Intermittent Fasting The Best For Weight Loss
Ive been a personal trainer and nutrition coach since the mid-2000s and intermittent fasting is without a doubt the most effective diet for weight loss and slowing aging . Its also very simple to follow since youll just be restricting the times youre allowed to eat.
With intermittent fasting your body doesnt have any calories coming in. This allows your body to feed off your fat stores as an energy source . Since youre restricting your feeding hours youll instantly be cutting down on how many calories youre eating . Lowering your caloric intake does play a significant role in how much weight youre able to lose .
Finally, your body will release fat-burning hormones such as human growth hormone . This helps to preserve lean muscle mass which is needed to get a toned and slim physique . But dont worry about getting big bulky muscle mass from fasting.
But a lot of the weight youll lose with intermittent fasting depends on how much you have to lose in the first place. If you only have 10 pounds or so to lose then the results will be lesser if only doing it for a short time. But if you have more than 30 pounds to lose then your results will be much more.
You can expect to lose the most weight in the beginning few months and then itll start to slow down from there. And if youre trying to break through a weight-loss plateau then fasting for longer hours can get you there too .
All Kinds Of Vegetables
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower the risk of eye and digestive problems, and positively affect blood sugar levels, which can help keep appetite in check .
There are starchy and non-starchy vegetables:
BetterMe is your fast-track ticket to a long-lasting weight loss! Tailor your fitness journey and maximize your results with just a couple of swipes!
Why I Chose To Try Time
The definition of intermittent fasting is pretty basic. Its really just a period of eating, followed by a period of not eating, says Krista Varady, PhD, an associate professor in the department of kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois in Chicago. For over a decade, Dr. Varady has researched the effects of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is kind of an umbrella term, but there are three major types of intermittent fasting. Theres alternate-day fasting, which means that you would eat fewer than 500 calories every other day and eat however many calories you want on the remaining days of the week. Theres also whats called the 5:2 approach to intermittent fasting, which means you would eat fewer than 500 calories for two days per week and however many you want on the other days. And then theres whats called time-restricted eating, which means you can eat within a certain window of time each day, like between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., says Varady.
Given that I was becoming more active through exercise, I wasnt sure that taking in only 500 calories a day would be the best idea for maintaining my energy levels. With that in mind, I decided to try time-restricted eating instead.
RELATED: Is Intermittent Fasting Safe for People With Diabetes?
Read Also: Intermittent Fasting And Drinking Alcohol
Intermittent Fasting And Ketosis
Your body runs out of glycogen and starts using fat for fuel on the keto diet, but this also happens when you are practicing intermittent fasting . After a 12 hour fast, your glycogen reserves are getting low. Exactly how long it will take your body to release ketones depends on many factors, including whether you have been in ketosis before or not.
With experience, you will be able to feel when you are in ketosis. For me, it takes around 18 hours each day. You will need to experiment to find out how long YOU need to fast .
Intermittent Fasting Vs. Keto
In a way, the ketogenic diet mimics fasting by helping your body run out of glycogen without avoiding food. For those getting started, doing the keto diet is a great way to kickstart ketosis fast. Intermittent fasting will be a lot easier once you have been in ketosis.
On Training Days I Had A Post
I trained with weights three times per week, doing a brief but intense full body workout. On these days I had two scoops of whey protein in ¾ pint of low-fat milk after training. I also had a ripe banana at this time to provide a readily assimilable source of carbohydrates.
The post workout shake is important as it helps put back what the training has taken out of you and it gets the recovery process off to a good start too. You then need to eat a good meal about an hour or two later.
Some form of resistance training is important whilst dieting in order to preserve muscle. But if you dont want to go to the gym and lift weights, you could always do some bodyweight exercises at home instead.
On non-training days I did not eat anything after lunch until the evening meal.
You May Like: What Should Your Blood Sugar Be Fasting
Stay Healthy With Intermittent Fasting
What about the misconception that intermittent fasting isnt great for your health? I had my annual checkup a couple of months ago and did blood work, explains Krystal. Im in perfect health!
Krystal shares her progress with her Instagram followers, who leave encouraging comments such as Amazing!!! Youre so inspiring! and #GOALS! And shes sure to take them on every aspect of her journey, including sharing breaking her fasts, easy ketogenic recipes, and workout fasts which are workouts she completes while fasting.
Intermittent Fasting Rule #: This One Is Financial Stop Using Useless Supplements
You dont need BCAAs, fat burning supplements, or expensive organic butter for your coffee. This alone should save you about $200/month. You got your money back already from this free article.
