Hello and welcome to the intermittent fasting gems with Jen podcast.

I'm your host Jen, a middle aged Michigan mama, wife and teacher who

in 2021 stumbled upon this crazy cool thing called intermittent fasting.

And before I knew it, I'd lost 46 pounds in four months and

gained an incredible lifestyle filled with complete food freedom.

If you're hungry for unique, no nonsense fasting tips that actually

work, you're in the right place.

So whether you're walking the dog, folding that last load of laundry, or

cruising to your nine to five, let's start fasting our way to freedom together.

Hello and Happy Holidays, my fabulous fasting friends.

Oh my goodness, has 2024 flown by or what?

It's hard to believe that we are less than two weeks away from a brand new year.

I love the new year because it's almost like starting with a clean

slate with new hopes and new goals and dreams and all that good stuff.

And I don't know about you, but January is the perfect month.

to revisit my health and fitness priorities and get myself back on track

after two to three weeks of holiday parties and lots and lots of indulgences.

So if January is your month to shine and just get serious doing this

intermittent fasting thing, you are definitely going to want to listen

to this episode, 25 Easy Intermittent Fasting Hacks for Faster Weight Loss.

This is part one of my two part series where I'll give you 13

awesome hacks today that totally work to speed up your results.

And then in part two of this series, which will be released on the 30th

of this month, I'll give you the remaining 12 for a total of 25

intermittent fasting strategies.

And hacks that really, really work because, oh my goodness, losing

weight can be so frustrating at times.

And although intermittent fasting absolutely is not a get skinny,

quick fad diet plan, I know that these 25 unique tricks.

definitely helped me reach my 46 pound weight loss goal much faster

than I even ever thought possible.

And speeding the journey up a little bit definitely helps knock out

feelings of frustration when weight loss feels like it's taking forever.

So, sit back, relax, maybe grab your laptop or a pen and a piece of paper if

you're old school like me and let's dive into some super spectacular intermittent

fasting hacks that will get you the absolute best results possible and

maybe shave off a good bit of time.

in the process.

All right, so the very first hack on my to do list is to start drinking

plain sparkling mineral water.

Yes, I have absolutely mentioned this in previous episodes as well as

many of my success story guests and that is because it totally works.

Adding plain sparkling mineral water to your fasting routine can

make intermittent fasting not only manageable but actually quite easy.

enjoyable and it's especially helpful for intermittent fasting beginners.

This stuff not only curbs your appetite and gets rid of those nagging hunger

pains, it actually makes you feel like you're having a fancy soda or

pop as we call it here in the Midwest.

And if you're feeling a little extra hungry and wanting to snack on something

tempting or you just feel like you want to break your fast early, I definitely

recommend grabbing a 12 ounce can of plain sparkling mineral water and just sipping

on it over the next 20 to 30 minutes.

It almost always knocks out the hunger pains, it helps me continue with my

fasting window and it makes my fast much easier and way more comfortable.

But you must make sure it is the plain kind, nothing with flavor,

even if it doesn't have any calories.

Flavored sparkling waters run the risk of spiking your insulin levels

and possibly breaking your fast.

My favorite brand is LaCroix.

The cans and the packaging is blue and it says innocent right on the label.

So, just do it.

It totally, totally works.

Next up, another hack I've talked about in previous episodes.

Number two on my list.

use an electrolyte supplement.

So, we normally get a steady supply of electrolytes when we eat and drink.

However, when we fast, we have to do some dipping into our body's limited

stored supply of electrolytes.

And, these stored electrolytes deplete pretty quickly during, um, periods of

fasting and they can cause us to feel um, kind of crappy, sometimes really crappy.

So taking an electrolyte supplement during your fasting period is a really great way

to help fuel your body with the nutrients it needs and and help you get that energy

boost and that balance that you need.

It's so important because if you feel tired or sluggish or just off, um, you're

going to be less likely to want to stick to your fasting schedule or routine and

this is definitely going to affect your weight loss results and your overall

success with intermittent fasting.

Again, just like the sparkling water hack, it's super important

to make sure that you are using a plain, non flavored electrolyte.

So many of the flavored ones are jam packed with extra insulin

spiking sugars, calories, artificial flavors, and just flat out crap.

So, my favorite electrolyte, by far, is Epsom salt.

element, L M N T, the raw, unflavored kind that comes in the

little convenient packs of 30.

