Level Of Effort: Medium
Thereâs no calorie counting or special meals to buy. But youâll need to organize your schedule around regular meal times. Cruise suggests eating breakfast at 7 a.m., lunch at 1 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m., or eat dinner early enough so that you finish 3 hours before bed.
Youâll also have to plan ahead for two 100-calorie snacks, such as a small handful of nuts or a piece of string cheese.
Cooking and shopping: You can cook the recipes provided using readily available ingredients, or choose from a list of frozen and fast foods. A companion cookbook, The 3-Hour Diet Cookbook, offers more recipes that have appropriate portion sizes.
Packaged foods or meals: None required.
In-person meetings: No.
Time Restricted Eating: The Warrior Diet Vs Intermittent Fasting 16/8
January 4, 2019 by Martin
I want to try fasting but I have no idea how you can go all day without eating. Thats just insane!
This is a common point that I hear about my unique fasting strategy . Ill be the first to admit that the Warrior Diet style of intermittent fasting where you eat in the evening isnt for everyone. However, I do believe that some form of intermittent fasting is easy enough for everyone. I started off with the traditional Lean Gains approach to intermittent fasting before transitioning to the Warrior Diet.
What is intermittent fasting all about? Lets compare these two forms of time restricted eating to find the best intermittent fasting schedule
Have you thought about trying fasting to get in shape? Do you want to get jacked without having your entire life revolve around nutrition?
I got into the idea of intermittent fasting in the summer of 2012. I read the Warrior Diet and Eat Stop Eat . I then became hooked on the Lean Gains work done by Martin Berkhan. I thought that I was ready to start fasting. I ended up failing miserably because I couldnt figure out how to fast properly. I eventually was able to get decent results through fasting and proper lifting .
How To Fast Intermittently
There are a number of ways to actually perform intermittent fasting, but the easiest and most popular varieties involve taking advantage of your natural overnight fast by skipping breakfast and pushing the first meal of the day forward a number of hours.32 Once you have passed the 12 hour mark from dinner the night before, you are truly in a fasted state and you begin to rely on stored body fat for fuel.33
It is likely that the longer you stay in the fasted state, the deeper your fat adaptation will get. In fact, if you can maintain this intermittent fast for 20 to 24 hours you may achieve an even higher rate of lipolysis and fat oxidation .34
When you first start out with intermittent fasting, you may feel hungry and low energy. In this case I recommend starting out with baby steps, by just pushing breakfast out an hour or two at first, then slowly increasing the fasting interval. As time goes by and you become more fat adapted, it is easier to fast. This is identical to exercise in those who are sedentary: it is painful and extremely difficult at first, and then once you are adapted it gets easy and even enjoyable.35
Read Also: What You Can Eat During Intermittent Fasting
Why Is The 2 Meal Day Different
The 2 Meal Day is very similar to the 16:8 method, where you fast for 16 hours and eat in an 8 hour eating window. There is one small but very significant difference Rather than focusing on the clock and eating when the clock tells you to, you focus your attention on your body and perceived feelings of hunger.
For me, this is where the power of intermittent fasting lies, you begin to understand what hunger actually is something that occurs every 16-24 hours, not every four hours!
This slight change in focus makes a MASSIVE difference. It becomes a way of life rather than something you do in the short term to get you to your weight loss goals.
How Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss Is Done
Diet Days usually Monday and Thursday: you have breakfast and dinner, or lunch and a late dinner. For each day of the week you fast, you lose 1-1.5 lbs. per day, or 3 lbs. per week.
Non Diet Days: The remaining 5 days you can eat what you want. If you make a little effort to get rid of fast foods and sugary drinks, your weekly weight loss can double!
You might think that on the eat anything days you would gain weight. In fact, most people end up eating about 1800 calories just enough to maintain the weight. Knowing you can eat what you want on non-fasting days makes dieting on the 2 days a week much easier.
Color coded food menus for fasting and non fasting days are included which show portions, calories, preparation and selection of appropriate foods. A whole section offers various recipes appropriate for the diet days.
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Epidemiological Studies About The Effects Of Meal Frequency On Cholesterol Body Weight And Diabetes
Another large cohort study, the Malmo Diet and Cancer study, reported that eating more than six meals per day reduces the risk of obesity compared to less than three meals daily moreover, after adjustment for diet and lifestyle, frequent eaters had lower waist circumference . Regarding diabetes, a 16-year follow-up study showed an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in men who ate 12 times a day compared to those who ate three meals a day after adjustments for age, BMI, and other relevant factors . These data are in contrast to another study that found no correlation between increased meal frequency and type 2 diabetes risk in women after six years follow up . Despite the numerous studies examining risk factors, only one prospective cohort study investigated the relationship between meal frequency and coronary heart disease risk. Cahill et al. found that men eating 12 meals per day hadan RR for CHD of 1.10, men eating 45 meals per day hadan RR of 1.05, and men eating 6 times hadan RR 1.26, as compared to who ate three times a day after adjustment for total energy intake, diet composition, and other risk factors. In general, conflicting results are depending on the outcome investigated and the methodology used.
