Intermittent fasting is an ancient method that has been around for centuries and is now making a come back! You might want to try intermittent fasting for weight-loss, weight-control or a healthier life style. Here are all my tips on how to do intermittent fasting successfully.
Advantages of Intermittent Fasting
I started intermittent fasting from last year and found it extremely effective. Here are all the reasons why I love it:
- You can start and stop the method any time. You can also take breaks on the weekend.
- Unless you want aggressive weight-loss you do not have to change anything about what you eat during the “non-fasting” part of the day.
- No special diet or equipment required.
- It can be easily incorporated in anyone’s daily lifestyle.
As muslims we are used to fasts where we can’t even have water, so I personally find intermittent fasting very easy to do.
How to do Intermittent Fasting
In intermittent fasting you divide the 24 hours of the day into two portions: the non-fasting part that is usually 6-10 hours during the day where you can eat anything and the fasting part that’s usually 18 – 14 hours in which you can not eat anything and only have water, green tea (no sugar) and black coffee (no sugar, no milk).
I start my fast at 6pm in the evening after dinner and my cup of chai. During the evening and before sleeping, I do not eat anything and only have warm water, fennel tea or cumin tea.
When I wake up in the morning around 7am I have warm water with lemon. I then give children breakfast and drop them off to school, before having breakfast at 10am.
Yes, I’m REALLY hungry by then but otherwise intermittent fasting is not difficult and quite easy to manage.
Making Intermittent Fasting work
To make intermittent fasting work, make sure you have a few hours of fasting left before you wake up. For example wake up at 7am and open your fast at 10am. Don’t wake up at 9.30am and wakeup your fast at 10am. You need to be active in the last few hours of fasting to burn fat.
Late night snacking is extremely unhealthy. Intermittent fasting helps you not eat between early dinner and bedtime. Having warm water, lemon water, fennel tea and cumin tea will help curb any hunger pangs.
Make fennel and cumin tea by simply adding a few seeds in hot water. Then strain after a few seconds and enjoy!
You can also start with shorter durations of fasting and increase as your body adjusts to the fasting.
How to do Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss
If you want to use intermittent fasting for weight loss, do the following:
- Eat more vegetables in the non-fasting part of your day.
- Break your fast with a healthy breakfast like overnight oats and chia pudding. Make it the night before, so you have something ready when you’re extremely hungry and ready to open the fast.
- Stop eating white sugar. Replace sugar with more natural options like maple syrup or honey in your tea and coffee.
- Do cardio before you open your fast in the morning. This really helps accelerate burning fat.
Hope all these tips helped you! Let me know if you have any questions!
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Excellent share Tamania. I have been struggling with weight loss as well and i guess for a person like me who loves food this can be a very effective option.
Yes, do try it!