Intermittent fasting has boomed in popularity over the past few years and has become all the rage in the health and fitness world. So it’s only fitting (pun intended) that we put it on your radar. People claim it helps them lose weight, improve their overall health, and get back the energy they’ve been searching for all these years. The best part is there’s actually tons of research that seems to support the theory. Sounds great, right? But knowing where to start can be overwhelming. We’ve put together the ultimate beginner’s guide to intermittent fasting so you can get one step closer to improving your overall health. What Is Intermittent Fasting?
So, before we get into anything else about intermittent fasting, we have to know what on earth intermittent fasting even is. Let’s break it down. The word intermittent can basically be chalked up to mean at intervals. Meanwhile, the word fasting is typically associated with a time in which you’re not eating. Put simply and together, intermittent fasting can best be summed up as a cycle of eating and fasting in intervals. Simple right? Intermittent fasting isn’t a one-size-fits-all form of fasting though. There are different methods used, ranging from fasting for a certain amount of time a day or restricting your calories on specific days. It’s up to you which one you choose. The Pros Of Intermittent Fasting
Helps you lose weight – The first, and probably the most popular benefit of intermittent fasting, is that it can help you lose weight. Especially stubborn stomach fat. It makes perfect sense. As long as you eat like normal during your non-fasting hours and don’t try to catch up on the calories lost during fasting, you’ll be consuming fewer calories overall. The caloric deficit provided by intermittent fasting will have you hitting those weight loss goals. Lowers diabetes risk – Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels in men, ultimately helping to lower the risk of type two diabetes. Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “One of the biggest benefits of fasting for prolonged periods of time is that it helps reduce insulin resistance, which is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes, as well as prediabetes. When your body becomes resistant to insulin, the pancreas will pump out even more insulin to try to compensate. Insulin is a fat storage hormone, so higher levels of insulin can thwart weight loss efforts and even cause weight gain. If left untreated, insulin resistance can progress to type 2 diabetes within several years.” Can reduce signs of aging – Combining intermittent fasting with a thorough skincare routine can reduce the signs of aging. Studies have shown intermittent fasting helps the body fight oxidative stress, which can press fast forward and advance aging. Can improve heart health – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Some studies have found that intermittent fasting may help improve cardiovascular outcomes through improved cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States, so intermittent fasting may be one of many ways to reduce your risk.” Good for the mind – With the reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation, blood sugar levels, and insulin resistance, intermittent fasting presents many benefits to that noggin of yours. Helps eliminate late-night snacking – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Having a cut-off time for your “eating window” can help provide some much-needed structure when trying to break the habit of emotional and late-night eating. For example, if you usually end up snacking after dinner, consider setting your eating window from 10 AM to 6 PM so your fast begins after dinner for a 16/8 style fast. (16 hour fast, 8 hour eating window.)”
The Cons Of Intermittent Fasting
It’s difficult – Intermittent fasting is hard. Capital letters HARD. It’s difficult not to listen to those late-night cravings just begging for a trip (or trips. Who are we kidding?) to the fridge. Intermittent fasting dieters have been found to have a high dropout rate of 38%. But this doesn’t have to be you. We totally believe in you. Can be dangerous – It can be dangerous for people experiencing certain conditions, including diabetes. Talk to your doctor to make sure it is safe for you to attempt. Diana Gariglio-Clelland says: “Intermittent fasting probably isn’t a good option for people on an insulin regime, especially those taking multiple doses of insulin each day. Fasting while taking insulin can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can be dangerous.” Can trigger an eating disorder – Any kind of diet or form of weight loss in which rules are being implemented can trigger an eating disorder, even in people you wouldn’t expect it to. Make sure to take care of your mental health if you do decide to pursue this method of weight loss. Hard to adjust to – It might make you feel sick as you begin to adjust your eating habits. Skipping meals can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Not very flexible – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Intermittent fasting isn’t very flexible when it comes to the inevitable changes in your schedule, such as traveling, celebrations or illness. If you decide to try intermittent fasting, expect to have days where you don’t follow your regular routine, which is okay – you can always get back in the swing of things again.” You might get hangry – You’ve been warned.
