A beginner’s guide to Intermittent Fasting
Fasting has been a part of Indian culture since time immemorial. At the same time, intermittent fasting is now becoming the latest trend to lose weight.
Research to support the health benefits of Intermittent fasting, other than reducing weight. This fasting reduces high cholesterol and blood pressure and increases memory as well as the immune system. It also helps in dealing with stress and improves your health. (study) (study)
But the study also warns that this fasting is not safe for children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
This article explains:-
- What is intermittent fasting?
- A beginner’s guide to intermittent fasting.
- Intermittent fasting Benefits.
- How to do intermittent fasting.
- What to eat during intermittent fasting.
- How to break intermittent fasting.
- Side effects of intermittent fasting.
What is intermittent fasting?
First of all, it is important to know that intermittent fasting is a special diet plan, it is an eating pattern that balances the cycle between Eating and Fasting.
This diet plan is different from the rest because it is important when to eat more than what is in it.
The best thing about this fasting is that in this, you have to fast for a short time, not for a day.
This is a diet plan in which you have to skip miles while staying hungry for a long time. Also, at what time to eat and at what time it is decided in advance.
Some people take their meals within 12 hours, while others do not eat for 16 to 18 hours.
The most popular method of intermittent fasting is 16: 8. That is 16 hours of fast and 8 hours of eating window.
In the fasting period to avoid hunger, you can take water, black coffee, green tea, cumin water, chamomile tea, lemon water, fruit extract in hot water, and other zero-calorie beverages.
Explain the benefits of intermittent fasting, it can be beneficial for health to a great extent. It can have positive effects on body weight loss as well as many other health problems.
Fasting is not a new concept. It is from thousands of years ago. Our ancestors have been doing this for reasons that were due to religion. So we know that it can be done and it is also safe.
Now fasting with the intention of losing weight has recently gained popularity due to positive results. This is quite easy to do, certainly as soon as you get used to it.
Keep in mind- It is completaly different Water Fasting.
A beginner’s guide to intermittent fasting
If you are also going to start it for the first time, then definitely read the diet tips given below. These tips will help you a lot in reducing your weight during fasting.
- In this, it is suggested to the people initially that the duration of fasting, in the beginning, can be kept short. Make a goal of fasting for 12 hours and try to keep it up for 14 hours. Then take it for 16 hours.
Also, keep fasting once or twice a week. Then try to gradually extend the fasting period to the prescribed duration of intermittent fasting - Your diet should be full of nutrients. Consumption of calorie-rich foods is not completely stopped. In your diet, take such a diet with brown rice, sweet potato, which controls the calories in the body.
- Especially for beginners, light exercises including Yoga and Pranayama are fine but avoid other physical activities.
- However, to do this, a person should not give up the food of his choice nor stay hungry, yet during this fasting, one should try to have a balanced diet rich in protein, fiber, and vegetables in the beginning.
- Especially for the beginners. It is also necessary to keep hydrate yourself during fasting. For this, drink beverages like black coffee, coconut water, green tea, lemon water, and other zero-calorie beverages.
- In the initial days, you may see a problem like hunger but do not panic, after some time it will be included in the routine smoothly.
There are no scientific guidelines on how to start it. Seek advice on whether or not to do it based on health condition.
The Possibly Health Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
Both human and animal studies have linked this fasting to a variety of health benefits.
Studies show that people who have done this fasting have not only lost weight, but have also shown improvement in their metabolic functions and health.
Here are a few health benefits of Intermittent fasting.
Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss or Fat Loss
This fasting is the most effective method of weight loss, a 2016 research in the Journal of Clinic Investigation found.
As we mentioned above, when you are not eating every few hours, your body uses the fat collected in your cells for energy. When this fat is broken for energy, then your weight starts decreasing rapidly. It can also be called ‘Intermittent Calorie Restriction‘.
With this, you are consuming less mill ie fewer calories in your body, which is an important step in reducing weight. (study) (study)
Heart health
With the help of it, you can keep your heart healthy for a long time. Actually, by doing this fasting, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and fat control remain, which are responsible for the health of the heart. When these things are under control, then the health of the heart will be good.(study)
Brain health
studies in animals suggest that fasting may protect against and improve outcomes for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.
Because fasting may also help relieve inflammation, it could also decrease problems such as mood disorder, mental alertness, and depression. (study)
Fighting Inflammation
Research shows that it may be help decrease levels of inflammation and help promote better health.
In another study, a very low-calorie diet to mimic the effects of this fasting reduced levels of inflammation.
