ShareUp until this point, I dead set thought it was a trick. Another fad diet.
About three years ago, I was sitting in a lecture at a fitness seminar in Providence, Rhode Island and the words kept spinning in my head.
Everything I learned about fat loss nutrition had just been completely thrown out the window.
Enter Intermittent Fasting.
A well-respected fitness pro was presenting client success stories and incredible results, as well as describing his great experience. He was NOT kidding.
At first I scoffed at the idea of not eating every three hours, let alone full-blown 24-hour fasts. How could this possibly accelerate fat loss? Doesn’t your body go into the dreaded starvation mode after three hours?
Last May, I decided to give it a shot and see what all the fuss was about. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing…
My First Intermittent Fasting Experiment
Before I advise my clients on the best fat loss nutrition plans, I have to test them on myself. It was no different with intermittent fasting.
You may remember my first run in with this diet.
It was a total, utter failure.
I completely blew it. I made every error in the book. Apparently, the best day to try a fast for the first time is a Sunday, as I later found out…
- I attempted my first 24 hour fast on a busy Friday <– silly KV
- I did 2 intense 30 minute workouts <— not one, but two…
- I trained 8 clients and drank minimal water <— death by dehydration
- It was “that time” of the month <– body NEEDS nutrients
Listen, DO NOT do this on your first fasting attempt.
The starvation of fasting that day sent me a little crazy.
Literally.
By 4pm in the afternoon, it reached breaking point. I had made it through 19 of the 24 hours. Fail.
What followed was an insane binge on chocolate, muffins and chicken. Anything in sight. I’m pretty sure I actually gained a few pounds.
So yes, I messed up. But I didn’t quit.
Maybe it’s the competitive instinct in me, but I never let anything beat me so I figured I’d give it another shot.
Intermittent Fasting Round 2
So Round 2 of KV vs Intermittent Fasting happened last month (mid May-mid June) and boy, it was very, very interesting.
I decided to do more research before randomly attempting to avoid food for 24 hours, like I did in the past.
Instead of going for a 24 hour fast straight off the bat, I decided to test the 16/8 protocol from Brad Pilon, which is self-explanatory. Ok, maybe not. I’ll explain it for you now.
Fast for 16 hours. Eat for 8 hours. (No, don’t eat for 8 hours straight. That’s simply the window of opportunity). The recommended timing is to fast from 8pm at night to midday the following day, which gives you an eating window from 12pm-8pm.
Within those 8 hours, you still consume the same number of calories as you would in a day. However, in this case you have a greater window for fat burning.
The big difference this time was how I mentally approached the fast. Instead of thinking:
“Oh my gawd, I can’t eat for a whole 16-24 hours!”
I shifted my approach to:
“I’ll just take a break from eating for a little while.”
Sure enough, it did the trick. Plus, I didn’t have to go a whole day without food.
Did You See Results?
Within a week, I had noticeable results, particularly around my midsection.
Ab definition – check
Hip bones showing – check
Arms looking sexy – check
The one thing I really noticed was my shift in energy levels. During my intermittent fasting trial, contrary to my predictions, I found myself with MORE energy.
My first thought was I would have difficulty getting through the morning to midday without any fuel. But in fact, it was quite the opposite. I had MORE energy, and felt freaking awesome. Why? To be honest, I’m not sure.
Didn’t You Get Hungry?
I won’t lie. Yes, I did have moments of hunger. It wasn’t the end of the world. The thing is, I predicted the times it would happen, and it quickly passed.
Having a distraction, like working, and being away from food definitely helped. (Mind you, that’s challenging in New York seeing as every other shop sells food).
If I’d been sitting at home with nothing to do and a fridge full of food, it would have been a disaster. No food is safe when I’m on a rampage.
Is Intermittent Fasting for everyone?
Absolutely not. Nutrition is a personal experiment. Particular diets work great for some people and not at all others. IF is no different.
Who intermittent fasting is definitely NOT for:
- Athletes
- Pregnant women
- Children/Elderly folks
- Stressed out, pre menstrual women
As I tell my clients, you need to figure out what works best for YOU. If you’re not happy with the results you’re getting, you need to make a change and experiment with something new.
While some folks get scared at the thought of fasting, for others it’s a better fit for their busy schedule.
Definitely DON’T attempt this diet without an open mind.
Here’s to experimenting,
KV
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