My Experience with Intermittent Fasting

Today is the one month mark of my experience with intermittent fasting. For the past four weeks, I have only eaten between noon and 8:00 pm. Outside of that window, my only intake has been water…if we exclude the occasional midnight Taco Bell run. It has been an interesting process and like most fasting programs it has become increasingly easier the longer I’ve practiced it.

Why

There wasn’t one big moment where I was like “wow intermittent fasting sounds cool, I’m going to try it!” Over the course of the semester, my roommate had occasionally mentioned it, suggesting that I give it a try. It sounded interesting but I was skeptical and unwilling to give up my frequent late night runs to Taco Bell, Whataburger, and Canes. Eventually, as the fat on my stomach began to slowly appear, likely due to my terrible eating habits, inconsistent workouts, non-existent sleep, and high levels of stress, I decided I’d give it a go. Really what did I have to lose? If anything I’d save myself a couple bucks on food.

The First Week

The first week was easier than I expected but no breeze. Days 1, 2 and 3 brought pangs of hunger and cravings for fast food during the fasting period. They weren’t terrible but noticeable enough to be a distraction. I drank plenty of water to avoid cramping and other early-stage side effects. I also found myself going to bed earlier as it was a fool proof way to catch up on much-needed z’s and forget about my “hunger.” To keep myself in check I set reminders on my phone and had my roommates keep me accountable.

Challenges

After the initial week, my body adapted to its new feeding cycle and it became increasingly easier. I simply didn’t eat before noon or after 8pm, and it was that easy. The cravings had gone away. There were, however, some struggles. Anytime my roommates would bring home Canes or a hot Dominos Pizza, there were definite internal struggles going on. I mean real moral debates, to the point where I would just stand there looking at the food, salivating. I cheated once or twice, after all, I am human but for the most part, I just hung my head and went back to distracting myself with homework or Netflix.

Benefits

I went into this experience just hoping to cut some stomach fat, nothing more, nothing less. However, I started to notice some small changes in my day to day life as I progressed. My life, which prior to fasting had been littered with naps, at least once per day, sometimes two, was now nap free. I’ve taken one nap, if even, in the past month. Additionally, I am increasingly alert and less groggy in the mornings. Furthermore, as a result of only eating in eight-hour blocks, I’ve been more conscious of what I eat, trying to fit all the necessary nutrients and calories within a given window. In turn when I occasionally eat outside my set time frame or intake large amounts of fast food I can physically feel my insides rejecting the food.

Overall

Overall it’s been an enjoyable experience that’s positively impacted my life and I look to continue practicing it for the foreseeable future. If it sounds interesting I would definitely look into it, it can be completely customized. You can choose a block of time (i.e., 11am-5pm), length of fasting (i.e., 20/4. 18/6, 16/8), etc. The premise is you’re not necessarily eating less but eating smarter. This allows your body more time to break down food and burns your excess fat for energy during the fasting periods. It’s by no means a cure-all solution but if you want to slim down, save some dough, and see a spike in motivation I would recommend checking it out!