Sometimes achieving health isn’t what you can ADD to your diet and lifestyle but what you can TAKE OUT.
It took me 10 years of trying every workout, every supplement, and every cleanse you could imagine (all in the name of research, curiosity, and obvious personal health goals) to discover that the easiest and fastest way to feel and look amazing, was by doing...(pause for effect)...NOTHING!!
And by nothing, I mean not consuming anything (except for water) and giving my body a break from food, also known, as fasting.
I had actually been exposed to the concept of fasting several years ago and decided to give it a try. I would fast for 24-32 hours one day a week and I felt wonderful! Looking back, I think the reason I stopped was because I was so excited about learning all there is to know about health that I would jump from one theory/cleanse/diet to the next. What I have come to realize is that if you don’t fundamentally understand how something works, then you will be less likely to stick to it and be easily swayed to try something else.
It was for this reason (among a few others) that I decided to go to school for Holistic Nutrition. Instead of being constantly confused with new and contradicting information, I wanted to learn the science behind it in order to take out the guesswork.
Then, the magic of education did its thing and I was inspired to start fasting again, and this time, I knew exactly why. I began with time-restricted feeding which some refer to as intermittent fasting. The idea here is to shorten the calorie consumption window which is commonly 16:8- 16 Hours fasting and 8 hour feeding window. And because I knew I wanted to cut out my late night snacking, my window was between 10am-6pm. And although it wasn’t easy at first, the way I felt the next morning was totally worth it! Which only encouraged me to begin adding a longer fast- 36 hours to be exact, at least once per week.
The interesting thing was that I actually find the 36 hour fasts easier than not eating after 6pm. (I will get into why this is in my next Fasting blog post)
What did I notice?
My digestive system normalized, my skin cleared, I lost body fat, had amazing mental clarity, felt grounded and on top of all of this, I experienced a new sense of self and strength.
And this is what you can expect when you finally get out of your own way and work with your body’s natural rhythm. Fasting has ultimately taught me that I have more than I need, and I am extremely grateful for this experience.
Have questions about fasting? Stay tuned for my upcoming blog posts on the science behind fasting and how it works.
I also offer free 15 minute consultations over the phone to answer any questions you may have about your health and fitness goals. I’d love to hear from you!
Wishing you love & light!
Ellie
