[Article updated on 19/09/2023]
Are you unable to lose weight and belly fat despite long hours of physical exercise and a strict diet? Maybe you should try intermittent fasting. According to numerous scientific researches, this method would indeed be fruitful. In addition, it would improve general health. You just have to respect certain conditions to avoid getting sick or making your case worse. Find below everything there is to know about this new trendy practice for losing weight.
Before reading on
I’m not an expert in this field, but I am passionate about nutrition and health.
The articles you’ll find on my site are the result of in-depth research that I’d like to share with you. However, I would like to stress that I am not a health professional and that my advice should in no way replace that of a qualified physician. I’m here to guide you, but it’s important that you consult a professional for specific questions or medical concerns. Your well-being is important. So be sure to consult the appropriate experts and take the best possible care of yourself.
Intermittent fasting: it’s What ?
Intermittent fasting involves including a period of time where you do not ingest any solid substances into your day. This leads the body to draw the energy essential for its functioning from stored fat, particularly in the stomach. In other words, this practice has a fat-burning effect. There are several methods of intermittent fasting. Make your choice based on your preferences and schedule.
Diet 5:2
You eat normally 5 days a week and fast for the other 2. It is important to space out the days when you do not consume anything to preserve your health. You also need to make sure you hydrate properly, or even more than usual. You are allowed to drink tea or coffee during the fasting period.
Fast every other day
You take the 3 essential meals in a moderate quantity during one day and you fast the next. Avoid small ones as much as possible cravings to guarantee the effectiveness and speed of the method. He is It is also essential to drink plenty of water, especially during the period of young.
Fasting
This is probably the most popular method of all. It consists of eating normally for 8 hours and fasting for the following 16 hours, without stopping to hydrate.
In other words, you skip a meal. You are free to choose the hours according to your daily schedule. The times just have to be fixed. This is important to preserve your health.
Partial fasting
You eat normally one day and only consume a quarter of your daily calorie intake the next. This method is especially recommended for those who have health problems and cannot afford to skip a meal.
As with previous diets, it is always important to drink plenty of water, at least 2 liters for days when your diet is reduced.
What to do before fasting intermittent?
It is essential to prepare well, both mentally and physically, before starting intermittent fasting. In this way, you do not Don’t risk damaging your health or giving up quickly. In fact, this practice should become a way of life in the long term to stay in shape. How to do ?
See a doctor
Intermittent fasting is certainly effective for losing weight and belly fat quickly, whether you are a man or a woman. But it is still strongly recommended to consult a doctor and have a health check before switching to this lifestyle.
Like diet, this practice would actually be dangerous if you suffer from certain illnesses such as diabetes or if you are pregnant.
Determine why you eat
It only makes you eat when you are hungry. 3 meals a day normally satisfy your needs in this regard. However, it happens that you feel the urge to snack several times in the middle of the day.
For what reasons ? You may be bored, sad or stressed, feel obliged to stock up, or want to fill an emotional void. There are many reasons, so you have to take the time to carefully analyze your habits to know them.
Take the necessary measures
Once you know why you eat outside of meals, you can take steps to limit your intake and stay on track. For example, you can find an interesting activity to avoid thinking too much about food.
It would also be practical to consult a specialist or do yoga to manage your impulses and thus avoid excesses, even in the worst emotional conditions. We must also free ourselves from preconceived ideas according to which we must stock up just in case, to avoid stress during periods of fasting or overeating outside of it.
Precautions with intermittent fasting to lose weight
Many people have already testified to the effectiveness of fasting intermittent to lose weight and belly. However, it depends before everything about your body. Then, you must also respect a few rules to quickly observe results and guarantee their sustainability.
Change your habit little by little
Suddenly changing your habits could negatively affect your health. It could also disturb you mentally. It is therefore advisable to start little by little. Take for example the case of fasting where the fasting period is from 8 p.m. to noon the next day.
You could start by delaying breakfast time by 1 hour or bringing dinner forward. The process may take time, but it is the only way to ensure that you will be able to maintain the lifestyle for the long term.
To drink a lot of water
It is essential that toxins in the tissues as well as metabolic wastes are eliminated to maintain your health and lose weight effectively. This is why it is strongly recommended to hydrate properly, regardless of your state of health.
Your body needs water even more to carry out its functions when you are not eating. You must therefore drink at least 2 liters of water per day during a fasting period.
Attention !
You may not feel thirsty during the fasting period. This is normal, but you absolutely must force yourself to hydrate in small sips at a regular interval, or almost.