Never buy a supplement that you dont understand. The fitness industry is filled with fear mongering. You walk into any nutrition store and youre hounded about supplements. I remember bringing my brother with me when he was like 13 and the store clerk had the nerve to promote powders and gimmicks to him. These people will try to push anything to anyone. You dont need any of that.
The best things for you are rest, fasting, and eating well. Throw in some positive vibes and youre living the good life.
Those are seven quick wins that you can go after in the next few days as you start your intermittent fasting journey and work towards abs.
Read Also: 119 Fasting Blood Sugar
The Factors That Influence Your Weight Loss Potential On Keto And Intermittent Fasting
Your weight loss results on keto and intermittent fasting could be like Cindys or you could have a different experience. Maybe you lose even more weight or its slower going for you.
If youre wondering why the pounds arent coming off quite so quickly now that youre intermittent fasting on keto, here are the factors that come into play.
What Should I Eat With 20/4 Intermittent Fasting
Now that you know how to effectively follow the intermittent fasting 20:4 rules, your next step is to make a meal plan. Meal planning is an easy way to ensure that you always have meals at the ready for whenever you break your fast. This ensures that you always have healthy meals or snacks, which prevents you from consuming unhealthy food options.
Read More:How Often Should You Eat To Lose Weight: Settling This Debate Once And For All
Since intermittent fasting is an eating plan and not a diet, people do not have any strict regulations on what kinds of foods or drinks they should eat during the feeding window. However, the warrior diet stands out as it offers some guidelines on how to eat. Your meals should make up a balanced diet, which is a diet that gives your body enough nutrients to work effectively, protecting itself against disease, infection, fatigue, and low performance .
With that in mind, here are some foods that should be included in your 20/4 intermittent fasting meal plan or grocery list. Not only will these foods help with your weight loss goals, but they are also good for your overall health.
Recommended Reading: Is 119 High For Fasting Blood Sugar
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.
Intermittent Fasting For Healthy Weight Loss
As weve said, not all weight loss is the same. Its essential to make sure youre losing weight in a healthy way. Can intermittent fasting help with healthy weight loss?
Here, the data are conflicting.
On one hand, intermittent fasting can help improve metabolic health by reducing blood sugar and blood pressure while also improving blood lipid levels.4
On the other hand, two trials suggested that intermittent fasting may not lead to greater weight loss than usual care, or even worse may lead to greater loss of lean muscle mass than usual care or continuous calorie restriction.5
A healthy weight loss intervention also should be relatively easy to comply with and maintain long-term. Fortunately, intermittent fasting may fit that criteria.
One study reported that working adults found time-restricted eating with an eight-hour eating window easy to comply with and maintain for three months.6
That fits with frequent clinical experience suggesting many people easily adapt to time-restricted eating, especially when they follow a low-carb or high-protein diet that helps improve satiety and reduce appetite.7
So, in terms of convenience and ease in your approach to healthy weight loss, intermittent fasting seems to be a winner.
Don’t Miss: 119 Blood Sugar
How Long Have You Been Following Intermittent Fasting
Just started? If you have only just started intermittent fasting it might be that it takes a little while for your body to adapt to the new system. While most FastDay members find an immediate drop in weight on the scales, this early loss is largely due to changes in body water. It may be that you did not lose so much water and so the scales may not show a decrease straight away. Even using the tape measure to measure your waist may be slow to show a difference depending on where you are losing the fat.
FastDay says: wait at least a month before deciding there is a problem.
Been fasting for months and no longer losing weight? If you have been successfully losing weight but seem to have hit a plateau, there are several possibilities:
FastDay says: keep calm and wait for a month before deciding you have really plateaued, but in the meantime try counting calories on your non-fast days as well as fast days to check you are not eating more than you think. If you find that you really have stopped losing weight, consider adding another fast day if you are currently doing a 5:2 fasting pattern: upgrade to 4:3 or even ADF.
The Backstory On Intermittent Fasting
IF as a weight loss approach has been around in various forms for ages, but was highly popularized in 2012 by BBC broadcast journalist Dr. Michael Mosleys TV documentary Eat Fast, Live Longer and book The Fast Diet, followed by journalist Kate Harrisons book The 5:2 Diet based on her own experience, and subsequently by Dr. Jason Fungs 2016 bestseller The Obesity Code. IF generated a steady positive buzz as anecdotes of its effectiveness proliferated.
