(Senior Editor)
More and more people are swearing by intermittent fasting. While some of them want to shed stubborn pounds, others want to improve their health through fasting. We’ll tell you what this trend is all about.
Intermittent Fasting: Not Your Average Fasting Cleanse
Intermittent fasting: Not your average fasting cleanse
Intermittent fasting differs in several ways from other conventional fasting methods.
While methods like therapeutic fasting reduce calorie intake for days or weeks, with intermittent fasting, you often only fast for a few hours at a time.
Normal fasting cures are usually done once or twice a year. Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is used daily or at least weekly.
Traditional fasting cleanses are often used for detoxing the body. Such cleanses are characterized by a low calorie intake and are often accompanied by a gut cleanse.
This can be done either alone at home or in a clinic under medical supervision. These cures are intended to rid the body of so-called “slags” and the associated ailments. These methods are not really suitable for weight loss.
Those who practice intermittent fasting, however, have completely different goals. Often, weight loss is a primary reason, because intermittent fasting can help you lose pounds without suffering a metabolic slowdown or even losing muscle mass.
Regular fasting positively influences fat metabolism. The metabolism learns to use its reserves, as the body breaks down fat and converts it into energy. This leads to weight loss without having to follow a strict diet.
Intermittent Fasting: Common Methods
Intermittent fasting is the umbrella term for various methods, all of which are characterized by a regular fasting period.
While some methods involve fasting for only a few hours, others reduce calorie intake for up to two days.
All methods should be a part of everyday life, meaning they should be performed daily or weekly to achieve a significant effect.
The 16:8 Method
The 16:8 method is probably the best-known approach to intermittent fasting. Here, you fast for 16 hours a day and have an 8-hour window to eat your meals.
This means you skip one meal. It can be either breakfast or dinner. If you skip breakfast, you could eat in the window from 12 PM to 8 PM.
If you’d rather skip dinner, a window from 9 AM to 5 PM is suitable.
During the 8 hours in which meals are consumed, you can eat normally. You shouldn’t restrict your calorie intake, but you also shouldn’t eat more than usual.
Sugary and fatty foods are not forbidden, but a better effect can be achieved with a balanced and healthy diet. This is also good for your health.
You should not eat for four to five hours between meals. Snacking between main meals can lead to food cravings and interrupt fat burning. It’s better to stick to water or unsweetened herbal teas.
Intermittent Fasting with the 16:8 Method: Guide and Sample Plan
7 AM: Wake up and drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Exercising on an empty stomach can increase calorie consumption and boost your metabolism. However, you shouldn’t overdo it. A short run is a good option.
Morning: Coffee is allowed during intermittent fasting. So you can get through the fast with a cup of black coffee. Tea is also an option. However, drinks should be calorie-free. So sugary drinks and lattes are out of the question.
12 PM: Breaking the fast. The first meal is here. Since one meal is skipped daily, you should ensure sufficient calorie intake. A wholesome meal with vegetables, protein, and whole grains is effective and healthy. You should take your time eating and enjoy the meal.
Afternoon: You should avoid snacks here. You can have tea and coffee again instead. However, you should avoid caffeine after 4 PM to not disrupt your sleep rhythm.
7 PM: Last meal of the day. Again, you should opt for a balanced meal. A dessert is also allowed. A fruit salad or quark is a good option.
You can have a glass of wine or a beer with dinner, but alcohol should only be consumed in small amounts.
Evening: The fast begins at 8 PM. From now on, only water and caffeine-free teas should be consumed. Eight hours of sleep a day provide recovery. This way, you can also sleep through half of the fasting period.
The 5:2 Method
The 5:2 Method
Instead of fasting daily, the fasting period here is limited to two days a week. For five days a week, you can eat normal meals and don’t have to observe an eating window.
On the remaining two days, food intake is significantly reduced. Women consume only 500 calories per day; men eat 600 calories a day. Carbohydrates are completely avoided.
Instead, you rely on vegetable broths, vegetables, and protein-rich foods. This method works best if you always fast on the same days of the week.
The weekend is particularly suitable for this. Since calorie intake is greatly reduced, you should plan for sufficient rest and less strenuous activities.
