If you’re new here you might not know that Intermittent Fasting has been a huge part of my wellness journey. It is also one of the key strategies in the FasterWaytoFatLoss program!

What is Intermittent Fasting?
IF is not a diet, it’s an eating strategy. The goal is to eat all of your calories within a certain window. I follow a 16/8 protocol. That means that I stop eating around 7pm and start eating around 11am the next day. I love this strategy because it has so many benefits. We even put this into practice on vacation and it helps so much with the digestion of your indulgences as well as flushing out the alcohol. It has helped tremendously so that we don’t feel like we gained 10lbs when we get home. Here’s a beautiful list of benefits…
-Lower Insulin Levels
-Reduces Liver Fat
-BETTER SLEEP!!
– Reduces Inflammation
-Allows the body to engage in autophagy (removes damaged cells)
-Teaches the body to use fat for fuel

My favorite tips for surviving your fast:
-Eat a well rounded dinner! It is so important that you get your nutrients in so that your body can fuel itself through the fast.
-Stay busy!! For most of us…we actually naturally fast because a lot of people already skip breakfast. If this is you, great! But you’ll need to consider my first tip but also make sure you are…
-Hyrdating!! Front load your water intake in the AM ( less pee breaks at night). Also, pick a favorite tea (mine is this raspberry cold brew) and drink on it all morning. I understand some people just aren’t into water but you should try to be as much as possible. Caffeine is allowed but you’re probably going to need to drop the cream and sugar habit…consuming too much can trigger the pathways of digestion which really makes you hungry!! Stick to less than 50 calories of your favorite creamer and try switching to an alternative to sugar like Stevia.
-Find accountability. I personally use my FWTFL group and an app called Simple. The app allows me to start my fast and I can watch the clock tick away. I love the reminders it sends to drink something and I love the encouragement of that HOOORAY it’s time to eat! notification.
– Start slow…if you’ve never fasted before…start with 13hrs and add an hour each day. Progress over perfection.

Can I get it wrong?
This really depends on who you ask from what I have found. In my opinion, yes you can. Most people use IF to cut calories out of their day which is great if you want a quick couple of pounds off the body but I’ve found that doing so can just lead to less energy for the day or the next day. I really love that through FW I’ve been able to focus on getting in the right amount of nutrients (which is naturally cutting calories) instead of worrying about not eating breakfast so I can have pizza for lunch. What I mean is…if you skip breakfast and have pizza for lunch then dinner…you’re probably not cutting any calories or reaping any benefits of fasting.

More information…
I want to share a few short blog posts that talk about Immunity, COVID 19 and fasting. I don’t have enough knowledge and I’m still trying to learn myself how fasting can actually be a huge immune booster! Learn with me by reading over these articles!
How Intermittent Fasting can Protect You Against COVID 19
How Intermittent Fasting Improves Immunity

Here are some yummy non water options that I love to use to hold me over until it’s time to break my fast:
–Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Tea (sometimes I add hibiscus tea to this for extra flavor…SO good) I buy at Walmart but probably any grocery store is good.
–Yogi Teas – any flavor is good but I love the Blueberry Slim Life…don’t combine with coffee since it’s green tea and already has a good amount of caffeine.
– Chobani Creamer – These are kind of new to the market but the ingredients are real and I love that. I use this on days that I just feel like I need a little extra love in my coffee…a treat for myself. 30 calories per tablespoon…be sure to measure and I would not go over 2 tablespoons if you’re trying to actually fast.