Intermittent Fasting Is On Par With Other Diets For Weight Loss
The weight loss in this study was comparable to results from other diets, based on the researchers’ previous study.
In that study, which is still unpublished, data from 300 obese adults showed similar weight loss results from following the National Health Services advice to eat less, exercise more, count calories, and eat more fiber and produce.
Participants following NHS advice lost slightly less weight, about 4 pounds on average, compared to 6 pounds lost by intermittent fasting dieters in the most recent study. People were also less likely to stay committed to the NHS advice.
That means intermittent fasting could be as good or better for weight loss than current diets recommendations, according to researchers. However, neither of these studies looked at long-term weight loss, so we don’t yet know how well intermittent fasting may work over time.
Previous research has found intermittent fasting has potential for treating obesity. Studies have shown it can work as well as other diets for weight loss, but it may not be any more effective. One theory to explain this is that fasting is just one strategy to help people cut calories, so their weight loss results depend on how much less they eat on a fasting diet.
Comparison To Mediterranean Diet And Paleolithic Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is characterized by a high intake of vegetables, legumes, fresh fruit, non-refined cereals, nuts, and olive oil, accompanied by moderate consumption of fish and dairy, a low intake of red meats, and moderate use of ethanol, mainly red wine consumed during the main meal . The Paleolithic Diet seeks to maintain the eating habits of the huntergatherer by restricting grains, legumes, and dairy to improve health. However, the concept conflicts with the accumulating evidence regarding their benefits for chronic disease prevention, which was observed in 58 clinical trials including 4635 adults in a meta-analysis . In a 12-month randomized controlled trial, a total of 250 overweight 27) healthy adults were allowed to choose one diet from among the Paleolithic Diet, IF, and Mediterranean Diet . It was found that most participants chose ADF to help the most with losing weight, and the Paleo Diet was chosen by the fewest participants to help the least with losing weight. The systolic blood pressure was decreased relatively more with the Mediterranean Diet. There were no significant differences in the other metabolic indices among the diets chosen by participants. These findings suggested that IF and the Mediterranean Diet can be effective for weight loss, and any of these dietary approaches may positively influence health, but the conflict of the Paleo Diet with grain benefits needs more attention and investigation.
Can The Metabolic Set Point Be Reprogrammed
Thats the million dollar question. I recently read The Obesity Code by Jason Fung, MD. Its an excellent read and not your average diet book. Dr. Fung is a nephrologist and founder of Intensive Dietary Management in Toronto, Ontario, where he specializes in treating people with type 2 diabetes and obesity. I loved his humour and found myself laughing out loud in several spots.
Dr. Fung writes that there are multiple overlapping pathways to obesity. The common uniting theme is too much insulin. Obesity is a hormonal disorder of fat regulation. To lower insulin and insulin resistance, we must address both what we eat and when we eat.
Most of the what to eat advice sounded familiar:
- eat lots of the right kind of carbohydrates e.g. vegetables and fruit
- limit refined carbohydrates
- choose unprocessed food
- dont overdo protein consumption, since protein can also increase insulin, even though not as much as refined carbohydrates
- maximize protective factors, like fibre and vinegar
But for me, the advice about when to eat was new:
- just dont snack a healthy snack is one of the greatest weight-loss deceptions. All day grazing leads to constant insulin response stimulation and excess fat storage.
- make breakfast optional its a myth that we need to eat a hearty breakfast to ensure eating less the rest of the day
- fasting to create periods of very low insulin are beneficial
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What Are The Reasons For Water Fasting
The primary reasons for water fasting are to improve ones health through weight loss, detoxification of toxic chemicals stored in fat cells, strengthening of the immune system, reduction of inflammation, and autophagy.
Based on the Expert Panel Update of the 2002 Consensus Guidelines on Fasting Therapy by Dr. Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo, water fasting has empirically documented beneficial effects in the following conditions. Some types of conditions potentially benefited by water fasting are indicated in the following diagram.
Outside of therapeutics, water-only fasting is part of Jainism, an ancient Indian religion in which only boiled water and no food is consumed for one to two weeks during birthdays, anniversaries, festivals, and on holy days.
Water fasting has been used as a form of protest. An example of this is the Irish hunger strike of 1981, during which members of the Irish Republican Army consumed nothing but water and salt in order to oppose British government policies.
Does Caloric Restriction Have The Same Result On All Subjects Regardless Of Condition
Although none of the RCTs investigated type 1 diabetes, in which the incidence of obesity also appears to be growing, nevertheless a study of obese type 1 diabetics showed that caloric restriction for 21 days in a controlled environment could safely result in reduction in weight, BMI, fat mass and waist circumference and allowed a significant reduction in insulin dose 148. There is, however, a recognised risk of hypoglycaemia with caloric restriction in type 1 diabetes, so regular monitoring would be required.
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Health6 Ways To Make A Fasting Diet Work For You
They ate less overall even though they could eat to their hearts content during the eating window. But they tended to become full pretty quickly, Varady noted.
