Intermittent fasting-The ultimate beginners guide

I know that you must have heard this word from your diet-conscious friend or your gym trainer as this is the new cool in the weight loss industry. But, have you ever tried to find out why everyone is following intermittent fasting, and what are the benefits of intermittent fasting that everyone is following?

So, if you are jealous of your friend who is looking hotter nowadays and want to know his/her secret then you are at the right place, my friend.

Go through this article as I have myself followed fast for weight loss and got amazing results. I am now more energetic, I have lost fat and gained muscle mass and beyond everything, I am happier and satisfied with my health now.

What is intermittent fasting and why is it making noise everywhere?

Intermittent means irregular and this fasting makes you eat irregularly. It means that you can’t eat continuously for the whole day as you have been doing since you were born. If you are following intermittent fasting then you have to watch your eating and fasting intervals without having to worry about food for fasting in the “eating interval”.

The USP of this diet is that it is not a so-called “diet”, as you don’t have to cut the calories as much as you have to cut the time. So if you don’t have time to make those fancy colorful diet meals and want a simple routine to follow while losing weight then intermittent fasting should be on your to-do list.

Many of my friends including me are following intermittent fasting and getting some very good results in their health and getting lean day by day, without any hassle. As you just have to eat timely and I don’t think it is a very difficult task for anyone. Is it?

How intermittent fasting does wonders for your body?

Fasting is a way to give your digestive system a break from all the toxic food that you eat in the form of junk. When you don’t eat anything for a long time say, 12–14 hrs then your system gets time to heal itself as it releases toxins or burns the stored fat. Our body doesn’t get enough time for burning fat when we eat continuously and that’s when intermittent fasting comes into play as it gives a window for our body to burn fat and eventually you lose fat.

In scientific words, Intermittent fasting has two parts, that is, fed state(eating window) and fasted state(non-eating window). Your body can’t burn fat in the fed state as the insulin levels are high at that time but in the fasted state insulin level gets low and the fat burning process becomes easy for your body.

Normally, we don’t give enough time to our body to burn fat as there isn’t much of a gap between our fed and fasted state. Eventually, we put on extra fat.

How to fast for weight loss-

There are many intermittent fasting methods to choose from and there is no hard and fast rule to follow. You can follow the plan which suits your body and daily routine.

Some of the methods that I have tried and tested are listed below with all the pros and cons attached to them.

1. 16:8 Method- It is the most common and the easiest fasting method according to many people as most of your fasted state goes into sleeping and that’s why you don’t have to starve for a long time. In this type of fasting method, you can take your meals for 8 hours and fast for 12 hours.

You can schedule it according to your daily routine so that you can follow it without any excuses and be healthier.

If this method starts benefiting you then you can also try 20:4 or 18:6 for faster weight loss.

Note- You have to watch your calorie intake in the fed state or eating window otherwise you will add extra weight to your body.

2. 5:2 Method- It is a bit different from the normal intermittent fasting methods as it involves taking 500–600 calories for 2 non-consecutive days of the week and eating normally for the remaining 5 days.

This diet was made famous by British journalist Michael Mosley and it is popularly known as the Fast Diet. In this diet, the calorie limit for men is 600 and for women, it is 500 on the fasting days.

3. Fasting for alternate days- I know it is sounding very difficult to you but every fasting method comes with its pros and cons. This diet is for fast weight loss but has short-term benefits as you won’t be able to follow this diet for a long time as compared to other intermittent fasting methods.

In this method, you have to starve yourself for 24 hrs every other day or you can take 500 to 600 calories on your fasting day. In my personal opinion, it is similar to the calorie deficit diet from which we have been running away for ages.

Now it’s your call, whether you wanna try it or not, maybe it will work on your body. So keep trying until you find “The perfect method”.

Benefits of intermittent fasting-

1. Your heart will thank you later-Some studies show that intermittent fasting also helps in improving your cardiovascular health. If you are having any heart-related issues then you can consult your doctor regarding the fasting method and fasting food.
2. You will lose weight for sure- As I have already explained earlier in this article, intermittent fasting is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. Your body loses fat during your fasting window as the insulin level goes down and the body gets enough time to utilize the stored fat thereby increasing your metabolism.
3. Lower the risk of diabetes- Every 4th adult is suffering from diabetes and it is a non-curable disease. But we can control it by acquiring some healthy changes in our lifestyle in the form of intermittent fasting. But you should always consult your doctor first.
4. Prevents cancer to some extent- According to research on cancer, it is found that increasing your metabolism helps in preventing cancer to some extent. It is a diet that makes you healthier in many ways.
5. You can live for some more years- It is obvious that if you are healthy then you can live for longer. It is also proved by the study on rats that intermittent fasting increases the life span by 36–83%.

What to eat during intermittent fasting-

Intermittent fasting is all about when to eat and not what to eat, but still, you can’t have a party in your fed state if you wanna lose weight. There are some restrictions that you should follow if your goal is to look younger and sexier.

It follows the basic idea of dieting that if you have to fast for a long duration then you should eat something very nutritious and filling in your fed state so that you won’t feel the hunger pangs in your fasted state.

Some of my best friends in my IF journey are listed below,

1. Whole grains- The benefits of whole grains are well-known, but if you are new to this weight journey then I must tell you that whole grains are full of fiber and protein. It will keep you full for a longer time as it has a low Glycemic Index and that’s why it takes a longer time to digest than any refined flour.
2. Eggs and Fishes- As both are a very good source of protein you should add it to the last meal of your diet so that your body will get enough time to digest it and also you won’t feel any food cravings at 3 in the morning.
3. Water- Your water intake shouldn’t go low in both fasting and eating windows, because dehydration is the last thing you wanna have in your weight loss journey.
4. Potatoes — I know you must be thinking of french fries and burgers right now, but hold your horses, my friend. I am talking about boiled potatoes or baked potatoes as they are satisfying and filling to keep you full and give you a sound sleep.
5. Pulses and beans- Pulses are known as the best source of protein especially for vegetarians. So if you also wanna have easy to cook food for fasting then pulses should be on your menu.
6. Nuts- It contains good fat and also stops the craving if you have it as a snack in your fed state, you can also have it in your fasting state if you are feeling very hungry.
7. Fiber-filled food- Last but never least when we talk about diets and food for fasting as it is very necessary to maintain your bowel movement because your body takes time to adapt to changes and that’s when fiber takes control and digests your food properly.

Conclusion-

Intermittent fasting is not only a trending weight loss method but it has emerged as one of the greatest discoveries in the health industry. It has many benefits including weight loss, such as hormonal balance, increased life span, and a healthier lifestyle that goes a long way.

So, do consult your nutritionist if you are interested in living a healthy life ahead.

My best wishes and suggestions are always with you.