Is Intermittent Fasting Good for Running? We asked Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach Hannah Daugherty about whether or not runners should consider intermittent fasting to improve their performance. Here’s what she said: “While research has shown that intermittent fasting can aid in weight loss, it can hinder performance in some athletes, especially those that are training to run long distances. The decrease in caloric intake may have some runners finding that they are losing precious muscle mass, and long periods of intermittent fasting might lead to a cortisol increase within the body – and effectively having your body hold onto weight as well as decreasing training performance.” How It Works
Most people are more than likely eating three meals throughout their day, sometimes throwing a snack or two in between. If you don’t know the basics about sugars and our energy levels, listen up. Our bodies break the carbohydrates we consume down into sugars that the cells in our body use as energy to keep us going throughout the day. Whatever sugars our cells don’t end up using are stored in our fat cells. The more we eat, the more carbs our bodies have to turn into sugars which then get turned into energy. If you aren’t using up that energy, your body stores it away into your fat cells. When we’re not eating, our insulin levels lower, allowing our fat cells to release their stored sugars to use as energy, ultimately helping us burn fat. Three Different Types Of Intermittent Fasting
5:2 – The twice-a-week-method: This form of intermittent fasting includes choosing two days out of your week to eat no more than 500 calories throughout the whole day. The rest of the week, you eat as you normally would, as long as it is moderately healthy. Typically, when planning these two days of intermittent fasting, you should ensure they don’t fall one after the other. While there are no restrictions or rules on which types of foods to eat with this method, eating foods that are higher in volume and fiber will help keep you full on your 500 calorie days, preventing you from hitting hunger level hangry. Recommended foods for those fasting days include whole grains, veggies, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Try to stick to drinking water to avoid extra calories on your fasting days so you can be sure to stay within the 500 calorie limit. On non-fasting days, there’s absolutely no limit to worry about so you can have that cold beer or whatever else that heart of yours desires. Alternating Days of Fasting: This form of intermittent fasting involves alternating days between consuming the normal amount of food you typically eat and days of restricting your calories. Alternate days of fasting can help people lose around 10 to 15 pounds in three months, faster than the more traditional forms of intermittent fasting. But people who try this method of weight loss can find it difficult to maintain. Attempting to hop on this diet may leave you on the struggle bus for a bit, but after around 10 days, people tend to begin feeling energetic. Even on fasting days. So hang in there with this one. Time-Restricted Eating: This method of intermittent fasting is more than likely the one you’ve heard about. Time-restricted eating is all about setting your eating windows between an allotted time period throughout your days. There are two very common ways to approach this. The first is the 16/8 method where you fast for 16 hours then squeeze your meals into an eight-hour eating window. The second is the 14/10 method in which you fast 14 hours and eat for 10 hours. The time-restricted eating method of intermittent fasting is probably the simplest to follow because you kind of get to cheat on it. Most people don’t tend to eat while they sleep, right? You’re probably sleeping about six to nine hours a night. If this is the case, you only have a few hours of awake time before you can devour the delicious foods you’ve been dreaming of.
