Kerri WaldronMy first fast was for 24 hours, which sounded daunting. I ate my last meal at 6pm on Sunday and fasted until Monday evening, drinking water throughout the day and a cup of milk-free coffee at lunchtime. Surprisingly, it wasn’t actually as difficult as I imagined. I used the coffee to pep me up when I felt a bit tired, but I made it through and overall felt great.
Since then I have completed a few 24-hour fasts (normally once a week, although sometimes twice) to prepare for a big night out, or after a heavy meal. It means that even if I overindulge one day, I’ll still be in a calorie deficit across the week and feel in control.
Most days, I eat two to three meals and don’t snack. In the past, that wouldn’t have been the case, but Craig has taught me how protein and healthy fats will keep me fuller for longer.
When I do eat breakfast or brunch, it’s an omelette with spinach, mushrooms and cheese. Lunch is usually a salad with oily fish, chicken or eggs and sometimes some Greek yogurt on the side. For dinner, I eat some protein (fish, chicken or other meat) with mainly green vegetables on the side. Eating a high-protein dinner stops me from reaching for the biscuit tin in the evening and keeps me full until the next day.
Most days, I intermittently fast by finishing my last meal by around 8pm and not eating until around 11am the next morning, which reduces my overall calorie intake, without me feeling hungry.
Learning how to strength train and mustering up the confidence to enter the weights section of the gym has been another big part of my journey. I used to be nervous as I didn’t know where to start, but now I look forward to my three sessions a week and know that Craig is on hand if I need help.
I focus on a combination of upper- and lower-body strength exercises, as well as interval training on the bike or cross-trainer. Eating a high-protein meal before workouts helps power me through, and I still feel strong enough to train on days when I’m fasting.
Source: bing.com
