Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach that focuses on meal timing rather than food choices. It involves periods of fasting during the day or reducing the number of meals during the week. It can have numerous health benefits, including preventing overeating and calorie accumulation in low activity situations, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
In human evolution, the body has been adapted to survive without food for long periods, and intermittent fasting is considered a way to benefit from this natural ability. Intermittent fasting can come in several forms, including fasting for 24 hours or daily fasting for 16 hours, done twice a week, for example.
Intermittent fasting varies between individuals and can be tailored to fit daily life and individual needs.
Intermittent Fasting Types
People have different preferences when it comes to types of intermittent fasting:
1. 12-Hour Intermittent Fasting:
The 12-hour intermittent fasting system is a diet that involves restricting food intake for 12 hours a day, with adherence to that period. This type of fasting aims to promote weight loss by converting stored fats in the body into energy, releasing ketones into the bloodstream.
Fasting for 12 hours a day can be an excellent option for beginners as the fasting period is relatively short and often occurs during sleeping hours. For example, the approach might be as follows:
Refrain from eating between 7 PM and 7 AM. In other words, have dinner before 7 PM and have breakfast at 7 AM.
This system allows individuals to enjoy a period of fasting while sleeping, making it a way to start getting used to intermittent fasting.
2. 16/8 Intermittent Fasting:
The 16/8 intermittent fasting system is based on the idea of fasting for 16 hours a day, with an 8-hour eating period. In this system, it is usually recommended to have dinner before 8 PM and to decide not to have breakfast the next day, allowing individuals to eat again in the afternoon.
This type of 16-hour intermittent fasting is considered an effective way to prevent health problems such as obesity, inflammation, and diabetes. By setting a specific time for eating, this system may encourage weight loss and improve body health in the long term.
3. 24-Hour Fasting (Eat-Stop-Eat):
The full fasting system, also known as the “Eat-Stop-Eat” system, involves not eating for 24 continuous hours, whether from breakfast to breakfast or from lunch to lunch.
In this type of intermittent fasting, people are allowed to drink water, tea, and other calorie-free beverages during the fasting period. Some people may find the 24-hour fasting system challenging and may experience fatigue, headache, or irritation. Over time, the body can adapt to this system and reduce these effects.
For those who find fasting for 24 hours difficult, they can start by trying fasting for 16 hours and then gradually increase the period if they feel comfortable over time.
4. 5:2 Intermittent Fasting:
The 5:2 diet, also known as the fast diet, is based on consuming standard amounts of healthy food for 5 days a week, with a calorie reduction in the remaining 2 days.
During fasting days, women consume 500 calories daily, while men consume 600 calories. People often choose to fast on two specific days during the week, such as Monday and Thursday, and then resume normal eating on the other days of the week.
This fasting method aims to reduce insulin levels and restrict calories twice a week, contributing to weight loss.
5. Warrior Diet:
The Warrior Diet, also known as the Warrior diet, is a dietary approach that involves consuming very small amounts of food for 20 hours a day, focusing on small portions of raw fruits and vegetables. This is followed by a large meal in the evening containing vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and a moderate amount of carbohydrates.
This diet aims to encourage the body to work efficiently during fasting periods and use fats as an energy source. People who adopt the Warrior Diet are encouraged to consume the main meal in the evening, allowing the body to use the long fasting hours to achieve potential health benefits, such as improving fat burning and increasing energy levels.
The health benefits of intermittent fasting include numerous aspects, in addition to weight loss and reducing belly fat. Here’s an overview of some key benefits of intermittent fasting:
1. The effect of intermittent fasting on cells and hormones:
Fasting regulates body hormones, helping to use fats as an energy source and stimulate cell repair processes and gene expression changes. Among the affected hormones, human growth hormone (HGH) increases significantly, contributing to weight loss and muscle building.
2. Weight loss and improved body composition:
Intermittent fasting helps to reduce calorie intake, increase the release of fat-burning hormone (norepinephrine), and speed up metabolism, leading to weight loss, especially in the belly area, and improved body composition.
3. Benefits for heart and blood vessels health:
Intermittent fasting reduces blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity, contributing to preventing heart and blood vessel diseases in the short term.
4. Lowering cholesterol levels:
Intermittent fasting can help reduce LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, reducing the risk of heart disease.
5. Better outcomes for stroke survivors:
Intermittent fasting promotes recovery from strokes and provides a protective mechanism for the brain due to its anti-inflammatory effect.
6. Potential cognitive function benefits:
Intermittent fasting helps improve mental sharpness and focus, enhances memory, and helps prevent some neurological disorders.
7. Cancer protection:
Intermittent fasting reduces the risk of certain types of cancer and can have a positive effect on the ability of cancer cells to spread and adapt.
These benefits highlight the importance of intermittent fasting as a dietary approach that carries many health benefits on both the physical and mental levels.
Risks of Intermittent Fasting:
The risks of intermittent fasting may include immediate unwanted side effects, such as hunger, insomnia, fatigue, decreased concentration, nausea, constipation, and headache. However, most of these side effects disappear within just one month.
The risk of overeating and binge eating during fasting periods, as cortisol, the stress hormone, increases, leading to increased appetite.
Dehydration, as you may forget to drink during fasting periods. While it is essential to maintain hydration throughout the day by drinking about three liters of water.
Fatigue, as the body works on less energy than usual, in addition to promoting stress levels, leading to sleep pattern disruption.
When Should You Consult a Doctor Before Following Intermittent Fasting?
Individuals often turn to intermittent fasting to manage weight or improve certain health conditions, but caution should be taken before starting this dietary pattern. Here are the categories that should avoid intermittent fasting and that should consult a doctor if they belong to them:
For children and teenagers under 18 years of age.
Pregnant women should avoid fasting to avoid negative effects on the fetus.
Patients with type 1 diabetes, who need precise regulation of blood sugar.
Individuals with a history of eating disorders, such as binge eating or low appetite.
Before starting any type of fasting, it is preferable to consult a doctor, especially if there are chronic health conditions.
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