Is Intermittent Fasting Right For You?
Intermittent fasting has one of the biggest followings today. Studies show that intermittent fasting may be one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of overweight and obesity ref
Here are some of the many reasons for this diet popularity for this:
- Weight loss
- It’s simple
- More food options
- It can save you money, make fewer meals
- It fits most people’s lifestyle
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
The term intermittent fasting refers to the cyclic nature of the diets. In order to lose weight you need to spend more time not eating that time eating. There is no right or wrong way to do intermittent fasting, it boils down to your needs and your levels of health. Consequently the timing is critical for weight loss and your success will depend on how you manage:
- Eating – the time you eat
- Fasting – the time you do not eat
You Are Already Doing Intermittent Fasting!
You are already fasting, every night for 8-9 hours when you sleep. At night your body users up the energy from the days food intake. The next morning you break-the-fast and start eating again. Intermittent fasting increases the amount of time you don’t eat and limits the time you do depending on the timing system you choose will depend on how stored energy you want to lose.
Popular Intermittent Fasting Plans
- 16:8 Method, fast for 16 hours, eat over 8 hour period
- 18:6 Diet, fast for 18 hours out of the day, eat over 6-hour
- 5:2 Diet is very popular. 5 days eating 2 days off
- Alternative Day Fasting, eat one day, fast the next, repeat
- 24 Hour Fasting 1-2 times per week
What to Eat In the Eating Phase
The more carbs you eat the longer the fasting time required before weight loss occurs. So with that said eat:
- Low carb foods, refined carbs just make losing weight harder for you.
- Lean protein
- Lots of low glycemic vegetables
- A small amount of fruit
- Limit the bread, pasta, rice and potato
Fasting Phase
In the fasting phase drink water, back tea, and coffee. The 5:2 diet allows on the 2 fasting days calories of up to 500–600 per day.
History
For 1000s of year fasting has been a practice. Ancient hunter-gatherers experiment days of fasting if they if they couldn’t find anything to eat. They went without. As a result, humans evolved to cope without food for extended periods of time. Religious have been practicing fasting for centuries.
Intermittent Fasting Boosts Your Metabolism
Intermittent fasting can boost your metabolism and improve the hormones like leptin that help you eat less. It’s an effective way to lose belly fat. However if you binge and eat massive amounts of carbs during your eating periods, you may not lose any weight at all. Here is the list of some of the benefits:
- Human Growth Hormone (HGH) increases fat loss and muscle gain.
- Insulin sensitivity improves, which lowers insulin levels to facilitate weight loss. and longevity.
- Cellular repair increases.
- Gene expression changes which increases longevity and immune protection.
Don’t Do Intermittent Fasting If:
Intermittent fasting is not suitable for everyone especial if you have a medical condition. It would be wise not to do Intermittent fasting if:
- You have a chronic disease like diabetes or a medical condition seek medical advice and see your doctor before starting this diet.
- You have problems with blood sugar regulation, like hypoglycaemia.
- Have low blood pressure.
- You are underweight.
- Have a history of eating disorders.
- Not suitable for children.
- Studies show that there is evidence intermittent fasting may be harmful to some women:
- When trying too conceive.
- With a history of amenorrhea.
- Who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Diet Guidelines
Always check with your health care professional before starting a new diet. Food and herb-drug interactions do happen. With that in mind, this diet is recommended for the prevention of:
- Cardiovascular disease
- High Cholesterol
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome
- Insulin resistance
The key point
Intermittent fasting is a means of timing when to eat. You need to match the type of fasting diet up with your body type and medical condition if any. I cant make this point strong effect, see a health care professional to make sure you will be safe on the diet. The main side effects of intermittent fasting is hunger and fatigue this normally happen when you initially start the diet.
If there are any aspects of your diet, you would like to discuss or clarify, please feel free to contact me through this web site or if it is of a more private nature contact me through my direct email. My goal is to provide you with the knowledge to make an informed decision on what diet best supports your health needs. Mediterranean, Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Ketogenic, Intermittent Fasting, Paleo Diet, Vegetarian Diet
In wisdom and good health
Brendon.
Phone: +61 409 278 320
