whatever your eating window, make sure to fill it with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, and fiber. Such foods not only help you get the nutrients you need each day but also make it easier to go longer periods without food.
- Keep an IF journal. When you’re first getting started, keep track of the foods you eat, the different schedules you’ve tried, and how you feel each day. This will help you determine what’s working so you can build a long-term plan customized to your needs.
Don’ts:
- Binge during your eating window. Just because you’ve fasted for 16 hours doesn’t mean you get a free pass to eat all the things for eight hours straight. Focus on wholesome foods and avoid high-calorie, non-filling foods.
- Don’t give up too soon. To start seeing the benefits of intermittent fasting, you’ll need to stick with it for at least 30 days. If it feels too hard, try a shorter fasting period rather than giving up altogether.
- Expect perfection. You don’t need to be perfect at intermittent fasting to succeed. A late-night dinner with friends isn’t going to set you back indefinitely. Aim for consistency rather than perfection.
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 is a yerba mate drink that contains up to 10 times the amount of chlorogenic acid found in a premium cup of coffee. It boosts mood and supports mental stamina, focus, and motivation. It also helps fend off cravings and reenergize between meals.
Balance is a pre-meal drink with a patented fiber matrix that includes bioactive plant compounds, polysaccharides, and micronutrients. The fiber matrix helps ease the impact of excess carbohydrates and cholesterol, and the soluble fibers help curb your appetite.
We call these two products + intermittent fasting the Feel Great program because, frankly, people 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.
Whether you’re down the local pub or enjoying a stroll in Whitworth, these tips and tools can provide the support you need for a successful intermittent fasting journey.