Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is when you restrict your eating for a particular period of time. You focus on when You eat and not what you eat. There are various types of intermittent fasting described below and it is important to choose the one that fits best with your lifestyle. It does not slow down your metabolism; instead it does the opposite, it increases it and improves the functioning of it. For those who struggle with weight loss, this can be a great way to kick-start the metabolism and get the fat-loss going again. Fasting is a great way to give your body a break from being in a constant “fed” state. When the body is constantly working to break down and process food and nutrients, it does not have time to rest, heal and improve the functioning of the other parts. Think of it as giving your body an oil change. You want to clean it out so it runs smoother and more efficiently.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Cognitive Function – most people report much clearer thinking and improved memory after completing a fast.

Reduced insulin levels – intermittent fasting lowers insulin levels which helps with the fat-burning process.

Improved digestive system – allowing your body more time to digest food is extremely beneficial for your system and it gives your body a break from being in a constant “fed” mode and allows it to repair the internal digestive system.

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) – this will increase significantly when you fast which aids your body in producing more muscle and burning more fat.

Norepinephrine – the nervous system sends norepinephrine to the cells and stimulates fat breakdown into free fatty acids which in turn are used for energy.

Types of Intermittent Fasting

16/8 Method

This one is the most popular among people because you are really only going without food in the morning instead of a full day as you sleep through a majority of your fast. For example, you would finish your last meal at night at 7pm and fast until 11am the next morning. You would break your fast at 11am and eat only until 7pm. This does involve tracking your food and counting calories to ensure you stay within your weekly caloric allowance so that you still lose weight. You do not want to overeat during your window as the goal is to restrict caloric intake.

24 hour Fast

This one is a little more difficult for some as it requires going without food for a full 24 hours. I recently completed this one and with my husband and surprisingly we had more energy than we ever thought we would. My husband ran on the treadmill the next day full of energy (and he has never been able to do that before!). We stopped eating at 630pm on Saturday night and resumed our eating again at 630pm on Sunday night. We drank plenty of water and herbal tea to get through the day. We broke our fast at 630pm with a normal sized meal and some healthy fruit. Your body will only be able to handle a normal amount of food. It is important to eat just until before you are full and then do not resume eating again until the next day. This one is easier for some as you do not need to keep a diary of your food intake for the week and track your calories. The full 24 hours fast once or twice a week will ensure weight loss is achieved.

5:2 Diet 

This involves eating only 500-600 calories a day for 2 days of the week (not back-to-back) and eating normally the other days of the week.

Whichever one you choose is what best fits your lifestyle. For some, it can be easier to do the 16/8 fast as they don’t feel as deprived since they sleep through a majority of the fast. For others, doing a 24 hour fast once or twice a week works better for them so they do not have to keep a food diary and watch their caloric intake. The important thing is to pick the one that is right for you. You may need to try all of them in order to decide which one best suits your lifestyle and that you can stick with. If your goal is to lose weight, along with improving your diet, fasting can definitely help you reach your goals. How much you lose will depend on your lifestyle. Typically most people lose between 1-2 lbs a week. If you employ a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, fats and grains and exercise consistently and regularly, your results may come quicker. If you have a lot of weight to lose, your results may be substantial at the start. Just remember that fasting is not a yo-yo diet and should be employed as a lifestyle change. You need to be consistent with it in order to see results.

Benefits of Exercising in a Fasted State

You may not think you will have energy if you are fasting but you will be surprised how much more energy you have when you fast! Exercising in a fasted state increases the fat burning process ten-fold! It is highly recommended and many fitness professionals employ this method in order to achieve their weight loss goals. Working out fasted amps up the metabolism and encourages your body to use fat as fuel instead of glycogen stores (which will be depleted during the fasting phase).

How to Fast

• Limit caffeine – you may have coffee but try to limit it to one or two at the most during your fasting times
• Drink Plenty of Water – you need to keep your body hydrated and drinking water also gives your stomach the feeling of being full.
• Other non-caloric beverages – you may drink other non-caloric beverages but try to keep them to a minimum.
• Sweeteners – absolutely no sugar! And sugar substitutes should be kept to a minimum except for Stevia which is a natural sweetener.