<p>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’m unstoppable. </p><p>The first I heard of intermittent fasting (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 (😱😱😱).</p><p>But I got to learn that <em>no be so e easy!</em></p><h5><strong>Why I decided to give it a shot!</strong></h5><p>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’t on the quality or even the quantity of food you’re eating, rather just the time frame that you’re eating in. So, I could keep pasta, chocolate, as meal options while potentially promoting weight loss. </p><p>Trust me, I was sold on the idea. Almost two years after hearing about it, I jumped on the IF wagon.</p><h5><strong>Intermittent fasting and waist training </strong></h5><p>Before trying intermittent fasting, I had invested in a heavy-duty <a style="color: #3366ff;" href="https://damidols.com/product-category/waist-cincher/slimming-waist-cincher/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latex cincher waist trainer </a>and was already well on <a 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> I 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. </p><p>So I wore my waist trainer between 6-8 hours daily and within the window when I wasn’t 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…. (Their daddy’s daddy! Sings, please don’t judge me...) </p><h5><strong>What is the 16:8 diet?</strong></h5><p>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.</p><p>During the 16-hour fasting period, I drank plenty of water; green tea, coffee, and even diet soda (not too much oo!). It wasn’t 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 to <a style="color: #3366ff;" href="https://damidols.com/5-de-bloating-tips-to-try-in-order-of-effectiveness-too/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feel bloated</a> too. </p><p>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.</p><h5><strong>Is intermittent fasting as good as they say? </strong></h5><p>Let’s 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<a style="color: #3366ff;" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/oxidative-stress" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a><a style="color: #3366ff;" href="_wp_link_placeholder">oxidative damage </a>and inflammation in the body which fights ageing and development of numerous diseases.</p><h5><strong>What I think about intermittent fasting and waist training </strong></h5><p>Look, there’s 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!</p><h5><strong>Real-time update </strong></h5><p>I won’t even lie and say I’m still following this regime. Talk about not being able to take my eyes and mouth off Christmas Jollof and cake. It doesn’t also help that I’m visiting family and they just don’t understand why one would choose not to munch on a drumstick.</p><h5><strong>Should I try it too, Ayo? </strong></h5><p>Well, I’ll say be sure you are medically fit and your doctor gives the go-ahead. I’ve never had any health challenge so for me, it worked. </p><p>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.</p><p>I’m sure you have a ton of questions so feel free to shoot them my way. Look, I’m not proud even though my waistline kinda makes me feel on top of the world (you get!) so I’ll give you sincere and easy answers without holding back. Have you tried IF? What was your experience like? Please leave below and let’s learn together.</p>