4 Useful Fasting Tips (Intermittent Fasting)
Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule. Research shows that intermittent fasting is a way to manage your weight and prevent — or even reverse — some forms of disease.
1) The quality of your food is crucial. Meal plan ahead to ensure you make nutrient-dense food choices during your non-fasting periods. Stay within your calorie limit each day.
Intermittent fasting doesn’t replace healthy eating or calorie control.
In fact, it doesn’t tell you anything about what you should eat, which is obviously a critical part of successful dieting. Think of it as a tool that helps us optimize when we should eat.
2) Short-term fasting can be a more sustainable approach for many people. Not eating for 12 hours or even 16 hours by skipping breakfast can be a more successful long-term plan for many people.
If you do extended fasting, try choosing a day of the week or period of time that you don’t need to be very active or deeply concentrate.
3) If you have medical problems, talk to your doctor to make sure it’s safe to try intermittent fasting.
4) Make sure you’re continuing to get all of the nutrients you need to fuel your body through fasting!
Work with a dietitian or doctor to make a meal plan that works well for you.
You can also try intuitive eating that removes the focus away from calories and willpower. And focuses your efforts on getting in tune with what your body needs to thrive. Regardless of what time of day it is or when your next approved eating window is.
Should you Try the Intermittent Fasting Diet?
There are many potential benefits of intermittent fasting. But the research is still too limited to say for sure if this is something you should be incorporating in your life to help your health
If you choose to try intermittent fasting, continue to incorporate basic nutrition principles that have been well established by science to optimize your health, including calorie control to maintain healthy weight and a balanced diet that incorporates all of the essential micronutrients.
Always involve your doctor or dietitian in any major changes to your nutrition to make sure that your new approach is safe for you.