Is intermittent fasting beneficial? Experiment with intermittent fasting. Will fasting help you lose weight?

In modern dietetics, there is an opinion that you need to eat often and in small portions. At the same time, some sources may advise you to eat only low-calorie foods, while others may advise you to eat foods with low content fat But all nutritionists are of the opinion that under no circumstances should you starve. From this, the body begins to notice your attempts to lose weight and next time it will put calories in reserve in the form of fat deposits. There are even jokes like: I’m one of those people who sniff food and get fat. My mentor, Alexey Voron, says, “If this were so, I would already weigh five hundred kilograms! But I’m 75!”

As someone who has tried almost everything under the auspices of “Eat to lose weight,” I can say that this does not lead to anything good: Only breakdowns. Small portions slowly turn into large ones; potatoes and mayonnaise are added to the salad. It's very difficult to keep track of everyone all day necessary techniques food according to the system. Preparing 4-6 containers of the right food every day and making sure that each contains 200 kcal is quite tedious. And, as our wonderful mentor says, with fractional nutrition his fat percentage was about 15-20%, and when switching to Intermittent fasting The fat percentage has dropped to a record 7-8%!

What Happens During Intermittent Fasting.

Let me start with the fact that fasting is physiological. Nature arranged it in such a way that a person had to first get food, kill a mammoth, then light a fire, then cook the animal, divide it and eat it... Do you remember the book “The Thorn Birds?” main character in the morning, together with their mother, they sent their father and brothers to the fields to work, and she got to work on cooking and other things. homework, and then, by 19-00, the whole family gathered for dinner, where everyone ate first, second, pies, but no one got fat, because they worked all day... This is absolutely normal, no one died from this regime. Moreover, eating less means a person is less likely to develop heart disease. vascular diseases, but this is a topic for another article.

The essence of intermittent fasting is to accustom the body to work on fat deposits and growth hormone, which is responsible for the process of burning fat depots in the body, according to the chosen scheme 16/8, 20/4 or 23/1.

Growth hormone begins to be produced in the human body three hours after he falls asleep. During sleep, this hormone actively works to burn human fat. What will a person do as soon as he wakes up? - He’ll immediately go and put the kettle on, make himself a sandwich and stuff food into his unawakened body. All! Growth hormone stops being produced, fat stops being broken down, insulin will jump, and from that very moment during the day your body will demand food from you every time insulin drops to the lower level. This vicious circle. If you forget to feed your body lunch, it will be forced to take some... From muscles! But not from fat! Because fat is burned only by growth hormone.

Positive dynamics when switching to intermittent fasting.

***The point of intermittent fasting is to increase the production time of growth hormone ( burn as much fat as possible) and reduce insulin surges. Insulin rises in the blood immediately after you start eating any food. However, hyper insulin surges in the blood are a consequence of eating foods with high content fast sugars, starch and glucose. But with the transition to intermittent fasting, your body will subconsciously be drawn to eating right- To slow carbohydrates(to cereals), to proteins (meat, fish, legumes), to vegetables and fruits (fiber).

***During the day on small meals, insulin constantly jumps, causing a feeling of hunger at the lower threshold. When the body is accustomed to a certain fasting pattern, the stomach does not secrete bile until the time of your meal and your body uses up fat, releasing huge amounts of energy. The brain doesn't even remember food - it saves a lot of time, You mind your own business and are not concerned about what to cook, where to eat, what and where to buy.

The irony of nutrition.

Do you remember what grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers, TV advise us: “Have breakfast with porridge with raisins, cereal with indigestible cow's milk, sweet oatmeal, breakfast is everything, tomorrow should be hearty and as early as possible.”

After such a breakfast, the body is so loaded that it does not have enough resources for mental activity, work, study! I want to sleep again. If only I had enough strength to “digest this super-healthy-breakfast!”

The process of transitioning to intermittent fasting.

***There are several Intermittent Fasting schemes: 16/8, 20/4, 22/2, 23/1. That is, the first number is the number of hours of fasting, the second number is the so-called “eating window” during which you can eat your calories. If you choose the most gentle fasting scheme 16/8 and have dinner at 20:00, then your breakfast should, firstly, not earlier than 12:00 and, secondly, it should consist of foods that do not contain fast carbohydrates, so as not to overload the stomach.

***It is very important to remember that when doing intermittent fasting, it is important to calculate your basal metabolism - how many calories your body needs per day to survive. To do this, we use the following formula for calculating basal metabolism.

