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Intermittent Fasting (IF) differs from other weight loss plans in that it focuses onwhen you eat, notwhat you eat. As the name suggests, this diet consists of time slots where you fast, interspersed with time slots when you eat — or the so-called eating windows.
The thinking behind this eating pattern lies in the history of human development. Scientists believe our bodies can go without food for many hours without any harm. When humans were still hunter-gatherers, they lived off the land, and finding food was unpredictable. So, the human body had to survive for long periods without food.
Besides, political hunger strikers have shown that a person can survive without food (and get very sick) forover a month.
The basic rule for IF is alternating eating with fasting in fixed time slots. There are many different ways to do this. For instance, some people choose to eat during a chosen eight-hour period each day and fast during the other 16 hours. Others choose to eat only one meal a day or only fast two days a week.
Several ways to do this have been developed. The most common ones are:
This method involves 12 hours of fasting and a 12-hour eating window. The research found that restricting the hours you eat each day gives the body more time toswitch from glucose (sugar) for energy to ketones made from fat. This process, called ketosis, can be helpful for weight loss.
This eating schedule is relatively easy to follow because you can time the fasting period to coincide with when you sleep.
This method involves eating normally five days a week, in other words, three normal meals. On the other two days, you can only have one 500–600 calorie meal. The two fasting days must not be consecutive – there must be at least one day of normal eating between them.
Also called the Leangains protocol, this eating pattern involves an 8-hour eating period alternated with a 16-hour fasting period. There are various ways to achieve this ratio. You can finish dinner by 8 p.m. and skip breakfast the next day, or you can skip dinner.
Also known as the Eat-Stop-Eat diet, it involves eating no food for 24 hours at a time. This is a common protocol followed for various purposes, including religious reasons. Those following this regime usually have water, and other calorie-free drinks like herbal teas during the fasting period.
This method involves fasting every other day. This is quite a difficult regime to stick to.
Some people only take beverages on fasting days, others avoid all food on fasting days, and some allow themselves 500 calories. On days when eating is allowed, people eat as much as they want.
Alternate-day fasting is an extreme form of IF, which can lead to overeating on alternate days.
The Warrior Diet is one of the first types of intermittent diets. Those following this regime, eat small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and one large meal at dinner time.
There is no official best schedule for IF. Many people follow the 16/8 method because it's straightforward and can fit most lifestyles. This method allows many schedules with the 8-hour eating windows starting in the morning or around lunchtime.
Those who opt to start their eating window in the morning can have a healthy breakfast and a standard lunch around noon, and a light, early dinner or substantial snack around 4:30 p.m.
Others choose to skip breakfast and only start eating around noon. Most of the fasting happens during the night.
For those who don't have an appetite for breakfast, this is an easy schedule to follow.
This diet plan doesn't focus on any foods to eat or avoid; it focuses on when you eat, on so-called eating windows. But still, what should one aim for?
It makes sense to stick to a balanced diet. What is the point of going on a diet where you starve yourself on some days and then eat anything you want on other days?
Here are some suggestions for what to eat while doing IF.
As much as possible, choose whole, unprocessed foods that are nutrient-dense such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. If you are going to starve yourself for some hours every day, you should eat food high in nutrients when you do eat.
Otherwise, your health will be affected.
Choose foods high in protein such as lean meat, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and legumes. These foods provide proteins, preventing your muscles from wasting away. Proteins also keep you feeling full, which makes the fasting windows easier to bear.
Protein provides4 calories per gram but it has a thermic effect of 20–30%. This means your body burns more calories digesting it and so, eating more protein can help you lose weight faster.
Choose complex carbohydrates such as whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and oats; starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, and corn; and legumes like beans and lentils plus nuts and seeds.
Complex carbs are highly nutritious,high in fiber, and digest slowly. This also makes them more filling, which means they’re a good option for someone doing IF. They have a lower glycemic index, providing a steady release of energy spilling over time when you are not eating.
Incorporating healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, can provide sustained energy and promote feelings of fullness on fasting days, preventing you from overeating. These fats can also help balance blood sugar levels.
