Lose More Weight With These Fasting Tips
If you begin with short, manageable fasts of14 or 16 hours, you can slip into intermittent fasting effortlessly. However, if you do find it difficult to extend your fasting hours, here are a few tricks that may help you:
- Eat enough high-quality protein at every meal.
- Get a good nights sleep. Poor sleep can lead to food cravings.
- Stay hydrated. Your body can easily mistake thirst for hunger. Having a drink especially a hot drink such as unsweetened coffee or tea can satisfy your cravings and make you feel like youve eaten.
- Distract yourself. Believe it or not, hunger is a passing feeling. If you dont focus on it, it will pass.
Intermittent fasting for weight loss has the same guidelines as fasting for any other reason. Pay attention to how your body feels and responds to fasting. Stay hydrated and take it easy while you fast to avoid headaches or fatigue. Fasting isnt for everyone, if you dont feel right when fasting, remember to respect your body and find something else that works for you.
Weight loss is achievable, and IF can help you reach your goals without needless measuring, restricting, or keeping track. As with any weight-loss strategy, consistency is crucial. Pairing healthy eating with regular fasting can help you get to the weight youve always wanted.
Find The Best Time To Work Out
Many people make the mistake of thinking they cant work out while theyre fasting, but the opposite is true. The morning is the best time for a vigorous workout! Youre fresh and have hormonal optimization on your side.
Afternoon and evening workouts arent always as effective as they could be youre fatigued from the day, consumed with whatever new stressors landed in your lap at work, and are fighting the urge to slip off your shoes and unwind.
I was loyal to my afternoon workout routine for more than a decade, but switching to an early morning gym schedule has been a game-changer. If I dont work out first thing in the morning, I can practically see the sliding scale as I lose my opportunity throughout the day for a quality workout. Life gets busy, and the body gets drained!
Intermittent Fasting May Affect Men And Women Differently
There is some evidence that intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for some women as it is for men.
One study showed that blood sugar control actually worsened in women after three weeks of intermittent fasting, which was not the case in men .
There are also many anecdotal stories of women who have experienced changes to their menstrual cycles after starting intermittent fasting.
Such shifts occur because female bodies are extremely sensitive to calorie restriction.
When calorie intake is low such as from fasting for too long or too frequently a small part of the brain called the hypothalamus is affected.
This can disrupt the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone , a hormone that helps release two reproductive hormones: luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone (
10 ).
For these reasons, women should consider a modified approach to intermittent fasting, such as shorter fasting periods and fewer fasting days.
Summary
Intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for women as it is for men. To reduce any adverse effects, women should take a mild approach to fasting: shorter fasts and fewer fasting days.
Intermittent fasting not only benefits your waistline but may also lower your risk of developing a number of chronic diseases.
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Other Benefits Of Fasting
What is novel about the explosion in interest in intermittent fasting is the small but growing clinical research base behind it. Several studies have found improvements in various health markers.
These include:
- improving blood cholesterol and lipid levels
- lowering resting heart rate.
However, it is not clear whether changes to these health markers are due to the fasting pattern itself or the overall energy deficit.
Chronic inflammation occurs alongside the development of many chronic conditions. This includes heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and even depression.
Several studies have found intermittent fasting can decrease blood markers of inflammation. This means in the future it may be found useful in treating inflammatory conditions.
Outside of weight loss, intermittent fasting may have an extra advantage on insulin sensitivity and abdominal obesity compared to a traditional kilojoule-reduced diet.
There have been claims that fasting helps you to live longer. But these are harder to prove with most of the evidence coming from animal studies.
While some of the benefits of intermittent fasting are flow-on effects from any weight loss, there could be some extra beneficial changes happening. And that introduces the term ‘autophagy’.
Autophagy seems to decline as we age, so the benefits of fasting could be greater in older people. That makes sense because there has been a lot more time for cellular waste by-products to build up.
How Long Before Seeing Weight Loss Results
There is no definitive timeline for experiencing intermittent fasting results. However, based on scientific evidence and reported personal experiences, there are average times when measurable weight loss is likely.
A review of 41 studies revealed that, on average, a person can lose 7 to 11 pounds in a 10-week period. Three-fourths of the studies were based on adhering to an alternate day intermittent fasting schedule . Using this method of intermittent fasting, on one day you have no calorie or time restrictions and can eat what you want. The following day you are allowed consumption of only 500 calories.
Other research reported a 0.8% to 13% weight loss at some point between 2 and 26 weeks also with the alternate day fasting method . Another study on the 5:2 method , showed weight loss similar to restricting calories to lose weight .
