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Healthy Eating Habits
So before I properly begin, I wanted to give a little disclaimer that I am not a dietitian, nutritionist, or any other health professional. I am a simple woman who suffered from anorexia nervosa for many years. When I finally overcame anorexia I fell into another trap – sugar addiction. I was one of these people who was reaching for sweet and sugary food immediately after waking up.
I know it may not seem like a big deal for many people, but if you feel the irresistible need to eat chocolate as soon as you wake up and if you don’t you become exasperated it means that you have a problem. Not to mention that I started noticing various symptoms of insulin resistance that if not treated and reversed can lead to type 2 diabetes.
I knew that I needed to act before my health before my symptoms get worse. I wanted to find a way to stop letting my emotions affect my choice of food. Because overcoming an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa) just to develop another eating disorder (sugar addiction) is not the solution.
After many years of struggling with an eating disorder, I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to create a healthy relationship with food. So I did my research, and by research, I don’t mean watching Youtube videos but reading scientific papers and food science books. (you will find the booklist below) and I’ve discovered the concept of intermittent fasting.
Now, I will admit, I was a skeptic at first. But being a person, who loves challenges and new opportunities I decided to give it a try and this is what happened…
A Tough Start
I am not going to lie, the first weeks of intermittent fasting were extremely difficult. They were pretty tough actually. I was struggling. I was tired, anxious, and irritated. Not to mention that I was hungry after every single meal, although I was eating the right amount of calories. Which was an obvious symptom of insulin resistance.
However, the biggest challenge I had to face was not to eat a dessert or snack after every single meal. I know seems crazy, but it’s exactly how I felt. But I was determined to achieve my goal to develop healthy eating habits. All I needed was a good plan to make this personal transformation easier, more consistent, and much more exciting. And that’s exactly what I did. And after doing intermittent fasting for a month this is what happened:
I should probably add that I eat a healthy ketogenic diet and I do the 16:8 form of intermittent fasting. This simply means that I restrict eating to an 8-hour window with 2–3 meals (depending on the day), and fast for 16 hours.
How Intermittent Fasting (IF) Improved My Health
1. IF helped me to create more structure and discipline in my life.
2. IF helped me to develop a powerful, productive, and positive daily routine with regular mealtimes, regular workouts, and regular self-care practice
3. IF helped me to get my sleep cycle organized. I have a good night routine and I sleep much better.
4. IF helped me to become more emotionally stable. Since my blood sugar levels are under control I am more peaceful, relaxed, balanced, and focused on my goals
5. IF improved my cognitive skills. I’ve noticed an improvement in mental concentration and focus.
6. IF helped me to get rid of morning brain fog. I wake up well-rested, energized, and ready to kick-start my day
7. IF helped me to schedule regular mealtimes.
8. IF helped me to develop mindful eating habits. Eating my meals became a sensory experience.
9. IF improved my digestion. Because when you eat 2-3 meals a day at a regular schedule you give your body a break from constant digestion
10. IF improved my gut health.
11. IF helped me to cut my grocery bill in half and save money on food because I stopped buying processed food and packaged snacks
12. IF helped me to regain control over my sugar craving (yes, they still have them but I am able to ignore them)
13. IF helped me to boost my immune system
14. IF helped me increase my resistance to cold (I can take longer cold showers)
15. IF boosts my physical performance. My workouts became more intense. I don’t suffer post-workout soreness anymore.
7 Steps Of My Eating Patterns Transformation
As you can probably imagine changing your whole lifestyle is not the easiest thing to do. However, with the right approach, strategy, and mindset the transformation process you put yourself through can be not only doable but also quite enjoyable. And that’s exactly what I did. I created the 7-step system for my eating patterns transformation to ensure that I achieved a positive outcome.
- I created a compelling VISION
- I made a strong RESOLUTION
- I set smart GOALS I could look forward to
- I made a simple PLAN OF ACTION
- I developed powerful RITUALS to be able to enter the right state every single day
- I created a habit tracker to improve my SELF-DISCIPLINE
- I celebrated (and still celebrate) small victories and big wins to increase my COMMITMENT
Fact-checking
What Is Intermittent Fasting
Types Of Intermittent Fasting
Science-Based Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
- The science behind intermittent fasting — and how you can make it work for you
- 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
- How Good a Diet Is Intermittent Fasting?
- Intermittent fasting: Surprising update
- 7 Science-Backed Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
- The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
- Nutrition and healthy eating
- Research on intermittent fasting shows health benefits
Best Books On Intermittent Fasting
- The Art of Intermittent Fasting: How to Lose Weight, Shed Fat, and Live a Healthier Life by Connor Thompson
- Intermittent Fasting for Beginners by Sarah Amber Patterson
- The Complete Guide To Fasting by Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore
- The FastDiet by Michael Mosley
- Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon
- The Longevity Diet by Valter Longo
- Fast. Feast. Repeat.: The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don’t Deny® Intermittent Fasting–Including the 28-Day FAST Start by Gin Stephens
- The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Dr. Jason Fung
Top 11 Apps For Intermittent Fasting
- Zero – expert guidance, insights, and accountability to unlock a longer, healthier life iOS / Android
- Fastient – A journaling and stats tracking app
for extended and intermittent fasting iOS / Android - BodyFast – The healthy way to your dream weight & Personal fasting plans iOS / Android
- FastHabit – makes it easy to get started with Intermittent Fasting and stick with it iOS / Android
- LIFE Fasting Tracker – track all types of fasting, share with friends and learn about health benefits iOS / Android
- DoFasting – easy-to-use fasting tracker iOS / Android
- Simple – Your Personal Assistance and Insights with
Simple Intermittent Fasting app iOS / Android - Vora – a fasting tracker plus a social platform iOS / Android
- Ate – the Mindful Food Journaling app iOS / Android
- Window – your reliable intermittent fasting tracker iOS / Android
- MyFast – intermittent fasting timer and tracking iOS / Android
Conclusion
With this post, I don’t want to convince you to start Intermittent Fasting. Even though I truly believe that IF could benefit your health and well-being in many different ways. I am just sharing my extremely positive experience with both Intermittent Fasting and a healthy ketogenic diet that I started almost one year ago today.
However, I also want to add a very important point. Just because IF and the ketogenic diet helped me to regain my health and well-being it does not mean that it will do the same effect on others. There is no magic formula. No “no-size diet fits all”. We are all different and unique but most of us have the same goal which is to live a healthy, fulfilling, and meaningful life. We all want to be happy, healthy, and successful, we just choose different ways to achieve that. And that’s also amazing.
Having said that, I highly encourage you to do your own research and make conscious decisions about your health and well-being. Because your whole future depends on the decisions you make today.
Best Posts About Achieving Goals:
- The 5-Step Weekly Routine For Living A Successful And Happy Life. HERE
- 7 Powerful Mindset Shifts That Will Make You Successful. HERE
- Dopamine Detox HERE
- Maximize Your Productivity: 6-Step Method To Get More Things Done In Less Time. HERE
- Perfect Morning Routine to Reduce Stress & Anxiety HERE
- The Ultimate Guide For Setting & Reaching Your Goals HERE
- 6 Self-Improvement Habits To Adopt in 2020 HERE
- Get into the Habit of Being Seriously Organized in 2020. HERE
- 8 Simple Steps to Set Yourself Up for a Successful 2020 HERE
- Powerful and smart ways to manage your time efficiently and effectively HERE
- 5 steps to success in achieving your goals HERE
- The ultimate way to overcome procrastination and become a highly productive person HERE
Stay positive, be mindful and make your health your No 1 priority!
xo Kate
