Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting : Know how you can lose weight with the help of intermittent fasting

Nowadays we see that people are taking care of their health and are also working hard to achieve fitness. To get fitness, you also need to take a proper diet along with it and for this exercise is also very important.
Some people want to lose weight and some people want to gain weight. This means that everyone's objective now is to look good and right. Diet plans and exercise patterns exist for everyone to choose from. It depends on the kind of physique they are trying to achieve.
If your goal is primarily to lose weight, then intermittent fasting for weight loss is something you should try. If you want to see some good and long lasting results then it is important to know how, what and when to eat.

What is Intermittent Fasting? 

Intermittent fasting is a very popular health and fitness trend. It involves the cycle between eating patterns and the duration of eating. It does not tell you what to eat but it tells when and how you should eat. In intermittent fasting, you can drink water but cannot eat anything just like that.

Fasting is to avoid all kinds of food and to do so at regular intervals. You are not eating anything else alternately between the eating cycle.

How Intermittent Fasting works?

In intermittent fasting, you fluctuate between periods of eating and fasting. This may mean eating during eight hours and fasting for the other 16 hours of the day, fasting one day a week, or limiting food intake to 500 calories in the fasting period. Or you can also say that your body uses stored glucose and starts breaking down fat to get energy.

You enter into fasting 8–10 hours after your last meal. After 12 to 14 hours your body starts breaking down fat to get energy as the glucose present in the body decreases. All this in turn causes fat and weight loss gradually.

Is fasting akin to starvation? (Fasting and Starvation Difference)

It is always thought that fasting and starvation are the same thing, but this is not true. Fasting means giving up food, it is done in moderation. It is a process performed for a controlled period after which adequate nutrition is supplied to the body.

Starvation, on the other hand, is nutritional deficiency where essential vitamins and micronutrients are not in our routine. Starvation is something that one is forced to do and it is something that a person does not want to go through.

Intermittent fasting should not be compared to starvation. It does not ask you to starve yourself but it promotes the practice of fasting for a controlled period of time after which you must provide proper nutrition to your body.

Is this a new concept?

Fasting is not a new concept. It is from thousands of years ago. Our ancestors have been doing this for reasons that were due to religion or due to lack of food. So we know that it can be done and it is also safe.

There is nothing bad about fasting. Now fasting with the intention of losing weight has recently gained popularity due to positive results. This is quite easy to do, certainly as soon as you get used to it. There is no harm in trying and it is not bad at all.

What are some benefits of intermittent fasting? 

Studies show that people who have undergone intermittent fasting have not only lost weight, but have also shown improvement in their metabolic functions functions and health. Here are the benefits of intermittent fasting :--

✓Weight loss

✓Increases metabolism

✓Improve glucose tolerance

✓Improve brain functioning

✓Improve heart functioning

✓Reduces the risk of cancer

✓Increases healing and recovery speed

✓Reduces oxidative stress

✓It is also said that intermittent fasting controls the development of diseases and disorders which in turn increase your chances of staying healthy. Therefore, if intermittent fasting is done properly it can have many health benefits.

How to do intermittent fasting? (How to do intermittent fasting)

Here are four effective ways to reduce weight: Intermittent fasting:

1.)  16:8 Diet :

This is a one-time restricted fast, done to gain better health or lose weight.In 16: 8 diet, you eat nothing for 16 hours each day and only drink beverages like water, coffee and tea. The remaining eight hours are when you eat all your meals and snacks.

If you finish your last meal at 8 pm and fast till 12 noon the next day, you fast for about 16 hours. This can be simple to do. Make your last meal, skip your dinner, sleep and skip your breakfast the next day.

During your eating period of 8 hours, it is important that you eat only healthy foods and stay within your calorie limit. Eat 2 to 3 healthy and balanced meals. It is advised that a low carb diet should be taken during intermittent fasting.

You can drink water, black coffee and non-calorie drinks. However, it does not include zero calorie diet soda.

2.)  5:2 Diet :

5: 2 diet, also known as "fast diet". It is currently the most popular intermittent fasting diet. This is called a 5: 2 diet because five days of the week are normal eating days, while the other two days have limited calories in your diet which is 500–600 per day. This does not mean that you can eat all you want. Since you are going to fast for those 2 days, it means that in those 5 days you only have to take restricted calories.

3.)  Stop eating, eat method :

This method involves a full 24-hour fast 1 or 2 days a week and eating moderately balanced calorie foods on days in which you are not fasting for the week. This can be very difficult to do. For this, you have to fast from one dinner to the next. For example, if you ate your last meal at 8 pm, you would have your next meal at 8 pm the next day.

You can also fast from lunch to next day's lunch or breakfast. Do whatever suits you to perform that 24-hour fast. You do not have to take any type of solid, semi-solid or liquid food for those 24 hours. Except for just water or zero calorie drinks.

Now the point of this method is that many people cannot stay for a long period of 24 hours. This can be tedious and difficult for some people but it is not impossible. This can be done if you really want to lose weight.

4.) Warrior diet :

People who are following this diet do not eat anything for 20 hours per day, then eat their desired food at night. During the 20-hour fasting period, people on a diet are suggested to consume small amounts of dairy products, boiled eggs and raw fruits and vegetables as well as non-calorie fluids.

Things to remember while Intermittent Fasting: 

               

Intermittent fasting has a lot of benefits if you do it correctly. Therefore, from the above mentioned fasts, you should do the fast which is beneficial for your body and at the same time it should not be harmful for your body.

Here are some things you should absolutely make sure-

•Do not drink any artificial sweet drink or zero calorie soda.

•You have to make healthy and good food choices.

•Eat a low carb diet.

•Eat calorie controlled amounts.

•Do not eat junk and processed food.

•Pregnant and lactating women should not fast because it can have a negative effect on the child.

•If you have a chronic illness or are under any medication, it would be good to ask your doctor before making plans to go on a fast.

•Stay hydrated during fasting. During your eating period, eat foods rich in nutrients. 

•Also, get plenty of rest.

•You can break your fast immediately if you feel that your body can no longer take it. See your doctor before making any major changes in your nutrition and diet. If you are considering intermittent fasting and think it will help you to be healthy, always seek the opinion of your doctor, this will make things more clear and better for you.

We have seen that intermittent fasting is becoming very popular and many people have been able to achieve their fitness goals with it. It is a successful method only when it is done correctly. Regular fasting improves appetite control as well as helps you choose the right food for a healthy lifestyle.

Intermittent fasting requires some time so that you can adopt it. It will also take some time to show the result. It is important for you to see how your body reacts to changes in your diet and which method is appropriate for you.

Good luck for the fast!

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