Summer is approaching with unstoppable steps and with it also with many people the realization that up to the beach figure nevertheless still some is to be done. No wonder that diets of all kinds are currently enjoying great popularity again. This also applies to interval fasting, which is also known to many under the name "Intermittent Fasting". But what is behind it? And how does the Intermittent fasting?
What is actually meant by interval fasting?
Even though interval fasting or intermittent fasting sounds almost outrageously newfangled, the opposite is actually true. Just like many other diets, intermittent fasting is a recurring phenomenon. In the plain text interval chamfering means nothing else than "interrupting" chamfering in most diverse forms. This means that it is not actually a special diet such as a consistent low-carb or low-fat diet, but the oldest form of nutrition that we humans know.
A form of diet that, however, we no longer had to practice due to sedentarization, livestock and agriculture. In practice, in fact, it involves alternating periods of food intake and fasting. Basically, the model of interval fasting is based on the daily routine of hunter-gatherers. After all, before the so-called Neolithic Revolution, man spent a large part of the day hunting animals and gathering all kinds of berries, fruits and nuts.
During this time, of course, there was no room for the constant intake of food, as is the case in our modern societies. Only when the "prey" was back with the clan, people had time to take food in peace. Intermittent Fasting is therefore, in principle, the most natural form of human nutrition, which is particularly effective thanks to its ease of implementation.
The different forms of intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting describes an overriding principle that can be implemented in various forms and time divisions. The differences between the various approaches relate primarily to the duration and the cycle of the fasting period. Which method is the right one for you depends on the one hand on your everyday life and on the other hand on your perseverance. The most common methods are the 16/8 method, the 20/4 method and the 5/2 method.
The 16/8 method
This approach is, so to speak, the classic of interval fasting. In practice, the day is divided into 16 fasting hours and 8 hours for food intake. What looks like a big challenge at first glance is actually not so problematic on closer inspection. So that nobody goes with growling stomach by the day, the chamfering period is specified namely also the period of 20 o'clock to 12 o'clock, so that also the night rest falls with into this period. Between 12 o'clock and 20 o'clock may be finally zugelangt, which meets the everyday life of most humans. This makes it easier to keep up the fast, especially since the shortened food intake means that even in the event of a large calorie deficit, larger portions can be eaten at once and the calories do not have to be distributed over 5-6 meals within 16 hours.
The 20/4 method
Strictly speaking, this is not an independent method, but merely a significant tightening of the rules of the 16/8 method. Thus, the time window for daily food intake is shortened to only four hours. This, in turn, is a great challenge, since the entire daily calorie intake must be achieved in only four hours. So it is all the more important with this tightened variant to consume foods that are particularly long-satiating. After all, a constantly rumbling stomach is not only unpleasant, but also weakens the will to persevere.
The 5/2 method
In terms of fasting, of course, it can also be a bit harder. The 5/2 method relies not only on fasting hours, but on entire fasting days. On a 7-day week come here for example 2 chamfering days, on which nothing at all should be eaten. Why should? Completely simply, because it is almost impossible to take on a day at all no calories to itself, exists with this variant of the interval chamfering the special regulation that per day maximally 500 kcal may be taken up. Here of course some fruit offers itself for the vitamin supply and/or high-quality protein for the muscle receipt has. On the remaining days of the week, however, you can eat normally with this method, as long as the calorie balance on these days is balanced.
What distinguishes intermittent fasting from religious fasting and other diets?
Why have we not talked about a specific macronutrient distribution or the renunciation of certain foods so far? Quite simply because Intermittent Fasting gives you more or less free rein in this area. As I said, it is a simple basic framework with simple rules that you can shape according to your individual preferences. With the exception of an existing calorie deficit, there are no explicit rules, although you should of course eat a balanced diet rich in protein. However, it is up to you whether you design Intermittent Fasting as a low-carb, low-fat or high-carb diet.
There are also some differences to religious fasting, such as that practiced in Islam during the month of Ramadan. Firstly, this relates to the possibility of setting the fasting windows oneself, and secondly, it relates to the intake of liquids. While in Ramadan, according to a strict interpretation, liquid intake is also forbidden with a few exceptions, in Intermittent Fasting you can drink as much as you want even during the fasting periods. The only requirement is that it must be calorie-free drinks. But that should be clear.
Advantages of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has some decisive advantages over other forms of nutrition and diet. Among other things, this concerns the hormonal environment for fat burning. If you eat something every three hours, your body is basically in a permanent digestive process. The decisive starting point here is the blood sugar level. Since this does not constantly increase throughout the day due to the limited windows for food intake, the insulin sensitivity of the body also improves in this way.
At the same time, the release of the anabolic growth hormone HGH also increases. The bottom line is that this optimizes protein biosynthesis and fat burning. Studies also indicate that this form of nutrition can protect the body's cells from cellular stress and the harmful effects of free radicals. In addition, it has been found that intermittent fasting can lower LDL cholesterol levels and have a positive effect on cognitive performance by stimulating nerve cells. However, the physical effects are not the end of the story.
Another advantage is the ease of implementation, because you do not have to constantly pay attention to specific diet plans or explicit food bans and nutrient timing. This makes Intermittent Fasting an optimal form of dieting if you want to eat your fill despite dieting or if you want to participate in festivities or a restaurant visit with friends without major restrictions. All it takes is good time management to align the time slots correctly.
What are the disadvantages of Intermittent Fasting?
No method is perfect. Of course, this also applies to Intermittent Fasting. In order for you to succeed with this system, you must of course take into account some disadvantages from the beginning. If you think you can do without exercise, you are wrong. Without strength training and complementary endurance sports, interval fasting is only half as effective. Also without a predominantly healthy diet nothing goes here at all. Junk food is allowed from time to time, but it must not get out of hand. So you don't get a free pass to feast with this principle either.
One of the biggest disadvantages is also to be found on the psychological side. Especially those who are used to eating several times a day must first get used to not eating for many hours. Especially in the first days, the danger of giving in to the discomfort in the stomach area, the so-called hunger pains, is particularly high. Intermittent Fasting, on the other hand, is not suitable for people who unfortunately suffer from an acute eating disorder or have already overcome such a disorder, as the changeover can promote such an eating disorder. Due to the strong decrease in blood sugar levels, Intermittent Fasting is also not suitable for diabetics.
Conclusion
As an original form of nutrition of man, intermittent fasting is not far from our inner system. Accordingly, the potential for success in losing weight is great. And hundreds of thousands of people have already proven that this method works. If you want to effectively get rid of annoying body fat and mentally trust this form of nutrition, you should give interval fasting a chance.
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