I grew up a very overweight kid throughout middle school and most of high school. I found healthy eating and cardio my sophomore year of high school and went hard at it. I hated being made fun of and being the “fat kid” so I decided to do something about it. I wasn’t 100 percent sure that what I was doing to lose the weight was right but I did it anyway. Eating salads, chicken, rice, and protein meal replacements, along with hours of grueling cardio in the gym, I dropped 60lbs from 200 to 140 in a year and a half.
I went from the “fat kid” to the “skinny kid”, not the healthy-looking skinny either… I wasn’t sure what or how to find a balance of muscle and a lean body until I was introduced to weight lifting. I then started doing whatever other bodybuilder was doing at the time, bulk then cut then bulk and cut. This always left me with a terrible feeling about myself for 8 months of the year when I was bulking.
About a year ago I was introduced to Intermittent Fasting and it changed my way of life. I no longer had to bulk to gain muscle and I no longer had to eat six meals a day which left me hungry 24 hours out of the day. I was hooked right off the bat. “I can eat only two meals a day and have better results than when I eat every two hours!?” Of course, I thought at first it was impossible;e because I was eating every two hours and now I had to fast for SIXTEEN! I then figured out that it was a mind game and here I am, never going back to the “norm”.
What goals did you achieve since adding fasting into your life?
I have crushed every goal possible since I have implemented IF! I wanted to get into single digit body fat for spring break this year and crushed that. I wanted to gain a bit more size while staying lean this summer and I have been able to do just that. I can enjoy a big meal out with family and friends and have a couple of drinks here and there without it affecting my progress like it would have on a normal eating pattern.
When it comes to fasting, what are your top 3 recommendations?
The 16/8 Rule
Have fun with it and experiment with what works and what doesn’t for your body specifically
Try new foods! When you fast you are able to eat more calorie-dense foods, that means there are so many things you can give a try and maybe find some new favorites!
This first time I tried Intermittent Fasting, I was working a job that I would have to get up at 4 in the morning and would have lunch at 10 a.m. I would hate eating breakfast so early because it bogged me down more than it filled me up so then I found IF. I went from 4-10 fasting and then would eat my meals at 10 and 6. It fits into my schedule PERFECT!
What motivates you to continue with this lifestyle?
All of the health benefits are a great plus to IF, as well as the feeling it gave you each and every day. I never thought skipping breakfast would leave me more energized than if I was to eat it. The results I have gotten on IF and my future motivates me a TON.
What is your best piece of advice for those just starting to fast?
Don’t listen to what everyone else around you is saying about your new lifestyle. They don’t fully understand the science, health benefits and results of IF. People will try to tell you that you are starving yourself and that it isn’t healthy and blah blah blah, but you do you and keep crushing those goals! Strive to be better each and every day and show them they are wrong.
Anything else you would like to share?
With being in the fitness industry for so long and as a NASM CPT and CNC, I see and hear a LOT of things that people are skeptical about. I make sure I research all of the things I say and do before I say or do them. I can honestly say that I have successfully implemented IF into 10 of my client’s lives since last December and it has literally changed their lives. It is no joke, and it is a lifestyle, not another dumb “fad diet”.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tcohee_fit/
Website: https://www.coheeathletics.com