Intermittent fasting: reviews, features, benefits and effects

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Nowadays, there are a large number of ways to lose weight. Each technique has its own rules and differences, but they are mainly based on the observance of a specific regimen and the use of certain products. Recently, the list of diets has been replenished with a new practice called intermittent fasting. Reviews and results of the technique are surprising. It became popular among Hollywood stars, and then it began to be used in our country.

Description of weight loss technique

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a new method for losing weight, which consists in abstaining from food for a certain time. There can be from one to three hungry days per week. Nutritionists are advised to adhere to the following terms:

• for beginners - 8-16 hours;
• for experienced - 16-24 hours.

In general, the time of abstinence is more dependent on willpowerlosing weight and from his well-being.

Reviews of intermittent fasting for weight loss are only positive. The technique is excellent for burning fat. As you know, daily voluntary fasting leads to a loss of body fat mass (about 0.5 kg).

The mechanism of cyclic fasting is very simple. During abstinence from food, a calorie deficit occurs in the body, which must be replenished, which happens, but only internal reserves are spent. First of all, it concerns adipose tissue.

The essence of intermittent fasting

With a 16-hour fast, insulin secretion is optimized. Due to this, the body becomes less sensitive to carbohydrates, which have a high glycemic index, and the feeling of hunger decreases. Refusal of food contributes to the burning of fat reserves of the body, which now does not need to be distracted by the processing of food.

In addition, the stomach has the opportunity to rest, which favorably affects the hormonal background and immunity. By adhering to the technique, you can improve brain activity, reduce the inflammatory processes that occur in the body, and also regulate blood sugar levels.

If you combine fasting with physical activity, you can gain muscle mass. It does this by burning fat. Soon it will become noticeable that the body has tightened up and become more prominent. However, this should not be practiced without proper preparation.

For a better understanding of this topic, you can read the book EatStop Eat ("Eat-Starve-Eat") by Brad Pilon. In it, the author shares his findings regarding intermittent fasting. Reviews from real buyers of the book are easy to find. If you want to know more about this technique, be sure to read it.

Compliance with IS without harm to he alth

Having decided to use intermittent fasting for weight loss, you need to read the recommendations of nutritionists:

1. The eating window (the period of time when eating is allowed) is best moved to the first half of the day. Eating is recommended to arrange after 2 hours after waking up. Food is best digested in the morning and afternoon, because digestion is very active at this time.
2. Keep track of what you eat even during your eating window. Try to include all the necessary nutrients and vitamins in your diet. It is recommended to consume fiber, light protein foods and dairy products. Avoid fast carbohydrates.
3. Give your preference to gentle cyclic fasting patterns, especially if you are a beginner.
4. Don't forget about exercise. For hungry days, aerobic exercise is recommended. For example, stretching, yoga or just a walk in the fresh air. Strength exercises should not be carried out during the refusal of food. During strength training, muscle tissue is destroyed. It must be restored with the help of protein, and during fasting there is nowhere to get it from.

Diet rules

Intermittent fasting rules forbeginners are very simple, but you should definitely familiarize yourself with them:

1. Drink plenty of water. Especially during hungry days.
2. It is recommended to drink approximately two liters of fluid daily. These include still mineral water and purified dining room.
3. After a fasting day, it is best to start breakfast with fresh berries and fruits.
4. During the eating window, you should eat food every half hour, but in small portions. If the portions are impressive, then the gap should be two hours.
5. Try to take daily walks. If this is not possible, then just be outdoors for a few hours.

According to reviews, intermittent fasting according to these principles is more effective. There are also interesting recommendations from the American nutritionist Bragg:

1. For every three months, give yourself 7 fasting days.
2. Do not eat every six days for 24 hours.
3. For a year, the total number of hungry days should be one month.

For those who are actively involved in sports, there are rules for intermittent fasting.

If training is done in the morning, then the hungry window (the period of time when eating is prohibited) is best moved to the night. You need to start breakfast after training. Make sure your food is high in protein.

If sports are held in the evening, then you need:

1. Eat for a fewhours before training starts.
2. Don't start fasting from food earlier than an hour after class.

Types of fasting

There are different methods of intermittent fasting. Reviews and results are different for each. It all depends on the individual qualities and abilities of a person. To choose the most optimal for yourself, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of each of them.

Short post

Meaning fasting less than 24 hours. Due to the flexibility of the food system, you can arrange hunger strikes of different durations. Most often, short posts are held. They are divided into the following:

1. 16:8 - denotes a daily refusal of food lasting 16 hours. The eating window is 8 hours. You can do them daily or every few days. For example, you eat from 11:00 to 19:00. You get two or three meals a day, but no breakfast.
2. 20:4 - the eating window lasts for four hours, and 20 - fasting. In fact, it looks like this: from 14:00 to 18:00 you eat, and fast for 20 hours. During the eating window, you get either one large meal or two small ones.

