Losing Weight Vs Losing Fat: Whats The Difference
When you watch the numbers on your scale drop, it can be exciting. But the scale doesnt reflect if youve lost fat or weight in general. You may think the goal of your health journey is to lose weight, when what you really want is to shed body fat. The reason is simple: When you lose weight, you can lose a combination of muscle, fluids, fat, and even organ size.
If you want to increase your health and add muscle so your body feels and looks toned, losing muscle and fluids likely isnt your goal. Instead, youll want to focus on fat loss, so any more than two pounds a week could undermine your goals.
According to research and Doctor Joel Seedman , when you shed upwards of five pounds per week, youll lose water weight and muscle along with your fat. Muscle and water loss can be dangerous, since it puts you at risk for dehydration, nutrient deficiencies, poorer fitness and mental performance, and puts you at risk for regaining the weight. To combat this, incorporate strength training into your workout routine. Cardio can promote fat burning, but you need resistance training to maintain your muscle mass. Also, the more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Basic strength training exercises, such as squats, lunges, and push-ups, can add muscle and improve your body fat composition.
My Conclusion: What Is The Best Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss Plan
Overall, I would say that intermittent fasting is a natural concept to practice if you are following the guidelines correctly. However, this popular diet plan may or may not be suitable for everyone.
Basically, you need a daily stable and sufficient calories level in your body in order to see good progress with this diet plan.
IF diet plan could be a lifestyle change as it does offers a wide range of health benefits such as a leaner body, sharper mind and memory, and possibly longer lifespan . It can be beneficial for your health or weight loss success.
Importantly too, when eating your food during the IF feasting window, all the food and beverage riches in nutrients must be taken with your meal to ensure to reap the maximum health benefits. Eating here should be effortless and easy for you, not like a craving state to eat like crazy.
Please speak with your healthcare expert again if you are experiencing dizziness, headaches, dehydration, nausea, feeling tired and other symptoms after intermittent fasting.
Leave me a comment below if you have and I will speed back within 24 hours.
To Your Healthy Home Workout Success!
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How One Woman Used Intermittent Fasting To Lose 65 Pounds In Six Months
At 337 lbs, health and beauty influencer Janielle Wright was afraid she would die. Her body was in pain and she had trouble breathing at night.
I was going to sleep worried that I wouldnt wake up the next morning, Wright told NBC News BETTER.
She was also afraid that she wouldnt live to see her 3-year-old daughter, Novah, grow up. That was when Wright, 28, realized something had to change.
This is no way to live thinking youre going to die because youre overweight and youre unhealthy, she says.
Intermittent fasting is a time-restricted eating method where you only allow yourself to eat within a certain window of time.
In January, Wright began her weight-loss journey through intermittent fasting. Its a time-restricted eating method where you only allow yourself to eat within a certain window of time. Wright says the method helped her lose 65 pounds so far.
I just prayed and asked that could see me through this journey, and could be consistent and be patient, because I feel that patience is key when it comes to weight loss, recalls Wright.
Read Also: Should Intermittent Fasting Be Done Daily
So What Is Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting.Most of us already fast every day, while we are sleeping. Intermittent Fasting can be as simple as extending that fast for a few hours longer.However, if youre thinking about fasting as a long-term lifestyle change, you can choose from a number of Intermittent Fasting methods that are easy to implement into your daily routine.
Heres one example: Skip your breakfast and have your first meal at noon. Then have your last meal at 8 p.m. Thats it! Youll have fasted about 16 hours in a day, which would be the 16/8 method eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16 hours.Thats one of the most popular methods of fasting. Generally speaking, women should fast for about 13 to 14 hours a day. Men should fast up to 16 hours a day.One of the most important aspects of Intermittent Fasting is timing. In order to adjust the release of hormones in your body, its better to fast around the same time each day. This way, you will be able to ease your body into this new eating pattern and, of course, stick to the plan for the long term.
What Is The Best Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss Plan
Familiar with intermittent fasting terms in the health and dieting industry?
To those who are still not certain, intermittent fasting is a dieting strategy telling when you should eat, and not about what you should eat. There is a specific time and diet schedule to follow when going into this IF program.
As a beginner, you must be wondering about this health trend such as what are the health benefits, what is the best intermittent fasting weight loss plan, and what can you eat during or after intermittent fasting?
This is why we will get more insights here.
Don’t Miss: Is Fasting Bad For You
Why Intermittent Fasting Is The Best Way For Your Weight Loss
Written and Medically Reviewed by Dr Babar Shahzad, BSc and MBBS on January 30, 2020.
