I Tried Intermittent Fasting For A Month And You Will Be Surprised To Know The Results
I have always been that morning person with a set routine: wake up early, read a newspaper, go for a run and then to work. Since a young age, a wholesome breakfast with eggs, fruits and cereals has been the centrepiece of my morning. I, like most, have always subscribed to the notion of starting the day with a hearty breakfast. So intermittent fasting was going to be a big shock to the system!
You may have heard about intermittent fasting (IF), it is gaining traction in world media and with several medical thought leaders. Having worked with a community of thought-leaders in health and wellness, I was aware of its benefits and happily advised my clients to try them - but was always reluctant to do it myself!
To put it simply, IF means you only eat during a particular window of time - this is usually an 8-hour period. The typical day starts with black coffee, tea or water and you have your first meal at around noon. The last meal of the day will be at 8pm if you are aiming a 16 hour fast, which is the most typical. I am in this profession of advising people to be healthy, so I decided to try it out myself. The following are a few changes I noticed after just a month of intermittent fasting.
Week 1. The struggle is real
I am not lying, the first few days were challenging. It was difficult for me to wait until 12pm to have my first meal. During the first week at work, I felt lethargic and sleepy by 10am but I was persistent and wanted to achieve some of the numerous benefits claimed by IF proponents.
Week 2. Food becomes a joy
During week 2, I felt overjoyed when the clock struck 12! I would patiently look forward to the most interesting meal of the
day, whilst subtly introducing mindful eating - savouring each bite. I was energetic and felt extremely productive at work, throughout the day - thanks to my morning coffee which hit hard on empty stomach!
Week 3. Changes galore!
I noticed a huge change in the size of my belly. The previously noticeable paunch had disappeared and I felt proud when I fitted into my old clothes...I had literally lost inches! Though, I intentionally avoided stepping on the scales until the final week.
You may have heard about intermittent fasting (IF), it is gaining traction in world media and with several medical thought leaders. Having worked with a community of thought-leaders in health and wellness, I was aware of its benefits and happily advised my clients to try them - but was always reluctant to do it myself!To put it simply, IF means you only eat during a particular window of time - this is usually an 8-hour period. The typical day starts with black coffee, tea or water and you have your first meal at around noon. The last meal of the day will be at 8pm if you are aiming a 16 hour fast, which is the most typical. I am in this profession of advising people to be healthy, so I decided to try it out myself. The following are a few changes I noticed after just a month of intermittent fasting.
Week 1. The struggle is real
I am not lying, the first few days were challenging. It was difficult for me to wait until 12pm to have my first meal. During the first week at work, I felt lethargic and sleepy by 10am but I was persistent and wanted to achieve some of the numerous benefits claimed by IF proponents.
Week 2. Food becomes a joy
During week 2, I felt overjoyed when the clock struck 12! I would patiently look forward to the most interesting meal of the
day, whilst subtly introducing mindful eating - savouring each bite. I was energetic and felt extremely productive at work, throughout the day - thanks to my morning coffee which hit hard on empty stomach!
Week 3. Changes galore!
I noticed a huge change in the size of my belly. The previously noticeable paunch had disappeared and I felt proud when I fitted into my old clothes...I had literally lost inches! Though, I intentionally avoided stepping on the scales until the final week.
Week 4: Myths dismantled
By the end, I shattered the belief that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. The second thing I learned is that the best form of exercise to lose weight is a fasted cardio. As I said, I loved my morning runs and could not compromise it. It seemed that running in the morning on an empty stomach optimized fat loss!
In the end, I lost 6 Kgs in a month! In fact, it’s not the end, as I will ensure this eating pattern becomes a habit :)
One piece of advice: Always do a progressive intermittent fasting where you start with a 10 hour fast, slowly progressing to 16 to 18 hours.
By the end, I shattered the belief that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. The second thing I learned is that the best form of exercise to lose weight is a fasted cardio. As I said, I loved my morning runs and could not compromise it. It seemed that running in the morning on an empty stomach optimized fat loss!
In the end, I lost 6 Kgs in a month! In fact, it’s not the end, as I will ensure this eating pattern becomes a habit :)
One piece of advice: Always do a progressive intermittent fasting where you start with a 10 hour fast, slowly progressing to 16 to 18 hours.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for your valuable comment