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Intermittent fasting (IF) is a type of eating pattern that alternates between fasting and eating periods. It does not specify which foods to eat, but rather when to eat them.
In this regard, it is more accurately described as an eating pattern rather than a diet in the traditional sense.
Common intermittent fasting methods include daily 16-hour fasts or twice-weekly 24-hour fasts.
Fasting has been practiced since the dawn of time. There were no supermarkets, refrigerators, or food available all year for ancient hunter-gatherers. They sometimes couldn't find anything to eat.
As a result, humans evolved to be able to survive for extended periods of time without food.
In fact, fasting on occasion is more natural than eating 3–4 (or more) meals per day.
Fasting is also commonly practiced for religious or spiritual reasons in Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism.
HOW DOES INTERMITTENT FASTING WORK?
There are several viable options, but it all boils down to personal preference. "If you want to try intermittent fasting, be ready to figure out what works best for you," Taylor says. "At first, some trial and error may be required."
Some people find it easy to fast for 16 hours and limit their meals to only eight hours a day, such as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while others struggle and need to shorten their fasting window.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF INTERMITTENT FASTING?
It is critical to understand how to intermittent fast because you want to maintain proper nutrition in your overall diet while avoiding unnecessary risk. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss. Some people may find intermittent fasting to be sustainable, while others discover that this approach is simply not for them."
If you want to try intermittent fasting, you should first figure out how you're going to incorporate this eating style into your life, especially when it comes to things like social events and staying active.
Are you ready to look into your options? Here are some of the most popular methods of intermittent fasting.
1. Time-restricted eating (the 16/8 or 14/10 method)
You can set fasting and eating windows in this option. For example, suppose you fast for 16 hours a day and are only able to eat for eight.
This method is popular because most people already fast while sleeping. It's convenient because it allows you to extend your overnight fast by skipping breakfast and not eating until lunch. This type of fasting is a safer bet for many people who want to try intermittent fasting for the first time.
Some of the most common methods are as follows:
- The 16/8 method entails only eating between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- The 14/10 method entails only eating between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
This method of intermittent fasting can be repeated as many times as you want or even once or twice a week, depending on your personal preferences.
It may take a few days to figure out the best eating and fasting windows for this method, especially if you're very active or if you wake up hungry for breakfast. It is critical that you consume the majority of your calories before it gets dark.
At night, people tend to eat more calorie-dense, low-nutrient foods. This also allows blood sugars to normalize while people are more active before going to bed.
2. The twice-weekly schedule (the 5:2 method)
This method of intermittent fasting focuses on limiting your calories to 500 per day for two days per week. You eat a healthy and normal diet the other five days of the week.
This approach usually includes a 200-calorie meal and a 300-calorie meal on fasting days. When fasting, it's critical to focus on high-fiber and high-protein foods to help fill you up while keeping calories low.
You can choose any two fasting days (for example, Tuesdays and Thursdays) as long as there is a non-fasting day in between. Consume the same amount of food as you would on non-fasting days.
3. Alternate day fasting
This variant entails "modified" fasting every other day. For example, on fasting days, limit your calories to 500, or about 25% of your normal intake. On non-fasting days, return to your normal, healthy diet. (There are strict variations to this approach, such as consuming 0 calories on alternate days rather than 500.)
One study found that people who followed this pattern of intermittent fasting for six months had significantly elevated LDL (or bad) cholesterol levels after another six months off the diet.
4. The 24-hour fast (or eat: stop: eat method)
Fasting for a full 24 hours is required for this method. It's usually only done once or twice a week. The majority of people fast from breakfast to breakfast or from lunch to lunch. The side effects of this type of intermittent fasting can be severe, including fatigue, headaches, irritability, hunger, and low energy.
On non-fasting days, if you use this method, you should return to a normal, healthy diet.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING?
During intermittent fasting, many things happen that can protect organs from chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, age-related neurodegenerative disorders, even inflammatory bowel disease and many cancers.
Here are some of the benefits of intermittent fasting that have been discovered thus far in research:
- Memory and thinking: Intermittent fasting improves working memory in animals and verbal memory in adults, according to research.
- Heart health: Intermittent fasting increased blood pressure, resting heart rate, and other heart-related measurements.
- Physical performance: Fasting for 16 hours resulted in fat loss while maintaining muscle mass in young men. Mice fed on alternate days had greater endurance when running.
- Obesity and diabetes: Intermittent fasting prevented obesity in animal studies. In six brief studies, obese adult humans lost weight by fasting intermittently.
- Tissue health: Intermittent fasting reduced tissue damage during surgery and improved results in animals.
SHOULD FEMALES FAST?
Some evidence suggests that intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial to women as it is to men.
One study, for example, found that it improved insulin sensitivity in men but worsened blood sugar control in women.
Though human studies on this topic are lacking, studies in rats have discovered that intermittent fasting can cause female rats to become emaciated, masculinized, infertile, and miss their cycles.
There have been several anecdotal reports of women whose menstrual periods stopped when they began doing IF and returned to normal when they resumed their previous eating pattern.
Women should exercise caution when it comes to intermittent fasting for these reasons.
They should follow separate guidelines, such as easing into the practice and discontinuing immediately if they experience any problems, such as amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).
If you are having fertility issues and/or trying to conceive, you should postpone intermittent fasting for the time being. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you should probably avoid this eating pattern.
ARE THERE ANY RISKS TO INTERMITTENT FASTING?
Some people, such as pregnant women, children, people at risk of hypoglycemia, and people with certain chronic diseases, should avoid intermittent fasting.
If you are at risk of developing an eating disorder, you should avoid fasting diets. Because of the restriction, intermittent fasting has been shown to increase the likelihood of binge eating in some people.
If you want to try intermittent fasting, you should be aware of some negative side effects. It is linked to irritability, low energy, constant hunger, temperature sensitivity, and poor work and activity performance.
Finally, you should speak with your healthcare provider about these options. They know your health better than anyone else and can advise you on whether any of these intermittent fasting options are appropriate for you.
CONCLUSION
Anyone does not need to practice intermittent fasting.
It's just one of many lifestyle changes that can help you live a healthier life. The most important factors to focus on are still eating real food, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
When it comes to nutrition, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. The best diet for you is one that you can stick to over time.
Some people benefit from intermittent fasting while others do not. The only way to find out which group you are a member of is to try it out.
Fasting can be a very powerful tool for losing weight and improving your health if you feel good while fasting and find it to be a sustainable way of eating.