Does Intermittent Fast Work
The current diet craze – this is what most people label intermittent fasting. This is because this diet isn’t really a diet. All you need to do is fast for a period of time and viola – that’s the only thing you’ll do. No food restrictions, no specific meals to follow – just a timespan to follow. To know more about intermittent fasting and the benefits that come with it, check this article out.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a method of fasting, wherein one has a pattern to follow. A cycle wherein you switch between times of fasting and eating. This method has been around for thousands of years. In ancient times, food was scarce and people did not have the luxury we have today. So they sometimes fast for long periods of time until they are able to gather food. It is just lately that (IF) is gaining popularity among people in the health industry and even outside of it.
Why do you need Intermittent Fasting?
You need intermittent fasting for health reasons. You need to make yourself healthy at all times not just spiritually, emotionally, mentally but physically as well. IF is known to improve mental capability, improve hypertension, improve in overall health, reduces chronic swelling, reduce stress, reduce cravings, and especially helps in weight loss.
Brief Guide on how to do Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is not a new thing. With intermittent fasting, the center is not on the food you take but the time in which you take it. So, how can you start with intermittent fasting?
The answer is simple, follow a specific schedule when you can eat, and when you fast. Besides that, there are types of IF that requires you to take a specific amount of calories for a period of time.
Types of Intermittent Fasting
There are many types of intermittent fasting and here are some of the basic types:
- The 12 hours fasting
This type of fasting method is quite simple. Individuals who are just starting like this one better. An example of 12 hours of fasting is between 6 pm – 6 am. So the cut-off time for eating is 6 pm, therefore no more evening or midnight snacks.
- 5:2 Intermittent Fasting
This method is restricting your caloric intake of about 500-600 for two days a week. For the fasting days, you may consume eggs, fish, and nuts given that 200 calories of those are fat and the rest is protein, for the rest of the 5 days, you can eat normally. You can have back to back fasting days like Saturday and Sunday or space the days like Wednesday and Friday. But it’s all up to you and it should fit in your way of life and timetable.
- 16:8 Intermittent Fasting
This method is the standard one. You will be fasting for 16 hours every day, and eating within an 8-hour frame. Why this method is so popular because it is the simplest to stick with and gives you the benefits of fasting, but in actuality, you are just skipping breakfast and all those snacks.
- Omad (One Meal A Day)
As the name implies, this method is eating just one square meal a day. The meal should be as nutritious as can be but based on a low carb meal plan.
- Eat-Stop-Eat
This method involves not eating for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example for not eating from dinner one day until the next day’s dinner. This can be difficult in the beginning, but workable in the long run.
- Extended Fasting
This method is not for the weary-hearted nor for those who are beginners. Extended fasting is not advised to be done for a lengthy period of time and medical supervision is needed if pursued.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Countless studies on intermittent fasting have been done. And they have shown that there are awesome benefits for over-all wellness of the individuals doing intermittent fasting.
Here are some health benefits of intermittent fasting:
- It helps in losing weight and body fat without counting calories and increase fat burning.
- Insulin resistance. It can reduce insulin resistance, lowering glucose levels and help in protecting against type two diabetes
- It can possibly reduce swelling which is an indication for many kinds of diseases
- May help in reducing bad cholesterol, blood triglycerides, glucose, and insulin resistance- all of these are predisposing factors for heart ailment
The Downside of Intermittent Fasting
The downside of intermittent fasting is hunger. You will be feeling weak all the time and may not be able to perform as you used to. But this is only temporary because the body easily adapts. However, people with medical conditions should consult the doctor prior to intermittent fasting.
This is important if you:
- Have diabetes or any diseases
- Have problems addressing glucose regulation
- Have low blood pressure
- Takes medicine
- Are underweight
- Have an eating disorder
- Are a female who is trying to conceive
- Are a woman with a history of amenorrhea
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
The Bottomline
Intermittent fasting is an interesting method of dieting – since it doesn’t require you to eat specific types of food but instead, it focuses on the time you are eating. To be honest, this method isn’t suitable for everyone because there are people with medical conditions that aren’t made to fast for a long period of time.
On the other hand, if you are physically healthy and want to give this practice a try – you definitely can. And you can do this with dedication and perseverance just remember to follow the time you have to eat and don’t go beyond your eating window.
I hope this article helps you on your journey to intermittent fasting. If you have further questions about this topic, feel free to comment down below, and ask freely of all your thoughts and whatnot. God bless.
References:
Kris Gunnars (2020) Intermittent Fasting 101 – The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide#methods
Jason Fung (2020) Intermittent Fasting for Beginners. Retrieved from: https://www.dietdoctor.com/intermittent-fasting
Ditch The Carbs (n.d.) Intermittent Fasting Guide for Beginners. Retrieved from: https://www.ditchthecarbs.com/intermittent-fasting-guide-for-beginners/
Hopeful Holistic (n.d.) Everything you need to know about intermittent fasting. Retrieved from: https://www.hopefulholistic.com/start-intermittent-fasting/
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