You’ve heard the words “intermittent fasting.” Maybe it scared you away or left you feeling discouraged as if this couldn’t work for you. Well, intermittent fasting is not about starving yourself and it is absolutely possible for everyone to do. Weight loss is a benefit, but there are so many more ways that intermittent fasting will help and heal your body.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating schedule that alternates between periods of fasting (not eating) and periods of eating. This can be recognizable for some that take up fasting for spiritual reasons, but I’m going to focus on all the health benefits it can provide.
The idea is simple. You choose the timeframe that you want to eat in and then eat your meals within those hours. The great thing about IF is that it can go with any diet plan, calorie count, or with whatever you choose to eat. It’s all about meal timing instead of meal content.
It’s important to know that when in a fasting state, in order for your body to reap the benefits, you must not take in ANY FOOD and only drink water, black coffee, or tea (no cream or sugar). This works out well for the sake of those of you needing caffeine in the mornings. Not sure I could maintain this eating schedule without the caffeine!
The timing of your meals is completely adjustable for what your body can handle. If this is your first time with IF then starting out with an 8:16 schedule will adjust your body and mind to this plan. This means that you fast for 8 hours and eat within 16 hours. This schedule can be set between any hours you choose, but the most common pattern is eating between 5 AM-9 PM, especially if you have to be awake in the early morning hours.
Increasing your fasting time can be gradual over a period of two weeks. After the 8:16 schedule, try increasing to 12:12, then 14:10. Once you find that your body is able to sustain at this eating pattern, go for 16:8. This is where research shows the greatest health benefits, especially for women. The best schedule for a 16:8 pattern is eating within the window of 11 AM-7 PM.
Another way to give IF a try is to use a weekly pattern. Set the time schedule you want to eat in and then try 2 days on the fast and one day off or just keep it to one day a week. Starting small and working your way up will give you greater sustainability.
If you are used to eating without a schedule and especially late at night then even an 8 hour fast will give you benefits such as losing weight, deeper sleep, and greater energy. But increasing your fast to 12-16 hours shows the greatest benefits for women, especially when it comes to weight loss.
When you are intermittent fasting your body burns real fat. Yes! The fat that you want to be gone…especially belly fat. This is known as adipose tissue. When you are not in a fasting state between 8-12 hours, your body uses glucose and fatty acids as the main source of energy.
Scientifically speaking, your body goes into a state of ketosis where your liver has time to convert fatty acids to ketone bodies which are a major source of energy. Your body is then able to burn this adipose fat (the fat around your belly and deeper around your organs) that causes obesity and heart disease.
IF also works to increase metabolic rate (calories burned). As long as you are not eating huge meals in your feeding hours and taking in more calories than needed, your body will increase the rate of calories put out through fasting as you are decreasing the amount of calories in. This process equals weight loss for you.
High blood sugar levels have been known to increase your risk of Diabetes Type 2. Americans have access to any kind of food, anywhere, and really fast. All processed foods have higher amounts of sugar than any fruit or vegetable that you could eat which provides many more benefits.
When in a fasting state, your body creates a higher level of insulin resistance and may also help protect against kidney damage which is one of the most severe complications of diabetes. It works to prevent spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels that can cause lethargy, irritability, thirst, frequent urination, and cravings for carbohydrates and more sugar.
It is important to remember that during your feeding hours you must maintain a clean and lean diet. Eating fast food or a lot of desserts and treats will not contribute to the benefits you are looking for through IF.
Chronic inflammation has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer. This takes place in your body if there is an injury or exposure to processed and fatty foods or chemicals that can cause irritation and linger in the body. Autoimmune disorders are also linked to chronic inflammation.
By intermittent fasting, your body is able to reduce inflammation when dropping blood sugar levels, burning fat, and reducing oxidative stress. This all has an obvious impact on aging and your lifespan.
Not to mention the physical signs of aging that can take place when the body reduces inflammation through weight loss and puffy skin and under eyes. Just another reason to try IF for appearance and internal health.
A healthy heart is a benefit of IF because it increases the good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL). Changes in your cholesterol levels lowers your risk of heart disease and can have a major impact on brain health.
I’m sure you’ve experienced that pain of overeating on greasy food or taking in too much sugar and alcohol. It leaves you with a groggy hangover, bloating, and lethargy. If you live a lifestyle of this kind of eating, then you will experience this everyday and you may not even know any different. IF can change your life with brain health.
IF can enhance cognitive functions, memory, and processing skills. This change benefits you in your daily life, work, and continuous process of growing intellectually. If you are constantly looking to achieve goals and hustle through that process, then IF can bring you major clarity and benefits in reaching your goals.
Do you find yourself starving only hours after eating a large meal? For some it may be a high metabolic rate, but for most people it is a result of high leptin levels.
Leptin is the satiety hormone which signals when it’s time to stop eating. These levels drop when you’re hungry and increase when you’re full. Leptin is produced by fat cells so for those that are overweight or obese, you will have higher levels of leptin in the body. Too much leptin in the body can cause problems with signaling hunger cues as well as when to stop eating. This contributes to constant weight gain or the struggle to lose weight.
When IF, especially at night, levels of leptin are lowered and over time your body maintains healthy levels. This contributes to a decrease in hunger and an awareness of when your body is telling you to stop eating. Obviously impacting chances of overeating or weight gain.
It gets dark outside, kids go to bed, and it’s time for yourself. This is when it’s easiest to reach for comfort food and become carefree in what you eat and the amount you eat.
IF is the best form of combatting night time and binge eating. If this is a struggle for you, initially, this practice may be difficult. But get past Day 2 and you will begin to see the benefits of skipping those nighttime meals.
Make a point to leave the kitchen empty handed and head somewhere else in the house. Drink water, caffeine free tea or black coffee and fight through those urges. Find another way for comfort by reading or binge watching.
Give this a try, even for a day and experience the difference it can make. Start small or go hard. I’ve known people who fast for 24 hours straight over multiple days to rid their body of toxins. Find what works for you. This is not about the perfect body, but about creating a healthy body that is your tool in living a life you’ve always wanted!
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