3 Great Ways To A Sustainable Intermittent Fasting -

You may have heard about intermittent fasting and its benefits. But does the thought of fasting scares you, like having to go hungry for a long time?

Here are 3 great ways to make intermittent fasting more sustainable.

But first, what is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a cycle between periods of eating and fasting within the day. A common fasting period is the 16:8 method, also known as the Leangains diet. This means fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window.

How does intermittent fasting help with weight loss and improve health?

Our blood sugar rises when we eat. The body then starts producing insulin allowing glucose to enter the body which provides our cells with energy. If our insulin levels are high, excess glucose stays in our body leading to fat gain.

When we fast, our body does not release insulin and this prevents excess glucose from being converted to fat.

Fasting helps to cleanse our body from toxins since it now does not have access to glucose, forcing cells to use what is remaining in the body to produce energy.

For a beginner,here are 3 ways to make IF more sustainable:

1. Lower your carbs and increase healthy fat

A high-carb diet of sugary foods and refined starches can cause a fast and sharp spike in our blood sugar levels.

Eating fewer carbs make us less hungry, helping us to sustain IF longer. Adding enough healthy fats helps us to go longer between one meal to the next.

2. Add more vegetables to your diet

Vegetables are high in minerals (such as potassium and magnesium) and contain nutrients that help heal the body from insulin resistance. The fiber in vegetables feeds the microbes in our gut, helps with insulin resistance, and decreases hunger.

Combining vegetables with good fat helps us go longer between meals and the body dictates when to eat.