Intermittent Fasting and Weight Loss: All What You Need to Know

There are so many methods, ways and strategies to lose weight. Intermittent fasting, is one of the leading ways people use in losing weight. Studies have showed that intermittent fasting, in itself or combined with other methods can bring about tremendous weight loss (1, 2). 

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is simply a period of abstaining from food, it is not a diet. Intermittent fasting will work, depending on other factors when combined with it. In other get the best out of intermittent fasting, you have to combine it with:
1 healthy eating
2 Exercise

How can I carry out Intermittent Fasting?

There is no exact formula for intermittent fasting However it involves people abstaining from food anywhere from 12-24 hours a day. During the fasting hours, the only thing allowed it lots and lots of water.
Intermittent fasting usually involves people taking two meals for moderate Intermittent fasting, or taking 1 meal in 24 hours for extreme intermittent fasting.
it is usually done for 1-3 days a week.

Example of Eating 2 meals while doing Intermittent fasting
 People who eat two meals a day while doing intermittent fasting will usually eat their first meal at 11:00 AM and eat their last meal by 7:00 PM which gives time 16 hours of fasting and an 8 hour window for eating. Others will have prefer to fast for 20 hours and eat within 4 hours so such people will take their first meal at 1:00 PM and take their second meal by 5:00 PM. 

Majority of people will use intermittent fasting to enhance their various diets for weight loss. It is very common for people to combine the ketogenic diet and Intermittent fasting to achieve faster weight loss. 

Example of Eating 1 meal while doing intermittent fasting
People who eat one meal a day while doing intermittent fasting usually eat between noon 4:00 PM. This helps them distribute the energy gotten from food within the active periods of the day so that they don't get hungry to soon. Some people are able to go for 24 hours without eating.

How Exactly does Intermittent Fasting Bring about Weight Loss?

According to Dr Eric Berg, excessive insulin secretion is one of the reasons why some people are gaining weight (3). When we eat food, especially starchy and sweet foods, our pancreas secrets insulin, which is also known as the fat storage hormone. Every time you  eat, there is always a surge of insulin. Dr Eric Berg further explained that in the presence of insulin, all fat burning hormones are suppressed. Therefore, in the absence of insulin, fat burning is enhanced. 
Eating too frequently, eating foods that have a high glycemix index and stress are some of the things that cause insulin to increase.
whenever we eat, Insulin is secreted and it redirects excess glucose into our cells and our cells convert this excess into fats and stores it. when insulin is not secreted because we haven't eaten, our body will go about its daily functioning and will use the stored fats in our body for energy thereby bringing about fat loss or weight loss (4). 

Some Side Effects of Intermittent Fasting

• Fatigue
• Brain fog 
• Hunger

It is also very important that you consult with your health care provider before attempting intermittent fasting.

Things to Note

Water: Water is very crucial on while doing intermittent fasting. it could be the difference between success and failure. it is very important to fill the stomach with water because at times, thirst can be confused for hunger. 

Deficiencies: Beware of any deficiency while doing intermittent fasting. things like dehydration or and electrolyte imbalances (deficiencies) are common because people or almost none of the 6 classes of food (carbs, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water). Minerals for example help with things like muscle contractions, nerve impulse conduction etc and so their deficiencies could result in things like weakness, lethargy etc so it is important to eat balanced diets while doing intermittent fasting. 

Get Healthy first: it is very important to eat clean when trying to lose weight, because weight gain is a symptom of our eating habits and other factors and we definitely have to become healthy first before weight loss will become  a benefit. anything other than this will be successful for just a few weeks and the weight will return.