Make Your Intermittent Fast More Effective By Planning Ahead
- Planning what to eat and when to eat can take you a long way as you are more likely to reduce giving it to cravings. Prepping meals ahead of your feeding window is a great idea since you wont be wasting your eating time period on assembling ingredients, making food or even doing the dishes.
- Strategically planning your day according to your feeding period can help too. Doing more high energy tasks during or after your feeding period is sure to help you be on top of your to-do list while being on your fasting schedule.
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.
What Happens To Your Body When You Fast
There’s not a lot of evidence to show exactly what happens when we fast, says Nathalie Sessions, R.D., at Houston Methodist.
“Theres only been a few viable scientific studies that have been done with humans on intermittent fasting,” she tells Men’sHealth.
Learn more with The Men’s Health Guide to Intermittent Fasting
Most research has been conducted in animals, and human bodies don’t function in the same way.
Many theorize that giving your body a break from eating helps your body repair damaged cells, a process known as autophagy, says Sowa. However, most of this research has been conducted in mice, so the science isn’t 100 percent clear.
However, there is evidence that fasting lowers insulin levels, according to Sowa. Healthy adults experienced a decline in insulin levels after fasting, according to a 2005 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, regulates blood sugar and other hormones. Too much insulin has been linked to obesity and health conditions like heart disease.
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Overeating And Potential Weight Gain
Restricting your intake to just 8 hours per day may cause some people to eat more than usual during eating periods in an attempt to make up for hours spent fasting. This may lead to weight gain, digestive problems, and unhealthy eating habits.
Interestingly, current research doesnt suggest that intermittent fasting leads to any more weight loss than typical diets that recommend overall calorie restriction. Both eating patterns may lead to modest weight loss .
If weight loss is your primary goal, you may therefore prefer to lower your calorie intake instead of fasting intermittently to prevent the overeating that may occur when restricting intake to a certain time window.
How Long Should You Do Intermittent Fasting
You could intermittent fast every day for the rest of your life if you wanted. You can also do it on specific days. A lot of people like to do intermittent fasting on the weekdays and then take the weekends off. It’s completely up to you.
For best results, try one of the intermittent fasting methods we listed above for a month and see how it goes. This will give you enough time to see noticeable results.
Read Also: How To Lose Belly Fat Intermittent Fasting
Can You Consume Beverages During The Fasting Phase
Yes, but you have to choose wisely.
Like I mentioned earlier juices of all kinds are a huge no-no!
And do I even need to start my rant against alcohol?
Glad you share my view, cheers!
As its already quite obvious, IF is not some Nazi-type of fasting program so chill you can consume liquid stuff like:
- Any 0% calorie drink
For example, I love me some pure, filtered tap water.
This means chugging down massive amounts of it is childs play for me, but what do you like to drink?
If youre a coffee maniac then itll be more complicated, simply because you cant go berserk and sip a caffeine beverage throughout the day.
Oh, and keep an eye out for certain testosterone-lowering foods like soy and junk food during the feeding window!
The whole idea of IF is to get you in better shape, mood, mindset you name it!
This is why its completely essential for you to keep the fasting stage free of calories.
Reaching out for a tiny little biscuit and thinking that it cant possibly do any harm is foolish guys!
Do you think Hugh Jackman wouldve been so ripped in his role as Wolverine if he cheated here and there?
Hes known as Huge Jackedman for a reason!
Maybe were not movie stars and our careers dont depend on that but when you get serious with something, stay serious!
To get down to the quick of it, respect motivates me not success
Hugh Jackman
Lets all agree with Hugh on this one.
Youll earn respect no doubt if you start to implement IF into your daily schedule!
Are There Any Drawbacks To Intermittent Fasting
Just like any other plan, protocol, program, service, product IF has its own set of cons.
It would be too good to be true, although the negative aspect here is relatively small and insignificant in my opinion.