Alternate-Day Fasting
Alternate-day fasting consists of a normal day and a fasting day that always alternate. Another name for this method is “10 in 2”. This stands for the one day you eat (1) and the fasting day (0), which together make two days (2).
Discipline is required here, as calorie intake is significantly reduced on the fasting day. While you don’t have to watch your eating habits for one day, on the following day you only consume vegetable broths, water, and unsweetened teas.
However, when you feast, you shouldn’t just resort to sugary and fatty foods. A balanced diet is important so that the body receives all the necessary nutrients.
Alternatives: Fasting for 12 hours or one day a week
For those who find these methods too strict but still want to try intermittent fasting, you can shorten the fasting period a bit.
Alkaline fasting also means “no alcohol”
Instead of fasting for 16 hours a day, you can start with 12 hours.
Here you sleep through most of the fasting period and, with 8 hours of sleep, only have to bridge four hours without a meal.
A suitable time window would be, for example, a fasting period from 8 PM in the evening to 8 AM in the morning. This way, you don’t have to give up either dinner or breakfast.
If you prefer to fast weekly instead of daily, you can start with one fasting day. Here you fast for 24 hours and consume only vegetable broths, water, teas, and optionally juices. You should avoid solid food.
You can start the fast at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The important thing is that it is 24 consecutive hours.
Important Notes on Intermittent Fasting
Important notes on intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting does not necessarily have to follow a fixed schedule.
There are numerous methods from which you can choose the one that works best for you.
Nevertheless, with every method, you should pay attention to a few things to achieve the best possible success.
We’ll tell you what the benefits are and what you need to watch out for when fasting.
Losing Weight with Intermittent Fasting
Losing weight with intermittent fasting
Many people report positive experiences with intermittent fasting. With discipline and the methods mentioned, they were able to reduce their weight and get rid of excess pounds.
Some even report a weight reduction in the double-digit range.
Fasting differs from other diets in that the body does not have to cope with few calories permanently, but for a while receives no food at all.
A normal diet affects the metabolism. This is why a yo-yo effect often occurs after a diet. Fasting, on the other hand, has no negative effect on the metabolism. This prevents a yo-yo effect.
Fasting for a Healthier Life
Intermittent fasting is not only suitable for weight reduction but also has many other health benefits. Scientists have been able to identify numerous positive effects associated with intermittent fasting. However, many studies are currently still based on animal experiments.
The results cannot be fully transferred to humans, but they do provide some clues about how the method works. For example, alternate-day fasting is said to have a life-extending effect.
The reason for this is supposedly a detoxification process in the body. Intermittent fasting is also said to have a positive effect on type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that intermittent fasting can prevent the development of this form of diabetes.
Improved Metabolism Through Intermittent Fasting
Another advantage of intermittent fasting is its positive effect on the metabolism. Due to the longer fasting phases, the body learns to use its energy more efficiently by drawing on fat reserves.
This not only improves fat burning but can also help to lower insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
A stable blood sugar level is important to avoid cravings and to reduce the long-term risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
At the same time, the body can regenerate during the fasting period and promote reparative processes in tissues and cells.
Positive Effects on Mental Clarity
In addition to the physical benefits, intermittent fasting also has positive effects on mental clarity and concentration.
Many people report feeling more alert and focused during fasting periods. This is partly because the body produces ketones during fasting, which serve as an alternative energy source for the brain.
These ketones can improve mental performance and help reduce mental fatigue. In addition, the hormone levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline are increased, which can further enhance alertness and cognitive performance.
Exercising on an Empty Stomach
Exercising on an empty stomach
Those who want to lose weight with intermittent fasting can combine it with an early morning workout. This is particularly suitable for the 16:8 method.
Exercising on an empty stomach is said to boost metabolism and fat burning and thus melt even more pounds.
However, you shouldn’t take on too much right at the beginning. You should only engage in strenuous activities like sports after the body has had time to adjust.
The body needs some time to get used to the new rhythm. The feeling of hunger during the fasting period will therefore subside after some time.
Eat Slowly
When you break your fast and eat your meals, you shouldn’t gobble them down quickly, but enjoy them. Take your time eating. This is not only better for digestion but also prevents weight gain.
