Intermittent fasting for beginners

Intermittent fasting for beginners 

Intermittent fasting (IF) is currently one of the world’s most popular health and fitness trends.People are using it to lose weight.Before starting  the weight loss diet plan,we should know the basics of intermittent fasting.

 DON'T WORRY!! We have come to your rescue.

What Is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

 Intermittent fasting (IF) is not a diet it is an eating pattern which involves periods of fasting and eating.It doesn’t specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them.

Common intermittent fasting methods involves 16 hours of fasts and 8 hours of eating period.

 We have been practicing fasting from ages throughout our human evolution.

 The most popular methods are:

 The 16:8 method: It involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, such as 2–10 p.m. Then you fast for 16 hours in between.

Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week.

The 5:2 diet: In this method, we consume only 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, but eat normally the other 5 days.

By staying in the state of calorie deficit,all these methods will result into weight loss.Many people find the 16/8 method to be the simplest, most sustainable and easiest to Follow. It’s also the most popular.

 How It Affects Your Cells and Hormones

 When you fast, several things happen in your body on the cellular and molecular level.For example, your body adjusts hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible.

 Here are some changes that occur in your body when you fast:

 Human Growth Hormone (HGH): Surprisingly the levels of growth hormone, increasing up to 5-times. This  benefits fat loss and muscle gain.

Insulin: Insulin sensitivity improves and levels of insulin drop dramatically. Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible.

Cellular repair: When fasted, your cells initiate cellular repair processes. This includes autophagy, where cells digest and remove old and dysfunctional proteins that build up inside cells.

Gene expression: There are changes in the function of genes related to longevity and protection against disease.

 These changes in hormone levels, cell function and gene expression are responsible for the health benefits of intermittent fasting.

INTERMITTENT FASTING FOR WEIGHT LOSS

 Weight loss is the most common reason for people to try intermittent fasting.By making you eat lesser meals, intermittent fasting can lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake.

Additionally, intermittent fasting changes hormone levels to support weight loss.

In addition to lowering insulin and increasing growth hormone levels, it increases the release of the fat burning hormone norepinephrine (noradrenaline).

 By helping you eat fewer and burn more calories, intermittent fasting causes weight loss by changing both sides of the calorie equation.

 Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

 1. Can I Drink Liquids During the Fast?

 Yes. Water, coffee, tea and other non-caloric beverages are fine. Do not add sugar to your coffee.

 2. Isn’t It Unhealthy to Skip Breakfast?

 No. The problem is that most breakfast skippers have unhealthy lifestyles. If you make sure to eat healthy food for the rest of the day then the practice is perfectly healthy.

 3. Can I Take Supplements While Fasting?

 Yes. However, keep in mind that some supplements like fat-soluble vitamins may work better when taken with meals.

 4. Can I Work out While Fasted?

 Yes, fasted workouts are fine. Some people recommend taking branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) before a fasted workout.

 5. Will Fasting Cause Muscle Loss?

 All weight loss methods can cause muscle loss, which is why it’s important to lift weights and keep your protein intake high.

 6. Will Fasting Slow Down My Metabolism?

 No. Studies show that short-term fasts actually boost metabolism. However, longer fasts of 3 or more days can suppress metabolism.

 7. Should Kids Fast?

 Allowing your child to fast is probably a bad idea.

 Should You Try It?

Intermittent fasting is not something that anyone needs to do.

 It’s simply one of many lifestyle strategies that can improve your health. Eating real food, exercising and taking care of your sleep are still the most important factors to focus on.

 At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to nutrition. The best diet for you is the one you can stick to in the long run.Intermittent fasting is great for some people, not others. The only way to find out which group you belong to is to try it out.

If you feel good when fasting and find it to be a sustainable way of eating, it can be a very powerful tool to lose weight and improve your health.