Intermittent Fasting: Everything You Need to Know about This Eating Pattern
Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular diets that can help you lose weight along with providing many benefits.
When you think about diet, you often think of adjusting what you can eat. Intermittent fasting is a way of eating that focuses on when you eat! It is considered a good weight loss diet and is followed by people who choose different models according to their needs and convenience.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a diet in which people alternate between eating and fasting. It doesn’t focus on eating specific foods, rather when to eat them, which is why it’s called an eating pattern rather than a diet. Some of the most popular methods include the 16/8 method, which involves fasting for 16 hours and eating within eight hours; the 5:2 method, which involves eating normally for 5 days and restricting calorie intake for 2 straight days.There are other ways to fast that can help you stay healthy.
Methods of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) involves many methods of determining when to eat and when to fast. Here’s what you need to know:
1. 16/8 Method
This involves fasting for 16 hours and not eating for more than 8 hours each day. It is one of the most popular methods of intermittent fasting. People skip breakfast or skip dinner. A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that fasting for eight hours can prevent obesity, inflammation and diabetes.
2. 5:2 Method
In a 5:2 fast, you eat regularly for five days and limit your calorie intake to 500-600 calories for two consecutive days. Restricting calorie intake for two consecutive days, also known as a crash diet, will also help with weight loss, according to research published in the International Journal of Obesity.
3. Eat-Stop-Eat
A little more of the eating pattern involves 24-hour fasting once or twice a week.
4. Alternate-day Fasting
Covers daily fasting. You can alternate between fasting and a normal diet, where fasting days require eating fewer calories or not eating at all. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that fasting on alternate days can help you lose weight and improve your heart health.
5. The Warrior Diet
This is a different type of fasting. It involves eating small amounts of fruits and vegetables during the day and large portions of meat at night. Feeding time is usually about 4 hours. This is helpful for those who have tried other types of intermittent fasting. You should eat more vegetables, protein and fat.
Each method is flexible, allowing people to choose the method that best suits their lifestyle and health goals.
Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
1. Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight, intermittent fasting can help! A study published in the journal Nutrients found that people who followed the 5:2 fasting method for 12 weeks lost an average of 9% of their body weight. IF can help you eat fewer calories while boosting your metabolism, which can help you lose weight.
2. Supports heart health
Did you know that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world? A study published in the American Journal of Medicine found that intermittent fasting can improve problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, triglycerides and bad cholesterol, all of which increase the risk of heart disease.
3. Reduce your risk of diabetes
Studies show that intermittent fasting has a positive effect on insulin resistance and helps lower blood sugar. A study published by the American Diabetes Association found that it can help improve people’s lives and protect them from the effects of diabetic retinopathy. It increases insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar and reduces inflammation, which can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
4. May Help Reduce Cancer Risk
Cancer occurs when cells grow and spread into surrounding tissues. Although intermittent fasting does not directly affect the development of cancer, it may help control the risk. A study published in the European Journal of Public Health found that intermittent fasting may help prevent cancer. Another study published in the Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research found that fasting can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.
5. Supports brain health
Intermittent fasting can help reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, diabetes, and insulin resistance, all of which help support the brain. A study published in the journal Brain & Behaviour found that this type of fasting may have beneficial effects on the brain by encouraging the growth of new nerve cells.
6. Prevents Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is an age-related disease that affects the brain. It affects the patient’s memory, thinking, learning, and organisational skills. Although there is no cure for the disease, a review published in the journal Health Research in 2023 found that intermittent fasting may delay the onset or severity of the disease.
7. It may cause some changes in your body
When you go too long without eating, many parts of your body seem to be affected, including your hormones, brain, and genes. Intermittent fasting can cause:
- Lowers insulin levels, which can help burn fat.
- When you follow this diet, your body will begin cellular repair by removing waste from the cells.
- Your human growth hormone (HGH) levels may increase, which may contribute to weight loss, muscle gain, and other benefits.
- It may cause changes in your genes that will benefit longevity and immunity.
8. Simple and Convenient
Intermittent fasting is easy to follow because it’s more about when you eat than what you eat. It can also make meal planning easier by reducing the amount of food consumed each day.
What you can eat on intermittent fasting
There are no strict rules about what foods to eat or avoid during IF. But it’s important to focus on nutritious foods to support your overall health. Whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and colorful fruits and vegetables are some of the options you can add to your diet. You should stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
If you want to be healthy, you should stay away from processed foods, refined sugars, fizzy drinks and unhealthy fats.
Exercise after meals
Are there any side effects of intermittent fasting?
Although intermittent fasting has many health benefits, some studies have shown that there are some side effects of following this eating pattern. Some people may experience hunger pangs, frequent headaches, digestive issues, mood swings, drowsiness, shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, dehydration, or not getting enough food.
These side effects are more common in people who try to fast for longer than the above-mentioned periods or in people who are not eating properly. If you are just starting out, it is best to start with the easiest fasting method. You should also consult your doctor before choosing a healthy nutrition plan for yourself.