[{"id":"5f28d25","elType":"section","settings":[],"elements":[{"id":"aadb4e4","elType":"column","settings":{"_column_size":100,"_inline_size":null},"elements":[{"id":"76ca610","elType":"widget","settings":{"editor":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">My relationship with food has been a love-hate one. I mean, there were times I went days eating just one meal a day and there were days I binge ate everything in sight. I have a sweet tooth also and when I begin to gorge on chocolate, I\u2019m unstoppable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The first I heard of <\/span>intermittent fasting<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0(in a non-religious form) was in November 2018 while listening to a casual conversation between two YouTubers. To be honest, curiosity made me read up on it and I realized intermittent fasting (IF) involves alternating cycles of abstaining from eating food. It sounded really simple to me because it sounded like something we already do every day when we go to bed and wake up, hence break-fast (\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31).<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But I got to learn that\u00a0<\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">no be so e easy!<\/span><\/em><\/p><h5><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Why I decided to give it a shot!<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Well, further reading made me realize that IF works best for people like me who enjoy a wide range of foods and who struggle with diets that restrict certain types of food groups. With IF, the focus isn\u2019t on the quality or even the quantity of food you\u2019re eating, rather just the time frame that you\u2019re eating in. So, I could keep pasta, chocolate, as meal options while potentially promoting weight loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Trust me, I was sold on the idea. Almost two years after hearing about it, I jumped on the IF wagon.<\/span><\/p><h5><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Intermittent fasting and waist training\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Before trying intermittent fasting, I had invested in a heavy-duty\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #3366ff;\"><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/damidols.com\/product-category\/waist-cincher\/slimming-waist-cincher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">latex cincher waist trainer <\/a><\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and was already well on <\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #3366ff;\"><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" style=\"color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/damidols.com\/my-waist-trainers-journey-all-the-details-your-faves-wont-tell-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my waist training journey.<\/a><\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0I decided to try the 16:8 version of intermittent fasting alongside waist training because I needed a plan that would maximize my waist training to the fullest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">So I wore my waist trainer between 6-8 hours daily and within the window when I wasn\u2019t allowed to eat. After 9 days, I looked in the mirror and I was amazed! I ran into my wardrobe looking for the nearest bodycon dress\u2026. (Their daddy\u2019s daddy! Sings, please don\u2019t judge me...)\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h5><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What is the 16:8 diet?<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This means that I restricted my eating to eight hours in the middle of the day; for example, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. During that time, I was allowed to eat what I wanted with no calorie restrictions. Since my metabolism and blood sugar control are higher in the morning, the diet is thought to be more effective if my time frame is earlier in the day so calories are burned more efficiently. While other diets can set strict rules and regulations, the 16\/8 method is based on a time-restricted feeding (TRF) model and more flexible.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">During the 16-hour fasting period, I drank plenty of water; green tea, coffee, and even diet soda (not too much oo!). It wasn\u2019t so bad, I tell you. I also tried to eat a balanced diet comprising fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein to maximize the potential health benefits of this diet. I stayed away from food that caused me <\/span>to <span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/damidols.com\/5-de-bloating-tips-to-try-in-order-of-effectiveness-too\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">feel bloated<\/span><\/a><\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u00a0<\/span>too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Another thing I learnt was that fasting for 16 hours also forced my body to go into ketosis, meaning my body started burning fat for energy and produced ketones in my urine (you guessed right, just like the keto diet), which contributed to more weight loss.<\/span><\/p><h5><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Is intermittent fasting as good as they say?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Let\u2019s even deviate from the aesthetics benefits of IF. Intermittent fasting may also help modify risk factors for health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, such as lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels. IF also helps the body induces important cellular repair processes, such as removing waste material from cells. Studies have also shown that intermittent fasting can reduce<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/oxidative-stress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/span><a href=\"_wp_link_placeholder\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">oxidative damage <\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and inflammation in the body which fights ageing and development of numerous diseases.<\/span><\/p><h5><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What I think about intermittent fasting and waist training\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Look, there\u2019s nothing like it!!!! My bodycon dresses and high waisted pants thanked me for making the decision. Aside from that, I felt really good with myself. I mean, I could eat whatever I wanted following a time frame and I still got to have a snatched waist and I wore my trainer for an average of 7 hours daily 6 days in a week. Yes! Yes! I took a day off waist training every week. Surely, nothing beats that!<\/span><\/p><h5><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Real-time update\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I won\u2019t even lie and say I\u2019m still following this regime. Talk about not being able to take my eyes and mouth off Christmas Jollof and cake. It doesn\u2019t also help that I\u2019m visiting family and they just don\u2019t understand why one would choose not to munch on a drumstick.<\/span><\/p><h5><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Should I try it too, Ayo?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Well, I\u2019ll say be sure you are medically fit and your doctor gives the go-ahead. I\u2019ve never had any health challenge so for me, it worked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, you may want to skip the 16:8 method if you use insulin, have ever had an eating disorder, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or take medications in the morning or at night that requires food in your stomach. Be sure to talk with your doctor before starting the 16:8 diet or any form of intermittent fasting to make sure it's safe for you.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I\u2019m sure you have a ton of questions so feel free to shoot them my way. Look, I\u2019m not proud even though my waistline kinda makes me feel on top of the world (you get!) so I\u2019ll give you sincere and easy answers without holding back. Have you tried IF? What was your experience like? Please leave below and let\u2019s learn together.<\/span><\/p>"},"elements":[],"widgetType":"text-editor"}],"isInner":false}],"isInner":false}]