Module #1: My Story & Brief Intro to Different IF Protocols

I will introduce a bit of my personal story into this first module. Some of this will resonate with you. Some may not at all. We will also touch on the more popular IF protocols in this first module, and then we will dedicate a future module to some of the less popular IF techniques that are popping up on the scene. Our goal is to learn, experiment, and see which one (or which ones) work for you.

Think of IF as a tool. Don’t look at it as another new-fad trend or diet: that will get us off on the wrong foot. Rather, view it as a technique to add to our health arsenal that gives us a window of opportunity NOT to eat … and another (shorter) window of opportunity in which to eat.

The 16/8 IF Protocol

For me, I started on the 16/8 window. That means for 16 consecutive hours there was no food (i.e., calories) going into my stomach. Assuming I had dinner at 8:00 PM on a Friday night, I would not eat until 12 noon on Saturday. Then, I had an 8-hour window to eat (from noon to 8:00 PM). For me, I initially chose two meals in that 8-hour period with one snack in the middle of this 8-hour window. This 16/8 IF protocol is probable the most popular one you will read about or watch on YouTube, etc.

The 20/4 IF Protocol

That 16/8 window gradually became a 20/4 window. Yes, 20 hours of fasting and then four hours within which to eat. Sometimes that meant two full meals. Sometimes those two meals morphed into one snack and one meal. I did not count calories. That said, I did not load up on usual junk food and other typical foods (e.g., pasta, bread, too much fruit) that I over-consumed on my 10-year journey up to 240 pounds (109 kg).

Extended Fasting Protocols

I then went into a 24-hour fasting period. I would eat one meal only (usually around 5:00 PM) and then not eat again until 5:00 PM the next day. I did this for probably a week straight, and thrived on this particular IF protocol. I did not stop my daily workout, which generally

As my IF journey continued, I became more comfortable with being uncomfortable. Those uncomfortable feelings of hunger become very manageable. I pushed through those feelings by hydrating when the first stomach pangs were felt, and then the growling went away. And 16 hours of not eating became 20, then 24, and eventually 48 and even 72 hours! Yes, 72 hours of water and minerals (Himalayan salt). I only did one 72-hour fast, but it did prove a lot to me in terms of what is possible when you put your mind to something. [One of our modules during this mini-course will be on prolonged fasting, its benefits, and how to do it properly and safely].

Find Your Aha! Moment

There is something about jumping into a healthy routine that gives you a bit of motivation to make the most of it. Doing something outrageous (which for me not eating for 24 hours is outrageous), made me want to look at the big picture. If I were going to do something this extreme, why not go for it in all aspects. Taking that first step helped me make some switches that allowed me to simply make better decisions in terms of what I put in my mouth.

During the first two weeks of this IF protocol, I had one of the “Aha” moments. In short, when you are down to one meal per day (as I did for some of my IF journey), you really want that meal to be special. It was devastating to sit down to that one meal and have it taste like crap. You even start looking at quality of the food, how the meal is plated and presented, every little detail. You want that one special meal to be divine. And that helps you make different choices when ordering off the menu or when whipping up that meal in your own kitchen.

I need you guys to find your own “Aha” moment. It is there waiting for you. Find it.

Time for some short clips. Take copious notes and prepare yourself for a little quiz after each of the videos. Let’s jump in and watch Dr. Berg’s video:

I like Dr. Berg’s short, straightforward, and sometimes quirky videos. They are good introductions to a variety of health and wellness issues: IF to metabolism issues and from body types to hormone issues. All this and much, much more.

Before you can head on, you have to answer these questions from Dr. Berg’s introduction video to intermittent fasting. See you in Module 2!