Why intermittent fast may be good for weight loss

     Many Diets focus on what to eat but intermittent fasting focuses on when to eat.

 

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Fasting is not a new term to us, since its often practiced in different religions such as Christianity, Islam etc.

This eating pattern means entirely or partially restraining or abstaining from eating during a specific period of time,” says Heather Bauer, RDN, founder of Heather Bauer Nutrition in New York City.

The main idea of this method is that you cycle between periods of fasting and eating. However, even though intermittent fasting is more about adjusting your meal schedule, one shouldn’t forget that consuming nutrient-rich foods is just as important.

The study from (Mansell PI, Fellows IW, and Macdonald IA on the national library of Medicine) shows that due to hormonal changes, short-term fasting can boost the metabolic rate by 3.6–14%. Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible. Fasting leads to a decrease in insulin levels that prevents extra fat storage and helps your body mobilize stored fat. So, keeping your insulin level low and steady is key to weight loss. This way, you can lose extra pounds in a healthy way.

Categories of intermittent fasting

There are all effective but It’s important to find out which one works best for you, especially as a beginner, and eventually include the eating pattern in your lifestyle.

Daily Intermittent Fasting

14:10 

This method enables You to start eating at 10 AM and fast from 8 PM until 10 AM the next day. The eating window is open for only 10 hours daily and you are expected to fast for 14 hours. However, if you can’t live without breakfast, then choosing this method is probably not the best option for you. 

16:8

 You can eat whatever you want within an 8-hour eating window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. Typically, a fasting period starts with your evening meal at around 8 P.M. until noon the next day. This is a daily fasting diet plan, so you are expected to do it every day to see weight loss results. 

20:4

This method involves 4 hours of eating and 20 hours of fasting. For instance, you can have your meals between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm every day and fast for the remaining 20 hours. This method can be used 2-3 times per week.

Alternate-day intermittent fasting

This method involves longer fasting periods. Usually, people go 24-36 hours without food, having one meal per day. However, the main disadvantage of this approach is that it’s quite challenging to get all the essential nutrients from one meal. 

5:2 Diet

Eat-Stop-Eat

The main idea of this eating approach is that you have 5 regular eating days and 2 fasting days. You can eat up to 500 calories per day at any time during your fasting days. What to eat on fasting days? Make sure your diet is well-balanced and include protein, salad, fruits, and high-fiber foods. Do not try to fast 2 days in a row as it won’t be effective, try to separate them.

Time-Restricted Eating

16:8 Diet

You choose a window of time during which you can eat, the rest of the day you don’t eat (fast). One popular setup is 16:8, which means you fast for 16 hours and you can eat during the other eight hours. 

How is intermittent fasting beneficial? 

It helps Stimulates brain function

It Boosts metabolism

It Promotes weight loss

It Boosts the immune system

It Improves cholesterol and blood sugar levels

What kind of food to eat during fasting periods? 

 it’s better to stick to a well-balanced healthy diet to help with weight loss. Make sure to eat high-fiber and high-protein foods to suppress your appetite during your fasting period. This can include nuts, beans, fruits, veggies, meat, fish, or tofu.  It is better to avoid fried and processed foods during this period, this can lead to weight gain.

Note: TRY TO REMAIN HYDRATED ALWAYS, DRINK ENOUGH WATER DURING THIS PERIODS.

What does a weekly healthy weight loss look like? 

Weight loss results depend on many factors like nutrition, lifestyle, length, and frequency of fasting. Generally, however, healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week.

Is intermittent fast safe for everyone? 

It is not safe for the following sets of people:

Women who are pregnant

Children under the age of 18

Anyone with eating disorders

People with Type II diabetes

Keep in mind to check in with your primary care practitioner first before going on long periods of fasting.

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