How Does Intermittent Fasting Work
There are several different ways to do intermittent fasting, but they are all based on choosing regular time periods to eat and fast. For instance, you might try eating only during an eight-hour period each day and fast for the remainder. Or you might choose to eat only one meal a day two days a week. There are many different intermittent fasting schedules.
Mattson says that after hours without food, the body exhausts its sugar stores and starts burning fat. He refers to this as metabolic switching.
Intermittent fasting contrasts with the normal eating pattern for most Americans, who eat throughout their waking hours, Mattson says. If someone is eating three meals a day, plus snacks, and theyre not exercising, then every time they eat, theyre running on those calories and not burning their fat stores.
Intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat.
My Mornings Were Either Mega
In the beginning, I couldnt focus at all in the morning. I was so distracted by my hunger that I couldnt get through tasks without daydreaming about later meals or scrolling through food-centric Instagram accounts. Before the fast, I was much more productive before lunch, so this was a weird change. It even extended into the weekend. I flew to see family, and I had a hard time making myself get up and get moving before lunch. My last day with family was when I bumped my fasting up to 16 hours, and by the time I got back to work and the city, my mornings finally felt productive again. The weekend solidified the fact that I was getting used to being hungry, so I utilized that feeling when I was back at work. I busied myself until the time before lunch flew by. Essentially, just like with any diet, it takes awhile to get going and get used to the changes.
Intermittent Fasting Health Benefits
Fasting sets in motion impressive processes in our body. Thanks to advances in biochemistry and medicine, we are getting a better understanding of what fasting does.
Here are the main health benefits of intermittent fasting for beginners that research can explain to date:
1. Weight Loss
With numerous diets, the question arises whether losing weight will work. Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is different.
When you dont eat, the energy expended must come from your energy stores. If stored carbohydrates are gone, the body must tap into stored fat for energy .
In doing so, the body burns not only fat right under your skin but also visceral fat in organs, which is particularly harmful .
2. Muscle Gain
16/8 Intermittent fasting has been known among bodybuilders for decades as a strategy for muscle building.
Moreover, fasting is the most effective way to stimulate human growth hormone naturally .
HGH promotes bone, cartilage, and muscle development. As a result, you get bigger, stronger muscles and protection against age-related bone and muscle loss .
Accordingly, intermittent fasting combined with appropriate weight lifting helps build and maintain muscle mass.
3. Longevity
Fasting activates autophagy, which directs damaged, harmful and toxic compounds out of the body and recycles proteins.
Thus, it helps fight cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, liver, or autoimmune diseases.
4. Inflammation
5. Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Obesity
8. Gut Health
Don’t Miss: Is Intermittent Fasting Good For High Blood Pressure
Carbs On 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
Carbs are the major source of energy for your body. There are three different types of carbohydrates: starches, fiber, and sugars.
For instance, fiber is a carbohydrate that aids in digestion, helps you feel full, and keeps blood cholesterol levels in check.
Carbs often get a bad reputation for causing weight gain. Not all carbs are created equal and they are not inherently fattening. You should choose foods that are high in fiber and starch but low in sugars.
Healthy carbohydrate-rich foods include:
- Herbal tea
Windows For Eating And Fasting
The first thing you have to determine for intermittent fasting is when you are going to eat.
This is called youreating window. Likewise, the period of time you abstain from food is yourfasting window.
A popular split between the two is the 16/8 plan. You eat for 8 hours, you dont eat for 16.
It seems simple enough, right?
The one caveat is that you only must abstain from food during the fasting window. In other words, drinks are allowed.
But exactly what kind of drinks are permitted can be tricky, because some are better than others.
Don’t Miss: Can You Lose Belly Fat By Fasting
How To Get Started
16/8 intermittent fasting is simple, safe and sustainable.
To get started, begin by picking an eight-hour window and limit your food intake to that time span.
Many people prefer to eat between noon and 8 p.m., as this means youll only need to fast overnight and skip breakfast but can still eat a balanced lunch and dinner, along with a few snacks throughout the day.
Others opt to eat between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., which allows plenty of time for a healthy breakfast around 9 a.m., a normal lunch around noon and a light early dinner or snack around 4 p.m. before starting your fast.
However, you can experiment and pick the time frame that best fits your schedule.
Additionally, 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 can help round out your diet and allow you to reap the rewards that this regimen has to offer.
Try balancing each meal with a good variety of healthy whole foods, such as:
- Fruits: Apples, bananas, berries, oranges, peaches, pears, etc.
- Veggies: Broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, leafy greens, tomatoes, etc.
- Whole grains: Quinoa, rice, oats, barley, buckwheat, etc.
- Healthy fats: Olive oil, avocados and coconut oil
- Meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, nuts, seeds, etc.
Drinking calorie-free beverages like water and unsweetened tea and coffee, even while fasting, can also help control your appetite while keeping you hydrated.
