Intermittent fasting has become a very popular trend in the present day. If you are on social media, there is a high chance that you may have come across some celebrity or an influencer following or talking about this kind of fasting.
This is used to lose weight, improve their health and follow a good lifestyle. Are you a beginner who wants to try intermittent fasting but have no idea about it? We got your back.
Below is a detailed guide on all the basics of intermittent fasting, how to do it, its health benefits and who can do it.
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a type of eating pattern in which there are cycles of eating followed by periods of fasting. This type of fasting doesn’t specify the kind of food to eat but its primary focus is the time at which you eat food.
For this reason, intermittent fasting is more of an eating pattern than a conventional diet. Fasting has always been a very common practice in human evolution. As we know, it is even a part of various religious or spiritual practices.
Fasting from time to time is proven to be more beneficial in a few ways than eating 3 to 4 meals per day.
Different methods of intermittent fasting
In the present day, intermittent fasting has become one of the popular favourites among the fitness community and experts. Intermittent fasting can be done in various methods which involve different periods of eating and fasting in a day or a week.
Based on your fitness level, you may eat very little or nothing at all during the fasting periods. Intermittent fasting, for this reason, is not some crash diet that can help you with weight loss. Moreover, it is a lifestyle change.
Below are the most popular methods of intermittent fasting that you can choose from.
16/8 method:
If you are following this 16/8 method, you will have to skip breakfast. 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating is the requirement in this “Leangains protocol”. You can start your eating periods from 1 PM and finish your meals by 9 PM.
14/10 method:
By following this method, you can only eat between 9 AM and 7 PM.
Eat-stop-eat method:
In this eat-stop-eat method, you should fast for complete 24 hours, once or twice a week. This involves not eating from dinner one day till dinner time the next day.
5:2 diet:
This method involves consuming only 500 calories for two days in a week and eating normally for the rest of the 5 days. Make sure to not do this for 2 consecutive days.
If you are a beginner, we suggest you chose the 16/8 method. This method of intermittent fasting is the simplest and the easiest to follow. Apart from being popular, this method seems to be quite sustainable.
Choosing the right method for yourself depends totally on your lifestyle. If your primary goal is weight loss, then it is necessary to reduce your calorie intake as well. Do keep in mind that overcompensating by eating more amount of calories or eating unhealthy during the eating periods will not fetch you any results.
How does it work in your body?
When you fast, your body will undergo various changes on different levels. There will be hormonal changes as well. Hormones in your body get adjusted to using the stored body fat. Several changes that may occur are mentioned below as it is important for you to know before you start a diet.
Cellular repair:
When you fast, your body cells initiate cell repair by which they remove the dysfunctional cells and proteins that get built up inside the cells
Insulin:
When fasted, your insulin levels drop considerably and the increased insulin sensitivity makes the stored-up fats accessible.
Growth hormone:
As you might already know, the human growth hormone is extremely vital for the growth of an individual. By fasting, there has been observed that the levels of these hormones shoot up drastically. Some of the advantages of this are muscle gain and fat loss out of various others.
Gene expression:
Changes and improvements in longevity and protection against diseases will be noticeable.
These vital changes during intermittent fasting come with numerous health benefits.
Weight loss and other health benefits
The most common reason for anyone to try intermittent fasting is weight loss. As it restricts the number of meals you intake, it conveniently reduces the calorie intake as well. Based on what you have read above, you can also conclude that this fat loss comes even from hormonal changes.
A special mention about noradrenaline, a hormone which is known for fat burning is important. When you fast, along with other hormonal changes, there will be an increase in the levels of this fat-burning hormone. No wonder why intermittent fasting is considered one of the powerful ways to lose weight.
According to many studies that have been conducted, intermittent fasting causes significant weight loss without any doubts or exceptions. You will not only notice that you have lost a couple of pounds but you will also notice a considerable loss in your inches and the harmful fat that gets accumulated.
