By Here is what could be stopping you from losing those last few KG’s
My fasting journey began a while back.
I had the intention to begin feeling energetic and eliminate my constant digestive issues. I was holding on to my old and worn out bodybuilding dieting strategies. Eating every few hours didn’t work for me anymore. I was putting on weight and feeling dreadful. Many years back, this wasn’t the case. The very restrictive bodybuilding shred diet worked so well once upon a time. Alas, our bodies don’t always respond to the same thing in one lifetime. As we age, things can get in the way of our progress, like stress, hormones and just the constant lethargy of eating and doing the same thing over and over. Our bodies recognise this and immediately stop reacting. Fasting has and always will be the best alternative for me, and there are a lot of others who swear by the simplicity of this lifestyle. However, for those of you who are ready to try something new in 2022, let me pull a few of the hindrances out of your way so you can get to the good stuff — that means results and excellent health.
Habit one: Not following your circadian rhythms of hunger.
I began fasting a very long time ago at the recommendation of my trainer. He gave me his strategy — skip breakfast and start eating your first meal at lunch. This was great for him because it was HIS natural body rhythm. He didn’t feel hungry in the morning and was distracted by clients during this period. But for me, this was my biggest fall from fasting grace. This resulted in me becoming wholly fixated on food all the time. I found this very frustrating and not to mention distracting. The reason this was happening wasn’t a lack of willpower (as I have a lot of that, and I’m sure many people do); it was because my fasting and feasting times were not in line with my circadian rhythms. I was fasting when I should have been eating and so forth. So, if you feel more hungry in the mornings — make sure you eat during this time and cut meals closer to the evening. If you don’t feel hungry in the mornings, make your last meal at dinner, and fast till lunch. Make sure your fasting pattern suits your hunger signals, and then you will experience great success.
Habit Two: Failing to drink enough water during the day, especially when you fast
Unfortunately, most people spend their day overeating without considering the bodies need for constant hydration. Drinking enough is key to making sure all your bodies systems are functioning optimally, for general health, energy and of course, going to the bathroom regularly.
Fasting has been known to promote constipation. However, you can easily combat this very annoying byproduct by drinking more water, eating lots of vegetables and getting enough fibre in your diet.
We can live for many days without food, but water is beyond essential. So don’t just save the water when you are hungry; instead, drink regularly upon the hour, and for every cup of coffee you drink, follow it up with 2 cups of pure, filtered water.
Habit Three: You have low levels of sodium in your blood works
This can throw most doctors because many of them lack the basics of dieting. And I’m also assuming none of them knows much about fasting (unless they are passionate about it). But, lack of sodium is just a case of your body’s insulin levels becoming so low during fasting that the kidneys work overtime to flush out water. That can diminish our salt levels. The best solution is to add more salt to the diet, and more importantly, add salt to some of the water you drink. You can also drink a few hydration solutions. I regularly purchase mine from iHerb. They are low calorie, and I can drink them during my fasting periods, knowing it will break my fast in any way. Keep tabs on this and get blood works done so you can see if this strategy is working for you. Usually, it becomes rectified with this simple solution. If you are concerned, mention this to your doctor, especially if you need to add more salt to your diet. This isn’t ideal for anyone suffering from hypertension or on a particular medication.
Habit Four: You are sneakily eating unhealthy food and snacks
Fasting does allow you the flexibility to eat some of the things you regularly enjoy — without the negative experiences of fat and weight gain. But, this is no excuse to eat junk food daily. Fasting requires you to watch what you eat and eat well for your healths sake, more than anything else. Eating to fuel your body is the key to a successful healthy life, especially if you resort to eating one meal a day (The Warrior Diet). That meal must sustain you and feed your body nutrient-rich vitamins and minerals.
Habit four: Exercising less or not at all
It’s essential to do some activity still, no matter how fast and effective your eating plan is. Exercise is essential for good health too. Diet needs the helping hand of exercise. Exercise helps to tone, strengthen and build muscle, stamina and fitness. The great thing about exercise is you can do what you love and do it regularly. That can be weight training, cycling or even running. Make exercise just as important as eating well, no matter how many meals you eliminate. It’s the best way to increase your stamina, as well as activate higher levels of Human Growth Hormone. This hormone is responsible for growing your muscles and helping you burn fat. So if exercise can give you a fat burning and longevity boost — then why not go for it too? Take away No diet is perfect, and there will be pitfalls all around. However, the outcome is to have sound health. Make that your primary aim in 2022.
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