You've probably tried your fair share of diet regimens to achieve weight loss success. Perhaps you've even dabbled in intermittent fasting (IF), which is the practice of abstaining from food for specific periods. Fasting has become a popular way to lose weight.
So does intermittent fasting really work for weight loss? The answer may surprise you. Let's look at this popular yet polarizing diet trend to find the truth.
You can try your hands at intermittent fasting in 5 different and innovative ways.
14:10 Intermittent Fasting
14:10 Intermittent fasting means you have an eating window of 10 hours and must fast for 14 hours.
For example, if you are an early bird, eat your first meal at 8 AM and dinner at 6 PM. You can eat as you do during this period. The key to remember in a 14-hour fast is that you can only drink water, unsweetened tea, or coffee but nothing else.
How does it work for losing extra pounds?
When you enter a fast, your body has no food to burn as energy but still needs the ability for physical and mental activity. This is when it enters ketosis, a process when the body starts using deposited fats as no glucose is available. Eventually, this can help you lose weight and reduce dangerous visceral fats found around organs like your heart or stomach.
However, it is essential to eat right.
What to eat to support weight loss by the 14:10 method?
Fatty fish, seeds, nuts, dark chocolate, olive oil, eggs, dairy and fermented food, fruits and vegetables, and lots of water
What not to eat to support weight loss by the 14:10 method?
Trans and saturated fats, sugary drinks, refined carbs
Follow it for 4-6 weeks straight to see results.
16:8 Intermittent Fasting
This is a popular method of intermittent fasting. In the 16:8 method, you'll eat within an 8-hour time frame each day but then fast for 16 more.
PHOTO CREDIT | Unsplash/Logan Jeffrey
So, people who want to follow this method should stay away from food at night and morning. They can consume their much-needed calories around noontime.
How does it work for losing extra pounds?
The 16:8 method works because it helps you eat fewer calories while boosting your metabolism slightly. Burning fat instead of sugar after not eating for an extended period is called "metabolic switching."
What to eat to support weight loss by the 16:8 method?
Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, protein sources such as eggs, and healthy fats
What not to eat to support weight loss by the 16:8 method?
Packaged snacks such as sugary drinks, deep-fried items, and most frozen meals.
5:2 Intermittent fasting
The 5:2 diet is the following method of intermittent fasting. Eat regularly for five days of the week while limiting your caloric intake on the remaining 2 days.
How does 5:2 IF work for weight loss?
A 2021 study suggests that 5:2 intermittent fasting is as effective in reducing weight and improving health as traditional dieting. When you take a break from food, your body can shift into fasting mode, which helps with the proper functioning of insulin. It also supports healthy weight management by ensuring that all cells have what they need for optimal performance.
What to eat to support weight loss by the 5:2 method?
Vegetables, boiled or baked eggs, yogurt, lean meat or grilled fish, and low-calorie soups
What not to eat to support weight loss by the 5:2 method?
Do not drink anything other than black coffee, water, or herbal tea on fasting days.
20:4 Intermittent Fasting
The Warrior Diet is a challenging but effective method of intermittent fasting. You eat just four hours during your day while you fast for 20 continuous hours.
How does it work for weight loss?
When you're in a fasting mode, your body breaks down its fat for energy. In this low-insulin and high norephedrine environment, it's easy to identify any additional storage sites on your body that could be used as fuel.
Ketosis is a biological process your body goes through when it starts burning fat for energy. Twenty hours of fasting can trigger this release, which will make you feel more energized.
What to eat to support weight loss by the 20:4 method?
High-protein, high-fat foods with lots of fiber such as dairy products in small amounts, raw fruits and vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and non-calorie fluids
What not to eat to support weight loss by the 20:4 method?
Nothing specific; watch your intake since your goal is to lose weight.
Follow it for three weeks straight to see results.
Eat Stop Eat
Eat Stop Eat, the method pioneered by Brad Pilon, consists of fasting for two days out of seven and checking calorie intake for the remaining 5 days. You can begin by fasting for 24 hours and work your way up to two days.
How does Eat Stop Eat work for weight loss?
When you cut down on your eating window, the body will rely less heavily upon carbohydrates and fats for fuel. As such, they can turn to glucose or ketones depending on what's available to provide energy when necessary. This helps in losing fat.
What to eat to support weight loss under the Eat Stop Eat method?
Vegetables, fruits, herbs, lean protein, spices, tea, coffee, and artificial sweeteners
What not to eat to support weight loss under the Eat Stop Eat method?
No food is off-limits.
Summing up
If you're considering trying intermittent fasting for weight loss, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, it's important to find an approach that fits your lifestyle and schedule. Second, make sure to consume plenty of water and stay hydrated. Finally, be patient as the results may not be instantaneous, but they will come if you stick with them.