Ready for the list of the so-called setbacks? Lets rock:
- Lower energy
- Hunger plus food cravings
- Obsession with the feeding and fasting window
- Relying on caffeine too much
It entirely depends on you as a person and how your body responds to fasting.
But either youll end up with one of these or some of them, or you might even experience all of the negatives combined.
If thats the case then Ive got bad news for you mate youre one unlucky son of a hitch!
Anyway, as its crystal clear IF is a double-edged blade and you need the willpower to succeed.
Weight loss is all about your mental state.
Do you want to stay in shape, are you willing to make certain sacrifices?
Answer these and then make your choice!
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Intermittent Fasting May Reduce Diabetes Risk
The study in Cell Metabolism referenced above also demonstrated the potential of intermittent fasting to reduce risk of metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
All the participants in the study were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health conditionsincluding high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides levelsthat occurring together boost the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
After 12 weeks, every participant experienced improvement in all of the common markers of metabolic syndrome.
A similar study in the journal Translational Research found that alternate-day fasting, in which participants restricted calories by 75 percent on a fast day, followed by a feed day without calorie restriction, resulted in clinically significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin resistance.
What Can You Eat On The 1: 8 Diet
- Whole grains: Rice, oats, barley, wholegrain pasta and quinoa.
- Protein: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds.
- Fruit: Apples, bananas, berries, oranges and pears.
- Vegetables: Broccoli, spinach and other leafy greens.
- Healthy fats: Olive oil, coconut oil, avocados.
The great thing about the 16:8 diet is that you can eat anything you want, within reason, but it’s important to choose whole foods and those high in vitamins during the eating period.
“Many people fail the 16:8 diet by packing in too many calories into the 8-hour period, often trying to get some in before the 8 hours ends, says Jenane. You should still be following a strict diet with a complete nutritional breakdown, to ensure you are consuming a targeted number of calories, not to mention macro nutrients and ensuring youre not consuming too much sugar.
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The Basics Of Intermittent Fasting
Before we dive into intermittent fasting and gender, it is important to first answer some essential questions.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a style or pattern of eating rather than a traditional diet. While a traditional diet focuses on what you eat, an intermittent fasting diet focuses on when you eat.
In this style of eating, you cycle between periods of severe or complete calorie restrictionâin other words, periods of fastingâand periods of healthy eating. The length of time for these periods of calorie restriction and periods of healthy eating vary according to individual choice.
Where Did the Concept of Intermittent Fasting Come From?
The concept of intermittent fasting stems from a much, much earlier period in history. Before making revolutionary strides in agriculture, humans lived in hunter-gatherer societies. Without a steady supply of cultivated food, these societies experienced times of plenty and times of scarcity. While food is readily available for most in our current society, intermitting fasting mimics a cycle between periods of plenty and periods of scarcity.
How Long Should You Intermittently Fast?
There are many different approaches to intermittent fasting. While all rely on periodic fasting, the frequency and length of the fasting periods in each of these approaches are different.
Who Benefits from Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent Fasting: Women Vs Men
Reading Time: 8 minutes
Date: 2022-04-01
Like the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting is a trending diet. A quick internet search for âintermittent fastingâ will yield more than ten million search results. These results link to an enormous number of articles touting the amazing health benefits of this style of eating. And many of these articles are backed by ample, sound, and positive research. So, whatâs not to like about intermittent fasting?
While intermittent fasting can be a great option for men, it is often not as great an option for women. Women need to be aware that intermittent fasting does not affect men and women the same way. Letâs explore.
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Might Go Against Your Intuition
Intermittent fasting requires discipline, restraint, and planning ahead.
For some people, using those tactics to keep your calorie intake within a designated time frame is no problem, but for others, it might feel unnatural at first. This may be especially true if youre used to relying on your intuition to decide when to eat.
Further, if you prefer not to follow a strict schedule, you might find intermittent fasting frustrating.