It is essential to stay hydrated during IF. In addition to water and other calorie-free drinks, you can enjoy foods with a high water content, such as winter melons, cucumbers, watermelon, and citrus. Include other juicy fruits like peaches and mangoes as well.
Foods to avoid during IF include the usual suspects, such as processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and foods with added sugar.
Avoid foods high in added sugars, such as candies, cakes, ice cream, and sugary drinks, including fruit juices. These choices typically lead to rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar, which can increase hunger and cravings during fasting periods.
If you crave sugar, have a raw fruit instead.
White bread, pasta, cakes, and pastries, consist of refined carbs that digest quickly, causing quick spikes in blood sugar. These foods are not nutritious so they are not satisfying – they leave you craving more.
Highly processed foods, such as fast food, and ready-to-eat meals, are low in nutrients, but high in calories caused by unhealthy fats, added sugar, and salt. Like refined carbohydrates, these foods are not satisfying, easily causing you to overeat.
Condiments are enemy number one in efforts to lose weight. Mayonnaise and other sauces are popular because they add flavor to food but they also add unnecessary calories and unhealthy ingredients like artificial additives.
You don't need to miss out though. Try making healthier versions at home. There are loads of recipes for homemade sauces online and they're easy to make.
It is sensible to avoid alcohol when you are trying to lose weight. Alcohol adds empty calories, meaning you ingest calories but no nutrients. Besides, after a glass or two your resolve may wither away leading you to make poor food choices, sabotaging your weight-loss efforts.
Intermittent Fasting (IF) can work for many but it's not suitable for everyone. Below are some groups who might benefit from IF. There is a caveat though: When you do eat, it's essential to stick to a balanced eating pattern and not to overeat during eating windows.
People who want to lose weight: IF can help reduce calorie intake and improve metabolism, making it easier to lose weight. It can be effective for people who have tried other weight-loss protocols that didn't work.
People with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance: IF can help managetype 2 diabetes or insulin resistance by lowering insulin levels and improving insulin sensitivity. Some people who did IF under doctors' supervision were even able to stop using insulin therapy.
People wishing to improve their heart health: IF may helpreduce risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and inflammation.
Individuals who want to support their brain health: Some research results suggest that IF can enhance brain function and protect against neurodegenerative diseases, such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
Individuals looking to improve their overall health: IF may help decrease inflammation and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by free radicals that can damage DNA but IF has been found toprotect against oxidative stress. Research has also found that fastingreduces inflammation which is at the bottom of manyill-health conditions.
IF is not suitable for everyone and ideally, one shouldn’t attempt it without the input of a medical professional. Those who shouldn't attempt fasting diets include:
Pregnant or breastfeeding women
Women who are trying to conceive
Female athletes who needenough calories to perform
People with a history of eating disorders
Individuals with uncontrolled diabetes, or those who are dependent on insulin
People with a history of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Children and adolescents
People who are on medications that must be taken with food
People with severe gastrointestinal issues
Older adults who experience weakness
People with health conditions that affect their eating patterns
You can lose weight on both 12-hour and 16-hour fasting windows. However, a crossover study in healthy research participants showed that 16-hour fasts worked better. Fasting for 16 hours may be more effective because the short eating window may cause a lower calorie intake.
Although longer fasts may lead to greater weight loss, they may also lead to poor nourishment and slow your metabolism down.
You can takefiber supplements while on IF. Fiber is helpful because it helps you to feel full so you eat less, which supports weight-loss attempts. The best time to take fiber supplements is during your eating window.
It is common to experience bouts of constipation when following a weight-loss regime. Taking a fiber powder can help combat both constipation and hunger while doing IF.
Yes, you can develop muscle mass on this diet but only if you use your eating windows to eat nutritious food, including protein. The body needs protein every day to build muscles. It may be helpful to take aprotein supplement if you are concerned about maintaining and building muscle mass while on this eating plan.
Besides, including protein in your meals can help curb hunger during fasting windows – making it easier to stick to this diet pattern.
Intermittent fasting can help you manage your weight and improve your health, but only if you choose healthy, nutritious food during your eating windows and don't overeat during those time slots.
Also, remember this diet doesn't work for everyone – it has different effects on different people. So, a good idea is to seek a dietitian before starting your intermittent fasts!