It's sugar free, carb free, gluten free, all that good stuff, and it's the perfect

sodium potassium magnesium balance.

I will link to it in the show notes.

So, my recommendation as far as how often to use the electrolyte supplement is this.

If you're brand new to fasting, shoot for two to three times a week.

And then once you get in the groove of fasting, you'll probably find that your

body is becoming fat adapted and your energy levels are starting to balance out.

And then you can probably get away with maybe once a week, play around with

it and just see what works for you.

I'll probably do a separate podcast episode on the best way to use it for

when you're doing an extended fast but the short answer on that is to try taking it

around the 20 to 22 hour mark into your prolonged or extended 36 to 42 hour fast.

It seems like that is when most bodies start to feel kind of wonky and um,

you need a good electrolyte pick me up.

Alright, moving on to number three on the list of hacks that work to speed up your

weight loss is to reduce your carb intake.

Remember, this is only temporary and also this is what worked for me.

Everybody is different.

I know I say that a lot but it's true.

Everybody is different so I can't make any guarantees but this is what

I did and it totally worked for me.

beautifully.

I was strict and I stuck to a maximum of 30 grams net carbs each day for the

four and a half months that it took me to lose 46 pounds with intermittent fasting.

I honestly believe that combining intermittent fasting and low carb

eating is the hack, the hack, number one hack, yes I'll say it again, that

yielded the fastest weight loss for me.

Why do I believe this combination works so well?

Simply put, the two are synergistic and doing one makes the other one work better.

So during that four and a half months, I did not count calories.

And I still don't count calories, but what I did count during that

period was my daily net carb intake.

And 30 grams was my sweet spot.

You may have to play around with the right number for you, but at least

this will give you a starting point.

So net carbs refers to the amount of carbs that actually affect your blood sugar.

And they are calculated by a simple math equation of taking the total carbs, and

then subtracting the dietary fiber and the sugar alcohols and then that will

give you the total net carbs in a food.

Most foods have the net carbs right on the labels, but in case you need to

figure it out, that's how you can do it.

Alright, number four on the list.

If you are serious about losing weight, you just can't do it dirty.

Meaning you have to, have to, have to commit to the clean fast.

No exceptions whatsoever.

It sounds a bit harsh, but I promise you it really does matter

and it does make a difference.

Fasting clean means Sticking to the four safe drinks only during your

fasting window or fasting hours.

So, black coffee, plain water, plain unflavored sparkling mineral water, or

unflavored herbal green or black tea.

Fasting clean.

Again, it may seem a bit difficult at first, but after just a few days,

you will start to feel a difference.

Your energy will be better, cravings will start to go away,

and you will quickly find that you can fast easier and way longer.

And the best part of all, you definitely start to see better

and faster results on the scale.

Number five, start using a meal delivery service.

Yes, this is a game changing tip or strategy.

I shied away from meal delivery services forever because in my head

I just thought, you There is no way.

They are going to be way too expensive.

Um, I thought, I, I just, we just can't do that as a family.

But guess what?

I was totally wrong.

Now, I've been using a meal delivery service for about four

years and now I will never stop.

I started with HelloFresh and we've since moved to Green Chef because I

love the variety of their meals and also because I can customize my three meals

a week to be both low carb and gluten free, which works for my husband and I.

Both of our adult children are out of the house and it's just the two of us now.

Um, and it's, it's perfect.

Not only are the meals super delicious and flavorful, they really are

very affordable, convenient, and a healthy way to keep yourself on

track with your weight loss goals.

I think it's also a great strategy for practicing portion control.

Everything comes pre measured and ready to easily put together.

Most meals take me 20 to 40 minutes, and that's including everything.

Uh, prep.

cooking and then getting it right to the table.

20 to 40 minutes.

That's it.

Fueling your body with high quality, window worthy, nutritious foods is

an absolute must, um, when it comes to intermittent fasting success.

And a meal delivery service such as Green Chef might just

be a perfect option for you too.

Alright, number six, drink more water.

You've heard it a million times.

Again, drink more water.

It helps you feel full.

It helps your digestive system break down food better.

It helps flush toxins out of your body and it most definitely keeps

your metabolism strong and revved up.

So, all I'm going to say about that is just do it.

Alright, seven on my list of hacks is to eat really fiber rich foods.

Seriously eating foods high in fiber during your eating window is super

important when you are trying to lose weight with intermittent fasting.

