May Enhance Heart Health By Improving Blood Pressure Triglycerides And Cholesterol Levels
Heart disease is considered the leading cause of death around the world, accounting for an estimated 31.5% of deaths globally .
Switching up your diet and lifestyle is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of heart disease.
Some research has found that incorporating fasting into your routine may be especially beneficial when it comes to heart health.
One small study revealed that eight weeks of alternate-day fasting reduced levels of bad LDL cholesterol and blood triglycerides by 25% and 32% respectively .
Another study in 110 obese adults showed that fasting for three weeks under medical supervision significantly decreased blood pressure, as well as levels of blood triglycerides, total cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol .
In addition, one study in 4,629 people associated fasting with a lower risk of coronary artery disease, as well as a significantly lower risk of diabetes, which is a major risk factor for heart disease (
However, more studies are needed to evaluate the effects of fasting on brain function in humans.
Summary Animal studies show that fasting could improve brain function, increase nerve cell synthesis and protect against neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimers disease and Parkinsons.
Best Time To Eat Intermittent Fasting
As stressed out in the previous points, your daily routine will determine the best time to eat when intermittent fasting.
For the following reasons, in my opinion, the evening is the best time to eat when intermittent fasting:
- Work is over
- There is time to prepare quality food
- You can dine with your family
- You could exercise in a fasted state
- Now your body wants to rest and grow
- And you can finish off the day relaxed
Improved mental focus is one of the main practical benefits of intermittent fasting. With the largest meal of the day, focus fades away, and the body relaxes. Therefore it only makes sense not to have planned any mental or physical exertion afterward.
When I want to exploit the mental clarity of fasting to get things done, I often extend the fasting period.
As a result, I am on one meal a day schedule. So I get more things done while only cooking once and finishing earlier.
Since a single meal per day is larger, the evening or late afternoon is the best time to eat during intermittent fasting when leveraging its flexibility.
Path To Improved Health
Intermittent fasting is not a diet plan. While it may have some of the same health benefits as a diet, its really an eating pattern. It means you fast during a certain period of time each day . You then eat during another period of time each day . While youre fasting, you can drink beverages that dont contain calories, including water, black coffee, and unsweetened tea.
How fasting and eating is divided each day is called an eating schedule. One of the most common, easy-to-follow schedules is 16:8. This means you fast for a 16-hour period of time and eat your daily meals during an 8-hour period of time. For example, you may want to fast from 7 p.m. until 11 a.m. the next day. You would then eat a healthy lunch and dinner between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. You wouldnt eat anything after 7 p.m. until 11 a.m. the next day. This is just an example of times. You can select any 16-hour and 8-hour block of time that works best for your schedule. But its important to keep your eating window at the same every day.
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Benefits Of 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
16/8 intermittent fasting is a popular diet because its easy to follow, flexible and sustainable in the long term.
Its also convenient, as it can cut down on the amount of time and money you need to spend on cooking and preparing food each week.
In terms of health, 16/8 intermittent fasting has been associated with a long list of benefits, including:
- Increased weight loss: Not only does restricting your intake to a few hours per day help cut calories over the course of the day, but studies also show that fasting could boost metabolism and increase weight loss (
- ).
Summary
16/8 intermittent fasting is easy to follow, flexible and convenient. Animal and human studies suggest that it may increase weight loss, improve blood sugar levels, enhance brain function and extend longevity.
Managing Your Weight With Intermittent Fasting And Time Restricted Eating
Intermittent fasting and time restricted eating are techniques to help people lose weight, improve their overall health, and some say simplify their lifestyles. Intermittent fasting and time restricted eating are becoming increasingly popular so you are likely to hear about them more and more.
Many studies are emerging that show that both IF and TRE can potentially lead to longer life, improve your health, and even enhance your brain function.
Those who are underweight or have a history of eating disorders should consult with their doctor before trying intermittent fasting or time restricted eating. Those with diabetes or poor blood sugar regulation should also consult their doctor before trying intermittent fasting or time restricted eating.
