Intermittent fasting: Tools & tips for a more balanced start to the day
Imagine intermittent fasting and your morning routine going hand in hand as the perfect power duo for an energetic start to the day! Yes, it is possible - you just have to find what suits you. It's important to understand that there is no one morning routine that works the same for everyone. Instead, think of a morning routine as a menu from which you can choose each day what is best for your life, health, goals, and desires. To do that, you need to be convinced of the benefits of a morning routine and know the essential tools. That's exactly what we want to offer you here. Learn more about intermittent fasting and how it can become part of your optimal morning routine.
What is a morning routine?
Maybe you've seen Youtube videos like "4am Morning Routine" or "The 1 Billion Dollar Morning Routine" . Of course, these are extreme examples, with committed followers waking up early and completing a long list of tasks. But of course you don't have to be so extreme. A morning routine is basically a set of habits that you practice after waking up. These routines will help you start your day right and consciously, feeling good while being more productive and focused. It can already be enough to keep to a fixed time to get up, read something, exercise or take time for a balanced breakfast. Ultimately, it's about learning how to organize your everyday life with more serenity and well-being. What if you combined this morning routine with intermittent fasting? Learn how intermittent fasting can be part of an effective morning routine and the benefits it can bring to your health and well-being.
The benefits of an intermittent fasting morning routine for a healthier life
Why should I incorporate a morning routine into my day? Why should I get up earlier to make time for a morning routine? These are valid questions that might be swimming in your head. The answer is: there are a number of reasons. But it's more about the self-awareness of trying out different routines in order to feel which feel-good morning routine is really good for you personally.
Some benefits of a morning routine might include:
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- You prepare yourself for the rest of the day: How you spend your morning will have a major impact on your day.
- You start your day more relaxed and balanced and are more resilient to the challenges of everyday life.
- You set your priorities and already feel productive in the morning.
- You prove to yourself that you are in control of your life and you take pride in building a healthy routine into your life.
By incorporating intermittent fasting into your morning routine, you allow yourself additional benefits:
5. Weight management: Intermittent fasting can help you manage your weight and shed excess fat.
6. Improved Metabolism: By interrupting food intake for specific periods, intermittent fasting can optimize metabolism.
7. Increased Energy and Mental Clarity: Intermittent fasting can lead to improved energy levels and increased mental clarity as it can put the body into a state of fat burning and ketosis.
8. Immune system support: Intermittent fasting can boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body.
How do I incorporate intermittent fasting into my morning routine?
Before you take a look at the seemingly endless choices of possible morning routines, take a moment to think about yourself and your personality type. As with anything in life, it is important to understand that there is no such thing as a "one size fits all" approach. Pay attention to your body's signs, it's always letting us know how we're feeling and what we need. If you want to incorporate intermittent fasting into your morning routine, here are the tips for a successful implementation:
- Early Fasting Window: Start your morning routine by delaying your breakfast by a few hours. For example, you could have breakfast at 10 a.m. instead of right after waking up. This allows you to transition into fasting mode and reap the benefits of intermittent fasting.
- Bulletproof Coffee: If you find it difficult to completely skip food in the morning, you can incorporate Bulletproof Coffee into your morning routine. This is a combination of coffee, high-quality fats like coconut oil or butter, and optional additives like collagen or spices. This blend will keep you energized while still staying in fasting mode.
- Light Movement: Add a gentle movement session to your morning routine. A walk, yoga, or light stretching can help boost your metabolism and prepare your body for the day while you remain fasted.
- Water and tea: Drink plenty of water and unsweetened tea during your morning routine. This not only helps keep your body hydrated, but also reduces hunger pangs, making it easier for you to get through the fasting period.
Remember that it's important to listen to your body and find out what works best for you. Experiment with different approaches and see how your body responds.
What are the other best tools to start the day off right?
There are countless ways you can create your feel-good morning routine. We want to offer you a small selection for inspiration:
make your bed :
Do you see making your bed as a chore or do you just skip it altogether? Maybe it's time for a change of perspective. It's a minute task and can give you a sense of productivity and order right away in the morning. Within a very short time you have implemented something useful and can look forward to a decent bed in the evening.
drink :
It is best to drink a large glass of lukewarm water first thing in the morning. After all, you haven't had a drink in the last 8 hours, during which time your body has continued to lose fluids. Drinking it on an empty stomach in the morning helps the body eliminate toxins from the night and stimulates metabolism. If you find it difficult, put a glass of water on the table in the evening as a reminder. Afterwards you can still enjoy a coffee or strengthen yourself with a cold-pressed celery juice.
movement :
Maybe you catch yourself thinking that you're just not a morning person and certainly not a morning athlete. But maybe that's also a fallacy. It doesn't have to be the half marathon in the morning, but a little stretching and exercise in the morning will certainly do you good. It doesn't matter if it's 30 minutes of yoga or a small 5-minute stretching routine. This is how you get your cardiovascular system going and also support your mental health.
Journal :
When you think about writing in the morning you think "I'm not a journalist?" - probably rightly so. Still, it could be a good exercise to sort your thoughts, reflect, or just unleash your creativity. You can either use free pages in a notebook to document your thoughts, or you can work with ready-made journal pages and questions that give you more structure and clarity.
Cold shower:
The cold shower in the morning has really become a trend in recent years. People from all over the world have incorporated a cold shower into their morning routine and report benefits ranging from increased willpower, better immunity, to weight loss and reduced stress levels. It takes a lot to overcome, especially at the beginning, but if you have the courage and discipline to get through this routine, you will be rewarded.
Write a to-do list:
For some people, mornings are sacred and maybe you are one of them and don't want to think about the day's commitments just yet. But it can also be the perfect time to do some strategic preparation and plan your day. This allows you to consciously choose what to focus your energy and time on instead of just going for it.
Breakfast :
A balanced breakfast in the morning right after getting up is important to stimulate the metabolism. A higher metabolism means you can burn more calories throughout the day. This way you already feel full of energy in the morning and provide yourself with essential macro and micronutrients . But even that is just a recommendation. It's also possible that you don't feel hungry at all in the morning and naturally tend towards intermittent fasting. Just try what feels better for you.
Our mission - in search of balance
Start now - the right time for intermittent fasting is always now. Not yesterday and not tomorrow.
Once you've figured out what you'd like to try, just start. Tomorrow morning a new morning awaits you, a new day and thus a new opportunity. Try different tools and you will see: You will be happier, more energetic and more productive. Once you've found the tools that work for you, you can also play with the order and see what works best for you. Use this moment to incorporate intermittent fasting into your morning routine and create positive changes in your life.