There are more extreme forms of intermittent fasting, but these are the three most basic methods for beginners to trial. But don’t underestimate them. The results are just as good without working twice as hard. We’re a fan of shortcuts. Tips For Intermittent Fasting
There are many different ways you can choose to go about intermittent fasting. You can try the 5:2 method, the alternate days of fasting method, or the time-restricted eating method. The method you choose depends entirely on your schedule you have to fit your times to eat in. Here are a few tips to help you out along the way:
During mealtimes, eat mindfully. After you have just finished a fast, you may find yourself wanting to slam down a triple meat cheeseburger, extra-large fries, and strawberry milkshake. This will only prove to be counterproductive. Pick your meals wisely, still pursuing mostly balanced and healthy meals that your body is craving. As you’re eating, slow down and savor it. Listen to your body’s fullness cues to avoid overeating and wasting your newfound energy by laying on the couch in a food coma. Experiment with the times you are going to eat. Just because one person says they only eat from 11 am to 7 pm doesn’t mean that’ll work for you. Everybody has different lifestyles. The times you go to work, exercise, and are at home will all affect which time period is best for you so be flexible and in finding the best times to break your fast. If you do choose to have fasting days, make your calories count. Eat foods that will keep you full longer. Foods that keep you full longer tend to be at least one of three things: high-volume, high fiber, or high fat. According to Health Coach Hannah Daugherty, “once the period of intermittent fasting is complete, it is best to refuel the body with high quality proteins and complex carbs; think items such as whole grains, lean meats, beans, fruits and vegetables, chickpeas, etc.)”
Intermittent fasting can be extremely helpful for some people to hit those health goals that have seemed impossible up until now. It isn’t for everyone though. If you do decide this is a trend you want to try, reach out to your doctor to see if it’s right for your body and your lifestyle. When given the go-ahead, go put the fun in fasting! If we can still eat greasy goodness midweek, we’re all for it.
See more about - The 8 essential exercises all men should do according to the experts
Intermittent fasting has boomed in popularity over the past few years and has become all the rage in the health and fitness world. So it’s only fitting (pun intended) that we put it on your radar. People claim it helps them lose weight, improve their overall health, and get back the energy they’ve been searching for all these years. The best part is there’s actually tons of research that seems to support the theory. Sounds great, right? But knowing where to start can be overwhelming. We’ve put together the ultimate beginner’s guide to intermittent fasting so you can get one step closer to improving your overall health. What Is Intermittent Fasting?
So, before we get into anything else about intermittent fasting, we have to know what on earth intermittent fasting even is. Let’s break it down. The word intermittent can basically be chalked up to mean at intervals. Meanwhile, the word fasting is typically associated with a time in which you’re not eating. Put simply and together, intermittent fasting can best be summed up as a cycle of eating and fasting in intervals. Simple right? Intermittent fasting isn’t a one-size-fits-all form of fasting though. There are different methods used, ranging from fasting for a certain amount of time a day or restricting your calories on specific days. It’s up to you which one you choose. The Pros Of Intermittent Fasting
Helps you lose weight – The first, and probably the most popular benefit of intermittent fasting, is that it can help you lose weight. Especially stubborn stomach fat. It makes perfect sense. As long as you eat like normal during your non-fasting hours and don’t try to catch up on the calories lost during fasting, you’ll be consuming fewer calories overall. The caloric deficit provided by intermittent fasting will have you hitting those weight loss goals. Lowers diabetes risk – Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels in men, ultimately helping to lower the risk of type two diabetes. Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “One of the biggest benefits of fasting for prolonged periods of time is that it helps reduce insulin resistance, which is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes, as well as prediabetes. When your body becomes resistant to insulin, the pancreas will pump out even more insulin to try to compensate. Insulin is a fat storage hormone, so higher levels of insulin can thwart weight loss efforts and even cause weight gain. If left untreated, insulin resistance can progress to type 2 diabetes within several years.” Can reduce signs of aging – Combining intermittent fasting with a thorough skincare routine can reduce the signs of aging. Studies have shown intermittent fasting helps the body fight oxidative stress, which can press fast forward and advance aging. Can improve heart health – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Some studies have found that intermittent fasting may help improve cardiovascular outcomes through improved cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States, so intermittent fasting may be one of many ways to reduce your risk.” Good for the mind – With the reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation, blood sugar levels, and insulin resistance, intermittent fasting presents many benefits to that noggin of yours. Helps eliminate late-night snacking – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Having a cut-off time for your “eating window” can help provide some much-needed structure when trying to break the habit of emotional and late-night eating. For example, if you usually end up snacking after dinner, consider setting your eating window from 10 AM to 6 PM so your fast begins after dinner for a 16/8 style fast. (16 hour fast, 8 hour eating window.)”
