Interval fasting, also known as intermittent fasting, is a popular term you hear more and more often. But what is interval fasting? Is it healthy or not? And does it work to lose weight effectively?
You can read about that and more below!
What is interval fasting?
Interval fasting is a way of eating where you don’t eat for periods of the day and eat for periods. You could describe it as “depriving yourself of food and drink for a certain period of time.
Intermittent fasting is not a diet. It doesn’t tell you
what
you eat, but
when
you eat. So intermittent fasting is actually an eating pattern.
Fasting is also not a new fad. The nice thing about interval fasting is that it is actually very close to our evolution.
In prehistoric times, when humans still had to search for food as hunters, there were no 3 structural meals a day.
Sometimes they ate nothing at all for 16 hours or more.
Does interval fasting work?
Yes, interval fasting works!
Scientific studies in humans and animals have shown that interval fasting not only works to lose weight, but it can also be very good for your overall health.
Thus, it can have benefits for your body cells, your hormones and your genes.
Interval fasting can be done in many ways. Choose the method that suits your personal situation.
Is interval fasting suitable for everyone?
No, interval fasting is not recommended for everyone. In fact, it is very important to use this way of eating very consciously.
You will experience the health benefits only if you apply it the right way. If you have fluctuating blood sugar levels due to diabetes or severe obesity, it’s best not to start.
It is also not recommended if you are growing or pregnant. If you have or have had an eating disorder, it may even be dangerous to your health to start it!
What are the positive effects of interval fasting?
1. Interval fasting has a positive effect on insulin sensitivity
If you ingest too many sugars and carbohydrates, you can become insulin resistant. This can lead to a variety of chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.
How to avoid this? By keeping your body sensitive to insulin. Fasting is an effective way to get this done.
2. Interval fasting boosts metabolism
Insulin sensitivity also increases the production of growth hormone. Growth hormone promotes the production of muscle tissue when you exercise and can speed up metabolism as a result.
3. It is also an effective way to lose weight
Several studies have shown that fasting contributes to weight loss. Even if you only apply this once in a while.
By not eating for a while or eating very little, your body is forced to switch from burning sugar to burning fat. By engaging in interval fasting, you exert more influence on fat bandaging.
When fat burning runs smoothly, you lose more weight. For example, a 2015 study found that alternate “day” fasting reduced body weight by up to seven percent and reduced body fat by as much as 5.4 pounds. Calculate your BMI.
4. Interval fasting helps maintain normal cholesterol levels
Short periods of fasting have a beneficial effect on blood composition. Cholesterol levels are maintained and the amount of fats in the blood decreases.
5. And it helps protect body cells
It turns out that when calories are low for a while, the body is helped to protect healthy body cells.
More protective proteins and antioxidants can then be released that protect the cells’ DNA.
What are the disadvantages of interval fasting?
1. Not suitable for everyone
As described above, interval fasting is not suitable for everyone. If you suffer from diabetes or severe obesity, it is not wise to start this.
It is also not recommended if you are growing, pregnant or have an eating disorder.
2. Discipline
Fasting is not easy. You really have to do this on discipline, especially when you’re just starting out. It can be very difficult and you may experience ailments such as headaches and lethargy.
Binge eating lurks if you don’t take it seriously or do it halfway.
3. Unsociable
In company, you will be put to the test if you decide to fast. It’s not “cozy” to not eat anything…. Many people will start asking you why you do it and get involved.
This can be unpleasant and unsociable.
Would you like to try it?
Are you healthy and conscious and want to try it? Then make sure you eat balanced meals on the days or times you do eat.
Make sure you get important nutrients through meat, fatty fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, kernels, oils, vegetables and fruits. In addition, drink plenty of water and tea.
Adjust your exercise or sports rhythm accordingly, get enough sleep and, especially if you are just starting out, keep in mind to take adequate time to relax.
The beauty of fasting is that there is no one perfect way. There are several ways you can practice intermittent fasting.
This is ideal because it allows you to decide what suits you and what doesn’t.
The ways:
There are several ways to apply interval fasting to your diet. The most well-known ways are:
Schedule 1: eating within certain hours
Fasting in which you do not eat anything for 12 to 16 hours. For the remaining hours, you may eat as many of your healthy foods as possible. Of course you do drink if you don’t eat anything.
Schedule 2: one-day fasting (24 hours)
Fasting on alternate days: for example, you fast for 24 hours and then you eat for 24 hours. In a day of fasting, you don’t eat for 24 hours. That means you eat your breakfast at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, for example, and then again the next day, so at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
You can do this with your breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Schedule 3: occasionally skip a meal
This method of fasting is very easy to implement. You simply simply skip a meal once in a while when it suits you. So you can skip breakfast and not have lunch until noon. Or skip your dinner if you are not hungry at that time.
Schedule 4: fasting every other day
In this you fast every other day. So 1 day of healthy eating and the next day fasting again. In practice, this is a very tough schedule to maintain. If you want to lose a lot of weight, fasting every other day for 2-3 weeks can give good results.
Schedule 5: five for two
In this schedule, you eat normally 5 days a week and eat around 500 to 600 calories on 2 days a week.
Schedule 6: one meal a day
With this schedule, you simply eat 1 healthy meal a day. You can do this once or twice a week, for example.
Need help?
Have you become very curious about interval fasting and would actually like to try it?
But do you still find it a little scary to do yourself?
Then let us help you! Our therapists can advise and help you develop an intermittent fasting eating pattern.
Click here to contact us
or fill out the contact form.
(Of course, if you have any questions on this subject, you may also contact me)
