How to Keep Intermittent Fasting Manageable for Busy Pro Cheerleaders

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a meal pattern with a cycle of fasting and eating periods in it. Unlike other diet plans, IF specifies when you should eat and not the foods you should eat. This is one of the best dietary approaches for women in the pro cheer community who would rather limit their calorie intake for weight loss without giving up some of the not-so-healthy foods they love.

However, IF isn’t easy as it can cause you issues when done wrong or without proper planning. In this blog post, you’ll learn the strategies and hacks you should follow so you’re less prone to unnecessary cravings during fasting periods while staying energized throughout the day.

1. Work on your sleep first

If you can’t sleep with an empty stomach or have an uninterrupted rest throughout the night, IF may not be for you. To make it work, you should get used to it first. Otherwise, your new eating pattern would only cause you to have reduced hours of nighttime sleep which leads to stress. Try to sleep for one night without eating dinner. Then progress to having more no-dinner nights in consecutive weeks.

2. Plan and prep nutritious meals in advance

The goal of IF is to reduce your calorie intake throughout the day. If your meals consist of foods that are easy to digest such as refined carbs, you’ll end up craving a lot during your fasting period. This is because your body is telling you to replenish fuel as the carb-rich meal you ate has now been converted into glucose and that energy source has depleted.

Also, meals that are high in bad carbs cause your blood sugar levels to spike. When this happens, your body produces more insulin causing your cells to store extra glucose as fat - totally counterintuitive to the purpose of IF. Your meals during your eating period should be hearty and must contain a majority of protein with a few veggies and complex carbs.

3. Start with a fasting schedule that you can easily follow

There are plenty of IF patterns you can use as a guide online. However, not every style would fit your liking. You must try all patterns and find one you can manage. Once you’ve found one, get used to it and then increase intensity. An example would be extending your fasting periods.

4. Stay hydrated

Drinking water when you feel hungry will help you determine if you’re just craving or truly starving. Always carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go. If you’re really starving during your fasting period, drink coffee or tea. These beverages can help soothe hunger pangs.

Remember to avoid adding cream or sugar so your drink’s caloric content remains below 50. This is necessary to keep your body in a fasted state.

IF can present risks to those with medical conditions. It’s important to talk to your doctor first before following this diet method. Some people even take IF too far, especially if the positive effects are delivered fast and noticeable. You mustn’t allow yourself to be influenced into having an eating disorder.

Read the articles below to know more about intermittent fasting:

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