These results will vary from person to person due to different metabolisms, their amount of physical activity, food choices, sleep schedule, stress levels, and toxic exposure. If losing weight is your priority, then fast for more hours. The longer you fast, the more stored fat you burn and the more effective your results will be.
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Im Trying To Fast But I Feel Like Its Reducing My Energy Levels Is This Normal
It is very normal to feel tired or to have low energy levels when you first start fasting. This can also happen when you first start a new fasting schedule. But if you stick with a set intermittent fasting schedule or fasting duration for 2-3 weeks, you should adapt and have similar energy levels during your fasting windows or days as during your eating windows or days.
However, if you continue to feel tired or to have low energy levels while fasting, you may be overdoing it. You may fasting for too long too often, or not getting enough calories in during your eating windows. If you are already at a healthy BMI, reduce your fast durations or spread your fasts further apart.
To boost your fasting energy levels, you should also:
Fast For 12 Hours A Day
The rules for this diet are simple. A person needs to decide on and adhere to a 12-hour fasting window every day.
According to some researchers, fasting for 1016 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss.
This type of intermittent fasting plan may be a good option for beginners. This is because the fasting window is relatively small, much of the fasting occurs during sleep, and the person can consume the same number of calories each day.
The easiest way to do the 12-hour fast is to include the period of sleep in the fasting window.
For example, a person could choose to fast between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. They would need to finish their dinner before 7 p.m. and wait until 7 a.m. to eat breakfast but would be asleep for much of the time in between.
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Diet Plan For Intermittent Fasting
There is no specific intermittent fasting diet plan. During your eating period, try to follow a healthy balanced diet, made up of whole grains, leafy greens, healthy fats, and lean protein in your meals.
Some things should be kept in mind while following intermittent fasting methods.
- During the hours of fasting, consume non-alcoholic and no-calorie beverages for sufficient hydration. You can drink water, black coffee, or tea.
- During your eating period, do not go overboard with food. Avoid junk food and limit the amount of food you eat.
How Effective Is Intermittent Fasting
There is limited research on the effectiveness of intermittent fasting, but some studies suggest that it may be beneficial for weight loss and overall health. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings.
Intermittent fasting isnt a magic bullet it wont help you lose weight overnight. But if done correctly, it can be a healthy and sustainable way to lose weight and improve your health. Just remember to start slowly and listen to your body!
Here are some key points you should keep in mind about intermittent fasting:
- Intermittent fasting has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including weight loss and improved heart health
- Its important to start slow when beginning intermittent fasting, gradually increasing the length of your fat-burning fasts over time
- Be prepared for hunger pangs and cravings, and have healthy snacks on hand to tide you over
- Drink plenty of water and get enough sleep to help reduce the side effects of intermittent fasting
- Talk to your doctor before starting intermittent fasting if you have any medical conditions or take medications.
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Can I Build Muscle And Gain Weight While Intermittent Fasting
Youre damn right you can!
In fact, I have been intermittent fasting since 2015 while building muscle and decreasing my body fat percentage:
I still eat roughly the same number of calories I was consuming before, but instead of eating all damn day long, I condense all of my calorie consumption into an eight hour window.
- 11 AM Work out with heavy strength training in a fasted state.
- 12 PM Immediately consume 1/2 of my calories for the day .
- 7 PM Consume the second portion of my calories for the day in a big dinner.
- 8 PM 12 PM the next day: Fast for 16 hours.
In a different method, my friend Nate Green packed on a crazy amount of muscle while fasting for a full 24 hours on Sundays so it is possible.
Im not kidding when I say this has revolutionized how I look at muscle building and fat loss.
Ultimately, this method flies in the face of the typical bulk and cut techniques of overeating to build muscle before cutting calories to lose fat and settling down at a higher weight.
I prefer this method to the bulk-and-cut technique for a few reasons:
A note on BCAA consumption. Martin from LeanGains recommends consuming Branched Chain Amino Acids as a supplement with regards to fasted training to aid your muscles through your workout.
Now, it should go without saying that if you want to build muscle while fasting, you need to work out. Specifically, by lifting heavy.
If you want help building a workout routine designed to create muscle, I have 3 options:
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Tips And Tricks About Fasting
#1) Dont freak out! Stop wondering: can I fast 15 hours instead of 16? or what if I eat an apple during my fasted period, will that ruin everything? Relax. Your body is a complex piece of machinery and learns to adapt. Everything is not as cut and dry as you think.
