Intermittent fasting - Stay healthy!

Intermittent fasting for weight loss is a good way to lose weight, get your body in order, and remove toxins. The method has received good reviews and many people not only use intermittent fasting as a diet, some have even made it their usual diet.

A healthy diet for athletes is as important an element of their lifestyle as regular training. Any professional will tell you that physical activity without proper nutrition brings little benefit.

What is intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting does not mean that a person will need to constantly fast. This is another good way to quickly lose weight and keep it within the desired range.

The essence of intermittent fasting is to divide the food intake cycle into two periods: a feeding period and a fasting period. The time period from the first meal of the day to the last is the feeding period, and the interval from the last meal to the first (including sleep) is the fasting period. An alternative name for the eating period is the dietary window.

The most effective weight loss occurs when all meals per day fit within a 6-8 hour period.

THE ESSENCE OF INTERVAL FASTING. DIET WINDOW

The term “intermittent fasting” itself means a certain periodicity of cycles of eating and fasting. The time from the first meal to the last of the current day is the feeding period. Accordingly, the interval from the last meal to the first after sleep is fasting.

There are 24 hours in a day, and if you currently have breakfast at approximately 8 am and dinner is at 8 pm, then your current fasting interval is 12 hours.

To facilitate further explanations, we will call the feeding interval “ dietary window ”.

In the morning we had breakfast and opened our dietary window.

In the evening, the last meal - the dietary window was closed.

The essence of intermittent fasting for weight loss is to gradually narrow the dietary window to 6-8 hours. And it is very important to do this gradually.

When I practiced intermittent fasting for the first time, I was inspired by the example of an athlete who eats between 14:00 and 18:00. On the morning of the second day, I wanted to climb the walls from a terrible feeling of hunger. I remember drinking tea and coffee in liters to quell my hunger. I held out for several days and gave up on this matter. And the system of intermittent fasting then joined my list of “diets that don’t work.”

Don't make this mistake!

Intermittent fasting is not a diet!

This is a way of life that over time will become so familiar and comfortable for you that you will wonder why you didn’t come to it earlier.

Benefits and harms

Intermittent fasting has obvious advantages:

Accelerates the production of hormones. The body does not receive nutrition, insulin levels drop, and internal fat reserves begin to be used to maintain vital functions. Due to this, hormones are produced that stimulate an increase in muscle mass;
Burns fats in the body. Fasting for such a long period forces the body to use up fat reserves;
Acceleration of metabolism by 5-15%;
Preservation of muscle mass;
Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes due to decreased insulin;
Improving well-being, sleep quality and stress resistance;
Increased performance, increased energy;
Stabilization of the digestive system;
Improving the condition of the skin;
Reduces the amount of time a person spends on cooking;
Doesn't require a lot of money.

But for some people, the intermittent fasting method is not suitable, and in some cases it can be harmful to health. The reasons may be the following:

Possible problems with digestion, gastrointestinal upset, constipation, etc.;
Belching, heartburn, discomfort in the stomach;
Muscle spasms;
Headaches, migraines, and dizziness occur due to a sudden transition to a different diet.

In any case, before starting to use the method, you should consult your doctor.

Why is intermittent fasting necessary?

Intermittent fasting has quite a few benefits and has many benefits for the human body. Firstly, it helps to maintain good physical shape. Thanks to this type of nutrition, you will get rid of the consequences of overeating.

Secondly, with intermittent fasting, stress resistance to external factors increases. Ease of movement, sound sleep and good mood appear. In addition, with this type of fasting, thinking processes are activated, performance increases and energy increases.

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Thirdly, intermittent fasting has an extremely positive effect on blood sugar levels. It reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by reducing insulin levels.

Fourthly, with this type of fasting, nails and hair become stronger. In addition, with temporary abstinence from food, acne is eliminated and organic systems are cleansed. Of course, there is a process of losing weight, which is especially observed in women in the waist and abdomen.

