What is Intermittent Fasting?
· Intermittent Fasting, that is, is a nutrition model that is switched between intermittent nutrition, nutrition, and fasting periods.
· This nutrition model has been applied in the world from an early age.
· Intermittent Nutrition is a model rather than dietary restrictions.
· However, there are some rules to be considered in this nutrition model even though there are no direct food restrictions.
· It is necessary to reduce carbohydrate sources such as pasta, bread, and potatoes.
· Instead, nutrients that should be present in a healthy diet are recommended, such as eggs, avocados, green vegetables, oilseeds.
· Unsweetened tea, herbal teas, and plain coffees are free during fasting periods. The amount of water consumption needed must be drunk.
What Happens to Our Body in Intermittent Fasting?
Glucose is stored as glycogen in the body. Glycogens stored in the body are consumed during fasting for 8-12 hours. However, since the individuals who eat frequently will constantly store glycogen, the glycogen reserve will never be exhausted. The body will only try to burn glycogen stores instead of burning fat to gain energy. Intermittent Fasting prevents this from happening, so the body can burn energy and fat. Later, weight loss occurs.
In the intermittent nutrition model, a few basic metabolic changes that define the starvation period are observed. These metabolic changes;
· Preservation of blood glucose levels in the low normal range,
· Reduction of glycogen stores,
· Mobilization of fatty acids and formation of ketones,
· Decreased leptin in the circulation (the hunger hormone) and frequently increased adiponectin levels.
Intermittent Fasting Types
There are several different forms of fasting. Some methods are more challenging than others.
1) Alternative day fast is the most intense version. Requires 24 hours of fasting. You don't eat anything and one day you just consume water or non-calorie drinks, and then the next day you can eat whatever you want.
2) The modified diet ranges from a low-calorie day (about 500 calories) to a day's normal diet. 5: 2 diets (also called the Fast Diet) include eating normally 5 days a week and then taking about 500 calories in the other 2 days.
3) This method is the most frequently applied. Limited nutrition focuses on the timing of your items. You can only eat every day during a certain period of time - for example, from 10 am to 6 pm. In other words, 8 hours of food is regulated as 16 hours of hunger. It consists of 2 main meals and liquids are consumed as a snack.
Does it help to lose weight?
There is evidence that alternative fasting, which are periods of eating, will help you lose weight, but it's not much more than you can do by cutting calories, so don't expect too much.
Varady conducted a study comparing the effects of intermittent fasting with calorie restriction in 100 obese adults. After 1 year, people following the intermittent fasting diet lost about 6% of their body weight. People who were weakened by calorie restriction lost about 5.3% of their weight.
Intermittent fasting has other benefits beyond weight loss. After eating, your body is connected with the digestive process. It shifts focus to other areas, such as taking a break from food, maintaining the best performance, and repairing cell damage. "It gives our body time to heal because they are constantly busy with the digestion of nutrients," says Varady. Early research can help relieve intermittent fasting, such as high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, that can harm your heart.
Many of the benefits of fasting health are likely to lose weight, and some people with type 2 diabetes may also benefit. However, fasting with type 2 diabetes can be particularly dangerous. It should not be tried without the doctor's control.
You may also need to change what you eat during this time. Try to get quality carbohydrates, protein, and fat (especially protein). This helps increase muscle mass because you may lose muscle mass during fasting.
Who Should Not Follow Intermittent Fasting Diet?
Intermittent fasting is safe for healthy people. Its side effect is usually mild effects such as constipation.
Some groups of people should not fast, including pregnant or lactating women. Fasting is also not recommended for some people with diabetes because it can lower your blood sugar to dangerous levels. Be careful not to fast after an illness or disease treatment such as cancer or in a situation where you need to gain weight. This type of nutrition may not be suitable for everyone, and you should seek advice from a nutritionist.