We’ve all heard about the significant benefits of intermittent Fasting, weight loss, improved digestion, increased mental clarity, and better sleep. I experienced these fantastic benefits during my 60 Day Intermittent Fasting experience.

After feeling that good, I was hooked!

The benefits are great; the rules seem straightforward. What could go wrong? I will share 6 of the most common mistakes made during intermittent Fasting, so you can accelerate your results and stay on track!

6 Common Mistakes During Intermittent Fasting

1) Doing Too Much Too Soon

If you eat every 2 – 3 hours and wake up hungry for breakfast, your body will need time to adapt to Fasting. Start small with an overnight fast with your last meal – dinner at 7 pm and breakfast at 8 am. That’s already a 13-hour window where you are not eating, and your body is burning calories. Gradually increase your fasting time by cutting out snacks in the afternoon, which creates an additional fasting window. Have lunch at 1 pm, and then dinner again at 7 pm. Experiment with what works for your lifestyle, and know that it takes time to embrace a new habit.

2) Picking The Wrong Plan

Many Intermittent Fasting programs are available, but you have to choose the right one for your body and lifestyle. Listen to podcast #38: The Beginner’s Guide To Intermittent Fasting In Midlife, for a complete list of Intermittent Fasting plans. The wrong program can be hugely challenging and even unhealthy for a newbie. You want to pick a plan that starts with baby steps of smaller windows that adapt to you. Check out the Empty Nest Reboot Program with Intermittent Fasting, which includes easy-to-follow action steps where we take all the guesswork out for you!

3) Giving Up Too Soon

Intermittent Fasting is a lifestyle change, and the initial symptoms of headaches, hunger, and energy loss are only temporary. However, after about a week or two, you will start to feel the benefits of Intermittent Fasting, such as clarity, less focus on food, and a ton more energy. So pick smaller fasting windows and stick with them for at least a month to experience the benefits before widening your timeframes.

4) Not Hydrating Enough

Drinking water, herbal teas, and broths will help with the initial hunger pangs. You will feel full much faster, plus soup or slightly salted water (I use Himalayan salt) will increase and replenish electrolytes you naturally lose during Fasting. Drinking a large amount of liquid comes naturally to me, as I need to keep hydrated during my training. Encourage fluid intake by possessing a fun and cute water bottle on your desk and marking it down each time you finish a whole bottle.

5) Not Eating Enough

As we get used to Fasting, we may not feel hungry during meal times and might even undereat. Remember to eat balanced meals during your feeding time and eat until you are 80% full. You need to intake enough calories and nutrients to function at work and in life!

6) Using Fasting to Indulge

Intermittent Fasting is not intended so that you can gorge yourself on unhealthy foods later. It’s about creating a healthy relationship with food and emotional food triggers. Rewarding yourself with a hot fudge sundae or several glasses of wine because you fasted so well is NOT the intention here. This is not to say that you can’t have a treat now and again, but eating lots of lean protein, healthy fats, vegetables, some fruit, and whole grains, will give your body the energy it needs to perform and function at its peak.

Avoiding these six common intermittent fasting mistakes will have you well on your way to a healthy and balanced approach to Intermittent Fasting and to gaining all the proven benefits.