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 .
Reduce Your Chances Of Developing Insulin Resistance
When we feed our bodies a constant supply of sugar, carbohydrates, fat, and everything else that goes into us while we mindlessly eat our way through the day, our body doesnt need to create anything for itself.
When we remove food, even just for a little while, we teach our bodies to again rely on itself for the resources it needs.
Some studies show that people who practice intermittent fasting can reduce their blood sugar levels by several percentage points.
I Tried Intermittent Fasting For One Month Heres What Happened
byLachlan BrownJanuary 17, 2019, 1:27 am
Let me start by saying that my favorite meal of the day is breakfast. It energizes me in the morning and gets me ready for the day ahead.
Even when Ive finished breakfast, Im looking forward to lunch. I love eating.
However, recently my pot belly was getting a little out of control and I needed to do something about it.
Im not one to diet, so I decided to try what keeps Terry Crews in top shape: Intermittent fasting.
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How Much Weight You Can Lose With Intermittent Fasting
- When fasting two days per week, you can expect to lose between 9 and 13 pounds in the first 2 to 3 months, says Leonie Heilbronn, an associate professor at Adelaide Medical School.
- When fasting three days per week, Heilbronn says you could lose 13 to 18 pounds in the first 2 to 3 months.
Ultimately, when deciding if intermittent fasting is right for your weight loss goals, it’s crucial to keep your lifestyle and eating habits in mind.
“Some people can struggle with not eating for prolonged periods,” says Heilbronn.
Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
The final deal-breaker is that study after study has proven the powerful and varied benefits of intermittent fasting. Over 75 years of scientific research has conclusively confirmed the following benefits:
- It improves metabolism.
- You have a heart condition.
- You are under 18.
- You are on medications that must be taken during meals.
The bottom line is that the combined benefits of intermittent fasting can immensely improve your quality of life. And we can definitely expect more amazing breakthroughs as more research is conducted.
Before proceeding further, the traditional disclaimer must be made here: Although intermittent fasting is risk-free for normal, healthy individuals of both sexes, it is advisable to check with your doctor first.
Read Also: When Fasting How Many Calories
Why 3 Pm Is A Key Time To Start Eating Less Food
Peeke also recommended that I stick to having lunch be my biggest meal of the day. Theres a study that a majority of Americans eat over the course of 15 to 16 hours out of the day, with the majority of their calories coming after 3 p.m. Its a recipe for disaster, she says, referencing a study published in November 2015 in Cell Metabolism.
Peeke suggested that rather than having my banana protein shake as an evening dessert and not eating anything before exercising, I instead drink it first thing in the morning. This way, the carbs from the banana would give me an instant source of energy to fuel my workout and my body would be processing the carbohydrates at an optimal time of the day.
The switch immediately paid dividends. I had way more energy throughout my workout. Because my body was working at a higher intensity, I was burning more calories than I would be even if Id been doing fasted cardio. Peeke recommended that I try to stay under a 12-hour window of restricted eating, but I was able to manage my dinnertime to keep my eating in a 10-hour window. Although my weight drifted up by 2 lb, it was because I was adding muscle mass instead of fat. The additional muscle in my arms and shoulders were noticeable. And as my body fat percentage got lower, I started to see some veins popping out of my biceps, forearms, and calves.
What Happens To Your Body While Youre Intermittent Fasting
Fasting has been shown to impact the body in several ways.
During a fast, your hormones adjust to begin burning fat as a source of fuel.
In other words, when your body is cut off from food, it will adapt to use body fat as its primary form of energy.
This essentially means that fasting can switch your metabolism into fat-burning mode.
Some of the changes that occur during fasts include:
- Lower insulin levels Insulin is a hormone that is released by the pancreas in response to carbohydrates found in food. Its main role is to help regulate blood glucose levels. Insulin decreases during a fast, which sends signals to your cells to start using fat for energy instead of blood sugar .
- Increased human growth hormone Human growth hormone has been linked to greater fat burn and increases in muscle mass . There is evidence that HGH levels increase while intermittent fasting .
