Intermittent fasting
Content
- Difference between Intermittent and Therapeutic Fasting
- Fasting cure
- Intermittent fasting
- What are the types of Intermittent Fasting?
- Advantages and disadvantages of each type of Intermittent Fasting
- Tips for Intermittent Fasting
- Who is intermittent fasting suitable for?
- Is Intermittent Fasting Healthy?
- Overview of the scientific study situation
- Conclusion
What is it about?
Intermittent fasting is currently one of the most popular ways to lose weight. The aim is not to have to pay attention to what and how much is on the plate. Through strict fasting phases, there should be no dietary restrictions and weight loss should be achieved without the yo-yo effect.
However, intermittent fasting is not only a popular method for losing weight, it is also said to help improve blood counts and general health. A distinction is made between the 16:8 and the 5:2 diet, as well as the Eat-Stop-Eat and the Warrior diet and another extreme type of fasting, the therapeutic fast.
1. difference between interval and therapeutic fasting
The basic difference between therapeutic fasting and intermittent fasting lies in the feasibility. Intermittent fasting deals with different intervals in which one is allowed to eat food. The time span of the fast can vary greatly.
Therapeutic fasting, on the other hand, requires a lot of preparation and is not adapted to a normal everyday life, as it usually takes a certain amount of time for the body to get used to the withdrawal and to get over the initial symptoms such as headaches, etc.
2. therapeutic fasting
Therapeutic fasting can also be seen as spring cleaning for the body. The fasting period is at least seven days or more. The calorie requirement is just 500 calories with sufficient fluid intake of about 2.5 litres of water per day. The diet should consist only of liquid foods such as vegetable broth, juices or protein shakes.
3. interval fasting
Depending on the intermittent fasting plan chosen, the fasting period can vary, for example, from either 16 hours per day to two days per week, etc. With intermittent fasting, there is no specific calorie requirement and no specific food requirement, but a plant-based diet is always beneficial.
4. what are the types of Intermittent Fasting?
Ingredients of vegan protein powders can be derived from peas, hemp and rice as well as from soy, lupins and almonds.
The 16:8 Fast
The 16:8 diet, also called the Leangains protocol, is probably the most popular type of interval fasting. It involves abstaining completely from food for 16 hours at a stretch and only water and unsweetened teas are allowed. For the remaining 8 hours of the day, everything may be eaten without restriction. Most people set this 16-hour period for the night, as they usually do not eat anything during this time anyway.
The 5:2 Diet
With this method of interval fasting, you should only eat 500 to 600 calories on 2 days of the week. On the other 5 days of the week there are no restrictions.
The Eat Stop Eat Diet
The Eat-Stop-Eat diet is similar to the 5:2 diet. Here, too, there are no restrictions on 5 days of the week. However, on the remaining 2 days you do not eat any food instead of 500 calories.
5. advantages and disadvantages of each type of Intermittent Fasting
16:8 Method
Advantages of the 16:8 method
Of course, it is not easy to start by not eating anything for 16 hours, but the 16:8 method is one of the easiest methods of interval fasting. Apart from the 16-hour period, nothing else has to be taken into account, as there is no restriction in the food. It is therefore ideal for beginners and can be quickly integrated into everyday life.
In addition, cravings are reduced to a minimum with the 16:8 method.
Disadvantages of the 16:8 Method
The disadvantage of the lack of food restrictions is that many people assume that sweets or fast food are allowed. In addition, the 16:8 Method is not strictly speaking a classic diet. By changing the metabolic processes, a temporary dietary effect occurs, which is, however, limited.
Disadvantages 16:8
The disadvantage of the lack of food restrictions is that many people assume that sweets or fast food are allowed. In addition, the 16:8 Method is not, strictly speaking, a classic diet. By changing the metabolic processes, a temporary dietary effect occurs, which is, however, limited.
5.2 5:2 Method
Advantages 5:2 method
In contrast to the 16:8 diet, this diet is only carried out on 2 days a week. This means that you do not have to fast on all days. These can then be used for events or restaurant visits.
Disadvantages of the 5:2 method
Even though the 5:2 diet is only 2 days of restriction, you have to limit yourself to 500 calories on those days. With such a low calorie intake, the body produces very little energy. Therefore, if there are more serious pre-existing conditions or more strenuous tasks, this method is not advisable.
Eat-Stop-Eat Method
Advantages of the Eat-Stop-Eat method
The Eat-Stop-Eat Method can lead to rapid weight loss, provided you eat a reasonably healthy diet on the days when there are no restrictions. It can also lead to a strengthening of one's own discipline.
Disadvantages of the Eat-Stop-Eat Method
Long breaks from eating can lead to a lack of concentration and mood swings, especially during the working day. Under these conditions, the Eat-Stop-Eat method is only advisable for healthy and fit people.
6. tips for interval fasting
7. Who is intermittent fasting suitable for?
If you really want to lose weight quickly or if you are overweight, you should choose a different diet than the conventional interval fasting. Intermittent fasting ensures slow weight loss, but does not bring about a yo-yo effect, as it is usually carried out on a long-term basis.
In addition, Intermittent Fasting can be implemented with dietary changes in combination with a daily calorie deficit to achieve faster results.
Pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding, younger people who are growing up, older people and people with metabolic or chronic diseases should rather avoid Intermittent Fasting!
8 Is Intermittent Fasting Healthy?
9. overview of the scientific study situation
The evaluation of clinical human studies is complicated not only by the many different forms of intermittent fasting (16:8, 5:2 fasting, etc.), but also by the different groups of people, from overweight people to normal weight and obese people, and is even more difficult to assess due to too few studies in general. In addition, no scientific studies have yet been published on the long-term effects of interval fasting.
(So far, only a few clinical human studies on the effects of interval fasting have been published. However, from the limited information known, it can be concluded that existing studies provide evidence for positive health effects (Horne et al. 2015). Nevertheless, results from animal studies indicate that the risk of chronic diseases can be reduced by regular abstinence from food (Kaeberlein et al. 2006, Longo and Mattson 2014).
10. conclusion
If you really want to reduce your weight in the long term, you should generally pay attention to a few things in your diet. A balanced diet rich in protein and fibre, ideally consisting of plant-based foods in combination with healthy fats, power foods and sufficient fluids is crucial.
Every form of diet requires a certain amount of discipline, but with Intermittent Fasting you have to pay attention to fewer restrictions.
Thus, giving up certain things is not as painful as with other diets.
Intermittent fasting can also be used for detoxification and rapid weight loss, but headaches, bad moods or sleep during the fast are possible side effects and the yo-yo effect afterwards is a very likely negative effect.
