Top 5 benefits of intermittent fasting

Have you heard of intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is one of the most trending food habits prevailing in between fitness freaks, but let me tell you its nothing new & has existed for as long as people have been around.

But still many of you ask what is intermittent fasting & how should we do it?

Intermittent fasting has numerous health effects if done correctly. Most of the people assume that it is just skipping meals, and have negative consequences, but in reality, it is strategically timing your meals and most liquids. The key is to consume calories at a specific time window and not after that.

In this post, you’ll learn…

o    What intermittent fasting is and why everyone is doing it

o    List of things you can have while you are fasting

o    Top health benefits of intermittent fasting

 

WHAT DOES INTERMITTENT FASTING MEAN?

Fasting is taking a break from eating. Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, means you cycle between phases of fasting and non-fasting. You can fast for 24 hours, BUT intermittent fasting is done on a ratio-based scale.

 There are different variations when it comes to intermittent fasting. A first way is fasting is eating one meal a day in a 23:1 ratio. This means fasting for 23 hours and eating all of your calories for one hour a day.

The second way is the 5:2 method. This means eating regularly for 5 days and then fasting or limiting up to 500 calories for 2 days.

Third and the most popular is 16:8 ratio, that means you fast for 16 hours a day and eat all of your calories within an 8-hour window. This is the most prominent way people choose because it is the easiest and one of the most effective. also, every day is the same, so it is easy to follow.

The main benefit of this ratio is that it is easier to follow because you fast overnight while sleeping.

 

WHAT CAN I HAVE WHILE FASTING? 

Here are a few things you can consume:

o    Water: Water has naturally had zero calories, so you can drink as much water throughout your fasting period.

o    Tea: green tea or black tea without sugar has calories but it is so small that it will not take your body out of it’s the fasting phase

o    Coffee: coffee is low in calories you can go ahead and drink it. But do not add cream or sweeteners to it.

 

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING?

 

o    Weight Loss: it helps you eat fewer calories and boost your metabolism, hence promoting weight loss.

o    Brain Health: it helps protect your brain, aging, assist in the growth of nerve cells, and help lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

o    Reduces Cholesterol: it helps you lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) & keep your heart healthy.

o    Anti-Inflammatory: When you periodically fast your body is better able to fight against oxidative stress, therefore reducing inflammation.

o    Insulin Resistance: it helps to lower blood sugar levels. This reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

HOW DOES INTERMITTENT FASTING HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT?

 

The main purpose behind intermittent fasting is to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

When you add fasting to your routine, you naturally consume fewer calories because you are having fewer meals. This helps you lose weight.

Besides consuming fewer calories, intermittent fasting boosts your metabolism, so you burn more fat while you are fasting. This means you consume few calories while simultaneously burning more.

While you are fasting, your body runs on the fat stored, also preserving muscle mass in comparison to traditional calorie restriction. When you fast for a short period of time regularly, your body maintains more muscle than when you only cut calories.

 

IS INTERMITTENT FASTING RIGHT FOR YOU?

 

There are many health benefits of intermittent fasting, and it helps you lose weight, but should you be doing it?

Fasting is very natural and helps in fat loss. If you are healthy and want to lose weight, this is a great option, and it has long-lasting health benefits.

start including intermittent fasting into your diet and do it in the most efficient way, let one of our experienced nutritionists make you a Custom Meal Plan, where you’ll burn more fat and gain all the benefits of intermittent fasting.