Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and periods of eating. Studies have shown that fasting has many health benefits, can promote longevity, improve sports performance, and even help prevent against heart disease and cancer. There are several different ways of doing intermittent fasting all of which involve splitting the day or weeks into eating and fasting periods. There are several eating protocols one can follow, below are three of the most popular.
THE 16/8 METHOD
It involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, such as 12–8 p.m. Then you fast for 16 hours in between. Probably the most popular among Athletes and Fitness enthusiasts. Working out closer to the end of the fast here has proven to have many health benefits. Working out fasted also improves focus and concentration which is needed when training at high intensity.
THE 5:2 DIET
With this method, you consume a low number of calories, 500-600 on the two consecutive days and eat your normal maintenance calories on the other 5 days. This will mean you are in a caloric deficit of 1000-1200 each week. Eating this much less can drastically change one’s overall weight, health and fitness levels.
EAT-STOP-EAT
This method involves fasting for up to 24 hours, once or twice a week for example by eating Dinner one day and not eating until Dinner the next day. During this fast, you will only drink water. Though some herbal Teas can be allowed It is important to remember that during a short fast zero calories are the way to go to maximize the benefits of Fasting.
“When you cut the eating window down, you are creating a fasting period in which the body will have to use its own stored glycogen from carbohydrates and fat as fuel. When the glucose and glycogen stores are used, the body switches over to a ketogenic state and burns fat for fuel.” Autophagy (self-eating) is a detox process your body undergoes to clean out damaged cells and regenerate new ones, which is the key to longevity and improved lifespan in humans and animals.
BENEFITS
When you fast, several processes occur in the body on a cellular and molecular level. The level of growth hormone skyrocket in the body, this has a positive effect on fat loss and muscle gain. Insulin: levels of insulin drop dramatically, and this means stored body fat becomes more accessible. For example, your body adjusts hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible. Gene expression: there are changes in the function of genes related to protection against diseases and longevity. These changes in hormone levels, cell function, and gene expression are all responsible for the health benefits of intermittent fasting. Weight loss: The most common reason why people consider trying Intermittent fasting is without a doubt weight loss. Having a specific eating window which makes you eat fewer meals can lead to an automatic reduction in overall calorie intake. Studies show that IF can be a powerful tool to achieve a healthy body. A 2014 review study found that fasting can cause a significant amount of weight loss, around 3-8% over a period of 3-24 weeks. Another show study showed that people who followed intermittent fasting protocols loss less muscle mass than the more standard methods of continuous calorie restriction.
BRAIN HEALTH
The benefits of IF are not only found to promote a healthier body mass index, but many studies have found that fasting in both animals and humans can have powerful benefits for brain health and cognitive ability and may aid the growth of new nerve cells, which can protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
HEART HEALTH
Studies show that intermittent fasting can improve numerous risk factors for heart disease such as blood pressure cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and inflammation factors.
CANCER
There is evidence from research that fasting could slow tumor growth, boost the immune system, reduce treatment side effects, increase survival rates and prevent recurrences.
ANTI-AGEING
According to multiple studies, fasting can reduce wrinkles by switching on DNA repair genes that help reduce inflammation in the body. This helps the skin heal as cells are renewed more rapidly and efficiently. Intermittent fasting has been showing to increase lifespan in rats by up to 36-83%
SUMMARY
Intermittent Fasting can have many benefits for your body and brain. It causes weight loss and may reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It may help you live longer. Another major benefit of Intermittent fasting is that it makes healthy eating simpler, there are fewer meals you need to prepare, so less time spent in the kitchen. The most common side effect of intermittent fasting is hunger. People with certain medical conditions consult with a doctor before considering any fasting protocol. Have a history of eating disorders. Fasting and not eating for a while is considered safe for healthy and well-nourished individuals. If that’s you, we recommend doing a ‘Test Fast ‘between 16- 24 hours on a day where you aren’t planning a gym session and have a day off work where you are able to relax all day. Drink plenty of water, see how you feel and then decide which protocol best suits your individual needs and lifestyle. There is nothing dangerous about not eating for a while if you’re healthy and well-nourished overall.
*The most common side effect of intermittent fasting is hunger. People with certain medical conditions should not fast without consulting with a doctor first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to the most common questions about intermittent fasting:
- Can I Drink Liquids During the Fast?
Yes. Water, coffee, tea and other non-caloric beverages are fine. Do not add sugar to your coffee. Small amounts of milk or cream may be okay. Coffee can be particularly beneficial during a fast, as it can blunt hunger.
- Isn’t It Unhealthy to Skip Breakfast?
No. The problem is that most stereotypical breakfast skippers have unhealthy lifestyles. If you make sure to eat healthy food for the rest of the day, then the practice is perfectly healthy.
- Can I Take Supplements While Fasting?
Yes. However, keep in mind that some supplements like fat-soluble vitamins may work better when taken with meals.
- Can I Work out While Fasting?
Yes, fasted workouts are fine. Some people recommend taking branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) before a fasted workout.
- Will Fasting Cause Muscle Loss?
All weight loss methods can cause muscle loss, which is why it’s important to lift weights and keep your protein intake high. One study showed that intermittent fasting causes less muscle loss than regular calorie restriction
- Will Fasting Slow Down My Metabolism?
No. Studies show that short-term fasts actually boost metabolism, however, longer fasts of 3 or more days can suppress metabolism.
- Should Children Fast?
Allowing your child to fast is probably a bad idea.
Getting Started
Chances are that you’ve already done many intermittent fasts in your life.
If you’ve ever eaten dinner, then slept late and not eaten until lunch the next day, then you’ve probably already fasted for 16+ hours. Some people instinctively eat this way. They simply don’t feel hungry in the morning.
Many people consider the 16/8 method the simplest and most sustainable way of intermittent fasting — you might want to try this practice first. If you find it easy and feel good during the fast, then maybe try moving on to more advanced fasts like 24-hour fasts 1–2 times per week (Eat-Stop-Eat) or only eating 500–600 calories 1–2 days per week (5:2 diet). Another approach is to simply fast whenever it’s convenient — simply skip meals from time to time when you’re not hungry or don’t have time to cook. There is no need to follow a structured intermittent fasting plan to derive at least some of the benefits. Experiment with the different approaches and find something that you enjoy and fits your schedule.
SUMMARY
It’s recommended to start with the 16/8 method, then perhaps later move on to longer fasts. It’s important to experiment and find a method that works for you.
Should You Try It?
Intermittent fasting is not something that anyone needs to do.
It’s simply one of many lifestyle strategies that can improve your health. Eating real food, exercising and taking care of your sleep are still the most important factors to focus on. If you don’t like the idea of fasting, then you can safely ignore this article and continue to do what works for you. At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to nutrition. The best diet for you is the one you can stick to in the long run. Intermittent fasting is great for some people, not others. The only way to find out which group you belong to is to try it out. If you feel good when fasting and find it to be a sustainable way of eating, it can be a very powerful tool to lose weight and improve your overall health.