Does Intermittent Fasting Help Burn Fat

Visceral Fat Or Intra Abdominal Fat

Many sources seem to equate belly fat as visceral fat at times. However, its important to keep in mind that visceral fat, or brown fat, in itself isnt visible. That being said, a protruding belly and a large waist can be signs of visceral fat as it pushes out your subcutaneous fat. Scientific literature shows a strong correlation between visceral fat and metabolic disease but, at the same time, visceral fat offers the benefit of serving as a quick source of energy. Too much fat all over the body may be the true culprit for metabolic disease.

Typical Fasting Weight Loss Plans

Fasting regimens vary, but the basic premise usually starts with a strict regimen allowing only water, juice and/or some kind of laxative concoction. Some plans allow a few solid foods, but are still called fasts because they provide so few calories.

Not all fasts are created equal. Some can be perfectly safe, such as medical fasts supervised by a physician. Religious and cultural fasts are typically undertaken as an act of devotion, last from 24-48 hours, and are not intended to promote weight loss.

Fasts lasting a day or two are unlikely to be dangerous for most healthy adults. But high-risk people, the elderly, anyone with a chronic disease, pregnant women, and children are advised against any type of fasting.

The real danger lies in staying on the fast for prolonged periods, anywhere from three days to a month.

What Is The Typical Skinny Fat Body Type

Put simply a skinny fat body type is one that lacks enough muscle tone or size while also having too much body fat especially in the lower body.

And around the waist and stomach especially.

A typical skinny fat body shape differs from what people would normally call bulky fat in that a bulky fat person has more size in the upper body which tends to balance out in an overall roundish or bulky shape.

But a skinny fat body shape is more triangular in shape often with with the lower body being wider than the upper body.

While wide hips are typically fine for a female, having too much body fat around the stomach, waist and hips and having very narrow shoulders and skinny arms with no muscle tone is not the fit and lean look a lot of females are looking for.

For men it is even worse to have a wider lower body and narrow shoulders.

Skinny arms lacking muscle size and definition and very thin wrists and forearms do not give that look strong look that most males are looking for.

Also a high body fat percentage also means little to no muscle tone or definition.

And while this may be fine with clothes on, taking off you shirt at the pool or beach is something a lot of skinny fat body shapes do not like to do.

Also Check: Is Intermittent Fasting The Best Way To Lose Weight

How Calories Are Stored

As I mentioned earlier, calories that are not used immediately are stored as either glycogen or fat.

Glycogen is an easily accessed storage container because it is essentially stored glucose, which is easy to burn. But the glycogen container is small. You only have about 2,000 calories of available energy stored as glycogen.

Fat, on the other hand, has a lot of energy. Just one pound of fat has about 3,500 calories worth of energy, but fat is hard to access.

How To Start Intermittent Fasting

There is more than one way to start intermittent fasting, which is great because everybody is different. The key is to experiment and listen to your body to see what works best for you.

Here are some of ways to get started:

• 16:8: You eat all of your daily calories within a shortened period and fast the rest of the time.
• One meal a day : Also known as eating once a day. You eat all of your daily calories in just one meal each day, and fast the rest of the day.
• 5:2: You eat normally five days a week. On the other two days, you fast by eating between 500 and 600 calories.
• Alternate Day Fasting: You alternate fasting on certain days of the week: a day of eating normally, followed by a day eating 25% of your typical daily calories. A study found that obese adults following an alternate day intermittent fasting schedule lost up to 13 pounds over 8 weeks.

If intermittent fasting causes fatigue or other negative side effects, try fasting just once or twice a week, and build up from there.

As with any diet or exercise plan, consult your healthcare provider or dietitian to determine whats best for you. If you struggle with healthy eating patterns or dieting behaviors, intermittent fasting may not be for youand thats totally okay. There are many different ways to live a healthy lifestyle. Intermittent fasting is just one style of eating that works for some people, and doesnt work for others.

Also Check: Which Is Better For Weight Loss Keto Or Intermittent Fasting

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Intermittent Fasting For Skinny Fat Body Types How To Do It

There are different types of intermittent fasting methods or protocols out there and each of them can and will work for anyone.

Whether you fast every day or on alternate days each work by the same two principles described above : i) achieving a caloric deficit and ii) facilitating body fat usage.

So you can use any method of fasting.

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Why You Dont Need A Detox Diet

It sounds logical that fasting could cleanse your body of harmful substances that could cause a host of ailments like obesity, fatigue, and headaches. But there is no scientific evidence that you need to fast to “cleanse” your body or remove toxins.

