简体中文Alternate-day fasting (ADF) involves fasting for a whole day at a time, followed by eating normally on the next day. Besides losing weight, people who fast may experience improved heart and brain functions because of reduced insulin. Based on these promising but preliminary results, lots of people started experimenting with various forms of modified or intermittent fasting—generating a lot of positive anecdotal reports. Over the last few years, more studies have been done—some of them on actual humans. The tool might help you blast through a weight-loss plateau, but intermittent fasting is not a license to binge – and thus defeat your waist-whittling efforts.
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And it may be more than a fad, with more data rolling in that may show it helps with weight management, blood pressure and more. In early studies on mice or small groups of human subjects, fasting for 10 to 16 hours a day appeared to improve weight loss results, insulin levels, insulin sensitivity and blood pressure. Fasting between meals or restricting the time that you eat each day is proving to be beneficial in more ways than one. This approach, known as intermittent fasting (IF), works as a method for weight loss, but it may also benefit your heart, mind and overall health.
What are the intermittent fasting methods?
One 6-month study found that the form of intermittent fasting called time-restricted eating reduced blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However, a conventional reduced-calorie diet had the same effect, and some experts think intermittent fasting isn’t safe for people with diabetes. IF is an eating pattern that separates periods of fasting and eating in your day.
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One method is fasting daily for a set amount of time, usually 12 hours or more. The average person sleeps about 7 hours a night, which counts towards that fasting time. If you don’t eat after dinner, then you could easily achieve a daily fast to help your body burn fat more efficiently. This type of fasting could work well for someone who tends to be a nighttime snacker.
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However, it’s preferable to select healthy foods for your non-fasting periods, as you may undermine the benefits of the diet if you choose highly processed foods. You can make intermittent fasting work with food restrictions, such as if you’re vegetarian or vegan. And you can eat the type of diet you like, whether it’s high- or low-carb, or low in fat. The reason intermittent fasting is thought to be effective in weight loss is because it increases your body’s responsiveness to insulin. Insulin, a hormone that is released when you eat food, causes your liver, muscle and fat cells to store glucose. In a fasting state, blood glucose levels drop, which leads to a decrease in insulin production, signaling your body to start burning stored energy (carbohydrates).
What Are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?
Both the fasting and calorie-controlled groups lost an average of pounds, with neither group having an advantage over the other. There was also no difference in blood sugar levels, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol or blood pressure between the two groups. Research shows that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight. Most, though not all, studies show that this eating approach also lowers blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood fats such as LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
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Take it slowly and experiment to see what method works best for you. Even as you strive to improve your health or lose weight, remember that your worth as a person is not tied to your body fat percentage or muscle mass. Be kind to yourself as you pursue the intermittent fasting journey. Fasting for at least 12 hours changes how your metabolic system works.
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If you unimeal app reviews find yourself struggling with intermittent fasting, reach out to a dietician or nutritionist to work on a diet plan that works for you. Like any other diet, people should also take medications into consideration when altering their eating habits. Talk to your doctor about the diet that is best for you, and before you pursue any kind of fasting. Many people try fasting to lose weight, but if this isn’t something you can do forever – and if the plan isn’t sustainable – then you may regain that weight.
- Of the 27 studies, 12 compared intermittent fasting with traditional, calorie-restricted diets and found similar weight loss results between both approaches.
- A benefit here is less time eating late at night, which is typically better for our waistlines.
- Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular lifestyle choice for those trying to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.
- Or you may choose a different window that works better with your life and schedule.
- The diet’s success is determined by how well someone can follow the diet and continue the diet until the desired weight is reached or maintained.
- Intermittent fasting doesn’t require you to count calories or carbs.
Taking Care of Yourself
There are small research studies that show intermittent fasting can stress the immune system slightly and, as a result, can actually strengthen it. Potential benefits may include weight loss, improved mental state, improved fat-burning, increased growth hormone production, lowered blood cholesterol and a reduction of inflammation. Most studies though have been done in animals and may not translate the same way in humans. While the success rate for intermittent fasting varies from person to person, an average individual can expect to lose between 1 to 2 pounds learnmuscles.com/blog/2025/11/25/unimeal-weight-loss-app-review-12-reasons-to-trust/ of weight each week. For a healthy weight loss plan, the recommended amount of weight to lose is 1 to 2 pounds per week without experiencing negative health effects.
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If you’re an explosive athlete, however, try working out in the middle of the feeding window so you’ll have available carbohydrates in your system that are vital for performance. It’s just another tool to try, and one that happens to be very effective. Most of today’s trendy diets have a lot of rules about what you can eat. Whole 30 restricts sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy and dairy; Keto says no to carbs and limits protein. But intermittent fasting doesn’t dictate what you should be eating at all—only when to eat.