SO- You're thinking of trying out INTERMITTENT FASTING?! Awesome!

There seems to be a recent flood of people interested in the "intermittent fasting" approach to a healthy, balanced nutrition plan... and, as with any new plan that comes around, there are a lot of questions about it!

About 2 years ago I started to really explore how to become a fat burning machine as opposed to a carb fueled monster, and I today I want to set out a little bit of what I learned in the process for you!

Hopefully you can learn a little bit from the resources that I'll share with you here, and have a better understanding of what to expect if YOU decide to experiment with it yourself :)

The most important piece for you to understand about intermittent fasting is that it is NOT a quick fix solution to your weight loss goals. 
If you are looking for a way to drop weight FAST, this post isn't for you. This approach isn't for you.
If you're looking for a way to truly optimize your health for LIFE, then keep reading.

There are many ways to become more fat adapted, and intermittent fasting is just one potential piece to that puzzle. You MUST listen to your body as you begin to experiment. What works for one person may not work for you, and what might work great for you might not work for someone else.
Resist the temptation to compare yourself to others.
Your genetics, hormones, current habits, and so many other lifestyle factors all come together when it comes to your journey to becoming your best self. These are all major players that require time, energy, and patience to reprogram themselves in order to function at their best.

Intermittent fasting, while INCREDIBLE in so many ways, will take time for your body to adjust to fully and will not necessarily give you dramatic results in 2 weeks. Your body is complex. BE PATIENT and STAY THE COURSE. Deal? 


Okay. SO.... when I decided to take the plunge, I lightly documented my journey as far as the WHY I decided to dive into IF, HOW I approached condensing my eating window, and WHAT some of the expected and unexpected side effects were as I progressed through my first month with it. I've put them together in a little list here for you to check out!

1. You can find my WHY as well as the podcasts that I listened to that tipped me over the edge into the IF world by checking out my original blog post about it here: Sometimes the Status Quo Just Doesn't Suit You Anymore: How I'm Changing my Entire Approach to Healthy Eating

2. You can find my 1st week's response and how I felt physically, emotionally, and some unexpected (yet apparently very common) side effects that cropped up as my body adjusted, here: A Tardy Update on My New Nutrition!

3. At 2 weeks into being fully committed to the IF window, the initial side effects were fading and I noticed that my hangry carb monster was seeming to have vanished! How were the rest of my results?... check it out, here: Week 2 Update: No News is Good News... for now

4. My 4th and final entry demonstrated how truly fascinating my results were becoming, and how DESPITE "real life" getting in the way a little bit, I was still seeing the most encouraging response that I'd seen in a long time... read more, here: There Was a Change A-Comin... and then I Let Life Get in the Way (Weeks 3-5)

The documenting of my experiment ended over a year ago, but continuing with intermittent fasting as a part of my approach to nutrition moving forward was permanent (...well... until I got pregnant this Spring and everything flew out the window. Like. Seriously out the window-- Truths About the First Trimester that *Apparently* No One Tells You)

I proceeded to have the best, healthiest, most fulfilling running season on the books. I ran a half marathon and a couple full marathons during this year of practicing IF with ZERO intestinal distress, no injuries, and feeling more energized and clear headed than ever before. 

My sleep schedule was SOLID and I woke up refreshed every single day. 

I never had a moment of hangry-ness, and experienced more stable blood sugar levels than ever before in my life. 

I was less fluffy, leaner, and felt more like my BEST self than I had felt in a long time!

I even went so far as doing 10-12 mile fasted runs during my training season and feeling great! 

So, if you were to ask me if I think you should give IF a try for yourself, my answer would HAVE TO BE a resounding YES! 

As long as you also: listen to your body, keep your blinders on to others, and are willing to be patient as you fundamentally shift the way in which your body has been functioning (probably for decades).

I am here and always happy to chat with you individually if you have questions or curiosities about this! Obviously there is much more to it all than is documented in these posts, but let's be real... not everyone has time for that :) 

Hit me up if you wanna chat! Use the contact bar on this page, or email me at bestselfproductions@gmail.com

Happy Fasting! 

-B