As many of you already know, intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves short-term fasting periods where you consume little to no food. Intermittent fasting not only helps with weight loss but it can also help improve your cholesterol profile and lower blood sugar levels, which are known risk factors for health conditions like diabetes, dementia and heart disease.
If you’re serious about losing excess belly fat, intermittent fasting is something you’ll definitely want to try.
While fasting may sound unpleasant and uncomfortable, it doesn’t have to be.
We’ve put together this video to share FIVE things you need to know for a successful intermittent fasting routine, regardless of your age or level of fitness.
Watch this video to the end to learn a simple trick that will help control your appetite so that you can lose weight for good. We’ll also explain why intermittent fasting works.
As always, this video is educational, and does not constitute medical advice; we are not doctors.
Number 5. Start with a small fasting period.
There are several ways to implement intermittent fasting. Some of the most popular ones include the 16:8 method, the 5:2 diet, Leangains, eat-stop-eat and alternate-day fasting (ADF).
Ultimately, all these methods can be effective, but figuring out which one works best for you, will depend on your schedule and hunger tolerance.
If in doubt, it’s best to start with a 12-hour fast and followed by a 12-hour eating window.
From there, you can slowly transition to a 14:10 or 16:8 schedule, where you fast for 16 hours and have an eight-hour eating window.
As you become more accustomed to fasting, you can try to increase the fasting window, or increase the number of fasting days per week to suit your schedule better.
If you are interested in starting intermittent fasting, click the link below this video to get our ultimate FREE guide to lose weight with intermittent fasting in 4 weeks or fewer!
Number 4. Break your fast slowly and steadily.
After going several hours with no food consumption, you might feel you could eat up an entire mountain.
However, according to the latest research, chowing down your food too quickly after a fast, is actually bad for your body and your waistline.
Although this is unlikely, refeeding syndrome is a condition that can occur, when large amounts of food are reintroduced too quickly into the body after a long period of starvation or malnourishment (think several months to a year). This can lead to electrolyte imbalances and severe complications that can be fatal.
It’s recommended that you take your time to chew well and eat slowly after a fast, to allow your digestive system to process the food, causing no imbalances. Doing this will also help you avoid over-eating.
Number 3. Drink a lot of water.
This may sound weird, but when you don’t drink enough water, your body can receive mixed signals of hunger.
Dehydration can trick your brain into thinking you need to eat, when in reality, you really should drink some water.
Therefore, staying well hydrated is an important part of succeeding with intermittent fasting.
The best drinks to consume during a fast are free from calories and sweeteners like still or sparkling water, and tea or coffee with no additives.
Number 2. Choose nutrient-dense foods.
Intermittent fasting does not set any restrictions on what foods you should consume when fasting. However, it is highly recommended to focus on nutrient-dense foods.
After a fast, it’s important to supply your body with foods that are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients which can help to keep blood sugar levels steady and prevent nutrient deficiencies.
Some examples of foods that you should eat after a fast and that will keep you satiated include chicken breast, fish, leafy greens, nuts and eggs.
If your meals are too bland, you can season them generously with garlic, herbs, spices, or vinegar, which are extremely low in calories.
Number 1. Keep yourself busy.
Understand that hunger comes and goes in waves. It’s a natural feeling that you can learn to acknowledge and then ignore. It’s important to keep your mind busy during your usual meal or snack times while you’re fasting.
If you think about it, most snacking you do isn’t to avoid malnutrition. It’s usually out of boredom or stress.
So, go for a walk, read a book, play a game or do a crossword puzzle. Just get out of your snacking routine that will keep you from reflexively thinking about it.
By following these tips, you will set yourself up for success and be much more likely to incorporate intermittent fasting as part of your daily routine. The key is doing it in a way that feels sustainable and fits into your lifestyle.
If you are interested in starting intermittent fasting, click the link to get our “complete” FREE guide to lose weight with intermittent fasting in 4 weeks or fewer!
Next, why does intermittent fasting work?
This can be explained with autophagy. Autophagy is a natural body process wherein the body removes dysfunctional parts and cleans and repairs any damaged cells. It literally means “self-eating.” It’s part of the body’s response to biological stressors and toxins. With damaged cells removed and replaced, your body becomes healthier.
While autophagy is a normal self-preservation mechanism of the body, you can induce this process through fasting, diet, and exercise. Most people do that to lose and manage their weight. Autophagy is gaining more attention in the medical field as it might contribute to treating and preventing cancer. It’s also correlated to anti-aging and longevity processes.
What are the benefits of autophagy?
Here are a few more benefits based on studies:
• It aids the body’s cellular metabolic process.
• It reduces inflammation.
• It slows down the aging process.
• It stimulates the production of growth hormones.
• It protects against neurodegenerative diseases.
• It supports the body’s immune function.
• It protects the body against infections and diseases.
• It can increase the lifespan.
• It can lower risks of cancer.
• It improves liver function.
• It delays the progression of some liver conditions.
How does fasting trigger autophagy?
Fasting can induce autophagy in the body because it subjects the cells to stress because of the prolonged absence of food intake. It’s a kind of healthy stress, unlike dangerous and damaging chronic stress. Limited food means the cells have limited calories and nutrients to use and function correctly.
When that happens, it triggers autophagy, making the cells clean out and recycle damaged proteins and cellular parts so that they can function more efficiently.
How long do you have to fast before autophagy starts?
There’s no absolute figure to answer this, but experts say it typically takes 18 to 20 hours of fasting before autophagy starts. The maximal benefits happen after 48 to 72 hours of fasting. That’s 2 to 3 days, which can help you understand why fasting for a day then resuming normal eating patterns means autophagy may only be short term.
The results can vary because people have different metabolic rates. For some people, going 8 hours without food can already prompt autophagy. Others might have to try 24-hour or 5-day fasting to experience profound benefits.
Aside from intermittent fasting, you can also help trigger autophagy through other means. Combining any or all of these with fasting will compound the efficacy in terms of both reducing lead time and improving benefits. Here are 3 methods. exercise regularly, get quality sleep, and take time to relax and free yourself from trauma.
Would you like to know the foods that can increase autophagy, and increase your results from intermittent fasting? We get into these tips and more in our complete guide to lose weight with intermittent fasting in 4 weeks or fewer. If you are interested in starting intermittent fasting, click the link below to get our 100% FREE guide, and we’ll see you on the other side!
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And now, over to you: Are you doing intermittent fasting? How much weight have you lost?
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