Everything You Should Know About Intermittent Fasting
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Is this just hype or is it really a beneficial method of weight management?
Intermittent fasting is buzz right now — particularly in the world of fitness and fat loss. The reason why it is so popular today: SIMPLE yet very EFFECTIVE.
In essence it is not a diet, but the timing of your meals. You can then incorporate your preferred diet within the parameters of your ‘timing’.
You basically choose a time window for fasting and the remaining time of the day will be the eating window. It doesn’t change WHAT you eat, but rather changes WHEN to eat.
What does it mean?
It means, that with intermittent fasting, you don’t need to bend on a crazy diet or cut your calories down. You can actually eat more calories but still lose fat.
But the element of self-discipline is still there. When you are in your fasting window, you need to stick with it.
Read on and find out why it is worthwhile to adapt.
Ancient Secret of Health
Intermittent fasting has long been practiced by ancient humans. It had become a natural part of their lives. It was a way of life — a necessary practice to survive, which has been virtually forgotten by today’s generation.
But lately, studies have re-discovered its merits and many have decided to implement intermittent fasting in ther lives
Eating vs Fasting
Fasting and Eating is like the Yin and the Yang. If you’re not eating, then you are fasting.
When you eat, digestion and absorption of food begin. Insulin rises to help store excess food energy in the form of glycogen into the liver until its storage capacity is reached.
Once the liver exceed with its maximum storage limit, it will start to convert excess glucose into fats which are then exported to other fat deposits in the body. And these body fat deposits have unlimited storage spaces.
When insulin is in high level, the body finds it hard to burn fats.
When you’re in fasting state, the process goes in reverse. Since no more energy is coming through food, insulin falls which signals the body to start burning the stored glycogen.
After glycogen is converted to glucose for consumption, the body will start breaking down fat deposits for energy.
So typically, the body is only on two major states – eating (high insulin) and fasting (low insulin). And if these two states are balanced, then you will not gain any weight.
On the other hand, if you intend to lose more pounds, then you have to prolong the fasting state and shortened the fed state.
Don’t be mistaken. Fasting is not starvation.
Intermittent Fasting Tip: Work Your Way Up
How will you start intermittent fasting?
Abrupt withdrawal from food may not be a good idea and will not yield the best results. Many experts suggest to start gradually, increasing the number of fasting hours from 12 to 16 hours or more.
Then the remaining hours are for your eating window. Over the week, you’d be surprise how easy it is to do intermittent fasting and then would start to feel the big change within your body.
There are some who suggest to drink coffee or tea in the morning without sugar and keep busy by working until you’ve reached your time to eat again. You can have your exercise during your fast state also, for easy and faster burning of fats.
Hunger pangs are normal but chances are, you are far from dangers of starvation. This where discipline plays a huge role in Intermittent Fasting.
Truth is, you have enough supply of calories from carbs and fats circulating within your system. You wouldn’t kill yourself…. VERY FAR from it.
So it is up to you on how to schedule your time for fasting and for eating. We all have different schedules and lifestyles. So you can personalize your time windows.
Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
- Fat Loss
- Reversal of Type 2 diabetes
- Lowers insulin and sugar levels
- Improves fat burning
- Boosts energy
- Lowers blood cholesterol
- Activates cellular cleansing
- Reduces inflammation
- Increases growth hormone
- Improves mental clarity and focus