Body and metabolism “resets” are becoming a hot topic. There are a variety of ways to jump-start your metabolism, but intermittent fasting is one of the most effective. Here’s how I used intermittent fasting to help reset my body and my metabolism.

What happens when we stay fed
Most of us are in a constant state of being fed. While the body is in this “fed” state, it is working hard to digest, breakdown, and assimilate the nutrients. However, there are no calories being burned. We are often told to eat small portions frequently, which actually puts our bodies under more stress with a never-ending cycle of sugar and grains. As a result, our body is working hard with little to no outcome. In other words, the body works nonstop with no time to repair or reset a healthy metabolism, ultimately bringing it to a halt.

What happens when we are NOT fed
When you don’t eat, your body has a chance to initialize repairing processes, allowing natural cell death called apoptosis. In a “non-fed” state, the body will use its glycogen and fat stores as fuel in a process called ketosis. This is the point where metabolism becomes more consistent as the body gets enough time to rest, recover, and use the calories it has stored.

Intermittent Fasting: the best strategy to reset your body
Intermittent fasting is considered to be period of between 18 and 24 hours during which the body receives no food. There is no need to panic; you will eat every day. You will just go longer in between eating. For example, I would have dinner around 6 p.m., abstain from breakfast, and then eat lunch at noon. For a 24-hour fast, I would refrain from eating anything until dinner the next day. Intermittent fasting affects both insulin and growth hormones. In the non-fed state, insulin levels decrease, allowing the body to access fat reserves as fuel. Meanwhile, growth hormone levels increase, allowing the body to build lean muscle tissue.

Basic guidelines for successful intermittent fasting:
• Increase your fluid intake one to two days prior to fasting. This may include water as well as herbals teas.
• Try to consume raw food, particularly fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and try to avoid flours, sugars, meats, dairy, or any processed foods.
• Start by fasting a few hours a day, then gradually increasing the duration.
• Ideally, you should fast during the morning as it helps the body rev up for another day by eliminating the waste collected while you slept.

As you grow accustomed to intermittent fasting, you will begin to become less and less aware of it. You will soon be able to identify when your body needs a “reset” and an intermittent fast. Intermittent fasting has made a huge impact on my health and weight loss goals; give it a try and enjoy a happier, healthier body!

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In Health,

Angie