More About Intermittent Fasting
Ive been a dietitian now for a long time , and if theres one thing I know for sure, its that fad diets are best avoided. This is why Im so pleased that whole food diets are being talked about more and more.
Rather than a diet, I prefer to think of a whole food diet as a way of life. Eating this way is balanced, and it is a great way to support your all-around body health and longevity. Plus, its delicious andin my opinionnot limiting either, which is a massive bonus.
A well-balanced diet follows some fairly basic principles and, in essence, consists of plenty of the following:
- Fruit
How Healthy Is Intermittent Fasting
Doctors and scientists agree that it is very healthy. Intermittent fasting leads, among other things, and this has already been proven by many studies, to a reduction in fat , A reduction in cholesterol levels and a longer life expectancy. Because the body takes longer to digest, the tension in the intestine is greatly relieved, which can lead to significantly better digestion.
Intermittent Fasting Rule #: Focus On Getting Stronger With The Main Lifts If You Want Your Body To Grow/transform/change
Changing your body is much simpler than you could ever imagine.
Sure, those exercises that you see on Instagram look cool, but the injury risk is high and you wont always get the desired results. Jumping on a tire or swinging a hammer will get you a cool video clip. However, nothing will ever replace the compound lifts that have been around forever.
You dont have to stop doing these group classes or routines. Just try to do it at the end of a weight lifting session if you have any energy left.
If you want real results get better at the following: overhead press, deadlifts, push ups, squats, bench, and pull-ups.
Use an app or a pen to track your main lifts. I want you to get stronger. Try to get in more reps or more weight with every session. Any basic barbell training program is enough. I dont want you to jump on a bosu balls or to injure yourself.
I dont want you to go program chasing. Just because a fitness magazine calls a workout fat burning it doesnt make it so. Every workout technically burns calories.
Recommended Reading: What Is 14 10 Intermittent Fasting
Heres My Simplest Formula For Those Looking To Lose Weight With Intermittent Fasting
Focus on the main lifts while cutting out breakfast. Get stronger in the compound lifts. Keep it simple. Replace breakfast with coffee, water, sparkling water or a mix of all three. Youre not trying to compete on stage. Youre just looking to get more jacked without devoting your entire life to this stuff. Your body will change with weight training and fasting.
You wont even feel restricted. Youre going to have more energy than ever. You finally have a plan that you can stick to because were all good at doing nothing. Lets do this. Lets do more of nothing.
The goal is to add more play to your life. You dont want to live in the kitchen or feel like you have to spend hours on the treadmill. You dont have to feel guilty over not wanting to eat chicken and rice every single day.
Those are the rules for intermittent fasting to lose weight. You dont have to follow all of these rules religiously. This isnt a cult. These are just the guidelines that will help you get lean by doing nothing.
Is It Ok To Skip Breakfast
Yes, Varady said. The notion that omitting a morning meal is bad for your waistline likely began with studies sponsored by cereal companies, and most of that research looked at the effects of breakfast skipping on cognition in children, she noted: Im not sure how that all got translated to body weight.
Don’t Miss: Psa Blood Test Fasting Necessary
Whole Foods And The Brain
The brain is a really hungry organ, and it uses 25% of the total energy you consume from your food. Everything it needs to function at its best isyou guessed ita whole, unprocessed food.
In fact, the best diet recommended for brain health is the MIND Diet. In one study, it was shown that people who follow the MIND diet closely had a 53% reduced rate of developing Alzheimers.
Some of the best whole foods for the brain are:
- Oily fish
- Whole grains
Rules For Intermittent Fasting To Lose Weight
May 4, 2020 by Martin
If you want to lose weight, you just have to eat less. all annoying personal trainers on social media.
Why did we complicate everything about fitness? Fitness has become so lame on social media. This is why I love intermittent fasting and the casual fitness lifestyle.
Keep on reading for some quick wins if youre new to intermittent fasting and want to transform your body without living in the kitchen and wasting your life away in the gym
Self-proclaimed fitness experts are quick to lecture you on social media about how you need to work hard and eat less if you want to get abs. Were told that we have to eat less and prepare all of our own meals. Were supposed to be on a tight diet.
How do you eat less? Whats considered eating less? What are you supposed to eat? Can I still eat food that I enjoy? Am I okay if I order a medium pizza to myself instead of the usual Friday night large pizza?
Im sure youve pondered one of those thoughts before.
We all know that eating kale is good for you and that you should spend hours in the gym if you want to see results. The problem is that most traditional fitness rules like that are nearly impossible to apply in real life.
You likely already know what you should be doing to get that six pack. These activities are on your ridiculously long to-do list .
