Essential Things to Know Before You Try Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss

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If you are the one trying to pick a weight loss program, it’s unlikely that you haven’t come across the concept of intermittent fasting. This trend of fasting has grown in popularity in recent years. However, do you know what it really is?

For those who are about to start with a weight loss regimen, it is all about abstaining oneself from food for a specific period before resuming the regular diet program. The reason why you can choose this diet plan is because it not only helps in weight reduction but also improves cardiovascular health. However, it is not one of those diet trends that help you stay away from fad food but a lifestyle choice you need to follow diligently.

Things to know

If you are planning to go ahead with an intermittent diet plan, it is not about how much you eat but the timing interval. However, before you devote yourself to a fasting meal plan, you need to know what it is all about. That way, it might seem like one of the most recommended weight loss plans for women. So, here are a few things you should not skip when adding it to this fasting trend:

1. Stay aware of the side-effects

Just like other weight loss meal plans, intermittent fasting too has a few side effects that you need to be aware of. There is no denying that this meal plan will change your eating pattern as you need to fast for long hours. Naturally, it would be a recommended option if you are diabetic or say you have some eating disorder.

Additionally, not eating for long hours may harm your health in several different ways. An excellent idea would be to go for an internal medical checkup before you know if your body can tolerate such long hours of fasting or not. So, don’t just go for the tips to avoid weight gain during the holiday season.

2. Learn the intermittent fasting methods

There are different approaches to fasting intermittently, and all you have to do is split the entire week or day into smaller eating and fasting schedules. Here they go:

• Eat-stop-eat

In this method where you may have to go without food for 24 hours once a week or twice may be like fasting from today’s dinner to tomorrow’s dinner at a stretch.

• 5:2 method

In this approach, you need to just consume about 500-600 calories on two alternate days of the week and resort to the regular habit for the rest of the days.

• 16/8 method

This method is often referred to as the Leangains protocol where you need to abstain from eating breakfast restrict the eating schedule to eight hours and then fast for 16 hours intermittently.

If you are searching for a diet for weight loss, this would be the one that offers a guaranteed outcome. However, the result would be visible only when you don’t substantiate the fasting periods by eating much when you are allowed to.

Does it affect your cells and hormones?

When you fast for long hours at a stretch, you can feel its impact on the molecular and cellular levels. Your body needs to adjust to the changing level of hormones and make the best use of stored body fat. Besides, your cells begin important mechanisms and alter the expression of genes. Here are a few changes that might occur:

• Intermittent fasting improves the body’s insulin sensitivity and the levels drop significantly to make the stored body fat more accessible.
• The function of the gene changes that is relevant to disease prevention and longevity.
• Cells initiate repair mechanisms like autophagy during which the cells digest and eliminate the dysfunctional and old proteins that build up inside.

If you are searching for the best weight loss diet that produces instant results, this one is certainly a result-driven option. If you have just started the diet plan, experts recommend going slow initially. You need to assess and evaluate which option is right for you as a long stretch of fasting may not suit your body or resonate with your fitness goals. Just plan well and cut down on your weight.

Theresa Perez

Theresa Perez is a seasoned writer for the health industry dedicated to providing fact-based health information. She sources concise facts from authoritative sources to ensure maximum credibility and shares guidelines to lead a healthy lifestyle.