Long post

The following food options are possible:

1. 24 hours of fasting - you can fast from lunch to lunch, and from dinner to dinner. If you ate dinner on the first day, then the next day you skip two meals (breakfast and lunch), and eat for dinner. It turns out that you eatonly once a day. Such posts are held several times a week.
2. 5:2 - implies five days of eating and two days of fasting. During fasting, up to 500 calories are allowed daily. They can be stretched for the whole day, or you can leave them for one meal.
3. 36 hours of fasting - on the first day you have dinner, and then do not eat anything until breakfast on the third day. This scheme is very effective in terms of weight loss.
4. Extended fast - no restrictions on fasting days. If you decide to abstain from food for more than 48 hours, then it is better to take a multivitamin so that the body does not need micronutrients.

There is a world fasting record of 382 days. Hunger strikes can be carried out for 7-14 days. But it is best not to experiment and not fast for more than two weeks.

Is it possible to reverse the effect

This method of eating can also achieve a negative result, but only because the daily calorie intake was exceeded during the eating window. You need to know the measure in food. Do not overeat fish, vegetables and fruits. It is also worth giving up flour and sweet products.

From losing weight will be a good result for those who have problems with satiety or insulin. In other words, after eating, the feeling of satisfaction of hunger does not come. Due to the effect of intermittent fasting on leptin, it is possible to normalize the satiety hormone.

Benefits

Let's try to figure out the benefits or harms ofintermittent fasting. Among the benefits, first of all, weight loss should be highlighted.

During the fasting period, the process of cleansing the body takes place. It improves overall he alth and also rejuvenates and detoxifies internal organs.

Among other positive effects of fasting on the body, the following stand out:

• fat loss;
• mind concentration gets better;
• cholesterol, insulin and blood sugar levels drop and growth hormone levels rise;
• more energy added;
• extends life;
• prevention of Alzheimer's disease;
• beneficial effect on type 2 diabetes.

Disadvantages of intermittent fasting

A lot of reviews have been written about intermittent fasting, some of which are negative. Among the shortcomings of this weight loss technique, the following stand out:

1. Eating Bouts - Many people find themselves eating way more food during their eating window than ever before. At the same time, their choice falls on fatty and sweet. When fasting, the hormone of hunger is released, because of which losing weight and pulling on high-calorie foods.
2. Protein degradation is observed in the body. In some cases, its destruction exceeds its construction. It can be dangerous when exercising.
3. Some systems and organs fail. When fasting, the usual mechanism of functioning of the body is disturbed. Most often this occurs with the work of the liver and gallbladder. Also candisrupt the process of digestion.

Harm and contraindications

Like every diet, intermittent fasting also has a number of contraindications. The use of the methodology should be abandoned by those categories of people who:

• underweight (BMI less than 18.5);
• addicted to junk food (you need to get rid of it first);
• expected replenishment in the family or while breastfeeding;
• underage.

Reviews and results

Reviews about intermittent fasting are mostly positive. Many people have managed to lose weight on this diet. They note that with the right approach, the weight does not return. Initially, it is unusual to starve, but there is nothing difficult. People report feeling better and more energized.

Some users have practiced the method to improve their fitness. In the end, most of them succeeded. But there are those who physically failed to train on an empty stomach.

There are no particular complaints about the complexity of the diet, because everyone can choose the option that suits him best. Some users note that after a hungry window, their appetite increased. Not everyone could cope with the temptation, so they began to overeat. But this already depends on the person himself, therefore the effectiveness of the technique for each is different.

In most cases, those who lose weight start with short fasts and gradually move on to longer ones. But there are those who constantly spend their hungry days on the sameprinciple you chose.

The technique is especially loved by those who monitor their he alth and try to constantly improve it. They practice intermittent fasting in order to cleanse their body. In general, they adhere to stricter and longer fasts.

Another technique is popular among those people who urgently need to get rid of a couple of kilograms for any celebration, etc. They note that they managed to do this quite easily. They did not feel a strong sense of hunger or discomfort, so they calmly adhered to the rules of the diet.

We described what reviews about intermittent fasting leave people who have tried this method of losing weight on their own experience. Therefore, if you want to cleanse your body, improve your well-being and get rid of excess weight, you can safely start intermittent fasting. It is important to follow all the rules and recommendations so that the result is effective and long lasting.