Fasting is done today for religious reasons and practiced by many faiths. Advocates of intermittent fasting argue that not eating for periods of time is more natural than having several meals a day along with snacks. The argument is that our ancestors did not have unlimited access to fast food, refrigerators, and convenient stores. As a result, we have evolutionarily been designed to not eat for periods of time until we could find food. So, intermittent fasting and time restricted eating attempt to recreate that potentially natural process.
Three common approaches exist. These are:
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Mistakes To Avoid During Intermediate Fasting
2. Over Indulging after a fast is very common. Ive seen women eating so much food that they start to gain weight instead of losing it. Therefore, it would be best to break your fast by drinking something slowly and then eat each food after 15 to 20 minutes of the last one.
3. Make sure you are eating more than 1000 calories a day. Otherwise, you will probably end up malnourished.
4. If you mistakenly eat during fasting, dont get hard on yourself and dump everything out the door. Instead, get yourself back together and continue the fast for the rest of the time.
Drinks To Avoid While Fasting
It is always good to avoid drinks with sugar and artificial sweeteners. There isnt a rule that says you cant drink soda, juice, or milkshake during your eating window, but when it comes to your fasting period there are some drinks that you must avoid.
During your fasting time you should avoid:
- Diet soda
- Juice
- Coconut water
- Alcohol
Two main things that you need to remember for drinks while fasting is to make sure you are drinking enough fluids and to avoid drinks that contain calories.
Caloric drinks like juices, smoothies, diet soda can be consumed during your eating window, but if you can it is best to stick to water, tea, coffee, or mineral water.
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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.
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
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How Much Weight Can You Lose On 1: 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.
What Can I Eat On An Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan
Truth is, anything ! When it comes to an intermittent fasting meal plan, its not necessarily about the type of food youre eating but the timing.
But you know me, I always suggest pairing IF with nutritious and well-balanced meals. I mean at the end of the day, if you eat 3 Big Macs during your eating window then you most likely wont reap the benefits.
Ultimately, the good news is, you can be keto or clean eating or not even follow a specific lifestyle.
PLEASE REMEMBER: Because this is a fast, your body is going to need love and nourishment. Which translates to nutrient-dense food!
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Vitamin D Fortified Milk
The recommended intake of calcium for an adult is 1,000 milligrams per day, about what you’d get by drinking three cups of milk per day. With a reduced feeding window, the opportunities to drink this much might be scarce, and so it is important to prioritize high-calcium foods. Vitamin D fortified milk enhances the body’s absorption of calcium and will help to keep bones strong. To boost daily calcium intake, you can add milk to smoothies or cereal, or even just drink it with meals. If you’re not a fan of the beverage, non-dairy sources high in calcium include tofu and soy products, as well as leafy greens like kale.
How Long Before You See The Results Of Intermittent Fasting
You probably know this by now, but any diet takes time to show results. And intermittent fasting is no exception! However, a study shows that IF participants lost between 4.6% and 13.0% of their baseline body weight over 8 weeks to 1 year. Which is pretty significant!
For sure, those who exercised saw increased results over those who did not. Daily activity is good for you in many ways, so get out there and move!
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How Do I Manage Hunger
The most important thing to realize is that hunger usually passes like a wave. Many people worry that hunger during intermittent fasting will continue to build until it is intolerable, but this does not normally happen.46 Instead, hunger comes in a wave. If you simply ignore it and drink a cup of tea or coffee, it will often pass.47
During extended fasts, hunger will often increase into the second day. After that, it gradually recedes, and many people report a complete loss of hunger sensation by day 3 or 4.48 Your body is now being powered by fat. In essence, your body is eating its own fat for breakfast, lunch and dinner and therefore is no longer hungry. Learn more
Branch Chain Amino Acid Supplement
A final IF-approved supplement is the BCAA. While this muscle-building aid is most beneficial for the individual who enjoys fasted cardio or hard workouts at the crack of dawn, it can be consumed all throughout the day to prevent the body from going into a catabolic state and preserve lean muscle mass. Note: If you choose to follow a vegan diet pattern, this supplement may be off-limits, as most are sourced from duck feathers.
