Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is one of the dietary methods that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Basically, this method, which is based on eating at certain time intervals and not consuming any food outside of those hours, stands out with its benefits such as renewing the body and cleansing it of toxins. Intermittent fasting, which is thought to have many benefits, from weight control to boosting metabolism, also helps to establish a dietary pattern. So, how do you do an intermittent fasting diet? Has anyone lost weight on an intermittent fasting diet? What is intermittent fasting; We have compiled all you wonder about how to do it for you in the continuation of the content.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a dietary pattern that dictates not what foods you should eat but when you should eat them. This way of eating is not based on the amount of carbohydrates, fats or proteins. You only decide when to take these nutrients. For example, if you do 16/8 intermittent fasting, which is a period of eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16 hours, you need to fit all your meals into 8 hours of the day and fast for the remaining hours.
With intermittent fasting, you set your own hours. For example, if you start the day at 11 am, your fasting time may be 12 noon. If you have an 8-hour eating period, you should take your meals until 20.00 pm and then move on to the fasting phase. There are popular types of intermittent fasting, such as 16/8, as well as easier or more difficult ones.
How to do Intermittent Fasting?
The question “How to do intermittent fasting?” is asked by anyone interested in this topic. You can practice intermittent fasting in many different ways. You need to know that each type is divided into periods of eating and fasting. These periods can be divided into hours or days. For example, in some types you can stop fasting on some days. Some species have demanding periods, such as 1 day of eating and 1 day of starvation. The most common is intermittent fasting, which is done by dividing the day into certain hours.
You need to plan according to the method you choose. At beginner level, most people choose the 16/8 method to make it easier to adapt. In this method, you can start eating at 12 noon and continue eating until 20:00 in the evening. If you wish, you can make this period as 2 main and 2 snacks. Or you can have 3 main meals and 2 snacks. The meals you take depends entirely on your diet. With intermittent fasting, the only thing you need to pay attention to are the hours. During fasting hours, you can only drink water, unsweetened tea, coffee without milk or sugar.
What are the Intermittent Fasting Hours?
There are no diet lists or sample menus in this way of eating, which focuses on when you eat, not what you eat. So, in the form of an intermittent fasting diet list, you won’t find menus that tell you what to eat as you would with other types of diets. The only information you can find in this diet is hours. Among the most common intermittent fasting hours are the following:
- 16/8 Method: This method is applied as a period of 8 hours of eating and 16 hours of fasting. Some people do this by skipping breakfast. This is entirely up to you. You can do the opposite and skip dinner or lunch or eat earlier.
- 5/2 Method: This method recommends eating fewer calories on two non-consecutive days of the week and eating as usual on the remaining days.
- Ye-Dur-Ye: One of the most advanced versions of intermittent fasting. With this method, you need to fast for 24 hours once or twice a week.
In addition to these hours, there are also hours that further restrict eating time, such as 18/6, or that are more flexible, such as 14/10.
What are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?
There has been and continues to be a lot of research on the health benefits of intermittent fasting. Research shows that one of the most important benefits of this way of eating is that it promotes weight loss. We can list the other benefits as follows:
- It can break insulin resistance, which causes blood sugar levels to rise.
- May reduce inflammation.
- It can support healthier weight loss by helping you lose body fat.
- It can help the growth of new nerve cells.
The benefits of intermittent fasting can vary from person to person. Instead of making an intermittent fasting sample menu or intermittent fasting diet list, you can apply intermittent fasting with special menus for yourself with an expert. You should also discuss with experts whether intermittent fasting would be beneficial for you.
What are the Harms of Intermittent Fasting?
An intermittent fasting program is not beneficial for everyone. Although many people fast to lose weight and some to prevent various diseases, it is important to consult with experts before trying such a method. It is especially important for some risk groups to be very careful:
- Children and young people under 18
- Pregnant or lactating women
- People with Type 1 diabetes taking insulin
- Those with eating disorders
Intermittent fasting, especially according to age, is a very important detail. If children and young people in the developmental period have weight problems, they should resort to methods that will not hinder their development. The intermittent fasting list may be ideal for those who fall outside these categories.
