As a woman, losing weight can be super difficult. Fortunately, I come from a family with good genetics in that area so I never thought I’d ever put on some pounds, but having a desk job has slowly taken its toll (I’m sure many of you can commiserate).
Sometimes I find it super hard to make time to fit everything into my day that I should:
- At least 8 hours of sleep
- Daily prayer time
- Eating healthy
- Full-time job
- Working out
- Quality time with my boyfriend
- Time with friends
…and so many other responsibilities
I just don’t get how some ladies are able to cram all of this into a day, so inevitably something takes a back seat and I have to be honest when I say that it’s been my prayer time and my health. And I want to make a change.
Intermittent Fasting: What It Is
My boyfriend recently began intermittent fasting and up until now I knew nothing about it. I researched it and the health benefits are astounding.
Intermittent fasting is exactly what it sounds like: going a certain amount of hours without eating. This results in your body entering a “fasted state” where it begins to burn fat more rapidly.Β The following are just some of the fantastic benefits of intermittent fasting:
- Sustainable weight loss
- Increase in lean muscle
- Improved energy
- Increased cell stress response (which could lead to increased resistance to disease)
The below infographic helps explain this health strategy:
Women and Intermittent Fasting
For those who want to begin to intermittently fast, there are some points to consider, especially for women.
- Excessive fasting or fasting for more than 24 hours could result in a hormonal imbalance, so be sure to fast for only 12-16 hours at a time, which is ideal for women
- Do not fast consecutive days for your first two to three weeks of fasting.Β Instead, fast for 16 hours every other day; Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for example
- Drink plenty of fluids such as herbal tea or broth
- Only do light exercise such as yoga, walking or gentle stretching
Below is a simple schedule to try out if you want to make the move and fast intermittently.
Earnestly,
Emma
So intrigued by this! Have you tried it? I’m not sure I could do it because I love eating so much! Although the benefits sound amazing. So maybe I should give it a try!
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I actually just started yesterday. So I at dinner at 8pm and then didn’t eat again until noon the next day…16 hours which is ideal for women! Hoping to lose some of that stubborn belly fat π
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