Those who eat their meals quickly often eat beyond their feeling of hunger. If you eat slowly, on the other hand, you can listen to your hunger cues more easily. Especially after fasting, slow and conscious eating is important so as not to overwhelm the body.
Eat Healthily
Eat healthily
No foods are forbidden with intermittent fasting. However, a healthy diet can enhance the health-promoting effect of fasting.
If you want to lose weight with intermittent fasting, you can support this process with a wholesome diet.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a sweet dessert, a little alcohol, or a fatty meal. However, a nutrient-rich diet ensures that you get all the necessary nutrients.
It makes you fitter and more vital. Unprocessed foods with little sugar can further promote your fat burning.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep makes fasting easier because you sleep through a large part of the fasting period. In addition, a healthy sleep-wake cycle ensures that you start the new day fit. This way you can better endure the fasting period and maintain your motivation.
To ensure that your sleep-wake cycle doesn’t get out of balance, you should avoid fatty foods shortly before going to bed and, ideally, start your fasting period no later than 8 PM.
Intermittent Fasting: What You Should Avoid
Be careful with stress on fasting days
Fasting can be quite exhausting. Especially when the body is still in the adjustment phase, fasting can get on your nerves.
So that you can stick with intermittent fasting and benefit from the positive effects, you should avoid the following things.
Coffee Late at Night
Coffee is allowed during intermittent fasting, even during the fasting period.
However, caffeine stays in the body for about eight hours until it is broken down, so you should drink your last cup by 4 PM at the latest so that your sleep rhythm is not disturbed.
A changed sleep rhythm can shift your fasting period and thus change your entire daily rhythm. For the body, however, a regular daily routine is advantageous when fasting, as it adjusts to the extended fasting period over time.
Fasting with Pre-existing Conditions
Fasting is not for everyone. You should be especially careful if you have pre-existing conditions. Anyone who has suffered from an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia, or still does, should stay away from fasting. Those affected should avoid any kind of diet.
The same applies to underweight people. Here, too, a fasting cure and intermittent fasting can worsen the person’s condition. You should also avoid intermittent fasting during pregnancy and breastfeeding so that you get enough nutrients and calories.
Furthermore, you should not practice intermittent fasting if you are already at an advanced age. For chronic illnesses, you should consult a doctor. The same applies to any complaints that occur during intermittent fasting.
High Strain on Fasting Days
High strain on fasting days
To prevent circulatory problems and other complaints, you should avoid sports and other strains on fasting days. This applies especially to the 5:2 method and alternate-day fasting.
Strenuous physical activity should only take place on days when you eat normally. The body needs the energy to cope with such efforts and to recover from them.
Nevertheless, you should not give up exercise completely.
You can go for walks, go swimming, and do meditative sports like yoga and Pilates. However, make sure that you only choose gentle exercises and slow movements for your practice.
Snacks Between Meals
Hands off snacks between meals
Snacks that you consume between meals can significantly diminish your progress with fasting, as they can interfere with your fat burning.
Therefore, you should leave a window of at least four hours between meals. Your feeling of satiety should last that long.
If you consume more food than necessary, the carbohydrates enter the blood as sugar. This raises the blood sugar level, which in turn stops your fat burning. This can also lead to cravings.
Low Fluid Intake
When fasting, it is essential to drink enough fluids. This should be predominantly water and unsweetened herbal teas. This way, you can not only alleviate your feeling of hunger but also prevent complaints such as headaches and dizziness.
If you drink enough water, you stay hydrated and can flush toxins out of your body.
Incompatibility with Your Lifestyle
Fasting is not always easy to reconcile with everyday life. Before you choose a fasting method, you should consider which one can be best integrated into your life.
If you work most of the day during the week, you should probably avoid whole fasting days and rather choose the 16:8 method.
Depending on how you work, you can set your fasting time individually. If the fasting time is too long for you during a stressful workday, you can either consider a shorter fasting time or resort to the 5:2 method and fast on the weekend.
If two days are too much for you, try it with one fasting day first. This way you can slowly get a feel for intermittent fasting.
