Intermittent fasting has become a popular trend in recent years as a way to improve overall health and manage weight. But what exactly is intermittent fasting, and how does it work? In this post, we'll explore the basics of this eating pattern and its potential benefits and drawbacks.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a type of eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting.
If you tend to eat an early dinner, skip the late night snacking and don't eat till breakfast the next day, then you've experienced intermittent fasting!
If you tend to eat an early dinner, skip the late night snacking and don't eat till breakfast the next day, then you've experienced intermittent fasting!
Intermittent fasting is a more flexible and adaptable approach to health and wellness than many might initially imagine. There are several methods to choose from, making it possible for anyone to find a style that fits their unique needs and lifestyle.
There are several different methods of intermittent fasting, but some of the most common include:
1- The 16/8 Method
One of the most popular methods is the 16:8. This involves stretching your overnight fast to last for 12-16 hours, with the goal of having dinner at 6 pm and nothing else until 6-10 am the next day. This method allows your body to rest, recharge, and process nutrients, supporting its natural repair processes and maintaining your overall health.
2- The 5:2 Diet
Another popular method is the 24 hour fast, where you'll abstain from food for a full 24 hours, 1-2 times per week. During this time, you're encouraged to drink non-caloric beverages such as water and unsweetened tea.
3- Alternate-Day Fasting
This involves alternating between days of eating normally and days of fasting.
When considering adding a fasting day to your routine, it's important to keep in mind that the goal is to find a sustainable and enjoyable eating pattern, not a strict diet. Be mindful of your work schedule, sleep patterns, and lifestyle when deciding what type of fasting schedule will work best for you. With a little experimentation, you're sure to find a method that works for you and supports your health and wellness goals.
How Does Fasting Work?
Our bodies work hard to provide us with a constant source of energy, and it all starts with the digestive process. When we eat, our food is broken down into macro and micronutrients by digestive enzymes. Carbohydrates like rice and starchy vegetables are converted into glucose, which is absorbed into our bloodstream and used for immediate energy with the help of insulin.
But what happens when we don't use all of the glucose from our food? The excess glucose gets stored in our liver and muscles as glycogen. And if we consistently eat more calories than we burn, the extra fuel gets stored in our fat cells.
Between meals and when we first start fasting, as long as we aren't snacking, our body uses glycogen and some stored fat for energy. But once our glycogen stores are depleted, typically between 12-36 hours after our last meal, our body switches to breaking down more fat for fuel (1). Intermittent fasting can support this natural process, helping us improve our health and reach our wellness goals.
Intermittent fasting has been a hot topic in the health and wellness community in recent years, and for good reason. A growing body of research suggests that this practice has a number of benefits for our health, including weight loss, improved memory and mental performance, better cardiovascular health, and the potential to enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatments.
While many of these findings come from animal studies, there is also increasing evidence from human trials that supports the potential for intermittent fasting to help with weight loss and to improve certain aspects of nutrition-related chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
It's important to keep in mind that the long-term effects of intermittent fasting are still not fully understood. However, the current research is showing promising short-term benefits.
But it's also important to remember that there is not enough evidence yet to say that fasting is more effective for weight loss or improving health than a healthy eating approach that focuses on whole, nutrient-dense foods.
Benefits of Fasting
Here are few benefits you can get by doing intermittent fasting:
1- Supports Weight Loss
When it comes to weight loss, what you eat is a much more critical factor than when or how often you eat it. But, practicing intermittent fasting can make it easier for some people to maintain a calorie deficit, which is a key factor for successful weight loss.
However, it's important to note that just because you're intermittent fasting, it doesn't automatically mean that you're in a calorie deficit. Some people still find it challenging to stay within a healthy calorie range, even when they limit the time frame for eating their meals.
2. Improves Insulin Resistance
Intermittent fasting can potentially play a role in weight loss, leading to improvements in blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. By lowering levels of leptin (the hormone produced by fat cells to regulate hunger) and increasing adiponectin (a hormone that impacts glucose and lipid metabolism), intermittent fasting can help regulate hunger hormones and support healthy metabolism.
Studies suggest that using intermittent fasting as a weight-loss approach can result in lower blood glucose levels, a crucial factor in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Although the potential benefits of intermittent fasting might be driven by the caloric restriction that often comes with fasting, research has shown positive effects on blood sugar levels when incorporating this practice.
3. Could Help Lower Cholesterol
Intermittent fasting can be a helpful tool in improving your cholesterol levels when paired with a nutritious diet during your eating periods. Research has shown promising results, including reduced total cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol), and triglycerides in both healthy individuals and those who are overweight.
Most of the studies surrounding the impact of intermittent fasting on cholesterol have focused on individuals who fasted for Ramadan, however, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term metabolic changes that occur. Despite this, it's clear that incorporating intermittent fasting into your lifestyle has the potential to greatly benefit your cholesterol levels.
In conclusion, Intermittent fasting is a flexible and customizable approach to dieting and wellness that can have numerous benefits, from improved metabolism to reduced inflammation and enhanced brain function. With a variety of methods to choose from, including the 16/8 Method, the 5:2 Diet, and Alternate-Day Fasting, anyone can find a style that works for them. It's important to keep in mind that the goal is to find a sustainable and enjoyable eating pattern that supports your health and wellness goals. By understanding how fasting works and how it can positively impact our bodies, we can make informed decisions about incorporating this powerful tool into our lives.
