TEN THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT INTERMITTENT FASTING by Cinch FAST 30….

 Intermittent fasting has been dubbed as one of the most popular eating patterns on the planet right now.

And it is more than just a passing fad, it has been around for a very long time – thousands of years in fact!

Our ancestors were natural intermittent fasters, based on the hunter-gatherer nature of how food was accessed – they adopted the Feasting and Fasting model by necessity rather than choice.

Many religions promote intermittent fasting for religious reasons, for example for Lent.

Fasting has grown in popularity to help people lose unwanted pounds and improve their health.  Instead of grazing all day, people choose to eat in a certain ‘Eating Window’ each day.

Local wellbeing brand, Cinch FAST 30, is ahead of the game to bring this eating approach to Northern Ireland. They have created the Cinch FAST 30 program which is an easy to manage and fully supported online plan introduces the concept of intermittent fasting for weight loss and overall improvements in health.

Since its launch, the FAST 30 program has helped over 600 women in Northern Ireland, Ireland, UK, and even the US take back control of their lifestyle, helping them lose weight, boost confidence and improve their overall health. 

In this article we share Top Things You maybe didn’t know about Intermittent Fasting…

 

1. It can help you lose weight

Intermittent Fasting can be a great way to help people lose and manage their weight for life.

Fasting can create a calorie deficit, meaning that your body has fewer calories than it needs to maintain its current weight.

However, that’s not the only reason why it helps you lose weight…

Studies have also shown that IF can increase human growth hormone production which burns fat. Additionally, it can help to stabilise insulin levels, allowing the body to burn fat for fuel. These benefits make weight loss much easier. 

The Cinch FAST 30 program is an online 30-day course which can help you understand the concept of IF and help you introduce it into your lifestyle for weight loss and health boost.

2. It can improve your health

Hundreds of animal studies and scores of human clinical trials have shown that intermittent fasting can lead to improvements in health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurological disorders.

A recent survey at Cinch Fast 30 highlighted that after 30 days challengers had not only lost weight, they had much more energy, less brain fog and were sleeping much better and feeling much better in general.

2. It is anti-ageing

Intermittent Fasting is thought to trigger a process in your body called Autophagy.

Autophagy is the body’s way of cleaning out damaged cells, in order to regenerate newer, healthier cells, according to Priya Khorana, PhD, in nutrition education from Columbia University.

“Auto” means self and “phagy” means eat. So, the literal meaning of autophagy is “self-eating” which is beneficial to your overall health.

It is known to slow aging by cleaning up and recycling damaged components of the cell.

1. It is fully flexible and puts you in charge of your own ‘eating window’

There are many Intermittent Fasting protocols and it is up to each individual to find a schedule that suits their lifestyle.

Two popular eating schedules are eating for eight hours a day, and then fasting for 16 hours. This is known as a 16:8 protocol.

Other people enjoy fasting for longer, for example, eating for six hours a day and then fasting 18 hours a day. This is known as a 18:6.

At Cinch Fast 30, we find most of our challengers will usually mix it up, with some 16:8 and 18:6 fasts each week. No two days need to be the same, different fasting window and different timings. That means if you have a special occasion coming up, you can simply move your window to suit your day.

1. You don’t need to count calories.

Anyone who has tried to follow a complicated diet where you count calories, macros, eat low fat or low carb will know how difficult it can be to maintain.

Since intermittent fasting is more about when you eat than exactly what you eat, most people find it easier to stick to. 

At Cinch Fast 30, we encourage people to count the goodness in food rather than weighing or measuring foods or calorie counting. We have found that our Challengers get the greatest success when they eliminate the highly processed foods and fill up on foods as close to their natural state as possible.

However, like anything, if you go crazy and eat the wrong foods during your eating window, it is possible that you will not get the desired weight loss or health benefits you are seeking.  

Intermittent fasting gives you back the control and makes you much more mindful of the food you eat in your eating window.  Allowing you to make the right choice to nourish your body.

5. You must be sure to drink plenty of fluids when fasting

When you are fasting, it is really important to ensure you stay as well hydrated as possible. Lots of water, and you may also consider drinking black unflavoured tea and coffee as well as herbal teas while you fast.   

6. Fasting may be easier if you drink some caffeine in the morning and afternoon and avoid artificial sweeteners. 

While drinking too much caffeine can make you a little jittery, a little caffeine can help to maintain your fast. When you’re fasting it is important to only drink black tea and coffee with no sweeteners or milk of any kind added as this will break your fast. 

7. You don’t need to skip breakfast.

If breakfast is your favourite meal of the day, you can simply adjust your eating window to ensure you include this meal. Many people find great success in opening their eating window at 9am each day and closing it at 5pm. Other challengers like to eat between 12pm and 8pm. This allows them to eat lunch and dinner in their eating window.

8. It is easier with support

Like anything in life, when you have the support of an individual or group of people, it is much easier to stick to.

Intermittent Fasting is a simple concept, however, that does not mean it is easy to do.

90% of our daily actions are habitual, so if you are used to grazing all day every day, eating in certain window each day may be difficult to stick to.

At Cinch Fast 30, we have a support group in a WhatsApp and a Closed Facebook Group to give you 24-7 access to a group of people who are living a healthy, happy IF lifestyle.

We also have one-to-one coaching which will give you your own personal coach to help keep you on track.

9. Intermittent Fasting is not for everyone

Intermittent fasting is generally considered safe. However, anyone with an underlying health condition or on certain medications should check with their health professional before embarking on this eating pattern.

It is not recommended for anyone under the age of 18, over the age of 70, people who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding. People with a history of eating disorders or for Type 1 Diabetes.

Before embarking on an intermittent fasting program or before making any other drastic changes to your diet, it is always recommended that people consult a trusted healthcare professional to help you get started safely.