Like water, fiber really helps you feel full and satisfied.

It helps you keep your calories in check and fiber also, regulates your

digestion, it keeps your blood sugar levels steady, which can definitely

prevent cravings and overeating.

Some of the highest fiber fruits include avocados, raspberries,

blackberries, and pears.

And some of the highest fiber vegetables include artichokes, green

peas, brussels sprouts, and carrots.

and broccoli.

Number eight, eat more meat.

Meat can absolutely be a superfood for weight loss and one of

the best ways to pack in your necessary daily grams of protein.

So meat is loaded with protein, which keeps you feeling full and it reduces

your appetite, making it It's much easier to control your calorie intake,

plus it boosts your metabolism, helping you burn more calories,

even when your body is at rest.

The amino acids in meat are essential for maintaining and building lean muscle,

which is super important for burning fat.

And, besides being nutrient rich, meat is low in carbs, making it

a really great choice for those following a keto or low carb diet plan.

Number nine, don't forget about pickles.

Pickles happen to be an incredible food for both your health and weight loss.

As far as weight loss goes, pickles can help to control blood sugar levels and

this is very important for losing weight as well as maintaining a healthy weight.

Pickles are also very rich in probiotics, and this helps boost

friendly gut bacteria, and guess what?

It's also believed that pickle juice may also help to relieve bloating.

After an extended fast, I often break my fast with a few of my

delicious homemade dill pickles.

Pickles are fantastic for breaking your fast because of the natural salt and

electrolytes, um, that they contain.

They're almost, uh, calorie free, too.

Like, five calories per pickle is all.

But, beware.

The pickles that you buy in the store, they can be sneaky.

And they are often packed with sugar and other crap.

It is a good idea to really study the label or better yet you can make up a

batch of my clean and oh so delicious homemade dill pickles in about three

to four minutes and once you make these pickles you will never buy

dill pickles from the store again.

You will be hooked.

They are just that yummy.

I'll leave my recipe in the show notes for you below.

Number 10, and this is a very big, important, effective hack.

Here we go.

Fast at least 18 hours daily.

I have got to tell you, I absolutely found that the real fasting magic

happens once you hit the 18 hour mark.

I started out.

at, uh, 16 hours with the 16 8 most popular intermittent fasting schedule.

I really didn't have much success, um, until I bumped it up once

you've reached 18 hours into your fasting window, some really cool

stuff starts happening in your body.

Fat burning really starts to rev up and body healing begins to magnify.

So, I'd like to challenge you to clean fast for at least 18 hours each

day, if you can push it to 20 hours, like the warrior diet, um, fasting

method, that's even better, but shoot for 18, go ahead, give it a try.

I believe in you and I know you can totally do it.

Alright, moving on to number 11.

This is another, what I believe to be absolutely magical

intermittent fasting hack to help you speed up your weight loss.

Exercise in the fasted state.

Alright, this intermittent fasting hack for weight loss is simply incredible.

And it really, really does work.

As I raced, and sometimes crawled, Along my fitness journey, I magically

discovered the power of exercising while my body was in the fasted state.

Now that I have learned about the power of intermittent fasting and all that

it does and after some serious trial and error, I know that eating before

my workout is not the best weight loss and exercise strategy for me.

And you know what?

It might not be the best one for you either.

So I do realize that there are a gajillion conflicting weight loss and exercise

opinions floating around out there.

And that is exactly why I'm not going to refer to any medical study

on this or anything like that.

I'm not a doctor.

I'm an elementary PE teacher.

Almost 50 year old lady who figured out how to lose weight with

intermittent fasting and keep it off.

That's it.

So plain and simple, I am just going off of my own beliefs and my

personal weight loss experiences.

And I have to tell you that working out while fasted, um, like 15 to 17 hours into

my fast was a huge game changer for me.

when it came to losing weight with intermittent fasting.

And you know what?

It might be for you, too.

So, this is what I truly believe happens when you eat something that

breaks your fast before a workout.

Um, your blood sugar levels increase and your insulin spikes, which means

our bodies, plain and simple, our bodies are forced to burn that carb y pre

workout snack instead of our stored fat.

But, if you exercise while you are fasted, your body has no other choice than to

start burning your stored body fat.

And that, to me, is so cool.

Alright, just give it a try and see what happens.

