What is Intermittent Fasting?

Introduction

Fasting is a significant part of many religions, including Islam and Judaism. But now, fasting has become a trend in the health community, with people abstaining from food for hours or days at a time or even eating only one meal daily. The practice has gained popularity because of its rumored health benefits and potential for weight loss. According to scientists and medical experts, Intermittent Fasting can be a sustainable option for weight loss; but like any diet protocol, certain risks are involved.

What are the benefits of Intermittent Fasting for weight loss?

When you eat, your body uses the nutrients in food to provide energy. Fasting causes a reduction in energy consumption by slowing down your metabolism. This makes sense: if you’re not eating food, why would your body need to use so much energy?

When you fast, the amount of glucose circulating in your blood decreases, which can help improve insulin sensitivity (the ability of cells to respond appropriately when insulin is present). Restricting calories can lower fasting plasma glucose levels as much as medication alone may do for people with type 2 diabetes!

What do doctors think about Intermittent Fasting?

One thing you’ll notice about doctors when they talk about Intermittent Fasting is that they fall into two camps: those who think it’s a great idea and those who don’t.

Those in favor generally believe Intermittent Fasting can be an effective tool for weight loss and overall health if done correctly. They tend to recommend it for people with chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as those who are overweight or obese. The American Heart Association even recommends Intermittent Fasting to lower your risk of heart disease.

On the other side are those who aren’t so keen on Intermittent Fasting because they worry it might make things worse instead of better—for example, making someone feel hungrier than they were before starting Intermittent Fasting, which could lead them down a path toward binge eating later in order catch up with missed calories during short days or nights.

Intermittent Fasting isn’t suitable for everyone; listen to what your body tells you!

Is Intermittent Fasting safe?

Intermittent Fasting is a safe way to lose weight and improve your health, but there are some caveats. For example, Intermittent Fasting can be dangerous if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. The same goes for underweight people (a BMI below 18.5) who have diabetes or have a history of eating disorders.

How do you get started with Intermittent Fasting?

It’s important to note that Intermittent Fasting isn’t for everyone. It’s not really for most people—so if you’re thinking about giving it a go and want to ensure your safety and success, there are some things you should know.

First: If you have diabetes or have diabetes in your family history, don’t fast without talking to your doctor first.

Second: If you have an eating disorder (and this includes EDNOS), fasting could trigger symptoms and be dangerous for your health. The same goes if you’ve had an eating disorder in the past; even though it may feel like something different, making drastic changes to how you eat is likely to bring up those old feelings again.

Third: Don’t fast if you’re underweight or malnourished; instead, focus on building healthy habits using other methods.

How does Intermittent Fasting work?

Intermittent Fasting is a strategy for dieting where you alternate between ‘feasting’ and ‘fasting’ windows.

The four main types of Intermittent Fasting are:

• 16/8 – Eat within an 8-hour window every day, then fast for 16 hours.
• 12/12 – Fast for 12 hours at night every day and normally eat the rest of the time. This can be done by skipping breakfast or lunch, or both.
• 20/4 – Skip meals two days per week (usually Monday and Thursday), then eat normally on all other days of the week (a 5-day fast). Some people find this easier than constant restriction because it provides built-in breaks from fasting each week!
• Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) – Fast one day and feast the next; repeat indefinitely until you reach your goal weight and maintain it long-term!

Conclusion

While there is no concrete evidence that intermittent fasting is the cure to all health problems or even a sure-fire weight-loss method, it has shown great promise. More research needs to be completed to determine whether intermittent fasting is a safe, viable method for long-term weight loss. On the other hand, if you have tried everything else and nothing has worked long-term, intermittent fasting may be an option for you!