Intermittent fasting (IF) is a wellness movement that is growing in popularity, and the formula seems simple: Choose a fasting plan, don’t eat, and then eat well. But it’s not as easy as it looks to create a new habit and follow through with it consistently, not to mention navigate the very normal hurdles and pitfalls that you’ll have to maneuver on your journey.
Achieving IF goals like reduced inflammation, weight loss, improved gut health and more on your metabolic fitness journey takes planning, accountability and support. You may be able to better accomplish this more efficiently with a partner. Fasting coaches are real people who are educated and trained to help you understand your unique needs, create a personalized design for your fasting practice and keep you on a productive path to reach your goals, but they’re a surprisingly overlooked resource that can easily maximize your IF results.
But they’re not just any online coach. Intermittent fasting coaches can be taught and certified through digital courses, but the most important factor to consider besides their knowledge of nutrition is whether they apply a behavior-first approach. IF is a long-term lifestyle change and should be embarked on from a holistic perspective instead of a checklist or standard formula.
Stay aware of red flags to avoid when you’re searching for the right intermittent fasting coach. The right coach should never:
- Have a plan before getting to know your lifestyle
- Troubleshoot every problem with more and longer fasts
- Ignore hunger and pain
- Negate or ignore the different types of appetite
- Suggest “dry fasting” as a recommended strategy
Just like coaches in other aspects of life, an online intermittent fasting coach is a valuable, accessible resource to have in your back pocket as you set and work toward your nutrition goals. IF coaches can help you maximize your fasting results to make your efforts more efficient and more enjoyable by supporting you on a more personal level. Here’s how:
- Choose a plan that fits your lifestyle
A one-on-one coach is more beneficial than planning based on umbrella recommendations you find online because a coach can more intimately understand the intricacies of your life. You will have challenges, boundaries, motivations and experiences that are different from others’ and being able to have a knowledgeable, supportive person to provide encouragement and feedback will ultimately save you time and confusion during a time when it’s best to stay efficient and focused. Your family, work, social preferences and personal goals all play into designing your ideal personalized plan, and decoding your body’s signals along the way will help you reach your goals faster.
- Fine-tune your fasting and eating windows
Think of fasting as a practice. It’s a work-in-progress, not a quest for perfection. Having a fasting coach you can touch base with to discuss your progress will help you better understand your body’s metabolism and preferences to optimize your nutrition. Your IF coach should be able to help you get your fasting and eating windows right where they need to be so your fast is more comfortable, effective and, dare we say, enjoyable.
- Answer questions about what’s happening and what’s “normal”
While there’s not one blanket “normal” for intermittent fasting – we’re all built a little differently and need more customized strategies to be most effective – understanding your body’s cues along the way will help direct your next steps in tweaking your plan. You also don’t want to get involved with a coach who will ignore warning signs indicating that something isn’t agreeing with you or there’s a bigger underlying health problem.
- Offer proven tips, tricks and fasting hacks
A good intermittent fasting coach should work to help you consistently improve using their experience with nutritional strategies and results. A major benefit of having a partner on your health journey is to have an accessible wealth of knowledge you didn’t previously have and someone who can share information to make fasting easier.
- Talk you through the tough spots when cravings hit
An intermittent fasting journey, like many undertakings, is not a straight line to success. The path to reach your IF goals will be met with disrupted routines, cravings, missteps and other struggles that will make it easy to throw in the towel and consider the entire effort a failure. During low or discouraging points of intermittent fasting, your coach will be able to help you understand your craving struggles and overcome them to stay committed to your IF plan.
- Give tough love and accountability when you need it
We all need a push sometimes. Just like in the gym when you want to give up, your IF coach will be able to give you the push that you need to stay accountable and focused in the moment so you can snap back to implementing your good habits.
- Celebrate your wins and offer guidance to take your fast next level
One of the most effective ways to stay motivated and encouraged to stick to your fasting plan is by celebrating your wins. Your coach will be able to help you set and celebrate your goals and continually guide you to your next success.
When you choose Temper Citravarin Fasting Mints to help you curb cravings and stick to the fasting schedule you’ve chosen, you also get a one-on-one coach that will be with you every step of the way. Access to a coach who understands how to support you is an underrated and highly valuable resource that will make a big impact on your fasting journey and how quickly you can reach lasting success.