5 Tricks That Will Help You to Get Through Your First Intermittent Fast
Fasting is not easy. If you are not used to it, you might feel hungry or cranky or both. The mental challenge is often tougher than the physical one. Eating is fun, it can distract you from uncomfortable thoughts, or it can help you to procrastinate tasks that you don’t want to do.
I often use meals to “give myself a break” or to “get ready” for work, and there is nothing wrong with that. But if food becomes a substitute for rest — or anything else for that matter — you need to revisit these behaviors. Fasting might be a great way to break them and disconnect specific “outcomes” (e.g., feeling relaxed or having time for yourself) from food.
Here some tips that will help you to get through your first fast and to make intermittent fasting part of a healthy lifestyle.*
Use a fasting App to track your progress and to stay motivated.
According to a study by the University of Kentucky, self-monitoring can improve adherence to adopt new healthy behaviors such as exercising. I made the same observation with my clients: the ones using tracking apps are more consistent with their efforts. There are many fasting apps. My favorite ones are “Fast Habit” or “Zero.”