Good Digestion
Fasting gives you full time to digest food. In the gap between two miles, your food is easily digested, which reduces the chances of increasing fat in the body.
How to do Intermittent fasting
According to reports, there are several types of intermittent fasting that are prevalent in diet conscious people, which have different effects on the human body, good and bad.
Ways to do intermittent fasting- Here are 4 effective ways to do.
16/8 intermittent fasts method (Time-Restricted Diet)
In recent years, 16: 8 intermittent fasting has become the most talked about, especially among those who want to burn fat as soon as possible to lose weight.
This is a one-time restricted fast, done to gain better health or lose weight. (typically 16 hours fasting and 8 hours eating)
16: 8, on the diet, you do not eat anything for 16 hours each day and only drink beverages like water, coffee, and tea. The remaining eight hours are when you eat all your meals and snacks. (study)
For example, if you eat food at 1:00 in the afternoon, then you have to eat it directly at 9:00 in the night. In this way, the interval between 2 miles is 8 hours throughout the day and 16 hours overnight.
You can have low-calorie or non-calorie foods or beverages during fasting, such as tea, coffee, and low-calorie vegetables.
16/8 fasting is beneficial in many ways other than reducing weight. They say that intermittent fasting reduces high cholesterol and blood pressure and increases memory. It helps in dealing with stress and also increases the body’s immune system.
5:2 intermittent fasts method
In this diet, you have to consume calorie one-quarter of your daily needs on any 2 days of the week. After this, you can eat normal food according to your time throughout the week i.e. 5 days.
If you wants to eat a calorie-rich diet during this period, then they should not take more than 500 calories.
Along with this, it is also important to note that this fast of two days should not be continuous.
With weight loss, it is also a good way to keep you healthy. Such fasting is also helpful in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attack. (study)
Alternate Fasting Method
Instead of fasting continuously, it can be fasted every other day. About 500 calories have to be eaten on fasting days.
For example, if someone is eating on Sunday, then he can fast on Monday. On the day of the meal, one can eat the things of his choice.
The Warrior diet
Warriors can eat anything for this 4-hour window, after this 20-hour fast in the diet.
The warrior diet can be difficult to follow, as it is recommended to eat light food during the day and more at night, including protein-rich foods.
Also it is necessary to exercise during this fasting.
During this time, you get many health benefits due to consuming fewer calories. You can keep the heart healthy as well by reducing weight by fasting time.
What to eat during intermittent fasting
During intermittent fasting, be sure to eat as much nutritious food as possible during the time you have chosen to eat. So that there is no weakness or health problem.
In this fasting, whenever a meal is taken, the focus is on reducing the amount of carbohydrates and taking more of protein and fiber, which also helps in reducing body weight.
In intermittent fasting, it is advisable to take a diet with a limited amount of calories, but the amount should not exceed 500 kcal.
If you have fasted for weight loss, then keep in mind that your diet should be full of nutrients after the fast. Eat such a diet with brown rice, lentils, beans, low-fat milk products, sweet potatoes in your diet, to give you energy.
You can drink black coffee during intermittent fasting. This method proves to help in fast weight loss and reduce belly fat.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lentils and legumes, and sources of healthy fats, proteins, carbs and fiber are important to have in your diet.
Stay hydrated during fasting.
How to Break Intermittent Fasting
After ending the intermittent fast, you should avoid any kind of junk food, otherwise your whole 12 hours of hard work will be wasted.
After 12 to 14 hours of fasting, no matter how hungry you are, but to eliminate it, you should take a healthy diet, this will reduce your weight rapidly.
Side Effects of Intermittent Fasting
The intermittent fasting diet has many health benefits, but this diet also has some drawbacks, which may not be true for everyone:
When you start a intermittent fasting diet, initially you may have problems like feeling hungry, weakness and fatigue.
Intermittent fasting has many side effects for breastfeeding women.
Animal studies have reported that it can cause fertility and reproductive problems in women. Therefore, always start the intermittent diet on the advice of a doctor.
When you are intermittent fasting, after eating in the evening there is hunger at night, but during this time you are unable to eat anything. In such a situation, your stomach remains empty, which causes difficulty in sleeping.
Actually, when we eat less or do not eat anything during fasting, we may feel weakness or lack of energy.
Apart from these-
- There may be a headache problem.
- Constipation may be troublesome.
- Not eating can cause irritability or mood swings.
- There may be trouble with dizziness.
Constant intermittent fasting can also have negative effects on health, do not make it a habit.