Types Of Intermittent Fasting
How to intermittent fast is important because you want to maintain proper nutrition in your overall diet and not put yourself at unnecessary risk. Weight loss is never a one-size-fits-all approach, says Taylor. Intermittent fasting may be sustainable for some people, while others find that this approach just isnt for them.
If you want to try intermittent fasting, youll first need to figure out how youre going to incorporate this style of eating into your life, especially when it comes to things like social events and staying active, she advises.
Ready to explore your options? Here, Taylor explains some of the most popular intermittent fasting methods.
1. Time-restricted eating
In this option, you have set fasting and eating windows. For example, you fast for 16 hours of the day and are able to eat for only eight hours of the day.
Since most people already fast while they sleep, this method is popular. Its convenient, as you extend the overnight fast by skipping breakfast and not eating until lunch. This form of fasting is a safer bet for many people who are interested in trying intermittent fasting for the first time, says Taylor.
Some of the most common ways are:
- The 16/8 method: Only eating between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- The 14/10 method: Only eating between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
This method of intermittent fasting can be repeated as often as youd like or even done once or twice a week whatever your personal preference is.
2. The twice-a-week method
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Fatigue And Nutrients Defficiency
If youre doing calorie restriction, depending on how drastically you reduced your calorie intake and how closely you watch the food and nutrients you eat, your body might experience several deficiencies.
Nutrients such as iron, vitamin B12, or folate, which are important for energy, could get reduced by the diet, leading to extrema fatigue and even anemia.
Other nutrients might be lowered by calorie restriction : proteins, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamins B, etc.
This could lead to increased muscle loss, weakened bones, muscle weakness, migraine, fatigue or muscle cramps.
What Happens When You Opt For Small Meals
Some people prefer the eating strategy that involves eating small meals throughout the day instead of fasting or indulging in the traditional three square meals. This method focuses on spacing your meals 2-3 hours apart. Several fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders have been using this strategy for years.
If you were to compare eating every 3 hours vs. intermittent fasting, the latter does not have to focus on the meal content, but with the first, both the size and content of each meal play an important role in the diet plan.
One of the advantages of following a small meal plan is that it never leaves you deprived and hungry as you fuel up every 2-3 hours.
With the intake of wholesome calories throughout the day, you can expect your energy levels to be steady and high. This plan, aimed at steady fat loss, helps maintain muscle. It is important to restrain oneself in this diet plan and not go overboard on any meals. Also, this method does not have any room for cheat meals.
Also Check: What To Expect When You Start Intermittent Fasting
Meal Day For Optimising Your Overall Health
The 2 Meal Day is proving to be a simple and effective strategy for avoiding major dietary changes while achieving strong effects not just for one disease risk factor, but for an array of factors that constitutes the foundation for metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and possibly even neurodegenerative diseases. Most importantly it is becoming a way of life for so many people.
The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting with 2 Meal Day:
Reduces Insulin Resistance, and Metabolic Syndrome Lowering Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease and Strokes
IF has been shown to combat the worldwide problem of Metabolic Syndrome defined as having a high amount of visceral fat, combined with insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides, and/ or high blood pressure.
Boost the Immune System
Fasting not only protects against immune system damage a major side effect of chemotherapy but also induces immune system regeneration, shifting stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal.
ALSO READ: The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Increase in Autophagy
Autophagy is a cellular maintenance process stimulated by fasting that is critical in disease resistance, longevity and general body and brain vitality.
Improves Metabolic Flexibility
Potential Slowing Down The Ageing Process
Weight Loss
Having said that IF has been shown to be incredibly effective at promoting fat loss and retaining lean muscle mass, which is the holy grail of weight loss.
What Kinds Of People Tend To Do The Best On A Two Meal A Day Fasting Plan Who Does It Not Tend To Work For
It doesnt work well for people that have a history of eating disorders or disordered eating, or anyone that finds it difficult to eat a decent amount of food in a smaller time period. It should also be avoided by anyone with any underlying health conditions, and by pregnant and breastfeeding women.
The Better Humans publication is a part of a network of personal development tools. For daily inspiration and insight, , and for your most important goals, find a personal coach.
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Getting Started With Intermittent Fasting: Next Steps
Intermittent fasting can potentially have some very positive benefits for somebody trying to lose weight or gain lean body mass.
Men and women will tend to have different results, just like each individual person will have different results. The ONLY way to find out is through a conversation with your doctor and self-experimentation.
