Intermittent Fasting - Tips & Tricks
Have you ever heard of intermittent fasting? Ever wonder what intermittent fasting is? Intermittent fasting is currently one of the world’s most popular health and fitness trends for a good reason. It is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn’t specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them.
Sounds simple? Yes, it is as simple as it sounds.
But, fasting without a strategy or not fully understanding the process of it is a bad idea due to reach your goals. It could slow the process down even further if you’re not fully aware of what to do and what not to do.
Let’s learn how intermittent fasting works so you can have a much more enjoyable experience when you fast for the first time!
Benefits
Weight loss: Fasting works by switching from burning glucose into energy. Due to optimize this effect, the workout regularly is necessary. It’s a very effective way to lose weight and belly fat.
Decrease inflammation: Fasting stops any immune response from toxic food. It’s a way to detoxify the body, and because you aren’t ingesting any food, it allows your digestive system a rest. Intermittent fasting also can increase autophagy up to 5 times, which promotes a healthier immune system and increase brain function.
Decrease craving: When you are fasting, you eliminate the option to turn to food when you are emotionally hungry. You’ll learn to address the real problem instead of covering up with food. So, instead of feeding into cravings, you withhold from eating them.
Hormones affected by fasting: By reducing the overall demand for insulin, we reduce inflammation in the body and improve human growth hormone levels. Our body’s cells also change the expression of genes and initiate cellular repair processes.
Methods
There are several ways of doing intermittent fasting — all of which involve splitting the day or week into eating and fasting periods. These are the most popular methods:
The 16/8 method: This is the most popular and the simplest method. Eat within a period of up to 8 hours and fast 16 hours. For example, begin the fast around 8 PM and break it at noon the following day. Or you love your breakfast? So, you can start fasting after lunch, skipped your dinner, and enjoy your breakfast!
20/4 method: Eat within a 4-hour eating window followed by a 20-hour fast. For example, eat a big meal a day. Or begin your fast after dinner and break it after 20 hours.
The 5:2 diet: Consume only 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, but eat normally the other 5 days.
Eat-Stop-Eat method: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day. This method isn’t recommended to do for a beginner. If you want to try it, always check with your doctor first.
36-Hour method: Fasting for about 36 hours in a row. For example, fast after dinner on day one and break it on the morning of day three. This method isn’t recommended to do for a beginner. If you want to try it, always check with your doctor first.
By reducing your calorie intake, all of these methods should cause weight loss as long as you don’t compensate by eating much more during the eating periods.
Tips & Trick
Mistakes are proof you’re trying. I just want to make it clear that the fact that you’re taking action improving your health, transforming your body, and sticking with it is better than most. I’m also made mistakes with my journey into intermittent fasting and here are my suggestion for beginner
Personalized your fast - The Intermittent fasting diet isn’t a one size fits all diet. It has to be individualized as each person is unique. Which method is the best? what time is the best to start fasting? The only person that knows those questions is yourself. So, you have to be willing to be your science experiment fo yourself. I would suggest starting slowly. For example, start with a 12-hours fast and 12-hours eat window. And if it works well, do it longer.
Drink enough water - It is very important to stay hydrated while fasting. Staying hydrated can also help with hunger cravings. Sometimes, thirst and dehydration can be confused as hunger. So, opt for a beverage to help fight it and make sure to stay away from additives like cream and sugar.
Break your fast gently - Break your fast gently with something healthy and easy to digest. Usually, I break my fast by eating an apple or pear 30-60 minutes before my real lunch. It helps me to avoid overeating.
Stay busy - Staying busy will help keep you focused on your goals and keep your mind off your cravings. And pretty soon, your hunger will decrease.
Burn the calories - People said to optimize intermittent fasting, strength training is recommended. And it is… But, sometimes we aren’t motivated to do it. So, I suggest doing more N.E.A.T - Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. You don’t need to spare your time to do exercise but you need to be more active in your daily life. Walk more, clean your house or workspace, wash your car by yourself, etc.
Track your progress - Fat loss doesn’t mean weight loss. So, measure your body not only with a balance but also by metrics. I measure myself on a balance every morning each day and measure my body once a week. So far - 2 weeks - I lost 2 kg and my body metrics reduce up to 2 cm.
Get enough sleep - Sleep is an essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge, refresh, and alert when you wake up. If you don’t get enough sleep, your insulin level gets higher which causes a high blood sugar level that makes you lose weight even harder.
Be friendly with salt and good fats - Your body needs fats to function properly. Make sure you are getting the recommended daily allowance of healthy fats every day. Salt is along the same lines as the fat-fearing. When you are a glucose burner, your body requires a lot of water to use and store glycogen. If you want to feel better, I recommend using Himalayan pink salts and good quality sea salts.
Patient - You’re either going all day on fewer calories than usual or going longer than usual without any food at all. No matter what fasting you choose, the eating style requires a lot of discipline - especially when you feel hangry like me. Feelings of exhaustion and irritability you notice initially should go away after the first week or so. If they don’t, it’s possible the method of fasting you’ve chosen doesn’t quite suit your lifestyle and you may need to reconsider your approach
Who Should Be Careful Or Avoid It?
Intermittent fasting is certainly not for everyone. If you’re pregnant, underweight, or have a history of eating disorders, you should not fast without consulting with a health professional first. In these cases, it can be downright harmful. Also, for women during the menstruation period as I share my intimate experience with it in the next post.
Safety and Side Effects
Intermittent fasting has an outstanding safety profile. There is nothing dangerous about not eating for a while if you’re healthy and well-nourished overall. The most common side effect of intermittent fasting is hunger. People with certain medical conditions such as pregnant, have diabetes, underweight, eating disorders, etc should not fast without consulting with a doctor first.
Do you want to try intermittent fasting or even done it? Leave me a comment and tell me how it worked!
