Fasting is controlling when you eat, rather than focusing as much on what you eat. You find a regular time period to eat and you don’t eat the rest of the time. We prefer to do the 16:8 – sixteen hours of fasting and then eating for 8 hours. Some people fast for twenty-four hours, or even longer, and then eat regular meals the other days. Why do people fast? We’ll take a look at this idea to celebrating the benefits of fasting February.
What are the Benefits of Fasting?
Fasting has many benefits to your body. It’s kind of a reset for you. Your organs build resistance against stress, it regulates glucose levels, and it suppresses inflammation. Fasting can also improve your mental health. Fasting is a centuries old tradition. In fact, all faiths have an aspect of fasting associated with their rituals. It’s also been a go-to for curing diseases and illnesses since doctors first arrived on the scene.
How Do I Do Fasting?
For years, we’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, it is important to break your fast, but skipping breakfast can actually be beneficial if you do it right. It’s healthier to skip breakfast and break your fast at lunch time than eating a pastry on the go in the morning.
During the fast, you should only take in zero calorie liquids, such as water, black coffee or black tea. I tend to have one coffee with a little bit of cream in it. Some people say that will knock you out of your fast, but I still find it helpful. And, you do not want to see me in the morning without my coffee!
When you eat, you need to eat normally – meaning your regular amount of calories and nutrients. Fasting for 16 hours doesn’t give you the ability to eat pizza for the next 8 hours. If you normally take in about 1500-2000 calories in your day, that’s what you should take in during your eating time. And make sure you’re getting your vitamins and nutrients in.
When Should I Look For the Benefits of Fasting?
So, if you read this blog, you will know that we just came back from a vacation to Mexico. We did okay on the food aspect of things. Breakfast was easy with bacon and eggs. We found bunless hamburgers or a buffet for lunch. Dinner was a bit trickier, but we found restaurants who could cater to our keto needs. But the beer! Oh, did we drink a lot of beer!
When we returned home, we were definitely feeling the effects of spoiling ourselves. It was time for a reset. Bill is doing a “two weeks of” to describe how we are doing that. But, first and foremost in our plan was fasting. So, we eat from 11 am to 7 pm. The rest of the time, we fast.
Who Should Not Look for Benefits from Fasting?
There are some people who doctors say should not try fasting. This includes children under the age of 12, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women. People with Type 1 Diabetes who take insulin are also usually discouraged from fasting.
People with eating disorders should definitely do fasting with extreme caution and only under the observation of doctors. I have never suffered from anorexia or bulimia, so I can only imagine the havoc fasting could have on these conditions. Fasting gives you a feeling of control over food. I find that powerful, as I’ve always had no control over my eating and cravings. That control can be intoxicating, so I would definitely not recommend it for anyone who struggles with an eating disorder.
Does Fasting Work?
I think it does. We’ve been down with COVID for the past week or so, but I know my body feels better than it did when we returned from Mexico. My stomach is not bloated and my jeans are fitting better than they did! Sometimes, your body just needs some help to get rid of the bad and take in the new. I feel like that’s what fasting does for me. And, truly, people have been doing it for centuries. It can’t be all wrong!
Wendy
