In this post, I share my pictures of intermittent fasting before and after, as well as my experience. If you’re on the fence about IF, then this post is for you!
If you’ve been following my fitness journey, you've probably already seen at least one of my intermittent fasting posts. Intermittent fasting, coupled with my love for clean eating, truly changed the game. I’m passionate about IF because I feel like it changed my life. Not only have studies demonstrated a positive relationship between IF and weight loss, cognitive function, and metabolism, it’s also super simple to do! No fancy equipment is required.
My journey had a lot of ups and downs — to the point where I got obsessed with the scale. It was only after my son Hunter's birth that I finally found balance and self-acceptance. A lot had to do with IF, macro counting, portion control, and meal prep for weight loss for me.
Remember that it’s always best to consult your doctor before a new diet or lifestyle change to ensure no unforeseen complications. It's also important to consider whatever intermittent fasting myths you may have heard.
What Happens To Your Body When You Fast For 16 Hours?
According to a 2019 study by Cabo and Mattson where they reviewed studies in animals and humans on how intermittent fasting affects general health indicators, there are many benefits from IF.
For example, an 8-week study by Moro, et al. on 34 men randomly assigned to different eating groups found that those with an 8-hour feeding window (and fasting for the rest) showed a decrease in fat mass, among other beneficial results compared to those not fasting.
More Benefits From Fasting
- Insulin levels can decrease: This helps our body use stored energy from our long-term fat storage (in the form of glycogen in the liver) rather than from the food we eat.
- Levels of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) can increase dramatically: This can positively affect muscle growth.
- Mental acuity and cognition can improve: This happens as less blood flow surges to the stomach to digest recently consumed food.
- Autophagy can occur: Old and dysfunctional cells are broken down and repaired.
Want more info on intermittent fasting for women? Check out my complete guide on intermittent fasting for women.
Does Sleeping Count As Fasting?
Yes, studies indicate sleeping during your fast can count as fasting! Because you’re asleep, you’re not consuming any calories.
The 16/8 method IF method involves fasting for 16 hours per day and having your eating window reduced to 8 hours.
Pro Tip: The 16/8 method is usually the easiest fast for beginners because it’s as simple as not eating anything after dinner and skipping breakfast.
More Helpful Posts On Intermittent Fasting
Looking to learn more about intermittent fasting? Here are posts on my weight loss and maintenance journey!
- Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
- What Is Intermittent Fasting? | Can It Help You Lose Weight?
- Do Vitamins Break A Fast?
- 9 Intermittent Fasting Mistakes Beginners Make (And How To Avoid Them!)
- Why Am I GAINING Weight With INTERMITTENT FASTING: 4 IF Mistakes That Can Lead To Weight Gain
- Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan | How To Create Your Eating Routine
Kelly
Really good job on the weight loss, you look great. I absolutely love intermittent fasting, I'm currently doing 16:8 but going to push to 18:6 after the new year.