Your body – specifically, the kidneys, liver, lungs, colon, and skin — is perfectly capable of removing toxins itself.

Women And Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting can cause hormonal imbalance in women if its not done correctly . Women are extremely sensitive to signals of starvation, and if the body senses that it is being starved, it will ramp up production of the hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin.

So when women experience insatiable hunger after under-eating, they are actually experiencing the increased production of these hormones. Its the female bodys way of protecting a potential fetus even when a woman is not pregnant.

So women have to set cunningly about it. And if you do so, you can get all the benefits of fasting.

One study of healthy young women found that a 10-hour eating window had an anti-stress effect, lowering cortisol and increasing parasympathetic* activity .

*) The parasympathetic nervous system is the “brake” that causes the body to calm down, and which is active when we relax, sleep, eat and meditate.

So if you are a woman or trying fasting for the first time, you might benefit from modified or crescendo intermittent fasting.

This is a more gentle approach that helps the body more easily adapt to fasting. Not all women need crescendo fasting, but it will ensure success in most.

Also Check: Does Intermittent Fasting Actually Work

So If Im *not* Losing Weight With If Whats The Problem

There could be a few reasons. Here are 12 intermittent fasting mistakes that you might be making, and how to fix them.

1. Youre eating too much during your eating window.

As mentioned, in general, Weight loss essentially boils down to calories in versus calories out, reminds Martin. If you end up consuming the same number of calories during your eating windows as before you started intermittent fasting, then you wont lose weight.

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In other words, if you just pack all of the calories you’d normally eat into your eating window, you’re not really changing your diet at all.

How to fix it: Try a calorie-counting app. “Although I dont typically recommend calorie counting, it may help to track your caloric intake for a few days using a calorie-tracking app,” says Martin. “These apps will usually tell you the approximate daily calorie amount you need to be at in order to lose weight. Although these estimations are usually off, they can be used as a good starting point.” The app can also reveal meals or specific foods that have more calories than you’d expect, and you can adjust your diet accordingly.

2. You are not consuming enough calories on non-fasting days.

When you dont consume an adequate amount of calories on non-fasting days, your body may conserve the energy you consume, rather than burning it, says Smith.

3. Youre eating less-nutritious foods.

Who Should Avoid Intermittent Fasting

If you want to do intermittent fasting it requires that you pay attention to your body and make careful evaluation of your own situation and needs, and find the rhythm that suits you and fits into your training patterns.

Fasting is not for the stressed, sick, pregnant and breastfeeding. Nor is fasting for those who take blood sugar lowering medication or suffer from low blood sugar , and I also advise against fasting if you have a history of eating disorders.

#intermittentfasting #intermittent #fasting #weightloss #fatburn

Disclaimer:

All information in this blog is strictly for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The statements made in this blog have not been evaluated by The Danish Health Authority. The products linked to in this blog and any information published in this blog are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided by this blog is not a substitute for a face to-face consultation with your physician, and should not be construed as medical advice. The entire contents of this blog are based upon the opinions of Hanne Robinson. By reading and using this blog, you agree to only use this publication for personal informational use and not as a substitute for medical or other professional advice.

Recommended Reading: How To Maximize Fat Loss With Intermittent Fasting

Drink Black Coffee During The Fasting Period

It is said that drinking black coffee when you’re not allowed to eat or during your fasting window, may fasten fat burn and weight loss. However, we’re not sure of the scientific veracity of this claim it is believed that drinking the beverage makes up for the fasting slump and curbs appetite, making it easier for the dieter to prolong their fast.

Intermittent Fasting for weight loss: Drinking black coffee may fasten fat burn and weight loss.

How To Beat False Hunger

True hunger is generally experienced in the body and brain, not in the stomach. If you get light-headed or weak, or your workout suffers, youre probably fasting too much.

It may take some practice, but once you reconnect with the feeling of true hunger, you can follow your bodys lead and eat whenever the feeling strikes.

Whenever you get hungry, ask yourself:

• Am I thirsty? Drink water and cravings may subside.
• Have I had my fill of greens and fiber today? Go for a salad, veggies, or a green smoothie.
• Am I emotional or bored? Wait twenty minutes, go for a walk, or exercise.
• Did I drink alcohol recently? Your body is probably tricking you into thinking youre hungry because your insulin is out of whack.
• Have I eaten my fill of protein today? Grab some.
• Did I eat sugar, grains, fried food, or other carbage? Your insulin and blood sugar are unstable. You probably dont need more food. Wait it out.
• Have I exercised today? Try it and you might find youre not hungry anymore.
• Am I fasting too much? Go ahead and eat. Bonus if you make raw green veggies the first thing to hit your belly.