As a lifestyle-leaning research doctor, I needed to understand the science. The Obesity Code seemed the most evidence-based summary resource, and I loved it. Fung successfully combines plenty of research, his clinical experience, and sensible nutrition advice, and also addresses the socioeconomic forces conspiring to make us fat. He is very clear that we should eat more fruits and veggies, fiber, healthy protein, and fats, and avoid sugar, refined grains, processed foods, and for Gods sake, stop snacking. Check, check, check, I agree. The only part that was still questionable in my mind was the intermittent fasting part.
Read Also: What Is 14 10 Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting Rule #: Stop Stressing About What Breaks A Fast And What Doesnt Break A Fast
Does chewing gum break a fast?
What? I dont even know what to say to that question.
You can fine tune as you get closer to that dream physique. Focus on starting your days off by getting shit done. Water, sparkling water, and black coffee will help you get through the morning. When youre ready to go from 6 pack to 8 pack we can apply the advanced tricks.
You dont need any fancy gimmicks to get started tomorrow .
Some people argue the rules for intermittent fasting to lose weight. The use labels like clean fasting and dirty fasting. I tend to disagree with those labels. Dirty fasts allow you to chew bubble gum and to drink bulletproof coffee as long as youre cutting calories back. Clean fast requires you to be more strict.
Our goal will always be progress over perfection.
Protect Cognitive Function In Older Age
Several different studies suggest that fasting helps to improve sleep while offering protection against cancer recurrence as well as reducing the bad cholesterol and lowering the blood pressure. A recent study conducted by the National Institute on Ageing in Baltimore has demonstrated that periodic calorie restriction helps to protect the cognitive function in older age. The researchers believe that the nerve cells are protected and new brain cells thrive, which then trick the older brain into acting younger.
Don’t Miss: How Much Is The Do Fasting App
Tips For Intermittent Fasting
- Increase the fluid intake a day or two before you start fasting.
- Consume raw foods from vegetable and fruits to nuts etc. while avoiding processed foods, sugars, and dairy.
- Initially fast for only a few hours, preferably during the morning as it helps the body to rev up for another day by eliminating the debris body might have collected while you slept.
- Avoid taking any calorie-free drinks and beverages that use artificial sweeteners as they tend to stimulate your appetite just like any drink that contains sugar, which makes you overeat.
- Avoid gorging at your first meal after the fast as binging will not only diminish the benefits of fast but also make you feel awful.
How Much Weight Can You Lose With Intermittent Fasting
The amount of weight you can lose through intermittent fasting depends on your starting weight, medical conditions, type of food you eat on your non-fasting days, and other factors like your lifestyle, age, and activity level.
For example, if you choose to eat sugary desserts, drinks, and refined, ultra-processed carbs during your non-fasting days, a fast may not help you lose body fat.
However, if you pair intermittent fasting with healthy eating, you can experience healthy weight loss. A systematic review of 40 studies published in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology found intermittent fasting was effective for weight loss, with a typical loss of seven to eleven pounds over ten weeks. If you weigh roughly 200 pounds, that equals a five percent loss of your total body weight in just ten weeks.
You might want a quick weight loss fix, but experts recommend you dont try to speed up the process. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the UKs National Health Service recommend you shoot for a safe rate of one to two pounds per week.
According to the CDC, if you lose weight gradually and safely, youll be more successful at keeping it off. So, the average weight loss per week with intermittent fasting is safe, effective, and long-term.
Recommended Reading: 14:10 Fasting
Adjust Your Intermittent Fasting Window
If youre still not losing weight intermittent fasting after following tips one and two, the next lever you can adjust is your fasting window.
Whatever your current fasting window is, add 4 hours to it.
If youre new and youre eating 3 meals a day, youre balanced. You have a 12 hour eating window and a 12 hour fasting window.
Then its time to actually start doing intermittent fasting and do a 16 hour fast. If youre doing a daily 16 hour fast, its time to level up and start doing a 20 hour fast.
This is based on my personal results and the results of my students. The power of intermittent fasting lies in not eating less, but eating less frequently.
I used to do a 16 hour fast for example, and I got amazing results. But when I switched to a 20 hour fast eating the same calories, I got even better results.
When I switched to a 24 hour fast, that was when I got the best results. Its also been the easiest thing to maintain.
The longer you fast, the better.
This is especially true if youve been overweight or obese for a long time. You need to give your body a little bit more time to lower your insulin levels.
So even extending it to a 36 or even a 48 hour fast will do wonders to someone whos hit an intermittent fasting weight loss plateau.
Remember, thats what body fat is there for. Its not just there for looks.
This is where voluntary hardship comes into play which rarely gets talked about.
