The Truth Behind Intermittent Fasting

What is Intermittent Fasting?

To alternate between intentional fasting and non-fasting over a period of time until you reach your weight target or health goals.

As you might already know, common diets focus on the type of foods to be eaten while IF mainly places all its focus on the time one should eat. In fact, there are several methods of Intermittent Fasting diets such as:

The 16/8 method:  Involves eating for eight hours and fasting for 16 hours.

The 5:2 diet: It is less common than the 16/8 method, since it's harder to maintain. You should eat regularly five days a week. For the other two days, you limit yourself to one 500–600 calorie meal.

Eat-Stop-Eat: This diet involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week.

Pros: Intermittent fasting (IF) studies on obese rats has shown to be quite promising. They lose weight while also lowering their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.

Cons: May cause an increase in cortisol, a stress hormone, which may lead to increased food cravings. Intermittent fasting has two typical negative effects: overeating and undereating.

The Most Effective Method Of Intermittent Fasting:

In practice, dietitians do not recommend very long hours of fasting, so fasting for 24 hours or even more will surely harm you instead of benefit you in any way.

That’s why, research studies show that maintaining a fixed eating window for eight to 10-hour periods of the daytime and fasting the rest of the day is one of the best approaches to intermittent fasting. Moreover, It's quite appropriate to opt for a low-calorie, plant-based Mediterranean diet. It is well-known that diets based on intermittent fasting are successful and long-lasting, especially when paired with a healthy plant-based diet or a Mediterranean diet plan.

What Is Better Than Intermittent Fasting?

• Cutting Sugars and Processed cereal

Fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats should be consumed instead (a sensible, plant-based, Mediterranean-style diet)

• Maintain a high level of activity throughout the day
• Limit your eating hours during the day, and eat earlier in the day for the best results (between 7 am to 3 pm, or even 10 am to 6 pm, but definitely not in the evening before bed)
• Always avoid snacking or eating late at night

2 Main Precautions to consider while Intermittent Fasting:

1- Is Intermittent Fasting Good for anyone?

Intermittent fasting is not for everyone. It is not recommended for those with severe diabetes especially type 1 or on diabetic drugs, people with a history of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, or pregnant or nursing women.

2- What are the supplements and vitamins allowed while fasting?
Capsule supplements that don't include sugar and medication prescribed by a physician do not break your fasting, however you must ask your Doctor if you can still take your meds on an empty stomach!

Keep in mind that the same diet may have different effects from one person to another. Thus, reaching out to your doctor before opting for intermittent fasting is essential. But if you already started it, monitor yourself and refer to your doctor if you start experiencing unusual anxiety, headaches, nausea or other symptoms.

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