Intermittent fasting IF is for people who want to try new methods of diet. IF is not a typical diet plan; rather, it is an eating plan with many possibilities. The best thing is that you don't need to starve yourself or deprive yourself wholly of your favorite food. It is about delaying your meal as you tell your body, "don't worry dude, we are busy, we will eat in a while." Want to try? Here are some guidelines for IF.
Plan Your Window
There are several ways to plan your eating window, the time allocated for eating. You can choose between them based on body needs and your sustainability.
16:8 Schedule: It is the easiest to manage the schedule. You fast for 16 hours, including sleeping hours, and enjoy two to three hearty, healthy meals during the remaining 8 hours. Like if you have dinner at 8 pm, your next mealtime will be 12 pm. You can easily adjust your eating slot.
5: 2 Schedule: It could be tough for beginners. You fast twice a week in a way that your calorie intake for the fasting days should not be more than 500 to 600. You have the liberty of enjoying a normal healthy meal for the remaining five days.
Prefer food that provides the required nutrition as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Excessive calorie intake or eating junk food during the eating window would sabotage the results. Maintaining portion control is always the best strategy.
Hydrate your body. Those who can’t resist the caffeine intake may enjoy black coffee, sugar-free black or green tea, and detox water to keep them revitalized and energetic.
Is Intermittent Fasting a Fad Diet?
To answer this, you need to understand how your body works.
Fasting brings about a metabolic switch in your body. The body derives energy from glucose. Frequent eating after every few hours maintains this steady supply of glucose. A 12-hour gap in eating disrupts the glucose supply; as a result, the body hits stored fat to get energy. The breakdown of fats releases ketone into the bloodstream. So now your body starts relying on ketones for energy instead of glucose. This switching over triggers weight loss.
Other Health Benefits
Making smart eating choices along with exercise would magnify the health benefits of intermittent fasting IF it lowers bad cholesterol, beneficial for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, arthritis, and neurological disorders. However, people with chronic health issues, eating disorders, who are below 18, pregnant, or breastfeeding should consult their doctor first.
Feeling Hangry! No Problem
Dealing with binge-eating is the biggest challenge for IF. Beginners may experience symptoms like headaches, less energetic or frustration while dealing with nasty hunger pangs. Remember, your body is transforming; give it some time. Once your body gets used to it, it will become your normal eating pattern.
Gradually introduce this pattern to your body; overdoing it will put your body in starvation mode. When in starvation mode, the body stores fat rather than consuming it to get energy.
Final Verdict
No single IF plan is equally effective for everyone. Modify your plans to adjust to your lifestyle. Eat healthy on the eating window.
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