1. You’ll get ulcer
With nothing to digest, the hydrochloric acid (the body’s super blender) will digest your stomach instead.
2. You’ll get hungry and irritable
Whether you’re working, studying or plain babysitting, being hungry and irritable is the very last situation you want to be in.
3. You will faint
With no food intake for hours, your system will panic resulting to fainting.
4. You just couldn’t do it
All your life, you’ve been eating thrice a day, and this intermittent fasting requires you to cut a meal or two.
A year of Intermittent Fasting, these:
1. Hunger does NOT cause ulcer
Ulcer is caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
The other clinically-backed cause is from taking excessive dosage of aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.
2. Hunger and irritability is the body’s initial reaction to IF
To tell you not to push through with the plan.
Stick with either the 16:8 or 24hr model for at least 4 days, and the feeling will vanish.
You’ll be surprised how it’s really all mental rather than physical.
3. You will faint but not because of IF
Fainting is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness caused by decreased blood flow to the brain.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is the nearest cause of fainting, as far as intermittent fasting is concerned.
But as long as you’ve eaten correctly (and voraciously) before the fasting period, there’s low to zero chance you’ll faint.
4. Yes, you can do IF
Intermittent fasting has been done by our ancestors during the Early Ages when food is scarce and hard to come by. Although they didn’t know it’s called that back then. They were just living it.
Ironically, the biggest threat these days is the ease of food access. McDonald’s is literally a few steps away from where I wrote this post.
How to get started with Intermittent Fasting?
Like a lot.
Embarking on a new journey is always scary.
Arming yourself with right knowledge helps the mind and body prepare for the changes this new eating pattern will trigger.
Here are great resources that helped me get through the initial stage of doing IF without going insane:
A Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting | Read
5 Intermittent Fasting Methods: Which One Is Right for You? | Read
Video: Intermittent Fasting: Top 5 Mistakes | Watch
I Tried Intermittent Fasting for a Week | Read
Terry Crews on Intermittent Fasting | Watch
Start small
Start 16:8 for a week and see where it takes you.
For me, it took me to places I’ve never expected to reach.
After a month with the 16:8 model, I began fantasizing about doing One Meal A Day, which to me would be THE achievement should I actually pull it off.
On my third month, my first OMAD attempt clocked 22 hours.
Two more hours and I’ll complete it, but couldn’t. I panicked.
While disappointed, it gave me an idea on how to finally pull off the 24 hour fasting by doing the accidental discovery 22:2 IF model for two weeks.
I eat like crazy for 2 hours (Big, beautiful breakfast), then I only take water or black coffee for the remainder.
If I hadn’t started small with 16:8, then 22:2, I would’ve never finally achieved doing OMAD for eight months and counting.
Conviction is key
Go hard or go home.
Intermittent Fasting is possible but NOT easy, at least in the first few weeks.
In times of weakness and wanting to give up as the battle raged on between your old habits and incorporating IF in your routine, neither motivation nor true love will save you from giving up.
It’s conviction.
It’s leaving the playful child behind and becoming the grown-up person who’s taking responsibility for their action.
Conviction is not just a burst of energy like a muse visiting a failing poet.
Conviction is the unerring compass that will guide you through the dark times and uncertainties of undertaking Intermittent Fasting.
Conviction is believing you have what it takes.
Because you’ve done your research.
Because you’ve decided to enjoy the pain as much as you’ll enjoy the sweet.
What are the benefits of Intermittent Fasting?
I did IF as a result of my hitting plateau in terms of weight loss.
My no rice ‘diet’ was a tremendous factor in my reaching XS t-shirt size. However, after 2 years I noticed I still couldn’t get rid of the thin layer of fat around my waist.
March of 2017, and a former colleague, Mags, who by the way is ripped AF, suggested I check Intermittent Fasting as it brought him his God-like physique.
From April to November 2017, from 65 kgs I was down to 61 kgs – my lightest EVER, and without losing muscle mass. I’ve never been so ‘defined’ before.
Fountain of youth
During the fasting period, a phenomenon called autophagy takes place.
It’s when the cells in your body renew and rebuild themselves, stronger, better and more active.
Resulting to reduced cancer risks, extended lifespan and a youthful appearance.
Here’s a quick and enlightening video about autophagy.
Savings
I started with 16:8 fasting pattern for three months. By then, I’ve stopped spending for dinner.
And when I started with OMAD, I’ve stopped spending for lunch and dinner altogether.
I saved tons, which I then use some to buy lots of delicious breakfasts.
Because you don’t need luck.
You need conviction, and I wish you one. And this quote, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.” (Napoleon Hill)
You now have what it takes to succeed in your Intermittent Fasting journey.