TIME to think about Intermittent Fasting to create space and more time in your day quickly.
When we are looking at intermittent fasting from a time perspective, our number one goal is to create more time to do other things instead of eating. Yes, the weight loss and other benefits are there too, but for this blog post we are focused on TIME, and the other benefits will follow closely behind.
Here’s two considerations to think about as we go forward into creating more time.
1. making the most of our time, and
2. Creating space to do more of what we love.
Creating more time using timed eating tactics or intermittent fasting, is one of the simplest ways to add valuable minutes into every day and get the most out of food, the experience of eating, and wellness quickly, but… It’s not always easy and in the long run, it’s downright hard sometimes. Eating is an easy way to burn an hour with distraction, feel full and deal with unexpected emotions. I get it, I’m a master of getting easily distracted. Cooking, eating, and cleaning is a great way to take up whatever time we need it to so we don’t have to do what we know we could be doing.
Making the most of our time is something I struggle with, so I’ve done quite a bit of research into why. I certainly can’t answer the why for you, but the simplest answer I have found is (surprise!) habits. Not any habits though, habits that relate right back to getting better at IF.
Simple actionable habits like:
- When I think I’m getting hungry, one of my favorites is to simply (not easily) ask myself “am I hungry? Or is my belly simply empty?” Do you know the difference?
DId you know you can live for almost a month with no food? And 3500 calories equals a pound? Consider those little factoids when you are starting to feel that amazing warm feeling of an empty stomach next time that “hunger” monster taps you on the shoulder.
- Keeping few or no snacks in the house. When I have to cook everything I eat, or stop at a restaurant, it’s easier to tell myself its just not worth it.
- Focusing on one amazing meal a day. Whether I’m simply fasting for 12 hours a day or living the OMAD life, knowing I’ll be rewarded each day with one perfect, tasty, and fulfilling meal (including dessert a lot of times) on my terms, it sure makes it worth all the “nope, not yet’s” I tell myself throughout the day.
As you may have learned already, just because we are creating space, doesn’t mean we are using it to the best of our ability, and that’s okay. But, if we want to thrive, we want to fill that space with more and more focused energy, rather than the easier distractions, like eating more often.
There will be more on this later, but for now I want you to start thinking about what kind of simple, actionable habits you can execute 100% of the time. Make this as simple as possible, then crush it!
