Intermittent Fasting for Beginners

In this diet you are required to follow a certain kind of eating pattern instead of focusing on what they are eating and how much they are eating. It is cycling between fasting and eating where during the fasting period the person consumes very little or no food at all.

Introduction

One of the most trending and popular diets, Intermittent fasting means following an eating pattern that requires cycling between fasting and eating. This diet type does not require you to eat and not eat a certain category of food, but when you should be eating them. It defines your eating pattern in terms of time. One has to fast for at least 16 hours or 24 hours twice a week. The period in which one is fasting, the person either eats very little or nothing at all.

Different Methods of Intermittent Fasting

There are several different ways of doing Intermittent fasting that require splitting the day or week into eating and fasting periods. Some of the most popular methods to do intermittent fasting are:

1. The 16/8 method

Also known as the Leangains protocol, this intermittent fasting method required you to skip breakfast and restrict the daily eating period to 8 hours, such as from 1 pm –9 pm. Then you are required to fast for 16 hours in between, and the cycle goes on.

2. Eat-Stop-Eat

In this intermittent fasting method, you are required to fast for 24 hours at least once or twice in a week. E.g., if you ate your dinner at 9 pm, then you are not allowed to eat for the next 24 hours, until 9 pm the next day.

3. The 5:2 diet

The person you follow this method of intermittent fasting is allowed to consume only 500-600 calories on two non-consecutive days in a week and normally eat for the remaining 5 days.

4. Alternate Day Fasting

Under this type of intermittent fasting, the person eats on every alternate day. E.g., if you eat on Monday, then you fast on Tuesday. Eat on Wednesday again and fast on Thursday. The cycles continue like this.

5. The Warrior Diet

This method of intermittent fasting was popularized by the fitness expert Ori Hofmekler. In this method, you eat small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and then eat one massive meal at night.

6. Spontaneous meal skipping

The people following this method must not follow any structured intermittent fasting plan. The next option in this method is to skip a meal from time to time. It is suitable for people who do not have time to cook or don’tdon’t feel hungry that easily.

What are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?

There have been multiple benefits of intermittent fasting that are scientifically proven through studies and experiments. Some of the benefits for this type of dieting includes:

1. Changes Functioning of Cells, Genes, and Hormones: Not eating for a while or skipping a meal brings many changes to one’sone’s body. Many of these changes result in the burning of fat in the human body. These types of changes include a drop in insulin level, growth in hormones, and cellular repair.
2. Lose Weight and Belly Fat: Many people who do dieting and fasting intend to lose weight. As we read above, the body changes that this dieting type brings results in the burning of fat. The more one burns the fat, the more it helps in loss of weight.
3. Reduce Insulin Resistance, Lowering Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Diabetes today is one of the most common diseases. As mentioned above, when one follows intermittent fasting, he or she goes through many body changes. The drop in insulin level is one such change. This reduction in insulin helps in lowering the chances of type 2 diabetes which is one of the main benefits of this diet plan.
4. Reduce Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in The Body: Oxidative stress has been known to be one of the major causes of ageing and many chronic diseases. According to some of the recent studies, it has been found that intermittent fasting helps in resisting this oxidative stress. The people who have been practising this diet plan have found that the body’sbody’s inflammation reduced with time due to this fasting.
5. Induces Multiple Cellular Repair Processes: During any fasting type, the body goes through the waste removal process, which is also called autophagy. This process basically involves cells breaking down and then metabolizing the broken and dysfunctional proteins built up inside cells over time. Increase in the process of autophagy has been known to protect against many diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
6. Helps in Improving Brain Activity: A person who works towards the betterment of the body is working towards the betterment of brain cells. This type of fasting leads to improvement in the many metabolic features that have been known to be beneficial for the health of the brain.

Who Should Not Be Practicing Intermittent Fasting?

While this type of fasting has many known benefits, a specific category of people should not practice or follow this diet plan until recommended by a proper dietician. Some of the people who are part of this list are:

1. Insulin-Dependent diabetics
2. People who have a history of eating disorder
3. Athletes preparing for any upcoming challenges
4. Women who are expecting

These four categories should not follow this diet plan without proper supervision and recommendation.

What Can One Eat During Intermittent Fasting?

One of the best things about following the intermittent fasting is that there are no specifications and restrictions related to the type of food you should be consuming and the quantity of food to be consumed. A balanced diet is what is recommended and while maintaining the energy levels at the same time.

While there are no restrictions, certain types of foods and drinks are highly recommended to control the hunger pangs and feel energized at the same time. The foods and drinks that are recommended include:

1. Water
2. Avocado
3. Fish and Seafood
4. Cruciferous veggies
5. Potatoes
6. Beans and Legumes
7. Probiotics
8. Berries
9. Eggs
10. Dry fruits and Nuts

What Should One Not Eat During Intermittent Fasting?

As we read above, there are no restrictions and specifications related to this specific diet plan, but certain things are highly recommended to avoid. The list of these products to avoid include:

1. Fast Foods
2. Processed Foods
3. Sweets and Deserts
4. Simple Carbs
5. Sugary Sodas and Aerated Drinks
6. Sweetened Fruit Juice

Can One Consume Alcohol During Intermittent Fasting?

Now drinking alcohol is not that much recommended but even if you want to consume it, it is suggested to be consumed during the periods when you are designated to consume food and not during the fasting period.

The amount of alcohol that should be consumed also has a limit, while it is 1 glass for women, for men it is a maximum of 2 drinks in a day.

If you need suggestions on what type of alcohol you should consume and what be a healthier option, then that would include dry wine and hard spirits. As mixers, use soda water instead of sugary sodas. Drinking them on their own without any additions or mixing is the best option.

What Are the Side Effects of Intermittent Fasting?

Now that we have gone through dos and don’ts of this diet, let us discuss some of the risks and side effects of intermittent fasting.

1. Causes Fatigue or Brain Fog: The intermittent fasting has been known to cause fatigue problems among certain people, specifically the beginners and brain fogging. The tiredness and slowness in brain activity can be due to hunger pangs or not consuming the right diet during the eating period.
2. Food Obsessions: It has been noted that people who follow intermittent fasting find themselves focusing way too much on when they will be eating again and the calories they would be taking in. The excessive amount spends on thinking about food is a kind eating disorder and a significant side effect of this fasting.
3. Hair Loss: Due to the sudden weight loss and change in nutrient intake, especially proteins and vitamin B, at times, the person loses weight. Now the loss of nutrient may mean that a person is not eating a well-rounded diet, so it is essential to eat right.
4. Changes in Menstrual Cycle: Another side effect of losing weight too quickly amongst women is changing in the menstrual cycle. Now these changes can be related to a slow down or a complete stop in the cycles.

Sleep disturbance, mood swings, unhealthy diet, constipation, and low blood sugar are some of the other side effects of intermittent fasting.

Following a diet may not come easy to anyone and does involve a lot of challenges. But, if you do it right, then it is one of the easiest ways to achieve your goal of a healthy lifestyle. Intake of a proper diet during the eating period and taking good care of yourself during the fasting period are the two most important things to remember while following this diet. Consult a dietician if and when required and keep all the dos and don’ts in mind before starting the intermittent fasting. Ensure that you rest well and eat well.