Should I try Intermittent fasting?
- Web Developer
- Sep 20, 2023
- 3 min read
What is the secret to losing weight?
This question is the basis of the billion dollar health and fitness industry.
Paleo, keto, crossfit, Atkins and so much more! While all of these work till you are following them, the moment you quit, you REBOUND!
What you need to focus on is fat loss and just weight loss. Ask yourself what is the most sustainable way for me to lose fat? And maybe your answer can be intermittent fasting. Why maybe? Read along to know.
Being lean is a lifestyle, and not a diet or a workout.
If you want the physique you dream about, you have to put in a lot of effort. Most importantly, you have to enjoy what you are doing. Hating your diet or begrudgingly working out is not sustainable. There are a lot of different methods out there, you have to figure out what suits your goals and lifestyle.
Let’s start with what is Intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is when you eat for a specific hours in a day and fast for the others. So how does your body get the energy to function through the day? Your body stores excess energy in your liver and your fat cells. This was the surplus energy you consumed once. Initially it breaks down the glycogen in your liver and uses the glucose from it, but as the fasting period continues and teh glycogen is depleted, it hits the fat cells.
Your body drains the glucose from fat cells to use it for energy. The fat cells don’t disappear, they just shrink. So your body is literally burning fat for energy.
This process of fat burning begins after around 12 hours of fasting. Till 12 hours you are burning the glycogen sources in your body.
How do you do it?
While this will depend on your lifestyle, assuming your day follows a normal pattern, the easiest way to do this is by skipping breakfast.
Let’s assume you eat dinner at 7:30 pm and go to bed by 10 pm. You wake up at 7:30 am and now it’s 12 hours since your last meal. Till now your body has been burning the glycogen for energy and repair. Now, if you push your meal to lunch time by noon, you will get a good 3-4 hours dedicated for fat burning.
But what if you feel hungry and can’t wait?
While, this will take some time to get used to, you can try some tricks to push away your hunger.
Keep yourself busy: Focus on the most important task of your day in the morning. If you are distracted for the first few hours of the day, you won’t even notice that you have been fasting!
Drink non caloric beverages: Water, black coffee, green tea are all great options to keep yourself full with no calories and also keep you focussed in the case of caffeine.
Exercise at the end of your fasting period: Seems counter intuitive, but this can be a great bridge between fasting and feasting. It takes your mind off the wait and also helps in burning more fat.
Deal breaker
Even though you are fasting for 16 hours and eating in the window of 8 hours, you can’t eat what you want with absolute disregard to nutrition or calories. You have to make sure you have 1, 2 or 3 meals that are nutritious and satiating foods.
You have to still be in caloric deficit. You can’t pig out and except IF to work. If you still eat more, your body is going to convert the surplus energy into glycogen and fat cells.
IF gives you the freedom to eat large meals once or twice a day without going over your body’s needs. So eat lean proteins, lots of veggies, fruits and sometimes fatty protein too. Remember 80% nutritious food and 20% junk.
Moving Forward
There are many protocols with timings, workout routines etc with IF. It’s important is for you to choose what works best for your lifestyle and goals.
The most important part is to be deliberate and consistent in your actions!
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