Last Updated on April 8, 2022 by Latrice
Yes, intermittent fasting for weight loss can be easy.
The weight seemed to fall right off of me. So much so that one morning I got up, stretched my arms to the sky, and my waste beads slid right off. I was shooketh.
Below I detail how I lost 45-lbs using an intermittent fasting routine that was relatively easy and didn’t take much to follow.
I’m also going to share the foods I believe made it easy to intermittent fast. And I’m someone that used to be a really hungry person.
Let’s get into it!
How do I start intermittent fasting for weight loss
Put together a healthy lifestyle and learn how to eat an actual human diet.
Design a healthy lifestyle for weight loss |
Learning how to do intermittent fasting for weight loss started with designing a healthy lifestyle for weight loss. I had to get clear on my goals, determine what action steps would help me stay on track with those goals, and then turn those steps into routines I could track in a habit tracker.
Working on healthy habits in a schedule you can manage is by far the best way to start with intermittent fasting for weight loss. Beyond the food choices and your fasting schedule, your daily habits need to align.
I’ve created a Weight Loss journal that’s been helping me out a bunch that you might find helpful as well. Check it out here. It’s also available in Happy Planner Classic and Big sizes.
I also have a Keto Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss lifestyle bundle available that includes meal plans, food lists, and action steps to take for success.
Learned how to eat like a human |
The second most important thing I did to start intermittent fasting for weight loss was re-learn how to eat like a human. There is so much about food that I had to unlearn and relearn. Once I did, intermittent fasting got easy as hell.
Figuring out how to eat clean, nutrient-dense foods helped me then figure out how to eat when I need to lose weight.
Here are a couple of my favorite books that have taught me the truth about food, the problems with the Standard American diet, and what to do to live a healthier life.
Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes – A great book to read that simply explains why we get fat, what foods to get rid of, and why get rid of them.
Eat the Yolks by Liz Wolfe – She’s funny. And hella informative. Eat the Yolks debunks a lot of misinformation we’ve been force-fed about what is healthy eating including egg white omelets.
More posts on learning to eat like a human
- 3 surprisingly best foods for weight loss, appetite control, and sugar cravings
- How to lose 100+ lbs with a simple and satisfying diet
- 10 weight loss tips for women that work from my 75-lbs weight loss transformation
Which method of intermittent fasting is best for weight loss
From my experience, it’s better to cut out dinner than to cut out breakfast to start. You do most of your fasting when you’re asleep. And I’ve actually experienced better weight loss when I ate breakfast, lunch, and an early, light dinner around 3pm.
I lost most weight switching between a 16/8 and 20/4 schedule, but the best method for weight loss with intermittent fasting is to start with a schedule you can actually stick to.
Choosing the roughest, toughest intermittent fasting method you’ve seen because someone lost 20 lbs in 2 weeks with it can lower your chances of sticking with it if it’s beating you up relentlessly along the way.
Choose an intermittent fasting method your body can manage and your mindset can get through. Build the habit before worrying about weight loss. Get the habit down and the weight loss is easy.
More posts on starting intermittent fasting
- Intermittent fasting – 5 simple tips for painlessly getting started
- How to choose the best intermittent fasting method for you
- How to intermittent fast on keto for weight loss: how I lost a total of 75-lbs after trying “everything”
- How to lose weight in a week: 5 simple steps I’ve used to lose 10 pounds in a week
What I DID NOT EAT when intermittent fasting for weight loss
Warning. This list might seem extreme to you. This is a list of foods I stopped eating when I learned that they triggered my cravings and out-of-control appetite. They include some foods we’ve been calling healthy that actually aren’t.
Once I cut them out, intermittent fasting got super easy.
I’ve included a food list for transitioning to clean eating and intermittent fasting with a transitioning plan in my FREE Quick Weight Loss and Intermittent Fasting cheat sheets and worksheets.
This FREE bundle also includes worksheets that help you plan your health and wellness goals and healthy meals.
What I DID EAT when intermittent fasting for weight loss
If you’ve also had challenges with sticking to a clean diet, find yourself feeling addicted to foods, and have a tendency to binge eat if you slip off of a super strict routine, give this list a try.
