You may be wondering why I’ve been writing about Intermittent Fasting (IT) repeatedly; well, in this post we look at IT from a losing weight point of view.
Even if you know someone who has lost weıght whıle intermıttent fastıng, you mıght be skeptıcal. After all, you’ve always been told that the formula for weıght loss is calories in, calories out – so how can a plan that doesn’t require countıng calorıes, at least not in the traditional sense, actually work? The answer is relatively simple. Fasting is thought to shift hormone levels so your body can more easily access stored fat.
There’s more than one method for doing this and a few common mistakes that can throw you off track. Here’s how tomake sure your efforts are rewarded.
Which Method of Intermittent Fasting Is Most Effective?
There are two main types of IF: Time-restricted eating, in which you fast for, say, 12 or 16 hours each day and eat only during the remaining window, and the other method in which you restrict your calories for whole days at a time (never consecutively).
The best method is the one you’ll practice most consistently.
If someone is more likely to mindlessly snack at night, then setting a “cutoff” time for eating will restrict intake, and weight loss will likely occur. Some people are nauseous in the morning, so skipping breakfast may be welcome for them. But, they could risk overeating later in the day, in order to make up for the meal they lost.
Figuring out which times during the day you’re most hungry, can help you choose the plan that’s right for you.
The other alternative is “alternate-day” fasting – in which you consume no more than 500 calories a day on alternate days, but the dropout-rate is quite high.
So, time restricted IF, may feel less grueling than a low calorie diet. Also, you should keep in mind that IF has benefits aside from weight loss, including lower blood pressure, improved metabolism, and reduced inflammation.
I suggest that you re-read my post “Intermittent Fasting – Worth A Brief Repeat”, dated May 2, 2019, for another surprising benefit.
Mistakes to Avoid While Intermittent Fasting
Unlike traditional diets, IF doesn’t place limits on calories or eliminate any one type of food from your plate. While this sounds good, it could also get you into trouble. If you eat only poor quality foods while you’re not fasting, it’s unlikely you’ll lose weight or reap any of the health benefits associated with IF.
Two common pitfalls of IF are extreme hunger and fatigue, which can cause you to focus more on whenyou can eat than whatyou should eat. So, stay away from junk food, and make good food choices.
Also keep in mind that, research shows less muscle loss with IT, compared to a calorie restriction diet.
A calorie restriction diet causes you to first lose muscle and water weight, but once you get back to your normal diet, you start putting on weight because your metabolism has slowed down.
So, sticking with IF could mean you lose weight more steadily and keep it off.
That’s it for now; see you all the next time.
