Quick-Start Guide to Intermitted Fasting for Productivity 16/8

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What if I told you the secret to productivity doesn’t lie in a beautiful workspace? I’m talking about intermitted fasting, the secret weapon to productivity. Today, we’ll discuss what intermitted fasting is, why it works, and a quick start guide. Fasting is the single, best health tip I can provide you because it’s free and useful. Just don’t eat at certain times. BAM! Instant success story. It is that easy! 

First, let’s address the elephant in the room – NO, you will not die! One of the biggest myths around food is that we require three meals and two snacks per day. Do you know why that’s burned into our brains? Because high power industries, like the food and pharmaceutical industries, spend loads of advertising money to brainwash us. These industries benefit when we eat more often, eat more food, and develop health issues. UGH! So, is breakfast the most important meal of the day? No. Should we eat every 3 hours? No.

The top 5 reasons to try fasting:

1. It’s simple & efficient – I don’t know about you, but I have enough choices to make during the day. The fewer choices, the better.
2. It costs $0! Who doesn’t love FREE?
3. Fewer meals to meal prep = more time saved
4. Increases productivity
5. The scientifically proven health benefits are incredible

What intermitted fasting is:

Now, for those new to fasting let’s briefly touch on the basics. Intermitted fasting is a protocol of when to eat, and there are many different fasting protocols out there. Common patterns include 16/8 (16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating/day) and 5/2 (5 days regular eating, 2 days of 24-hour fasts). The best thing about fasting is that its completely flexible to fit into your life.

Because I’m a creature of habit, I follow a daily eating pattern of 16 fasting hours and 8 eating hours. When it’s convenient, I do a 24-hour fast. Then, I commonly eat 2-3 meals matching the general number of calories I aim for during the eating window.

The benefits of fasting include:

• Improved mental clarity and concentration
• Reduced inflammation
• Enhanced fat-burning
• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Prevents Alzheimer’s disease
• Autophagy – the spring cleaning for cells
• Extends life

How it works:

When we eat, food energy is stored as glycogen in the liver. This energy source is always burned first. It takes 10-15 hours to deplete glycogen stores unless you exercise (which speeds up the process). Once glycogen stores are depleted, then we start to burn stored fat as ketones. Ketones are very good for your brain = boom, productivity. Side bonus, the break you provide your body from spending energy digesting food can now be spent doing internal spring cleaning instead.

Quick-Start Guide:

While fasting, you can consume beverages with no added sweeteners:
1. Water – Still or sparkling. Optional Add-ins: Limes, lemons, apple cider vinegar, Himalayan salt, or chia seeds
2. Coffee – Black or with coconut oil, butter, ghee, MCT oil, or cinnamon
3. Herbal Tea – Hot or iced (Iced Green is the bomb)! Optional Add-ins: cinnamon, lemon.

During the eating window, focus on natural, unprocessed foods. You can get my free beginner grocery list by clicking here. Also, limit sugar and alcohol. Stay hydrated.

However, this eating pattern is not for everyone. If you’re interested in getting started, begin with a 12-13 hour fasted period, and work your way up. Download the free app Zero to track fasts (not sponsored, I just use it every day and love it). It’s a simple and efficient app that tracks your fasting time for you. I encourage you to give it a solid 30 days to try before you call it off.

Summary:

So, what does this mean for productivity? Let’s say you start fasting at 8 pm. You wake up at 6 am, workout at 7 am, and get to work by 9 am. That puts you beginning work around the middle or end of the fast. That’s when you may experience superhuman mental focus. Maybe you’re with me on this, but I do my best work in the morning. There is nothing more productive than me, at my desk, with a black coffee, on a fast!

I hope you enjoyed reading about intermitted fasting for productivity! If you’re interested in hearing more about intermitted fasting, write to me here or comment below!

For more info on intermitted fasting for productivity:
Watch this TED Talk with Mark Mattson.
Check out this book. It is an amazing resource. I read the entire thing before attempting my first fast.

Disclaimer: Fasting is not advisable for people with chronic health conditions, diabetics, children, elderly, pregnant, or those with eating disorders or a history of eating disorders. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new diet and exercise program.

Till next time,