The top five reasons why you’re not losing weight with fasting

Intermittent fasting is the most popular weight-loss trend, which works wonders only when done correctly

It’s really easy to make fasting mistakes, which can stall your weight loss or even get you putting on weight instead! It’s essential to nail the eating window to reap the weight loss and health benefits. This consists of adequate fasting times, the foods you consume and when you break a fast. If you’re trying to lose weight with IF and it’s not happening right now, keep reading below on what may be blocking your success.

Fasting for weight loss, how does it work

Your fasting results depend on when you eat & don’t eat. Some people like to fast for 24 hour periods a couple of times a week. The most popular fasting time is the 16:8 method when you have an eating window of about 8 hours. That’s roughly from 8 pm — 12 pm the next day. When you restrict your food intake to a shortened time, you will most likely decrease the number of calories you take in, helping you along the weight loss journey. Once you continue to do this every day, you will experience weight loss. The beauty is you are slowing down your insulin pump, which boosts fat burn.

The big question is, now, long before you lose weight

There are so many factors that contribute to your rate of weight loss. It varies a lot from person to person, what kind of IF approach you take, and how much food you consume during your eating window. If you fast every single day and reduce your caloric rate, you most definitely have the potential to see weight loss within the first week — possibly, a lot of bloating in the belly will start to ease up for you. You may not noticeably see any weight loss results for up to 3 weeks or so. It took me over three months to see any results — which is frustrating. We are all experienced weight loss in different stages. If you are losing too much weight, check out your nutritional plan to make sure you are eating enough. This could lead to other issues like malnourishment, so do be careful.

The top five reasons why you’re not losing weight with fasting

One: Overeating during the eating window

Fasting can allow you to consume a little more but is not an eating plan that allows for consistently overeating — especially on the wrong foods. Although calorie counting isn’t fun, sometimes you must gauge how much you should be eating. This will all depend on how much weight you would like to lose. I never monitored my caloric intake, but I would change my protein sources every day. One tip is that whitefish and eggs are very low caloric, high protein food sources. They also encourage satiety eliminating cravings and hunger. Red meats are high in calories, but you can have them every so often (if you eat red meat). I like to cook meals that are quick, calorie-controlled and delicious! Of course, it always helps when dessert and snacks are included.

Two: You may not be eating enough on non-fasting daysNot eating enough can have the same effect as overeating. We never want our bodies to believe we are in famine mode, therefore, moving into the conservation rather than the fat-burning method. It’s perfectly ok to have some days where you consume more calories. It’s essential to have one or two days where you are eating delicious quality foods. Focus on nutrient-dense varieties such as healthy fats, carbs and some higher fat protein sources. This is a good time for your steak or some salmon.

Three: Your fasting window is too shortSome people experience success within shorter fasting periods, but we have to go beyond our comfort zones a little to get results. When I want to lose weight, 20 hours of fasting is a great alternative. 18 and 17 hours are fine as well. Anything below that, I don’t get good results. The only way to try is to alternate your fasting and feeding times and see what works best. Then, use one or two methods at a time. Test and reset.

Four: You’re not following the planSome people can find it hard to not eat for any given period. Those will all add up to negative results if you keep cutting corners or cheating your fasting plan. You may want to consider if this is the right lifestyle plan for you or something you should do only a few times a week. There is no right or wrong here, as not everyone will like this kind of method. 

Five: You’re not exercising

Although exercise isn’t the be-all and end-all, it’s crucial from a health point of view. Walking is very beneficial to your body, mind and fat loss. Why not pick a sport or activity you love, and keep doing it every other day. You will look and feel fantastic — and lose weight in the process. I hope this gives you some guidance on stopping your fasting results, Have a good look at your nutrition, exercise and rest periods to see if you may be cutting corners or don’t want to change these aspects.