(20 kcal + activity level (give yourself a rating from 0 to 5, where 0 is low activity and 5 is high activity)) * weight =

For example (20+3)*75=1725 kcal – basic metabolism

To ensure that weight loss does not stop at a certain point and metabolism is not disrupted, it is important to calculate the calories of what you consume. Eat about 250-300 calories less than you need and be physically active to keep the weight off

Required physical exercise. Any. Do you go to the gym? - Great! Let it be classes with a trainer, let it be dancing. If you can’t go to the gym, put a bracelet on your wrist or put your phone in your pocket – 10,000 steps, and your daily activity is done!

Important points of therapeutic fasting.

It is very important to remember that intermittent fasting is still not suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women. They need to listen to their body very carefully because a growing child needs to eat fresh calories. Therefore, the only recommendation for women who want to be healthy with their children is to eat less. harmful products, slightly less simple carbohydrates, more fiber-rich foods, protein foods and vegetables and fruits.

Also very important point- taking pills. I regularly take two medications - morning and evening, and it is advisable to take these tablets not on an empty stomach. There is an exit! An absolutely neutral product that does not raise insulin is a liquid fish fat(or in capsules) - Omega 3, after which you can calmly take your pills and rest assured that the pills will dissolve and be absorbed normally.

Fasting for 48, 72 or more hours.

Fasting for 48 or 72 hours or more is practiced if people have sufficient overweight– from 15 or more extra pounds. At the same time, independent fasting (as we do remotely, with chat) is for no more than 72 hours. With prolonged fasting, autophagy occurs - the restoration of body cells, an increase in growth hormone, and significant fat burning. There is also a sharp push in the process of weight loss, if for some reason the weight “stood” until this time.

Fasting for two or three days is equivalent to therapeutic fasting and cannot harm the body. However, it is worth listening to the advice that Alexey gives on his channel.

In the evening, the last dinner before entering hunger should be saturated with fats, try to limit carbohydrates as much as possible, otherwise you will really want to eat. Eat proteins. If dinner was at 20:00, then you will need to “open” at 20:00 in 48 or 72 hours.
In the first half of all days you need to drink mineral table water such as Essentuki 17, Essentuki 4, Borjomi so average degree mineralization (non-therapeutic), then - ordinary mineral water with an average degree of mineralization.
After fasting, it is necessary to open up with food that is neutral in its composition, so as not to irritate the stomach. The optimal solution would be fish baked in a slow cooker with onions, and after half an hour or an hour - boiled vegetables. Try not to eat even on this day healthy sweets so as not to raise insulin excessively. If you have excess weight– you can repeat 48 hours in a week or two.

When fasting there may be such a side effect as headache and insomnia. This is absolutely normal - a consequence of the body adjusting to intermittent fasting. And these side effects will go away as quickly as you decide to seriously change your regime to a regime of constant intermittent fasting according to one of the proposed schemes: 16/8, 20/4, 23/1. For frequent practices of 48 hours, 72 hours, choose the 23/1 scheme - on it the rejuvenation process will be more intense, and you will feel more energetic.

Fasting is harmful - Catabolism!

This is a common misconception! Everyone who comes to Intermittent fasting one way or another - they come to him to lose weight, and not to build muscle mass. Initially, the goal is not to build muscle with the help of steroids. We are all standing in line here for health, rejuvenation, and no one, by the way, goes hungry for more than three days. So there can be no talk of Catabolism as muscle destruction. In 2-3, only the excess will burn, and the excess is precisely those 10-20-30 kg of fat that are so hard for the heart and heart. vascular system body.

Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle. Therefore, it is absolutely pointless to start fasting in order to lose a couple of kilos and then return to hearty breakfasts. If you started one of the schemes and liked it, stick to it constantly. And then you will not need to rack your brains over such concepts as “keeping fit”, “maintaining a diet”.

Try to limit as much as possible processed foods, sausages, fast food, fast carbohydrates, sweeteners, and products with questionable ingredients.
Eat foods rich in fats: avocados, fish, nuts. Forget about low-fat foods - they are harmful to health, especially for women.
During hunger, drink water, herbal and black teas, natural coffee without milk and sugar

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Intermittent fasting updated: March 29, 2018 by: Ekaterina Baskakova

The method of intermittent fasting has gained great popularity (and in our country it is recommended with links to research). Some claim its incredible effectiveness for burning fat and building lean muscle mass, while others, on the contrary, say that it does not provide any dramatic effect.

The essence of intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting refers to alternating periods when a person fasts for a long time (for example, 12 hours a day in a row), and then consumes the calories allotted to him during the allotted hours. This no caloric restriction! This is not a diet, but a meal schedule that should pay dividends in terms of fat loss and lean muscle gain.

There are several intermittent fasting schemes, but their essence is the same - you should fast for most of the day and allow yourself to eat the required amount of food only during a certain period of time. For example, 16 hours of fasting are followed by 8 hours of feasting. Apart from this example developed by Martin Berkhahn, the most popular intermittent fasting schemes are 20/4 by Ori Hofmekler, as well as 24-hour fasting by Brad Pylon, which is recommended to be practiced 1 or 2 times a week.