Whats more, if your schedule tends to vary from day to day because of work, family, or other obligations, keeping your calorie intake to a designated time frame could be challenging.
Pros Of Intermittent Fasting
Researchers have already linked numerous health benefits with intermittent fasting and continue to examine them.
Plus, for some people, intermittent fasting fits well into their model of a healthy and sustainable long-term diet.
If youre wondering if intermittent fasting could be right for you, here are a few benefits that might pique your interest.
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Is 1: 8 Fasting Healthy
Intermittent fasting 16:8 has not been shown to be harmful to the average healthy person, says Michal Mor, PhD, co-founder and head of science at Lumen .
Fasting has been shown to help individuals restrict their caloric intake and lose weight and may also reduce the risk of obesity-related health conditions such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as some chronic diseases.
Whilst studies, such as one published in the Canadian Family Physician journal, have shown that intermittent fasting can lead to weight loss in the short term, a review in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that this is due to an energy deficit created from limiting your eating window, says Jones. There may also be some considerations for fasting women.
Put simply, if you can only eat for a short period of time, youre less likely to eat as much. Of course, this depends on the foods you eat. You could eat very calorie-dense foods, which are unlikely to leave you in an energy deficit. But ultimately, there isnt strong evidence that intermittent fasting is superior to the standard calorie restriction diet. Many studies have found intermittent fasting and traditional calorie restriction have similar weight loss outcomes.
According to a study published in Nutrients , theres also mixed evidence on the health benefits of intermittent fasting for cardiovascular disease risk factors, says Jones, with more research needed before we can conclude any benefits.
Best For Muscle Growth: Paleo Diet
The paleo diet is designed to mimic the eating patterns of ancient hunter-gatherer societies.
Minimally processed ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and poultry, are encouraged. Meanwhile, foods like grains, legumes, dairy products, and added sugars are restricted .
Paleo diets are often recommended for those hoping to fuel muscle growth.
This is because many foods encouraged on the diet are high in protein, which can help increase muscle mass when paired with resistance training .
Whats more, studies show that the paleo diet can help improve body composition by decreasing body fat, reducing belly fat, and increasing weight loss .
For a simple guide to help get you started on the paleo diet, check out The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat, which provides in-depth information about how the diet works.
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Diet Plan: What Can You Eat And What Are The Benefits
You may have heard wonders about the 5:2 diet, but have you heard of the 16:8 diet yet?
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The 16:8 diet plan is one of the most popular ways to get into intermittent fasting, with big names like Jennifer Aniston and Hugh Jackman swearing by it.
Similar to the 5:2 diet plan – but not as restrictive – the 16:8 has been praised as a diet that works fast . Weve spoken to the experts to find out how it works and how you can use the diet in a healthy way, without risking extreme weight loss .
Clinical nutritionist Suzie Sawyer says this style of eating is very different to most of the other diets out there, and that’s why it works. “Intermittent fasting works by increasing the period when your body has burned through the calories eaten during your last meal and begins burning fat,” she explains. “If you are someone who eats three meals a day, plus snacks, and you don’t exercise much, then every time you eat, you are running on those calories and not burning your fat stores.”
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Proposed Health Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
When it comes to weight loss, there are two thoughts behind why IF has the potential to work. The first: Periods of fasting produce a net calorie deficit, so you lose weight, explains Rekha Kumar, MD, a specialist in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYorkPresbyterian in New York City.
The other concept is more complex: This approach may prevent whats called the plateau phenomenon from happening, Dr. Kumar says.
Biggest Loser
Though more research is needed on the safety and effectiveness of IF, one of the touted benefits of this approach is that it may prevent this metabolic sputtering. Most people who try diet and exercise to lose weight tend to fall off the wagon and regain weight, Kumar says. Hormones that promote weight regain, like hunger hormones, are kicked into full gear, and the thought is that IF may be a way to prevent this metabolic adaptation from happening. The idea is that the normal periods of eating in IF trick your body into losing weight before the plateau happens.
