What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IF) is presently one of the world’s top trends for quick weight loss. Individuals turn to this eating pattern in a bid to shed some kilos alongside improving fitness and simplifying their lifestyle.

This comprehensive guide is here to provide everything that you need to know about IF. Keep reading!

Unlike most diets for weight loss, intermittent fasting dictates one on ‘when to eat’ and not ‘what to eat’. It is an eating pattern that revolves around voluntary fasting and eating. Therefore, this method includes a 16-hour or 24-hour fast twice a week.

But is this healthy for your body? Let’s find out.

If you are completely healthy with no underlying disease and want to start intermittent fasting, learn about its following benefits -

• Boosts Cellular Functionality- Whenever you fast, the insulin level in your blood drops and promotes weight loss. It also helps in flushing out toxins from your cells, known as autophagy. IF also brings in genetic changes, such as improving longevity.
• Lowers the Risk of Developing Diabetes- Intermittent fasting works effectively in insulin resistance. This helps in reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Reduces Oxidative Stress- The development of free radicals in your body damages the essential proteins and DNA in your body. Here, IF improves your body's resistance to oxidative stress and fights inflammation to protect your body from diseases.
• Improves Brain Health- Intermittent fasting helps increase a hormone named brain-derived neurotrophic factor or abrineurin. An increase in BDNF reduces the risk of developing depression and other brain damage due to strokes.
• Extends Lifespan- As per a study released in Harvard Gazette, IF regulates mitochondrial networks and leads to healthy ageing.

Therefore, it is safe to say that intermittent fasting is healthy for you.

There are various types of IF. So, we suggest that you take some time to select the one that suits you best. Listed below are some of the popular schedules for intermittent fasting -

• 5:2 Fasting – In this method, you consume 500 to 600 calories twice a week. Then, you will continue your regular diet for the rest of the week.
• 16/8 – It involves time restriction. You need to skip your breakfast and restrict eating to 8-hours. For instance, you can choose to have your meals between 1 pm and 9 pm. Then, you will fast for a period of 16 hours.
• 24-Hour Regime – Popularly known as “Eat-Stop-Eat,” it involves fasting for 24-hours once or twice a week.
• Warrior Diet – This diet encourages you to eat whole foods other than processed ones. It involves eating raw fruits and vegetables during the day and consuming a substantial proportion of meals at night.
• Meal Skipping- This method involves skipping one or two meals in a day when you are not feeling hungry. But remember to fill yourself with healthy and balanced meals during the non-fasting time.
• Alternate Day Fasting – As the name suggests, you need to fast every alternate day. There are variations in this method. You may consume 500 calories during fasting days. That said, health experts do not recommend this method as you may end your day with an empty stomach, which is not a healthy approach to weight loss.

The schedules mentioned above will help you to limit your calorie intake. However, make sure to not indulge in over-consumption of a high-calorific diet to substantiate starvation.

Intermittent fasting reduces calorie intake. It also lowers the insulin level, boosts human growth hormone and increases norepinephrine. This facilitates the breakdown of fat in your body and increases its metabolism.

Note some of the following studies to understand whether IF helps with weight loss or not:

In a 2020 study released by the Jama Network, individuals following the 16/8 schedule showed no significant difference in weight loss. However, a 12-week study showed substantial evidence of loss of muscle mass.

As far as the alternate fasting day is concerned, only 69% of the participants remained fasting.

On the other hand, the 5:2 schedule showed substantial weight loss and lowered insulin levels in women.

Key Takeaway: The effectiveness of intermittent fasting for weight loss depends on the schedule you choose, lifestyle, and eating habits. Additionally, it is imperative to choose a fasting schedule that fits your body the most. This makes your dietary habit sustainable and yields effective results in the long run.

Here is a list of foods that you must include during IF -

Lean Protein - It helps you to build and maintain muscle. Here are some of the top sources of lean protein -

• Lentils
• Beans
• Tofu
• Chicken
• Greek Yoghurt
• Fish, etc.

Fruits and Vegetables - These are low in calorific value. They also contain minerals, vitamins and fibres, thereby improving bowel health.

Take a look at the recommended fruits and vegetables that you must consume:

Fruits -

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Apples
• Cherries
• Oranges
•  Melons, etc.

Vegetables -

• Broccoli
• Carrot
• Tomato
• Kale
• Spinach
• Cabbage

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, IF can help one deal with obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, as per Harvard, there is no substantial difference in heart rate, total cholesterol level etc.

So, certain pitfalls that you need to look for are as follows -

• This eating pattern is not suitable for individuals who are habituated to eating every few hours.
• Patients with diabetes should not observe intermittent fasting to avoid metabolic disturbances.
• Prolonged fasting may lead to unhealthy behaviour of over-eating to substantiate the fasting.

You must also note here that individuals with the following health conditions must abstain from IF -

• Pregnant Women
• Individuals Under Medication
• Adolescents
• People With Eating Disorders (anorexia or bulimia nervosa)

Individuals with no underlying disease can easily try intermittent fasting to stay healthy. Expert nutritionists recommend not following IF to lose weight. That said, individuals suffering from a chronic health issue must consult a doctor before making a dietary change.