Intermittent fasting—IF—is a term used to describe an eating pattern. Food consumption occurs within a specific time window. Some intermittent fasting eliminates food for a day or two and returns to normal for the rest of the week. Others limit food intake to specific hours each day, fasting the rest of the time. One of the most popular types limits food intake to an 8-hour window each day, fasting the other 16 hours. All types of IF can improve weight loss if you eat healthy meals the rest of the time.
Eating is one way to lose weight.
When your diet is healthy, you’re more likely to lose weight. However, you can increase the benefits by limiting your food intake to certain hours or by alternating the days you eat regular meals and fasting the other days. Why does that work? There are several theories. One that’s proven is that you don’t eat as much, even on the IF, where you only eat within a time window. It’s especially true for people who snack at night or start the day with a big breakfast and eat large meals throughout the day.
Studies on IF aren’t new.
Early studies on rats began long before obesity was an epidemic. They showed that fasting and calorie-restricted diets kept rats younger looking longer and extended their lives by 83%. They had darker fur and fewer signs of aging. Newer studies have come to similar conclusions and even found fasting was beneficial for weight loss. Studies have shown it can help obese people improve health indicators. It helped reduce visceral fat and prevent oxidative stress. It improved metabolic disorders and increased insulin sensitivity.
It all depends on what you eat when you do eat.
If you only consume fries, burgers, and sweet treats when you eat, you probably won’t lose weight and definitely won’t be healthy. However, when you use IF, you don’t have to log in every calorie, but eat healthy meals and include more vegetables and fruit in your diet. People who use IF as an addition to healthy eating don’t feel as deprived as others on calorie-restricted diets.
- IF helps the body remove cellular waste more efficiently. It increases beneficial hormones like HGH—the human growth hormone. Additional HGH can increase muscle mass and decrease body fat.
- IF isn’t for everyone. If you’re taking blood pressure or heart medication, have an eating disorder, are diabetic, or are pregnant and nursing, always check with your healthcare professional first.
- If you choose IF, don’t forget to include a snack in your meal planning. A healthy snack mid-afternoon or mid-morning can help stave off hunger so you don’t overeat at your next meal.
- Recent studies show that people who use IF for 12 weeks or less can reduce body fat by 16% or more. Using it also can result in weight loss of up to 8%.
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