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When Is The Best Time To Do Intermittent Fasting

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Keeps Cells Healthy And Vibrant

Best Time to Eat During Intermittent Fasting

When we fast we give our body time to rest and repair, tending to natural processes put in place to keep our cells healthy. Autophagy is an example of a process our body naturally undergoes to keep our cells healthy and in turn, keep us healthy!

Autophagy is the process our cells go through to remove waste and dysfunctional cells to help our body clean out damaged cells and regenerate new and healthier cells. Evidence suggests when we intermittent fast, we increase the frequency of this process, so our body works harder to remove any unwanted junk and dysfunctioning cells .

Increased autophagy may play a role in protecting us from several diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases .

Other Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting Include:

  • Increased HGH and T3 levels.
  • Increased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor .
  • Improved cognitive function and memory.
  • Reduced inflammation, and protection against the diseases that come with it .
  • Improved metabolism and blood sugar control.
  • Improved insulin sensitivity.
  • Increased clarity and focus
  • Reduced appetite hunger and cravings

Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce appetite, hunger and cravings by mobilizing fat stores for energy.

When we eat normally throughout the day, our bodies spend most of their time using glucose as fuel. If there is not enough available through diet or stored glycogen then the body will use fat stores.

However during periods of intermittent fasting, when glucose is not available for fuel, glycogen depletion forces the body to rely on stored fat for energy instead. The longer one can go without eating like with most traditional forms of fasting-the greater this reliance becomes until it reaches a point where the body is forced to use fat stores for fuel.

This process of using stored fat for energy-sometimes referred to as lipolysis-increases levels of blood circulating ketones . Elevated ketone bodies suppress appetite by decreasing hunger signals in the brain, which may explain why intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce both food intake and appetite.

These are various types of exercise to do while Intermittent Fasting

But What If You Have Fat To Lose

If youre a teenager but have extra body fat to lose, is it still okay to use intermittent fasting and a calorie deficit?

Yes! In fact, I think intermittent fasting for a teenage diet is a great solution for losing excess body fat.

Heres how you should look at things

Theres no reason you shouldnt take charge of your life and improve your body and overall health at a young age.

Being overweight as a teenager is probably going to do more damage than a slight calorie deficit and fasting.

And not just physically, but mentally too. Growing up as an overweight teenager can be tough!

Sure, the latter example of eating however much you want for lunch and dinner while lifting weights may work for some teenagers.

But if youre dealing with weight issues, youre better off doing something about it now and building those new good habits as soon as possible.

And the only way to lose fat is to be in a calorie deficit. If this is your situation, still make sure you are sticking to wholesome foods and not going any further than a moderate calorie deficit and taking things slow and controlled.

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It May Be Difficult For Some People To Stick To

One of the most obvious limitations of the Warrior Diet is that it restricts the time during which you may eat substantial meals to a four-hour period.

This can be difficult to stick to, especially when participating in normal social activities like going out to breakfast or lunch.

While some people may feel great when consuming very small amounts of calories over a 20-hour period, others may find that this way of eating is not ideal for their lifestyle.

When Should I Exercise

The Complete Intermittent Fasting Guide for Beginners

When Varady and her colleagues conducted a study that combined alternate day fasting and exercise, they allowed the participants to pick whether they wanted to exercise on a feasting or fasting day, and found there was no strong preference one way or the other. But the researchers were surprised the dieters actually reported feeling more energetic on fasting days.

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Main Rules Of The Intermittent Fasting 14/10

So, you may, or may have not heard about the 16:8 fasting. It is an eating pattern where you are allowed to eat during an 8-hour period and must only consume water for the rest of 16 hours each day. The intermittent fasting 14/10 is very similar to that type, only here you are allowed to eat whatever you want during a 10-hour window. If you get up early, you can start eating at 7 AM, and then your last meal this day will have to be at 5 PM, followed by a fasting period which will end by 7 AM the next day.

You can also have your first meal at 8 AM or 9 AM, and then your dinner will have to be no later than 6 PM and 7 PM respectively. You can eat your usual meals during the 10-hour window, but you cant consume any calories during a 14-hour fast. However, you are allowed to drink unsweetened tea or coffee and of course, water.

Is Fasting An Effective Weight

If you are obese or overweight, fasting is an effective weight-loss method, if you stick to it. But it is no more effective than a diet that restricts your daily calories. We know this because there were no additional weight-loss or cardiovascular benefits of fasting two days per week, over an ordinary calorie-restriction diet, in a study of 150 obese adults over the course of 50 weeks.

But you should also consider how difficult the diet will be to stick to. In a study of 100 randomized obese and overweight adults , the dropout rate was higher with those who were fasting, 38 percent, compared with 29 percent for calorie restrictors and 26 percent for those who kept eating as they normally did.