I find one of the benefits of fasting is that it helps people get in touch with their fullness and hunger cues, she told TODAY.
With American diets, were just eating all the time: snacks, coffees every two hours, people are consuming things whereas with fasting, it finally gives your body a break. You start to become in touch with when youre actually hungry.
Take Supplements Proven To Accelerate Fat Loss
I saved this for last because its the least important piece of the puzzle.
Unfortunately, no amount of weight loss pills and powders are going to give you the body you want.
Supplements dont build great physiques. Proper training and nutrition does. And that will never change. Supplementation will never overshadow exercise and diet.
That said, there are safe, natural substances that have been scientifically proven to boost fat loss, strength, muscle growth, endurance, and your general health and well-being.
If you know how to drive fat loss with proper eating and exercise, like weve just covered, then certain supplements can help speed up the process.
Based on my personal experience training for over 10 years, and working with thousands of people, Im comfortable saying that a proper weight loss supplementation routine can increase fat loss by about 30 to 50%.
And here are those supplements:
3 to 6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight per day.
As weight loss boils down to energy consumed versus energy expended, caffeine helps you lose fat by increasing your bodys daily energy expenditure.
Caffeine also improves strength, muscle endurance, and anaerobic performance, and also reverses the morning weakness experienced by many weightlifters.
Part of maximizing the fat loss benefits of caffeine is preventing your body from building up too much of a tolerance, however. The best way to do this is to limit intake, of course.
Heres what I recommend:
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Is Fasting The Same As Starvation
Well, this is a myth just as I described in an earlier article from my own POV. Fasting doesnt equate to starvation at all. Dr. Fung believes that fasting is instinctively present in humans and is the most potent dietary intervention ever. Starvation is something involuntary its not in your control.
No one wants to starve, right? Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is totally about control. No one is forcing you to fast. You do it for your own sake, for your health and well-being. And hence intermittent fasting is not the same as starvation, says Dr. Fung.
Safely Fasting For Weight Loss
Fasting was first advocated by doctors for weight loss in 1915. By 1959, doctors had begun using it as a regular procedure to address obesity. Since that time, doctors have had patients on weight loss fasts for as long as 117 days. The longest food fast was an intermittent fast that ran for 382 days and resulted in a weight loss of 276 pounds.
The debate regarding the therapeutic safety of fasting began in 1968 when a morbidly obese patient died while fasting due to a heart condition.
Fasting should not be done by people who have specific health conditions. Because of the association between eating disorders and obesity, psychotherapy is recommended for those who are considering fasting.
Also, drinking plenty of water to stay healthy during a fasting diet is essential.
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Dietary Changes After Fasting
If someone is fasting to lose weight, it is important to adjust his or her expectations accordingly. For example, the initial weight lost during fasting is generally due to mild dehydration and the metabolism of residual material from the digestive tract. Any individual considering fasting for weight loss should evaluate the level of commitment needed to making dietary changes after the fast.
Although fasting can be an effective way to lose a substantial amount of weight, the results usually do not last if the patient does not modify her or his diet. Joel Fuhrman , a medical doctor who has trained hundreds of doctors in therapeutic fasting, said, Fasting to lose weight without changing your diet is pointless .
A number of studies have tracked the long term results of patients who used fasting to lose weight. A study in 1976 followed 42 patients for an average of 21 months after fasting. Fourteen patients had lost more weight and nine weighed more than they did before the fast.
In another study, researchers followed 121 patients for over 7 years who had fasted for 1 to 2 months to lose weight. After 2 to 3 years, 50% had reverted to their pre-fast weight, and by the 7-year mark, 90% had reverted.
Tips For Extended Fasting Success
If youre planning on fasting for over 36 hours, these tips will help you succeed:
- Take electrolytes. Insulin levels drop during a fast, causing increased sodium loss through urine. Taking potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus while fasting can also help prevent refeeding syndrome, in which crucial minerals are depleted to rebuild glycogen, protein, and fat in your body following a fast. If you dont want to supplement electrolytes, drink bone broth. Its an electrolyte-rich superfood. Enjoy a cup of bone broth twice a day during longer fasts. Though it has a bit of protein, it shouldnt meaningfully interfere with your fasts.
- Hydrate. Fasting has a diuretic effect, meaning you lose fluids quickly. Replace those fluids with noncaloric, unsweetened, non-dairy beverages like coffee, tea, bone broth, andyeswater.
- Ride out the hunger. Hunger doesnt increase the entire time you fast, but rather it ebbs and flows. Most people get hungriest on the second day of an extended fast. After that, it gets easier.
- Track your fast. Consider an app like the LIFE Fasting Tracker to make a fasting plan, track key metrics, and keep yourself accountable.
- Fast with others. This helps you stay motivated. Plus, its fun to share metrics like hours fasted, ketone levels, and glucose ketone index measurements.
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Do Some Heavy Compound Weightlifting
There are many ways to train your muscles, and when the goal is gaining size and strength as quickly as possible, nothing beats heavy compound weightlifting.