There are multiple ways to do an Intermittent Fasting Plan:
- Fast and feast regularly: Fast for a certain number of hours, then consume all calories within a certain number of hours.
- Eat normally, then fast 1-2x a week: Consume your normal meals every day, then pick one or two days a week where you fast for 24 hours. Eat your last meal Sunday night, and then dont eat again until dinner the following day.
- Fast occasionally: probably the easiest method for the person who wants to do the least amount of work. Simply skip a meal whenever its convenient. On the road? Skip breakfast. Busy day at work? Skip lunch. Eat poorly all day Saturday? Make your first meal of the day dinner on Sunday.
After that, get started! Take photos, step on the scale, and track your progress for the next month.
See how your body responds.
See how your physique changes. See how your workouts change.
And then decide if its something you want to keep doing!
4 years later, I have no plans on going back to eating breakfast. Sorry General Mills and Dr. Kellogg!
If youre worried about all of this stuff, or arent sure when to eat and stop eating, try out our new app!
-Steve
Are There Any Risks
Intermittent fasting is not safe for some people, including people who are pregnant, children, people at risk for hypoglycemia or people with certain chronic diseases.
If youre at risk for an eating disorder, you shouldnt attempt any sort of fasting diet, advises Taylor. Intermittent fasting has also been known to increase the likelihood of binge eating in some people because of the restriction.
If youre interested in trying intermittent fasting, you should also be aware of some not-so-pretty side effects. It can be associated with irritability, low energy, persistent hunger, temperature sensitivity, and poor work and activity performance.
Ultimately, you should contact your healthcare provider and discuss these options. They know your health better than anyone else and can offer the right guidance on whether or not any of these intermittent fasting options are right for you.
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Intermittent Fasting The Benefits
All the benefits of intermittent fasting comes from the core mechanism autophagy. It is an inbuilt mechanism where our cell disassemble all the stored unnecessary component and recycle them to make new cellular part. In a simpler word, it is like decluttering your room and then making some DIY items with those clutter.
Intermittent fasting is like a natural detoxification which helps to recreate the hormonal balance. As a result we get a steady insulin response, increased release of human growth hormone, boost metabolism, reduce inflammation, improve brain health, prevent cancer etc. The list is really long.
All you need is to keep fast either for 16 hr everyday or for full 1-2 days in a week. Yes, you are allowed to take baby steps. So you can start with may be 12 hours and slowly reach to 16 hr. But remember intermittent fasting 16/8 is the key to ensure all its benefits.
Intermittent fasting gives you the thumb rule of keeping fasting period for 16 hr. This automatically narrow down your eating window into 8 hr. Therefore after finishing the good square meals, the chance of snacking junk gets minimised.
Can You Keep The Weight Off
It will be incredibly hard to keep the weight off with calorie restriction.
What happens when your body reaches your daily calorie intake, is that weight loss will plateau. And if youve reached your goal, thats fine, thats what you want.
Except even if you keep counting calories in order to keep the weight off, even if youre still following the diet, you will start regaining weight after some time.
The big scam about calorie-restrictive diets is that once you go back to eating normally, youll most certainly put some weight back. If not all the weight back. And then some.
Do you know the television show The Biggest Loser where contestants who are overweight attempt to lose the most weight in a given period, in order to win a big prize?
I never watched the show, being from Switzerland, I never even new the show before Jason Fung mentionned it in his lectures and articles on keto and fasting.
The show is all bout eat less, exercise more and contestants eat an average of 1000 1200 calories per day, which is really low.
In 2016, a study was conducted on 14 of the shows competitors willing to participate, to take a look at their metabolic adaptation and body composition 6 years after they competed in the show.
With the eat less, move more approach, the low-calorie diet, their metabolic rate plummeted during the show. Their body had to find ways to burn 800 fewer calories a day, so it adapted.
Leading to weight gain.
Its all about hormones.
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Fasting Puts Your Body In Starvation Mode
One common argument against intermittent fasting is that it puts your body into starvation mode, thus shutting down your metabolism and preventing you from burning fat.
While its true that long-term weight loss can reduce the number of calories you burn over time, this happens no matter what weight loss method you use .
Theres no evidence that intermittent fasting causes a greater reduction in calories burned than other weight loss strategies.
In fact, short-term fasts may increase your metabolic rate.
This is due to a drastic increase in blood levels of norepinephrine, which stimulates your metabolism and instructs your fat cells to break down body fat (
29 ).
One study showed that fasting every other day for 22 days did not lead to a reduction in metabolic rate but a 4% loss of fat mass, on average .
SUMMARY Short-term fasting does not put your body into starvation mode. Instead, your metabolism increases during fasts of up to 48 hours.
