I just felt the need to write a new blog post today as my life has changed so very much in the past year and a half, and I wanted to share my journey. Basically, the big change in my life started very simply, but it is something that has had a HUGE impact on my life in EVERY aspect!
In January of last 2020 I started Intermittent Fasting, also know as time restricted eating. A very simple explanation of this is that I only changed WHEN I eat, not WHAT I eat; I am already someone who eats 90% of my diet as whole foods, with little fast food or processed meals. I start my eating each day after 12pm and eat what I like between 12 and 7 p.m., but drinking all the water, black coffee/tea, or unflavoured sparkling water I like.
By doing this I am giving my body a chance to digest, heal, and use up what has been stored as fat to fuel my body throughout the day.
Let me be very clear about wording here; Intermittent fasting is a way of life, NOT a diet.
At first, not eating first thing was a little difficult as I felt a bit weak and had headaches, but once my body adjusted to it, which took about 3 weeks, I realized that I don’t NEED to eat first thing as long as I get my nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in my “window”. I am in no way starving myself as many people believe! Starving is a state you have no control over, Fasting is a state you have complete control of.
What people don’t realize is that if we eat every 2 hours to “keep our metabolism going”, “to keep our energy levels up”, “to keep our blood sugar from dipping/crashing” we are actually never giving our bodies a chance to digest and use what is in our bodies already. As long as you have more than 10% body fat as a female (and truly the only females who don’t are highly trained athletes which, let’s be honest, very few of us are) you have enough stored body fat to become a “fat burning machine” every day! If we aren’t using this body fat which is being stored as soon as we eat it, what is the point of it?!?!
My “eating window” as it is referred to by IFers (Intermittent Fasters) started out as 8 hours, but has gone down to 2-4 hours a day usually as I am able to fill my body with enough nutritious food (lots of good healthy fats and proteins, mainly “whole” foods) in a much shorter span of time, and I’m simply not hungry until this time. I no longer revolve my day around meals. I no longer revolve my life around a “grumbling stomach”. Once you start doing this you realize that hunger pains come and go, they don’t just get worse and worse. When your body becomes “fat adapted” which means that it is fueling off of stored fat rather than the quick burning carbs you just put in, you have all the energy you need. I exercise (and those who know me know I am quite intense with my exercise!) in a fasted state 100% of the time and feel incredible; NEVER lack energy. I will never go back to exercising after eatting, but more on this later. When you figure this out and instead realize that drinking water, black tea, or coffee when your stomach makes noises is enough to get you past these “moments” you realize that you have been filling yourself unnecessarily all along.
I am going to leave it at that for my 1st post about this, but I am going to continue this journey with you all for a while now as I have barely scratched the surface of this fantastic new way of life.
I have learned so much and have so many resources to share so leave comments, message me if you want more info now. Otherwise….stay tuned as I am very passionate about this and can’t wait to share more 😁💪🌞
Your Simply Susan tip of the day!
Shine on my friends🌼💛🌞
fit2borganized 