What I’ve noticed with sticking with these foods was healthy management of my appetite, getting rid of cravings, and being able to comfortably fast.
From research, these foods do not raise insulin as high as starchy vegetables, substitute flours like almond and coconut, or Paleo-Friendly sweeteners like agave or coconut nectar.
More posts on what to eat that make intermittent fasting easier
- 15 grab-n-go keto breakfast recipes that are deliciously guilt-free
- 20 keto brunch recipes for you and your just-as-bougie pals
- 10 keto recipes that make awesome weight loss dinners
How to WORKOUT when intermittent fasting for weight loss
I gave myself time to adapt to intermittent fasting before starting a workout routine. My body wasn’t adapted to fat burning and fasting when I first started.
And I felt it. Working out can be a pain in the ass as well as damaging to the body. Taking it easy was and is important.
I started with workouts that I can manage, made me feel good, and I could do consistently enough to build a habit.
Here are some popular workouts to try:
Is intermittent fasting a healthy way to lose weight
I lost 45 lbs in 4 months by keeping it simple. Eating foods that kept my blood sugar in check, skipping dinner, doing most intermittent fasting while asleep, and lifting weights.
I tried what seemed like everything to lose weight including meatless diets and juice cleanses.
They made me hungry as all to be damned which made them hard to stick to.
With intermittent fasting and a clean diet, I also saw my cravings go away, my knees stop hurting, and my skin get clearer.
Nothing has worked for fat loss, appetite control, and keeping cravings in check like intermittent fasting.
Want more tips?
If you’re looking for more information on weight loss and healthy living, I’ve put together resources full of action steps, tips, and tools:
- Start Here guide for weight loss and healthy living with GeekyTricee.com
- How to Lose Weight resource guide
- Stop Counting Calories resource guide
- Design a Healthy Lifestyle resource guide
- Browse My Bookshelf for health and wellness book suggestions
96 Responses
Since menopause, no matter what I do, even starving myself, the weight just won’t budge and I keep gaining and gaining no matter what! Can you help a 55 yr old?
Well Deborah, what I know is humans thrive on human food regardless of how old we are. Sometimes consistency and eating human food is the best things any of us can do for ourselves. This might take a bit of elbow grease to break old habits and any addictions we have, but can definitely be done.
Deborah,
I am also in my 50’s. It could be your hormones and/or Thyroid. Some women can eat the cleanest, keto-est foods and have their macros perfectly balanced for their body type and activity level, but if thier metabolism/thyroid is jacked up no amount of dieting or exercise will cure us. Get tested for things like Cushings/Hashimoto/menopause/Adrenal Fatigue and check out StopTheThyroidMadness.com after your doc gives you your lab results. Good Luck, Sweetie!
What are the best hours that we do intermittent fasting?
It all depends on what works best for your schedule and body, but for me, I got the best results when I fasted in the evenings and during my fasting window. I workout in the mornings so eating breakfast and then a late lunch worked best.
Hi! Thank you for the informative article, and congratulations on all your hard work! I have done IF in the past and will be starting back consistently next month. Do you do the 16/8 method every day? If so, how do you keep your body guessing and not getting TOO used to your diet/exercise plan?
Hi Emilie! Thank you! I did 16/8 most days and switched it up by eating later than usual or doing a day without eating. Sometimes trying different keto foods too.
I been doing IF for 6 months but my results have been slow.
It could be what you’re eating that’s keeping your progress slow.
I have a thyroid problem I can’t lose weight and was wondering if IF would work. It’s hard for me to exercise I have a knee problem. Just want to lose some weight.
I don’t have experience with thyroid problems and weight loss, but I know that a diet of all real foods is better for your health and can help.
What can i drink or eat during my fasting hours. I desperately have to loose weight
Drink water, sparkling water, flavored sparkling water without sweetener, black coffee, and tea. Stay away from drinking calories during your fasting window. And black coffee or green tea work great to help you get through fasting windows.
Can you give an example of what u eat in a day?