Also Check: How To Get The Best Results From Intermittent Fasting

Other Factors To Keep In Mind

In summation, the research team made it a point to mention that eating a large, carb-loaded meal before starting a fast may slow down the ketosis process considerably. Additionally, it’s important to consult with your doctor before starting a particularly long fast.

“If you carb load or eat a huge meal before you fast, you may not reach ketosis for days, even if you do exercise, so you should eat moderately before fasting,” Prof. Bailey explains. “We also don’t know the ideal frequency for fasting. There are definitely certain people who shouldn’t fast, such as those with Type 1 diabetes, and obviously, it’s detrimental to fast 24/7. But for most people, it’s perfectly safe and healthy to fast once or even twice a week for 24 or more hours.”

This study also did not identify which type of exercise, or length/intensity for that matter is ideal for promoting faster ketosis. That being said, researchers believe the more energy used during a pre-fast workout, the better.

“You can get a pretty good estimation of how many calories you’re burning in most exercises, and the more carbohydrates you burn off , the better you set the stage for starting ketosis early in your fast,” Deru concludes.

How Do Fasting Diets Work To Help Rev Weight Loss

The idea behind intermittent fasting is that it increases your metabolic rate, which helps you burn more calories. And by restricting the time periods during the day when you eat, you take in fewer calories each day.

Going into diet change, I knew there was only early evidence that fasting can lead to temporary weight loss, and that more research is needed especially on the potential long-term health effects of this diet. As it stands, experts warn that fasting may not be safe, or smart, for everyone. Fasting is not recommended for some groups, such as pregnant or lactating women, some people with diabetes, people dealing with eating disorders or issues such as low blood sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic. Thats why experts stress that its important to consult your healthcare team before trying any type of fast.

Despite the lack of comprehensive research on intermittent fasting, this eating style has helped me lose weight, regain my energy, and become more mindful about my eating choices.

Recommended Reading: Is Intermittent Fasting For Me

/10what Lifestyle Changes Did You Make

I have quit processed sugar in all forms – in tea /coffees, stopped desserts, marketed health drinks, canned juices, soft drinks.

Quit processed / frozen food like sausages, salamis, ready to eat food like burgers and pizzas & Instant Noodles. I do not have these for my cheat meals too.

Reduced portion of rice for lunch, started having chapati for dinner. Introduced a large plate of salad for lunch, increased my vegetable dishes and doubled the portion of protein.

Warm water with lemon and honey, in the morning helps me feel full and increases fluid intake while fasted. Freshly squeezed orange juice is filling, tasty and loaded with vitamins.

I Intermittent Fasting Is Excellent For Body Fat Burning

Intermittent fasting is very effective for fat burning and not just weight loss. Through intermittent fasting you can reduce your body fat.

And intermittent fasting achieves this body fat loss in two main ways.

1. Achieving a Caloric Deficit in an Easy and Simple Way

Achieving a caloric deficit consistently over weeks and months is the way just about all diet systems work when it comes to losing weight.

Whether Keto, Weight Watchers, Paleo, Mediterranean, Atkins or Intermittent fasting, the human body will lose weight and burn body fat when it receives less calories than it uses/burns over weeks and months.

Being able to achieve and keep a caloric deficit consistently over a long period of time is the way all diets and nutrition plans work.

Why intermittent fasting works so well is that it is simple.

You dont need to cut out or eliminate any foods such as removing carbs as under Keto or Atkins.

You dont have to go out and buy special health foods and replace everything in your fridge or pantry as with Paleo or Vegan diets.

With intermittent fasting you simply dont eat for the required amount of time and then go back to eating normally.

There are no forbidden foods or off limit foods.

Human psychology studies have shown that labelling certain foods off limits actually makes you want them more.

And over time its natural that denying yourself will lead to a binge at some stage.

As well all break in the end.

This eventually leads to quitting altogether.

Read Also: How Long Do You Go Without Eating For Intermittent Fasting

How To Get The Best Results From Intermittent Fasting

During the fasting period, water and zero-calorie beverages can be consumed, and during the eating period, one can have regular meals. However, one should consider avoiding high-calorie junk foods, deep-fried items, and sugary treats. It is best to eat a variety of foods from different food groups.

A few tips include:

• Eliminating sugary foods and refined grains.
• Eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, leafy greens, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
• Eating slowly and frequently during the eating period.
• Preparing meals in advance.