Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. Fasting has been practiced throughout human history, often for religious or spiritual reasons.  Rather than specifying which foods to eat, it focuses on when to eat them, but it is important to maintain a balanced, nutritious diet during eating periods. What is the indicator for successful fasting? The most important is the ability to fast comfortably, because you are not hungry. You must be in control of your food and not let the food to control you.

Intermittent fasting prolongs the period when your body has burned through the calories from your last meal and begins burning fat. This can lead to weight loss and other potential health benefits, such as weight loss and fat reduction, improved metabolic health, reduction of inflammation, potential benefits for heart health and brain function.

Common methods of IM:

·         16/8 – eating within an 8-hour window and fasting for 16 hours daily.

·         5:2 diet – eating normally for 5 days and restricting calories to 500-600 for two non – consecutive days per week.

·         Eat-stop-eat – fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week.

Some studies suggest that alternate-day fasting is about as effective as a typical low-calorie diet for weight loss. That seems reasonable because reducing the number of calories you eat should help you lose weight. Intermittent fasting is safe for many people, but it's not for everyone. t's important to note that intermittent fasting can have unpleasant side effects (hunger, fatigue, insomnia, nausea and headache), but they usually go away within a month. Skipping meals may not be the best way to manage your weight if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. If you have kidney stones, gastroesophageal reflux, diabetes, eating disorders or other medical problems. Always talk with your health professional before starting intermittent fasting.