In addition, as noted by certified intermittent fasting and keto nutrition coach Olga Myunts

, IG helps the body maintain youth longer because it activates the process of autophagy. During starvation, there is a shortage of “building materials”, so cells have to disassemble unusable proteins and construct new ones from the resulting spare parts. Thus, the body actively fights aging and renews itself.

Autophagy is the cell’s ability to destroy old and damaged proteins.

This type of nutrition also helps speed up metabolism. During the first three days of fasting, metabolism accelerates by 10%. With a calorie deficit diet, the body receives less energy, gradually adapts and therefore reduces the metabolic rate. While during fasting, he switches to feeding on internal fats, which he has in abundance, and accordingly, there is no need to slow down his metabolism.

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Indications and contraindications

Intermittent fasting can be used in the following cases:

The need to lose weight and activate metabolism in the body;
The presence of nutritional obesity;
The desire to cleanse the body of waste and toxins;

Contraindications include:

Tuberculosis;
Kidney problems;
Oncological diseases;
Diseases of the cardiovascular system;
Hypertension;
Stomach ulcer;
Pregnancy;
Diabetes;
Problems with the nervous system.

Types of Intermittent Fasting

There are three main types of intermittent fasting:

Classical. The eating window is 8 hours, the fasting period is 16 hours. Recommended time for eating: from 12 to 20 hours. You can adjust the time frame for yourself;
Moderate. Of the 24 hours, 14 hours are spent on the fasting period, the remaining 10 are the dietary window. This option is easier for beginners, as it does not subject the body to severe stress;
Daily. The most difficult option involves fasting for 24 hours between meals.

Beginners are advised to start with less extreme options and gradually increase the fasting period.

Where did it start

Many of us struggle to balance being able to enjoy our favorite foods while staying slim. Many methods become outdated and demotivating: you want to try something new.

Over the past few years, people have been particularly interested in intermittent fasting, which began gaining popularity 20 years ago. This is a diet with clear time boundaries, when meals are scheduled according to time. Modern research shows the clinical effectiveness of this method, which helps with weight loss and normalizes well-being.

Intermittent fasting works through autophagy, the body’s self-cleaning mechanism, which is triggered by a long food break. Autophagy is enhanced by cold, exercise and intermittent fasting.

Cellular autophagy plays an important role in the development and healing of the body. With prolonged restriction of incoming food, the body's cells break down their own elements to obtain energy reserves. Scientists call autophagy an effective method for natural rejuvenation of the body and slowing down the aging process.

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Nutrition rules

Basic rules of nutrition while using intermittent fasting:

During the dietary window, you need to consume the daily allowance of calories, dietary supplements and vitamins;

Calculate how many calories you need to eat per day. We have made a convenient calculator

The highest calorie meal should be breakfast. During it, it is worth consuming complex carbohydrates, as well as animal fats, which are easily digestible;
It is forbidden to consume store-bought juices, they contain a lot of sugar;
You can’t eat simple carbohydrates – baked goods, baked goods. They are easily digestible, and after a while the person feels hungry again;
Don't overeat during your diet window. 3-4 meals with small snacks is a good option;
Remove processed foods, fast food and other unhealthy foods from your diet. This will help you lose weight faster;
You need to drink your daily fluid intake. Water, green tea, celery juice are allowed;
Meals after breakfast should be protein, for lunch you can eat carbohydrates and fats;

Intermittent fasting for weight loss involves some dietary restrictions. Be prepared to give up unhealthy foods, even if they are among your favorites.

