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.

Hey there, fasting friends.

Are you struggling to keep that fasting fire burning and to stay

motivated during your intermittent fasting health and weight loss journey?

I know that throughout my weight loss journey, and now during my weight

maintenance journey, things got tough at times, and there are definitely

times when I felt down and out, and even times when I thought about giving up.

But I didn't, and you shouldn't either.

In this episode of the Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen podcast,

I'm going to share 20 simple, yet very powerful ways to keep your

motivation levels sky high throughout your intermittent fasting journey.

These easy to follow tips and strategies have helped me to stay focused,

energized, and inspired to reach my health, wellness, and weight loss goals.

And I'm pretty confident that they can help you too.

So let's get started.

Number one, set clear and realistic goals.

Setting clear and achievable goals is a very effective way to help you

stay focused and motivated during your intermittent fasting journey.

And this is because it gives you a clear target to aim for.

It's also important to be realistic and to break your fasting goals

into smaller, manageable steps to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

When you have goals that are realistic, you're more likely to

see progress, which boosts your confidence and it keeps you motivated

to stick with your fasting routine.

Number two, track your progress.

I've talked about the importance of this tip before because

it's just that important.

Keep a journal or use an intermittent fasting tracking app like Zero or

EasyFast to track your progress, including fasting hours, weight loss,

and overall how you feel each day.

Consistently tracking your progress with a powerful tool is a really great way to see

tangible results and to stay motivated.

Number three, celebrate milestones and small goals.

Celebrate small victories along the way, whether it's reaching a new fasting

goal or fitting into a smaller clothing size and be sure to reward yourself

for achieving these fasting milestones.

This will absolutely help you to maintain motivation and track your progress.

Keeping a gratitude journal is also an excellent way to remind yourself

of the positive and beneficial effects of fasting, and to keep

yourself motivated and in the game.

Number four, focus on health improvements and non scale victories.

Intermittent fasting is definitely not just an extremely

effective weight loss plan.

In fact, even if I hadn't lost 46 pounds in four months with intermittent

fasting, I can honestly say that I absolutely would still fast.

And this is because intermittent fasting offers so many incredible health benefits

and life changing non scale victories that have nothing to do with body weight.

Remind yourself and focus on the numerous health benefits of intermittent

fasting, such as improved energy levels, mental clarity, and longevity.

Additionally, take time to recognize the progress you've made, such as

improve sleep, less body aches, or better fitting clothes to appreciate

the positive changes from fasting.

Number five, experiment with new IF recipes.

Explore new intermittent fasting recipes and meal ideas to keep your

meals exciting and prevent boredom.

This can really make your fasting journey so much more fun.

I have an entire free course.

recipe library that's jam packed with low carb, high protein, delicious

intermittent fasting recipes on my website, so whatifwithjen.

com here you can easily find almost 150 breakfast, lunch, dinner recipes,

smoothie recipes, healthy dessert recipes.

Um, and again, they're all free and I add to them usually one

recipe, new recipe each week.

So just head to my website and then head to the tab at the top labeled

recipes and you'll find IF recipes home.

right there on the drop down.

Next up, you really need to find yourself a support system.

This really is so stinkin important.

Join an intermittent fasting community or find an accountability partner who

shares your intermittent fasting goals.

This can be an extremely effective strategy for staying

motivated and feeling encouraged.

And if you're looking to connect with almost 3, 000 truly incredible

people who love to support other intermittent fasting friends, please

consider joining my free intermittent fasting Facebook support group.

So what if with Jen, we would absolutely love to have you inside with us.

Number seven, visualize your success.

Honestly, this one really works.

Picture yourself achieving your goals and imagine how you'll

feel when you reach them.

Visualize a healthier version of yourself in the future, focusing on

positive feelings like confidence, balance, and vitality to reinforce your

commitment to intermittent fasting.

Consider creating visual reminders of your goals, such as vision

boards or sticky notes, to keep you motivated and energized.

and on track.

Number eight, plan ahead, having a well thought out plan ahead of time is so

very important for staying motivated with intermittent fasting because it helps you

anticipate challenges and find solutions before, uh, those challenges get out of

hand or sometimes before they even arise.

By preparing your meals and fasting schedule in advance, you can avoid

last minute temptations and stay on track with your fasting goals.

If you are an OMAD or One Meal a Day lover like me, I I have a fabulous

seven day intermittent fasting OMAD meal plan that offers a variety of healthy

food that will help you to plan ahead and stay on track with your goals.

I will leave the link to that plan, um, in that blog post.

That can really help you get off to a great seven day start.

I'll leave that link in the show notes below.

Number nine, practice mindfulness.

Practicing mindfulness during intermittent fasting helps you tune into

your body's hunger cues and emotions, allowing you to make mindful choices

about when, And what to eat by staying present and mindful during meals.

You can appreciate the nourishment your body receives and stay

motivated to stick to your fasting and weight management goals.

Number 10 And I think this one is just so important.

Stay busy during periods of fasting.

Plan to keep yourself occupied with activities and hobbies to distract

yourself from hunger and cravings during your fasting periods.

Number 11, reward yourself with non food fun.

That is really a thing.

So this strategy is not just an important one, but it's a really fun one too.

Rewarding yourself for sticking to your fasting schedule

can be So helpful, so fun.

Additionally, setting short term goals and treating yourself to non food fun when you

reach those goals can be super powerful.

Non food related rewards such as a relaxing bubble bath or a long walk,

new workout clothes, or a trip to the shopping mall can prove to be extremely

motivating and pretty darn fun, too.

I will leave the link to my blog post, 101 non food activities to make fasting easier

and more fun in the show notes below.