Temporary fasting is beneficial for the body. This is like a kind of reset system, as a result of which our body gets the opportunity to optimize all the processes occurring in it. But is fasting effective for losing weight and gaining lean muscle mass?

Intermittent fasting and body composition

In terms of changing body composition, intermittent fasting could theoretically have its benefits.

When we fast, many changes occur in our body - due to a long period of fasting, the blood sugar level decreases, which entails a decrease in the secretion of the hormone insulin. Low level insulin, in turn, provokes a significant increase in the secretion of growth hormone, which stimulates protein synthesis and fights fat deposits.

The Science of Intermittent Fasting: Does It Work?

However, not everything is so simple with intermittent fasting. Let's turn to the opinion of master in nutrition Alan Aragon. In 2007, in his review entitled “An Objective View of Intermittent Fasting,” the specialist notes that an analysis of studies regarding the effectiveness of intermittent fasting does not give any reason to talk about its advantage over the classical nutrition model. Moreover, Alan notes that scientists still have a lot of research to do to fully understand the mechanism of how intermittent fasting affects our body.

Many may assume that in 8 years, scientists could thoroughly study the effect of intermittent fasting. Let's turn to the review of Dr. Amber Simmons, who in 2014 conducted an analysis of studies regarding the effectiveness of intermittent fasting. The specialist noted that at the time of publication of the review, there was not a single data that would confirm the theory about the effectiveness of intermittent fasting for losing weight and gaining muscle mass.

“Intermittent fasting is not a weight loss program. A person will lose weight only if the calorie content of his diet is limited,” is an indicative excerpt from the author’s review. Amber also emphasized that to date, there has been no research into the effectiveness of intermittent fasting for athletes whose priority is maintaining muscle mass and strength.

Finally, here are the results of a study conducted by scientists at the University of South Manchester. The purpose of the experiment was to compare the effectiveness of intermittent fasting and classical method calorie restrictions. As a result of observation of 107 overweight women, it was revealed that PG does not outperform the classical model in terms of effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

Despite the promotion of intermittent fasting as one of the best practices for weight loss and lean mass gain, to date there is not a single scientific data confirming its effectiveness.

As you can see, it all comes down to the simplest principle that Zozhnik constantly talks about - the primary importance is not the time or frequency of eating, but the total daily amount of calories that we consume. If you still want to try the PG method on personal experience, follow it for several weeks before assessing its effectiveness.

Sources:

Alan Aragon, Ryan Zielonka; An Objective Look at Intermittent Fasting;
Amber Simmons; The Scientific Evidence Surrounding Intermittent Fasting, EAS Academy.
Harvie M.N., Pegington M.; The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomized trial in young overweight women, University Hospital of South Manchester.

It is difficult to find a woman who is completely satisfied with her figure. Almost everyone has a few extra centimeters at the waist or a couple of kilograms. To get rid of them, it is not at all necessary to go on a strict diet, which will inevitably lead to weight gain in the future. There is a much simpler and more enjoyable way to lose weight - intermittent fasting 16/8 and its other varieties.

The best diet- this is the one that becomes a way of life. This is the opinion held by proponents of intermittent fasting. This power system has " gray roots”, besides, it remained convenient and effective for people for a long time.

Basic Rules

Each stage is divided into two phases - the feeding window and the fast. During the regime, you need to pay attention to the number of calories and follow a number of expert advice.

It is recommended that the first meal after abstaining for sixteen to twenty hours or more be voluminous.
On this nutrition system, you choose when your eating window will be.
It is acceptable to have a meal 3-4 hours before bedtime. The main thing is to follow the principle of a calorie deficit, otherwise the consequences in the form of a few extra kilograms will definitely not please you.
When fasting, you are allowed to drink coffee, tea, and water. Preferably without sugar. But some proponents of intermittent feeding add a few drops to the liquid lemon juice. Others take it on an empty stomach.

The menu depends only on yours taste preferences. Unlike low-calorie diet systems, here you can eat sweets, fatty and spicy food. But it's important to fit in daily norm calories.

If you want to get results quickly, try to make your diet as “clean” as possible. But on loading days, allow yourself “forbidden fruits.”

That is, a planned diet violation is not only effective, but also useful. Especially for emotional state person.

What do scientists think?

The question of the effect of hunger strike on the body has repeatedly become the subject of research. Experiments were carried out primarily on animals.

Scientists have found out: malnutrition or Intermittent fasting causes the body to grow faster.
Fixed healing effect: the mortality rate falls, animals begin to get sick less often, life is extended by 20-30%.
To the conclusion that Reducing calories helps slow aging, scientists from one of the American universities also came. They based their conclusions on the fact that refusing food reduces the activity of ribosomes and gives them more resources for self-healing.
And just last year in Boston it was proven: Intermittent fasting improves energy metabolism in cells. This leads to the process of slowing down age-related changes and increasing life expectancy.