- Boost in norepinephrine levels During a fast, norepinephrine levels rise . Norepinephrine, also known as noradrenaline, is a hormone released by the brain which tells the body to release fatty acids from stored body fat. These free fatty acids can then be used by your cells for energy.
Also Check: What Should My Fasting Glucose Level Be
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.
Is Intermittent Fasting A Fad
Absolutely not. All the evidence points to the fact that intermittent fasting is here to stay. It has become a lifestyle choice for hundreds of people, with many more coming on board as research continues to discover and confirm its seemingly endless benefits.
Fasting has been practiced for centuries by various cultures worldwide for both health and spiritual benefits. It is only recently that it has become known in the West as a healthy lifestyle choice.
Its highly unlikely that the practice of intermittent fasting will go away anytime soon, especially as more and more health experts are acknowledging its benefits.
Whereas health experts had previously warned about the potential dangers of skipping meals, research findings and real-life examples have caused them to do a 180-degree turn. In fact, nutrition experts are so convinced of the benefits of intermittent fasting that they are now recommending it to clients who simply cannot stick to a traditional diet.
Read Also: How To Do Keto And Intermittent Fasting
Week 3 Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss Plan
I am really enjoying this new way of life and will continue more of the same for week three.
Ill still do 16:8 and will continue a little resistance training and some cardio. Though as I write this Im a few days into the week and havent been bothered to exercise AT ALL. Well see lol
We dont plan on eating out this coming week, but if we wind up doing so I want to continue testing my theory that it may just be carby or salty foods, rather than dining out, period.
Intermittent Fasting: Surprising Update
- By Monique Tello, MD, MPH, Contributor
Theres a ton of incredibly promising intermittent fasting research done on fat rats. They lose weight, their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars improve but theyre rats. Studies in humans, almost across the board, have shown that IF is safe and incredibly effective, but really no more effective than any other diet. In addition, many people find it difficult to fast.
But a growing body of research suggests that the timing of the fast is key, and can make IF a more realistic, sustainable, and effective approach for weight loss, as well as for diabetes prevention.
Recommended Reading: What To Drink While Intermittent Fasting
Fasting Improves Cellular Repair
We accumulate a great deal of waste in our bodies as our organs work to keep us alive.
Kidneys, liver, and our intestines all work overtime to remove harmful waste in our bodies.
But not every ounce of waste is removed. Some waste builds up over time and can cause a great deal of harm, become tumors, or create blockages in vital passageways in our systems.
When we practice intermittent fasting, studies have found that we are rerouting our bodies energy into areas that could use some attention.
While our body is busy breaking down new food and new substances and new waste, the old waste is left behind. Give your body time to break down old waste.
If you want to learn more about intermittent fasting, and howto utilize exercise to improve your overall health and body function, I highly recommend you check out Ben Greenfields longevity blueprint course.
I took it myself and I learned a lot about my own body and how to get the most out of every minute you spend exercising. I wrote a review of the course as well.
Check my review here so if you can see if it will help you achieve your health and fitness goals:
Related: Intermittent Fasting By Body Type
These studies utilized Intermittent Fasting , but did not address the meals eaten within the eating window. Combining Intermittent Fasting with foods that are designed to help the body more easily shift back into fat burning, aka lipolysis, can further aid in amplifying weight loss results.
For example, there’s Ron who lost over 70 pounds in 6 months by pairing Intermittent Fasting with fat burning and satiating meals from the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle. This amounts to nearly 3 pounds per week on average.
Read Also: Do Fasting Diets Really Work
Weight Loss Is A Benefit Of Intermittent Fasting
Okay, lets just get this one out of the way up front because it is the number one reason people come to intermittent fasting practices: losing weight.
The entire planet is consumed with weight loss, looking better, feeling better, having smaller thighs, having less belly fat, having less chins. Its an epidemic of the worst kind.
So yes, intermittent fasting can help you lose weight.
According to research, fasting actually increases your metabolic rate by 3.6-14%, helping you burn more calories.
