Thinking about healthy weight loss and without starving? Intermittent fasting is all the rage. In contrast to classic fasting, part fasting is allowed to be eaten and this is well received. It is more popular than ever. No wonder! Due to the rhythmic waiver, an effective and above all sustainable weight loss is possible. It is even good for your health. All important information, methods, and questions about intermittent fasting can be found here in the article. Let’s learn about how healthy weight loss through intermittent fasting is possible.
What is interval fasting?
Interval Fasting is a form of fasting in which weight can be reduced in an uncomplicated manner. Unlike conventional diets, it does not pay attention to the calories, but to the time.
In addition to the positive influence on obesity, experiments with animals also found some other and sometimes significantly positive effects on life expectancy. It also lowers the probability of diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.
It is a fairly new form of the diet, in which there are few human studies and long-term observations are missing. Intermittent fasting is no doubt a healthy weight loss program.
Why is interval fasting so effective in losing weight?
The basic principle of losing weight with interval fasting is quite simple. If the body is given no food for a long time, the metabolism shifts from the burning of glycogen (sugar burning) to fat metabolism. The changeover begins after 14 to 18 hours without food. However, a complete waiver is important for the changeover, since even small amounts of food, such as the milk in coffee, can slow down the metabolic change again. Nevertheless, you can drink water, black coffee, and tea (both without sugar). Another advantage over regular diets based on general calorie reduction is that the body does not lower its basal metabolic rate and you do not gain weight faster after the diet than before.
An overview of all interval fasting methods:
In contrast to conventional fasting or therapeutic fasting, intermittent fasting is not completely dispensed with, but only fasted part-time. The phases of normal eating and complete waiving alternate, depending on the method, in short, or long intervals. Regular eating is actually quite important for intermittent fasting. If the food is missing for too long, the body switches to hunger metabolism, which results in a slowdown in metabolism and a decrease in general calorie consumption. The result is reduced weight loss and muscle breakdown. The following methods are used for interval fasting:
• 16: 8 method
Fasting 16 hours, eating 8 hours – Intermittent fasting according to the 16 to 8 method is the most common type of intermittent fasting. The method can be adapted very well to different daily routines, since the meal times can be re-divided every day, as long as the 16-hour fast is reached. The next 8 hours are then eaten.
• 5: 2 method
Eat 5 days, fast 2 days – During the 5: 2 diet, you fast 2 days a week. As with alternating fasting, the calorie intake on fasting- free days should also not exceed 500 to 600 calories. The choice of fasting days is arbitrary. One should only make sure that these do not follow one after the other.
• 6: 1 method
Eat 6 days, fast 1 day – Fasting according to the 6 to 1 concept is normal eating 6 days a week and fasting on one day. The 6: 1 method is similar to the 5: 2 method. However, on calories, you should not consume any calories, but only liquid.
• Alternating fasting (1: 0 in 2 methods)
Eat a day, fast a day – With alternate fasting or alternate-day fasting (ADF), every second day is fasted. On fasting days, however, the body must not absorb more than 25% of the normal energy supply, which should correspond to approximately 500 to 600 calories.
• The dinner canceling
Evening Fasting – When canceling dinner, supper should be left out two to three days a week. Fasting in the evening creates a break of at least 14 hours. This is supposed to relieve the insulin level, promote weight loss, and also improve sleep quality.
The most important questions at a glance:
If you decide on a method of interval fasting, you should consider a few things and clarify any open questions for yourself. The most common questions about this fasting are:
1) Is interval fasting healthy?
In addition to the many positive experiences of people who report easier weight loss and better general health during interval fasting, studies have also shown that continued food withdrawal not only has a positive effect on weight but also on well-being.
For example, interval fasting promotes autophagy. Colloquially, one speaks of “detoxification”. This vital and complex process describes the breakdown and recycling of unusable components of our cells and is promoted by phases of not eating.
In addition, short periods of refraining from eating have a positive effect on blood pressure and cholesterol levels and thus contribute significantly to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases over a longer period.
Another important health benefit from intermittent fasting is the prevention of diseases in general. It lowers the likelihood of diabetes (type 2) because part-time fasting improves insulin sensitivity and also protects against fatty liver.
2) Who is interval fasting for?
In principle, interval fasting is suitable for everyone, since our body is even designed for a long time without food. This does not apply to children and adolescents, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. For them, a longer waiver is physically more difficult to compensate and the risk of a lack of nutrients increases. Diabetics should also discuss interval fasting with a doctor in advance and agree on a suitable method. Fasting lowers blood sugar, which is often good, and certain interval fasting methods also make it a good alternative to becoming conventional diabetes diets. But in combination with, for example, blood sugar lowering medication, life-threatening hypoglycemia may also occur. In the case of other pre-existing conditions, the project should also be discussed with a doctor in advance.