Myths

There are misconceptions related to eating habits. For this reason, the system causes mistrust. However Scientific research dispel myths.

Opponents of intermittent fasting say that only frequent appointments food speeds up metabolism. While rare ones (1-2 times a day) slow down metabolism. But there is a research-based scientific point the view that for metabolism there is no difference how often you eat. And if you follow a cyclic diet, your metabolic rate increases by 14%. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people who are losing weight achieve excellent results with intermittent fasting.
People suffering from gastritis are probably aware of doctors' advice to eat small portions - 4-6 times a day. Scientists have found that the diet that most people are accustomed to is not the best option for those who suffer from gastrointestinal diseases. With frequent meals, production increases gastric juice. But cyclic nutrition just helps regulate its production.

Many people, once they try it, stick with intermittent fasting. But even if they decide to switch to their usual diet, they do not gain weight, as happens on drinking and other strict low-calorie diets.

Cyclic fasting allows you to form healthy eating habits and learn to control your appetite.

Advantages and benefits of PG

Slowing down aging is far from the only benefit of intermittent fasting. There are a number of other advantages:

Cycling nutrition helps you lose fat, not muscle. In the process of refusing food, insulin levels decrease, which, in turn, promotes the release of hormones that prevent fat deposition. If food does not enter the stomach 6-8 hours after the last meal, then the body begins to take energy from fat. Accordingly, a person spends more calories.
The system is universal: it is suitable for both those who want to lose extra pounds and those who strive to build muscle.
A charge of vivacity appears, there is more energy. It is no secret that after a heavy meal a person has a desire to sleep. This is explained by the fact that the body directs all its energy to assimilate food. With intermittent fasting, this feeling disappears.
Blood pressure returns to normal, as does the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Sleep improves (applies to people who are not obese).
Intermittent fasting helps you overcome your addiction to sweets. The risk of developing diabetes decreases.
The level of “bad” cholesterol is reduced by 32%, and triglycerides by 42%.
Memory and learning abilities improve. Studies on mice showed that in rodents who followed their usual eating schedule, the brain worked more slowly than in those who were on PG.
The level of the hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for controlling appetite, is normalized.
Regeneration processes are accelerated (PG is considered an ideal system for those suffering from dermatitis or chronic urticaria).

Scientists have found that intermittent fasting significantly reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Harm and contraindications

As with any dietary system, not everyone can follow the principles of intermittent fasting. PG Not recommended:

People who are underweight (with a body mass index less than 18.5).
For those who have a passion for junk food. Before following intermittent fasting patterns, you need to break these habits.
Pregnant women. Although a number of experts believe that the 20/4 diet is suitable for pregnant women. But this applies to those representatives of the fair sex who are ready to use healthy food with minor concessions. In this case, do not forget about taking vitamins.
Women who are breastfeeding. It is important to ensure that you consume regularly daily norm calories.
Persons under eighteen years of age. They need additional nutrients for physical development.

It is allowed to practice intermittent fasting, but only under the supervision of a doctor:

To people suffering diabetes mellitus(first and second types).
For those taking medications. The exception is antibiotics. Taking them on an empty stomach is strictly prohibited. This also applies to Warfarin and other anticoagulants.
Patients suffering from gout. Fasting under the supervision of a specialist is also necessary when high level uric acid.
People undergoing rehabilitation after operations.

Those who suffer from cyclic nutrition are not allowed to follow eating disorders. For them, the One Hour Diet or “Warrior Diet” is a direct path to bulimia.

How does adaptation work?

If you are used to eating heavily - first, second and compote - you should not hope that the body will accept new system food with a bang. Alas, most people who are losing weight or simply people who have decided to make cyclic fasting a way of life say that in the first week without side effects it didn't work out. The initial eight hour eating window seems like torture to many.

First time

On initial stage Those who lose weight usually complain of:

terrible hunger, which especially increased in the evening;
slight weakness and dizziness;
difficulty concentrating on work;
increased irritability and short temper.

But these problems go away already in the middle of the first week.

Addiction and effect

The body adapts quite quickly, and you begin to feel light in your stomach. Moreover, the manic ravenous hunger that haunted you for the first 3-5 days recedes. Reviews from people indicate that the desire to eat comes only 15-30 minutes before the opening of the eating window.

Alexey Voron about adaptation

Basic schemes

All intermittent fasting protocols are divided into two categories - short-term (between the eating window and the fasting phase lasts no more than 24 hours) and long-term.

Scheme 14/10 or 12/12

These types of cyclic nutrition are considered simple and gentle. Essentially, they divide the day in half.

