What Is Intermittent Fasting?
You probably know what fasting is –- abstaining from eating for a period of time –- but what is intermittent fasting and what’s the purpose?
Welcome to ANB. The internet show where we feed your curiosity with bite-sized pieces of knowledge. Today's topic: What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting isn't a diet, it's a pattern of eating. It's a way of scheduling your meals so that you get the most out of them. Intermittent fasting doesn’t change what you eat, it changes when you eat.
To understand how intermittent fasting leads to fat loss we first need to understand the difference between the fed state and the fasted state.
Your body is in the fed state when it is digesting and absorbing food. Typically, the fed state starts when you begin eating and lasts for three to five hours as your body digests and absorbs the food you just ate. When you are in the fed state, it's very hard for your body to burn fat because your insulin levels are high.
After that timespan, your body goes into what is known as the post–absorptive state, which is just a fancy way of saying that your body isn’t processing a meal. The post–absorptive state lasts until 8 to 12 hours after your last meal, which is when you enter the fasted state. It is much easier for you body to burn fat in the fasted state because your insulin levels are low.
When you're in the fasted state your body can burn fat that has been inaccessible during the fed state.
Because we don't enter the fasted state until 12 hours after our last meal, it's rare that our bodies are in this fat burning state. This is one of the reasons why many people who start intermittent fasting will lose fat without changing what they eat, how much they eat, or how often they exercise. Fasting puts your body in a fat burning state that you rarely make it to during a normal eating schedule!
Ready to try it? Here are a few of the most popular options for intermittent fasting:
16/8 – Fast for 16 hours, eat for 8. If you’re naturally one who skips breakfast, this is going to be pretty easy for you. Stop eating at 8pm, then start eating again at noon the next day. You can still eat 2 or 3 meals during this 8 hour window, and have enough energy to kill your workout!
20/4 – Fast for 20 hours, eat for 4. Also known as the “Warrior Diet”, fasting for 20 hours and eating for 4 can be extremely effective once you get past the initial hunger stage. During the 20 hour fast, you are allowed to eat vegetables so you won’t be starving by any means, but it can take some getting used to.
5:2 – Eat normally for 5 days, eat 500 calories for 2 days. For most people, the 5:2 intermittent fasting won’t be too difficult. However, you may find yourself especially fatigued on your low calorie days.
Remember, intermittent fasting is not “pigging out on the most unhealthy foods possible for 8 hours each day and starve for the other 16”. While you can usually get away with a cheat meal here and there with intermittent fasting, the goal is to get healthy while losing weight. Keep that in mind when deciding on what to eat.
Narrated by: Kashieu
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