Intermittent fasting for weight loss

You can lose weight without exhausting yourself with debilitating diets. Intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and boost your metabolism. We deal with experts on how to properly establish intermittent fasting without harming your health

Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular ways to lose weight today. It is based on the discovery for which the Japanese biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi received the Nobel Prize. True, the scientist did not develop a diet at all, but a method of fighting cancer based on the self-destruction of cells, and a fashionable diet was born from a scientific discovery. Philip Kirkorov, Laysan Utyasheva, Nadezhda Babkina, Anna Sedokova, Alexander Revva, Jennifer Aniston, Hugh Jackman and many other celebrities have contributed to the popularization of intermittent fasting. But is intermittent fasting for everyone? We deal with nutritionist Anna Volkova.

What is intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is not a diet, but rather a special diet. The day is divided into periods when a person does not eat (“windows of hunger”) and when he eats (“food windows”). The duration of these “windows” can be different, and everyone chooses for himself how long to abstain from food.

The essence of intermittent fasting is as follows. When a person is hungry, the level of glucose in his blood decreases and the production of insulin, which is responsible for its delivery to cells, slows down. In response to a decrease in insulin concentration, the production of the hormone glucagon is activated, which “orders” cells to “take apart” themselves. As a result, the metabolism is accelerated, and the body is updated at the expense of its own resources.¹.

Intermittent fasting regimens

Adherents of intermittent fasting distinguish between short and long schemes. Short – this is when the “windows” of hunger are distributed for a day, long – for weeks.

Intermittent fasting 16/8

16/8 is when you don’t eat anything for 16 hours, you drink only water, in the remaining 8 hours you can eat whatever you want. It is easiest to maintain such a regimen, since most of the “hunger window” falls on sleep. If, for example, you go to bed at 22.00, then the first meal will be allowed just in time for dinner. The “food window” can accommodate 3-4 meals.

Intermittent fasting 14/10

14/10 – same principle, only the hunger window is shorter – 14 hours. Recommended for beginners.

Intermittent fasting 18/6

18/6 is a more strict scheme in which the number of meals is reduced to two.

Intermittent fasting 20/4

20/4 is the so-called “warrior diet”. First you need to endure 20 hours without food, then one heavy dinner and a light snack or two small meals follow. This regimen is not recommended for regular use.

Intermittent fasting 24/0

24/0 is the strictest of the short schemes, as it involves meals only once a day. For example, if you had breakfast at 10 am, then the next meal should be at 10 am the next day.

Important! It is believed that cells begin to actively renew themselves if you fast for at least 12 hours and no more than three days. If fasting lasts less than 12 hours, then the nutrients from food are enough for recovery. If you fast for more than three days, your metabolism slows down, tissues begin to break down.

Intermittent fasting 5/2

5/2 – intermittent fasting for a week. 5 days you can eat as usual, and 2 days to completely starve or limit the number of calories to 500-600 kcal. At the same time, you do not need to fast for two days in a row. You can, for example, refuse to eat on Wednesday and Saturday or Tuesday and Sunday.

Intermittent fasting 36 hours

36 hours – this scheme assumes that you will have to go without food for 1,5 days. For example, if you eat breakfast at 8 am on Monday, then the next meal will not be until 8 pm on Tuesday.

Intermittent fasting 48 hours

48 hours – two days without food. Such a scheme is far from being possible for everyone, and it can only be used under the supervision of specialists so as not to harm your health.

Dry and water intermittent fasting

Beginners on intermittent fasting should not refuse fluids. But advanced intervalists often practice dry fasting, that is, they refuse not only food, but also any drinks. With the water option, you can drink water, tea, coffee without sugar and milk, as well as herbal infusions.

The benefits of intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is indicated for:

prevention of type XNUMX diabetes;
metabolic acceleration;
weight loss;
lowering the level of “bad” cholesterol;
strengthening the body’s defenses.