Some people really struggle with having to monitor their intake and constantly record food in an app every day. So the takeaway of the study was if daily calorie restriction doesnt work for you, maybe alternate-day fasting would be a little easier, said Krista Varady, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the senior author of the study. Theres nothing magical here. Were tricking people into eating less food, in different ways, she said in 2017.

There is some new evidence that shows different forms of fasting are not equal in part because some are easier than others, but also because some forms of fasting better match our bodys natural circadian rhythm, thus lowering insulin levels, increasing fat-burning hormones and decreasing appetite.

Also Check: How Does Do Fasting Work

What Is Clean Or Dirty Fasting

Surprisingly, you can follow a clean fasting schedule or play it out a little bit dirty.

These terms refer to defining what kind of foods break the fast. The clean path defines a zero-calorie approach: you cannot drink or eat anything other than water, plain black coffee, green tea, or any type of herbal tea.

While dirty fasting, you might consume drinks that contain less than 50 calories, such as lemon water, coffee with MCT oil, bone broth, or zero-calorie drinks. You might even enjoy a piece of gum or an occasional mint.

Both of these methods are valid. As a beginner, you might want to start fasting dirty and go clean once you get a handle on your new routine.

How To Start Intermittent Fasting

What is the Best Time of Day to Start Intermittent Fasting?

You are probably used to eating or snacking all the time, so you can find 16 hours of fasting pretty difficult in the beginning.

No worries, you are not alone. I have been there, and I learned how to come to the point where my eating window is 1 meal only.

Lets break some steps on how to start it without suffering and pain:

  • Balancing the meals, no snacks between
  • Enrolling 12-12 system
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    How Often Should You Do 1: 8 Intermittent Fasting

    Unlike other intermittent fasting diets, each day of the 16:8 works independently to the other days. This means that you can do anywhere from one day of intermittent 16:8 fasting to seven days a week, depending on your goals and the advice from your GP.

    Evidence differs, however, on whether its healthy to do intermittent fasting all the time for a number of reasons. While one study suggests that fasting helps your vital organs by giving metabolic functions a break, other research suggests the fasting can lead to an increased level of cholesterol and can lead to feelings of nausea, along with causing spells of low-blood sugar and dehydration.

    Should I Eat 6 Small Meals A Day

    There are a few main reasons why diet books recommend six small meals:

    1) When you eat a meal, your body does have to burn extra calories just to process that meal. So, the theory is that if you eat all day long with small meals, your body is constantly burning extra calories and your metabolism is firing at optimal capacity, right? Well, thats not true.

    Whether you eat 2000 calories spread out throughout the day, or 2000 calories in a small window, your body will burn the same number of calories processing the food .

    So, the whole keep your metabolism firing at optimum capacity by always eating sounds good in principle, but reality tells a different story.

    2) When you eat smaller meals, you might be less likely to overeat during your regular meals. I can definitely see some truth here, especially for people who struggle with portion control or dont know how much food they should be eating.

    However, once you educate yourself and take control of your eating, some might find that eating six times a day is very prohibitive and requires a lot of effort. I know I do.

    Also, because youre eating six small meals, Id argue that you probably never feel full, and you might be MORE likely to eat extra calories during each snack.

    Although grounded in seemingly logical principles, the six meals a day doesnt work for the reason you think it would , and generally only works for people who struggle with portion control .

    Thats why we made this:

    Also Check: How Many Hours Is Fasting Diet

    It May Aid Weight Loss

    Various methods of intermittent fasting, including 20-hour fasting cycles, have been linked to weight loss.

    One study, which closely mimicked the Warrior Diet , found that people who consumed meals over four hours in the evening experienced more weight loss than those who consumed the same amount of calories in meals throughout the day.

    Whats more, those who ate one meal per day showed significantly reduced fat mass and greater muscle mass .

    A recent review of six studies concluded that various types of intermittent fasting, ranging from 3 to 12 months, were more effective at promoting weight loss than no dietary intervention.

    However, the review found that there were no significant weight loss differences between dieters using intermittent fasting or continuous calorie restriction , meaning that calorie restriction without fasting was equally effective .

    Additionally, although reducing calorie intake is the most common outcome of the Warrior Diet, some people following this eating pattern could technically consume too many calories during the four-hour overeating period and experience weight gain.

    Switching Up Your Fasting Plan May Be Beneficial As Well

    6 Popular Ways to Do Intermittent Fasting

    Some experts find that people’s fasting results eventually stall, in which case it helps to switch things up. “Increase your fasting time to a few days a week or do a longer fast one day a week,” suggests Pedre. “In the end, what works best is mixing it up for your body and keeping it guessing when food is coming.”

