All about intermittent fasting
Being "Healthy" today is more popular and important than ever. Everyone is trying to make the best of it in their own way. I just want to show that your end goal is also achievable without closing yourself off to the outside world and all the goodies it has to offer. I would like to convey my realistic lifestyle vision to the public and inspire people to actually change their lives, so that after 1 month they don't already give up on all their goals because achieving them often feels too elusive for them.
All about intermittent fasting, what is it?
In this article I will tell you all about intermittent fasting. Since June, I started Intermittent Fasting, aka intermittent fasting. I have been pleasantly surprised by the positive effects. What has surprised me most is that since I started this, my muscle mass has increased and my fat percentage has decreased. In addition, I have found out that training on an empty stomach works surprisingly well and I have super energy throughout the day! In other words, I am stronger, leaner and more energetic, even if I eat only a little less. Now of course you are wondering how this is possible and if it is healthy at all? Why would anyone fast every day? What are the benefits? Is this scientifically based or is this just another crazy diet hype? Well, I am about to tell you everything you need to know. At least in this first part.
How does intermittent fasting work?
This eating pattern is also called "intermittent fasting," where you have periods when you don't eat and a "fixed" period when you do. Very simply put; I eat all my meals between 12:00 and 20:00 and otherwise it doesn't change what I eat, only when I eat. If you don't eat anything from 20:00 to 08:00, you've already been fasting for 12 hours. If you extend this to 12:00 it means you only have to go through 4 hours without consuming any calories. This is also called the 16/8 method which includes an "8 hour eating window" and a "16 hour fasting window" During your 16 hour fasting window you can drink water, black coffee, tea and other "calorie free" drinks. These do not break your "fasting period."
So no breakfast?
Now you're probably thinking, why starve yourself until noon? Most people I talk to about this topic often say that I'm being unhealthy and that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Just an (important) disclaimer: IF is not a crash diet, not a magical and super-fast weight loss technique, and not an unhealthy inducement to take in too little food. On top of that, I am a great lover of cooking and eating out, so I would never implement anything that would make me unhappy.
To return to "breakfast" for a moment. You are brought up to believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In recent years, many people also claim that you should eat several times a day to ensure a better metabolism. By now, quite a few nutritional "philosophies" have become outdated and we are often fooled by companies that, you guessed it, want to sell breakfast products. Fasting, on the other hand, is something that has been done for centuries, so it's not a "marketing pitch" either. Basically, as a business, you can't actually earn anything from IF. Because it's not about buying products or supplements, but adjusting your diet.
Are you already thinking; breakfast is just my favorite meal of the day!? I am also someone who is incredibly fond of delicious breakfasts and can enjoy all those amazing smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes and fried eggs. I just eat these at noon!
Calories IN vs Calories OUT
We are presented with countless diets and ways about the best way to lose weight. But really, scientifically speaking, it only comes down to one aspect: Calories IN vs Calories OUT. If you take in more calories, i.e. an increased energy balance, you will gain weight.
So with IF, you have the option of skipping a meal, which in many cases is breakfast. This can easily contain 400 calories and so you quickly increase your calorie intake. In fact, by skipping this meal you create a buffer for the day with the amount of calories you have "left".
Personally, I prefer to eat a larger meal in the afternoon and evening instead of eating small portions all day, so-called "grazing." So with that, I add my buffer with the larger meals and get the right amount of calories I need in a day.
In doing so, I find it easier to start the day by not eating because I have found that I am a whole lot sharper in the period before I eat. Once I eat, my insulin levels are higher and I can suffer from the so called "after dinner dip". I will discuss nutrition further in the subsequent article on IF.
But why do you do intermittent fasting in the first place?
Several scientific studies have shown that periods of fasting help protect our bodies from all kinds of harmful processes. Following that, IF also causes our body to learn to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. This causes the excess fat disappears faster and is less likely to reoccur. After doing extensive research on this topic, I got super excited and decided to put it to the test myself.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting:
- Increase in growth hormone production. This means more muscle growth and better fat burning!
- Reduction of stress and inflammation. Anti-inflammatory effect
- Good for cholesterol. Reduced LDL, the bad cholesterol and increases HDL, the good cholesterol.
- Increased mental focus. You feel sharper and more productive.
- Costs you nothing extra
- Makes your life easier
- It's easier to sustain long term
In addition, research has shown the following:
- It lowers the risk of cancer
- It extends lifespan
- A fitter brain
- Promotes cell renewal
What do I like most about IF and what has been my experience?
To be honest, it has taught me that I don't always have to be preoccupied with food. Of course, I remain a lover of food, indeed; I am a true foodie! I love cooking and eating out, and this certainly won't go away. But these guidelines give a little more peace in my busy existence. It provides simplicity and I love that. When I wake up in the morning I don't have to worry about my breakfast. I drink a cup of coffee and a glass of water and start my day with a sharp mind. Then at noon I eat my lunch. In between that and lastly my dinner. Before I go to bed or after my last meal, I often take a casein shake.
Your body will get used to this way of eating. I have also developed an even better relationship with food because when I do eat I go all out! I eat a meal that satisfies me with a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Of course, I also enjoy unhealthy things extra, because no one said I couldn't. As I said before, you create a buffer by skipping a meal. I personally like to fill this up with my true guilty pleasure: ice cream!
Why do I use casein?
Casein contains proteins that are absorbed slowly unlike whey. It works effectively while you sleep and ensures a constant flow of protein into the muscles. Because of its slow breakdown, casein also makes you feel full, which comes in handy when you're in your fasting period. You can read more about casein in the article:
I feel sharper!
I have learned to recognize that the body is capable of much more than we actually think. I exercise in the morning on an empty stomach and don't crash in the process. In fact, it has a beneficial effect on my hormone balance, metabolism and fat bandaging. It helps me get my fat percentage down without losing muscle mass. In addition, I feel much sharper during the time I am fasting and have more energy. In the period before I have my first meal in, I get the best ideas and am blazing in the office. Because I start my day so well, I find that I make more conscious choices throughout the rest of the day and can also find much more motivation!
Lastly, I would like to say that of course there are days when I don't follow this fasting schedule, for example if I go out for breakfast with girlfriends or if I feel like having some French fries at night after going out I just go for it! I would definitely give IF a chance, especially because of its convenience. It's something that quickly becomes a habit and something you can stick with for longer unlike all those miracle diets for a few weeks that only produce temporary results.
In the next article on IF, I will discuss nutrition and exercise in more detail.
