Me, and intermittent fasting, in the same sentence?! Haha, count me out!….or so I thought. It turns out you will try almost anything when you hit rock bottom.
After becoming a mother, I think I have said “never say never” more than I have in my entire life. (This also applies to bringing iPads to restaurants and co-sleeping, but that’s a topic for another day).
In this blog post, we will discuss intermittent fasting, and how it can be used to improve health and energy.
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As I have mentioned in other posts, after having my first child, I struggled with severe postpartum depression. In the beginning, I was on various medications to address the depression. I couldn’t tell if it was the depression or the prescription that was making me overly hungry. But I found myself snacking. ALL.DAY.LONG.
I had never struggled with my weight before, so I didn’t see a problem at first. I gained back all my pregnancy weight and more, and my pant sizes were increasing. The physical aspect of it didn’t bother me much at first. I think I kept making excuses for myself like “Well, I just had a baby.” Or how I was too busy with baby stuff to make a change for me.
But then the nausea, brain fog, and lack of motivation started. I was becoming dependent on medication to care for my mental health issues, not realizing that I also had to put the work in. (And this is not to knock the use of prescription medication to address mood disorders, medication saved my life and I still use some medication to this day.)
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As I was experiencing a MAJOR lack of motivation, I searched high and low for a magic pill or quick fix to no avail ( like, duh, obviously). I started researching different types of diets and what foods nourish the body and mind best.
I’m embarrassed to say I even bought a few diet plans from “nutritionists” who basically asked me to starve myself. They didn’t understand that I wasn’t just trying to lose weight, but I wanted to feel my BEST in all aspects of the word. I needed to find a sustainable lifestyle.
There were a few times during this journey that I had encountered intermittent fasting. Yet I assumed fasting also equated to starving, so I didn’t give it a chance in the beginning. I eventually returned to it, and once I dove in, I was completely sold. It just makes sense.
So, What Is Intermittent Fasting?
In Lamens terms, intermittent fasting is when you only eat within a specific time frame. Fasting for a certain number of hours each day, or eating just one meal a couple of days a week can help your body burn fat.
And scientific evidence points to some amazing health benefits, as well. Intermittent fasting prolongs the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat.
As someone who appreciates scientific facts, I liked what I was reading from all of the studies that have been conducted. I also enjoyed that options within the intermittent protocol are specific to your lifestyle. I went with the 16:8 lifestyle, which means I fast for 16 hours and can eat within an 8-hour time frame during the day. It sounds much more intense than it is, as you must consider how long you are asleep. I find it is best to fast from 7 pm-11 am for my lifestyle. This book was beneficial for a beginner who was just starting out.
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At first, I found it difficult to wait until 11 am to eat. My stomach would growl at the most inappropriate times (why is that so awkward BTW?). I started to realize how true we were conditioned to be snacking all day. Soon after, I downloaded an intermittent fasting timer app on my phone. This was helpful because it showed what stage of fasting I was in and what was currently happening within my body.
Affects of Intermittent Fasting
After about three weeks of sticking with it, I started noticing that fasting was becoming easier. I quickly became more aware of what I was putting in my body. And the bigger jeans I had to buy were starting to feel loose. Even more than that, I was beginning to FEEL better. I was happier; my anxiety lessened, my skin was clearing up, and my gut was finally healing!
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Intermittent fasting is a pretty simple concept. However you will find that there are aspects of it that will be tailored to your personal goals.
For me, it was important to look at the big picture, and not just my weight loss goals. With that in mind, I find it best to break my fast with a light and small meal. This usually consists of a cup of bone broth (to prepare my stomach for solids among other benefits), closely followed by eggs and some avocado slices.
Though some may argue to say intermittent fasting is an amazing way to continue eating whatever you want as long as it is in a certain time frame, I urge you to pay attention to how certain foods make you feel. For me, healthy, organic whole foods is what I choose to fuel myself with (for the most part, but you gotta live a little too)!
In conjunction to intermittent fasting, I stick to a mostly keto diet lifestyle. This high-fat low-carb “diet”<—( I don’t like that word) has healed so many of my ailments while also helping to maintain mental clarity and consistent energy levels.
Another way I have kept on top of my healthy lifestyle is with a membership at Thrive Market. I receive my groceries thoughtlessly and at a discount each week. Not having to think about what to get at the grocery store helps this mama stay on track!
Final Thoughts on Intermittent Fasting
So, is Intermittent fasting a “magic pill”? No. But it is the closest thing to it in my opinion.
As busy moms, our nutritional goals are sometimes put to the wayside. Intermittent fasting is a way of life that is healthy AND sustainable.
Since I began my experience with intermittent fasting, I have been shouting its benefits from the rooftops ( to all two of my followers). Not only are there plenty of benefits, but it is also a sustainable lifestyle. If you want a change, I recommend doing your research and talking to your physician to see if this might be an option for you.
Let me know in the comments below if you have ever tried intermittent fasting, what your thoughts are, or if you have any questions.
A healthy mama, is a happy mama!
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