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I Didn’t Sleep Very Well
I’m not sure if this was one of the results of intermittent fasting, but I noticed that I didn’t sleep very well during my experiment. After a few days, I woke up multiple times during the night feeling super thirsty and had to get up to drink water before I could fall asleep again. I tried to adjust the types of food I was eating to fix it. Other bloggers who have tried the diet reported similar problems, but I couldn’t find concrete research linking the issue with fasting besides my fellow IFers accounts. I normally don’t have a problem sleeping, so this was definitely a negative side effect.
Intermittent Fastingit Really Works
Chiropractic Thought for the Week: Its flu and virus season. Virus germs are all around us. We are constantly exposed to viral germs all day and every day. Most of the time this exposure does not lead to illness. Why? Our immune systems are designed to kill these viral and bacterial germs as they enter our body, keeping us healthy. If your immune system is not working at a peak performance and optimal level, the germs win and you get sick. Immune system performance is maintained by proper nutrition and supplementation . In addition, regular chiropractic care helps the immune systems performance levels. Research shows that chiropractic care enhances the rate at which the bodys DNA repairs itself . In addition, spinal adjustments to the thoracic spine cause an increase in infection fighting white blood cell production and patients under regular chiropractic care show a higher level of resistance enzymes in the body. So, not only does chiropractic care help you with your aches and pains, it is a boost to your immune system.
Chiropractor and pregnancy care: Pregnancy care from the chiropractor involve balancing the pelvis and eliminating spinal nerve stress to the reproductive system. Gentle, low force, light pressure adjustments help the pregnant patient be more comfortable during pregnancy and help with overall pregnancy health.
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But Is Intermittent Fasting Good For You
While some researchhas shown the benefits of IF, such as weight loss, lowerblood pressure and improved metabolic health, more investigation isstill needed, especially regarding long-term outcomes of IF. There is also theaspect of sustainability. Severely restricting calories or not eating for longperiods at a time isnt for everyone. Some researcheven shows that those who do intermittent fasting dont usually stick with itas compared with those trying to lose weight on more traditional diets.
Still, IF has been shown to be an effective form of weight loss but so have other options like eating a well-balanced diet paired withexercise. One studysuggests that IF is not more effective at supporting weight loss or improvingblood sugars than other well-balanced approaches.
Weight loss is never a one-size-fits-all approach, saysTaylor. IF may be sustainable for some people, while others find that this approachjust isnt for them.
If you want to try IF, youll first need to figure out how you are going to incorporate this style of eating into your life, especially when it comes to things like social events and staying active, she advises.
Ready to explore your options? Here Taylor explains some of the most popular IF methods.
Intermittent Fasting Eat Before Or After Workout
Among bodybuilders, intermittent fasting is not a new idea. The most standard intermittent fasting schedule in which nothing is eaten for 14 to 18 hours daily is a proven method for improved muscle growth.
Therefore, bodybuilders have been using the 16/8 schedule, also known as peak fasting or time-restricted feeding , for decades.
Due to the release of growth hormone, intermittent fasting boosts muscle gain .
However, it is vital to exercise in a fasted state. Therefore, it is better to eat after than before workout while intermittent fasting.
Given the essential goals of burning fat and activating autophagy for health benefits, this even makes more sense :
- The low insulin level before eating enables maximum fat burning
- The fasting state allows the body to maximize autophagy through exercise
In contrast, eating allows the body to relax. And this is in contradiction to athletic performance, as you can also witness through self-experimentation.
Against this background, it is wiser to use the increased adrenaline levels for exercising. Afterward, you can send your body into recovery and growth mode with a meal.
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