I Tried Intermittent Fasting for Diabetes and This Is What Happened

I used to be skeptical since there’s by no means a scarcity of recent weight reduction packages and strategies marketed. In fact, some work, however they typically require so many hours of meal prep, distinctive workouts, costly dietary supplements, and shakes that they’re both unattainable or unsustainable.

My first query was: How do you truly do intermittent fasting? I used to be prepared to strive one thing new, however I wasn’t prepared to spend lots of of {dollars} per week on a rip-off.

I got here throughout multiple ways to incorporate intermittent fasting into one’s life. I settled on understanding three of the commonest strategies to assist me select one.

Earlier than attempting it, one in all my considerations was that I might find yourself in a hypoglycemic state, not simply based mostly on the studying, however as a result of this had been a private problem. Once I was initially identified, I used to be scuffling with each excessive highs and lows. The variety of instances I had blood sugars under 50 even appeared to stump my medical doctors.

I made a decision to not strive the quick weight loss program as a result of I like construction and routines. Having 2 days of the week being drastically completely different whereas additionally juggling my household and profession, sounded unsustainable.

I used to be dedicated to attempting one thing new and didn’t need to set myself up for failure, so I made a decision to strive the Leangains protocol.

Whereas it required 16 hours of fasting a day, in my thoughts, 8 of these hours didn’t depend as a result of that might be wind-down and sleeping time after I wouldn’t have been consuming anyway. Thus, I assumed it will be the least prone to push me towards extraordinarily low blood sugars.

It wasn’t a great expertise. I spent quite a lot of time watching the clock till I may eat once more after which after I may, I tended to overeat to attempt to make up for the complications and starvation I used to be experiencing.

I skilled a number of drops in blood sugar the primary week and needed to rescue with glucose tabs or fruit. I started adjusting from 16 hours to 14 hours, to 12 hours, earlier than lastly being too annoyed to proceed with the plan.

By the tip of the second week, I had stopped. I had additionally gained 6 kilos within the 2 weeks of attempting the 16/8 methodology — the alternative of what I needed to occur.

After that have, I concluded intermittent fasting wasn’t proper for my diabetes and felt it was too dangerous on account of hypoglycemia.

I consider I didn’t find yourself in any harmful conditions as a result of I elevated my each day testing from 3 times a day to 6 instances a day. Whereas this labored for me, relying on how your insurance coverage works or your monetary scenario, you might discover the elevated testing cost-prohibitive.

Alternatively, I did be taught one thing from this. Since I used to be testing often, I discovered lots about how my very own physique responds to sure meals. Clearly, we are able to all search for what meals have a better carb consumption, however there’s nonetheless private nuance.

I discovered my physique responded in another way to various kinds of rice and potatoes. I additionally discovered my physique responded in another way to completely different fruits.

Whereas I finished consuming in accordance with the Leangains protocol, I retained this data and integrated new habits into my consuming routines. The meals I discovered brought on my blood sugar to spike, I ate sparingly if in any respect.

Quick-forward to this 12 months. After being extra sedentary than ever in the course of the quarantine, I wanted one thing to modify up my routine. I made a decision to strive intermittent fasting yet another time.

Nevertheless, this time I checked out a unique mannequin: the Warrior Food plan. There isn’t a lot analysis particularly backing up this strategy to intermittent fasting, however I assumed that with some modifications, it’d work for me.

Empowered by my earlier expertise and information of how I responded to completely different meals and consuming at varied instances of the day, I made a decision to change the plan for myself proper from the beginning.

Quite than consuming a big meal at night time, I had my largest meal as a midafternoon meal (that is the time interval I appear naturally hungriest). Quite than battle in opposition to my very own common physique rhythm, I made a decision to work with it so the plan can be extra sustainable for me.

The opposite half that made it extra workable for me was that in the remainder of the day I may munch on small quantities of uncooked vegetables and fruit.

I returned to my earlier technique of testing my blood sugar six instances a day and, with this methodology, I by no means skilled a hypoglycemic occasion.

I started to lose small quantities of weight, a few half-pound to a pound per week. After 3 months on this plan, my A1C additionally decreased. Seeing the decrease A1C felt like a giant win!

Now I’ve reached the purpose the place I don’t comply with the plan precisely to the minute, nevertheless it has modified my total consuming habits such that it’s extra pure for me to eat in accordance with the Warrior Food plan with out having to consider it.

Because it feels pure and matches my very own physique rhythm, I’m not feeling disadvantaged in any respect, and I’ve additionally seen a rise in vitality.

An important factor anybody ought to learn about intermittent fasting for sort 2 diabetes is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan.

Everybody’s physique reacts in another way, and the chance for hypoglycemia is actual and requires planning. (That is the place speaking together with your physician and a dietitian might be useful.)

I like to recommend that anybody beginning this plan ought to be prepared to check their blood sugar often and tweak the plan based mostly on their physique’s response. This may keep away from excessive lows and highs in blood sugar and create a sustainable plan the place you don’t really feel disadvantaged or have swings in blood sugar.

Decreasing the long-term impacts of diabetes in your well being is a worthy objective.

If you’ll find an consuming plan that helps you shed some pounds, decrease your A1C, and scale back the drugs you want whereas nonetheless feeling good, then intermittent fasting could also be a great choice for you.

Julie Pierce Onos has been printed in Healthline, Temblor, and Yoga Journal in addition to offering in-house writing for monetary firms. A Yale College graduate, Julie is obsessed with organizational and private enchancment. She brings over 15 years of expertise as a author, teacher, and group growth knowledgeable within the Boston space.