Intermittent fasting is becoming more popular day by day. It is among the most popular health and fitness topics. People who practice intermittent fasting have reported its incredible benefits. Some of the benefits include weight loss, improved bodily and brain functions, increased metabolism, etc. You can check out more benefits.
If you want to start intermittent fasting, you should first understand what it entails. There are several studies and information on intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting has been around for decades. Traditionally, it was used to treat conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, and obesity. The following are some of the things you need to know before you start intermittent fasting.
There are different methods of intermittent fasting. The most popular methods include the 5-2 fast, the 24-hour fast, the time-restrictive fast, and the alternate-day fast. So you can choose any method that you feel you are comfortable with and doesn’t clash with your work schedule.
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1. Make it work for you
Intermittent fasting is one of the easiest types of fasting. You can make it work. The trick is to come up with a good schedule. Some people find it hard to do intermittent fasting simply because they follow someone else schedule. For intermittent fasting to work, you should carefully plan your day and use your fasting hours intelligently.
People have different work schedules. Some work from 9-5 while others work night shifts. Moreover, people have different obligations in daily life. So copying another person’s schedule won’t work for you. Arranging your fasting hours within your schedule can make you achieve a balance that will make intermittent fasting much easier.
2. Don’t give yourself much pressure
You cannot do an 18 hour fast immediately out of the blue; you need to give your body time to adjust to the new eating routine. If you rush into things, you may have a harder time getting used to intermittent fasting. Make it easy. Start by fasting for 12 hours for the first two weeks. When your body starts to adjust, then you can increase your fasting hours to 13, 14, 15, and so forth. Continue with this until the duration you are comfortable with. One good thing about intermittent fasting is that it takes time to get used to. This actually makes it easier to stick to.
3. Drink plenty of water
Since you are not eating calories during the day, you need to stay hydrated to ensure that your body functions properly internally. The body needs an adequate amount of water to maintain good health. Again, sometimes, you may think that you are hungry while you are actually just dehydrated. So the next time you feel hungry, take a glass of water, and the feeling of hunger will disappear faster.
Try as much as possible to space your water intakes evenly for the entire day. Consuming all of your water intakes at too close intervals can expand your stomach and make it larger. This will lead to stronger hunger pangs.