The Cons Of Intermittent Fasting
It’s difficult – Intermittent fasting is hard. Capital letters HARD. It’s difficult not to listen to those late-night cravings just begging for a trip (or trips. Who are we kidding?) to the fridge. Intermittent fasting dieters have been found to have a high dropout rate of 38%. But this doesn’t have to be you. We totally believe in you. Can be dangerous – It can be dangerous for people experiencing certain conditions, including diabetes. Talk to your doctor to make sure it is safe for you to attempt. Diana Gariglio-Clelland says: “Intermittent fasting probably isn’t a good option for people on an insulin regime, especially those taking multiple doses of insulin each day. Fasting while taking insulin can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can be dangerous.” Can trigger an eating disorder – Any kind of diet or form of weight loss in which rules are being implemented can trigger an eating disorder, even in people you wouldn’t expect it to. Make sure to take care of your mental health if you do decide to pursue this method of weight loss. Hard to adjust to – It might make you feel sick as you begin to adjust your eating habits. Skipping meals can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Not very flexible – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Intermittent fasting isn’t very flexible when it comes to the inevitable changes in your schedule, such as traveling, celebrations or illness. If you decide to try intermittent fasting, expect to have days where you don’t follow your regular routine, which is okay – you can always get back in the swing of things again.” You might get hangry – You’ve been warned.
Is Intermittent Fasting Good for Running? We asked Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach Hannah Daugherty about whether or not runners should consider intermittent fasting to improve their performance. Here’s what she said: “While research has shown that intermittent fasting can aid in weight loss, it can hinder performance in some athletes, especially those that are training to run long distances. The decrease in caloric intake may have some runners finding that they are losing precious muscle mass, and long periods of intermittent fasting might lead to a cortisol increase within the body – and effectively having your body hold onto weight as well as decreasing training performance.” How It Works
Most people are more than likely eating three meals throughout their day, sometimes throwing a snack or two in between. If you don’t know the basics about sugars and our energy levels, listen up. Our bodies break the carbohydrates we consume down into sugars that the cells in our body use as energy to keep us going throughout the day. Whatever sugars our cells don’t end up using are stored in our fat cells. The more we eat, the more carbs our bodies have to turn into sugars which then get turned into energy. If you aren’t using up that energy, your body stores it away into your fat cells. When we’re not eating, our insulin levels lower, allowing our fat cells to release their stored sugars to use as energy, ultimately helping us burn fat. Three Different Types Of Intermittent Fasting
5:2 – The twice-a-week-method: This form of intermittent fasting includes choosing two days out of your week to eat no more than 500 calories throughout the whole day. The rest of the week, you eat as you normally would, as long as it is moderately healthy. Typically, when planning these two days of intermittent fasting, you should ensure they don’t fall one after the other. While there are no restrictions or rules on which types of foods to eat with this method, eating foods that are higher in volume and fiber will help keep you full on your 500 calorie days, preventing you from hitting hunger level hangry. Recommended foods for those fasting days include whole grains, veggies, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Try to stick to drinking water to avoid extra calories on your fasting days so you can be sure to stay within the 500 calorie limit. On non-fasting days, there’s absolutely no limit to worry about so you can have that cold beer or whatever else that heart of yours desires. Alternating Days of Fasting: This form of intermittent fasting involves alternating days between consuming the normal amount of food you typically eat and days of restricting your calories. Alternate days of fasting can help people lose around 10 to 15 pounds in three months, faster than the more traditional forms of intermittent fasting. But people who try this method of weight loss can find it difficult to maintain. Attempting to hop on this diet may leave you on the struggle bus for a bit, but after around 10 days, people tend to begin feeling energetic. Even on fasting days. So hang in there with this one. Time-Restricted Eating: This method of intermittent fasting is more than likely the one you’ve heard about. Time-restricted eating is all about setting your eating windows between an allotted time period throughout your days. There are two very common ways to approach this. The first is the 16/8 method where you fast for 16 hours then squeeze your meals into an eight-hour eating window. The second is the 14/10 method in which you fast 14 hours and eat for 10 hours. The time-restricted eating method of intermittent fasting is probably the simplest to follow because you kind of get to cheat on it. Most people don’t tend to eat while they sleep, right? You’re probably sleeping about six to nine hours a night. If this is the case, you only have a few hours of awake time before you can devour the delicious foods you’ve been dreaming of.
