Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has been one of the most rapidly growing health trends all over the world. In intermittent fasting, you only have a specific window of time to consume food which helps in burning fat from your body as you eat less in that time frame.  Many people tend to follow this trend in order to lose weight and maintain their optimal health level. However, intermittent fasting is not suitable for everyone to follow, because everyone’s body reacts differently to new changes. Research shows that the generations before us were easily capable of staying empty stomach for longer hours because of their lifestyle. But nowadays, every kind of entertainment is available and people are fonder of eating junk food which is why they are more prone to diseases such as sugar, diabetes, cancer, well intermittent fasting can reverse this trend.

How Does it Work?

There are many different intermittent fasting schedules for example there is one schedule in which you can eat only for 8 hours and fast for the remaining hours while the other schedules contain one meal or two meals a day, choose the one which is the most suitable according to your lifestyle. Here are some fasting schedules to help you get started:

1. 16/8 Fasting: It involves eating for 8 hours while fasting for 6 hours

 

2. 5:2 Fasting: Involves eating regularly 5 days a week while fasting 2 days

 

3. Eat Stop Eat: Involves fasting up to 1 whole day for 24 hours once a week

 

4. Alternate day Fasting: Involves fasting every other day

 

What to eat while fasting?

During your fasting period, liquids such as water, black coffee, green tea and calorie free beverages are allowed. Whereas in your window of eating period, foods that are high in calories are not permitted especially junk food. Only healthy foods are allowed such as vegetables, whole grains, fruits, leafy greens, protein etc. Usually people are so exhausted from the fasting and when its time to eat healthy they tend to eat high caloric junk foods which makes the whole fast go to waste. So, its very important to eat healthy in order to maintain your healthy lifestyle.

Pros of Intermittent Fasting

1. Heart Health: Fasting improves your heart condition as it removes harmful fats from your body making your heart function at its best.

2. Obesity: Fasting helps lose weight.

3. Better performance: Due to intermittent fasting people feel light, relaxed and are able to work more efficiently towards their goal.

4. Lower risk of chronic diseases: Fasting helps prevent diseases such as diabetes, cancer, food poisoning etc.

Cons

1. Takes time to adjust: Intermittent fasting may not be hard for some people but it can be hard for others as it takes a lot of time to change your older unhealthy eating routine into a healthy eating one.

2. Feeling hungry: People who are not used to intermittent fasting may feel unpleasant and hungry at the end of the day which will of course affect their mood in a negative way.

3. Feeling Weak: Due to the controlled diet, one may feel weak and lazy because the body doesn’t get the fuel it once consumed.