How to Lose Weight Fast with Intermittent Fasting

I am asked 'how to lose weight FAST' more frequently than any other question as a fitness trainer. Intermittent fasting is the fastest method that I've seen utilized since I've been working with fitness and nutrition since 2006. Also I want you all to know that combining different methods can also produce the best success when working to lose weight quickly. Intermittent fasting is one such tool that has helped me lose weight the fastest I ever have!

I always suggest that individuals should also be building muscle ALSO when changing their nutrition habits for the best results over all.

Keep in mind the five major factors of fat loss when beginning a fat loss program:
 eliminate stress, sleep very well, drink LOTS of water, eat nutritionally, do strength training!

How to Lose Weight Fast: Benefits and Description of Intermittent Fasting

Not only is this a great plan how to lose weight fast, but the more you use intermittent fasting, the more success you'll have in fat loss and many other benefits like increased energy and mental clarity, decreased inflammation, increased HGH production, lower blood cholesterol, reversal of type two diabetes, and even preventing Alzheimer's disease. Some of these findings are here and scattered throughout pubmed.gov.

What is intermittent fasting? It's allowing yourself specific times where you can eat, and fasting for the rest of the day. As a beginner I suggest that you begin with 12 or 14 hours as your fasting times. And to always stop eating two hours before you fall asleep. Then basically you'd skip breakfast and begin eating 12, 14, or 16 hours from when you had dinner the day before.

How to Lose Weight Fast: HOW TO use Intermittent Fasting!

The great news is that you won't have to change WHAT you eat, so this isn't an ALL banana diet like the picture on the right. All we are doing is regulating WHEN we do eat.

Step ONE: Stop eating TWO hours before going to sleep! This allows your food to digest before your sleep cycle begins naturally healing your body. The next hours while fasting can have some slight difficulty in the beginning but this gets so much easier in time. It may sound over simplified to say “just don't eat until your time is up”. But the hunger feelings do come in waves, I PROMISE it will get easier in time.

For beginners, I've seen great success starting with a 13 hour fasting interval (with 11 hours of eating) then gaining one hour to our fast every few days until our fasting period is 16 hours (with 8 hours of eating). I personally only fast a few days a week currently, but you can work this into your routine slowly and find the incredible benefits that we do! 

How to Lose Weight Fast: Drink LOTS of Water While Intermittent Fasting

Water is very important to be drinking all day long, but it becomes even more important during fasting. Experts suggest possibly adding lemon, or lime, or a pinch of salt to add minerals that wane during fasting, but warn against any kind of artificial water sweeteners, whether they have no calories or not. Anything that even simply TASTES sweet will spike insulin levels and can subtract all the positive effects of intermittent fasting.

We can also drink black tea or coffee, with no milk, creamer, and no sweeteners. Spices like nutmeg or cinnamon can be added but never any sweeteners during a fast.

Some people also will drink apple cider vinegar during a fast, it is a natural appetite suppressant, increases metabolism, and even balances the levels of insulin in your body. 1-3 tablespoons in a glass of water is the recommended amount to start.

**IMPORTANT**   If you have any type of medical condition it is important to ask YOUR doctor before using intermittent fasting.

ALWAYS ask your doctor first, this especially goes for those who are underweight, anyone ever having an eating disorder, women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, or women with history of amenorrhea. Certain medications may not be ideal for intermittent fasting, and it may not be best for those with diabetes, low blood pressure, blood sugar regulation issues, or who have gout.