There are more extreme forms of intermittent fasting, but these are the three most basic methods for beginners to trial. But don’t underestimate them. The results are just as good without working twice as hard. We’re a fan of shortcuts. Tips For Intermittent Fasting
There are many different ways you can choose to go about intermittent fasting. You can try the 5:2 method, the alternate days of fasting method, or the time-restricted eating method. The method you choose depends entirely on your schedule you have to fit your times to eat in. Here are a few tips to help you out along the way:
During mealtimes, eat mindfully. After you have just finished a fast, you may find yourself wanting to slam down a triple meat cheeseburger, extra-large fries, and strawberry milkshake. This will only prove to be counterproductive. Pick your meals wisely, still pursuing mostly balanced and healthy meals that your body is craving. As you’re eating, slow down and savor it. Listen to your body’s fullness cues to avoid overeating and wasting your newfound energy by laying on the couch in a food coma. Experiment with the times you are going to eat. Just because one person says they only eat from 11 am to 7 pm doesn’t mean that’ll work for you. Everybody has different lifestyles. The times you go to work, exercise, and are at home will all affect which time period is best for you so be flexible and in finding the best times to break your fast. If you do choose to have fasting days, make your calories count. Eat foods that will keep you full longer. Foods that keep you full longer tend to be at least one of three things: high-volume, high fiber, or high fat. According to Health Coach Hannah Daugherty, “once the period of intermittent fasting is complete, it is best to refuel the body with high quality proteins and complex carbs; think items such as whole grains, lean meats, beans, fruits and vegetables, chickpeas, etc.)”
Intermittent fasting can be extremely helpful for some people to hit those health goals that have seemed impossible up until now. It isn’t for everyone though. If you do decide this is a trend you want to try, reach out to your doctor to see if it’s right for your body and your lifestyle. When given the go-ahead, go put the fun in fasting! If we can still eat greasy goodness midweek, we’re all for it.
See more about - The 8 essential exercises all men should do according to the experts
Intermittent fasting has boomed in popularity over the past few years and has become all the rage in the health and fitness world. So it’s only fitting (pun intended) that we put it on your radar. People claim it helps them lose weight, improve their overall health, and get back the energy they’ve been searching for all these years.
The best part is there’s actually tons of research that seems to support the theory. Sounds great, right? But knowing where to start can be overwhelming. We’ve put together the ultimate beginner’s guide to intermittent fasting so you can get one step closer to improving your overall health.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
So, before we get into anything else about intermittent fasting, we have to know what on earth intermittent fasting even is. Let’s break it down. The word intermittent can basically be chalked up to mean at intervals.
Meanwhile, the word fasting is typically associated with a time in which you’re not eating. Put simply and together, intermittent fasting can best be summed up as a cycle of eating and fasting in intervals. Simple right?
Intermittent fasting isn’t a one-size-fits-all form of fasting though. There are different methods used, ranging from fasting for a certain amount of time a day or restricting your calories on specific days. It’s up to you which one you choose.
The Pros Of Intermittent Fasting
- Helps you lose weight – The first, and probably the most popular benefit of intermittent fasting, is that it can help you lose weight. Especially stubborn stomach fat. It makes perfect sense. As long as you eat like normal during your non-fasting hours and don’t try to catch up on the calories lost during fasting, you’ll be consuming fewer calories overall. The caloric deficit provided by intermittent fasting will have you hitting those weight loss goals.
