The Best Fasting Tips And Tricks
Whether you’re a new or seasoned faster, you may benefit from hearing tips and tricks from others who live an intermittent fasting lifestyle. Keep reading to hear tips from others who practice intermittent fasting.
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This post is all about the best fasting tips and tricks.
Top Fasting Tips From Fellow Intermittent Fasters
Drink water or warm tea to curb hunger
Many people report the uncomfortable feeling of hunger late evening or in the morning. My suggestion is to drink water or warm tea. Warm tea soothes the stomach, can be a ritual and helps reduce any discomfort associated with the feeling of hunger. It is amazing how the feeling just goes away.
— Elena Mosaner, PCC, MS, CEO & Founder of HypnoCloud
Plan what you’re going to break your fast with
Plan what you’re going to eat when the fasting period is over. If you just run into the kitchen starving, you’re probably going to make bad choices! So whether it’s something you’ve prepped, or just a food that you have in mind, know what you’re going to break your fast with.
— Amy Oztan, Writer, Vlogger, Speaker at https://amyeverafter.com
Drink black coffee during your fast
Did you know that black coffee is an appetite suppressant? Drinking black coffee early in the day during one’s fasting period is a superpower way to help support their success with intermittent fasting!
— Jacqueline Servantess, Certified Wellness Coach at www.JacquelineServantess.com
Start with a 12 hour fast
If you’ve never tried intermittent fasting before then it’s a wise idea to start off with a 12 hour fast and build up from there. Most people make the mistake of immediately trying to go for 16+ hour fasts when they’re used to eating all the time. This usually results in them giving in to the “hunger pangs” that come with first fasting. Then it’ll be too easy to throw in the towel and give up.
Instead, start off by fasting for only 12 hours and then progress your fasting window from there. Next week bump it up to 13 hours, a week later 14 hours, a week later 15 hours, etc. You’ll be much more likely to succeed this way and set yourself up for long-term fasting success.
— Josh Schlottman, Certified Personal Trainer & Nutritionist, Trainer Josh Fitness
Stay busy
During your fasted window, stay busy! Don’t sit around in the kitchen waiting to eat. A lot of intermittent fasters joke that their houses have never been cleaner! Clean, run errands, read, take a bath, take up a new hobby… The possibilities and ways to stay busy are endless!
— Macy Michelle, personal trainer and wellness expert at Macy Michelle Blog
Be consistent
Whatever method you choose it is important to stick with it long enough to see if it will be effective for your unique needs. It may take two weeks to over a month before you see benefits, depending on what type you choose.
Consistency is key with intermittent fasting. If you begin the process and get bored with it you may actually cause yourself to gain extra weight by slowing your metabolism then eating a higher calorie diet than you became accustomed to while fasting.
— Lisa Richards is a nutritionist and author of the Candida Diet (thecandidadiet.com)
Water is key
The key is water! The best decision I made was buying a gallon size water bottle on Amazon. Every morning I fill it with ice water and bring it with me everywhere! It’s the only way I personally will drink the proper amount! It’s also super convenient because I don’t have to keep track with glasses or bottles of water and the ounces are on the water bottle so I know I’m getting the right amount!
— Manda McCarthy
Don’t focus on just the scale
Do not focus on just the scale. Pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes are fitting. While the scale can be asshole, you can still be losing inches and making progress.
— Laurén Nasca
Stomach grumbling does not mean hunger
Stomach grumbling is mechanical and not necessarily an indication of true hunger. Wait 20 minutes and the feeling will pass.
— Emily Boonstra Richmond
Pay attention to how food tastes
Pay attention to how food tastes when you fast! This is my biggest motivator. When I fast, I crave good, quality food.
— Christine Faitel
Meal plan
Take time to meal plan. It makes it easier to wait until dinner when I have something yummy planned. And I’m less likely to order food because I can’t decide what to make so I save money too!
— Liz Niedzwiecki
Set a timer
Sometimes, despite my brain KNOWING it’s temporary, the hunger feels impossible. When this happens I set a timer for 15 minutes and the hunger is always gone.
— Amanda Giglio
Don’t eat for future hunger
Don’t eat for future hunger. If you are satisfied at the end of your eating window, don’t try to eat more “in case you’re hungry before your fast ends.” Eat for current hunger and leave it at that.
— Macy Michelle, personal trainer and wellness expert at Macy Michelle Blog
Intermittent Fasting Resources
If you’re new to intermittent fasting, you might find some of these resources helpful!
- Intermittent Fasting Basics: Learn everything you need to know about intermittent fasting.
- Intermittent Fasting FAQs: Get answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding intermittent fasting.
- The Best Intermittent Fasting Apps: There are many apps that you can use to help you as you fast. Check out the full list of apps!
- Autophagy Benefits: What is autophagy? How can we activate autophagy with fasting? Learn everything you need to know here.
- The Best Intermittent Fasting Books: Do you want to learn more about fasting? Here are some of the top book recommendations.
- Types of Intermittent Fasting: There are many different types of intermittent fasting. You get to pick the one that works best for you! Learn about all of the types here.
- The Best Intermittent Fasting Podcasts: Tune into these intermittent fasting podcasts to hear stories of others and to stay motivated.
- Best Teas For Fasting: Teas can help you maintain energy while fasting. Here are some of the best teas to drink while fasting.
- The Best Electrolytes For Fasting: What electrolytes can you drink while you fast? Check out the full list here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make fasting easier?
Make fasting easier by drinking plenty of water and staying busy! Often we tend to eat out of boredom.
How can I get started fasting?
Start with a 12 hour fast. Once that feels easy, move up to 13 hours.
Bottom Line
Hopefully these fasting tips and tricks can help encourage and motivate you! Remember that intermittent fasting is unique to each individual, but we’re sure these tips and tricks can inspire all!
Do you want to learn more about fasting? Check out our ultimate intermittent fasting guide!
This post was all about the best fasting tips and tricks.