Wellness Tuesday Tips: Intermittent Fasting

By Cathy Smith

As with any new dietary regimen, be sure and consult your doctor before diving in.

Who enjoys being hungry? Almost no one.  Waiting for a certain hour to eat can be a mental challenge, gut gnawing at your  nerves, it can induce a mild panic. We love comfort and to nibble.

However, our bodies can make great use of a break from eating.  And regular breaks can keep those benefits going indefinitely.

My interest in intermittent fasting (IF) started a couple years ago. Rather than jump in alone, a friend and I started together. The buddy nudge got us each motivated -- a good way to go!  Checking in and navigating the trouble spots with a partner reinforced our continued success.

Yes, the health benefits of IF are remarkable, and the feeling of euphoria that sets in after awhile is well worth the gnaw. Here are some key benefits that are possible results from fasting:

• Cellular repair, cells digest old proteins and built-up waste material

• Insulin levels drop, making stored fat more accessible and weight loss easier

• Levels of human growth hormone increase. More muscles and less fat

• Longevity and protection from disease

Sound good? There are three ways to get there, it may take experimenting to find what fits for you. Any non caloric beverages are allowed while fasting.  

16/8 Fasting

This means eating for an 8 hour window and fasting for 16. For example, eat between 11-7pm and then fast until the next day

Once a Weekday Eat Only Dinner

Fast until the next day's dinner. That’s a 23 hour fast.

5 and 2

Twice a week, on non consecutive days, eat between 500 and 600 calories. Eat normally the other 5 days

Fasting will also save you time and money. Bonus! Getting past the initial barrier is the tricky part.  Once that’s done and you get into the rhythm you get those great benefits.