Scrabble tiles spelling the word 'healthy' on a light green background, top view. — Types of Intermi
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is the new way of losing weight that has been increasingly popular among celebrities and athletes. This new weight loss approach is done by creating an eating plan that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. Intermittent fasting works by ‘metabolic switching’ where during fasting, the body is depleted of glucagon (storage form of glucose), forcing it to use ketones that are stored in fat as a source of energy. Rather than following a diet that restricts what you eat, intermittent fasting focuses on scheduling your meals. This meal plan typically involves 4-16 hours of eating and 8-24 hours of fasting, depending on what suits you best. During the fasting period, you are allowed to have zero-calorie beverages like water, green tea, or black coffee. There is no restriction on what you eat, but it is recommended to have a well-balanced diet. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting has plenty of health benefits besides weight loss. It can also improve glucose controls, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve memory and delay ageing.
What are the types of Intermittent Fasting?
There are several methods of intermittent fasting and these methods are all effective.
- The 16/8 method.
This method is also known as the Leangains protocol and it involves fasting for 16 hours followed by 8 hours of eating. One way this method can be done is by having your dinner by 8 p.m and not eating till 12 noon the following day, but this method may not be suitable for those who like to eat breakfast in the morning.
- The 5:2 fasting.
This method involves fasting 2 days a week. However, the calorie intake on your fasting days should be limited to 500-600. For example, you can choose to fast on Tuesdays and Fridays with a calorie limit of 500-600 and eat freely for the rest of the week.
- All-day fasting.
This method of fasting requires you to fast for 24 hours once or twice a week. Let’s say you ate dinner on Monday at 8 p.m and the next meal you had was on Tuesday 8 p.m, that is an example of a 24-hour fast. You can opt to fast from breakfast to breakfast or lunch to lunch, whichever works best for you. It is important to not overeat on the days you are not fasting, you should continue eating the same amount as if you hadn’t been fasting at all.
- Alternate day fasting.
As the name suggests, you can choose to fast every other day. The same rules as 5:2 fasting apply, you should limit your calorie intake to 500-600 on fasting days.
- Skipping meals and fasting.
In this fasting method, you can opt to skip meals. For example, if you are planning to skip dinner, make sure to have a healthy lunch and breakfast at a normal proportion.
- Time-Restricted fasting.
Here you fast for about 14-16 hours a day. For example, you fast from 5 a.m to 7 p.m, which is a total of 14 hours. This method may be easier for Muslims as it is similar to the Ramadan month fast.
While intermittent fasting is easy to follow, it may not be suitable for some people. Those with diabetes, history of eating disorders, and who are pregnant are not encouraged to try this method. It might take a while for your body to adjust to a new eating schedule and you may feel tired, weak, or hungry at the beginning but if you pull through, you will see that it was worth it. Check with your doctor if weakness and tiredness are abnormal.
