How long should I do intermittent fasting to lose weight? this is the main question that people ask when starting to follow an intermittent fasting diet. In this article, we will answer that question plus showing you what fasting methods you can follow to hit your goal weight.
Eating for a limited time only means that you are fasting for the rest of the time, but it allows you to drink calorie-free drinks such as coffee. The purpose of fasting is to initiate a metabolic condition called ketosis. While ketosis (a normal metabolism state) occurs, the body burns fat for energy instead of sugar. Check out The Real Factors That Control Metabolism & Weight
How long should I do intermittent fasting to lose weight
According to limited short-term studies, intermittent fasting helps people lose weight within 10 weeks. It depends on the type of fasting you decided to follow and of course your metabolism and health condition. However, some note they started to drop weight in the first week, while others start to lose weight after several weeks.
In fact, there are different ways of intermittent fasting, so here is a guide that can help you decide which intermittent fasting is best for your body type.
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Intermittent fasting methods;
In fact, intermittent fasting focuses on when a person should eat food, not the type of food he eats.
Intermittent fasting is based on the idea that you can lose weight if you limit the period of time you are allowed to eat.
1-Intermittent fasting diet meal plan 16/8:
As known, intermittent fasting 16/8 meal plan is perhaps the most common method of intermittent fasting. Sometimes it is called time-bound fasting.
And in intermittent fasting 16/8 version, you fast for 16 hours and limit your eating for 8 hours during the day.
However, most people skip breakfast as part of a 16-hour fast. So, you can eat from 12 noon until 8 pm, for example.
On the other hand, some may skip dinner instead. For this, you can limit your eating time between 9 am and 5 pm every day.
Talking about intermittent fasting 16/8 results; According to Miss Natalie Allen, clinical assistant professor at Missouri State University, most people choose a 16: 8 version, because it is easier to follow compared to some other versions. Check out Intermittent Fasting Benefits & How It Changes Your body.
Research indicates that this type of intermittent fasting can help you lose fat and possibly improve your cholesterol levels, among other health benefits.
2-Intermittent fasting 24 hours:
As the name implies, this approach of intermittent fasting is about eating normally for two days and fasting or severely restricting calories, on the third day.
Allen says that intermittent fasting approach by alternative day is less common. In addition, it may be the most difficult type of intermittent fasting to try. As a 2017 article in the annual Nutrition Review says, “The fasting system may not be practical because it leads to severe hunger on fasting days.”
“In general, we do not recommend it. It is difficult not to eat for a whole day. I will be concerned about blood sugar, insulin levels, your energy levels and your ability to think. Will you feel hungry?”
3- Intermittent fasting 5/2 meal plan:
Intermittent fasting 5/2 is characterized by eating naturally for five days a week and cutting calories dramatically for two days following each other or apart. Women restrict themselves to 500 calories, and men to 600 calories on fasting days.
Some people prefer the Intermittent fasting 5/2 meal plan, but a study published in 2018 found that while this version was effective in losing weight, it was not more effective than a continuous calorie restriction approach in which people try to reduce the number of calories they consume each day.
4- Intermittent fasting one meal a day “intermittent fasting 23/1” :
The OMAD system (one meal per day) is limiting eating to only one hour each day and fasting for the remaining 23 hours “intermittent fasting 23/1”. This is an extreme type of intermittent fasting for losing weight for some people.
It can also help reduce some risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, you should be able to last for a full 23 hours between meals and resist the temptation to overeat during the eating period, because extreme hunger is a common side effect of this method.
Who can follow intermittent fasting? and is intermittent fasting safe?
While most intermittent fasting methods are generally safe for most healthy adults, it remains not for everyone.
“People with diabetes, pregnant or lactating women, athletes, or children should not follow intermittent fasting,” says Allen. People with eating disorders should also avoid intermittent fasting and a restricted diet in general.
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Last tips for intermittent fasting:
For normal healthy adults, we offer the following advice: If you want to try it, choose the hours you want to eat and that you want to fast. Make healthy choices during those times and see if it suits you.
In fact, what you eat during intermittent fasting may be what helps prevent hunger attacks.