These days, the Intermittent Fasting Diet is one of the most popular types of diet practiced by the public. As one of the most popular health trends of the last decade, you might also be familiar with this type of diet, right Ladies?
The Intermittent Fasting Diet is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. This diet does not dictate which foods and drinks to consume but regulates when to eat. Thus, this type of diet is not a diet in the conventional sense but is more accurately described as an eating pattern.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at some of the most popular ways to follow the Intermittent Fasting Diet so that you can better decide whether or not to adopt this type of diet, ladies. Remember, adjust your diet according to the health and comfort that the body feels.
With the Intermittent Fasting Diet, you adopt an eating pattern that requires you to consume no calories for a long enough period, usually between 12 and 40. Water, coffee, and other zero-calorie drinks are allowed during the fast, but no solid foods or high-calorie drinks are allowed.
For example, if you finish eating at 7 p.m. on Monday and stop eating again until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, you have fasted for 24 hours. In general, people choose to fast from breakfast to breakfast or from lunch to lunch. That said, which time frame works best depends on the individual. Fasting 24 hours per day can seem extreme and challenging for many, so it is usually not recommended for beginners. Therefore, you can do this diet with a shorter fasting period first.
Here are some methods commonly used in the Intermittent Fasting Diet:
1. Fasting for 12 hours a day
The dietary rules for this one method are simple, just fast for 12 hours each day and usually eat during the other 12-hour period. This method is a good choice for beginners because the fast is relatively short, and the daily calories are the same daily.
2. 16/8 or 14/10 method
Also known as the Leangains protocol, you fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours in between. You can consume two or more meals in an 8-hour eating window. The 16/8 diet is more recommended for men. At the same time, women can follow the 14/10 method, which involves fasting for 14 hours, followed by a 10-hour eating window.
3. Eat-Stop-Eat
You fast once or twice a week for 24 hours, for example, by not eating one day until dinner the next day. This fasting form is called a 24-hour fast, where you can only drink water and other calorie-free drinks during the fast.
4. Diet 5:2
This method limits daily consumption to 500-600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, then eat normally for the other five days. Although it is recommended to do it only twice a week, some people do this diet every other day.
5. Alternative fasting
The goal of alternative fasting is to fast every day. This method allows you to consume a maximum of 500 calories per day. Alternative fasting is an extreme form of intermittent fasting.
6. The Warrior Diet
It is one of the first popular intermittent fasting diets. This diet consists of consuming small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables throughout the day and eating one large meal at night. The warrior diet is pretty extreme as it generally fasts for 20 hours and the eating window is only about 4 hours.
7. Missing a meal
This pattern is easier for beginners since it is enough to do it by skipping one of the meal plans every day. In this case, the skipped food could be breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Ladies, if you decide to try this diet, remember that just like any other diet, the quality of the diet is vital. Before starting intermittent fasting, consult a trained healthcare professional to ensure its safety, ladies!
Sources:
Gunnars, K. (2020). Intermittent Fasting 101 — The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide. Healthline. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide
Gunnars, K & Synder, C. (2022). Pros and Cons of 5 Intermittent Fasting Methods. Healthline. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-ways-to-do-intermittent-fasting