How To Reset Your Body To Burn More Fat

Eating "little and often" or "grazing" became the social norm based on the myth that it keeps the metabolism firing throughout the day. Unfortunately, we are often encouraged to snack in between meals by companies who create the snacks themselves, many of which are cheap, nutrient-sparse, and highly processed.

How does this work, exactly? Well, digestion takes up a lot of energy and contributes to energy slumps throughout the day. Fasting will help stabilize blood sugar levels and force your body to draw on its own fat reserves for energy rather than being dependent on a constant stream of food. It can take time for your body to get used to this way of eating, and it may be difficult for some of you to make this shift in the body. There is a transition period when your body goes from being a sugar burner to a fat burner, and it can take anywhere from two to seven days.

Being in a fasted state promotes incredible changes in the body, taking us back to the way human beings ate for thousands of years when food wasn’t constantly available. Since then, we've become dependent on sugar for energy, and that's why the midmorning and afternoon slumps in energy levels have become the social norm despite the fact that they are completely unnatural. In the West, we have this phobia of having an empty stomach, but amazing things happen in the body when the stomach is empty.

IF has nothing to do with starvation. It’s about giving your body what it needs when it needs it. All you're doing is simply enjoying two filling meals during the day. By doing this, you can optimize virtually every system in the body. Most importantly, this is not a crash diet but a way of life that can be central to your health and fitness journey. Here's where to start:

Choose whether you are going to skip breakfast or dinner, and stick to that decision. It’s crucial that your body gets used to one particular eating pattern. Your choice should depend on whatever will be easiest for your lifestyle.

Although you’re skipping a meal, you shouldn’t change the time you eat your other two meals in the day. For instance, if you are planning on skipping breakfast but normally eat lunch at 1 p.m. and dinner at 8 p.m., stick to those times.

To begin with, follow your new fasting plan four days per week; you can have one optional snack in between those two meals. Three days per week you will eat three meals and no snacks. As the month progresses you can build up to fasting every day.

Consume nothing but water, black tea, or black coffee during your fast. Be strategic with caffeine; hold off on your morning coffee until you really can’t wait anymore, because caffeine can blunt your appetite.

I fast every day because of how it makes me feel: I am full of energy, I never feel hungry, and I stay lean effortlessly. I regularly eat out with friends, and I love food—there are absolutely no feelings of restriction or deprivation, or I simply wouldn’t do it. In order for any lifestyle change to become consistent over time, it needs to be flexible, and this is why IF is so valuable. It teaches you to listen to your body and fit your wellness routine into your life—not the other way around. Some weekends you may have a family breakfast or social event; some mornings you might wake up tired and hungry. This is OK. On those days, you should eat breakfast and not have any feelings of guilt associated with it.

Want to learn more about the science of fasting? Check out mbg's definitive guide to all things fasting.