How to Stave Off Hunger While Intermittent Fasting

When we think about intermittent fasting, there are two things that come to mind: Weight loss and irregular hunger. While fasting intermittently to lose weight is good for your pro cheer body, it is hard to maintain this lifestyle at first due to the fasting style’s irregular schedules.

In this article, we’re going to review what intermittent fasting is, what its benefits are for pro cheer health, and what you can do to avoid hunger during fasting hours.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IF) or intermittent energy restriction is an eating pattern of voluntary fasting and non-fasting cycles. There are three common methods of intermittent fasting. One is the eat-stop-eat method where you fast for the entire day once or twice a week.

The second is the 5:2 method where you eat 500-600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week and have to eat normally for the remaining 5 days of the week. Lastly is the daily time-restricted or the 16/8 method.

This is the intermittent fasting method where you eat all your major meals in a certain time window and fast for the rest of the day every day. For example, you can only eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. before eating again until 8 a.m. the next day.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Help With Your Fitness and Health?

You may think that intermittent fasting could pose some serious health risks due to periods where you’ll lack nutrition. But internet fasting has a lot of benefits for your health. One common benefit is weight reduction. Another is a study showing that it increases your growth hormones making muscle gain and fat loss faster.

Then there’s this benefit where IF changes some of your gene’s function making you live longer and more resilient to diseases. There are more benefits to intermittent fasting, they include reducing bad cholesterol for a healthy heart and reducing blood sugar to avoid type 2 diabetes.

4 Ways to Stave Off Hunger While Intermittent Fasting

1. Drink water first thing in the morning

When you wake up during a fast, you’re sure to be hungry and it’ll be a few hours before you eat your first meal of the day. Drinking a lot of water will help a lot in staving off hunger during these fasting hours.

You can drink coffee and green tea after your first two glasses of water to suppress your hunger. Just remember to avoid using sugar as this will break your fast. Using cream and milk is allowed as well provided you don’t pour too much on your mug or cup.

2. Chew on gum

The chewing motion you do on gum is another way to save off hunger. Be sure to buy the sugarless ordinary gum without mint.

3. Stay busy

Boredom can cause hunger. Being busy will surely take your mind off food. If you’re not exercising, studying, working, or taking care of children, find something else to do like reading a book, playing a game, or gardening.

4. Eat enough and healthily during your eating window

Don’t eat too much or too little because either way, you’ll get hungry again sooner. Avoid junk foods and sweets during your eating window. Go for high-fat, protein-packed, and fiber-rich meals.

All of these food types are digested slowly giving you enough energy while suppressing your appetite until your next meal schedule.

Before following an intermittent fasting schedule, consult with a nutritionist or a health professional first to determine if this lifestyle works for you.

Discover more intermittent fasting and dieting articles here!

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