Ketosis And Weight Loss
Since fasting is the most effective way to lower insulin levels, it is essential for weight loss. Accordingly, insulin is the crucial storage hormone in the human body.
Therefore, it is responsible for signaling cells to take up glucose from the bloodstream and store excess energy as fat or glycogen.
Furthermore, insulin blocks the enzyme that can break down body fat .
Accordingly, scientists can predict about 75% of possible weight gain and loss in overweight people by analyzing their insulin levels .
The 16-hours of fasting cut off the supply of nutrients, lower insulin levels, and thus end the bodys storage mode.
The body can then begin to break down the carbohydrate stores . Once the glycogen stores are empty, your body can start to burn stored fat for energy.
This fat burning process is called ketosis and, contrary to many myths, is an entirely natural mechanism that has ensured our species survival.
Nature has designed the body to build up fat reserves during abundance and tap into this body fat for energy when food is scarce.
Nowadays, instead of food shortages, we experience an endless summer and eat round the clock. Thus, we gain weight.
Therefore, intermittent fasting can help to restore the natural balance between feasting and fasting.
Read Also: How Long To Intermittent Fasting
Health & Wellnesswhat Is The Omad Diet Learn How The One
That being said, exercise before you eat because people get hungry about half an hour after they finish working out and may find it too hard to stick to their plan if they cant eat anything at all afterwards, Varady noted.
If youre on the 16:8 plan, exercise before or during your eating window. If youre doing alternate day fasting and are exercising on your 500-calorie day, save food for after your exercise session.
How Can I Suppress Hunger During Intermittent Fasting
Eat high-fiber foods, such as nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables, and high protein foods, including meat, fish, tofu, or nuts, during your eating window, Varady advised. Chewing high-fiber gummies can also help.
Drink lots of water. People tend to think they’re hungry, when they are really just thirsty, she said.
Go for black coffee or tea, or cinnamon or licorice herbal teas. These beverages may have appetite-suppressing effects, Varady noted.
Watch less TV: I know this sounds strange, but while you are watching TV, you are bombarded with dozens of ads for food. This can make you feel hungry, when in actuality, you are not hungry at all, she said.
Remember, being “a little hungry” is the best thing that can happen to you, wrote Madelyn Fernstrom, health and nutrition editor at NBC News, calling it a “true mind-body connection” that helps you recognize fullness.
Read Also: How Many Hours Between Meals For Intermittent Fasting
Is 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Right For You
16/8 intermittent fasting can be a sustainable, safe and easy way to improve your health when paired with a nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle.
However, it shouldnt be viewed as a substitute for a balanced, well-rounded diet rich in whole foods. Not to mention, you can still be healthy even if intermittent fasting doesnt work for you.
Though 16/8 intermittent fasting is generally considered safe for most healthy adults, you should talk to your doctor before giving it a try, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
This is key if youre taking any medications or have diabetes, low blood pressure or a history of disordered eating.
Intermittent fasting is also not recommended for women who are trying to conceive or those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you have any concerns or experience any adverse side effects while fasting, be sure to consult your doctor.
16/8 intermittent fasting involves eating only during an 8-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours.
It may support weight loss and improve blood sugar, brain function and longevity.
Eat a healthy diet during your eating period and drink calorie-free beverages like water or unsweetened teas and coffee.
Its best to talk to your doctor before trying intermittent fasting, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
Intermittent Fasting Decreases Metabolism Less Than Continuous Calorie Restriction
When you lose weight, your metabolic rate goes down. Part of this is because losing weight causes muscle loss, and muscle tissue burns calories around the clock.
However, the decrease in metabolic rate seen with weight loss cant always be explained by the loss of muscle mass alone .
Severe calorie restriction over a long period can cause your metabolic rate to drop, as your body enters so-called starvation mode. The scientific term for this is adaptive thermogenesis.
Your body does this to conserve energy as a natural defense against starvation .
This has been demonstrated dramatically in a study of people who lost large amounts of weight while participating in The Biggest Loser, a reality show on TV.
Participants followed a calorie-restricted diet and intense exercise regimen to lose large amounts of weight .
The study found that 6 years later, most of them had regained nearly all of the weight they had lost. However, their metabolic rates had not gone back up and remained around 500 calories lower than you would expect for their body size.
Other studies investigating the effects of calorie restriction on weight loss have found similar results. The drop in metabolism due to weight loss can amount to hundreds of calories per day (
Also Check: How Can You Lose Weight With Intermittent Fasting
When Is The Best Time To Eat Protein
When you decide to consume your protein will vary depending on the intermittent fasting protocol you choose. For instance, if you choose a 16:8 protocol, during which you fast for 16 hours throughout the night and into the morning, youll likely prefer to eat your protein later in the evening before your fast begins. Ideally, you should eat some protein before starting a fast to feel full longer. However, you can choose to start your day with more protein as well.