The system allows you to develop the habit of not eating too much before bed. According to reviews, this nutrition plan is effective, but not as effective as 16/8.

Scheme 16/8 Martin Berkhahn

Implies an eight-hour eating window. The founder of the method believes that such periodic fasting eliminates extra pounds and does not lose weight. muscle mass. This scheme can be taken as a basis for drying for women and men.

In this case, it is necessary to organize the most high-calorie meal after you have finished training. Cyclic nutrition according to the Martin Berkhan protocol shatters the myth that eating breakfast is very important for weight loss.

Scheme 18/6

Here the eating window is only 6 hours. Therefore, this nutrition plan is considered more stringent than the previous one.

The scheme is popular among sports fans. Bodybuilders and fitness bikini girls are recommended to additionally consume fish oil and amino acids.

Ori Hofmekler's regime or "Warrior Diet"

This is 20:4 intermittent fasting. It is known that Roman legionnaires and Spartans ate this way. The scheme involves eating a large meal in the evening. But in the hunger phase, you are allowed to eat a little protein, drink freshly squeezed juice or crunch on vegetables.

An ardent supporter of the warrior system is Ronda Rousey, an American wrestler and actress.

Meals every 24 hours

It is believed that this is one of the best systems for the fair sex, because such fasting days very useful for weight loss.

The scheme allows you to forget about counting calories. During periods of hunger, you need to drink plenty of liquid without sugar. During your eating window, you can have as many meals as you like.

Scheme 5:2

Compared to the previous one, this system is easier to adhere to. After all, you don’t need to fast twice a week. But you need to reduce your daily caloric intake to 500 kcal.

The founders of the protocol advise eating cottage cheese, kefir, meat and seafood these days. Eating fruits and vegetables is allowed.

One hour diet, or 23/1 scheme

Abroad, it is better known as the OMAD diet - one meal a day. Involves only one meal per day, which lasts for 60 minutes. At the same time, you can eat whatever you want and do not monitor the caloric content of your diet or keep a food diary.

It is also permissible to eat harmful delicacies, the eating of which most representatives of the fair sex postpones for a well-deserved cheating for weight loss and weight stabilization.

If you decide to follow a strict system in which the eating window lasts from 1 to 4 hours, we advise you not to forget about taking a vitamin-mineral complex.

Intermittent fasting for 48-72 hours

It is recommended to follow this method of losing weight only if you are truly overweight - 15 kilograms or more. This option, if correctly followed by specialist recommendations, will not lead to a deterioration in well-being, but on the contrary, will have a beneficial effect: cell restoration occurs internal organs, the level of growth hormone increases and the fat burning process accelerates.

This option can easily be considered therapeutic fasting. But it’s still worth listening to the recommendations of experts:

The last dinner must include a considerable amount of fat. But you should be careful with carbohydrates and reduce them. Otherwise, it will be difficult to overcome the feeling of hunger. Better give preference to food, rich in proteins(both plant and animal origin).
After the fast is over, you should return to your usual diet smoothly and gradually. The main rule is that in the first 3-4 days do not eat anything that could cause stomach irritation. It is recommended to start with boiled fish. And after half an hour you can have a small portion of steamed vegetables.

Training and PG - friends or enemies?

Among fans of intermittent fasting there are many athletes and people who regularly exercise in the gym or at home. But those who have decided to make cyclical refusal of food a way of life are alarmed that they need to eat one to two times a day. After all, it is a popular opinion that in order to lose weight and gain weight, you need to eat small meals and as often as possible.

People who actively work on their body should know what they can eat before and after training. At the same time, fitness enthusiasts can easily afford small “weaknesses”. For example, after a sports activity, let’s say a piece of cake. Of course, you shouldn't pamper yourself too much. But on the day of rest you need to be strict with yourself. It is recommended to consume slow carbohydrates.

A strength program or cardio program should be planned for the end of the fasting phase.

If you think that during PG your muscles will burn, we recommend. He claims that cyclic fasting is the path to longevity and youth.

The desire to be slim is common to many men and women. You can lose weight only by adjusting your diet. Intermittent fasting Suitable for any age, it activates the body’s metabolism and allows you to lose weight by burning subcutaneous fat deposits.

Initially developing and studying therapeutic fasting studied by a famous nutritionist A.P. Voroshilov. He laid the foundations for health-improving fasting, which today has many followers among specialists, athletes and ordinary people.

What is the essence of intermittent fasting 16/8

Intermittent fasting 16/8 is a special nutrition schedule designed for a day - 24 hours. Within 16 hours you must completely abstain from food; this is a food break.

Eating food is allowed only for 8 hours a day, this food window .