If you want to eat breakfast one day but not another, thats okay. If you are going for optimal aesthetic or athletic performance, I can see the need to be more rigid in your discipline, but otherwisefreaking chill out and dont stress over minutiae!
Dont let perfect be the enemy of good when it comes to your intermittent fasting plan.
#2) Consider fasted walks in the morning. I found these to be very helpful in reducing body fat, and also gave my day a great start to clear my mind and prepare for the day.
Simply wake up and go for a mile walk. Maybe you could even start walking to Mordor?
#3) Listen to your body during your strength training workouts. If you get light headed, make sure you are consuming enough water.
If you notice a significant drop in performance, make sure you are eating enough calories during your feasting window.
And if you feel severely off, pause your workout. Give yourself permission to EASE into intermittent fasting and fasted workouts. This is especially true if you are an endurance athlete.
#4) Expect funny looks if you spend a lot of mornings with breakfast eaters.
#7) Track your results, listen to your body:
This is just one tool that can contribute to your success.
How Much Weight Can You Lose On : 8 Diet
To lose weight on the 16:8 diet, its important to match the fasting with healthy eating and exercise. If done so correctly, theres a typical weight loss of around seven to 11 pounds over a ten week period. This is according to a review of 40 different studies published in Molecular and Cellular Endocrincology who found that on average, someone weighing just over 90kg would lose 5% of their total body weight in the ten week period.
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Healthy Eating revealed that the 16:8 diet plan can help people lose weight, without having to count calories as the 8-hour fast produces the same kind of calorific restriction and weight loss.
However, whether theres a distinct weight loss advantage achieved on the 16:8 diet compared to other diets remains to be seen. Some studies have demonstrated that theres almost no difference between people who do intermittent fasting compared those who count calories and cut back on unhealthy food.
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Foods List And Meal Plan
To maximize the potential health benefits of your diet, its important to stick to nutritious whole foods and beverages during your eating periods.
Filling up on nutrient-rich foods helps round out your diet and supports a healthy weight. Try balancing each meal with a wide variety of whole foods, such as:
- Fruits: apples, bananas, berries, oranges, peaches, pears, tomatoes, etc.
- Veggies: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cucumbers, leafy greens, etc.
- Whole grains: barley, buckwheat, quinoa, rice, oats, etc.
- Healthy fats: olive oil and avocados
- Protein sources: eggs, fish, legumes, meat, poultry, nuts, seeds, etc.
Drinking calorie-free beverages like water and unsweetened tea and coffee, even while fasting, also helps control your appetite while keeping you hydrated.
Its best to avoid ultra-processed foods like packaged snacks, deep-fried items, sugary drinks, and most frozen meals. These negate the positive effects of 16/8 intermittent fasting and may harm your health.
Summary
To begin 16/8 intermittent fasting, choose an 8-hour window and limit your food intake to that time span. Be sure to follow a balanced diet based in whole foods.
Summary
Animal and human studies suggest that intermittent fasting may increase weight loss, improve blood sugar levels, and extend longevity.
Taking Advantage Of Cheat Days
Many people using intermittent fasting to lose weight have either cheat days or cheat meals. If you need the motivation to stay on the fast, either one is a great alternative. Just be sure that you continue with the eating and fasting windows and not cheat when you should be going without food.
After the first time or two, you will get in the swing of going without food for a change and think you are spot reducing belly fat. You will quickly see how much more you actually enjoy eating as you watch the excess pounds disappearing.
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Tips To Start Intermittent Fasting And Stick With It
Tried-and-tested tricks from IF devotees for staying on track.
Intermittent fasting has been a hot trend for years, with fans swearing it does everything from helping them lose weight to helping them stay healthy. Theres research to back up the benefits of intermittent fasting, too.
A new scientific review published in the Annual Review of Nutrition analyzed 25 studies on intermittent fasting and found that people lost anywhere from 1% to 8% of their baseline weight on this type of eating plan. Intermittent fasting can also have a positive impact on many metabolic health markers, like blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and the associated weight lossespecially if you add a good exercise regimencan result in reduced risks for weight-related diseases. Basically, theres a lot intermittent fasting can do.
Of course, there is a range of options with intermittent fasting and the type you choose is ultimately up to you. One of the most popular forms is time-restricted eating. With this type, you fast for a certain period of the day and have a specific eating window. For example, you may fast for 18 hours and eat for six. Other options include alternate date fasting, which flips between having a day of fasting and a day of eating, and the 5:2 diet, which involves two fasting days and five eating days per week.
