“I’ve found that it dramatically increased my energy levels. I’ve found that once you get over the initial shock in the first week or two of not eating [as regularly], your body kicks into a different state. I’ve found myself eating less calories but not feeling starved.” says actor and fitness aficionado Chris Hemsworth who greatly endorses Intermittent fasting (Men’s Health UK, 2019). He is one among millions of people who have immensely benefitted by this popular diet trend. But what is so great about intermittent fasting that everyone swears by it? Is it just a fleeting fad or is it here to stay? Let’s dig deeper.
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What is intermittent fasting?
To quote Dr. Jason Fung, a Canadian nephrologist and a world leading expert on intermittent fasting, “This is the ancient secret. This is the cycle of life. Fasting follows feasting. Feasting follows fasting. Diets must be intermittent, not steady. ” (Eat Move Hack, 2020) Hence, intermittent fasting is rated all over the world as the best fasting diet for weight loss. But more than a fasting diet, it is actually an eating pattern where the eating window is reduced according to your liking. Though the lines between intermittent fasting and traditional fasting seem blurred, conceptually the purpose and the means of achieving it are completely different for both. While traditional fasting means abstaining from all food and most liquids for days and weeks on end, intermittent fasting focuses more on reducing the meal time rather than advocating the kind of food to have or avoid.
For me, Intermittent fasting has been the key to changing my relationship with food. It’s put me in control of when and what I eat. But first you should know more about what intermittent fasting is. Then implement a strategy that works for you.
How does intermittent fasting gain an edge over traditional fasting?
For losing weight fasting is definitely one of the effective means. Though traditional fasting has positive benefits, it is a bit difficult to get into a routine and stick to it. By abstaining food for a longer period of time, your metabolism slows down and you start feeling tired, dizzy, and cold. So it is not at all recommended for the faint hearted. While in intermittent fasting, you are not denying yourself any food but you are restricting the eating window to 8-10 hours. During that eight hour period, you can eat to your heart’s content. As you are not depriving yourself, your metabolism would be high enough to burn body fat during your 16 hour fasting period. With no restrictions imposed on the kind of food or the number of meals to be had, it becomes pretty much easy for you to fall into a routine.
What is the most effective way to do intermittent fasting?
There are actually three different common ways of practicing intermittent fasting to lose weight– alternate-day fasting, periodic/whole-day fasting and time-restricted feeding. In alternate-day fasting approach, you eat whatever you want on one day and fast on the next day. This is also referred to as eat-stop-eat diet. While in periodic/whole-day fasting approach, you fast for more than 24 hours. It is also known as 5:2 diet or The Fast Diet where you eat for five days a week and fast for two days. In both these types of intermittent fasting, you can go for a low-calorie diet or completely avoid calories on fasting days. However, the most popular and the most effective intermittent fasting plan is the time-restricted feeding where the focus is not on what you eat but on when you eat. It is also known as 16:8 diet where you eat for 8 hours and fast for 16 hours. For the eight hour window period, you are free to choose the time frame that best fits your schedule; it could be from 10 AM to 6 PM or 12 PM to 8 PM. Most people prefer to eat between 12 PM to 8 PM because in this time frame even if you skip breakfast, you still can have a balanced diet at lunch and dinner. Actually there are no such dietary restrictions; during the eating period you can eat whatever you want and whenever you feel like. And as you would be fasting overnight, sticking to the intermittent fasting diet plan would be pretty much easy. Well when it comes to intermittent fasting for beginners it is always advised to follow 12:12 eating plan.
Does the intermittent fasting diet plan actually come with no strings attached?
The intermittent fasting rules are simple and straightforward. That is to say, of the different types of fasting, pick the one that best suits you. Whether it is 16:8 diet, eat-stop-eat diet or 5:2 diet, adhere to the specific time schedules for eating and fasting. As intermittent fasting emphasizes on following a specific eating pattern and is not at all a dietary plan, it does not put any restrictions in terms of what you should and shouldn’t be eating. Even though it is less restrictive and more flexible, if your sole purpose is to lose weight then there are recommendations on what to eat on intermittent fasting for weight loss. Sticking to a low carb diet is what health experts suggest as the best means to ensure a faster weight loss. In a low carb diet the intake of refined carbohydrates with a low fiber amount foods are limited and replaced with high fat, high proteins and low carbohydrates foods. Avoid sugar, white bread, cakes, cookies, calorie rich beverages, white pasta, flavored yogurt, bagels, candy, and chips to name a few. Instead include nuts, beans, lots of fruits and vegetables, high protein foods such as meat, fish, tofu, full fat products like real butter, sour cream, Greek/Turkish yogurt, cheese in your diet and drink lots of water. This will keep your body in fat burning mode even while you are eating food. “The benefits of exercise are in the recovery phase, after you stop exercising. It’s the same with eating. When you don’t eat between meals, your body switches to fat burning and it’s eating your fat – that’s the meal we want your body to focus on,” says Dr. Eric Berg, a chiropractor and health educator, who is a world renowned expert in Keto and intermittent fasting .
Another important advantage is that by avoiding sugar and carbohydrates from your diet, you can get rid of unpleasant side effects of fasting such as headaches and dizziness.
Are Keto and Intermittent Fasting one and the same?
Technically, both Keto and Intermittent Fasting achieve the same results that is to say weight loss, improved metabolism and other health benefits. However, the approach is entirely different. While intermittent fasting emphasizes on fasting along with feasting, Keto short for Ketogenic diet focuses on a low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet to achieve weight loss. Such a diet results in a metabolic state called Ketosis where there is not enough carbohydrates in the body to burn for energy. Hence the body starts burning fat. According to Dr. Eric Berg, “In order to get into fat burning, there must be NO extra sugar or very limited sugar present in the blood. In the presence of sugar or refined carbohydrates your body CANNOT and WILL NOT burn fat.” Some people practice intermittent fasting using Keto diet. Though it helps reach Ketosis faster, it can result in greater fat loss. Hence Keto intermittent fasting meal plan is not be suitable for all.
