People start intermittent fasting for different reasons. Some do it for weight loss, while others seek to heal their bodies from chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammation. The word "fast" may initially throw you off, but think of it as an eating pattern. It's more about when you eat rather than what you eat.
What Exactly Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is about balance and restriction. It's different from other fasts that require you to stay away from food for long periods.
You eat the same calories but in a shorter time than usual. As you can guess, this leads to fewer calories eventually and can aid weight loss.
The point of intermittent fasting is to let your body take a break from digestion. This allows it to use up all the energy stores from your food instead of storing it as fat.
There are several types of intermittent fasting:
- 16/8: With this fast, you skip breakfast, set an eating time of eight hours, then fast for 16 hours.
- 5:2: You eat normally five days a week, then fast for the other two. The days are nonconsecutive, and you can eat a 500-600-calorie meal.
- Eat, stop, eat: This is a 24-hour fast. You can do it either once or twice a week. On fasting days, you go from lunch to lunch without eating anything.
The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Switching between fasting and eating can produce several health benefits for your mind and body.
Weight Loss
Intermittent fasting may result in weight loss because it helps you eat less and control your portions. For example, the 16/8 fast can increase your metabolism if you want to lose belly fat. This occurs due to metabolic switching, when your body uses all its sugar stores and starts burning fat.
Always exercise caution with fasting. If your goal is weight loss, consistency and balance are key. Either fast twice a week or during specific hours instead of going for long periods without food. You risk developing food fixation. When you fast for longer than 24 hours, your body could interpret it as starvation and store more fat.
Protection From Health Issues
Intermittent fasting has many health benefits, including the following:
- Reduces insulin resistance and lowers blood sugar, which protects against Type 2 diabetes.
- Decreases inflammation to protect against chronic disease.
- Creates the environment to stimulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production, the hormone responsible for learning and memory.
- Protects your heart by improving cholesterol levels and reducing blood pressure.
Cellular Repair
Metabolic switching in your body prompts cellular repair. Your cells will start autophagy, where they digest proteins that no longer function well in your body to produce energy. They use it to make building blocks for new, healthier cells. Autophagy ultimately protects you from neurodegenerative illnesses like Alzheimer's disease.
You may feel you have less energy in your body while you fast, but eventually, it leads to healthier cells.
How to Fast Safely
Understanding how to fast safely is vital if you've never done it before. Keep these things in mind when beginning your new eating plan.
- Consider your eating habits: You may have to move meal times around to gain the benefits of fasting. For example, if you usually eat a late supper, moving it a few hours earlier to start the fast can help you develop a healthy eating pattern that supports your sleep cycle.
- Make it a lifestyle: When you start a certain activity or habit, consider how to make it sustainable by molding it around your life. The goal is learning to support and sustain health and wellness over a lifetime and improve your overall well-being. This includes eating healthier, exercising and listening to your body.
- Hydrate: Stay hydrated with zero-calorie drinks like water, coffee and tea. Drinking lots of water will also help flush waste out of your system.
- Eat healthy: Choose a diet that supports weight loss and increases energy levels. Try the Mediterranean diet, which prioritizes healthy fats with lots of fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Another great diet is the Whole30 diet. You focus on eating whole foods for 30 days and give up sugar, alcohol, dairy, grains and more to see which foods adversely affect your health.
- Exercise: Light exercise like walking or stretching is best for fasting hours. Eat first if you want to do heavier workouts like strength training and aerobics.
Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss and Energy
Intermittent fasting can be a helpful lifestyle addition for weight loss and overall health. Developing healthy eating habits and patterns protects you from illness, increases your energy, and supports a healthy brain.
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