Intermittent Fasting

My Personal Story and Protocol

I should start by saying, I am not a nutritionist, dietician, doctor, or other medical professional. This is my personal story and experience. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning an intermittent fasting plan.

WHAT IS INTERMITTENT FASTING?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. The periods of fasting are typically 16 hours, or one may choose to do an eat-stop-eat plan that involves eating for a day, then not eating for a day. 

HOW INTERMITTENT FASTING AFFECTS YOUR BODY
Aside from weight loss, intermittent fasting can have several other positive effects on your body, including increased levels of human growth hormone (HGH), which aids in fat loss and muscle gain, lower insulin levels (which makes stored body fat more accessible), and cellular repair processes, increased fat burning hormone norepinephrine, increased metabolic rate, and more.

WHY USE WOLFBERRY WITH INTERMITTENT FASTING?
The NingXia wolfberry is a native Chinese vine with deep red fruits. It is highly regarded in China for its taste, nutrient value, and medicinal properties. There are legends about the wolfberry dating back as far as 5,000 years and it's found in many ancient medical manuscripts. It has the highest levels of immune-stimulating polysaccharides and is one of the most nutrient dense foods, rich in many vitamins and minerals.  

Wolfberry has been found to be very high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients, and has an abundance of specific natural sugars essential for building the glycoproteins that make up cell membrane receptors and cell messengers of communication. Reducing oxidation, inflammation, toxicity, and mitochondrial dysfunction are essential for overall health and wellness. These high levels of micronutrients ensure you're getting optimal nutrition during your intermittent fasting program.

Using fresh wolfberry puree is best to ensure best results. The NingXia Red I use in my drinks is the only pure whole food NingXia wolfberry puree available in the United States. 

My Intermittent Fasting Story
I struggled with weight and health my entire life, but before my last child (4 years old at the time of this writing) I had gotten everything under control with a Whole30 plan. I got a bit off of that plan during pregnancy (pregnancy cravings are wicked!), so I assumed I would just go back on the plan after her birth and all would go back to normal. Not so.

I had an emergency C-section, followed by removal of my ovaries. Queue menopause. The C-section seemed to have done a number on my digestive system, and the menopause wrecked my hormones. Add in an unhealthy dose of stress from work and postpartum anxiety, and it's a recipe for a crying momma in the corner with a half gallon of ice cream.

I'd been wanting to try intermittent fasting for years, but was afraid to. I love food. I'd most certainly be starving and I'd fail on Day 1. So why bother trying? 

Then it just hit me one day while I was in the bathroom (I have all my best ideas in there lol). If I could get my body in balance - the natural state of homeostasis, where the body wants to be - my weight would probably follow suit. Maybe I should try juicing? Oh, but I sold my expensive juicer years ago. Wait...I have the most nutrient-dense juice on the planet right there in my kitchen already! And so my own custom intermittent fasting plan was born.

Instead of failure, I saw a big positive difference from Day 1. The hunger was a little rough the first few days, but not enough to make me quit. I had headaches and skin inflammation/breakouts the first few days, but once they subsided, I felt better than I ever had before. The weight has been falling off effortlessly. I have tons of energy. I sleep better. My mental clarity and focus has increased. Even the taste of food has changed - I feel like I better appreciate the different flavors in my meals and I actually crave vegetables (whoa...did I just say that?!).

I'm continuing my intermittent fasting journey, with a 1 week break during the Christmas holidays, until I feel I've addressed all of the underlying emotional issues that keep me going back to old undesirable habits, and reached the health and wellness goals I've set for myself. Find me on Instagram and Facebook to watch my journey.




My Protocol
Reminder: this is the plan I developed for myself. You should base your plan on what your body needs, with your physician's approval.

I use the 16/8 method (16 hours of fasting, then 8 hours when I can eat). The 16 hours of fasting may sound scary, but a good bit of that is while you're asleep, so it's not as hard as you might think. 
I eat between 3pm and 11pm each day, and fast from 11pm to 3pm the next day.

Morning:
  • Large cup of wolfberry juice drink (recipe #2 below)
  • Supplements: Multigreens, Comfortone (digestive support), MegaCal, Progessence Plus (for happy hormones), Essentialzyme digestive enzymes (to aid in breaking down the "old gunk" in the digestive tract).
  • Essential Oils: Endoflex (over my thyroid), 10 drops Longevity Vitality Oil in a veggie capsule (to support the body's response to inflammation), something energizing in my diffuser (i.e. something mint or citrus)
Throughout the day:
  • 4 more wolfberry juice drinks using recipe #1 below
Afternoon/Evening:
  • Dinner is a salad with lots of fresh organic veggies. Sometimes I add imported feta and/or some chicken. I use olive oil & balsamic vinegar for dressing.
  • Essentialzyme digestive enzymes (to aid in breaking down the food I ate).
  • If I get hungry again before bed, I snack on raw veggies, sometimes with hummus.
  • Continue drinking lots of water.
  • Progessence Plus and Comfortone before bed.


Cautions:
Check with your doctor before starting an intermittent fasting plan. 
Intermittent fasting may not be suitable for individuals with certain eating disorders or illnesses.

Things to avoid:
  • Processed, packaged foods. 
  • Refined sugar.
  • I limit dairy to a little bit of imported feta or raw dairy on occasion, but mostly avoid dairy since it can cause skin issues.
  • Sodas, energy drinks, or other juices besides the wolfberry juice.
  • If you must have coffee or tea, use no sugar or cream (or sub stevia and almond milk), and limit to once a day.
  •  It's important to remember not to binge during the 8 hours you eat. Listen to your body.
Things to focus on:
  • The emotions behind your eating habits.
  • Getting plenty of water.
  • Anything your body is telling you.
  • When you feel hungry during your fasting times, drink more or have some NingXia Red!
  • Journaling and accountability partners can help you keep track of your progress and stay on track, plus help you process your emotions and mindset.
  • Exercise is perfectly fine while fasting. Just make sure you're getting enough protein/nutrients to support the amount/type of exercise you're doing. The last thing you want to do is fall out on a treadmill.
  • Pick timeframes that work for you. If you don't typically eat after 8pm at night and go to bed at 9pm, plan your fasting period from 8pm to noon the next day. Figure out what works best for you and stick with it.

Recipes
Wolfberry Juice Recipe #1:
  • 16-20oz water
  • 2oz NingXia Red wolfberry puree
  • 1 squirt of Vitality Drops (Electrolyte or Energy flavors) optional
Add ingredients to a glass or stainless steel cup with ice. 

Wolfberry Juice Recipe #2:
  • 16-20oz water
  • 2oz NingXia Red wolfberry puree
  • 1/2 tsp Sulfurzyme powder
  • 1 scoop MegaCal
  • 5 droppers Mineral Essence
  • 1 scoop Golden Turmeric (optional, for bone/joint support)
  • Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
  • 1 squirt of Vitality Drops (Electrolyte or Energy flavors)
  • 1 NingXia Nitro (optional, when you need a natural energy boost)
Combine all ingredients and shake well until blended. Serve over ice in a glass or stainless steel cup.

You can sub recipe #1 for recipe #2 if you don't have all of the ingredients for recipe #2. The most important ingredient is the wolfberry puree.

Fresh Energy Diffuser Recipe
  • 3 Lime
  • 3 Purification
  • 2 Spearmint
  • 1 Lemongrass
Want to try my recipes? I've bundled the items for you for a quick shopping experience! Click below to grab yours!




























Information courtesy of Lisa Main