At the same time, the total calorie content of the diet does not need to be reduced. Each fasting person selects the time frame individually for himself. Many people prefer to have breakfast late, for example, at 9.00 and have dinner early - until 17.00.

The technique works according to a single dietary pattern, that is, weight loss occurs due to a calorie deficit. And during those hours when you can eat, the body receives everything it needs, without limiting portions and food selection.

A more strict version of the interval diet is the 20/4 eating schedule, in which the pause period is 20 hours, and eating is allowed only for 4 hours. It is often used by athletes before preparing for competitions to quickly get rid of several kilograms, as well as to remove excess water from the body.

You should not have a snack during a food break, because then the body will receive energy and stop adapting to the new regime, and the diet mechanism will be disrupted.

During the eating window you can eat in 2 ways:

You can eat the entire amount of food in 2 meals (lunch and dinner).
You can have a snack several times, for example, every 2 hours, adding a medium portion.

One-time fasting (practice) is aimed at improving well-being, effectively reducing weight, and helping to remove waste and toxins from the body.

Such unloading, subject to systematic repetition, will allow you to learn to control your appetite, choose healthy foods, develop correct eating behavior, and better feel the taste of dishes.

Is it possible to lose weight?

According to the 16/8 rules, meals are allowed within 8 hours. If a person did not have time to eat during the eating window, then the next meal should take place only after 16 hours, that is, after a pause.

To cleanse the body and improve bowel function, you need to drink at least 2-3 liters of liquid per day. It should be unsweetened water, herbal or green tea without sugar.

To lose weight, preference should be given only useful products. To satisfy hunger pangs, it is recommended to drink clean water without gas, in small sips and slowly.

Numerous studies have found that reasonable fasting can have a positive effect on the human body.

Periodic abstinence from food helps:

fast and effective fat burning;
activates the body's internal reserves;
Launches natural process rejuvenation and tissue renewal.

The interval diet prevents many diseases, prolongs life, and helps preserve youth.

What foods are suitable for weight loss on the 16/8 diet:

lean varieties of fish and meat, eggs, unsweetened fermented milk products are a source of proteins;
more fresh herbs and vegetables - ensuring the body receives fiber, vitamins and minerals;
fats should also be healthy - these are seeds, nuts, legumes, vegetable oils;
berries and fruits - contain vital elements, antioxidants, fructose and sucrose.

To speed up your metabolism, you need to spend 20-30 minutes every day training. This could be running, brisk walking, swimming, jumping rope, special exercises for elaboration problem areas– thighs, buttocks, abs, back.

Contraindications for fasting

Eating by the hour is not suitable for everyone. Only a healthy person can use this method of losing weight. Intermittent fasting is often practiced in sports. Periodic abstinence from food helps athletes maintain a certain weight.

Intensive flow subcutaneous fat is happening in combination with diet and exercise, which contributes to the expressiveness of the relief of the muscles of the body.

This method of weight loss is optimal for those who want to reduce the proportions of their figure without intensive physical activity. Despite all positive sides, the diet has certain contraindications.

Who is not suitable for intermittent fasting:

teenagers and young people under 18 years of age;
pregnant and lactating women;
patients with diabetes mellitus;
in case of gastrointestinal dysfunction;
for pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

If, from a long strict fast, which lasts 16 or 20 hours, a person begins to get very sick or dizzy, has stomach cramps, feels sick or vomits, the diet should be stopped. The food restriction can be repeated only if there is a stable improvement in well-being, not earlier than after 2-3 days.

Reviews and results

Nutritionists do not approve when people start for the sake of losing weight. To solve the problem of excess weight, experts urge you to turn to a healthy and balanced diet, advising you to lose weight by no more than 2-3 kg per month.

Eating on time allows you not to exhaust yourself, allows you to eat varied and tasty, using a variety of products to create a menu.

A reasonable approach to weight loss helps a person understand the mistakes he makes when organizing his diet, teaches him to eat right, follow correct regimen meals. A group of fans of intermittent fasting 16/8 mainly constitute healthy people no heavy ones chronic diseases with adequate eating behavior.

During food break , which, according to the rules of the diet, can last 16 or 20 hours, the body triggers an enhanced fat burning mechanism, which allows you to “dry” the body without damaging the muscles. Not everyone can take a long enough break from eating.

The effects of intermittent fasting are quick (up to 1 kg per day), and there are certain health benefits. Cholesterol in the blood decreases, metabolic and recovery processes in the body accelerate, weight loss occurs due to the consumption of fat reserves. Best results are achieved by combining the 16/8 nutrition plan with a low-carbohydrate diet, while the amount of carbohydrates must be reduced gradually.

Ekaterina (33 years old), Vladivostok:

Interval nutrition helped me quickly lose 8 kg of excess weight that I had left after pregnancy. I eat 8 hours a day, choose healthy and simple dishes, I'm trying to drink more. I plan to eat according to the 16/8 principle and further to consolidate the results obtained.

