Day 1: Trying Not to Stress Eat

Everything in Moderation

Today went pretty well, almost stuck to my plan completely, I did have grits with my breakfast, and the soup was finished off so we had chicken and potatoes for dinner.

When working with intermittent fasting there are a few different levels to work off of. Women are recommended to alternate throughout the week to help stimulate the thyroid properly so that it is supported and remains healthy. The three levels I prefer to work with are 12/12, 16/8 and 18/6.

Base Level

12/12 is the first level of intermittent fasting. It is arguably the easiest level to work on. During this you are allowed to eat for 12 hours, and then you fast for 12 hours. This type of fasting typically fits right in to most people’s schedules and it is pretty easy to adhere to. On a day when I am slacking this is the fast I go for.

Mid Level

16/8 this consists of 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating. This mid-level type of fasting offers more of a challenge, and you may actually begin to feel like you are changing your lifestyle when you eat like this. Requiring you to eat for only 8 hours during the day promotes a much later breakfast or a much earlier dinner. You can still allow yourself 3 meals comfortably on this schedule.

Upper Level

18/6 gives your body a few more hours for your body to work on cleansing itself which is a big part of what promotes lose weight. 18 hours of fasting and only 6 hours of eating is a little more strict, but also much more rewarding. Adding 1 day like this into your week when you first begin can be a little rough, but as you advance allotting 2 or 3 days with this schedule can really help your body to begin to feel a little lighter. Allowing more time to digest your food allows your body to rest easier when you turn in for the night.

There are two other levels of intermittent fasting which are more advanced than the ones I mentioned which include a 20/4 and a 23/1. These options are something which require much more research and dedication than the levels I went over which focus more on counting macros and the proper types of food to help promote the best outcome for your body.

Whatever level of fasting you choose there is something for everyone. I suggest you always do your research when looking at lifestyle changes, it can make all the difference.