Intermittent fasting is one of the most followed fitness trends. People who aspire to be fit and live longer have found it to be beneficial for them. If your goal is to stay healthy and lead a happy life, intermittent fasting will help you achieve your goals in no time. It is an eating pattern which cycles between periods of fasting and eating. Rather than specifying which foods you should eat, it tells you when to eat them and guides you through it. Daily 16-hour fasts or twice-weekly 24-hour fasts are two common intermittent fasting strategies.
When it comes to understanding the methods of intermittent fasting, there are several methods which you can find online but there are some which are widely accepted and practiced. The first one is the 16/8 method which is also called the Leangains protocol. It entails missing breakfast and limiting your meals to eight hours each day, such as from 1 to 9 p.m. After that, you observe a 16-hour fast. The second most famous one is the Eat-Stop-Eat. Once or twice a week, this entails a 24-hour fast, for example, refraining from eating from dinner one day until dinner the next. All the methods of intermittent fasting cause weight loss due to a reduction in calorie intake and eventually you get to see yourself fit.
Intermittent fasting is a superhuman way of reducing weight and it is natural. It brings positive changes in your body over time. Human growth hormone levels rise and insulin levels fall during your fasting. Additionally, the cells in your body modify gene expression and start critical cellular repair procedures. It also increases the amount of fat burner in your body which is norepinephrine. According to a 2014 review of research, this eating pattern can result in weight loss of 3–8% over the course of 3–24 weeks, which is a sizable number when compared to the majority of weight loss trials. Caution is also required since, in your eating phase, you must not intake huge amounts of calories as it will not bring the required benefits.
Coming to the benefits of intermittent fasting, you must always remember that fat loss is not the only health benefit associated with it. Your body and brain can both benefit greatly from this. It may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer while also causing weight loss. Additionally, it might prolong your life. Another associated benefit is that it makes healthy eating easy since you don’t have to spend much time on cooking, preparing, and cleaning.
Furthermore, it must also be kept in mind that intermittent fasting is not for everyone as it must only be employed as per your requirements. Do not go on a fast if you are underweight or have a history of eating disorders. Instead, talk to a doctor first. For women, consider delaying starting an intermittent fasting plan for the time being if you are attempting to get pregnant or have fertility problems. If you’re pregnant or nursing, it’s probably not a good idea to follow this eating plan.