Anna (28 years old), Moscow:

I learned about the 16/8 nutrition plan from my fitness trainer. He says it helps him keep his body in tip-top condition. In the first week I lost 3 kg, I am very pleased, I will continue. My excess weight is 10 kg.

Elena (47 years old), Voronezh:

I limit calories (approximate daily intake 800-900 kcal) for 1 month. The weight came off well at first, but then came back up. The 16/8 method helped me overcome my weight loss plateau. After 3 days, the weight began to decrease again.

Intermittent fasting (cyclic, periodic) is a method of eating that includes cycles of eating and not eating. You will be surprised, but many people unconsciously use this method: without having time to have breakfast, they go to work, giving themselves a snack in the late afternoon.

The essence of intermittent fasting (IF) Intermittent Fasting) not in refusing food and following a diet with the exclusion of unhealthy foods, but in creating a gap (16 and 8 hours) between meals, allowing the body to rest.

Intermittent fasting is not a diet in the traditional sense, nor is it the three-day or 24-hour fast that Bragg practiced weekly. I tried a five-day refusal of food and a daily one: the body became more prominent, the body was cleansed, a coating appeared on the tongue, the urine darkened, the desire to eat sweets disappeared. However, after a week I noticed that the body was demanding that the lost kilograms be returned to it, and the figure became the same.

Intermittent fasting for weight loss is an ideal method for those who want to lose weight without dietary restrictions. This is not a diet, but a way of life, not a one-time event, but daily observance of one rule.

You don’t have to limit yourself: periodic fasting helps you consume fewer calories per day, because food intake has a time limit.

Benefits for the body

The benefits of intermittent fasting have been confirmed by experimental studies, including animals:

periodic hunger allows you to get sick less;
potentially slows down the aging process;
improves figure;
increases vital energy, adds strength;
helps to sleep less;
reduces inflammatory processes(mechanism of autophagy and cellular repair);
teaches you to control your appetite;
increases the level of growth hormone HGH, due to which muscles increase and the percentage of fat decreases;
normalizes blood sugar levels.

One might be outraged: long periods between meals are harmful and slow down metabolism (fashionable diets mean three meals a day and two or three snacks).

I will object: To lose weight, it doesn’t matter how many times you eat - you need to monitor the caloric content of your diet, even if you consume all the food you need at one time.

When you eat 5-7 times a day, the body does not get the opportunity to rest, being in the process of endless work on digesting food. Intermittent fasting is a fast that allows the body to burn excess fat during the rest period from eating, turning extra centimeters into missing energy.

Myth: Frequent meals speed up your metabolism.

Truth: metabolism is not affected by the quantitative intervals between food intake, but it has been scientifically proven that intermittent fasting accelerates metabolism and speeds it up by 5-14%.

By consuming breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we receive more energy than the body needs, and it stores it in the form of fat deposits. Insulin, which is responsible for storing glucose, constantly increases, and the liver begins to participate in the process of converting sugars into fat (lipolysis). Some of the fat is stored in the liver, but most of it turns into unsightly folds on the sides.

Intermittent fasting contributes to a drop in insulin levels, and the body begins to expend accumulated energy, which no longer comes from food (it is important for it to resist a drop in blood glucose).

If intermittent (cyclic) fasting is regular, the body is in balance and does not turn into a shapeless, unhealthy ball looking for food. A fed body will not burn fat, and it is not designed to chronically absorb food. Look at cats and dogs: animals can eat 1-2 times a day, remaining healthy and beautiful. Why do you eat seven times a day?

Intermittent fasting for women tired of complex diets is the easiest way to lose weight:

does not require additional costs;
saves time on cooking three times a day;
frees you from endless trips to the refrigerator and storing food in containers;
has high efficiency.

Important! Intermittent fasting not only helps you lose weight in general, but also reduces your waist circumference by 5-7% (most often this is fat around the internal organs) and reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for losing weight before PP is that proper nutrition It's hard to follow all the time:

purchase necessary products(you cannot eat something from the refrigerator that belongs to your husband);
package healthy food in containers for work;
diet planning;
and even worse - counting calories.

Intermittent fasting IF does not require anything from you except taking a break between the process of absorbing food - this is a huge plus for working, always busy women and men.

Contraindications

Intermittent fasting, of course, is not suitable for everyone and has contraindications.

This type of food is prohibited for people:

with a body mass index below 17, as well as patients with anorexia, bulimia and other disorders eating behavior;
pregnant and lactating women;
planning to conceive;
women with cycle disorders;
teenagers under 18 years of age.

