A TESTIMONIAL AND A QUESTION.
Someone wrote this online about Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss plan:
“I have been intermittent fasting for over 1 year.
I skip breakfast each day & eat 2 meals, the first around 1pm & the second around 8p.m.
Then, I fast for 16 hours overnight until I start eating again the next day at 1pm.
Surprisingly, since I’ve started Intermittent fasting weight loss plan, I’m stronger, leaner, healthier & more explosive!”
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You may be wondering…
How is this possible? Isn’t skipping breakfast bad for you?
Why would anyone fast for 14-16 hours every day? What are the benefits?
Is there any science behind this? Is it dangerous?
Slow down, friend. You are in the right place.
Today, I’m going to break down intermittent fasting weight loss plan for you.
The science. The benefits. The rules. The methods. And then we will answer some questions.
IS INTERMITTENT FASTING ANOTHER WEIGHT LOSS DIET?
No! It is not a diet.
And it is for everyone — underweight, normal weight, or overweight.
Intermittent fasting is exactly not a diet; it’s a pattern of eating. It’s a way of scheduling your meals in a healthy way.
Intermittent fasting weight loss plan doesn’t change WHAT you eat. It changes WHEN you eat.
So you can eat all the groups of a healthy balanced diet: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, etc.
It is a great way to achieve healthy weight without going on a diet that is too strange or too expensive or difficult to sustain.
The beauty is that it burns unhealthy fat & spares healthy muscles & flesh. Fat accumulation in your body is bad for you even if you are slim or skinny!
So, if you want to LOSE unhealthy weight, you can use it.
Also, if you want to GAIN healthy weight & flesh, you can use it (& increase protein intake & add some little resistance exercise.)
HOW DOES INTERMITTENT FASTING WORK?
To be healthy & live long & have ideal body weight, you need to burn fat.
Fat to the body is like a spare tyre to a car. You only use a spare tyre when a main tyre is bad.
As you eat, the body stores excess food as fat, & will continue storing. And the body will not use up the stored fat except you stop eating for several hours.
Every 24 hours is divided into 2 states: Feasting state and Fasting state.
During the Feasting state, your body is eating, digesting, & absorbing food you ate. This state starts when you begin eating & lasts for hours. In this state, it’s very hard for your body to burn fat. You have enough food in your system.
If your body doesn’t get any meal, after 8-12 hours of the last meal, it enters the Fasting state. Now, it can burn fat that has been inaccessible during the Feasting state. There’s need to use the stored fat as food.
It takes about 12 hours, after our last meal, for our body to enter the Fasting fat-burning state.
IMPORTANT: People gain weight & accumulate fat because they are always on the Feasting state. They never stay over 12 hours without something entering their mouths! They never enter the Fasting state. They only accumulate fat. They hardly burn it.
So, you see, with intermittent fasting weight loss plan, you will lose fat:
👉without changing what you eat!
👉without changing how much you eat!
👉without exercise!
It is all about allowing over 12 hours for the body to enter the Fasting state. And you can do that overnight, while you sleep!
MAJOR HEALTH BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING
Intermittent fasting weight loss plan makes healthy eating simpler & makes life less stressful because you have fewer meals you need to prepare or worry about!
Also…
#1: Weight Loss:
It can help you lose weight & belly fat in a safer & easier way.
#2: Prevent Diabetes:
It can reduce insulin resistance, lowering blood sugar by 3-6%.
#3: Prevents Chronic Diseases:
it reduces the markers of inflammation. Inflammation is a key driver of many chronic diseases.
#4: improves Heart Health:
It reduces “bad fat” & blood sugar thereby preventing heart diseases.
#5: Prevents Cancer:
Animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting may help prevent cancer.
#6: improves Brain Health:
It increases a brain hormone called BDNF, & may aid the growth of new nerve cells, helping memory & learning.
#7: increases lifespan & Anti-aging:
Studies showed that rats placed on intermittent fasting live as much as 36-83% longer!
HOW TO DO INTERMITTENT FASTING!
There are many types, but here’s one of the best methods.
You divide every 24-hours into: a 16–hour fasting & an 8–hour eating period.
It doesn’t matter when you start your 8–hour feasting period. You can start at 8 am & stop at 4pm. Or you start at 2pm & stop at 10pm. Or 10am & stop at 6pm. Do whatever works for you.
I notice it is easier for people to eat first meal around 10 am or 11 am and eat last meal at around 6pm or 7pm. So, you simply skip breakfast. This method works well for many people.
If you do it every day, it will soon become a habit, & become very easy & normal & natural. No stress.
Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss RULES
#1: During the fasting phase, consume NO calories. So, after your last meal, say 7pm, nothing enters your mouth. When you wake up, before your first meal, say 10 am, nothing enters your mouth.
#2: Well, if you have anything with zero or extremely low calories, you can take. So, during the fasting phase you can take: water, black coffee, or green tea…But nothing else, not even fruits, or vegetables or nuts or healthy snacks. Nothing.
#3: During the feasting period, (say between 10 am & 6pm), you can eat anything, in any amount & as many times as you want! But all should be within the 8 hours of feeding.
#4: If your goal is to add healthy weight, eat a lot of protein during the feasting period: egg, meat, milk, fish, beans, etc.
#5: Keep a consistent schedule. Choose your timing and stick to it.
DON’T DO INTERMITTENT FASTING IF…
If you have a medical condition, then you should consult with your doctor before trying the intermittent fasting weight loss plan.
This is particularly important if you:
#1: Have diabetes.
#2: Have severe ulcer
#3: Have low blood pressure.
#4: On special regular drugs
#5: Are severely underweight or malnourished
#6: Very sick or just recovering from a serious illness
#7: Have a history of psychiatric or eating disorders.
#8; Are a lady who is trying to conceive.
#9: Are pregnant
#10: Are breastfeeding.
If you have any of the above, don’t just start Intermittent fasting weight loss plan; you MUST discuss with your doctor FIRST!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT INTERMITTENT FASTING
- Can I take anything during the fasting period?
Yes. Water, coffee, tea or anything with zero-calories. Do not add sugar to your coffee or tea. Coffee hides hunger. No fruits or snacks. Make sure any supplement you take during this fasting period doesn’t contain calories.
2. Isn’t it unhealthy to skip breakfast?
No. Skipping breakfast is completely healthy. If you make sure to eat healthy food for the rest of the day then, you’re good to go!
3. Can I exercise while on the Intermittent fasting weight loss plan?
Yes, you can. It makes everything even better. Stay hydrated
4. What if I want to gain healthy weight?
It is important to lift weights (Yes! Even ladies too!) & eat more food during the feasting phase. And eat foods high in protein.
5. If I don’t eat for some hours, I will die o!
No, you will not die! You may get very hungry or dizzy or weak…it will pass. After few days, your body will adapt.
Take Charge of Your Health and Happiness!