So heres the deal most diets achieve weight loss through the same equation a reduction in total daily calories consumed in relation to the calories needed to maintain your weight. The most important question is whats the best way to reduce your daily calorie intake without forcing yourself.If you dont feel good when youre on a diet, you simply cannot achieve long-lasting results.
If youre reading this article, it might be, that you already tried tons of different diets and its great if the result satisfied you, but if youre still looking for ways to lose weight, you might want to hear about intermittent fasting.
Another thing you want to keep in mind losing weight is just the aftermath of a healthy lifestyle. If you are overweight or obese, you might want to think about your health as much as you think about that dress you want to fit in by the New Year.
Even if you dont lose weight in the first few weeks of your diet, always keep in mind, that a healthy lifestyle is good for your body and your soul even without the dropped pounds. Here are some of the questions we received from our customers, we think youll want to take a look at the answers too.
What I Ate And How I Exercised While Doing Intermittent Fasting
Limiting my eating to an eight-hour period of the day seemed reasonable. If I exercised in the morning, my first meal would be an early but large lunch at around 11:30 a.m. By 3 p.m., if I was hungry, I could have a snack. At 7 p.m., I would eat a reasonable-size dinner. No snacking after that.
My first thought was that there was no way I would be able to skip breakfast and still work out. My mind was telling me that I would be hungry. The first few days that I tried it, as I would warm up for my workout, I would have visions of chicken with broccoli from a nearby Chinese restaurant in my head. But once I got into my workout, a funny thing would happen. I would completely forget about being hungry. My body would stabilize and water would be enough to keep me moving.
But by the time I got home from the gym, I was starving. Early on, I decided that was going to be my biggest meal of the day. Sometimes it was a lean shoulder steak with a sweet potato. Other times, I would eat an entire chicken along with two cups of broccoli, and the sweetest bottle of Gatorade I ever had. Or occasionally, I would make a taco bowl out of seasoned ground turkey, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes, or a stir-fry with beef and a variety of peppers. It turned out that my calorie intake and lunch would be anywhere from 800 to 1,000 calories, though this part was not an exact science.
RELATED: 10 Essential Facts About Metabolism and Weight Loss
You May Like: Which Is Better Keto Or Intermittent Fasting
Choose Your Best Protocol
Krystal began her intermittent fasting journey about a year ago, and she experimented with various protocols until she found the right protocol.
I alternate what kind of fasting I do. Sometimes I stick with a traditional 16:8 fasting period, other times I will do a longer time frame, she says. My longest fast was five days.
Though five days might seem a bit overwhelming to a beginner, Krystal urges readers to find whats best for them. For her journey, Krystal admits, I read a lot about the health benefits of fasting, plus with following a ketogenic diet fasting came naturally as my hunger levels decreased.
How Long Does Intermittent Fasting Take To Work
How long does intermittent fasting take to work?
Its a very common question asked by weight loss enthusiasts.
In my opinion, intermittent fasting is hands down the best method of weight loss. Its efficacy when it comes to specifically targeting body fat and burning it for energy is unparalleled.
And if you just started intermittent fasting or youre looking into intermittent fasting because you see all these amazing results that people are posting.
You might be wondering, how long does intermittent fasting take to work?
And I can really only speak for myself and the results of my students. And theyre all pretty good.
Personally, it took me 8 weeks to completely transform my body. In the grand scheme of things, thats not a long period of time. And Ive been able to maintain my results ever since.
So I traded 8 weeks during my initial weight loss transformation, and Ive been able to maintain it for 8 years and counting. Pretty good deal if you ask me.
You can also see the results of all my students here.
I always like to say that its not about the weight you lose, but about the life you gain.
So how long does intermittent fasting take to work? Im going to go over that in further detail in this video.
Here’s What You’ll Learn:
Read Also: Does Fasting Help You Lose Weight Quickly
What Is Intermittent Fasting
Many diets focus on what to eat, but intermittent fasting is all about when you eat.
With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a specific time. Fasting for a certain number of hours each day or eating just one meal a couple days a week, can help your body burn fat. And scientific evidence points to some health benefits, as well.
Johns Hopkins neuroscientist , has studied intermittent fasting for 25 years. He says that our bodies have evolved to be able to go without food for many hours, or even several days or longer. In prehistoric times, before humans learned to farm, they were hunters and gatherers who evolved to survive and thrive for long periods without eating. They had to: It took a lot of time and energy to hunt game and gather nuts and berries.
Even 50 years ago, it was easier to maintain a healthy weight. Johns Hopkins dietitian Christie Williams, M.S., R.D.N., explains: There were no computers, and TV shows turned off at 11 p.m. people stopped eating because they went to bed. Portions were much smaller. More people worked and played outside and, in general, got more exercise.