Number 12, stay positive and seek inspiration.

I think this strategy has probably been the single best strategy for keeping

me motivated throughout my weight loss and my weight maintenance if F journey,

and that is to seek out intermittent fasting success stories and testimonials

from others who have successfully practiced and experienced real results.

It's also important to routinely read inspiring blog posts, watch videos,

or listen to podcasts about successful intermittent fasting journeys.

The Intermittent Fasting Stories podcast, Success Stories podcast, hosted by Jen

Stephens, Totally inspired and motivated me when I was a beginner with IF I was

listening to a new episode in the mornings while I got ready for work while I'm

putting my makeup on getting ready to go.

I was listening in the car on the way to work on the drive home from work

and then after reaching my weight loss and health goals with intermittent

fasting, I had the honor and privilege of being a guest on Jen's podcast in

2022, episode number 237, listening to podcasts were absolutely instrumental

in motivating me and helping me reach my goals with intermittent fasting.

And that is the main reason why I wanted to start this podcast to spread the word

about the awesomeness of intermittent fasting and to help motivate and inspire

as many people as I possibly can, helping them to reach their IF goals

and start living their best lives now.

Number 13.

Educate yourself.

Stay motivated by educating yourself about the science behind intermittent fasting.

Learn everything you can about how intermittent fasting really works.

Take the time to learn about how IF can greatly benefit your health

and support your weight loss goals.

The three books that totally motivated, inspired, and educated me

are about intermittent fasting were Delay, Don't Deny and Fast Piece

Repeat, both by Jen Stephens, um, who is my intermittent fasting hero.

And the third book is The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung.

Um, that book is incredible and it is jam packed with IF info that will

definitely keep you motivated, inspired, and educated along your IF journey.

All right, number 14, another great way to keep yourself motivated

and to avoid getting bored is to mix up your fasting routine.

So mixing up your fasting schedule It keeps things exciting, it prevents

boredom, and it makes it easier to stay focused, motivated, and on

track with intermittent fasting.

Additionally, experimenting with different fasting schedules also

challenges your body in new ways, which can definitely lead to better

results and sustained motivation.

Moving on to number 15, don't overly restrict yourself.

And this is another really big one.

It's a good idea to avoid restricting specific foods excessively during

your eating window to prevent feelings of deprivation and potential bias.

binge eating behaviors.

It's also important to take a balanced approach when it comes to calories and

food intake during your feeding window.

Um, extreme caloric restriction may result in things like poor sleep, low

energy, and other potentially negative or possibly even dangerous side effects.

I try not to think of intermittent fasting as a diet because I

truly don't believe that it is.

I believe that IF is a lifestyle and by allowing yourself to enjoy the

occasional treat, um, dessert, whatever it may be, you're more likely to stick

with intermittent fasting in the long term and keep yourself motivated.

Number 16, practice balanced eating.

When it comes to following an intermittent fasting plan, choosing the right foods

is a great help when trying to stay motivated, focused, and on track.

Whether your daily eating period is an eight hour window or a four hour window.

It's really important to focus on nutrient dense foods like lean proteins,

colorful vegetables, and healthy fats.

These healthy diet foods keep you full, they provide energy, they balance

blood sugar levels, and they really can make a significant difference when

it comes to motivation and of course, long lasting weight loss success.

I have done A lot of trial and error with foods that work and foods that don't work.

I'll leave the link to my Ultimate Intermittent Fasting Grocery

List blog post for you below.

Number 17, give yourself some grace.

You gotta be compassionate with yourself during challenging times and

avoid that negative self talk that can definitely hinder your motivation.

Be kind and acknowledge that intermittent fasting is a journey with many ups and

downs, occasional stubborn plateaus as well as incredible successes.

Number 18, know your why.

Knowing your why for fasting reminds you of the reasons behind your efforts and

it keeps you motivated and motivated.

and focused on your goals, whether it's improving your health, getting better

sleep, losing weight, or increasing energy so you can live a more fulfilling

life, understanding your purpose gives you the drive to stick with intermittent

fasting, even when it gets tough.

challenging and you're having a hard time staying the course.

My intermittent fasting why, and my main motivation for living an

intermittent fasting lifestyle is to reap all of the incredible health

and weight maintenance benefits.

I want to be healthy.

I want to feel energized so that I am able to enjoy many more exciting moments and

vacations with my husband of 25 years.

And the love of my life.

Number 19, don't compare yourself to others.

Oh man, this one is a really hard one and a strategy that I definitely

find myself always trying to improve.

Unfortunately, like the famous quote says, comparison really is the thief

of joy and comparing yourself to others during intermittent fasting, it can

really be a dangerous place to be.

It can lead to lack of motivation as well as feelings of inadequacy.

Remember that everyone's journey is unique and focusing on your own progress and your

own goals is key to staying motivated.

and achieving success.

And number 20, stay consistent.

I saved this tip for last because it just might be the most important.

Consistency is key to seeing results.

And staying motivated with intermittent fasting, staying consistent with

intermittent fasting helps your body adapt to the routine, and this makes it easier

for your body to become fat adapted and to stick to your fasting schedule over time.

Consistency also builds momentum and it reinforces positive habits leading to.

better results and increased motivation along your fasting journey.

So in conclusion, staying motivated during intermittent fasting is all about finding

the strategies that work best for you, implementing them on a regular basis and

staying consistent with your efforts.

Keep pushing forward.

My fasting friend, you have totally Got this.

Hey, thanks for tuning in.

Today I'd like to leave you with one of my all time favorite motivational sayings.

Make today so awesome that yesterday is jealous and tomorrow is excited.

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 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.