What is intermittent fasting? Types, benefits and opinion.

 Confrontation is always open when talking about the importance of breakfast and the new style of intermittent fasting.

Qualified as an eating protocol, intermittent fasting or IF (intermittent fasting) has come into our lives as a miraculous alternative for those who want to lose weight, purify or increase muscle mass.

Do you want to know more about the now famous intermittent fasting or IF (intermitteng fasting)?

Well stay because we give you all the details below:

What is intermittent fasting?

It is a method to lose weight and, supposedly, also to increase muscle mass or simply maintain good health, which consists of alternating periods of fasting with periods of ingestion of food.

Unlike inanation, which is involuntary, fasting refers to voluntary abstinence that controls the timing of food intake.

The intermittent fasting protocol is creating a trend in recent years and at this juncture an analysis and a trustworthy opinion was necessary for all those who are curious or want to put it into practice.

Types of intermittent fasting:

There are several types but the most popular types of intermittent fasting are the following:

16/8 Fast or Lean Gains Protocol

16-hour fasts will be carried out, followed by feeding periods for 8 hours (feeding window).

To be understood, if you eat the first meal at 3:00 p.m., the intake of all foods must be between 3:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. (thus adding a period of 8 hours). The next meal will be the next day at 3:00 p.m.

The Lean Gains fast, created by Martín Berkhan, is usually done with the aim of increasing strength and muscle mass without accumulating fat and the latter is precisely what also makes it a perfect fast for losing weight.

Regarding training sessions during a 16/8 fasting period, Berkhan recommends exercising 3-4 times a week, with high loads and multi-joint exercises (full body, bench press, chin-ups, deadlift, squats, etc. )

Fast 24 and 48:

It involves fasting for 24 hours or for 48 hours.

12/12 fast

Here we would have breakfast and dinner, leaving 12 hours in between. For example, you can have breakfast at 10am and dinner at 10pm.

As you will see, the difference between all of them is in the period of time during which your body does not receive food.

The first time you do any of them, you should start by reducing the number of meals you eat per day to just three: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The next step will be to reduce your breakfast calories to the point where you can quit without starving. From there to two meals there is only one step.

Regarding training, experts confirm that strength training can be done without a problem, but remember that each body and each metabolism is different and it is always best to consult a doctor or nutritionist before embarking on a weight loss technique or gain muscle mass like this.

In fact, fasting training is a fairly common practice among cyclists and runners who want to lose weight.

Note:

In 2012 The Guardian published an article on protection against cerebrovascular disorders that was baptized by intermittent fasting.

Benefits of intermittent fasting: 

Detoxification, cleansing, cleansing… you can call it many different names, but in the end it's about safeguarding a balance between eating and not eating. To make the idea even clearer, we are talking about abstaining from eating for a certain period of time and then eating normally for a period of time that varies depending on the type of fast chosen.

The benefits of intermittent fasting are many:

Loss of weight and body fat (if the type of food and calories eaten are taken into account).

Improves insulin sensitivity, which is perfect for people with type 2 diabetes.

.Energy boost.

.Cholesterol reduction.

It does not involve a cost, but rather a saving by making fewer meals a day.

It is not a diet that complicates your life, but rather the opposite.

You can fast anywhere, something that is not always possible with some diets.

You can eat the (healthy) foods you want.

Increased cognitive function.

Reduction of inflammation.

And now comes the other big question: what can I eat during intermittent fasting? Will I have to be with my beak closed? Can you drink water? We see it below:

What can I eat on intermittent fasting?

It seems obvious that carrying out a fast of these characteristics to lose weight does not imply that during periods of food intake you can eat foods with excessive calories. You can eat whatever you want, but up to a point. A pizza, a ready meal or a pot stew doesn't seem the most appropriate, right?

It also does not imply that you cannot eat anything at all during the fast between meals.

During intermittent fasting you can drink coffee alone, eat sugar-free gum, water, herbal teas or products that do not add extra calories to your day to day.

In any case, it is always best to match the fasting period with the sleep time in order not to think about food and respect the fasting protocol properly, but this is not always possible, so you can use food and drink without calories to cope better, especially if it is your first time.

You must bear in mind that when you break the fast your body will be wanting to receive food. Try to eat calmly and calmly to avoid a meal that is too large and hinders digestion. Obviously with intermittent fasting you will have to concentrate and eat more calories. Don't lose your head as the rebound effect can be counterproductive. Anxiety about food is not good and less in these practices you contain yourself.

Opinion:

The truth is that many are the voices that speak about intermittent fasting. This new eating protocol has, like all, defenders and detractors, but beyond all this, what we care about is your health.

To practice intermittent fasting, it is essential that you have good health. This practice is quite aggressive and the organic and nutritional change that you are going to undergo the body is not silly.

You've probably been eating 3-4 meals a day your whole life, so don't be surprised if the first few days you notice changes in your mood or a lack of energy. I recommend that you start with a short intermittent fast that allows you to see and assess your adaptation.

Before any discomfort, dizziness or fainting, do not hesitate to stop the practice and put yourself in the hands of a health specialist.

After all this, do you add to intermittent fasting?