Nowadays, TV, the internet and other entertainment are available 24/7. We stay awake for longer hours to catch our favorite shows, play games and chat online. Were sitting and snacking all day and most of the night.
Reason : How Do You Measure Success
The scale shouldnt be the be all end all indication of your weight loss.
Try taking photos and measurements before you start intermittent fasting so you have something visual to compare to.
Better yet, find a pair of pants that can be your truth-telling pants.
To me, finally being able to zip up that favorite pair of jeans is more satisfying than any number on a scale.
Recommended Reading: What Can I Eat During 16 8 Fasting
Reason : Not Drinking Enough Water
I cannot stress enough how important it is to drink LOTS of water when youre fasting.
When your body is in a fasting state, its working hard to burn fat and detox the body.
The fasting state is when autophagy happens. Autophagy is the cellular self-cleaning process that breaks down and recycles damaged cells.
Think of it as your bodys way of cleaning house. So you need to make sure youre drinking even more water than you usually do.
If youre working out, you need more water. If you live in a hot climate, you need more water. Do I sound like a broken record yet?
So drink more water than you think you need while intermittent fasting.
As a minimum guideline, try to drink about 2/3 of your body weight in ounces each day.
So a 200-pound person would drink about 133 ounces a day .
If youre not up for the math, heres a handy water intake calculator you can use to get a ballpark idea of how much water you should be drinking.
For some yummy ideas for infused waters, check out my favorite detox water recipes.
Do whatever you have to do, but drink enough water.
Will Intermittent Fasting Help You Getting Into Ketosis
What is ketosis?
Ketosis is defined as when your body uses ketones as an alternative energy source that produces from fatty acids instead of glucose. This is a metabolic shift where the blood is high in these ketones as a result of fasting, starvation or a diet which is low in carbs.
Intermittent fasting for longer hours can help to reach the state of ketosis. This is when the glycogen reserve in your body becomes lower than normal. At this stage, the fat cells will take charge by releasing fatty acids into the blood and then into the liver that will convert the fats into energy.
Incorporating a keto diet into your fasting pattern will help to achieve a ketosis state faster.
In general, a keto diet consists of low-carb food not more than 50 grams of carbs a day. This actually pushes the body to burn more fat and reach a ketosis state faster.
Note: Please get advice from your dietician or nutritionist before attempting any fasting period of longer than 24 hours. Not everyone is capable to handle this state of fasting especially newbies.
Read Also: How Much Is Do Fasting App
Reason : Bump Up The Exercise
Exercising during your fasting period can help your body burn even more fat.
When you work out in a fasted state, your body is forced to pull even more energy from your fat stores.
If possible, add your workout at the end of your fasting period, right before you can eat your first meal.
Adding exercise to the end of your fasting window can help you bump up your fat and calorie burn.
Intermittent Fasting: Is It Right For You
U-M dietitian Sue Ryskamp weighs in on intermittent fasting benefits, who it works best for and how to get started
Weight loss can be difficult, but could intermittent fasting help? This eating pattern, which features cycles of fasting and eating, is making headlines as research confirms its not only what you eat, but when you eat, that matters in the struggle to lose weight.
During intermittent fasting, individuals use specific periods of eating typically within an eight-to-10 hour window to lose weight, says Michigan Medicine dietitian Sue Ryskamp, who sees patients at U-Ms Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
The premise behind intermittent fasting is relatively simple, she says: When our insulin levels go down far enough and for long enough, as they do during a fasting period, were able burn off fat.
Insulin levels drop when a person is not consuming food. During a period of fasting, decreasing insulin levels cause cells to release stored glucose as energy. Repeating this process regularly, as with intermittent fasting, leads to weight loss. In addition, this type of fasting often results in the consumption of fewer calories overall, which contributes to weight loss, Ryskamp says.
A Harvard research study also reveals how intermittent fasting may slow the aging process through weight loss, lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol.
Read Also: Is Fasting Good For Weight Loss
I Was Gaining Weight With Intermittent Fasting Until I Started Doing These 4 Things
The main reason I tried intermittent fasting was for weight loss. About eight months after I started CrossFit, I was gaining weight , and intermittent fasting helped me get leaner. Intermittent fasting is a way of eating that involves periods of eating and fasting. There are several ways to do intermittent fasting a common method is 16:8, where you eat during an eight-hour window and fast for the other 16 hours a day. Other people play with the feeding window, including eating in a 10- or six-hour window instead.
Although I started IF to lose weight, I had some struggles in the beginning. So if you’re wondering why you’re not losing weight with intermittent fasting, learn from my mistakes. Here’s what to avoid if you’re doing IF for weight loss.