Menu for a week, how often can you do intermittent fasting

Sample food menu for the week:

Day	Breakfast	Dinner	Dinner
Monday	Cottage cheese with berries, green tea, bread	Chicken broth soup, carrot salad	Steamed fish, beet salad, cheese
Tuesday	Omelet, glass of water, fruit	Okroshka, Greek salad, orange juice	Turkey from the oven, kefir, vegetable salad
Wednesday	Oatmeal with milk, berries, green tea	Pasta with boiled chicken, fresh vegetables, kefir	Boiled eggs, stewed meat with vegetables, halva
Thursday	Curd casserole, honey, nuts	Chicken or turkey cutlets, vegetable salad, apples	Seafood with rice, cottage cheese, green tea
Friday	Pancakes with jam, boiled eggs, tea	Pasta with chicken in creamy sauce, pomegranate juice, sliced vegetables	Steamed fish, vegetable salad, tomato juice
Saturday	Cottage cheese with berries, green tea, omelette	Cheese soup, couscous, crushed cucumbers	Turkey risotto, cheese, kefir
Sunday	Cheesecakes, fruit salad, pomegranate juice	Chicken soup, pasta, Greek salad	Grilled chicken breast with vegetables, boiled potatoes, tomato juice

The question about the frequency of application of the technique does not have a clear answer. It is recommended to gradually introduce the diet into the desired framework and adhere to this diet constantly.

If your goal is to lose weight, then using the method one to two weeks a month will be enough. The rate of weight loss will be noticeable from the first days, but will gradually slow down. In two weeks, on average, you can lose about 5 kg.

Efficiency in losing weight

Intermittent fasting for weight loss for women is a good method that can quickly bring the body to the desired weight. Each person’s body is individual, so each case should be considered individually.

According to reviews, one month of eating according to the plan can reduce weight by 5 kg. If you strictly follow all the rules and regulations, and also start playing sports and devote time to cardio training two or three times a week, the effect will be even better and you will be able to lose weight many times faster.

However, there are opposite examples when the body does not accept the method of intermittent fasting and weight loss either does not occur, or, on the contrary, the amount of body fat increases. If you feel very stressed while fasting, this method is not for you.

Intermittent fasting scheme

4. Fasting every other day

Alternate-day fasting involves limiting your food intake every other day.

. There are several ways of fasting and some allow the consumption of approximately 500 calories on fasting days.

Many laboratory studies have shown that intermittent fasting has positive effects on health.

Avoiding food completely may seem too extreme and is not recommended for beginners.

By following this method, you will go to bed hungry several times a week, which is not very pleasant and can be an overwhelming task for many.

5. Warrior Diet: Fast during the day, eat a portion at night

This power system was proposed by artist and former special forces soldier Ori Hofmekler

(Ori Hofmekler).

The Warrior Diet involves eating some raw fruits and vegetables during the day, followed by a large dinner in the evening.

Basically, you fast all day (20 hours), and before going to bed, in the interval of 4 hours, you have the opportunity to have a large meal.

The Warrior Diet was one of the first popular diets to use the method of intermittent fasting.

The food choices are similar to the paleo diet - whole, unprocessed foods as they appear in nature.

6. Spontaneous skipping meals

You don't have to adhere to a strict intermittent fasting structure to experience the benefits of this method.

You can simply skip meals from time to time.

when you are not hungry or too busy to prepare food.

Many experts believe that eating at a strictly defined time is a fallacy, and a person will not go into starvation mode and begin to lose muscle.

The human body can handle long periods of hunger, not to mention skipping a meal or two every now and then.

So, if you are not very hungry on a particular day, you can skip breakfast and eat a healthy lunch and dinner. If you are traveling somewhere and go without food for some time, go on a short hunger strike.

Skip 1-2 meals when you feel the need and there is a spontaneous method of intermittent fasting.

However, try to eat healthy foods at other times of your meals.

How to keep fit

Having obtained the desired result, you need to regularly maintain your shape to stay in good shape. Following these rules will help you do this:

You need to sleep at least eight hours a day. At this time, the body completely relaxes and rests, and metabolic processes work;
Take the fasting method more simply, don’t get hung up on it. This will help you avoid stress and always be in a good mood;
Live an active life - it distracts from the feeling of hunger and promotes weight loss;
You can start using special anti-cellulite massages. They activate blood flow and also accelerate metabolic processes;
The maximum effect in terms of weight loss can be achieved if the diet is combined with cardio exercise. Set aside two to three days a week for training and exercise regularly;
Drink more clean water. The feeling of hunger will dull for a while, you will be able to control your appetite.