Gaining Weight During Lockdown? Try Intermittent Fasting to Lose Fat (5 Mins Read)

Yesterday I got a regular call from my best friend and she mentioned a tried and tested Intermittent Fasting Plan that she swears by. A few days back while reading GQ magazine I came across an interview with fashion diva Malaika Arora on how she was introduced to intermittent fasting a year ago and how she swears by it even today. Recently, I also followed my own Intermittent Fasting Plan in the form of observing fasts during this Ramadan for one month which I follow every year.

Clearly, this latest trend of Intermittent Fasting (IF) is catching up fast and everyone from celebrities to my friends is religiously following it while keeping fit and losing fat. The worldwide trend of intermittent fasting has made headlines in recent months, especially during the never-ending lockdown- you have heard of this latest diet craze, but what is it?

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent Fasting is a Program wherein you alternate between periods of fasting and consuming food. This diet focuses on when you are consuming food rather than what foods are you consuming. Your meals and snacks are limited to a specific time window and the time windows differ from person-to-person.

How Does IF Works?

The Intermittent Fasting diet plan works by metabolizing the body’s stored fat or reserves called Glycogen when the body runs out of carbs while fasting. Fasting helps us enter a state of Ketosis — a state where our body burns the fat. This leads to various health benefits, and weight loss (or fat loss) being the most important one. The main reason that intermittent fasting works for weight loss, is that it helps you eat fewer calories.

Different Kinds of Intermittent Fasting Plans

1. The 16:8 Plan (Most Common Plan)

The 16:8 is one of the most popular forms and easiest (yet effective) of all the Plans of intermittent fasting. Here, you eat within an eight-hour window and then observe 16 hours fast. This diet involves consuming any type of food and in any quantity during the Eating Window while following strict fasting during the fasting window. This plan usually involves missing breakfast to maintain the fasting window. The sample 16 8 diet plan is given below in the article.

2. The 20:4 Plan

The 20:4 Plan is a more difficult plan where you have a four-hour window to eat and you fast for 20 hours.

3. The 5:2 Plan

The 5:2 Plan requires you to fast for two days a week. The 5:2 diet plan involves consuming food in your regular routine for 5 days a week and then fasting for two days while restricting your total calorie intake to 500–600 during fasting days. This form of IF has also been the most popular one so far.

4. The 24-Hour Fast (Eat-Stop-Eat) Plan

This method can be tough as it requires you to fast for 24-hours at a stretch. It’s done just once or twice a week. Given that it involves no food for a whole day, you can suffer from side effects such as low energy, fatigue, and headaches.

5. Fasting Every Alternate Day Plan

This Plan involves fasting every second day. Your calories on fasting days are limited to 500–600 a day. You can choose to consume these calories in one meal or two. On non-fasting days, you can eat a regular healthy diet spread between four to six small meals a day.

Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

IF teaches you what hunger actually is, and therefore, encourages you to only eat when you are hungry. This is the basic idea behind IF technique. Benefits include the following:

1. Weight loss/ Fat Loss, especially belly fat. There is less muscle loss than other weight loss techniques with Intermittent Fasting
2. Detoxification of Body and Organs due to fasting
3. Possible Insulin Resistance: IF can help reduce insulin resistance and lower the blood sugar
4. Possible reduction in Inflammation
5. Possible improved mental clarity & concentration
6. Possible Increase in energy levels
7. Possible improvement in heart health
8. Possible Anti-Ageing benefits

Cons of Intermittent Fasting

The long fasting hours and shorter eating window can mean fewer energy levels which may lead to mood swings, unproductivity due to hunger, irritation, and anger issues. IF may also lead to binge eating when the time comes. This may cause excess calorie intake and problems related to indigestion. Your body may take some time to adjust to a new IF plan and once the body gets attuned to IF usually within 3–4 days of fasting, true benefits can be reaped in.

Myths associated with Intermittent Fasting

‍1. Fasting lowers the metabolic rate

Absolutely No! Fasting doesn’t slow down the metabolism, instead of the blood levels and growth hormone increase with fasting. Higher levels of growth hormone mean more fat burning.

2. You can eat whatever you want when you break your fast

Absolutely No! Quantity and Quality of food make a remarkable difference in your health. Ensuring healthy and nutritious food goes a long way in reaping the potent health benefits of fasting. Eating too much after breaking the fast, defies the entire purpose of fasting.

3. Working out while on Intermittent fasting will make you weak

Absolutely No! While on Intermittent Fasting Plan it is advisable to indulge in any form of physical activity, the intensity of which may vary as per your nutrition and diet. It is advisable to work out during the eating window with a light meal so as to make sure you do not burn your muscles instead of fat.

4. Isn’t It Unhealthy to Skip the Breakfast?

Not Really! The problem is that most breakfast skippers have unhealthy lifestyles. If you make sure to eat healthy food for the rest of the day then the practice is perfectly healthy.

Diet tips to lose weight with the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting Plan

IF encourages you

1. To reduce the portion size and consume fewer calories to lose weight
2. To consume food during the 8-hour eating window, by focusing on food that’s are nutrient-dense, wholesome, fresh, healthy, and home-cooked while ensuring a healthy mix of proteins, carbs & heart-healthy fats.
3. To avoid the junk, processed, frozen & packaged food at all times.
4. To keep yourself hydrated, by consuming water throughout the day, especially during the fasting time.
5. To avoid sugar and focus on natural sources of sugar like whole fruits, dates, etc.
6. To be consistent with your IF and Diet Plan while assessing the progress from time to time.

Insider tips for intermittent fasting?

1. Stay busy to divert your mind during the fasting window.
2. Drink Coffee or Tea if you feel hungry during the fasting window. Avoid too much dairy and sugars. Green Tea is the best option.
3. Do not binge after fasting.
4. You may open your fast with Dates and Water like Muslims practice during Ramadan Fasting. Open your fast gently with healthy and easy to digest food.

Who should not fast?

You should not do intermittent fasting if you are:

• Underweight (BMI < 18.5) or have an eating disorder like anorexia.
• Pregnant — you need extra nutrients for your child.
• Breastfeeding — you need extra nutrients for your child.
• A child under 18 — you need extra nutrients to grow.
• You can probably fast under medical supervision, if you have any serious medical conditions, such as liver, kidney, or heart disease.

Also Read: The 10 Fundamental Rules of Health and Fitness to Stay Fit & Active Forever! and Fitness and Nutrition- Five tips to achieve long term, sustainable Fat Loss

Originally published at https://theeasywisdom.com on June 1, 2020.