The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting: Is It Right for You?
Intermittent fasting has taken the world of health and wellbeing by storm, with people using it to manage weight, for better metabolism, and overall fitness. But what is Intermittent Fasting, and is that approach good for you? This article shows the benefits of Intermittent Fasting and helps you to decide whether you should include it in your lifestyle.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
It’s not really a diet but more of a pattern of eating wherein one alternates between periods of eating and fasting. There are different methods to go about intermittent fasting, but the most popular ones include:
16/8 Method: Fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window each day.
5:2 Method: One usually eats normally for five days a week and restricts the calorie intake to about 500-600 on the other two days.
Eat-Stop-Eat: This means one has to fast entirely for a full 24 hours once or twice a week.
Alternate-Day Fasting: One alternates between days of normal eating with days of fasting.
The primary purpose behind any form of intermittent fasting is to allow your body more time without food so that it can enter the fasted state in which it might go through a number of helpful processes.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Weight Loss and Fat Loss
One of the most popular reasons people come to intermittent fasting is for weight loss. A person can reduce their eating window by engaging in intermittent fasting, hence reducing the intake of calories countably and thereby causing weight loss. Moreover, periods of fasting increase metabolic rate through high levels of norepinephrine, the hormone increasing fat burning.
It can also help in the reduction of that stubborn belly fat, which has been linked to a myriad of health problems, from heart diseases to type 2 diabetes.
Improved Metabolic Health
Intermittent fasting has shown a positive effect on several markers of risk associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. If you give your body regular breaks from food, this will help in the stabilization of blood sugar levels and decrease insulin resistance, which, in turn, lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Improved Brain Function:
It has been learned that periods of fasting increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein delivered to support cognitive function and the growth of new neurons. Higher levels of BDNF are associated with improved memory, learning, and overall mental clarity.