 I frequently get questions about intermittent fasting on my Instagram page...which by the way, If you aren't following me there, do it NOW (@_healthybrowngirl), please and thanks! Of all the questions I get in my DM, some of the most common ones relate to working out while fasting. Questions like, "Do I have to workout to see results?", "Did you workout while fasting?", "OMG you worked out while fasting! Is that even safe?". So I decided to blog it out and give some insight on what I think about fasting and working out. But before I do that I must tell y'all, I am NOT a licensed health care provider. My views on this subject are just that, my point of view. Always discuss things regarding your health, eating habits, exercise habits, etc., with your doctor. OKAY, now back to my point of view. Is working out required in order to see results? Hold that thought while I insert my soap box here. When people ask me this question, I usually think to myself, "They are not ready to make real changes to their lifestyle". I mean honestly, are you asking in hopes that you can AVOID the recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week? If that's the case, intermittent fasting may not be for you, let alone fasting while working out. While your goal may be to lose weight, you have to have the mindset that you are going to live a healthy lifestyle in order to make lasting changes to your body, otherwise losing the weight will be in vain. If you want to lose weight, you have to live a healthy lifestyle, and while that does not always include intermittent fasting, it should include exercise on some level. If you are physically able, you should be exercising at least 2 days per week because despite how we have become accustomed to living, our bodies are meant to move. That being said if you are trying to lose weight, you should definitely be working out as often as possible to improve and maintain muscle mass, and make it a little easier to manage your caloric intake. Ok....I'm off my soap box...for now , so YES...you can/will lose weight by fasting without exercise especially if you are conscious of what you are eating, however exercise will maximize those results and help you reach your goal quicker. Another question I get is if its safe to exercise while in your fasting window. This question is not really a yes or no answer because it depends on you. When I first started intermittent fasting I was not able to workout while fasting. I would get very dizzy if I attempted it, so I always had to wait until my eating window opened up so I could put something on my stomach first. As time went on, and my body became used to my fasting schedule, I was able to gradually work exercise in while in a fasted state. Today it does not bother me at all and I'm able to run a 5k or do a 30 minute HIIT workout with no problem. My answer to this question is always to listen to your body. Especially if you are new to fasting, I would take baby steps when it comes to doing exercise while fasted. And of course you want to make sure you are hydrated. You may be thinking that exercising on an empty stomach sounds dangerous, but it is actually pretty healthy for you. Intermittent fasting alone comes with so so many benefits outside of losing weight; and adding exercise maximizes benefits such as production of the human growth hormone (breaks down fat and helps tone muscles), boosting brain function, and improving body composition. The best workout to do during a fasted state would be HIIT (High-intensity) training because it increases growth hormone levels quicker than other forms of exercise. And if you haven't guessed it by now, increasing HGH levels is one of the fastest ways to lose body fat, which is why intermittent fasting works regardless of if you have worked out or not. So should you workout while fasted? That depends on you, but it should be a goal in my opinion if optimal results are what you're after. Have you tried intermittent fasting yet? If not, what are some of your burning questions about it?
 In July of 2017 I reached my highest weight of 215 lbs. I not only could see the extra lbs in my tight clothes but could feel its effects taking a toll on my body physically. I was always tired and unable to walk up a flight of stairs without knee pain or being out of breath. I knew I had to do something but didn’t want to do another crash diet that would leave me weak, hungry, and eventually gaining all my weight back again. I began doing research on lifestyle changes and came across intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is essentially an eating schedule where you don’t eat any calories for a minimum of 16 hours per day. The thing that attracted me to fasting in the beginning was that you don’t necessarily have to cut any of your favorite foods out of your diet. As someone who had little success maintaining a restricted diet in the past, I decided to give it a try. I started fasting 20 hours per day 5 days per week, usually only eating between 4 pm and 8 pm each day. Aside from weight loss, some of the benefits of fasting include lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. As a black woman with a family history of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, these benefits sounded consequential. It took me about 2 months to adjust to my new eating schedule and during that time I struggled with fatigue, dizzy spells, hunger pangs, and moodiness. It was definitely not an easy transition, and I would tell anyone thinking about fasting to start with a lower fasting window and then gradually increase your hours over time. With any lifestyle change, there is an adjustment period, and for someone used to eating or snacking ever 2-3 hours, my body struggled with the reduced food intake. Because I did want to better my overall health, in conjunction with fasting, I also reduced the amount of fried foods, processed foods and sugar I ate. I made things like cake and ice cream an occasional treat, stopped eating at fast food restaurants, and stopped buying as much canned and boxed foods at the grocery store. I also increased my exercise by running 2 miles 2-3 days per week and after 3 months I had lost about 20 lbs. Some other benefits I have experienced are better metabolism, increased energy, clearer skin, better focus, and reduced joint pain in my knee. My relationship with food had completely changed and my cravings for unhealthy foods had reduced significantly. It has been two years since I began fasting and I have lost 55 lbs which took me about 18 months in total to lose. I am not always consistent with exercise or always eating the right things but have still managed to maintain my weight at 155 lbs. for the past year by consistently fasting. I now only fast on average 16 hours per day, some days longer, some days shorter. I have learned what true hunger feels like, and I’m able to trust body to tell me when its time to eat. Fasting has given me that power back. I no longer need a snack to get me through till my next meal, nor do I have to sit by the clock counting the seconds till I can eat again. Intermittent fasting allowed me to reset my body, so it now knows when to send those hunger signals to my brain. If you are thinking about trying intermittent fasting, my recommendation would be to keep it simple. Begin with a reasonable fasting window somewhere between 12-14 hours and work your way up. Since you are fasting when you are sleeping, including that time in your fasting schedule helps because you are only fasting 6-8 hours while you are awake. I personally find it easier to fast at work because I am busy doing other things, so most of my fasting takes place during my workday. Staying hydrated, and drinking mineral water helps with hunger pangs. As a 36-year-old black woman who has struggled with my weight most of my adult life, I believe intermittent fasting is the best alternative to most diets out there. Not only does it help with weight loss, but it addresses many of the health issues we as black women are more susceptible to. Would you try intermittent fasting? Why or why not? |
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