Intermittent fasting diet; fasting and then feasting. Consuming only non-caloric liquids until a certain time of the day and eating whatever is desired at the end of the fast.
People have been fasting for thousands of years. Sometimes it is done out of necessity when food is not available. In some religious beliefs it is done for worship, such as Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. Our bodies are equipped for long periods of starvation. Many activities in the body change during periods of starvation. For example, there are positive changes in hormones, genes and important cellular repair processes. Fasting results in significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as a significant increase in human growth hormone. Many people follow an intermittent fasting diet to lose weight. This is because it is a very simple and effective way to reduce calories and burn fat. Some people do it for the metabolic health benefits, because it has a positive effect on various risk factors and health markers.
How to do an Intermittent Fasting Diet?
More than weight loss, what scientists have found in experimental studies of fasting regimens is that they provide long-term effects on health. The intermittent fasting diet is actually quite easy. Hunger is a problem at first, but many people report feeling better and having more energy quickly. No food is allowed during the fasting period, but you can drink water, coffee, tea and other calorie-free drinks. In some forms of intermittent fasting, small amounts of low-calorie foods are allowed during the fasting period.
The diet differs from other diets in that the time of eating is important, not the nutrients. There are several different forms. For example, if a person fasts for 16 hours and then only eats during an 8-hour period. This is the most popular form of intermittent fasting diet, known as the 16/8 method.
Other less commonly used methods are Eat-Stop-Eat: Eating nothing from dinner one day until dinner the next day, once or twice a week. 5:2 Diet: 2 days a week, consuming only about 500-600 calories.
Benefits;
- There is also some evidence that an intermittent fasting diet can help you live longer. Research in rodents shows that calorie restriction can prolong life.
- It is also suggested that it can help protect against diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's.
- It improves your health and makes life easier at the same time.
- The fewer meals that need to be planned, the easier life will be. Not having to eat 3-4+ times a day (including prep and cleanup) saves time.
- Studies show that intermittent fasting can be a very powerful weight loss tool. With an intermittent fasting diet, people also lose 4-7% of their waist circumference, which is a significant loss of abdominal fat.
- Intermittent fasting is also known to cause less muscle loss than other standard diet methods.
Who Should Follow It?
Continuous fasting is not right for everyone. If a person is underweight, under the age of 18 or has a history of eating disorders, they should not fast without consulting their health care professional. In these cases, it can be harmful. Also, women should not follow an intermittent fasting diet if they have fertility problems, are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive.