The Hidden Secrets Behind Intermittent Fasting

Many dieters swear by a weight loss method known as intermittent fasting. This method, while done in many different ways, basically involves not eating or eating very little for longer-than-normal periods of time.

Some researchers claim that, as long as it’s done healthily, there can be many benefits to intermittent fastings, such as:

• Reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease;

• Reduces inflammation;

• Increases growth hormone secretion;

• Reduced risk of chronic health conditions;

• May lead to weight loss;

• Improved immune system;

• Increased energy and brain health.

If these benefits sound good to you, and if you’d like to give intermittent fasting a try, be aware that there are many different types of intermittent fasting. Here, we’ll look at some of the most common, so that you can find the method that works for you.

Fast And Feed

With the "fast and feed" method you’ll go through both a period of fasting and a period of eating each day. Most proponents of this method suggest fasting for 14 hours and eating during a 10 hour period. No calories are consumed during the fasting period, and moderate calories are consumed during the feeding period.

This method is fairly easy since the feeding period does come once per day. Plus, you can customize "fasting" and "feeding" times that work for you though it is important to stay on a consistent schedule.

You just need to make sure that you’re neither binging nor restricting calories during the feeding phase, as both can be harmful to your health. Restricting can cause too-rapid weight loss, and binging can lead to weight gain.

The Two Day "Fast"

If going without any food for a long period of time is a challenge for you, you’re not alone. That’s why many people like the two days "fast" method.

The reason "fast" is in quotation marks is that your fasting days do not involve true fasting. Instead of not eating on these days, you will simply reduce your calorie intake significantly, usually to around 500 calories or fewer.

The goal is to eat normally (not overeat!) five days out of the week and eat very little the other two days. For many people, this is the easiest and least restrictive intermittent fasting method.

The 24 Hour Fast

The name of this method says it all. True to form, people practising this method go on full-day (24 hours) fasts up to three times per week. On the rest of their days, they eat normally. Those 1-3 fasting days greatly reduce their caloric intake, however, which leads to weight loss.

Alternate-Day Fasting

As the name suggests, this fasting method involves eating every other day. On those days, you eat without restriction.

On days that involve fasting, you can eat one small meal that provides about 25% of your daily caloric needs. This works great for people who don’t want to face an entire day without eating anything.

Time-Restricted Feeding

This method allows a specific time frame during the day during which you can eat regular meals and snacks.

A window of 7 am to 2 pm is one example of when you can eat, or 1 pm to 8 pm is another. This window of time is usually about 7 or 8 hours long. Obviously, you fast the rest of the time.

Tip To Remember

In fact, with all of these methods, reduced calorie intake will occur if done properly, and that – reducing calories – is the key to weight loss, plain and simple. However, if you want other benefits, aside from just weight loss, intermittent fasting may be more effective for you than just cutting calories throughout the day.