Intermittent fasting is a diet method that focuses on when you eat rather than what you’re consuming. It is a great way to reduce caloric intake and lose weight, since fasting prolongs the period where your body burns consumed calories and begins to start burning fat and stored energy.
Intermittent fasting is a diet method that focuses on when you eat rather than specifically what you’re consuming. The most common method is the 16/8 cycle where you fast for 16 hours and eat during the 8 hour window from noon onwards. Intermittent fasting is beneficial to those who are trying to minimize their caloric intake and lose weight, since you are only able to consume calories during that time frame. Fasting prolongs the period in which your body burns the calories you’ve consumed and then begins to start burning fat and stored energy.
The 16/8 cycle, as mentioned earlier, is probably the most common and is a daily approach to intermittent fasting. During the time that you are fasting, you are still able to drink water and zero-calorie drinks such as black coffee and tea until the eating windows starts.
The 5:2 approach is the method in which you eat regularly 5 days a week and then for two days you limit your intake to one 500-600 calorie meal.
What most people struggle with when starting intermittent fasting is to get used to the longer fasting period; you may feel more tired, hungry, or cranky while you get used to not eating in the morning, and can take up to 2-4 weeks to get used to it. Although you are limiting your consumption to a smaller window also does not mean you can just eat anything or consume excessive amounts of junk food. The quality of the food you consume during that time period is still important, and it is best to consume as much good, nutritious foods as possible, especially foods that will help you feel satiated for longer.
Intermittent fasting also has other research-backed benefits such as a boost in cognitive function and memory, better heart health, physical performance, and tissue health as well. But like with any other diet method, it is best to consult a doctor prior to starting to make sure that it will not have any adverse effects on any pre-existing conditions you may have. And of course, intermittent fasting does not have the same outcomes for everyone and may not work in the same way. Find the method that works best for your body, and if you feel any unusual side effects, listen to your body.
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