“Periodic fasting can help clear up the mind and strengthen the body and the spirit.” - Ezra Taft Benson
Intermittent fasting is currently one of the most popular trends, both for wanting to improve your health but also if you want to lose weight. Weight loss is the most common reason for people to try intermittent fasting and it is a great weight loss tool because it doesn’t specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them. Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it is an eating pattern.
There are a few different methods...
The 16/8 method: You fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours. This method involves skipping breakfast. By making you eat fewer meals, intermittent fasting can lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake. You can eat for example between 12 pm-8 pm or 1 pm-9 pm. Many people find the 16/8 method to be the easiest method of them all, and this method is also the most popular. This is the method I am using when I do intermittent fasting and I am finding it to be the easiest to stick to and it doesn't involve much planning.
Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
The 5:2 diet: With this methods, you consume only 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, but eat normally the other 5 days.
By reducing your calorie intake, all of these methods should cause weight loss as long as you don’t compensate by eating much more during the eating periods.
Water Tea and coffee is allowed during the fasting hours as long as it is under 50 calories.
There are many studies out there to show that it can have powerful effects on both your body and brain. A 2014 review study found that this eating pattern can cause 3–8% weight loss over 3–24 weeks, which is a significant amount, compared to most weight loss studies. The same study also showed that people also lost 4–7% of their waist circumference which is amazing, considering that a lot of health problems are linked to belly fat. Another study showed that intermittent fasting causes less muscle loss than the more standard method of continuous calorie restriction.
Apart from the weight loss benefits of intermittent fasting, there are also other benefits:
Reduced Blood Pressure
Reduced Inflammation
Lower Cholesterol
A Better Night's Sleep
Better Outcomes for Stroke Survivors
Boosted Brain Function
Cancer Protection
Increased Cell Turnover
Reduced Insulin Resistance
Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Issues
Increased Longevity
Keep in mind that research is still in its early stages. Many of the studies were small, short-term or conducted in animals. Many questions have yet to be answered in higher quality human studies.
Here are my top beginner’s tips for intermittent fasting:
1. Start with the 16/8 method.
2. Drink plenty of water
3. Drink herbal and green tea
4. Choose healthy slow-releasing carbs in between fasting periods. Go for whole meal varieties if you eat bread, pasta etc.
5. Eat lots of vegetables, raw or cooked with your meals and enjoy a fruit after or in between meals.
6. Eat lots of fiber – This reduces hunger and makes intermittent fasting easier.
7. Choose good quality protein, avoid processed foods.
8. Stay busy
9. Don’t binge after fasting
It’s simply one of many lifestyle strategies that can improve your health. Eating real food, exercising and taking care of your sleep are still the most important factors to focus on.
When I am doing intermittent fasting, I do the 16:8 fasting method. I eat my first meal at 1 pm and I usually start my day off with a high protein meal, like eggs and mushrooms or a smashed avocado on sour dough with a poached egg. I try to eat raw or cooked vegetables with all my meals and then I have some fruit after.
I drink lots of water in between the meals and I love herbal teas, so I have a few cups of tea as well. I find that a Mediterranean diet and intermittent fasting works great for me and it is easy to stick to.
I don’t mind not having breakfast, because I drink a cup of coffee in the morning with a splash of milk and it keeps me going until 1 pm without any issues, however there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dieting and nutrition, so to be successful you need to try what works for you and to find an eating style that you can stick to in the long run.
Challenge this week: Try one of the intermittent fasting methods for 7 days.
If you need any advice or help to get started, you can email me or contact me directly via the chat box on my website. Good Luck!
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