Are you just getting started with intermittent fasting? Here are six common intermittent fasting mistakes you’ll want to avoid.
From boosting your weight loss efforts to improving overall health – intermittent fasting can do a lot for you, and if you’re experiencing troubles with it or are just not seeing the results you should be seeing, there could be some reasons why.
Read on to discover 6 of the most common intermittent fasting mistakes most beginners make and make sure you don’t do these!
Common Intermittent Fasting Mistakes
Restricting Calories During the Eating Window
One of the biggest mistakes that I have seen people make when practicing intermittent fasting is attempting to restrict their calorie consumption when they’re supposed to eat.
When you eat far below what your body needs, you’re pushing your body into starvation mode, which slows down your metabolism and makes it more difficult for you to lose weight.
Overeating After the Fasting Period
Fasting time is over, and now it’s time to binge! Not so fast, friend!
Overeating after the end of your fasting period is another big mistake. A lot of people justify this as an attempt to make up for the lost calories, but this can very easily backfire, especially if you’re practicing intermittent fasting to lose weight.
In fact, it might also lead to other problems like stomach aches, heartburn, and indigestion.
Drinking the Wrong Liquids
Back away from the soda. You’re allowed to drink water, black coffee, and tea during your fasting period, but a lot of people load them up with sugar or sugar alternatives.
Diet sodas and sugary drinks are a big no-no, and so are protein-rich liquids like bone broths during the fasting period.
If you’re not a big fan of black coffee or tea, you can consider adding some milk to it but skip the flavored creamers.
Devouring Junk During Your Eating Window
Just like any other diet, intermittent fasting isn’t that magic pill that will help you lose weight despite eating all the junk in the world. Sorry, but it’s true.
If you’re attacking chocolate cake and pizzas during your eating window, you’re obviously not going to see any noticeable results despite all the fasting. And what happens when you don’t see results? You blame the intermittent fasting – not the fact that you just ate an entire pie in 15-minutes.
The idea is to nourish your body and provide it nutrient-dense foods when you’re eating, and team that up with the fasting to get the results you’re after.
Overdoing It
Trying to do too much together- training too hard, eating low-calorie foods during your eating period and taking your intermittent fasting plan way too seriously- all in an attempt to boost your weight loss even further can, in turn, have a negative impact on your body.
Take things slowly and gradually. Give your body time to adjust. This is a marathon – not a sprint.
Not Drinking Enough Water
Another common mistake a lot of people make while practicing intermittent fasting is that they don’t drink enough water during the fasting window.
It is important to note that while you’re fasting, your body breaks down the damaged components and detoxifies the body, and it is necessary to flush these toxins out of the body, which happens best through – you guessed it right – water!
So fill up that water bottle and start drinking.
Avoid Intermittent Fasting Mistakes
The best way to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls associated with intermittent fasting or any program is to approach it mindfully.
Be aware of what you’re eating, how you’re eating, and when you’re eating.
Nourish your body with healthy food and drink plenty of water to hydrate it.
You can and will see results while doing intermittent fasting, but you have to avoid sabotaging yourself before you even begin.
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