We’re two weeks into January and I’d like to know how your wellness resolutions are holding up. When I think about approaches taken in the new year to forge a healthier routine, shed some lbs, and cut down inflammation, there seem to be 4 main avenues:

• Exercise more: January inevitably gets flooded with ambitious fitness goals, increasing workout frequency, duration, or intensity. However, it’s crucial to start gradually and progress sustainably. 
• Dry January: Dry January challenges you to go alcohol-free for the month, giving your liver a well-deserved break and helping you regain clarity and energy. After weeks of holiday toasts and bubbly indulgence, this reset can leave you feeling sharper, better hydrated, and even more productive. Plus, it saves you inflammatory calories.
• Intermittent Fasting: IF is all about eating within specific time windows, giving your body a break from constant digestion. The 16:8 method—fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window—is especially popular. This time of year it may feel like a natural response to holiday grazing. By giving your digestive system a rest, IF can help regulate blood sugar, boost energy, and potentially aid in weight loss.
• Cutting sugar: Sugar sneaks into nearly everything, and after the holiday season, cutting it out can feel like a necessary detox. Eliminating refined sugars encourages whole, nutrient-rich foods instead, reduced inflammation, fewer energy crashes, and even clearer skin.

Interestingly, these methods complement each other beautifully. Dry January aligns with IF’s focus on mindful eating (no late-night drinks means no post-drink snacking). Meanwhile, a no-sugar diet pairs well with both, keeping your meals nutrient-dense and avoiding empty calories. Adding exercise during your fast (at an appropriate intensity) will accelerate your metabolism even more. Together, they create a powerhouse approach to wellness that’s simple, effective, and sustainable.

One of these approaches organically incorporates the others: Intermittent Fasting.

Thinking about doing all 4 can feel really overwhelming. If you focus on properly following IF, the rest will fall into play.

Here’s the simple how-to:

• Find your 8 hour window that you can keep consistent, for the most part. If you tend to have late dinners, your window will expand further into the morning. 
• Drink lots of water! Adding some LMNT to your water is incredibly helpful for curbing appetite! You can get LMNT at the studio 🙂
• Find an herbal tea you love. Black coffee and herbal teas will not break your fast but can be very soothing when you’re feeling hungry or bored. I love adding a teaspoon of chocolate LMNT to my black coffee. It cuts the acid and gives it a little something extra without breaking the fast.
• Make sleep a big part of your fast. Sleeping for 8 of the 16 hours is brilliant. 
• Stay busy and move a lot. Try to schedule your workout during your fast for an increased metabolic response. If you don’t like how that feels, add walking if you can.
• Use an app like Simple or Noom to give you motivating visuals like the one below.

When doing IF, it’s important to cut back on sugar so your sugar levels don’t crash and inevitably sabotage your efforts. Since booze is essentially sugar and targets the liver, cutting back on it is vital. This doesn’t mean you can’t have the occasional glass of wine if it’s important to you. Just keep it at a minimum. Give it some time and see how good you feel!

We, at Boutique Fitness, have discussed many different methods of approaching diet and weight loss. Intermittent fasting is among the methods that we have led clients through during a January challenge. It’s something I’ve done over the years, but not something that I stick to for super long. Somehow I’ve convinced myself that having yogurt in the morning makes more sense than waiting until a fasting window is over… 

My reunion with IF

The truth is that over the last 2 years I’ve been facing symptoms of menopause that have drastically affected my stamina and my weight. With all of the reading I’ve done to help me find solutions for this phase in my life – as I know many of you are also experiencing – Intermittent Fasting was the most recommended approach. I admit I gave it an eye roll more than once. I know IF, I’ve done it several times, and I like my morning routine, so I ignored the recommendations and kept on feeling like crud. 

On January 1, the site Simple was introduced to me. I try to look into new apps as much as possible because inevitably someone asks us about it. So I took the quiz, and guess what it suggested… Intermittent fasting. I finally gave in, set up my preferences, and began IF with a 16:8 window (I chose 9:30am – 5:30pm). It’s been 2 weeks and I can honestly say, I feel better than I have in a very long time. 

The focus of IF is not just during the fasting window and then unleash during the feeding window. Breaking the fast in a gentle way is important (I use my greens drink to do that), and then eating a balanced meal with protein, veggies, and healthy fats. You’ll also be committing to smaller portions – about ⅔ what you may have been consuming before. Your stomach will literally be returning to its appropriate size, which means less room for over consumption. Eat until you’re 80% full and avoid feeling over-stuffed. 

What I appreciate the most about the feeding window is that you can eat as often as you need to. If I’m feeling hungry 2 hours after my first meal, I have a snack. I find that a really good can of sardines is my go-to if I’m feeling insatiable. I sometimes pair it with a dried fig for added happiness (I know, super Portuguese). Oranges are also a staple. Somehow taking the time to peel an orange helps me keep my appetite in perspective. I also appreciate the subtractive quality of eating an orange – one wedge at a time.

So if you think about your new IF routine like I do my orange and take it one day at a time, you’ll reach two weeks before you know it. As you continue to see progress, the days will compound and over time you’ll create a new habit that could very well be the linchpin for feeling amazing in 2025 (and in menopause).

I would be remiss if I didn’t address mindset here. Having a growth mindset, one that allows you to fumble and still move forward, is key. Here’s a great simple article from Masterclass that addresses the difference between fixed and growth mindset and how to lean into growth. The video series for this article is also wonderful 🙂

Here’s to all good things in 2025!

xoLara