Intermittent fasting is a popular practice among fans of a healthy lifestyle. If you haven’t heard of the term yet, Intermittent fasting is a routine that alternates periods of fasting and non-fasting. This practice is mainly used for weight-loss reasons, but adopters often report an increase in focus and productivity.
In other words, giving your body a rest from digestion, allows it to concentrate in other areas and potentially makes you lose weight and feel more productive. Yet, everything around nutrition needs to be considered carefully. That’s why there are many myths around intermittent fasting that we will discuss in this article.
Myth 1:
You need to skip breakfast if you want to be intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is basically taking breaks from food. That’s why skipping breakfast might sound like a solution. It’s recommended you have a healthy meal a day, but you can schedule your first eating window later in the day.
Listen to your body. If you feel like having a big, full breakfast, then go for it and then eat a smaller lunch. It all depends on your routine. If you are used to working out in the morning, then a complete breakfast might fill you up during the day.
In fact, there are many people that believe that in order to properly fast you should also restrict your water intake. Yet this is not a good idea. Fasting has a diuretic effect, restricting water can lead to dangerous dehydration. When your body is dehydrated, you tend to lose electrolytes like sodium and potassium, both necessary for a healthy metabolism.
In order to avoid that, drink lots of water during fasting and consider drinking mineral water like Socosani which is high in electrolytes, and minerals like magnesium and potassium. Drinking mineral water during fasting will keep you hydrated for 12 to 14 hours.
Read More: Minerals in Socosani
Myth 2:
Intermittent Fasting is a weight loss solution for everyone
Combined with proper and frequent exercise, intermittent fasting can assist you with your weight loss. While fasting is healthy for most people and helps your focus and possible weight loss, intermittent fasting is not right for everyone. Fasting is not recommended for people with a history of eating disorders, pregnant women, or diabetics.
Moving your breakfast time a little bit later in the day is different from fasting for several hours a day. Anything related to diet and eating patterns should be consulted with your doctor.
Myth 3
Fasting makes it easier to focus
Do you remember the last time you were hungry? It’s not a nice feeling for you and the people around you, right?
Yet fasting is not starving!
Jumping into fasting too quickly might provoke headaches and decrease your focus. But if you adopt a regular fasting practice, you shouldn’t experience this hungry state. Burning body fat can also produce ketones – tiny molecules that fuel your brain with clean, efficient energy – and research shows that ketones improve concentration and focus in older adults.
READ MORE: Ketones and Intermittent Fasting