Girls Gone Slim: Intermittent Fasting

Look Beyond Breakfast Lunch and Dinner

So far, the research overwhelmingly supports this notion that

ditching the “three square meals a day” approach in favor of

intermittent fasting may do wonders for your health.

Intermittent Fasting:

Option 1
More popularly known as the 5:2 diet, The main goal of the process is to eat sensibly for 5 days of the week and follow it by two days of only 500 calories.

“Intermittent fasting can be undertaken in several ways but the basic format alternates days of ‘normal’ calorie consumption with days when calorie consumption is severely restricted. This can either be done on an alternating day basis, or more recently a 5:2 strategy has been developed [see figure below], where 2 days each week are classed as ‘fasting days’ (with <600 calories consumed for men, <500 for women).

Importantly, this type of intermittent fasting has been shown to be similarly effective or more effective than continuous modest calorie restriction with regard to weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity and other health biomarkers... Despite the seemingly strict nature of the fasting days intermittent fasting has a generally good adherence record.”

British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease:

Option 2
Restrict eating to a certain time frame

Another version of intermittent fasting, is when you simply restrict your daily eating to a specific window of time, such as an eight hour window.

This is feasible and convenient for most people, but you can restrict it even further — down to six, four or even two hours, if you want, but you can still reap many of the rewards by limiting your eating to a window of about 8 hours.

The rationale behind this approach is that it takes about six to eight hours for your body to burn the carbohydrates stored in your body as glycogen.

After 6-8 hours your body is stimulated to burn fat as its primary fuel

Dr. Mercola.com

Some Possible benefits of Intermittent Fasting Included

Lower Blood Pressure
lower blood lipids
sustain weight loss
increase of lifespan in laboratory animals
protect brain from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other Age related disorders. (study from National Institute on Ageing)
Limit inflammation
Reduce LDL and total cholesterol levels
Reverse type 2 diabetes