A Routine of Intermittent Fasting

I've been on a fasting kick lately. I feel much more energized and focused when I skip breakfast or lunch, but it can be hard to get into a routine. Before you begin intermittent fasting, consult with your doctor or a trusted healthcare professional.

I share simple recommendations if you've been thinking about intermittent fasting and wondering how to get started.

How can I start a routine of intermittent fasting?

I'm glad you asked! Intermittent fasting (IF) is a method to help lose weight and feel healthier.¹

Intermittent fasting is simple enough for many to do with just a few adjustments in their daily routine. For example, if you usually have breakfast at home between 8 AM to 10 AM, then try skipping it one day each week (or until you reach 14 days without eating that meal). The following day would be the first fasting day, where all food consumption occurs after 10 AM.

What might happen is that over the next few weeks, your body will naturally adjust insulin levels. This may result in lower blood sugar levels throughout the day and increased ketone levels.¹

My experiences with intermittent fasting

First things first, let me say that I'm not a doctor, and this article is not medical advice. It's simply my own experience with IF and how it has helped me manage my type 2 diabetes.

For me, intermittent fasting has been better than any other strategy I've tried before. My blood sugar levels are lower, my energy is through the roof, and I'm losing weight without even trying (a bonus)!

3 tips to start with intermittent fasting

The biggest mistake you can make is trying to do too much at once. Just pick 1 tip below and start with that for a few weeks. When you feel comfortable, tackle a second tip and so on. Over time, I hope you'll see such great progress that you want to give all 3 tips a try!

Tip 1: Skip breakfast

By now, we've all heard about how effective intermittent fasting can be for managing diabetes and weight loss, but here's what most people don't realize: it can start first thing in the morning! When we skip breakfast and eat our first meal at lunchtime (or even later), we're already setting ourselves up for a "metabolic slowdown."¹

Tip 2: Don't eat after 8 PM

Because insulin sensitivity is at its highest during sleep, it only takes a small amount of insulin to keep blood sugars in check overnight. If we eat a sizeable carbohydrate-rich dinner, we may not be able to clear excess glucose from the bloodstream before bedtime, resulting in higher morning blood sugar levels.

Tip 3: Try low-intensity resistance training

In my opinion, the exercise that's worked best for me when managing type 2 diabetes is low-intensity resistance training, followed by high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Resistance training stimulates blood flow to the muscles, which will help them clear out excess glucose from the bloodstream. But more importantly, it will also increase insulin sensitivity which means that any leftover glucose in the blood can actually be used as fuel by our muscles instead of being stored as fat.²

Personalize your routine

And that's a wrap, folks! I hope you enjoyed this article and feel a little more confident about starting an intermittent fasting routine. Please consult your doctor before making any significant dietary changes. Your experience will vary depending on your current lifestyle choices. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section below!