If you increase your protein intake with breakfast or the first meal you have when you break your fast researchers believe youll have greater appetite control during the day, lower your insulin levels, and eat less at lunchtime. On the other hand, experts found that eating protein with dinner will also increase satiety and make it less likely you indulge in unhealthy food in the evening. Remember you dont need to eat all of the days protein at once within your eating window, so feel free to make breakfast or dinner more protein-focused while still incorporating protein-rich foods like yogurt or oats.
Read Also: What To Eat For Breakfast Intermittent Fasting
/4beverages That You Can Have
When fasting you have to keep your carbohydrate intake below 50 grams per day to maintain ketosis. Here are a few beverages you can consume while fasting.
Water- Plain water contains zero calories and will keep you hydrated during a fast.
Coffee or tea- If you want to drink tea or coffee then do not add sugar, milk, or cream in it.
Apple Cider Vinegar- Drinking diluted apple cider vinegar is also a good option. This drink helps you stay hydrated and prevent cravings during a fast.
Read Also: What To Drink While Fasting On Keto
That Will Help You Stay On Track
Important: Please do not start intermittent fasting or any other dietary change without consulting your physician.
In case youre not familiar, intermittent fasting is an eating plan that incorporates at least 12 hours of fasting each day. Some people choose to go a few days without food, while others are content to stick to 12 hours.
Food And Drinks That Contain Calories
Strictly speaking, any amount of calories will break a fast.
If a person follows a strict fasting schedule, they should avoid any food or drinks containing calories.
Those following a modified fasting diet can often eat up to 25% of their daily calorie needs while fasting.
With this in mind, it is important to know how many calories a person needs while avoiding food and drinks that exceed their total daily limit.
Some certain supplements and foods are generally within the limits of several fasting methods, including the below.
Also Check: How To Get The Best Results From Intermittent Fasting
Answers To The Most Common Intermittent Fasting Questions
Welcome to the first Reader Mailbag!
Im taking a page from the playbook of one of my favorite sportswriters, Bill Simmons, and answering a boatload of your questions today.
Questions are rolling in all the time mostly through the free newsletter or and I love hearing from you. Keep them coming! I’m happy to help however I can.
My hope is that this mailbag will bring useful answers together in one place and make it easier for you to find the information you need to make the changes you want. My goal is always to make it easier for you to lose fat, gain muscle, and live healthy.
Boom. Lets get this party rolling.
As always, these are real emails from real readers.
Free Bonus:
What Can You Drink During Intermittent Fasting Overview
Obesity is rising at alarming levels globally. As per the CDC , between 2000 to 2018, obesity in American adults rose from 30.5% to 42.4%.
Among all other diets available, most Americans tend to pick intermittent fasting. It has been practiced globally for thousands of years, but it has made a massive comeback recently.
Intermittent fasting is a regimen that alternates eating periods with periods of taking minimal calories or not eating at all. It underscores when you eat rather than what you eat.
The intent of intermittent fasting isnt restricting calories intake only but also to allow your body to focus on recovery and upkeep rather than digestion.
Therefore, one of the most common questions among people is What can you drink during intermittent fasting? Well, there are some dos and donts, so stick around to find out more.
Recommended Reading: How Much Weight Do You Lose From Water Fasting
Fats To Eat When Intermittent Fasting
Although its unjustly bad image persists, fat is the most critical macronutrient when doing intermittent fasting.
Pure natural fat, such as extra virgin olive oil, causes almost no insulin reaction. For this reason, fat not only supports weight loss but also other health benefits of fasting.
Also, animal and saturated fats reputation is far worse than the scientifically proven reality. According to recent studies, saturated fatty acids protect against heart attacks and strokes .
Due to the overwhelming burden of proof, even the most stubborn health authorities have now had to admit that saturated fatty acids are not causing cardiovascular disease .
Moreover, saturated fatty acids are more heat resistant than unsaturated ones. Therefore, they are best for frying. However, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats belong in any diet as well.
These natural fats supply your body with an ingenious balance of energy during intermittent fasting:
- Saturated fats
Can I Drink Pickle Juice While Intermittent Fasting
Just like bone broth, the water of sugar-free pickles has already helped many people during fasting. While bone broth is a comprehensive electrolyte dispenser, the cucumber water provides salt in particular.
Therefore you should drink it during intermittent or prolonged fasting if physical pain, such as headache, occurs.
Nevertheless, cucumber water should remain an aid for this particular purpose.
Read Also: How Many Calories With Intermittent Fasting
Best Beverages You Can Drink While Fasting
- 4 minute read
What can you drink while fasting?
Intermittent fasting is all the rage these days. And with its purported health benefits, its certainly one to try!
Theres definitely something appealing about a plan that only contains one essential rule. And that rule is: eat for these hours but dont eat for the others.
For people who follow a keto diet, its not hard to overlap intermittent fasting with it.
But when it comes time to actually do it, questions may pop up. And one of those questions is, what can I drink?
You may also like:
