Episode 157: What is Intermittent Fasting? with Laurie Lewis

Is Intermittent Fasting a Diet?

Is Intermittent Fasting all it’s cracked up to be, or is it  just another diet fad? Join us as we dive into the world of intermittent fasting with Laurie Lewis.  She’s a fasting coach and founder of Fast Forward Wellness. 

The proclaimed benefits of intermittent fasting are far ranging and may sound too good to be true.  They include weight loss, improved focus, energy, sleep, heart health, brain health, deep cellular repair and hormonal balance.  Laurie informs us about the science behind it, and talks about how to get started.  This episode aims to help you get your questions answered! (This is not to be considered medical advice and it’s best to talk to your doctor to determine if I.F. is a good option for you.)

With all the advice that's out there about what to eat, it can be really confusing to know what's really going to make us healthier.  One day, you hear a bit of advice about what's healthy and the next day you hear the opposite.  It's enough to make you plop down on the couch, open up a package of cookies or potato chips and just give up in frustration. 

I've been been hearing about intermittent fasting for years.  I've been really skeptical about it, but over time my cynical wall has started to crumble. I've heard from friends who swear by it, telling me how good they feel and that they've been doing it for years.  

I got curious enough to invite Laurie Lewis who is a fasting coach on to the podcast in 2021 to talk about her own personal experience with I.F.   She talked about the difference it made for her as she was struggling with menopause related stubborn hormonal fat she hadn't been able to lose for years.  If you want to hear her entire story, check out Episode 47

After my first conversation with Laurie, I wasn't ready to go all in, but I did manage to slowly get rid of my late night, pre-bedtime bowl of cereal habit. Surprise!  I lose some weight!

Earlier this year, I invited Laurie to be a special guest in my weekly Clubhouse room and she answered many questions from people in the room.  Many of them were already intermittent fasters and they all talked about how it helped them lose or maintain their weight. 

There was a recurring mention in the room about how much better they felt, and how it had helped some of them with chronic pain.  That got my attention!  I've been feeling soreness all through my body for years, especially since perimenopause and menopause struck.  It seemed like I couldn't get up from sitting for a long time without groaning out loud.  Long car trips felt like torture.  Stretching helps, and I've been trying to reduce my sugar intake to handle the inflammation that causes the pain.  

That Clubhouse conversation convinced me that I could at least give it a try.  I'm currently fasting for 12 hours and eating for 12 hours.  Since I started, I've lost about 5 pounds mostly around my belly.  Bonus!  I feel like my focus has improved also.  The jury is still out on the inflammation, but I may still have some work to do with eliminating more of the sugar from my diet. 

In this episode, I'm asking Laurie all the questions I imagine you might have and she graciously answers all of them. 

Feel free to get in touch with any additional questions after you hear the episode.  If I get a big response I will reach out to Laurie to see if she'll come back for more! You can email your questions to [email protected] or leave me a voice message below.

In the meantime, if you feel like you want to get your questions answered directly, you can find Laurie Lewis at Fast Forward Wellness or follow her on Instagram.

For anyone ready to start and wanting support, Laurie is offering her 6th annual holiday program for women to help you get through the holidays without needing to go on a diet afterwards.  She's added a new kick off date for the program on November 12th!