    To learn more about what IF approach may be right for you, check out our other expert-powered articles about the different types of intermittent fasting plans, the ultra-popular 16:8 intermittent fasting schedule, and the fasting-mimicking diet. Also, be sure you know exactly what breaks a fast to ensure you’re getting the maximum possible benefit.

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    Can I Exercise During Fasting

    Yes. You can continue all your usual activities, including exercise, while fasting.37 You do not need to eat before exercising to provide energy.38 Instead, your body can burn stored energy for fuel.

    However, for long-duration aerobic exercise, eating before exercise may increase performance.39 Its also important to drink fluids and replenish sodium around exercise when fasting. This is good to know if youre competing. Learn more

    What Are The Negative Effects Of Intermittent Fasting

    In my own experimentation with Intermittent Fasting since 2014, I have found very few negative side effects with Intermittent Fasting.

    The biggest concern most people have is that Intermittent Fasting will lead to lower energy, focus, and the holy crap I am hungry feeling during the fasting period and ruin them.

    People are concerned that they will spend all morning being miserable because they havent consumed any food, and thus will be miserable at work and ineffective at whatever task it is they are working on.

    The following are my thoughts and experiences, and your results may vary:

    Yes, the initial transition from EATING ALL THE TIME, to intermittent fasting MIGHT be a bit of a jolt to your system it was for me.

    However, once I got through the transition after a few days, my body quickly adapted and learned to function just as well only eating a few times a day.

    Although I fast for 16 hours per day with no issues, the following might help assuage your fears that skipping breakfast will cause your body to eat itself and your brain to implode:

    After 48-hours of fasting in a recent study , cognitive performance, activity, sleep, and mood are not adversely affected in healthy humans by two days of calorie-deprivation. Youll be fasting for far less time than that.

    So why do I feel grouchy and lethargic when I skip breakfast?

    If you eat breakfast every morning, your body expects to wake up and eat food.

    Read Also: Is Fasting Required For Thyroid Test

    The Warrior Diet For Weight Loss

    Another option that has been extremely effective for me is the Warrior Diet. The Warrior Diet requires to fast for 20 hours each day. It makes it easy enough to create a calorie deficit without feeling too deprived. You learn to enjoy and savor your food during the 4-hour eating window. You will also notice your appetite decreases substantially after a few weeks. Read Why You Should Consider The Warrior Diet for Weight Loss.

    Choose An Eating Window You Will Stick To

    Best Time To Start My Fast when Intermittent Fasting

    If you decide to go on a 16hour/8hour fasting/eating schedule every other day, but that 16 hours lapse with your workout schedule, and you find yourself resisting food at an impossible time, you may want to change it up to work with your schedule.

    Intermittent fasting is a great strategy for increasing your chances of weight loss, but it won’t help if you don’t stick to the plan.

    There are several different ways to use intermittent fasting in a beneficial way:

    • Alternate day fasting
    • A specific number of days per week
    • Daily fasting schedule
    • 12 + hours of fasting

    To optimize your rate of weight loss, you will need to develop a schedule that works for you.

    The fasting schedule you build will need to consider the amount of weight you aim to lose, the number of calories you’re consuming, how much exercise you do, and any other concerns specific to your situation.

    Also Check: What Do You Eat During Intermittent Fasting

    Frequently Asked Questions About Fasting

    • What can you drink while fasting?

    Generally, you can drink plain water, unsweetened coffee, and various teas. If youre not sure if you can make it, you can try dirty fasting and enjoy drinks that contain less than 50 calories during your fasting windows, such as water with lemon or bulletproof coffee.

    • Should you mix intermittent fasting and exercise?

    Combining fasting with exercise is generally a great way to boost your metabolism and improve your overall health. Everyone should increase their heart rate for 150180 minutes per week or about 30 minutes per day to stay healthy. However, if youre trying more strict fasting regimens such as the Warrior diet, you shouldnt train too hard.

    • What is dry fasting?

    Dry fasting is a dangerous practice that eliminates not only food but also water from your diet. It isnt recommended for most people, as dehydration raises multiple health issues.

    • What can you eat or drink while on intermittent fasting?

    Fasting works best if you follow a balanced, high-quality diet. You can achieve it by following a simple proportion. Half of your daily food intake should include non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of it lean protein, and the final bit should consist of whole grains or starchy vegetables. You can easily follow it if you visualize this proportion on your plate.

    • Can you chew gum while fasting?
    • Can you drink green tea while on intermittent fasting?
    • How to gain muscle while intermittent fasting?

    Key Takeaways:

    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.

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