There is a lot that you should know of the intermittent fasting pros and cons.
Intermittent fasting is described as the height of self-discipline in life. You have to keep off eating for a given period or hours in a day to achieve various health benefits such as improving the functioning of the brain, body composition and lowering the risk of diseases.
Of all dieting techniques in the world today, intermittent fasting plays a hero. It is common and has a fair share of positive reviews.
When you decide to try it out, there are several ways to execute it but the most effective is intermittent fasting 16/8.
This means that for 16 hours in a day, you are not eating anything; you only get to eat within the eight-hour period.
Other variations of intermittent fasting is 5:2 where you stay off food and only eat 500 calories for two days in a row. From there, you are at liberty to eat anything else you please.
The third variation is whereby, you fast for 36 hours in a week and go back to your normal eating. Different variations work differently in people. All you have to do is find out which among them works best for you.
IS IT BAD TO INTERMITTENT FAST EVERY DAY?
Studies on this subject show the intermittent fasting everyday has some gains. However, what you may not know is that intermittent fasting benefits come from a well-arranged plan by your dietician.
Daily intermittent fasting does not mean that you cannot eat; it means that you take your meals earlier in the day and take nothing during the night.
This allows the body to burn more fat and calories while in resting mode. All you need to understand is the intermittent fasting rule.
IS IT HEALTHY TO DO INTERMITTENT FASTING?
In the 21st century, diet has become a hit subject. One of the things people are looking for is how and what to eat to keep away diseases.
As it has been, intermittent fasting has ranked top of the list.
12 LITTLE-KNOWN INTERMITTENT FASTING PROS AND CONS
There is nothing good that doesn’t have a bad side and this article sheds more light in the intermittent fasting pros and cons.
1. IMPROVES BODY COMPOSITION
The body enters a no-calorie-eating zone whenever you go into fasting. The body then adjusts itself and raids fat and sugar stores to produce energy for the body.
When the body burns fat to produce energy, loss of fat is experienced. In a nutshell, the burning of fat and a calorie deficit both work towards a better body composition.
Con: Even with this, it becomes hard to follow this routine in the long term. Cravings and cheat days are hard to resist in the long haul.
2. LOWERS DISEASE RISK
Intermittent fasting according to Dr Rona Antoni, a researcher in Nutritional Metabolism from the University of Surrey lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
You can lower your blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and also control diabetes.
CON: Food and drinks are what promote your social interactions. When intermittent fasting comes in, it cuts your social life without apologies.
3. PROMOTES A HEALTHY BRAIN
Any form of fasting is good for the brain because it promotes the growth and development of new brain cells and nerve tissues—your neurogenesis increase when you fast.
This is what increases the brain’s functionality on things such as memory, moods and focus,
CON: Hormonal imbalance is one of the things that you have to contend with when you get into intermittent fasting.
This is because a normal routine had a particular system on how different hormones are released.
For women, it could affect their menstrual cycle and bring about fertility issues.
4. PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS
The key goals for intermittent fasting for many people is weight loss. It is effective.
With a calorie deficit and ketosis – burning of fat to produce energy – the excess pounds in the body wear off with fasting thereby decreasing the body’s fat mass which is responsible for decrease in weight.
CON: Most guides in weight loss involving diet are limiting in the sense that they limit the amount of calories you eat.
The downside of intermittent fasting is that it does not liit the amount of calories eaten.
5. EASY TO FOLLOW
On intermittent fasting pros and cons, the advantage is that it is easy to follow and make the adjustments.
The cons of it is that intermittent fasting side effects may include headaches, and nausea.
6. LONGEVITY
The National Institute of Aging cites that limitation of calories increases lifespan.
CON: The downside of this is that the results are not the same for people who may be on medication.
7. CONTROLS GLUCOSE
For people suffering from type 2 diabetes, it manages blood sugar due to the fact that it promotes weight loss which is a threat to insulin response to the body.
CON: In healthy individuals, intermittent fasting is not ideal because it increases insulin sensitivity.
This could lead to health complications in the end as insulin sensitivity should be optimal.
8. EAT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
Intermittent fasting does not restrict you from eating as much as you can. Before the hour clocks for fasting, you are liberty to feast on all of your favourite foods.
CON: Nutrition in not necessarily followed which could pose more health risks for your body.
9. UNLIMITED MACRONUTRIENTS INTAKE
When fasting you follow no meal plan because there are no macronutrients being targeted unlike in other programs. You can still enjoy foods of your choice without worries.
CON: This could potentially lead to hunger pangs depending on what you choose to eat.
10. NO CALORIE COUNTING
You can snack in that pizza and down it with a bottle of soda without worries as long as it is not in the hour when fasting begins
CON: Your physical activity decreases drastically because you become heavier and the program has no provision of exercise.
11. HAVE MORE HEALTH BENEFITS
Several studies indicate that intermittent fasting can lower low-grade inflammation and other chronic diseases that lower your immune system.
It also lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the body.
CON: This always comes with side effects such as nausea, headaches and vomiting. In some cases, you develop digestive issues.
12. IMPROVED CALORIE ENDURANCE
The unrestrictive nature of intermittent fasting builds a calorie endurance in the body. When you take calories outside the fasting period, they are used to produce energy for the body when it is at rest and actively in the fast.
CON: You are likely to experience instances of low moods and fatigue because of skipping a meal which is the real deal with intermittent fasting.
CONCLUSION
It is interesting to learn more about intermittent fasting pros and cons. There is a lot of information that is worthwhile to anybody fitness enthusiast.
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