Intermittent Fasting : How effective is it?

 

In the recent past, intermittent fasting has been embraced largely due to its positive results in matters of weight loss. Perhaps you are wondering what intermittent fasting is. It is a food consumption pattern governed by rules of eating only at specific hours or days targeting weight loss and general health improvement.

 

You might have spent a big chunk of your time in the gym burning calories with low results but combining your exercise routine with intermittent fasting will fasten your weight loss journey. Intermittent fasting acts as a root solution by limiting the number of calories that you ingest. In the event, you achieve weight loss by creating a calorie deficit in your body. Limiting ingestion of food in your body through intermittent fasting has immense benefits for weight loss since the body is forced to convert stored fat into energy. Besides limiting the number of calories consumed, intermittent fasting catalyzes other mechanisms that lead to weight loss.

 

Sugars are sweet, and so is weight loss. Intermittent fasting increases insulin sensitivity. Blood sugar levels are regulated by the hormone insulin. Poor insulin sensitivity puts you at risk of diabetes mellitus and probably weight gain. Research has shown that intermittent fasting improves insulin sensitivity. Needless to say, a high insulin sensitivity will not only lower the risk of diabetes mellitus but also act as a tool for weight loss.

 

Intermittent fasting can lead to similar results as going to the gym! As strange as it sounds, intermittent fasting increases body metabolism. When you fast, your body derives energy by burning fat through ketosis rather than glucose. The overall effect is burning more calories, a similar achievement to physical exercise.

 

Further, intermittent fasting aids in reducing inflammation or chronic inflammation which encourages weight gain and other health challenges. Intermittent fasting will not only help you reduce inflammation but also help reverse other effects such as weight gain and  chronic diseases.

 

If you are seeking to improve your memory even as you age, then intermittent fasting should be a priority on your to-do list. It improves brain functionality while protecting it from age-related cognitive disorders. When you embark on intermittent fasting, you reduce oxidative stress and increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) hence improving your focus, cognitive abilities, and overall brain function.  

 

Don`t go fasting aimlessly without a plan, it’s devastating! Follow these different methods of practicing intermittent fasting; 16/8 mode, observing a 5:2 ratio, practicing alternate-day fasting and one meal a day (OMAD). In the 16/8 mode, you fast for 16 hours and only eat during the remaining 8 hours of the day. When observing the 5:2 ratio, your diet should be constrained to 5 days in a week whereas the rest 2 days should be used to regulate your calories between the range of 500-600, in alternate-day fasting, the basic idea is for you to fast for one day, and eat the next day. Lastly, one meal a day (OMAD), where you fast for 23hrs and break your fast for one hour every other day.

 

However, you should keep in mind that what works for another person might not necessarily work for you. Before deciding on the method of intermittent fasting to observe, it’s important that you consult a healthcare professional especially if you have underlying health conditions.

 

To recap, intermittent fasting is an important initiative for weight loss and achieving overall body health. Intermittent fasting helps you reduce the number of calories you ingest, improves insulin sensitivity, increases metabolism, lowers inflammation, and improves brain functionality all of which contribute to your journey of weight loss and improving your overall health. You have all the reasons to give intermittent fasting a shot if you are looking forward to losing weight and improving your health.