Its better than workout machines, pump classes, bodyweight exercises, Yoga, Pilates, and everything else you can do to develop muscle definition.
What do I mean by heavy compound lifting, though?
By heavy, I mean that you should work primarily with weights in the range of 75 to 85% of your one-rep max , which includes weights that you can do 6 to 10 reps with before failing.
And by compound, I mean that you should focus your efforts on exercises that train several majormuscle groups, like the squat, deadlift, and bench press.
Training this way doesnt just help you build more muscleit can also help you lose fat faster.
Although heavy strength training may not leave you in the same sweaty, heart-pounding, breathless mess as high-rep, low-weight workouts or cardio, it still burns about as many calories.
This is largely thanks to whats known as the afterburn effect, which is the rise in metabolic rate that occurs between sets and after your workout as your body recovers. Research shows that this can add up to several hundred calories over the days after an intense weightlifting workout.
Research also shows that the big compound movements like the squat, bench press, and deadlift are the types of exercises that produce the greatest increases in metabolic rate.
How To Perform Water Fasting
Water fasting is performed by determining if you are a candidate for the process, completing a pre-fast medical evaluation, preparing your body for the fast, creating an environment conducive to the fast, incorporating key behavioral changes during the fast, deciding when to end the fast, and restoring the body in a post-fast period. Whether done intermittently or for a prolonged time, water fasting requires a dietetic protocol that is ideally guided by clinicians to ensure safety and efficacy.
These are the steps to do before carrying out a water fast.
Step 1: Determine if you are a candidate for water fasting
Although water fasting can be attempted by everyone, some notable exceptions exist. According to a study by Dr. Alda Attinà and Dr. Claudia Leggeri from the School of Specialization in Food Sciences in Rome, the following patients should not attempt water fasting.
Step 2: Complete a pre-fast medical evaluation
A pre-fasting medical evaluation should be completed. This should include a comprehensive evaluation of an individuals health as well as an analysis of any prescribed medication, such as steroids, contraceptives, antihypertensives, or anticonvulsants, which may be influenced by caloric restrictions.
Step 3: Prepare your body for the fast
Step 4: Create an environment conducive to a water fast
Step 5: Incorporate key behavioral changes during the fast
During the fast, water can be drunk ad libitum, meaning as much or as often as desired or necessary.
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The Relationship Between Insulin And Weight
In his book The Obesity Code, Dr. Fung says that he can make everyone gain weight in other words, he says that he can make you fat. When asked how? He says that he can do so by prescribing insulin. As someone who deals with diabetic patients, Fung states that he has noticed the relationship between insulin and weight gain.
To support his claim, he further stated that no matter what foods you eat or how much physical activity you do, youll surely gain weight if youre on insulin. Reverse this phenomenon, i.e., reduce insulin, and youll lose weight. And intermittent fasting by Dr. Fung is an excellent way to reduce insulin levels in the body.
Intermittent fasting quickly drops the bodys insulin level, which is a hormone that aids the body to utilize sugar for energy. When the body is not given insulin for prolonged periods, it starts using glycogen as body fuel. After glycogen depletion, the body now moves towards fats to provide energy for body functions, thus ultimately reducing weight.
Healthline Diet Score: 22 Out Of 5
One of my favorite TV shows is My 600-Lb. Life, so Im pretty familiar with Dr. Nowzaradan also known as Dr. Now and his no-nonsense approach.
The diet program he uses to prepare patients for bariatric surgery has recently gained popularity as the Dr. Now Diet.
This restrictive diet should only be attempted by people who are preparing for weight loss surgery or who are at imminent risk of serious health concerns due to weight.
In addition, they should only follow the diet under the supervision of a medical team, including a doctor or surgeon and bariatric dietitian.
Heres what you need to know about the Dr. Now Diet.
Diet review scorecard
- Nutrition quality: 2.5
- Evidence-based: 3
Summary: The Dr. Now Diet is designed to help candidates for preoperative weight loss surgery lose weight quickly. However, its extremely restrictive and should only be attempted under medical supervision.
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Comparison To Ketogenic Diet
The Ketogenic Diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that replicates the effects of fasting, and beneficial effects have been ascribed to the production of ketones, and it has been used for losing weight and suppressing seizures in epilepsy patients . The very low-carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet promotes a shift in energy metabolism from carbohydrates to triglycerides, with the formation of ketone bodies , which induces faster weight loss than balanced low-caloric diets . In a clinical trial, overweight patients with T2DM on a very low-carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet lost more weight and demonstrated improved glycemic control than a conventional, low-fat diabetes diet after a 32-week intervention . Some previous studies testified that the very low-carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet can reverse the metabolic abnormalities of T2DM patients. Specifically, a Ketogenic Diet induces a rapid and sensible weight loss along with favorable biomarker changes, such as a reduction in serum HbA1c in T2DM patients. However, the substantial rise in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level has been a major concern among physicians . No direct comparisons of the effects brought about by IF and the Ketogenic Diet have been performed yet, and the safety of a long-term Ketogenic Diet requires further investigation.
