My thoughts on Intermittent Fasting

 Someone DMed me to share my thoughts on intermittent fasting. I'm not a health professional, please do your due diligence. 

This is what has been working for me so far.

Since Jan this year, I have switched to an early dinner (by 7 pm on most days). This habit has brought a lot of positive changes in me.

My sleep quality is now better, I used to get disturbed sleep earlier. 
My digestion has improved tremendously. No constipation issues. My system is clear in the morning.

I feel light and fresh when waking up. Tummy feels nicely tucked in, no bloating. This could also be partly because of the fact that I have reduced the intake of wheat.

Because I have an early dinner, I don't eat any evening snacks. After dinner, I don't eat anything else. I go to bed by 10pm and wake up by 6am. 

I have this habit of starting my morning with a cup of Indian chai (milk tea). I know it's not the right way to start the day but I have gotten into the habit for years. I will give myself enough time to kick this habit. Not gonna put any pressure on myself or feel guilty about it.

After tea, I either do yoga or go for a walk for around 40 min. By 8:30am, my tummy starts growling and I have my breakfast around 9-9:30am. I'm a breakfast person but I don't like to eat heavy items like poori, paratha or pongal. Mostly idli, dosa, poha or sathumaavu kanji. 

My fasting window is in alignment with the circadian rhythm. If you are comfortable skipping breakfast, then the fasting window can be extended further but it doesn't work for me. 

I don't subscribe to the idea of eating every 2 hrs. I prefer to eat 3 proper meals and I don't feel the need to snack in between. I eat as per my appetite. Yes, fasting is extremely helpful and gives our digestive system much needed break but let's decide the duration that's comfortable for our body. There's no need to compare our fasting duration with anyone else. A 12 hr fasting window might be more effective for you than a 16 hr one. 

Each of us is unique. Let's figure out what works for us without blindly following any fitness influencer's diet plan.

@luke_coutinho has shared many informative videos on #intermittentfasting. Check them out.