Alright, while we are on the topic of exercise, hack number 12 on my list is

to strength train 2 to 3 days a week.

Cardio exercises are great, but I do believe it is important to add 2 to 3 days

of strength training each week as well.

Strength training workout routines will help with muscle mass, and it will

also help your body burn extra calories even after your workout is long over.

Your strength training workout absolutely does not have to be long and grueling.

Just keep it simple, but effective.

So my absolute favorite way to add strength training to my routine

is through the use of kettlebells.

I love, love, love using kettlebells.

I have some favorite quick workouts and for the last few years, I just search

up kettlebell workouts on YouTube.

My favorite is a 30 minute kettlebell workout by Carolyn Girvin.

She has a bunch of them.

She's so awesome.

Look her up.

I'll leave the link to, um, the, my favorite workout.

It's 30 minutes in the show notes.

Um, I also really like Juice and Toya.

They have some quick and easy kettlebell workouts too.

Honestly, I, I search it up on my laptop, get the workout, I set it on my,

uh, TV console, then I put the TV on.

I put on a show, my favorite show, and then I just put the, uh, workout

on mute, and I watch my show, and I follow along with the kettlebell, uh,

exercises, and I'm done before I know it.

It's a super easy way to get that strength training in and it's enjoyable too.

So I can watch my favorite shows and work out at the exact same time.

It's a beautiful thing.

Okay.

Finally, number 13, embrace the power of the plank.

Try adding a daily 60 second plank hold to your exercise routine.

Why?

Well, because plank holds burn fat, they improve your posture, they reduce

back pain, and they also improve your metabolism and your mood, too.

So, if you're like, there's no way, Jen.

There's no way I can do a plain cold right now, let alone for 60 seconds.

Don't worry, I have an awesome 30 day plan that starts at just 10 seconds a day and

it gradually works you up to a 60 second plank by the end of the month or 30 days.

This was another big weight loss speed up game changing hack for me.

So give it a try.

Okay, I'm going to stop there because this is the first half of my list

of 25 intermittent fasting hacks.

to speed up your weight loss, including number one, drink sparkling mineral water.

Two, start using an electrolyte supplement like element.

Three, keep your carb intake at or below 30 grams net carbs each day.

Number four, be sure to fast clean, nothing dirty.

Five, look into using a meal delivery service like HelloFresh or Green Chef.

Number six, drink more water.

Seven, eat more fiber rich foods.

Eight, eat more meat.

Nine, don't forget about pickles.

And homemade is best.

Ten, try to fast at least 18 hours daily.

Eleven, exercise in the fasted state.

Twelve, add in two to three days of strength training.

Thirteen, try to work up to doing a 60 second plank hold.

I will spill the beans on the last 12 intermittent fasting hacks that really,

really work in my next episode, which will be released as part two on December 30th.

But hey, if you think you are ready to go all in with this intermittent fasting

thing, starting in January of 2025, You can get my Intermittent Fasting and

Weight Loss Masterclass for just 39.

It retails for 49, but if you use the code GEMS10, G E M S 10 at checkout,

you'll save an additional 10.

In my 39 lesson video course, I walk you through exactly what I did to save money.

to lose 46 pounds in four months with Intermittent Fasting.

I give you all my tips, my tricks, my hacks, and recipes.

And once you have the course, you have it forever, including

all future updates and additions.

All right, my fasting friends, please enjoy this December holiday season with

your family and your friends, making many beautiful, long lasting memories.

Thanks for listening.

Hey, thank you so much for choosing to spend part of your day listening

to this episode of the intermittent fasting gems with Jen podcast.

If you think these tips could help a friend or a family member, please

consider sharing this episode with them.

And if you really enjoyed the show, taking a minute or two to leave a positive review

Would be so appreciated tune in for new 15 to 25 minute episodes released on

the 10th, 20th, and 30th of each month episodes will feature solo shows filled

with IF hacks that have worked for me, as well as episodes where I get to chat with.

fun folks of all ages who've experienced incredible success

with intermittent fasting.

If you have questions or want more unique intermittent fasting health

and weight loss tips, tricks, and recipes, please visit my website

and blog at sowhatifwithjen.

com.

Finally, we'd love to welcome you into our free intermittent fasting program.

Fasting Facebook support group.

So what if with Jen?

Find all of these links in the show notes below.

And as always, I hope you spend your day loving without fear and

laughing until your cheeks hurt.