Amy, a middle-aged mama from Fenton, Michigan, lost 25 pounds, several inches and, even more importantly, achieved incredible HEALTH VICTORIES with intermittent fasting.
In this post, you’ll learn the unique intermittent fasting tips and tricks Amy shared with me on Episode #17 of the Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen Podcast.
As a middle-aged mama, going through many “changes”, Amy shares how she lost 25 pounds with intermittent fasting and drastically improved her blood pressure, resting heart rate, and overall brain and heart health.
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Amy’s Top 3 Intermittent Fasting Wins
Amy has experienced many wins with intermittent fasting but her top three are as follows:
- #1 IMPROVED HEART HEALTH – With a family history of heart disease, Amy has been thrilled with the non-scale victories that she’s achieved with fasting. Amy has drastically improved her blood pressure and resting heart rate.
- #2 IMPROVED BRAIN HEALTH – Amy has more room in her brain now, since she’s been able to break away from constant diet mindset thoughts and the guilt surrounding what foods she can and cannot eat.
- #3 WEIGHT AND INCHES LOST – Amy lost a total of 25 pounds and many, many inches with intermittent fasting.
Preferred Intermittent Fasting Method – OMAD or 19:5
Amy has found fantastic success using the OMAD or One Meal a Day intermittent fasting method.
When she was in the peak weight loss phase, she was following a pretty strict 23:1 schedule. However, she has since learned that OMAD doesn’t have to be a tight one hour window.
Now, she generally limits her eating window to about 4-5 hours, and has found the 20:4 fasting schedule and the 19:5 schedule to be her fasting “sweet spots” for weight maintenance.
Amy has recognized that her body feels best when she fasts “clean” between the hours of 7pm – 3pm, the following day, and feasts daily between the hours of 3pm and 7pm.
Biggest Challenge with Intermittent Fasting
Amy’s biggest challenge with intermittent fasting has been dealing with dreaded “WINDOW CREEP” and wanting to extend her fasting window too often, especially when attending social events.
She has found a few tips and strategies to help her push through those “window creep” challenges:
- Use a Fasting App as it will help keep you accountable. Here is one that even tracks your menstrual cycle.
- Be sure to “FAST CLEAN” during your fasting windows – this will help you FAST EASIER and FAST LONGER.
- End your eating windows with a quality high-protein food – this will also help you FAST EASIER and FAST LONGER, making “window creep” less of an issue.
Fasting Window Favorites
Amy absolutely chooses to “FAST CLEAN” during her fasting window – YAY! During her fasting window, Amy enjoys black coffee (sometimes adding a little salt or water), unsweetened ice tea, plain water, and plain La Croix Sparkling Mineral water.
She noticed a HUGE difference in both weight loss and health benefits once she switched to the CLEAN Fast, stating, “You don’t really understand how good you can truly feel when you fast clean.”
Eating Window Favorites
Amy is a total salad lover with her favorite being a nice and big Caprese Salad, complete with Arugula, fresh tomatoes, balsamic glaze, topped with some delicious Paula Dean seasoned chicken. YUM!
Fast-Breaking and Window-Closing Favorites
Amy enjoys using the “protein sandwich” approach during her designated daily eating window – meaning she eats a high quality protein food at the beginning and the end of her eating period. Her favorites include: cheese, hard-boiled eggs and mixed nuts.
Exercise Routine
Amy doesn’t like to exercise with a full stomach and definitely prefers to exercise in the “fasted state.” She enjoys staying active many different ways including:
- GARDENING – Amy says that “Gardening is her Dopamine.” She loves pulling weeds and says it feels like a detox – just like the “clean feeling” she gets when she fasts and rids her body of harmful toxins through intermittent fasting.
- LIFTING WEIGHTS – helps maintain her muscle mass especially as a woman approaching 50 years old.
- WALKING HER LABRADOODLES – Amy loves taking her dogs for a walk in all weather conditions. She feels that it not only keeps her active, but helps her clear her head and keep her sanity. LOL
AMY’S SHINIEST GEM
- Amy believes that INTUITIVE EATING is key when it comes to success with intermittent fasting.
Before you dive into the cookie jar and break your fast, ask yourself: AM I REALLY HUNGRY? If you answer “YES” to wanting to eat a big slimy bowl of spinach, then you’re probably truly hungry. Otherwise, emotional eating might be getting the best of you. Grab some sparkling mineral water, distract yourself, and try to push through your fasting window.
And remember – Intermittent fasting is like a muscle. It gets easier and easier, the longer you commit and JUST STICK TO IT!
You can listen to all of Amy’s weight loss and health victories with fasting on “THE INTERMITTENT FASTING GEMS WITH JEN” Podcast RIGHT HERE!
Have a truly BLESSED and BEAUTIFUL Day!
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