Intermittent Fasting: Does it Work?
If you watched my Bordas Beat session, you will know that I put on weight at Christmastime because I can’t say no to Christmas cookies. Saying that I ate three dozen cookies is probably a conservative number. The baby cream horns are my absolute favorite and probably the most fat-filled, but I can’t say that I turned down a sampling of all the other kinds either.
Since I am going to the beach this summer, I have to get those Christmas cookie pounds off, so I thought I would try intermittent fasting. The optimal time for eating is between 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but that doesn’t work for me since I don’t get home until around 7:00 in the evening, so I chose 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It really wasn’t a hardship for me since I have never been a breakfast eater.
The first week was a little difficult because I’m used to having a snack around 10:00 a.m. to hold me over until noon. After I got used to missing my morning snack, it hasn’t been bad at all. I drink the bulk of my water allotment in the morning, which helps with feelings of hunger. I don’t drink soda or juice because of the sugar content. Don’t forget that calories add up to weight gain, so even if something says fat free, it’s really not because most fat free foods have a high sugar content which turns into fat. If you’re a coffee drinker, unless you like it black, you’ll have to say goodbye to creamer or sugar during the fasting period. You also can’t eat everything in sight during your eight-hour eating window. The goal is to eat healthy. I find counting fat grams works best for me, but someone else might count calories instead. Everyone will find what works best for them. Just to put your mind at rest, you can have a cheat day. I allow myself one cheat day per week for one meal only. I also stay within my 8 hour eating period to keep my schedule the same every day.
Although intermittent fasting is a good choice for me, it isn’t for everyone. If you are a Type-1 diabetic, suffer from any form of anxiety or have or have had an eating disorder, this is not a good choice for you. In any case, please check with your doctor before starting any kind of weight loss program to make sure your dieting plan makes sense and is safe for you. Your doctor may want to monitor your progress to make sure you stay healthy and get favorable results.
From studies performed, if done correctly, the benefits of intermittent fasting can improve LDL and triglyceride levels, as well as lower inflammation and normalize blood pressure. It also regulates fat-regulating hormones. From all the positive things I have read, and since it’s relatively painless, I will be intermittent fasting for the rest of my life to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Once I reach the weight I want to maintain, I will have an entire cheat day.
I’m finishing up my sixth week and have lost around 18 pounds with minimal effort. While I have lost my Christmas cookie weight, I thought I may as well go all out and get the rest of my unwanted weight off so I started back on the treadmill. I should be at my goal weight before I hit the beach. If you’re looking for a way to lose weight and not suffer overly much, try intermittent fasting. It’s definitely working for me. I feel better, I sleep better, my blood pressure is great, and best of all, I look better with the extra weight dropping off. Beach body, here I come!
;)
