Increased muscle mass, improved aerobic fitness and reduced body fat are just some of the many benefits associated with intermittent fasting. Backed by consistent results across a diverse pool of test subjects, it seems that intermittent fasting isn't just one of those passing diet fads — it's founded on some solid science, and it's here to stay.
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting doesn't involve changing what you eat, but rather modifying when you eat. It involves going 12 to 16 hours per day without food or for extreme fasting, consuming less than 800 calories 1 to 2 days a week. But when you do eat, the components of your meal are completely up to you.
If you've tried numerous low-carb diets only to be defeated by the persistent lethargy and decreased gym performance, or found out the hard way that juice cleanses are expensive, ineffective and unhealthy ways to lose weight, you've probably started to realize that diets targeting what we eat aren't terribly attractive options.
In contrast, modifying when we eat requires very little behavioural change. This means it's easier to stick to your diet plan — and see results!
How does it work?
For three to five hours during and after a meal, your body is in a "fed state". As you digest food and absorb nutrients, your insulin levels will increase, making it more difficult for your body to burn fat.
About 12 hours after the fed state, your body transitions into the fasted state. At this stage of the digestive process, your body goes into serious fat-burning mode. Of course, since most of us have one meal every 6 to 8 hours, we never enter a fasted state and reap the attendant fat-burning benefits.
By restricting your access to calories for 12 hours or more, intermittent fasting increases time spent in the fasted state for improved fat loss.
It doesn't matter when you fast, all that matters is that you do fast. Here are some ways you can fast intermittently.
- Start gradually. For the first few times, you might feel weak or faint from the lack of calories. Start slow, working your way up from a single fast every one or two weeks to a thrice-weekly fast.
- Eat more. If you're eating less often, nutritional basics dictate that you should be eating more per meal. Don't go crazy and eat five pizzas, but eating about 20% more per meal should help you work through the hunger pangs.
If you're fed up with fad diets, give intermittent fasting a try. It's backed by hard science and besides, what do you have to lose besides flab?