Whats more, fasting also reduces the amount of food you eat, which reduces the amount of calories consumed.
The Preconceived Myths You Need To Dismantle Before Trying Intermittent Fasting
1) Your metabolic rate will slow down.
Some people think that because youre not constantly snacking, your metabolic rate will slow down and youll eventually gain weight.
The truth is, not eating for a few more hours than usual will NOT change your metabolic rate. In fact, as I said above, I lost weight during this month of intermittent fasting.
2) Youll automatically lose weight when you do intermittent fasting.
Just because I lost weight doesnt mean that you will too. What helped me was that my eating time was limited, so I ended up eating less.
However, some people might eat more during that small time period. It really depends on your total calorie intake.
3) You can eat as much as you want when you stop your fast.
Youve still got to be careful about what you eat, just like you would when youre not doing intermittent fasting. If you eat badly in your eating time, then intermittent fasting might not be great for you.
4) Hunger pains are bad for you.
Actually, you dont have to worry about hunger pains because they wont do you any harm according to research.
5) You shouldnt exercise on an empty stomach.
Exercising on an empty stomach is fine, according to experts.
In fact, it might even come with significant health benefits. I felt lighter when I was running in the morning without food and my energy levels were fine.
Research has also suggested that running in the morning is good for your brain.
6) You dont enjoy your meals as much because you want to eat fast.
Recommended Reading: What Foods Can You Eat On Intermittent Fasting
Tips For How To Succeed With Fasting
Tip 1: Try to pick an intermittent fasting weight loss plan that will set you up for long term success
Consider your lifestyle, schedule, current eating pattern, and appetite when selecting any diet plan for losing weight.
Keep in mind that the best diets are the ones that you can maintain for an extended period.
Tip 2: Drink Plenty of Fluids
Hydration is important during intermittent fasting and should not be limited to your eating window.
Most intermittent fasting plans allow for beverages with zero calories, including water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee.
In addition to preventing dehydration, these drinks may help keep hunger pangs and food cravings at bay.
Research as shown that drinking plenty of fluids may increase feelings of satiety , and is one way to help you feel fuller while you are on a fast.
Tip 3: Choose foods that are rich in nutrients and have fewer calories
Unlike most diets, intermittent fasting plans do not have any food rules for losing weight.
However, it is still recommended to limit processed and junk food intakes, such as sugars, soda, cookies, and candy.
These foods are associated with weight gain, obesity, oxidative stress, inflammation, high cholesterol levels, and greater calorie intake.
They are also linked with an increased risk of certain diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and insulin resistance.
Heres What Happened When I Tried Intermittent Fasting For A Month
1) It was tough to get into the rhythm of eating so late, but after a week you should be accustomed to it.
Im not going to lie, I struggled the first few days. I love working early in the morning, but by the time it got close to 10 am, I was feeling so hungry it was distracting me.
Ive tried the keto diet before, and I thought that was bad. But with intermittent fasting, my energy was completely zapped.
That being said, it was a euphoric experience when it hit 12 PM and I was finally able to eat.
But after a few days to a week, I became accustomed to it and it was much easier.
In fact, as I didnt need to think about eating, my mind was clear and I just focused on working.
The morning coffee hit me really hard because I had no food in my system.
So, if youre going to try intermittent fasting, it might be better to slowly wean yourself onto it. For example, for the first day, you could eat at 9 am, the second day at 10 am, the third day at 11 am etc
2) My stomach felt less bloated and I lost weight.
Because the time period I could eat was shorter than usual, I wasnt eating anywhere near as much as I used to.
This was one of the main advantages of intermittent fasting. Through eating less I started to lose weight and felt less bloated in my stomach.
The fact that I used to feel bloated suggests I had a tendency to overeat. So, this was a welcome change.
How much weight did I lose in a month?
3 Kgs. Yep, I was quite stoked indeed.
3) My gym sessions became more intense.
Read Also: Does Intermittent Fasting Slow Metabolism
