How To Use Mobile Apps To Manage Intermittent Fasting Schedules

By Tara Moncrieffe

Temptation-resisting, strict scheduling and a strong commitment are what will make intermittent fasting or IF, a success. This means that you’re mistaken if you think that IF is one of the easiest diets you can try nowadays.Intermittent fasting requires someone to go a designated time without eating at all. Then eat a specific amount of calories in another designated window of time, and repeat the process to create a caloric deficit.

It’s the reason why there are different kinds of IF with the most common one being the 5:2 diet where you’ll normally eat for five days and fast for the remaining two. There’s the 16:8 diet, too, where you’re going to fast for sixteen hours and usually eat during an eight-hour window. Other forms of IF you can try are alternate day fasting, eat-stop-eat, and the warrior diet, among many others. Such a prolonged period of consuming zero-calorie can be very difficult to stick with long-term because of the discipline required to follow the specific time frames surrounding your IF plan.

It’s easy to lost track of time when trying out intermittent fasting, especially in the face of challenges like habits and cravings. But, before you fret, stop and take a look at some intermittent fasting apps that can help you succeed by managing your schedules properly. There’s no shortage of applications out there that reminds you of your fasting and eating windows; all you need is a tablet or your smartphone.

Learn more about some ideas on how to use these apps below:

1. Choose A Popular Fasting Schedule Or Create Your Own

The first screen of an intermittent fasting app usually shows a drop-down list of different fasting schedules that you can opt to try. It’s an immediate offering, which is perfect for you if you don’t want the hassle of coming up with your own schedule. So, yes, choose one that you think fits you perfectly. Such an option is helpful to those who are still starting with the IF diet. However, if you prefer customizing your meal plans on a given day or week, you can also do it using an intermittent fasting application. Customization usually suits those who already have tried IF before and would like to change or level up his/her experience a bit.

2. Remind Yourself When It’s Time To Eat

When you’re on an intermittent fasting diet, it’s easy to lost track of time and forget to eat, mainly if your body has already accustomed itself to your chosen schedule. Of course, it isn’t something that you’d always want to happen since you still need to consume food for energy. The good news is that intermittent fasting apps can remind you of both your fasting and eating window; they help you to become consistent like how fitness trackers work. Yes, and it holds no matter what schedule you follow. You can pre-program the reminders for several days or a full week.

3. Log Relevant Notes Manually

It’s normal to feel bad about one IF schedule and comfortable about another. All you have to do is to shift to that program where your body feels better. This is ok because even the most experienced IF practitioners do it. But, how do you know if a certain kind of intermittent fasting is the perfect one for your mind and body? The best way to find it out is to monitor how your body responds to the schedule. What you can do is to use the manual logging feature of most IF apps to take note of how you feel every end of each fast. You can also include difficulties and other relevant experiences along the way. After a week or month, review your manual logging activity and decide whether you’ll go on with your initial intermittent fasting schedule or try a different one.

4. Engage In A Community For Accountability And Social Support

As you know, it can sometimes be really very difficult to follow your chosen IF schedule, and many factors play a role in such a challenge. Properly managing your intermittent fasting schedule means consistently sticking to it no matter what. But, often, failing to do so leads to frustrations, with some opting to give up instead. Luckily for you, there’s one unique and essential component of intermittent fasting apps - the community support. Social support and accountability lead to greater success in following a specific IF schedule. That said, use your app to engage with a community of individuals who have similar goals as you. You can exchange thoughts with these people about your current schedule, and they may help you to manage your existing IF plan and stick with it long-term to achieve the best results.

Final Thoughts

After a new study found out that individuals on an intermittent fasting diet had a significant boost in metabolism and a lowered heart disease risk, IF blew up online. If you’re serious about losing weight and improving your overall health through intermittent fasting, then consider using an IF app to help you manage your fasting schedules better.

As a nutritionist for more than fifteen years, Tara Moncrieffe is responsible for counseling patients on nutrition issues and healthy eating habits. Tara works by developing and evaluating tailored-fit meal plans for her clients. Tara balances her time and energy between working with clients and writing health-related articles online. When Tara is not busy, she loves to spend time at home with her children and pets.

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