What I've Discovered About Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is a dietary strategy that has become popular in recent years. It's not new, however: people have been doing it for thousands of years! Intermittent fasting means abstaining from food, or eating very little (or nothing at all), for certain periods of time each day. It's not just about losing weight either—intermittent fasting can also help you improve your blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, reduce oxidative stress, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, boost your immune system, fight cancer by increasing apoptosis (the process by which cells die off naturally) in white blood cells called lymphocytes...

How intermittent fasting works

Intermittent fasting is a dieting method that involves alternating between periods of food intake, called eating windows, and periods of abstinence from food. This cycle—fasting for some time period (usually 12–36 hours), followed by feeding on regular intervals (such as every day of the week)—is repeated multiple times over a period of weeks or months.

Intermittent fasting allows you to eat all the nutrients your body needs while also allowing you to lose weight and improve your health. When you’re eating regularly throughout the day, your body doesn’t enter into a fasted state where it can burn fat rapidly for energy. However when you’re not eating anything at all – let alone an amount of food that would normally be considered a meal – your body enters into a fasted state where it can start burning fat for energy instead.

Why do people do intermittent fasting?

• To lose weight. Intermittent fasting can help you shed pounds by boosting metabolism and reducing the amount of fat you store.

• To improve health. The practice may help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and cancer by reducing inflammation throughout the body.

• To improve brain function. In one study, intermittent fasting helped restore memory in mice bred to develop Alzheimer's disease; it's also linked to improved moods in people with depression or anxiety disorders.

• To improve sleep quality: Some studies suggest that intermittent fasting may be helpful for those who struggle with insomnia or other sleep problems as well as those who want to maximize their energy levels during waking hours (like athletes).

The different types of intermittent fasting

The 16/8 fast

This is the most common form of intermittent fasting, and it involves restricting your daily eating window to 8 hours and fasting for 16 hours. For example, if your last meal was at 9 p.m., you would fast until 1 p.m. the next day. This method is very effective if you have a hard time sticking with long time frames of fasting or simply have that one meal that makes it easy to get back on track.

The 5/2 fast

This method involves eating normally five days a week and limiting yourself to 500 calories two days per week (either one day or both). The idea is that you are still able to get all your nutrients in during the five days but still allow yourself some wiggle room on weekends. If this sounds like too much food restriction, then try only limiting yourself to 600 calories during those two days instead of 500 calories; this will still allow for some flexibility and make it easier for you to stick with it over time.

How to get started with intermittent fasting

To start, it's important to make sure you're eating enough calories. Even if you're trying to lose weight, it's a good idea to consume at least 1,200 calories per day while fasting. If you're a woman and not pregnant or breastfeeding, then consuming fewer than 1,200 calories per day could be dangerous for your health.

If you want to try intermittent fasting but find yourself struggling with hunger throughout the process, consider boosting the amount of fats in your diet during this time. This can help suppress cravings and keep you feeling fuller for longer periods of time throughout each fasting window. Healthy fats include:

• Avocados

• Nuts and nut butter (such as almond butter)

Helpful tips when doing intermittent fasting

• Eat when you are hungry.

• Be mindful on what you eat.

• Eat fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts etc

• Stay away from junk and processed foods.

• Don't eat because "it's there."

• Stop eating after 8:00 pm

It's okay if you don't love intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is a dietary strategy that involves eating in a specific pattern over the course of a few days. While it's gaining in popularity, not everyone is on board with this way of eating.

If you have tried intermittent fasting and don't like it, or if you think it might be too restrictive for your lifestyle, that's okay! You can still improve your health by making other changes to your diet and exercise routine—like adding more vegetables to meals or starting an exercise program at the gym. The key is finding what works best for you!

Conclusion

If you’re still on the fence about intermittent fasting, we encourage you to try it out and see how it feels. It can be a great way to eat more mindfully and feel less hungry during certain times of day—but if you don’t love it, that’s okay too! The key is just finding what works for your body.

This content is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.