When you hear the word "fasting", your first thought probably goes to "hunger". And I totally understand why. This is where my mind first went to as well. BUT... something really interesting happens when you use Intermittent Fasting properly - you DON'T get hungry. Why?? As your body gets better at burning fat as fuel (and produce ketones as a result) vs. carbohydrates, your blood glucose levels begin to stabilize because you aren't relying on glucose as a fuel source. This leads to less hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) moments that trigger hunger.
Then why are you feeling hungry with Intermittent Fasting?? You may be implementing it incorrectly. Today, I'm sharing how you can reduce hunger with Intermittent Fasting and reap the benefits at the same time!
Intermittent Fasting is Not Calorie Restriction
A common misconception with Intermittent Fasting is that you're essentially just skipping breakfast. This is not true. In fact, you are still eating the same amount of food during your eating window, just during a smaller amount of time. You aren't eating less, you're eating less often. By just skipping breakfast, you're removing a whole meals worth of fiber, fat, protein, minerals and vitamins that are used to provide satiety, fuel your body, rebuild your cells and repair your muscles. This can contribute to feeling hungry the next day because you didn't give your body what it needed the day before.
Check out the video below for the full deets on the difference between IF and "skipping breakfast".
You Should Feel "Full"
Like I mentioned above, Intermittent Fasting is not a calorie restriction protocol. In fact, you should be eating until you are fully satiated during your eating window. This helps to signal to your body that there is plenty of food in your environment and it doesn't need to reduce your BMR (metabolism). Focusing on satiating foods such as protein, fat and fiber, particularly when you go to break your fast will help you to achieve this.
You May Feel Hungry At The Start
And that's totally normal. Depending on where you are at in your wellness journey, hunger levels can diminish by day 2 or day 14 or more. Ultimately how hungry or not hungry you feel will depend on how efficient your body is at burning fat as fuel. It's important to keep in mind during this process that Intermittent Fasting is fantastic, BUT if you aren't taking a look at what you are actually eating during your eating window as well - then you won't feel great and you won't achieve the wellness goals you have set out for.
A great place to start using Intermittent Fasting the RIGHT way is by reviewing the most common IF mistakes that I see all. the. time. These can contribute to inability to lose weight or feeling hungry during your fasted period.
Remember, there is much more to Intermittent Fasting than simply not eating for a little while. Intermittent Fasting is an incredible tool to tap into fat burning mechanisms, boost mental clarity, increase your energy levels and feel AMAZING again... but it must be used the right way. After watching the video above, head over HERE for how to get started on your journey.
Your Nutritionist,
Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition
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