All you need to know about intermittent fasting

The concept of fasting is not new to people. It has been practised in different religions for thousands of years. The world has only realised its importance in the past decade owing to its amazing health benefits. This latest health trend is easy to follow, convenient and sustainable way to lose weight and improve overall health.

Contrary to popular belief, intermittent fasting is not a type of diet. It is a lifestyle choice, involving alternating cycles of fasting and eating period. There are different methods of fasting, varying in the number of fast days and calorie allowances. If you too are planning to try this fasting trend, here is all you need to know about it.

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern alternating between periods of eating and fasting. It does not emphasize on the kind of foods you should eat, rather on when you should eat them. The common intermittent fasting method involves daily 16 hours fasting window and 8 hours eating window. In this, one has to consume all the calories of the day in 8 hours eating window and fast for the remaining 16 hours.

Most people generally fast every day, while sleeping at night. Intermittent fasting is simply extending the time limit and ensuring that you do not consume anything other than fluids to stay hydrated in the fasted state. As compared to other diet trends, most people find it easy to follow. Shunning food for 16 hours, in the beginning, might be tough for some, but once your body gets used to not eating for extended periods, following this lifestyle habit becomes quite easy.

The main objective of intermittent fasting is to divert the body's attention from things other than the digestion of food like recovery and maintenance. During the fasting period, your body basically goes into starvation mode and a series of metabolic changes take place inside it. As there is no food left in the stomach to be digested the body focuses on the recovery and maintenance process. Secondly, due to the unavailability of carbohydrates, the body enters into ketosis, a state in which fat stored in the body is used for energy. This process helps to shed kilos.

There are several ways of doing intermittent fasting. In some, you eat either very little or nothing at all. The 5 most popular kinds of intermittent fasting are:

12 hours of fasting: This kind of fasting is the simplest one, where a person needs to adhere to 12 hours fasting window every day. The easiest way to follow this fast is to include the period of sleep in the fasting window. You can choose to fast between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The 16/8 method: This is also referred to as the Leangains protocol. The 16/8 methods involve skipping breakfast and restricting the eating period to 8 hours. In this eating window, one can fit in two, three, or more meals. You just need to be careful about your calorie intake.

Eat-Stop-Eat: This type of fasting involves shunning calorie intake for 24 hours, once or twice a week. Only water, coffee, and other zero-calorie beverages are allowed during the fasting period.

The 5:2 diet: In this method of intermittent fasting, one has to consume only 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week. In the remaining 5 days, they are allowed to eat normally.

Alternate day fasting: In alternate-day fasting, one has to fast every other day. This type of fasting is quite an extreme form of intermittent fasting and may not be suitable for beginners or for those suffering from chronic diseases.

Intermittent fasting does not restrict any kind of food group. But this does not give you the liberty to have anything and everything. You must have healthy and nutritious foods. Even in the fasting window, you need to ensure that you do not break your fast by eating or drinking anything that contains calories. Drinks loaded with carbs or sugar can cause your body to secrete insulin and you can easily miss out on the benefits of intermittent fasting. What all you can have while fasting:

Water- Plain water contains zero calories and will keep you hydrated.

Coffee or tea- Have only unsweetened tea or coffee with only a teaspoon of milk in it.

Apple Cider Vinegar- Drinking diluted apple cider vinegar can also help to keep you hydrated and prevent cravings during a fast.

Breaking the fast is more complicated than eating the right food. What you eat right after breaking your fast determines if your fasting was successful or not. You just cannot have anything you like as this can sabotage your result. Your first meal should be light and small. Eating a heavy meal, right after fasting can confuse your body and you can suffer from indigestion and bloating. Fill your plate with protein, vitamins and other healthy nutrients and add a small number of carbs and fats. Vegetable smoothies, nuts, soups, fruits and fermented foods are some healthy options.

No matter what kind of intermittent fasting you are following, here are a few rules you must follow while breaking the fast.

Avoid carbohydrates on an empty stomach as it can be harmful when trying to lose weight.

Stay away from sugary drinks or desserts as they can spike your blood sugar level and will make you feel famished.

Be careful about your portion size and eat in moderation.

It takes time for any diet to show effective results and the same goes for intermittent fasting. A person needs to follow all the basic rules for at least 10 weeks to witness any positive results. Following intermittent fasting properly for this period of time will help them shed 3 to 5 kilos of weight. However, the numbers on the scale may differ depending on the person's metabolism.

It is a common belief that one should abstain from any kind of stern physical activity when fasting. But this concept is not completely true. You can easily exercise in the fastest states. It all depends on your capacity and energy level. We would not suggest involving any kind of stern activity. Light walking, jogging, bodyweight exercises are much-preferred options. You should plan your workout session before breaking your fast. Remember it is always best to listen to your body. If you feel like you can perform exercises, only then attempt it else let it be. Do not forget to stay hydrated all the time to make up for the fluid loss.