Harm of intermittent fasting

The secretion of gastric juice is disturbed, which can lead to gastritis and peptic ulcer disease.
Prolonged stagnation of bile can provoke cholecystitis and the formation of stones.
The concentration of uric acid in the blood increases, which means that the risk of developing gout and urolithiasis increases.

In general, intermittent fasting is contraindicated for people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, kidneys, eating disorders, type 1 diabetes, as well as pregnant women, nursing mothers and adolescents under 18 years of age. Also, intermittent fasting is not suitable for people prone to psychological overeating and chronic stress. Long windows of hunger can trigger bulimia.

Important! With intermittent fasting, you need to remember that weight loss occurs due to fewer calories. Therefore, it is important to review the calorie content of your diet, observing the optimal ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and do not forget about physical activity.

Menu for a week with intermittent fasting

Consider the 16/8 beginner’s scheme, in which the body will receive all the necessary nutrients. For greater efficiency, it is better to break the meal into 3 times, while for breakfast you should choose complex carbohydrates and cereals, and for lunch and dinner – protein foods and vegetables.

Day 1

Breakfast: cheese with fruits and honey, whole grain bread with nut butter.

Dinner: vegetable soup with chicken, bean and carrot salad, tomato juice.

Dinner: protein omelette, a glass of fat-free kefir.

Day 2

Breakfast: rice porridge, bread with jam, coffee with cream.

Dinner: chicken baked with champignons, vegetable salad.

Dinner: grilled salmon, low-fat cheese.

Day 3

Breakfast: oatmeal, you can add a little butter and seasonal berries.

Dinner: tomato puree soup, tomato and bell pepper salad.

Dinner: steamed chicken fillet, 2-3 boiled eggs.

Day 4

Breakfast: syrniki with honey and fruits, tea with milk, marshmallow.

Dinner: buckwheat, baked chicken meat, cucumber and tomato salad, berry compote.

Dinner: tuna with grilled peppers and tomatoes.

Day 5

Breakfast: cottage cheese casserole with sour cream, tea with honey, dark chocolate.

Dinner: steamed turkey cutlets, grilled vegetables, fresh juice.

Dinner: boiled chicken, salad of tomato cucumbers and parsley.

Day 6

Breakfast: pasta with stewed vegetables, baked red fish.

Dinner: okroshka on kefir, a glass of orange juice.

Dinner: protein omelette, shrimp and greens salad.

Day 7

Breakfast: tuna salad, boiled potatoes and fresh peppers, coffee, dried apricots.

Dinner: durum wheat spaghetti, cucumbers, tomatoes.

Dinner: oven-baked turkey, boiled egg, cucumbers with sour cream.

There are various variations on the menu.

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The results

In a week of intermittent fasting, you can lose 2-3 extra pounds, and in a month – up to 6 kilograms. American scientists conducted a study and found that for 10 weeks on intermittent fasting, people lost about 3% of their body weight. At the same time, parting with extra pounds was easier for men than for women. It is also noted that intermittent fasting is most effective for people aged 40 to 48 years.².

Dietitian Reviews

He tells about who will benefit from intermittent fasting, and who should refuse this method of losing weight. nutritionist Anna Volkova.

– In general, intermittent fasting is a very useful tool that allows you to control weight, reduce insulin levels and not constantly think about food. But not everyone can go hungry. Intermittent fasting should not be practiced by people who have problems with the digestive system, the hormonal system, especially if there is a syndrome of exhausted adrenal glands and a malfunction of the thyroid gland. Therefore, before starting intermittent fasting, you should consult with your doctor.

As a result of intermittent fasting, weight should decrease, but there are nuances here. Meals should be complete and include a sufficient amount and in the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Also, don’t forget about fiber. Foods can be anything you are used to as this is a non-restrictive diet. With a properly selected diet, the level of sugar will be stable, and the feeling of hunger will not annoy.

Also, intermittent fasting can prevent such neurodegenerative disorders as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, etc.

Another interesting effect is the stimulation of mitochondrial growth. These are energy stations that are present in every cell of our body and provide energy to the entire body.

Of all the types of intermittent fasting, in my opinion, the safest are 16/8 and 14/10.