Don’t Miss: Can You Drink Alcohol While Intermittent Fasting
How To Properly Do Intermittent Fasting 20/4
When people choose intermittent fasting 20/4, many assume that it just involves cutting down your feeding window to only four hours a day. While this is essentially what a 20-hour fast means, many people are unaware that Ori Hofmekler, the diets developer, created an initial 3-week, 3-phase plan.
According to Ori, this plan and its phases are necessary as they give your body a chance to get used to the Warrior Diet, improving its ability to utilize fat for energy. The plan is as follows :
Processed Foods That Are Okay On A Whole Food Diet
Many brands of cereals are fortified with B vitamins, which can be hard to come by on a plant-based diet.
For example, vitamin B12 , is largely found in animal sources. It is something that those on a plant-based diet need to keep an eye on, as studies show that around 20% of us are deficient. And we also know that 65% of vegans and vegetarians dont take a B vitamin supplement.
So in that case, choosing a cereal fortified with B vitamins would be a good option, if done wisely. By that I mean use your discretion and check the labels, as many brands of cereals are packed with sugar and additives. But you can strategically choose minimally processed foods using a whole foods mentality.
As a rule of thumb, if there are any ingredients that you cant pronounce, dont understand, or sound artificial, they probably are best avoided.
Read Also: Drinking Alcohol While Intermittent Fasting
Thai Prawns With Pineapple & Green Beans
Filled to the brim with proteins, these Thai prawns with pineapple and green beans are a gastronomic masterpiece. They are quite easy to make and take not that much time
Ingredients for 2 servings:
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
Directions:
Nutritional value of 1 serving:
Calories: 228, carbs: 20g, fats: 7g, protein: 22g
Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
Besides helping in shedding weight, intermittent fasting has proved to carry many benefits and improve health in general.
Weight & Fat Loss
The first clinical study of medical fasting for the treatment of obesity was performed in 1915. The authors reported that short periods of four to six days of fasting is a safe and effective method for reducing body weight in obese humans.
Many people lose weight with intermittent fasting simply because they are cutting out on calorie intake. Skipping meals put your body in a fat-burning situation.
Normally, your body takes energy from the food you consume but when you are fasting and your body has zero calories, the body starts taking energy from the fat and thats when these fat cells are destroyed/burned.
Immune System Boost
Studies show that a 3-day fasting has the ability to reboot the immune system. And I totally agree.
During a fast, our body enters a detoxification stage where fat cells are burning, excess sugar are being swiped out etc..
So, a lot of cleansing is happening. As a result, the body comes out clean and like new.
Heart Function Improvement
It is believed that intermittent fasting improves the heart function. What happens when youre fasting is that your body uses sugar in a different manner, reducing the risk of diabetes and weight gain.
If your body is resting far from these two factors, youre most likely to improve your heart function and health.
Cancer Prevention
Glucose Regulation
Read Also: Is 119 High For Fasting Blood Sugar
How Much Weight Can You Lose Intermittent Fasting For Two Weeks
Starting weight: 171.2 | Ending weight: 169.0 | Weight lost: 2.2 lbs
Starting body fat %: 37.3% | Ending body fat %: 36.6% | Body fat % lost: 0.7%
Total intermittent fasting weight loss results:
Starting weight: 176.6 | Ending weight: 169.0 | Total weight lost: 7.6lbs
Starting body fat %: 38.8% | Ending body fat %: 36.6% | Total body fat % lost: 2.2%
If You’re Not Losing Weight While On This Diet Plan You May Be Making One Of These Common Errors Said Nutritionist Preety Tyagi
Intermittent fasting is fast becoming one of the most common weight-loss strategies. This diet plan is unique in that it does not limit ones food choices and mainly focuses on what and when you eat. Some studies have even shown it to be a healthy way to lose weight and belly fat. It is believed to also help enhance metabolic health and extend lifespan in addition to weight loss.
However, it has not worked for some people. This may be because they are not adhering to the basic measures correctly, said Preety Tyagi, lead health coach, nutritionist, and founder of MY22BMI.
Below, she lists some such basic measures:
Not eating efficient portions
You are not considering portion sizes. That means you may be fasting for long intervals but when you start eating, you consume food without considering portion sizes. That wont work in your favour, especially when you are trying to lose weight. It may even spoil your metabolic rate. So, stick to small portion sizes when you eat.
Consuming high-calorie food
Don’t Miss: Intermittent Fasting Drinking Alcohol
Which Intermittent Fasting Is Best For Weight Loss
Every method of intermittent fasting can be an effective way to lose weight.
