We have been advised by fitness bunnies and health enthusiasts that to keep your metabolism healthy you would need to eat minimal portions every few hours. Having a diet plan in your wellness and health journey is also one of the key factors to achieving the goals you set for your body as well as your overall health. There are a variety of diet plans and in this issue we have intermittent fasting on the spotlight.
What is Intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is regulated fasting which has been found to assist with weight loss and other health benefits.
Studies and research were done back between the 1930s-1940s on the effects, benefits and the results were favorable, to say the least.
These studies were done in 2007, the benefits of intermittent fasting and the health effects include lower blood pressure, higher life expectancy, reduced cancer risk, and improved sensitivity to insulin.
How to do it
There are different ways of doing intermittent fasting and it all depends on what works for you. They are four types of methods of intermittent fasting, these include:
Lean Gains
This method is perfect for those that want to get lean, (it’s in the name). It motivates hormonal flow and it is the most complex method, meaning it is for advanced fitness and training enthusiasts.
Eat Stop Eat
This method is similar to the 5/2 diet and it’s quite direct and beginner-friendly. You fast once or twice a week for 24 hours, on days where you do eat you ensure that your meals have minimal carbs and your portions need to be normal-sized.
Alternate Day Fasting
This method may be difficult to maintain long-term as it consists of alternating fasting days with eating days. You fast every weekend for 1 day. To make it easier to maintain, you can eat roughly 25% of your daily intake of food making it less difficult to maintain
Warrior diet
This method consists of eating 1 meal a day - you can only have this meal at night to create sufficient circadian rhythms. During the fast, you can only consume minimum amounts of protein, green fruits & vegetables, and berries.
It is essential to know that the wellness and fitness journey comes with lifestyle changes. Do not rush the process, start off with what you can manage, keep yourself busy, get enough sleep and most importantly stay hydrated.
Once you have decided on what you think may work for you, don’t forget to consult with your GP first and get the green light from someone that knows your medical and wellness needs.