Florence Uwaeme
Weight loss is a journey and intermittent fasting is one of the ways to lose weight by abstaining from food for a certain period of time.
Losing weight is not a walk in the park; it takes a lot of commitment, dedication, and consistency. Intermittent fasting is one of the effective ways to lose weight that people have come to embrace, due to the evidence in results.
There are different types of intermittent fasting and they fall in the categories below:
Warrior diet – This involves eating high protein like eggs, vegetables, and low-calorie food contents for 20 hours leaving you with only 4 hours to eat all the calories you want.
Eat-stop-eat – This involves fasting for up to 24 hours a week after which you eat regularly for the rest of the week
5/2 diet – Here, you eat regularly for 5 days a week and restricting your diet for the remaining 2 days.
16/8 method – In this method, you will abstain from food for 16 hours and then take your normal diet for the remaining 8 hours.
Pros of intermittent fasting
Fasting for a long period causes a shift in the body’s metabolism. This shift causes fat to be a source of energy and not glucose.
Logically, intermittent fasting makes the person consume fewer calories than they would have if they were not fasting.
Research has shown that reducing the amount of food consumed in a day, might stop people from having hypertension and lower blood pressure.
Intermittent fasting also lowers insulin levels.
Cons of intermittent fasting
It makes no sense to exercise less self-control on days you are fasting and eat too much food and calories on days you are not.
Fasting intermittently could lead to dizziness, nausea, mood swings, tiredness or even headaches.
It can also trigger eating disorders.
Before embarking on intermittent fasting, weigh your options and check with your doctor to see it is a healthy option for you.
