Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss Strategies
Most people understand intermittent fasting for weight loss intervention that involves fasting for short periods.
Though there are many different ways to lose weight, intermittent fasting for weight loss has become widely popular over the years.
Short term fasts or periods of minimal or no food consumption helps reduce one’s intake of calories which ultimately results in weight loss over time.
However, it may increase one’s susceptibility to various health conditions like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
We hope this article will help you understand everything you need to know about intermittent fasting for weight loss.
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Steps for intermittent fasting for weight loss
FIRST STEP: Choose appropriate intermittent fasting for weight loss plan.
Choosing a method might be difficult but you must figure out which one works best for you. There are several different intermittent fasting methods and the most popular ones include:
1. The Warrior diet.
2. The Eat Stop Eat
3. Alternate day fasting (ADF)
4. The 16:8 methods
5. The 5:2 diets
Below is a breakdown of the benefits and challenges of each of these methods to help you pick which fits your lifestyle best but remember, your health should also be your topmost priority.
The 16/8 method.
The 16/8 intermittent fasting for weight loss plan.
It is based on a time-restricted feeding model which limits the number of hours that you consume food and calorie-containing beverages to a set window of 8 hours per day.
It is a flexible method that allows you to choose any 8-hour window to consume calories. You can stick to a 9 am—5 pm schedule.
This prevents you from eating late or chooses to skip breakfast and fast from noon to 8 pm. However, you must abstain from food for the remaining 16 hours.
Research shows that the 16/8 intermittent fasting for weight loss method is one of the most popular styles of fasting for weight loss.
A 2016 study found that when combined with resistance training, this method helps to maintain muscle mass and decrease fat mass in male participants.
A more recent study found that this method does not impair muscle gain or strength in women performing resistance training.
Although this method can easily fit into any lifestyle and is not bound by a set of strict rules and regulations to follow, some people may find it difficult to avoid eating for 16 hours straight.
Also, eating unhealthy during your 8-hour window will have negative effects regardless of the efforts being put.
Therefore, you must make sure you eat a balanced diet containing proteins, whole grains, vegetables, healthy fats, and fruits to increase the health benefits of this diet plan.
The 5:2 intermittent fasting for weight loss method.
In the 5:2 intermittent fasting for weight loss method, you eat normally five days per week and on the other two days, your calorie intake is reduced to one-quarter of the usual.
For instance, if you regularly consume 1000 calories per day, you’ll need to reduce your calorie intake to 250 calories per day for two days a week.
Recent studies show that the 5:2 method is just as effective as daily and continuous calorie restriction for weight loss and regulation of blood glucose level in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
It also leads to the prevention of metabolic diseases like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
This intermittent fasting for weight loss method provides flexibility, as you get to pick which days you fast, and there are no rules regarding when or what to eat on full-calorie days.
However, eating normally on full-calorie days does not mean you should eat whatever you want.
Remember, losing weight requires burning calories so you should be careful of your calorie intake regardless.
It definitely will not be easy restricting yourself to just a quarter of your usual calorie intake per day even if it is just for two days.
You might feel ill or weak during this period because of the low amounts of calories consumed.
Ensure you take to your doctor to see if this diet plan is right for you because though it can be effective, it is not for everyone.
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