How Intermittent Fasting Improved My Health

The ‘I don’t have to diet’ diet

It was around the middle of August when I received a telephone call from my doctor.

My latest hbA1C (blood glucose test) had increased and it was time for something different. I’ve written about my diabetic story separately, but now I was having to make another adjustment.

The doctor was very clear and spoke candidly about what I needed to do. Yes — she was telling me off, but at the same time giving me direction. A way in which I can further help to improve my relationship with diabetes; and maybe, just maybe, reverse the condition altogether.

The first part of this was to add an additional tablet to my regime; to help speed up the absorption of glucose into my bloodstream.

The second part was to focus even more on my diet.

I should add that my diet wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t going far enough to bring the dreaded number down. The action was needed.

Introducing Intermittent Fasting.

I’ve dieted in the past but always found that as soon as I stop, the weight starts to increase again.

Intermittent fasting is all about when you eat, not what you eat.

With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a specific time. Fasting for a certain number of hours each day or eating just one meal a couple of days a week can help your body burn fat.

Notice that I wrote, “eat during a specific time”. You are allowed to drink. In fact, it’s very important to remain hydrated — but nothing with sugar or sweetener.

I’ve got used to the taste of black tea(!) and I’ve also started to drink camomile tea in the evening, which actually does help me to sleep more soundly. If you’re a coffee drinker, then refrain from caffeine after midday. The caffeine remains in your system for a few hours, so can inhibit a restful night.

I’ve dieted in the past but always found that as soon as I stop, the weight starts to increase again!

For me, the main takeaway (excuse the pun!) is that I don’t need to change what I eat. During the eating window, I can eat normally — within the bounds of what’s acceptable for a diabetic; but there’s no calorie counting. No weighing food.

This is great news; I always found weight-watching so difficult and time-consuming.

Intermittent fasting is quite simple to do.

Since August, I started with the 14:10 programme; 14 hours of fasting, and a ten-hour eating window. That has helped me to lose just over 6lbs.

I should add that I’ve done this every day, and as I write this, I am on day 100. It isn’t necessary to do it every day. Some people will fast a couple of times a week; it’s quite cleansing too.

I’ve now changed it up, and have increased it to 16:8, this is more challenging and will take a few days to get used to it, but I really think this could benefit me further.

When I talk about this with people, some say that they do this anyway — they don’t have breakfast, with their first meal of the day being lunch. That’s great, but it’s not a direct comparison, since Intermittent Fasting is for a specific, managed period; but I can see the similarities.

On the diabetic front, I have noticed a decrease in my blood glucose, when I test, so it’s definitely having the desired impact there, as well.

Do you diet? How do you keep healthy?

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