What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?
To fast is to go a certain amount of time without food, drink, or both. Growing up, this was usually a religious practice for me. I’m sure you’re familiar with Lent practiced in Christianity. We would couple prayer and fasting which, as a child, I never enjoyed.
IF and Keto
I follow Dr. Eric Berg(Check out dr eric berg (@drericbergdc): https://twitter.com/drericbergdc?s=09) on various social media sites. His explanation of Keto and IF is what interested me in this new way of eating(WOE). He suggests not starting IF until you are somewhat fat-adapted as to avoid symptoms of low blood sugar.
Dr. Berg suggests starting IF gradually by eating 3 meals per day with no snacking in between. Ummmm… Quick confession… Your girl likes to graze. I’m a snacker. No snacks… Strange concept to me. Lol
I started my #AprilIFChallenge because I’m told IF does wonders for weight loss.
There are many other types of IF people do. My plan is to gradually build up to fasting for 24 hours 2 days out of the week. Sounds scary right?
I started on April 1st. Easter and April Fool’s day😂. I had already started at a disadvantage. I had just survived a brutal Shark week. I didn’t, however, come out unscathed. I had succumb to increased hunger and sugar cravings throughout the entire week prior to starting this IF Challenge.
I immediately noticed, with eating more food and more sweets( they’re keto approved… No worries right?😒), I woke up every morning starving. This didn’t help me during my first week.
The first day, I was hungry, irritable, and very focused on food. To make matters worse… I DIDN’T MEAL PREP! Biggest mistake of all! So while sitting at work, I was completely obsessed about lunch.
My co-workers and I had settled on Jimmy John’s. Oh how excited I was about the delicious unwich I was about to order. But did I mention it was Easter😕… I ended up stuck with eating a bunless burger from our hospital cafeteria. Not exactly what I had in mind.
The rest of the week snow-balled from there. I did well with not eating before 12 pm, but I found myself eating after 8 pm. Usually something sweet. That sweet craving had gotten a hold of me, again, something fierce.
I also found myself eating larger portions. For some reason I had rationalized, in my mind, since I’m eating less hours… I should eat more food. This did not work out to my advantage either. After most meals, I felt sluggish and overstuffed… This wasn’t working.
Needless to say, the first week was a complete flop! I felt discouraged. I felt like I didn’t have any will power or self-discipline. But then I remembered, it was a learning experience. This first week I’ve learned the do’s and don’ts of my IF experience. This new WOE is a marathon… Not a sprint!
What should you take away?
1. Don’t start IF if you are completely new to keto or not fat-adapted… It’s just not worth the symptoms that come with it.
2. Meal prep… meal prep… MEAL PREP honey. It’s essential. It makes the whole experience easier.
3. Watch your portions. It’s easy to believe that you can eat as many of the “Keto approved” foods as you want, but That’s not true… We’re trying to change old habits right? By “We”, I mean me. Lol
Keto on my loves 😁
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20 NIV
Keto With Adrienne 