You can even time it at the beginning and drink 2 or 3 sips every 15 minutes for example. It is likely that you often want to go to the toilet. This is part of the process and should not discourage you.
What type of water to drink to lose weight?
It is generally recommended to opt for still or mineralized water if you want to lose weight or lose belly fat. Don’t forget to filter if you choose tap water. On the other hand, you can add a few drops of slimming essential oils if you find it too bland.
This further increases the speed of the method. You can also flavor it a little, with ginger or lemon for example. In short, just avoid sugary, alcoholic or carbonated drinks.
Do not overdo it during normal feeding periods
Many tend to increase their ration during the normal feeding period to “compensate” for the fast. The method would lose all its meaning in this case.
It could even lead you to gain more pounds. Indeed, your body needs a well-defined quantity of calories daily to function properly. The excesses are then transformed into fat mass, hence weight gain. Eat normally to lose weight quickly.
Eat all types of foods
Whether you are a man or a woman, there are no dietary restrictions if you opt for intermittent fasting to lose weight. You can eat everything (even desserts) and it is even advisable to vary your menus as much as possible to enjoy.
It’s just a matter of balancing and limiting the consumption of certain types of meals, particularly those classified as “junk food” such as kebabs or even burgers. Also reduce the consumption of fat and sugar. The goal is for you not to feel frustrated with your new lifestyle.
Is intermittent fasting effective for losing weight according to professionals?
It is possible to lose weight thanks to intermittent fasting according to specialists. However, its primary goal is to improve your lifestyle to have better health and weight loss is one advantage among many others. The process may then take a long time. You might give up quickly if losing weight is your only goal.
On the other hand, intermittent fasting might cause more harm than good. well in some cases. It is indeed possible that you are a victim of stress, fatigue, deficiency or even eating compulsions if your organism does not support the lifestyle. This is also the reason for which it is important to carry out regular medical monitoring to see if it suits you.
What are the benefits of fasting intermittent?
First, intermittent fasting considerably reduces the risk of develop cancer or suffer from cardiovascular diseases. He would also promote the proper functioning of the immune system. Studies have moreover shown that this lifestyle would reduce the frequency of appearances allergies or rheumatism and asthma.
This practice also teaches you to listen to your body better. YOU manage over time to distinguish true hunger from other sensations that can make you want to eat such as stress, fatigue, sadness or boredom. So you only eat when necessary. It is effective for losing weight or stabilizing your weight.
Intermittent fasting also promotes the elimination of toxins, fatty masses as well as other harmful substances in the cells. The body actually attacks fats to obtain the energy necessary to how well it works when you are not eating.
One of the biggest benefits of intermittent fasting is that it does not cause stress and that you can continue it over the long term. He there are no dietary restrictions and the process is carried out gradually. You therefore do not rush your body. Studies would have shown that this lifestyle would allow you to have a lighter complexion and dynamic. Finally, it would also increase intellectual performance.
What are the limits of fasting intermittent?
You need to have great self-control and a lot of determination to avoid cravings during periods of fasting or overeating when you eat. Many men and women also have difficulty in pass on food and give up only after a few days.
On the other hand, this lifestyle is not suitable for everyone. He exposes certain people to more or less serious health problems. As it was said earlier, it is for example not recommended for the elderly, those who suffer from hypoglycemia or even pregnant women or those who are breastfeeding.
Intermittent fasting or dieting eating ?
It really depends on your motivations and the reasons for your weight gain. It would be best to consult a doctor to find out the suitable method. However, it is important to mention that diet is not a long-term solution.
This program has a high risk of causing frustration, stress or deficiency since the foods you are allowed to eat are restricted and the number of calories is also limited.
Intermittent fasting or sport?
A sedentary lifestyle promotes weight gain. The opinions are However, they are divided regarding the effectiveness of sport in the long term for fight excess weight. The risks of quickly regaining weight would be apparently high as soon as you stop.
So, intermittent fasting or sport to lose weight and slim down your stomach? You could practice both at the same time, without exaggerating too much. You just need to make sure you can keep up the pace forever. For example, around thirty minutes a day would be reasonable. Ask a professional to find the program suited to your case.
Conclusion
Intermittent fasting brings many benefits to the body, including weight loss. The process is sometimes long, but it rarely causes problems such as frustration or compulsive eating. There are no dietary restrictions, but still favor healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.
For example, choose lime, apple, green tea or even ginger for greater effectiveness. On the other hand, you can also turn to food supplements like PhenQ, one of the best natural fat burners currently available on the market. However, it is always and strongly recommended to seek the advice of a doctor to preserve your health.