Fasting intermittently means eating only once every 8 to 10 hours. That could look like this:
- Breakfast isn’t necessary, so you can skip it.
- Break your fast and eat your first meal at midday.
- Eat your meal. Give yourself a reward.
- By 8 p.m., stop eating.
- Repeat this schedule for the next day, if necessary.
What’s the point of fasting? Intermittent fasting, while beneficial for weight loss, is not technically a diet. A long-term benefit of this eating plan is that it regulates insulin levels, protects against disease, and aids in weight loss.
You may be surprised by this, given what you’ve heard in the past regarding eating frequency. Your metabolism won’t go into a “fasted state” if you skip a meal. Even while eating breakfast is perfectly fine, there are several advantages to depriving your body of food for a longer period of time.
The benefit of Intermetting fasting diet
Some may consider it for weight loss. You must eat! But by limiting your eating window, you naturally rest your digestive system. That corresponds to important IF benefits:
Weight loss
Hormones and blood sugar levels all influence the scale’s reading. Intermittent fasting has been demonstrated to help avoid insulin and leptin resistance in both animals and humans, which may help with weight loss.
Fat loss
Want to try keto? Intermittent fasting can help. Your body prefers glucose (carbohydrates) as fuel. As available glucose is used up, your body switches to using fat for fuel, a metabolic state called ketosis. So you can keep burning fat and gaining brain function, you should eat keto-friendly foods after your fast.
Get rid of waste
Your cells amass damaged cells and garbage over time. This scum can disrupt cellular activity. Intermittent fasting has been demonstrated to enhance autophagy in rodents, which is when your body clears out the garbage to make your body perform better.
Promotes aging well
Intermittent fasting has been shown to preserve the cardiovascular system and improve insulin sensitivity. It even promotes calm and alertness. Intermittent fasting has been demonstrated to extend longevity and protect against disease in rats.
There has been some evidence that intermittent fasting may be more effective than other diets when it comes to decreasing inflammation and improving conditions that are related to inflammation, such as:
- Alzheimer’s
Arthritis - Asthma
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke
Side effects
However, it’s crucial to note that intermittent fasting might cause unpleasant side effects, which often subside within a month. The following are possible side effects:
- Hunger
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Headaches
Many people find intermittent fasting to be harmless, however, it is not recommended for everyone. You should avoid skipping meals if you are pregnant or breastfeeding because it is not the healthiest method to manage your weight. When it comes to medical conditions such as kidney stones, gastric reflux disease, diabetes, or other medical issues, consult your doctor before beginning an intermittent fasting regimen.
TYPES OF INTERMITTENT FASTING
5:2: Five days a week, you eat regularly. On the other two days, stick to a calorie budget of 500 to 600 each day.
16:8: At some point during the day, you consume all of your daily caloric intake in a short period (usually 6-8 hours).
Fasting alternate days: On days when you don’t fast, you eat as you normally would.
OMAD (one meal a day): Just eating once a day is known as the Snake Diet or the one-a-day diet. Only one meal is eaten each day, and you fast the remainder of your day.
Consult your doctor before embarking on a new diet or fitness regimen.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to intermittent fasting, as this study shows. Be patient and don’t be scared to try out different schedules to discover the best fit for you.
Changing your fasting period is an option if, for some reason, you cannot bear the idea of skipping breakfast altogether. Start eating at 8 a.m. and finish at 4 p.m. The good news is that you’re still only fasting for 16 hours. Your fasting regimen can be tailored to suit your personal preferences (and still have breakfast).