- Lowers diabetes risk – Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels in men, ultimately helping to lower the risk of type two diabetes.
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains:
- “One of the biggest benefits of fasting for prolonged periods of time is that it helps reduce insulin resistance, which is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes, as well as prediabetes. When your body becomes resistant to insulin, the pancreas will pump out even more insulin to try to compensate. Insulin is a fat storage hormone, so higher levels of insulin can thwart weight loss efforts and even cause weight gain. If left untreated, insulin resistance can progress to type 2 diabetes within several years.”
- Can reduce signs of aging – Combining intermittent fasting with a thorough skincare routine can reduce the signs of aging. Studies have shown intermittent fasting helps the body fight oxidative stress, which can press fast forward and advance aging.
- Can improve heart health – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Some studies have found that intermittent fasting may help improve cardiovascular outcomes through improved cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States, so intermittent fasting may be one of many ways to reduce your risk.”
- Good for the mind – With the reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation, blood sugar levels, and insulin resistance, intermittent fasting presents many benefits to that noggin of yours.
- Helps eliminate late-night snacking – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains: “Having a cut-off time for your “eating window” can help provide some much-needed structure when trying to break the habit of emotional and late-night eating. For example, if you usually end up snacking after dinner, consider setting your eating window from 10 AM to 6 PM so your fast begins after dinner for a 16/8 style fast. (16 hour fast, 8 hour eating window.)”
The Cons Of Intermittent Fasting
- It’s difficult – Intermittent fasting is hard. Capital letters HARD. It’s difficult not to listen to those late-night cravings just begging for a trip (or trips. Who are we kidding?) to the fridge. Intermittent fasting dieters have been found to have a high dropout rate of 38%. But this doesn’t have to be you. We totally believe in you.
- Can be dangerous – It can be dangerous for people experiencing certain conditions, including diabetes. Talk to your doctor to make sure it is safe for you to attempt.
- Diana Gariglio-Clelland says:
- “Intermittent fasting probably isn’t a good option for people on an insulin regime, especially those taking multiple doses of insulin each day. Fasting while taking insulin can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can be dangerous.”
- Can trigger an eating disorder – Any kind of diet or form of weight loss in which rules are being implemented can trigger an eating disorder, even in people you wouldn’t expect it to. Make sure to take care of your mental health if you do decide to pursue this method of weight loss.
- Hard to adjust to – It might make you feel sick as you begin to adjust your eating habits. Skipping meals can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
- Not very flexible – Diana Gariglio-Clelland explains:
- “Intermittent fasting isn’t very flexible when it comes to the inevitable changes in your schedule, such as traveling, celebrations or illness. If you decide to try intermittent fasting, expect to have days where you don’t follow your regular routine, which is okay – you can always get back in the swing of things again.”
- You might get hangry – You’ve been warned.
Is Intermittent Fasting Good for Running?
We asked Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach Hannah Daugherty about whether or not runners should consider intermittent fasting to improve their performance. Here’s what she said:
“While research has shown that intermittent fasting can aid in weight loss, it can hinder performance in some athletes, especially those that are training to run long distances. The decrease in caloric intake may have some runners finding that they are losing precious muscle mass, and long periods of intermittent fasting might lead to a cortisol increase within the body – and effectively having your body hold onto weight as well as decreasing training performance.”
How It Works
Most people are more than likely eating three meals throughout their day, sometimes throwing a snack or two in between. If you don’t know the basics about sugars and our energy levels, listen up. Our bodies break the carbohydrates we consume down into sugars that the cells in our body use as energy to keep us going throughout the day.
Whatever sugars our cells don’t end up using are stored in our fat cells. The more we eat, the more carbs our bodies have to turn into sugars which then get turned into energy.
If you aren’t using up that energy, your body stores it away into your fat cells. When we’re not eating, our insulin levels lower, allowing our fat cells to release their stored sugars to use as energy, ultimately helping us burn fat.
