Won’t I be exhausted? Won’t I lose all of my muscle? Won’t I die?
Not likely... no. Intermittent Fasting is effective for many goals: improved digestion, enhanced immunity, increased energy, increased fat loss, better appetite control, enhanced brain function and clarity of thought, higher natural hormone levels for improved sleep, recovery and muscle building.
Check the clock whenever one eats her last meal. From that point forward, wait at least 12 hours before consuming anything with calories. Some disagree on this part, but hydrating with calorIe-free fluids is a crucial part of healthy and healing fasting. The fasted window can extend up to 24 hours, but generally 12-16 hours is doable on a daily basis for women and men. Women require fewer fasted hours to tap into stubborn fat stores than men.
For extra fat burning ...Try to get a workout in within this initial fasting window. You’ll tap into stored calories and fat from days prior and you’ll feel more energized than you ever imagined. I usually have my Essential Amino Acids, along with HMB powder, and Chlorella with lemon juice to make the workout even more detoxifying. Cardio is a great choice for fasted training, to really hit fat stores. Circuit training at 80% max effort is also ideal. Try to avoid going for 1RM’s and other PR’s while fasted, unless training fasted is routine - most prefer to have immediate fuel in the system for those types of potentially straining lifts.
Being hydrated, again, is the key to a happy fast. It gets easier as the hours go by, too, so keep an eye on the clock. It’s common to forget to start the feeding window on time...
Fasting is also a great time to write, or contemplate important life choices, as the brain is clear and level headed. Food introduces all sorts of neurochemicals to ones system (both healing and toxic), so the lack of these create an optimal environment for positive thinking.
Enjoy! Post questions below. This can often be a loaded and confusing topic!
With positive vibrations,
Kate