The Flipping 50 Show Calorie Restriction Isn’t Necessary to Start Intermittent Fasting
Feel like calorie restriction that cuts you down to 500 calories a day is too extreme for you? Or that it would throw you back into that 80s diet mentality you had?
There’s a lot of confusion about intermittent fasting and I’ve fielded more than a few questions since my intermittent fasting & exercise master class recently. No matter when you’re listening to this however, intermittent fasting isn’t going anywhere. So listen in, take a short walk with me and let me clear up a couple things.
You read that right: to start intermittent fasting you do not need to “diet” in fact, calorie restriction with intermittent fasting …
… may backfire for you midlife woman.
Especially if you’re an active one.
In a recent masterclass I shared components of intermittent fasting, styles if you will. Caloric restriction is one of them. But to start intermittent fasting – and see and feel results – you don’t have to or want to use all six components.
My friend, Tricia Nelson (Founder of Heal Your Hunger), emotional eating expert, and I agree on this. There are a lot of us whose dysfunctional/disordered eating will be triggered by fasting that is restrictive.
That said, the word restricted is used frequently in the same sentence with intermittent fasting.
So, you’ve got to be careful in deciding:
- Is it for you?
- Is it for you right now?
- What does your eating schedule look like now?
- What’s your activity level right now?
- What is your objective for starting IF?
- Where’s the best place to start intermittent fasting?
You also want to acknowledge what it is NOT:
- It’s not a quick weight loss fix.
- It’s not an escape from bloating, digestive issues, or no appetite or feelings of fullness.
Those things should first be dealt with.
And if you do have a history of anorexia, bulimia, exercise addiction, compulsive overeating, or binge-purge eating, then intermittent fasting may not now or ever be a good idea for you.
But if it is a good next step, here’s 3 baby steps about how to start intermittent fasting.
(listen to the show!)
1.
2.
3.
I’ll give you a forth bonus step.. too!
In a recent study- one I shared in that recent master class, just moving the eating window- the time of day subjects ate calories – without changing the amount of calories, resulted in greater weight loss success.
When subjects shifted eating to a shorter window, and to an earlier window, they experienced more success… without calorie restriction.
This is possible for anyone. It’s free. It’s painless. You’ve got nothing to lose.
You too may experience a number of benefits:
- Improved sleep
- Improved clarity
- More stable mood and energy
- Fewer cravings
- Reduced inflammation
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