Intermittent Fasting is an excellent tool to hone in on burning fat. However, what do you need to do with Intermittent Fasting to help speed up your results? Today, I'm sharing three tools that can be used daily with Intermittent Fasting to help you achieve your weight loss and wellness goals.
How Long Does Intermittent Fasting Take To Work?
How quickly you start to see results with Intermittent Fasting can depend on a few factors:
If you're insulin resistant
What you're eating during your eating window
If you're exercising
If you're insulin resistant, it's fairly common to not see results for the first 1-2 weeks. This is because Intermittent Fasting works by helping to address the storing hormone insulin.(1) When insulin is high, fat burning (the process called lipolysis) is turned off. If someone is insulin resistant, then they likely have higher insulin levels, keeping the body in storing mode. Intermittent Fasting allows for periodic times of less insulin secretion, which can help the body switch back into using fat as fuel.(1) However, if someone is already starting off in a higher insulin state, the perks of IF can take a little bit longer to see.
What you eat during your eating window can also greatly affect progress. If your meals greatly spike insulin by being rich in starches and sugars, then this can offset the progress made with Intermittent Fasting. Rather, if you focus on high quality proteins, fats and fibers, this can support the progress made with Intermittent Fasting.
Exercise is also a great tool to rev up results because of it's role in improving insulin sensitivity.(2) Particularly walking and strength training are both incredible tools to pair with Intermittent Fasting. You don't have to use exercise to achieve a weight loss goal with Intermittent Fasting, but due to exercise's beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity, it certainly can help.
How To Start Seeing Results With Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting is a great tool to help increase fat burning mechanisms.(1) Below are three tools that can be paired with Intermittent Fasting to help boost results.
1. No Snacking
Every time food is eaten, it causes insulin to be released. This shuts off the fat burning process called lipolysis. One way to maximize the perks of Intermittent Fasting is by eating full and satiating meals while limiting or removing snacks/grazing.
Try one of my satiating, low-sugar smoothie recipes HERE next time you break your fast.
2. Go For A Walk While Fasting
Walking, specifically outside, can help to lower the stress hormone cortisol.(3) Higher levels of cortisol is linked to weight gain around the belly. One study found that walking outside for 15 minutes significantly lowered cortisol levels in the test subjects.(3)
If you go for a walk, make sure to avoid these three common walking mistakes HERE.
3. Don't Use Stevia/Monk Fruit During Your Fast
Although stevia and monk fruit are both "zero calorie" sweeteners, in some people it can still cause insulin to be secreted and stop fat burning. Stevia and monk fruit are often added into coffee or tea while fasting, but this could be actively working against your goals. Instead, try opting for black coffee, unsweetened tea or Keto Coffee.
Get the step-by-step, meal-by-meal details on how to achieve your weight loss and wellness goals with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle!
100+ recipes, 8 weeks of meal-by-meal planning, restaurant guidelines, plateau breaker checklist and MORE! Head over HERE to get started!
Your Nutritionist,
Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition