Today's blog post is all about intermittent fasting and the benefits it can have on mental health.
WHY INTERMITTENT FAST?
I think it’s important to touch on the benefits of fasting as it applies to mental health. When we fast our brain is able to scrubbed clean of toxins. This is helpful in improving our clarity, our ability to recall information and to recover at a cellular level. There are the added benefits like losing weight if that is your goal. Since our bodies are no longer burning sugar during a fast they are able to burn fat. This process is called ketosis. When we give our cells a chance to recover they are able to improve our anti-aging abilities so our skin gets better as well as taking preventative measures for cancer, Alzheimer's and improved immune function. If you get sick often or are at risk for cancer for example, this can take a toll on your mental health. Things like aging prematurely or struggling with weight management can affect your confidence and ultimately your mental health state as well.
I created an ebook for the four week intermittent fast challenge I ran called Intermittent Fasting For Mental Health if you’d like to purchase it and do the challenge for yourself.
DRAWBACKS
There are many benefits of fasting however when your body is acclimating to a regular fasting practice, it can be tough to start out. On average it takes approximately one month of consistent practice to achieve the results I’m going to share.
RESULTS
1. MENTAL CLARITY
The first benefit of fasting is having a clear memory and the ability to think clearly. The people who fast often say that they have an improved mental sharpness and increased concentration. You may even have a sense of increased spiritual clarity.
2. ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
This one is powerful because most of us have an awareness of what’s happening around us especially women. When you fast this increases even more than usual. Your awareness of your environment is heightened because you aren’t having any food. You may notice a stronger sense of hearing, improved eyesight and sense of smell.
3. MENTAL & EMOTIONAL WILLPOWER
You will find that you have more range to handle stress and emotionality when you’re fasting. I find your body isn’t willing to give into emotions as much as it would if you were not fasting.
There are many additional benefits that I go into inside the ebook such as reduced anxiety, increased spiritual awareness, improved sleep, reduced mood swings, a brighter mood and the ability for your body to process and eliminate toxins and buildup.
BREAKING INTO YOUR FAST
There are two key components that are worth your time and attention regarding fasting. The first point is that you need to prepare. You want to prepare for your fast before you start. Consider what ways will make you successful in achieving your fast. You want to first begin by eating properly the day before you go into your fast. It’s good to have a balanced meal with healthy fats, protein and vegetables. Whatever you would normally have that makes you feel satiated. You don’t need to feel stuffed but you do need to have a meal that is substantially nutritious. The next step is getting good quality sleep. When you begin with good sleep you are much more likely to withstand a fasting period. Of course if we don’t have good sleep hygiene then we are more likely to reach for junk food and we are more impulsive with our decision making.
One thing that is worth considering in advance is how you are prepping. A lot of the people that I work with as a holistic nutritionist are moms or women that have partners, etc who will not be fasting with them. In these situations you need to consider how you are approaching food. If your kids or your partner are asking you to make breakfast for example that might be tricky because you will want to avoid triggers. During the times that I’m choosing to fast I make my kids food that I wouldn’t enjoy eating to help avoid temptation. You may also want to consider pre-making the meals you need to have made so you don’t have to worry about cooking during your fast. If you don’t have to cook for anyone else then consider removing all the food from your line of sight.
In addition to removing food you should think about what it is that you will be drinking and eating during your fast and feeding periods. You can have water or tea. There are some approaches that only allow water but I like to take a modernist approach to fasting so I allow for bulletproof hot cocoa and other drinks. I like having these options so I can continue my fasts even during times where it seems difficult.
The next consideration would be how long you will be fasting for so you can plan for that. If you are going to fast for longer periods of time it is important that you decide to put your rigorous fitness routine on hold closer to the point that you are going to break your fast. I’m a person who enjoys working out in the morning but if I’m fasting until 3pm I won’t workout until 1pm or 2pm because I don’t want the reaction of hunger in the morning and potentially risk ruining my fast.
When you’re fasting you will have extra time on your hands since you won’t be preparing food or sitting down to eat. I find it helpful to create a to-do list to focus on throughout the day and take your mind off the feeling of mental hunger pangs. Mental hunger is different from physically feeling hungry. Mental is more about your mind thinking that you have specific times to eat and sending signals to your body to entice you to eat during those times whether or not you are actually physically hungry.
Step two involves a shift in your mental state. You need to change your mindset to prepare for your fasting period. When you break into your fast you need to mentally break into your face as well.
STYLES OF FASTING
There are several different styles of fasting you can choose from. My preferred method if you are a beginner is the 16:8 method. You will fast for 16 hours and be able to eat during an 8 hour window. You want to be able to eat all your meals during that 8 hour time period. You could also try a 14:10 method if you want less time fasting while you’re starting out. There are also methods such as 5:2. This is where you would eat normally for 5 days out of the week then for 2 days you are only eating a restricted amount of calories typically that is 500-800 calories although it will vary for each person. The method that I am personally practicing during our challenge is the OMAD style. In this style you only eat one meal per day. Another method I have tried in the past is the warrior fast where you fast for 20 hours and eat within a 4 hour window.
Fasting has many benefits as we touched on in this post. I also like that it is flexible. You can play around with the different styles you like and what works best for your lifestyle and body. It’s a powerful experience to take your health into your own hands. This confidence carries over into other parts of life, you may find that you feel more empowered at work or in your relationships from doing challenges such as these.
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