Intermittent fasting (IF) took the LG community by storm this summer when I released my Intermittent Fasting Mini Guide. I created this mini guide to teach you what IF is, the science behind why it is touted as the ultimate fat loss tool, the benefits, a step by step implementation guide, full day of eating examples and my tips and tricks. Basically, there is so much info on IF out there that I wanted to give it to you in a pretty little package if you were interested in trying it out. Now, I want to give an update on IF after sticking to it for 6 months.
IN THIS POST, I WILL DISCUSS:
- quick summary of IF
- top 3 results seen while following IF
- if I will get back to IF next year
- 2 modifications you can make to “follow” IF without actually following IF (basically how to steal some of the results without the long fast)
- other IF posts you may find helpful
NOTE: I first began following intermittent fasting in January and stuck to it until I found out I was pregnant at the end of June. So, to answer the questions I receive on, “are you still following IF while pregnant” the answer is no. So many of you continue to have questions on IF, that I wanted to give on update on the 6 months I followed IF.
INTERMITTENT FASTING – A QUICK SUMMARY
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a style of eating that alternates between a period of eating and a period of “fasting.” It’s become pretty popular recently because of the fat loss effects although there are so many other benefits, which I will discuss.
It is my goal to provide you with as many tools and resources as possible to help you see results. It’s helped me a lot this year as well as my friends/family aka test subjects, so I knew this was something I had to share. IF is just another tool in our nutrition toolbox… I like to think of it as a style of eating and it’s really just about timing so it’s not much of an adjustment in my opinion.
TOP 3 RESULTS I NOTICED FROM FOLLOWING IF
1. FAT LOSS
If I am being honest, I was most interested to see if IF really was an effective fat loss tool. When I began IF, I was just 6 months postpartum. My body composition was higher in fat and lower in muscle than it had been in a decade so it was the perfect time to test.
Did it work? Yes! Was it magic? No. If you read this post of mine you’ll recall that I tried IF years ago and I used it as a way to eat junk and still stay lean – it back fired and I ended up gaining weight haha. This time, I knew I had to continue eating well and working out.
Overall, I felt that IF was like having a supercharged engine in a race. I still had to put in the work but I felt that the timing of how I was eating (IF) further supported my fat loss goals if that makes sense. Overall, I definitely saw a decrease of body fat in an efficient manner.
2. LESS CRAVINGS (ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT)
This results was unexpected but awesome… I actually thought that fasting meant I would feel hungry. IF took me about 2-3 weeks to completely adjust to but after that, I noticed that my cravings plummet. It was weird you guys because I am suck a snacker. I love grabbing a few crackers thought out the day. I always have a little snack after dinner but that completely decreased.
Most noticeably… after dinner (which I eat around 7PM), I was completely full and satisfied. I truly (like not just saying this) did not crave snacks into the evening. It was bizarre but that is one results I loved most!
3. EVEN ENERGY
In the 6 months that I followed IF, I felt great. I woke up with energy. I felt steady, even energy all throughout the day. I felt as though my meals further energized me instead of weighing me down. Overall, I just felt really good!
WILL I GO BACK TO INTERMITTENT FASTING?
So, right now, I am 5 months pregnant and I’ve already thought, “will I go back to following IF or some modified version after baby?!” Definitely! I think one thing that is important to remember with IF and any nutrition approach is that there are always modifications you can make. After baby, I will certainly do IF again even if it isn’t the traditional 16/8 schedule right away.
2 MODIFICATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO “FOLLOW” IF WITHOUT ACTUALLY FOLLOWING IF
Okay, so let’s say you kind of like the idea of IF but you don’t actually think its’ for you or you just don’t want to try it out right now. I have 2 modifications you can make to the way you eat to see some IF-like benefits without fasting.
1. NO SNACKS AFTER DINNER
This goes back to the reduced cravings as one of my favorite results of IF. I still continue to eat dinner around 7/730 PM every night, which is a pretty late dinner. I always opt for a dinner that is satisfying even if it takes me a bit longer to make and I am rarely hungry after. The less snacking I do in the evening, the less I crave it.
2. EXTRA WATER IN THE AM
With IF, most people schedule their eating window so that it doesn’t begin until a bit later in the day. I personally chose to start my meals at noon. In the mornings, I focused on liquids… water, lemon water, apple cider vinegar drinks, etc. One of the reasons I think I felt so great overall was because of how hydrated I was. Of course that’s something everyone tells you but I try to keep up with it even when I don’t follow IF for the benefits!
OTHER INTERMITTENT FASTING BLOG POSTS
If you liked this post, be sure you check out a few others I’ve written on the topic…
Intermittent Fasting Q&A (answers to your most common questions) HERE
My IF Experience (results & the BIGGEST mistake I made) HERE
My Intermittent Fasting Mini Guide HERE
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