Let’s talk about intermittent fasting (IF). I know what you’re thinking, “fasting? Isn’t that basically starving yourself?”. Well no, not if done correctly. Intermittent fasting for weight loss has been practiced for centuries but has only become popular in recent years. Many people use intermittent fasting to lose weight, improve mental clarity and live longer, healthier lives. Intermittent fasting is not a diet but actually a pattern of eating that involves cycles between eating and fasting. It can be hard on the mind and body when not done correctly. Research has shown that intermittent fasting has a failing rate of 31%. This percentage is so high due to 10 common mistakes people make when experimenting with IF. We should mention that you should defiantly not experiment with intermittent fasting if you are a child, athlete, pregnant or breastfeeding, have an eating disorder or have diabetes. Interested in knowing the top 10 fasting fail and how to avoid them? Read on to learn more.
1.Lack of Water Intake
Go grab yourself a glass of water right now, we’ll wait. What you may think is hunger is actually thirst. Staying hydrated can help prolong fasting. When you begin to fast, your body detoxifies itself. To get rid of all the toxins in your body, you must drink plenty of water. A lack of water intake can result in headaches, muscle cramps, fatigue and dizziness. To avoid dehydration, set alarms on your phone as a reminder to drink water.
2.Over Eating
Fasting can be both emotionally and physically draining on the body. It can be tempting and easy to overeat when fasting ends due to excitement and hunger. Over eating can result in weight gain and stomach aches. Portion control your meals ahead of time to avoid over eating and use a food journal to log in everything you eat. This will give you a clear idea of how much you are eating and encourage you to make better food choices.
3.Eating Too Little
Trying to calorie restrict yourself during eating times wont help you achieve results. Eating too little can result in low energy, weight gain, and irritability. If you are under eating during a fasting diet, speak with a dietician to determine the nutrition you need.
4.Stress
If you’re stressed and anxious, a fat loss diet is not something you should consider. Cortisol, aka the stress hormone, is produced when you’re experiencing high level of stress. Cortisol can lead to the breakdown of muscle tissue and can result in muscle aches, stomach cramps, nausea, increased blood pressure, anger and irritability. To avoid high stress levels, practice mindfulness meditation to relieve anxious thoughts and calm the body.
5.Not Exercising
Exercise is crucial for any healthy lifestyle. For many, intermittent fasting fails because people believe they do not need to exercise since they aren’t eating. This is a common fasting fail as inactivity during intermittent fasting for weight loss can lead to weight gain, fatigue and headaches. To avoid inactivity, start your mornings with a light jog followed by a cold shower to wake up the mind and body.
6.Snacking
We know a fasting diet is hard, but the whole point of intermittent fasting for weight loss is to eat during certain times. Constantly snacking throughout the day doesn’t count as fasting and can interfere with your diet plans. Snacking all day long can result in weight gain and irritability. To avoid snacking, try placing snacks out of plain sight to reduce cravings.
7.Low Salt Intake
Not getting enough salt will contribute to feelings of lightheadedness, headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps and constipation. Add a small amount of salt to your food and water in order to increase salt intake.
8.Over Doing It
Pushing yourself to adapted to fasting will not help you in the long run. It takes time to teach your body how to make it without food. By rushing into it, you may experience fatigue, hunger, irritability and dizziness. To avoid pushing yourself too quickly, start slow and ease your way up to longer fasting periods overtime.
9.Negative Mindset
Food makes everyone happy, so it’s no secret that fasting can make us unhappy. However, beginning a fasting diet requires some positive thinking. If you begin with a negative mindset and focus on the deprivation part, intermittent fasting fails. By concentrating on the benefits of a fasting diet, you’re more likely to see results and stick with it. To avoid a negative mindset, consider fasting with a friend or partner to keep you motivated.
10.Inconsistency
Celebrations can make it hard to stick with any diet as there’s always an assortment of delicious food. If you think having just on bite of the birthday cake will not set your diet back, think again. Remaining consistent with your fasting diet will be the reason you achieve your weight loss goals. To avoid inconsistency with your diet, pre-plan your fasting and eating patterns in order to partake in celebrations without ruining your diet.
Have you ever tried intermittent fasting and failed? Let us know in the comments below.