Intermittent Fasting: 11 Motivating Reasons Why You Should Consider It
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Have you heard of intermittent fasting? It just might be the solution you are looking for to shed those unwanted pounds.
Since there are numerous programs out there to help you lose weight it can be confusing to choose the best one that fits with your lifestyle.
After much personal research, I decided to give it a try.
Read on to find 11 motivating reasons why I love intermittent fasting.
Check out the video below and I hope you enjoy it.
1. Intermittent Fasting is Flexible
If you are going to incorporate something new into your lifestyle you are more likely to stick with something that is flexible and will complement your daily routine.
The beauty of intermittent fasting is that it is completely flexible. That is one of the main reasons why I chose to try IF.
I have tried other diets such as Whole30 Challenge and Paleo, which I liked for various different reasons, but IF was the easiest to incorporate hands down.
2. You Don’t Have To Give Up Your Favorite Foods
Some diets tell you to never eat cookies or ice-cream. It sounds like good advice, right?
If diets are too restrictive chances are you won’t follow it long-term and you are just setting yourself up for failure.
With IF you don’t have to give up your favorite foods.
But to be very clear, this does not give you free rein to go eat all the junk food you want because if you do, you are doomed to fail. It doesn’t work that way.
Choose whole foods that are fresh and minimally processed where possible.
You can still eat your favorite foods and indulge in an occasional sweet treat but everything in moderation.
When you give up late-night snacking you will also effortlessly drop weight because you are taking in fewer calories.
3. It’s Simple
Most diets tell you what to do but with fasting you do nothing. What could be easier than that?
It simplifies life.
Let’s face it, between family, work, school, and after-work activities, many people don’t have a lot of time to spend cooking.
Cooking meals involves shopping, cooking, prep, and cleanup. So it takes TIME.
Intermittent fasting doesn’t involve any of this so you actually have more time.
4. Makes You Drink More Water
Drinking water is essential for life. In order for our cells and organs to function properly, we need water. There are numerous benefits to drinking water such as healthier skin, regulates body temperature, removal of toxins, and joint lubrication to name a few.
If you are in the fasted state and start to feel hungry then that is the time to drink more water. It will help you to feel satiated longer by creating a sense of fullness and it promotes weight loss.
How much water should you drink?
There is no scientific evidence of exactly how much water a person should be drinking but that will vary between each individual’s age and activity level.
According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the basic advice given is to let your thirst guide you.
5. Powerful Health Benefits Backed By Science
IF has shown to have numerous health benefits and can be an effective tool for weight loss.
Dr. Jason Fung, one of the world’s leading experts on intermittent fasting and low carb, helps people improve their health using this method.
He has written three best-selling books on the benefits and they are well worth the read.
6. It Won’t Burn a Hole In Your Wallet
Because you are not required to buy any special food, shakes, supplements, or even gym memberships, it makes it very affordable.
When you go to the store you purchase the foods that you are already getting, of course making sure that you are buying foods that are whole or minimally processed. Frozen foods are even a good choice because they are not expensive and are great to add to soups or stews.
Overall, intermittent fasting is not going to make you break the piggy bank.
7. Intermittent Fasting Works With Any Diet
Here is the biggest advantage of all.
Fasting can be added to any diet because it is not about something you do but about something you don’t do.
If you are a vegetarian, you can still fast.
Or maybe you have a gluten intolerance, you can still fast. What could be easier than this – really!
8. Helps With Emotional Eating
Emotional eating can really sabotage your weight-loss efforts. How often does it happen when you have a bad day and everything goes wrong?
Your first impulse is to head to the fridge to see what’s in it. Truth is that you are not really hungry physically but you are eating due to your emotions and what is going on at that time.
Intermittent fasting really helps you to be more mindful of your eating and helps you identify real hunger from emotional eating.
You end up making better choices and regain control of your weight.
9. You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
This is one of the nice things about intermittent fasting is that you don’t have to restrict yourself 24/7.
Allow yourself an occasional indulgence and that way you won’t feel deprived and you will keep your sanity.
This way you are less likely to derail yourself and fall into emotional eating.
I do allow myself something small and sweet like an ounce of dark chocolate and it totally satisfies my sweet tooth. It’s really up to you how you want to do it but the important thing is balance and moderation.
10. Vacation Weight Management Tool
When vacation time arrives we look forward to getting some R&R. Along with that often comes the temptation to eat more than we normally do.
You have worked hard to get to this point with your weight loss and you don’t want to sabotage it. So how can you enjoy yourself without feeling guilty?
INTERMITTENT FASTING is the answer. It will help you maintain your weight loss while you are enjoying your vacation.
Try adding a few days of 16:8 intermittent fasting.
Or maybe a 12:12 schedule works better but the important thing is to find what works for you.
Now you can enjoy your time away and not worry about putting on the extra weight. Just by maintaining it will allow you to feel good about yourself.
When you come back home then just get back in the saddle and continue on with what you were doing before and you won’t have the guilt of added weight gain.
11. Track Your Progress
Intermittent fasting definitely helps you feel better.
When you track your progress it gives you tangible data to see how you are doing and actually contributes to weight loss according to Science Daily.
Seeing our stats and numbers written down on paper helps us to see where we need to make adjustments to our schedule.
Keeping track of your caloric intake when first starting out will make you more aware, keep you accountable, give you insight into your eating habits, and you track your progress.
Final Words
If you are a beginner to intermittent fasting and not sure yet if you want to do it, I hope these tips will help with your decision-making.
Of course, you want to educate yourself so you can make an informed decision as to whether fasting is right for you or not. Always talk to your doctor before embarking on any new program.