Intermittent fasting is also an effective way of a healthy weight loss for older people. It should be noted that there are no metabolic diseases such as diabetes or thyroid diseases. Gentle interval fasting methods, such as the 16 to 8 method or dinner canceling, are suitable for older people. Seniors should generally discuss their weight loss plans with a doctor in advance.
3) What can you drink during interval fasting?
During fasting, you should hydrate enough to keep your metabolism active. But grab unsweetened drinks. In addition to water and all types of teas, you can also drink coffee. Of course, everything without milk and sugar.
4) What can you eat during interval fasting?
You should not be eating anything during fasting. Even small amounts of sugar prevent the desired switch to fat metabolism.
During meal times you can eat and drink as usual and still benefit from the positive effects of interval fasting. However, you can significantly increase the effect by simply observing the basic rules of a healthy and balanced diet in everyday life without a diet.
5) How long should interval fasting be?
So far, there is no known negative effects of interval fasting. On the contrary! You can continue with the interval fasting even after reaching your ideal weight. But make sure you eat a well-balanced diet.
If you are not sure which method suits your everyday life, it is best to choose a method with sufficient flexibility. For example, the 16: 8 method can only be used on individual days. For example, you can skip a day on special occasions and start again the next day.
The most common mistakes in interval fasting:
a. Continue to eat unhealthily:
Those who do not change their diet and lifestyle will only achieve limited success. A calorie deficit is important when losing weight. Those who eat more during the fasting-free period than they consume in total will quickly have the calories saved in the fasting phase back on their hips.
Tip: If you find it difficult to change your diet, you should first approach the interval method that is right for you before you really get started. If you have found your fasting interval and are comfortable with it, you can gradually adjust your eating behavior without dieting to the basics of healthy eating.
b. Expectations too high:
Give yourself and your body enough time to get used to the change. Not everyone responds immediately to giving up food. A healthy diet and established fasting routines will do the rest.
Tip: Do not put yourself under pressure and be happy that you are doing something good for your body. If you have too high and unrealistic expectations, it will be harder to motivate yourself in the long term and you will tend to give up more quickly.
c. Drinking too little:
Adequate fluids are important for any form of fasting. Humans need 2 liters of liquid per day so that important metabolic functions function optimally. In order to prevent performance lows and optimally support the metabolism, even 2 to 3 liters per day should be drunk during fasting. Drinking a lot also has another positive effect. It reduces the feeling of hunger and exhaustion.
Tip: Drink 2 to 3 liters of water a day to prevent feelings of exhaustion and hunger. Refine your water with delicious ingredients such as lemon, mint, ginger, or other delicious fruits.
d. Too many exceptions:
A common mistake is too many exceptions during fasting. Even small exceptions can stop fat metabolism. A high-calorie drink can also be enough to interrupt a fasting phase.
Tip: Approach the fasting period slowly to get used to it. Get used to interval fasting step by step and stop eating an hour earlier each day.
e. The wrong fasting method:
The different intermittent fasting methods offer different ways to incorporate intermittent fasting into your everyday life. If you choose the wrong method, it creates stress, and the motivation drops.
Tip: Try a different method for a week and then decide which method suits you if you are not sure
f. Too much stress:
Stress not only lowers motivation, but it also promotes the formation of cortisol in the body, which slows down fat metabolism. You also make many decisions about losing weight much more rationally if you balance yourself.
Tip: Make sure you get enough sleep. Due to lack of sleep, you react more emotionally and it is more difficult to do without during the fasting phase.
g. Give up after defeats:
The nice thing about interval fasting is that you can start again at the next interval. If, for example, you cannot complete your 16-hour fasting phase for one day with the 16: 8 method, you can simply start again the next day at the next interval.
Tip: Reward yourself regularly, for example, if you have stayed the first week or the first month. Go shopping or do something good for yourself. You have earned it!
Conclusion – Losing weight through rhythm
Any adult with good health and without previous illnesses can practice intermittent fasting. Although interval fasting is not a pure diet, it is a great way to strongly support losing weight. The different methods also offer different options for integrating interval fasting into your everyday life so that everyone should find one that suits them. Anyone who also pays attention to a balanced diet during mealtimes supports weight loss through intermittent fasting enormously. At the same time reduces the risk of diseases.
Weight loss through intermittent fasting is one of the best ways but there are other ways to lose weight effectively. Learn about other different ways of losing weight here.
Happy Weight Loss!
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