5 Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Helps with Weight Loss and Reduce Belly Fat
When you are in the fasting state for an extended period of time, your body goes into a ketogenic fat-burning state, where it burns your body’s fat for fuel instead of the food you would otherwise eat.
Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is at the root of many health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Fasting for prolonged periods, coupled with drinking lots of water and proper hydration, can help eliminate inflammation in the body.
Boosts Brain Function
What is good for the body is often good for the brain as well. Intermittent fasting improves various metabolic features known to be important for brain health. IF may improve mental acuity and concentration. According to Johns Hopkins Health Review, IF can improve connections in the brain’s hippocampus and also protect against amyloid plaques, which are found in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Reduces Insulin Resistance and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Case studies have shown that intermittent fasting has helped people with type 2 diabetes to limit their insulin intake, dramatically lower insulin levels, and significantly improve insulin sensitivity, as well as significantly lower blood pressure.
Simplifies Life and Saves Money
When you eliminate the number of meals you eat in a day or week, you will find that meal prep becomes much easier, YAY! During eating windows, you can simply eat your regular food and then drink water, tea, coffee, or bone broth while fasting. Easy, right?! This saves you both time and money on food.
How to Survive Your Fasting Hours
There are a few tips and tricks I can give you to survive your intermittent fasting hours. I have learned these over time, as I went because my stomach normally wakes up before my brain does and I normally need to eat as soon as I wake up.
These tips will help you ease into intermittent fasting if you are just getting started:
You can drink tea and COFFEE!! Just make sure you are drinking black coffee.
Drink LOTS of water. This will help you feel full and will help keep your hunger at bay.
Stay busy to keep your mind off of being hungry and the countdown to your eating window.
IMPORTANT: Don’t binge after fasting! This will only counter the benefits and will make the next day more difficult. (1)
Remember to have fun, be grateful and you'll be on your way to living your most optimal life!
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