Intermittent fasting is getting very popular these days, because of the potential health benefits it has to offer. Below are some mistakes that I see people make all the time while practicing Intermittent Fasting. If you are new to the concept of Intermittent Fasting or IF as we call it, do read Types of Intermittent Fasting before going through the article below.
Binge eat during the eating window: This is one of the most common mistakes that people make. They think that just because they are following IF they will lose weight irrespective of all the junk being consumed. That is so not true. Yes, you do not have to follow a very strict diet or stuff like that, but you’ve got to eat a well balanced nutrition-rich diet to reap benefits from this eating pattern.
Do not eat enough during the eating window: This is the exact opposite of the first mistake. A lot of people get so obsessed with losing weight fast; that they simply do not eat well even in their eating windows. Now, this might help you lose weight, but this will also make you malnourished. So, the takeaway here is, eat well in your eating period, that is what it is meant for, you have the fasting window to not eat and starve all you want.
Do not drink enough water: Dehydration is a very common problem in general. When it comes to practitioners of Intermittent Fasting, adequate water consumption is even more important to make up for the water content body would otherwise get from fruits, vegetables, and liquid foods during that period.
Become too rigid with the schedule: If you get too strict with the eating window, your compliance will suffer in the long run. For example, if your friends are catching up to watch a football match or a movie, post your eating window, it is okay to have fun, eat some pizzas, have some chips and drinks. You have to look at IF as a lifestyle change and make arrangements to accommodate your social commitments and special occasions.
Put cream in their coffee( in the fasting window): So, the rule is that you can consume water and coffee in your fasting window, provided it does not contain calories. When you consume any kind of calories you are breaking the fast and changing the hormonal balance irrespective of the quantity. For IF to have a positive impact on your health, you need to completely abstain from calories other than your eating windows.
Do not sleep enough: Sleep deprivation leads to an increase in cortisol levels and ghrelin and makes you hungrier. 7-8 hours of sleep is the minimum you should aim for. It will not only keep you in a better mood but promote better health and weight loss too.
Get into extreme Intermittent Fasting too soon: If you are used to constantly munching one thing or the other for 16 hours a day, you can’t just start with the 24-hour fasting directly. You might want to consider going ahead with 12:12 type where you eat for 12 hours and fast for the other 12, and then take it forward from there.
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