As with all diets, the best strategy will depend on what works best for each person.
For example, you might prefer to fast only one or two days per week, since it will give you the freedom to eat normally the majority of the time.
In that case, the 5:2 method or the eat stop eat repeat plan may be a good way to get started.
Or perhaps you naturally skip breakfast most mornings.
If that is the case, then the 16:8 method may be a much better fit for your life, as it will allow you to eat a typical lunch and dinner.
Additionally, intermittent fasting is not for everyone, and there are plenty of other weight loss plans out there that also offer lasting results.
Ultimately, there is no right way to lose weight, and the best weight loss programs are the ones that you can maintain for the long run.
Can Other Diets Also Be Whole Food Diets
Heres where it gets confusingyes, other diets can also be whole food diets. Eating a whole food diet is a lifestyle choice, but many other diets can exist within a whole foods construct. So, diets like the MIND Diet and Mediterranean Diet are also whole food diets.
For example, here are the foods involved in the MIND Diet:
- Green, leafy vegetables five times a week
- Five or more different colored fruits and vegetables every day.
- Berries five times a week
- Five or more servings of nuts a week
- Olive oil five times a week
- Whole grains five times a week
- Oily fish twice a week or take an algae-based omega-3 supplement
- Legumes and pulses five times a week
- White meat/mix of plant-based proteins twice a week
- No more than one glass of wine a day
- One or two coffee or tea a day max
- Two liters of water a day
Thats pretty much a whole food diet, right? As long as any meat or plant-based proteins are as unprocessed as possible, then it can be a whole food diet.
Other diets, like a vegan diet, for instance, could be whole food diets or not. It really depends if processed foods are included. Some food substitutes are really heavily processed, so its important to read labels really carefully. But its only some, not all.
Recommended Reading: Is 119 High For Fasting Blood Sugar
Figure Out Caloric Needs
There are no dietary restrictions when fasting, but this does not mean calories do not count.
People who are looking to lose weight need to create a calorie deficit for themselves this means that they consume less energy than they use. People who are looking to gain weight need to consume more calories than they use.
There are many tools available to help a person work out their caloric needs and determine how many calories they need to consume each day to either gain or lose weight. A person could also speak to their healthcare provider or dietitian for guidance on how many calories they need.
A person interested in losing or gaining weight may find it helps to plan what they are going to eat during the day or week.
Meal planning does not need to be overly restrictive. It considers calorie intake and incorporating proper nutrients into the diet.
Meal planning offers many benefits, such as helping a person stick to their calorie count, and ensuring they have the necessary food on hand for cooking recipes, quick meals, and snacks.
What Is A Whole Food Diet
In other words, it involves a lot of cooking because whole foods do not involve anything processed. That means no premade sauces, dips, or convenience foods like chocolate bars, sweets, or ready-meals. It also includes things like tinned vegetables and white bread.
Why? Processed and convenience foods are often high in salt, saturated fat, and additives in comparison to anything homemade. Because of this, their toll on your overall health is higher.
Also Check: How To Get Electrolytes While Fasting
Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss Faqs
Now that you know what intermittent fasting is and how to get started, its time to answer your other questions.
Below are answers to the questions frequently asked about intermittent fasting. These answers should help you and make getting started a lot easier.
How Much Weight Will I Lose?
The amount of weight you lose with fasting is determined by how often and long your fasts are, what you eat afterward, and other factors.
One study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that average weight loss on an intermittent fasting diet was around 9lbs after 12 months, and weight loss was most successful in those who strictly adhered to their chosen diet.
Can I Work out While Fasting?
Yes, you can. In fact, doing the right type of workout while fasting will help you lose weight faster and even build muscle.
If you are a hardcore athlete who often exercises for an hour or more each day, intermittent fasting may not be the best choice for you as this amount of exercise requires fuel to keep you moving and build muscle. However, light to moderate intensity workouts 2 to 4 times a week should work with intermittent fasting.
The best workouts to do while fasting for weight loss are strength training workouts. This means anything from standard strength training to kettlebell or body weight workouts. Combine these with lighter forms of exercise like walking, jogging, or yoga.
Wont I Lose Muscle When I Fast?
Is Fasting Safe?
Fasting For Healthy Weight Loss The Wrap Up
Intermittent fasting can play a role in your healthy weight loss lifestyle.
But remember, fasting is not a magic bullet. The rest of your diet and lifestyle still matter.
Also, remember our six tips for healthy weight loss with intermittent fasting:
If you follow these tips, theres a good chance that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight in a healthy way.
Recommended Reading: Alcohol During Intermittent Fasting