Three Different Types Of Intermittent Fasting
- 5:2 – The twice-a-week-method: This form of intermittent fasting includes choosing two days out of your week to eat no more than 500 calories throughout the whole day. The rest of the week, you eat as you normally would, as long as it is moderately healthy. Typically, when planning these two days of intermittent fasting, you should ensure they don’t fall one after the other. While there are no restrictions or rules on which types of foods to eat with this method, eating foods that are higher in volume and fiber will help keep you full on your 500 calorie days, preventing you from hitting hunger level hangry. Recommended foods for those fasting days include whole grains, veggies, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Try to stick to drinking water to avoid extra calories on your fasting days so you can be sure to stay within the 500 calorie limit. On non-fasting days, there’s absolutely no limit to worry about so you can have that cold beer or whatever else that heart of yours desires.
- Alternating Days of Fasting: This form of intermittent fasting involves alternating days between consuming the normal amount of food you typically eat and days of restricting your calories. Alternate days of fasting can help people lose around 10 to 15 pounds in three months, faster than the more traditional forms of intermittent fasting. But people who try this method of weight loss can find it difficult to maintain. Attempting to hop on this diet may leave you on the struggle bus for a bit, but after around 10 days, people tend to begin feeling energetic. Even on fasting days. So hang in there with this one.
- Time-Restricted Eating: This method of intermittent fasting is more than likely the one you’ve heard about. Time-restricted eating is all about setting your eating windows between an allotted time period throughout your days. There are two very common ways to approach this. The first is the 16/8 method where you fast for 16 hours then squeeze your meals into an eight-hour eating window. The second is the 14/10 method in which you fast 14 hours and eat for 10 hours. The time-restricted eating method of intermittent fasting is probably the simplest to follow because you kind of get to cheat on it. Most people don’t tend to eat while they sleep, right? You’re probably sleeping about six to nine hours a night. If this is the case, you only have a few hours of awake time before you can devour the delicious foods you’ve been dreaming of.
There are more extreme forms of intermittent fasting, but these are the three most basic methods for beginners to trial. But don’t underestimate them. The results are just as good without working twice as hard. We’re a fan of shortcuts.
Tips For Intermittent Fasting
There are many different ways you can choose to go about intermittent fasting. You can try the 5:2 method, the alternate days of fasting method, or the time-restricted eating method.
The method you choose depends entirely on your schedule you have to fit your times to eat in. Here are a few tips to help you out along the way:
- During mealtimes, eat mindfully. After you have just finished a fast, you may find yourself wanting to slam down a triple meat cheeseburger, extra-large fries, and strawberry milkshake. This will only prove to be counterproductive. Pick your meals wisely, still pursuing mostly balanced and healthy meals that your body is craving. As you’re eating, slow down and savor it. Listen to your body’s fullness cues to avoid overeating and wasting your newfound energy by laying on the couch in a food coma.
- Experiment with the times you are going to eat. Just because one person says they only eat from 11 am to 7 pm doesn’t mean that’ll work for you. Everybody has different lifestyles. The times you go to work, exercise, and are at home will all affect which time period is best for you so be flexible and in finding the best times to break your fast.
- If you do choose to have fasting days, make your calories count. Eat foods that will keep you full longer. Foods that keep you full longer tend to be at least one of three things: high-volume, high fiber, or high fat.
- According to Health Coach Hannah Daugherty, “once the period of intermittent fasting is complete, it is best to refuel the body with high quality proteins and complex carbs; think items such as whole grains, lean meats, beans, fruits and vegetables, chickpeas, etc.)”
Intermittent fasting can be extremely helpful for some people to hit those health goals that have seemed impossible up until now. It isn’t for everyone though. If you do decide this is a trend you want to try, reach out to your doctor to see if it’s right for your body and your lifestyle.
When given the go-ahead, go put the fun in fasting! If we can still eat greasy goodness midweek, we’re all for it.
See more about - The 8 essential exercises all men should do according to the experts
See more about - The 8 essential exercises all men should do according to the experts
