Intermittent Fasting has been around for a few years now and has been making the rounds on the health circuit due to its many benefits. When it was first introduced, intermittent fasting was thought of as an extreme form of dieting which was scrutinized by skeptics who felt it could be harmful. However, as more and more studies come out, the many advantages of the diet are being realized and today intermittent fasting is one of the most popular fitness trends. Not only is the diet being used to lose weight but also to improve overall well being, slow down the aging process, and to live longer.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting consists of periods of eating and fasting. Unlike other diets, the focus of intermittent fasting is on when to eat, instead of what to eat. Although there is no restriction on what to eat, for the diet to be effective, it is recommended that you eat healthy foods.
Because there is no restriction on what to eat, intermittent fasting is more of an eating pattern rather than a diet. Generally, intermittent fasting involves 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating for at least two days of the week.
As extreme as fasting to lose weight may seem, humans have been fasting throughout history. Oftentimes people fasted because they were short on food, other times they fasted because it was part of their religion.
Fasting may look like a tall task but it is surprisingly natural for humans.
How to do Intermittent Fasting
The first step of intermittent fasting involves the splitting of the week into two periods of fasting and periods of eating. Note, that during periods of fasting, you’ll eat either nothing or very little – around 500-600 calories a day.
There are 3 main methods for intermittent fasting.
- The 16/8 method: In this method, you give yourself 8 hours to eat and 16 hours of fasting. 16 hours of fasting may look like a lot but think of all the time you spend sleeping; all those people who skip breakfast are probably already fasting for this long.
- Eat-stop-eat: This method of intermittent fasting consists of a day or two of complete fasting.
- The 5:2 Diet: In this version of the diet you eat just 500-600 calories for two consecutive days and eat normally the rest of the time.
Since you’re surviving on a limited number of calories, you should be able to lose weight easily.
The key to the success of intermittent fasting is commitment to the periods of fasting and eating.
How it works
When you fast, your body becomes more dependent on stored fat for energy. To make the stored fat more accessible, the body adjusts hormone levels in response to the lack of food intake.
Here are some ways your body’s internal makeup changes:
Human Growth Hormone: The levels of growth hormones spike which leads to the buildup of muscles and the loss of fat.
Insulin: Insulin levels plummet causing the body to turn to stored fats for energy.
Cellular repair: Fasting sends your body into repair mode. As you fast, aged or dysfunctional protein is removed from cells.
Gene expression: Fasting modifies gene expression and enhances your ability to fight illness, protecting you against diseases. The changing gene expressions is what allows people to live longer lives.
Intermittent fasting’s effects on cell repair, gene expression and levels of hormones is what gives it the added benefits (reduces aging, sculpts muscle and increases longevity).
How it works for weight-loss
The primary reason for taking up intermittent fasting for many people is the fact that it helps with weight-loss without having to give up certain foods. People are able to lose weight because of reduced calorie intake during the week and the changes in hormones. Also, short-term fasting has proven to speed up metabolism. As a result of taking in fewer calories and burning more, people are able to lose significant amounts of weight. To increase the number of calories you burn, make it a point to do simple exercises every day and remember to control your calorie intake on the days you eat.
Research has found that in a matter of just 3-24 weeks, people have experienced 3-8% drop in weight and 4.7% decline in waist circumference.
Other benefits
In addition to weight loss, intermittent fasting has other health benefits:
- It lowers insulin resistance and blood sugar, reducing the risk of diabetes.
- It reduces inflammation which makes the body susceptible to diseases.
- It improves heart health.
- Reduces risk of developing cancer.
- Augments the functioning of the brain.
- Since it promotes cellular repair, intermittent fasting slows the aging process.
Intermittent fasting is fairly new so more research needs to be done, but most experts will stand by it as it has improved the health of many people.
As for now, the results from intermittent fasting have been incredible. If you’ve been trying to lose weight and have failed miserable, you may consider giving intermittent fasting a go!
Britney Whistance is a passionate health and lifestyle blogger who loves to write about prevailing trends. She is a featured author at various authoritative blogs in the health and fitness industry and currently associated as a blogger with WishShape.com, your one stop-shop for professional waist-trainers and compression clothing . You can find her on social media: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