We would like to stress the fact that you may not see any progress in your fat loss if you are not eating in a calorie deficit or eating unhealthy. During the eating periods of intermittent fasting, you should eat in control and not consume massive calories as it will hamper your overall progress.
If you think weight loss is the only plus about this type of eating pattern, you are mistaken. It helps in the overall health of the brain and body.
The main health benefits of intermittent fasting are:
Type 2 diabetes:
Do you know that insulin is the key to maintaining your blood sugar levels? Insulin resistance reduces by intermittent fasting which further prevents the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Heart health:
Intermittent fasting reduces the bad cholesterol, inflammatory cells and triglycerides which are all risk factors for any cardiac conditions.
Brain health:
It is observed that intermittent fasting promotes a certain hormone which aids in the development of new nerve cells. It might reduce the possible risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Keep in mind that many kinds of the extensive research are being conducted and are yet to announce the exact results of all these health benefits of intermittent fasting in humans.
Do you find it difficult to stick to a diet? Many people are not consistent on a diet as it requires you to plan and cook healthy meals. After a point, it gets harder as it can be stressful to manage cooking especially when you have a busy day-to-day lifestyle.
There is no need to face this problem when fasting intermittently. Furthermore, it makes your lifestyle simpler. One of the reasons could be its small and less number of meals. Who knows, this could be the reason that this eating pattern is so popular!
Can everyone do intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is NOT for everyone. If you are someone who does not have a good relationship with eating or has had eating disorders, it is suggested, to begin intermittent fasting ONLY after consulting a professional or a dietician.
Intermittent fasting is usually not suggested for people who are underweight. As healthcare professionals suggest, intermittent fasting is not a good choice for pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers as well.
Do check with your doctor if you are planning on following this eating pattern when you are trying to conceive. It is safer for women with fertility issues to dodge this change of lifestyle.
Side effects
Hunger is the typical side-effect of intermittent fasting. This may cause a downfall in your performance. (brain fog, as we may call it.) You may also feel weak. You must remember here that all these may remain only until you get adapted to the new pattern.
However, it is always suggested to avoid intermittent fasting without the guidance of a doctor if you are suffering from any sort of medical condition especially eating disorders, underweight, hypotension and if you are breastfeeding or pregnant.
Nonetheless, intermittent fasting is said to have a wonderful safety profile when compared to many “popular” diets and is way better than your FAD diets. Before you start following this pattern of eating, it is necessary to know some risks that may come your way.
In some individuals, hunger and brain fog can be persistent which can pave a way for poor stability and work performance. One other side effect can be binge eating because of the restrictions.
Frequently asked questions:
After knowing about intermittent fasting, you might have a few doubts. To clarify these, we have added the answers to some of the most common questions about intermittent fasting.
Q. Is it okay to skip breakfast?
As we all know, skipping breakfast is an unhealthy practice. However, it only holds when the person who skips breakfast has an unhealthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, if you are eating the right and healthy food for the rest of the day then it is completely alright.
Q. Can I drink any beverages during the fast?
Drinking water, tea or coffee during the fast is okay. Make sure to not add any sugar to your tea or coffee. You may add small amounts of milk.
Q. Will intermittent fasting cause loss of muscle?
Any weight loss method can cause muscle loss. Hence, it is necessary to increase protein intake and lift weights.
Conclusion
You might have done intermittent fasts in your life but never knew that it could be the right eating pattern for many fitness goals. Have you ever eaten dinner, stayed up until late and did not consume anything until lunch the following day?
There you go, that is the most basic explanation of intermittent fasting. Choose any diet or an eating pattern that suits well to your lifestyle or your busy work schedule. There is no such rule that you have to follow only a certain type of diet.
You have all the freedom to choose what is best for you and to achieve your health or fitness goals. As long as you are consistent, whatever you are following is the best for you. Keep in mind that intermittent fasting is NOT a diet. Rather, it is an eating pattern or a lifestyle change.