A relative contraindication for cyclic fasting is if the patient has:

diabetes mellitus;
low blood pressure;
gout;
diseases of the kidneys and digestive system;
diseases requiring constant use of medications.

Even if you consider yourself healthy, consult a specialist, before practicing Intermittent Fasting.

Mistakes of losing weight

The harm of intermittent fasting is observed if the technique is not followed correctly and if it is used by persons for whom it is contraindicated:

My own interpretation of the 16 to 8 regime: in eight hours, some eat as much as another would not consume in two days.
On the contrary, a combination of intermittent fasting with dietary restrictions (which leads to exhaustion).
One-time hunger strikes from time to time, for which the body does not have time to adapt to the new diet and responds with a decrease in metabolism.
A combination of intense physical or mental stress and fasting. Paul Bragg, for example, advised limiting activity during periods of food refusal.

Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle that should lead you to a healthy, beautiful body. If your body is not satisfied with this technique, refuse it.

6 types of fasting

There are six options for intermittent fasting, from which you can find one that suits your daily routine:

Meals every other day. You can eat for 24 hours, the next day - only water without sugar. A convenient scheme for strong-willed people, patients with an eating disorder will consume food in this mode without stopping, thinking that this is their last chance to eat.
Fasting 16 to 8 Martin Berkhan. Avoid food for 16 hours using an 8 hour eating window. It is the basis for weight loss, provided that you eat clean and stay hydrated.
Scheme 18/6. Similar to the previous diet with a shorter eating window. Popular among some athletes and fitness models.
Scheme 14/10 or 12/12. Habitual meals excluding a heavy dinner before bed.
Warrior Diet. Intermittent fasting 20 by 4, in which the time allowed for the absorption of food is set at 4 hours, and the fasting period expands to 20.
Less restrictive warrior diet regimen (Ori Hofmekler) - with inclusion egg white, green vegetables and juice in the fasting phase.

Rules and preparation

When starting cyclic (intermittent) fasting, remember that now this is your way of life, in which there should be no breakdowns or relaxations. Start with the 16/8 scheme, then move to 18/6: try, experiment.

You should not start fasting if you:

are sick;
You feel sick;
are pregnant or planning to conceive a child;
belong to the category of people for whom this method is contraindicated.

Avoid Intermittent fasting if you realize that after a week:

you continue to feel hungry around the clock;
experience irritation and unmotivated aggression;
lost 5 kg or more;
you feel weak and cannot do your usual work.

Eating should be a joy, don’t torture yourself with what doesn’t suit you.

Note:

Try to eat during your eating window healthy food;
control the quantity and quality of food;
Drink enough fluids.

During the famine period:

allow yourself unsweetened tea, and coffee if necessary;
drink clean water in the amount required for you.

Personal experience and results

I didn’t plan to lose weight with intermittent fasting. Moreover, I didn’t even know that my type of nutrition had a similar name. I intuitively cyclically fasted, following a peculiar regime: 16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating.

It was convenient for me to eat between 6:00 and 14:00, and then stay away from the refrigerator. You can choose any time that suits you, for example, from 12 to 20.

Intermittent Intermittent Fasting:

frees you from thoughts about food;
allows digestive system take a break from constantly digesting food;
helps not to be in search of food when there are a lot of other things to do.

I didn’t change my intermittent fasting menu, staying true to clean eating. My diet includes:

meat fish;
vegetables, fruits, berries;
cereals;
dairy and dairy products;
black tea, water.

If I want, I drink coffee, eat something sweet or spicy. I don’t see the point in denying the body what it wants: if I understand that it requires this particular product (and I don’t want to enjoy something), I eat the unhealthy product. The main thing is not to constantly follow the lead of desires, allowing the most delicious and harmful things.

The intermittent fasting plan is simple:

at six I have breakfast (the most dense and high-calorie meal);
I have a snack at 9 o’clock;
I eat at two o'clock in the afternoon.

After that, I try to only drink water, but several times a day I allow myself unsweetened tea or coffee. Sometimes the schedule shifts and my day begins at eight in the morning, periodically the interval shifts to 11:00 - 16:00.

My regime does not fit the definition of classic fasting: I don’t want to eat during the day because I saturate my body with the substances it needs.

It’s just that some people consume food around the clock, while others devote several hours a day to this process. We eat in order to live, and do not live in order to eat, although many have forgotten about this.

Intermittent fasting: results:

I repeat: I have not considered intermittent fasting for weight loss. I wanted to make life as comfortable as possible, independent of food and its preparation.

Of course, when starting periodic nutrition, I ran into problems:

I suddenly lost five kilograms from an initial weight of 56 kg;
experienced a constant feeling of hunger;
constipation and skin problems appeared.

After two weeks, the body got used to the new regime and regained the lost three kilograms, intestinal function returned to normal, and the condition of the skin improved.