Top Tips for your first 12 weeks 

At Roczen, we know that making lifestyle changes can be hard and often healthy lifestyle alternatives can seem expensive and time-consuming. Here are some top tips to help you embark on a successful journey towards better health!

1. Establishing a Consistent Eating Schedule

• Designate specific time frames for your two meals each day, for example: lunch between 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm and dinner between 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. 
• Consistency can help regulate hunger cues and make fasting much easier to maintain. 
• Remember to take your time eating and pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues (see the hunger scale for more support).
  

2. Mastering Food Prep

• Make a shopping list ahead of time using the Roczen meal planner and Roczen Kitchen recipes. This will help you stay on track and prevent impulse buying when shopping.
• Prep your veg: Chop up your favourite crudites, salad, or pre-roast and season portions of vegetables ahead of time to quickly add to your meals.
• Eggs: Hard boil a few and keep them handy in the fridge for a quick, high-protein snack. Alternatively, prepare a pot of nuts or some lean meat to eat on the go.
  

3. Stay Hydrated

•  Aim to consume at least 2-2.5 litres of water daily to reduce symptoms like headaches that you may experience when first starting on the plan.
• Enhance the flavour by adding cucumber slices, lemons, limes, mint leaves or flavoured water teabags.
• To help manage hunger, incorporate herbal teas or black coffee (without added sugars or milk) during fasting hours.
  

4. Prioritise Protein

• Ensure that each meal contains plenty of protein to promote satiety and muscle maintenance.
• Include protein-rich foods like lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, legumes, and dairy products to help you feel full and satisfied throughout the fasting period.
  

5. Modify your Carbohydrates

• Switch up your carbohydrate sources to options like konjac noodles, courgetti noodles or cauliflower rice.
• Try edamame or black bean spaghetti as a delicious and nutritious alternative to normal pasta.
• Try prioritising high-protein, high-fibre carbohydrates such as quinoa, wild rice and pearl barley.
  

6. Aim for High-Fibre Foods

• Incorporate high-fibre foods such as berries, vegetables, whole grains like quinoa, and legumes into your meals to promote digestive health and regulate blood sugar levels. 
• Fibre-rich foods can help control appetite and prevent overeating during your eating window.
  

7. Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

• Try to avoid foods that have been artificially sweetened, such as diet drinks and ‘sugar-free’ cordials. 
• Sweetened products could drive cravings for more sweet things if we’re frequently exposed to them. 
• Additionally, artificial sweeteners can have a negative impact on our gut health by disrupting the healthy gut microbes within our digestive system.

8. Moving  More

• When adjusting to the fasting period initially, you may want to start off with light exercises. Incorporate movement into your daily routine by doing activities such as squats while the kettle is boiling, taking the stairs at work, or parking your car further away when going to the supermarket.
• If you are planning on going to the gym and are unsure when to time this around your eating window, speak with your mentor or clinician, who can help you find a strategy that works for you.
• For more ideas around exercise, see the movement section in the Roczen app.

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We understand that it can be difficult to start out, but the Roczen team is here to support you every step of the way!

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