Can a vegan practice intermittent fasting?
To all the vegetarians out there, vegan intermittent fasting is definitely possible. Unlike the popular belief, vegans do get all the required nutrients from plant based foods. It’s just that when practicing intermittent fasting vegan meal plan must include fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, soy products, and plenty of water.
Can everyone practice intermittent fasting?
Compared to other diets, intermittent fasting comes with fewer risks. However, you should not practice intermittent fasting:
- If you have high calorie needs
- If you suffer from eating disorder such as bulimia, binge eating disorder
- If you are less than 18 years of age
- If you are taking medications
- If you have low blood pressure
- If you have problems with blood sugar regulation
- If you are underweight, pregnant or breastfeeding
- If you are diagnosed with chronic conditions, such as diabetes or cancer
- If you are training for a competitive sport
Are there any side effects to intermittent fasting?
Generally, intermittent fasting does not come with many side effects and you can easily fall into the routine. But if you are starting intermittent fasting for the first time, your body may take time to adjust to the new eating pattern. And if you are used to five to six meals a day, then you may feel discomfort for the first few days. The side effects include hunger pangs, cravings, irritability, bloating, and constipation to name a few. If your body is under physical and emotional distress, you will definitely get warning signals. However, it differs from person to person. So listen to your body’s signals and if side effects persist then it is always better to stop fasting and consult your dietitian immediately.
Is weight loss the ultimate purpose of intermittent fasting?
Though most people practice intermittent fasting for weight loss, it is not the only benefit. Besides weight loss, there are many good reasons to give intermittent fasting a try. Dr. Eric Berg has beautifully summarized it with the title of his booklet that read “It’s not lose weight to get healthy, it’s get healthy to lose weight.” The foremost benefit of intermittent fasting is therefore overall health and wellbeing. Thus, the intermittent fasting benefits include:
- Lower Blood Sugar
Including too much sugar, sweets, refined flour, soda, and so on can lead to increased blood sugar level. Insulin helps to regulate blood sugar level in the body. But too much sugar in the bloodstream can result in insulin resistance, which in course of time leads to Diabetes. Intermittent fasting and staying away from sugar, calorie rich beverages, sweets and refined flour is found to reverse insulin resistance. Thus intermittent fasting is found to reduce the risk of diabetes. - Lower Blood Pressure
Elevated blood pressure has become quite common these days. When dealing with life’s problems, you often fail to notice the amount of stress that you make your body go through by eating carelessly and how is it affecting you until it takes a heavy toll on your health. Intermittent fasting helps to reduce your blood pressure as you start watching what you eat and you start burning excess body fat. Thus, instead of depriving yourself of the foods you love, you start eating healthy, which helps to reduce risks of heart disease and stroke. - Burn Belly Fat
The sedentary lifestyle has led to accumulation of fat around the abdomen. Known as visceral fat it is extremely harmful to the vital organs that are close to the abdominal cavity such as liver, pancreas and intestines. Excessive visceral fat lead to health complications. Fasting helps stimulate the fat cells to break down stored fats. The Intermittent fasting before and after results would truly amaze you. According to Dr. Jason Fung, “Dangerous visceral fat loss is almost twice as good with intermittent fasting as opposed to Calorie Reduction. In fat mass percentage, there is almost six times the amount of fat loss using fasting.” (SuperFastDiet, 2017) - Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation actually helps the body to fight infections. But too much inflammation in the body can lead to various diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel syndrome to name a few. The increased inflammation is due to our habit of eating too much and too often. Through intermittent fasting, the body gets enough time to reduce oxidative stress in cells thereby lowering inflammation. - Regenerate Body on a Cellular Level
While practicing intermittent fasting, your body goes into repair mode. During that time, your body works towards cellular repair by removing and recycling damaged cells. As cells starts to regenerate, your body starts performing all the processes required to bring you back to shape. It seems to be a genetic trait left from the days when people made a living by hunting or gathering food. During the lean times, the body regenerated and made the body fit again to find food in order to survive. Though our body still retained the ability, as our lifestyle improved we forgot about the feast and famine diet and started feasting at all times. - Better Heart Health
Cardiovascular diseases are at an all-time high. Intermittent fasting is found to show significant changes in blood cholesterol levels – total and LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides. With fasting facilitating lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, you can keep your heart healthy. - Improved Brain Functions
Studies show that intermittent fasting can help increase mental sharpness, brain connectivity and new neuron growth. It is also found to improve motor coordination, overall cognition, learning and memory. It can reduce risks of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke.
There have been studies indicating the role of intermittent fasting in reversing the effects of illness, aging and symptoms of serious health conditions such as cancer. It is even found to slow down the progression of diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. So does it mean that intermittent fasting is the ultimate solution for all types of ailments? Absolutely not! But it cannot be ignored that intermittent fasting has several benefits making it not only the best fasting diet for weight loss but also the best diet plan to ensure better health on this journey called life.
If I could go back in time I would have started my weight loss journey with intermittent fasting as the frame work. My starting point would have been my morning routine. Check out my thoughts on breakfast and coffee. May help put you in get started.
Intermittent Fasting is a great way to manage your relationship with food. A key part to this endeavor is eating better. Home delivery programs like, Nutrition for Longevity, a farm-to-table meal delivery service is a great way to start.
Let’s live longer by eating better.
