Dieting can be tricky at any age but when you reach 40 then it can be even more difficult. Your body doesn’t adapt as quickly to diet and exercise and it can be so frustrating because you’re not getting the results you used to get. Fortunately, over 40 intermittent fasting is something that can really help.
What Exactly Is Over 40 Intermittent Fasting?
Well, as the name suggests, it’s fasting for people over the age of 40. If you’re not familiar with intermittent fasting, it’s basically when you have only drinks (water, tea, coffee, etc) but then have a small window of time during the day where you can eat.
The foods you can eat aren’t necessarily limited either, unlike other weight loss programs. The reason why it works is because of the long periods where you don’t eat. Naturally, you’re not going to lose weight if you eat pizza, fries, and other unhealthy foods. So you should still try to maintain a healthy diet when you do eat.
Here are some tips to help your new fasting weight loss regime go smoothly.
#1 – Slow & Steady Wins The Race
If you’re used to eating from morning until night, then starting to fast is going to make you, well, hungry! And if you do it every single day from the outset, then you’re going to be bad-tempered and feeling the hunger quite bad.
Instead, just do intermittent days when you first begin. Start on a Monday by fasting but then on Tuesday you eat normally. Repeat the sequence and see how you feel by the end of the week. If you feel good, then fast on Monday and Tuesday the following week, Eat on Wednesday but then fast on Thursday and Friday. See how you feel.
It’s all about easing yourself into the program. That will make it so much easier to stick to it and get the results you deserve.
#2 – Are You Really Hungry?
This is a question you’re going to be asking yourself a lot. Your brain will be telling you that you need to eat. But in reality, your body doesn’t need any food and your stomach isn’t even rumbling. So you need to learn the difference between when you are actually hungry or if it’s just your brain trying to trick you.
If you’re unsure, drink some water and give it 20-30 minutes and see if it helps. That can usually help to suppress your appetite.
Looking for a PROVEN plan to follow? Check this out:
#3 – Get To Know Your Body
There’s a big difference between being hungry and almost passing out. If you’re so hungry that you feel faint, then you’re going to need to eat. You’ll quickly get to know whether you feel tired and have low blood sugar, or whether you can last a bit longer by drinking water or even having a small snack.
Intermittent fasting needs to be done correctly, otherwise, you might cause yourself an injury by passing out and no one wants that.
#4 – You’d Better Get Used To Drinking!
When on this type of weight loss plan, drinking is something you’re going to be doing a lot of. Water is the main recommendation but you can drink tea or coffee too. Ideally, you don’t want to have milk in those because it will throw off the ketosis levels.
A handy tip is to line up the amount of water you know you have to drink during the day. Then you know how much you’ve had and what you need to drink. Otherwise, you might lose track of what you’ve had and may not have enough. A minimum of 2 liters a day is recommended on the most common fasting programs.
#5 – Don’t Overeat
When the time comes for you to eat, you’re going to feel like shoving as much as you can down your throat. But this may cause you to overeat and you’ll just not lose any weight.
Instead of doing that, when your food window opens, eat slowly and take your time. Give your body the time it needs to digest the food and it will tell you when it’s full. Plus, if you overeat in the first hour and then have nothing else, the time from when you ate until the next time will be far longer. Which means you’ll be even more hungry. So during that food window of time, start slow and eat something towards the end of the window.
Over 40 intermittent fasting is something that may take some time to adjust to. But it’s a sure-fire way to get your body burning fat, without the need for excessive exercise or crazy dieting. It just puts your body in a state of ketosis, which means it burns fat instead of the food you put in.
Good luck 🙂
