Why I Started Intermittent Fasting and The Lessons Learned

Intermittent Fasting Lessons Learned

Over the past week, I have written on the topic of intermittent fasting. I have shared blog posts on 
• What Is Intermittent Fasting And How To Begin - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/what-is-intermittent-fasting-and-how-to-begin 
• The Many Benefits of Intermittent Fasting For Your Best Life - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/-the-many-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting-for-your-best-life
• A Simple Introduction To Intermittent Fasting - What You Need To know - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/a-simple-introduction-to-intermittent-fasting-what-you-need-to-know 
• The Benefits Of The 16-8 Intermittent Fasting Protocols - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/the-benefits-of-the-16-8-intermittent-fasting-protocols 

Today I would like to share the lessons I have learned so far on this journey. 

I began experimenting with Intermittent Fasting at the start of 2020. This practice is something I had heard about for quite a while, attended an online Summit on IF and was intrigued by the idea. Yet it made me uncomfortable “trying” to go without eating. Weird, right? 

The idea of being hungry made me feel uneasy and not something I wanted to commit to. So, I put it off. 

Then one day I was listening to Wim Hof, The Ice Man and he said something that changed everything for me. This is not a direct quote however his message was that day that today’s human is not tough enough. We live too easily. Modern human beings are never really cold, or really hot, or really hungry, or we don’t push ourselves outside of our comfort zones anymore. We live in perfectly heated/air-conditioned homes for the most part. Have any kind of food we want close by. Most of us don’t even push ourselves to get off the couch and get outside for a walk and certainly many of us don’t do exercise that pushes us to tax our bodies or minds. 

I took some time to think if this was true for me. I have been willing to experiment with so many ideas over the past 20 years in my health and fitness journey, yet I wasn't willing to experiment with Fasting. 

You see I had already started to do cold showers; I was doing Wim Hof breathing method, training hard and so much more. Yet, I wasn’t willing to at least give Intermittent Fasting a try. I didn’t want to feel uncomfortable with feeling hungry. It made me realize I had to toughen myself up.  I decided I was going to begin a 30-day experiment with Intermittent Fasting. 

That experiment has turned into a year of practicing fasting. Learning about myself and today I would like to share some of the lessons I have learned. 

The first thing I learned about myself is that I must always be willing to do those things that make me uncomfortable. This is what makes me stronger and willing to do more in my life. 

I began my experiment into IF and it has been great. What I was extremely uncomfortable and resistant to in the beginning has turned out to be a great gift. Not only am I fasting most days of the week now doing the 16-8 protocol I have been able to push myself a couple of times to do a fast over 30 hours which is something I never thought I would be able to accomplish.

 I allowed myself to be persistent in the area of doing something new without knowing how it would turn out for me and I have had some huge WINS. I feel better, I have reduced my weight, I have more energy, and continue to practice Intermittent Fasting a year into this experiment. 
The learning here is never underestimating what I am capable of and it seems this might be the same for you. We are all tougher and able to do more than we think. We just have to give ourselves the opportunity to experiment and practice. 

I never thought I would be able to exercise in a fasted state. Another thing that I have learned was not true for me. Each morning I go out for my walk fasted and it feels great. Now I even go out for 10 – 15 km hikes in the forest in a fasted state. When I began going out on longer hikes fasted, I did bring something to eat just in case and I realized I didn’t trust myself enough to know I can do what I put my mind to. No problem. Feels great. 

You’ve heard the quote “Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive and Believe, It Can Achieve.” – Napoleon Hill.

This is the big lesson I learned from my experience of beginning the practice of Intermittent Fasting. The important lesson here is I can do more with my health and fitness when I believe it and take action, I can accomplish anything. 

When it comes to health and fitness mindset matters for our best life. 

Share any ideas, thoughts and comments below. 

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