A day in the life of an intermittent faster
Alright, let’s start this post off by saying how much I love food. Because I do. I L-O-V-E it! I’m a HUGE eater. Back before I started intermittent fasting (I.F.) I would start eating at about 5 o’clock in the morning, and I wouldn’t stop until about 9 o’clock at night… or later.
One of the main reasons I got into I.F. was to develop a healthier relationship with food, stop binging/overeating, and train myself to consume the proper amount of food, in relation to my fitness/lifestyle goals.
Growing up I was an extremely active individual. I danced for 15 years and I was used to consuming large amounts of food. Granted, a lot of it was to fuel my body from a considerable amount of exercise, but I was definitely used to being able to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Because I was young, and active, and had an incredible metabolism, my body burned whatever I put in it. But the problem herein lies, that as soon as I stopped dancing (and exercise altogether for a period of time), I continued to eat the same amount of food. This led to an awful cycle of over-eating, not exercising, and putting on unnecessary weight.
Fast forward some few years, and here we are today. After a pretty significant lifestyle transformation (both mental and physical), and 2 years of I.F. I can honestly say that I’ve developed a greater and healthier relationship with food. Not only am I more educated in it, but I’ve discovered ways to get surprisingly creative with it. I also now realize and understand that food is truly fuel for your body, and all it’s working parts! And in order to be active, stay healthy, and pursue my fitness goals, I need to be able to know that the food going in, is exactly what I need, and what my body needs.
OTHER THINGS I’VE LEARNED FROM I.F.
I’m WAY more productive and my mental clarity is greater. My best work is generally done when I’m deep into my fast
When I’m fasting, I don’t ever think about food. It’s always the farthest from my mind
I stay hydrated a lot easier. Because I only allow myself water, green tea or coffee, I’m more in tune with when I’m actually hungry, and when I’m just thirsty
The biggest thing that was holding me back, was my brain. All you have to do is change your mindset, think a little bit differently, and know that at the end of the day, life goes on just as well
Now before I delve into the details of I.F. I don’t want you diving in, and deciding that it’s the solution to all of your life’s problems. This blog is specifically my experience with it, and to help educate you on the who, what and why’s of all things intermittent fasting!
WHAT - Intermittent fasting (IF) is a nutrient partitioning strategy that has become exceedingly popular in the past few years, and people are becoming more and more curious about it as time goes on. For those curious souls, intermittent fasting is an alternative way to reduce your food intake without the inconvenience of having to weigh and measure your food, macro track or follow a strict diet.
WHY - So – why is I.F. so popular? According to recent studies, I.F. has a multitude of benefits including muscle maintenance, fat loss, reducing inflammation, and improving cognitive function. To get extra ‘fancy’, it also helps induce autophagy (the body’s process of destroying unnecessary and unhealthy cells and replacing them with new, healthier ones). Why does I.F. work for fat loss? Because you’re restricting the amount of time that you can and cannot eat. This means that any cravings outside of your eating window are curbed. However, the main thing to remember is calories. If you’re hitting your calorie intake, regardless of it you do I.F. or not… you will get the same fat loss result. If you had 3 or 6 meals per day within a short or longer time frame but still hit the exact same calorie intake… you’ll get the same result.
WHO - In my research and education, I’ve discovered people of all ages do and/or have tried I.F.
Particularly anyone looking to do some extent of the following:
Lose weight and/or reduce calorie intake
Improve health and/or lifestyle
Reduce overeating
Boost brain function
Improve cellular repair
Lower insulin levels
Reduce inflammation
Improve heart health
I only have experience with the 16:8 method, and generally tend to eat between the hours of 1:00pm - 9:00pm. I do know some people who tend to eat more in the morning, due to increased snacking in the evening hours. The great thing is that you can tailor to you, your life, and your schedule.
TYPES OF intermittent fasting
16:8 – No eating for 16 hours, 1-3 meals in the remaining 8 hours (my preferred method)!
5:2 – Eat normally 5 days a week, fast for any 2 days per week.
Day On/Day Off – Eat one day, don’t eat the next (only recommended by a health professional).
Daylight – Eat at night.
TYPICAL DAY OF intermittent fasting
6:00 AM WAKE UP
As soon as I wake up, I drink about 600-750 ml of water. What this does is rehydrate the body (because it’s been asleep and dehydrated for the past 7-8 hours), as well as boost it’s metabolism first thing. Following this I take my daily shot of ACV, lemon juice, turmeric and cayenne. Because none of these have any calories, they are safe to take while during the fasting period.
7:00-11:00 AM WATER, COFFEE, TEA
I have absolutely no problem admitting, that coffee has been my saving grace! It gives me the energy for exercise and it has zero calories. The only downside is that you have to skip the milk, cream and sugar, and drink it black. Remember, anything with calories will take you out of the fasted state. Although, they say you can get away with a little bit of almond milk or calorie-free sugar.
I also always make sure to drink a TON of water while fasting to prevent dehydration and help flush out any toxins. Green tea is also allowed.
1:00 PM BREAKFAST
The first meal of the day. There are a lot of people that tend to break their fast with a massive binge, which generally cancels out any/all of the benefits. I always start off small, so as not to upset my stomach. I usually have something like greek yogurt with protein powder, natural peanut butter, and a piece of fruit, or an omelette with a ton of veggies, and a protein shake.
3:00-4:30 PM WORKOUT
Depending on the day, my workout will be strength training, cardio, or a mixture of both. I always drink BCAA’s throughout the workout to keep my energy levels high and preserve muscle mass!
5:00 PM PROTEIN SHAKE
I’m only human, and unfortunately don’t remember all the time, but I am a huge believer in post-workout protein to speed up recovery and muscle growth! I aim to make sure I’ve got a post-workout shake handy if I am unable to get a full meal in soon after training.
7:00 PM DINNER
Another post-workout meal. I make sure to replace any lost energy and provide my body with what it needs to recover and grow. This means more protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats!
8:45 PM PRE-BED SNACK
My last meal of the day is designed to make sure my muscles have what they need to keep growing and recovering throughout the night. I usually have yogurt and fruit, cottage cheese, or casein protein.
9:00 PM THE CYCLE BEGINS AGAIN
There you have it. That’s what a typical day of intermittent fasting looks like for me. Keep in mind that everyone is going to be different, so I recommend that you get the guidance of a Health Professional before commencing a fast, to make sure that you’re doing it the safest and most effective way possible!