Intermittent fasting is such an exciting eating plan that switches between your fasting and regular eating plans. Researches have revealed that intermittent fasting is a mode to cope with weight and avert or even reverse particular forms of the diseases.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Many diets focus on what to eat and not to eat, but intermittent fasting is only about when to eat and the appropriate time to eat. While following intermittent fasting, a person can only eat at certain times. Fasting for a few hours a day or only one meal a couple of days a week can help your body burn fat fast. And the scientific evidence points to some health benefits of intermittent fasting as well.
Mark Mattson the neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University has been studying intermittent fasting for 25 years and states that our bodies have evolved to go without food for hours, for even days or longer than that. Also in prehistoric times, when humans learned to farm, they were hunters and hoarders who developed to survive and thrive for extended periods without eating food. That time they had to do hunting and collect nuts and berries, which took a lot of time and effort.
Maintaining a healthy weight was a lot easier even 50 years ago. Christie Williams, a nutritionist at Johns Hopkins University, explained this well: "There were no computers existed those times, even TV shows were used to turn off at 11 p.m. and people stop eating their food because they needed to go to bed. Even portions were much smaller that people needed to work and play outside of their houses, and in general, they were getting used to more exercise and consuming physical force.”
Today, TV, internet and other entertainment are available 24/7. We stay awake longer to watch our favorite shows, play games and chat online. We sit and snack all day - and most of the time. “Extra calories and less activity may mean a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other diseases. Scientific research suggests that intermittent fasting may help reverse these trends.
How does Intermittent Fasting work in Weight Loss?
We have so many options available in practice to carry intermittent fasting plans accordingly; however, they are all raised on choosing regular periods of eating and fasting plans for all age groups above 18 years of age. Such as, you could try eating only 8 hours a day and fasting the rest of the day. Otherwise, you can choose to eat just one meal two days a week. There are many different intermittent fasting schedules suitable for you.
Spending a few hours without having food, the body uses up its stored sugar and starts burning fat, Mattson said. He named this a metabolic switch of the body. The intermittent fasting contrasts with the regular eating patterns of most Americans, who only eat during their waking hours. And if someone is taking three meals a day, including snacks, even they're not doing workouts, hence then every time they would eat; they would burn those calories only instead of burning their stored fat which is necessary to get it burn down. This works by prolonging the time your body takes to munch the calories it used at the last meal and when burning fat starts.
Intermittent Fasting Plans 16/8
If someone is interested to start intermittent fasting, it is important for them to consult their doctor before starting it. After you have your doctor’s permission, the real task is quite simple. More important, you can pick out a daily diet plan and limit your daily diet to 8 hours a day. So you might decide on to try a 16/8 hours fast a day, eating for 8 hours and fast for 16 hours simply. Williams says most people catch it easy to baton to the pattern long-term.
Another method known as 5:2 is to eat regularly five days a week.
On the other two days, you limit yourself to a 500-600 calorie meal. An example is if you choose to eat normally every day of the week except Monday and Thursday, which will be your meal day.
Longer periods of fasting, are not certainly healthier and can be hazardous as well. And going long without eating meals may truly apt your body to start storing more fats in reaction to hunger.
Mattson's research work shows that it can take 2 to 4 weeks for the physique to get used to intermittent fasting. One may sense hungry or irritable as you get used to your new routines. However, he observed that study subjects who survived the adjustment period tended to stick with the plan because they found they felt better.
What can you Eat/Drink while Intermittent Fasting?
When you're not eating, allow water and zero-calorie beverages such as black coffee and tea.
During your diet, "eating normally" doesn't mean going crazy. You're less likely to lose weight or get healthier if you're stuffing your feeding time with high-calorie junk food, oversized fried foods, and snacks.
But what is most liked about intermittent fasting is that it allows people to eat a range of different foods and enjoy it. People should pay attention and enjoy eating only delicious and nutritious food. Eating and sharing dining experiences with others increases gratification and supports physical well-being, no doubt.
Most nutrition experts, see the Mediterranean diet as a good blueprint for your diet, whether you try intermittent fasting or not. A person can hardly go wrong when he chooses multifarious, unrefined carbohydrates, for example, whole grains, healthy fats, leafy greens, and lean proteins.
Intermittent Fasting Health Benefits:
Researches show that intermittent fasting doesn't only burn your unnecessary fats. While this metabolic switch changes, it upsets the body and the brain as well. A well-known study by Mattson published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed data on an array of health benefits associated with the practice. These include longer lifespans, sharper minds and slimmer bodies.
Lots of things occur during intermittent fasting that can guard your organs against chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, age-related neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, and even inflammatory bowel disease and many cancers also.
Intermittent Fasting Benefits Researches has Revealed So Far:
Boosts your Thinking and Memory:
Studies have found that intermittent fasting can enhance working memory in animals and verbal memory in adults.
Beneficial for Heart Health:
Intermittent fasting helps to improve blood pressure and heart rate when resting, as do other heart-related measurements as well.
Physical Performance Systems:
Most of the young men who abstained from food for 16 hours showed fat loss while sustaining muscle mass as well.
Helps to Control Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity:
Intermittent fasting can prevent obesity. Obese adults lost weight through intermittent fasting very well. People with type 2 Diabetes also benefit from it also. Researchers have found that some patients who started intermittent fasting under physician supervision are able to revert their need for insulin therapy as well.
Maintenance of Tissues Health:
Intermittent fasting reduced tissues damage during surgery and improved outcomes.
Is intermittent fasting safe for All?
Most people try intermittent fasting to manage their weight, while others use the method to cure chronic health conditions like high cholesterol levels, irritable bowel syndrome, or arthritis. Intermittent fasting is not suitable for everyone; you should talk to your health physician first.
Some people should avoid trying intermittent fasting:
Children and youngsters under the age of 18.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Type 1 diabetes patients taking insulin.
People with a history of eating disorders.
People who don't fall into these health categories can safely practice intermittent fasting.
Keep in mind that intermittent fasting may affect different people differently. Talk to your doctor if you begin to experience unusual anxiety, headache, nausea, or other symptoms after starting intermittent fasting.
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