In the search for better quality of life and even reaching an ideal weight, many end up indulging in fad diets or taking actions that are harmful to their body, causing health problems that can lead to other more drastic complications in the future.
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There is daily news on social media about a method that facilitates the weight loss process. In Internet search sites it is also common to find the subject intermittent fasting when the topic is the weight loss process.
Several famous and anonymous leave reports of how they managed to have a better quality of life and even lose weight using intermittent fasting as a method of weight loss. But after all:
- What is intermittent fasting?
- Can anyone do this fast?
- Does it really help with weight loss?
Anyway, despite being widely publicized in the media, few people know how to say in a simple and easy to clarify what is really intermittent fasting. There are many doubts and, because they often do not find answers that are easy to understand, some people end up doing the wrong fast and end up not having the result they wanted.
But in an attempt to facilitate the clarification of our readers about intermittent fasting, we selected the top 10 questions with answers about intermittent fasting
1. What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a method of weight loss where the person spends a few hours in his day without any food intake and then resumes the intake, however in a moderate way.
2. What is the first step to be taken to start intermittent fasting?
The first step to be taken before starting intermittent fasting is to consult a specialist in the field, such as a nutritionist or nutritionist, so that he can request clinical tests to detail the state of your health and indicate what it would be. the best way to adhere to intermittent fasting in your diet.
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3. Can anyone do intermittent fasting?
No, it is not everyone who can do intermittent fasting, since, as already mentioned, it is necessary to first check the true state of your health to then see the possibility of doing or not fasting in your daily practice. .
- It is worth informing that children, adolescents, pregnant women and the elderly or people who have diabetes and use hypoglycemic medication should not adhere to intermittent fasting.
4. How does intermittent fasting work?
Intermittent fasting works as follows: the person will have to practice throughout his week some moments when he will be absolutely fasting from food, always remembering to stay hydrated using water, teas or even sugar-free coffee.
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This fasting period can be 12, 14, 16, 18 or even 24 hours without using any caloric food. Ideally, you should gradually increase the amount of fasting hours, starting with short periods without eating.
After the fasting period, the individual will be able to eat, but in a moderate way, opting for healthy foods, avoiding fatty and sugary processed foods, but without necessarily having to focus on calorie counting. It is worth making use of common sense, balance and moderation, always seeking to opt for food in its most natural form.
5. Is intermittent fasting harmful to health?
Definitely not, intermittent fasting is not harmful to health, but it is extremely important to note that it will only bring health benefits and will not be harmful if done correctly, accompanied by a specialist and without abuse of long periods of fasting or inadequate intake of food in the period when food is allowed.
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Since there is no point in abstaining from food if, when resuming the food process, the option is made only to ingest food products of very little quality, nutrient deficit or extremely caloric.
6. What are the benefits of intermittent fasting?
There are several benefits of intermittent fasting, such as:
- Indicated for weight loss process;
- Decreases the level of insulin in the blood;
- Helps to control the level of blood pressure;
- Speeds up the body’s metabolism;
- Collaborates so that the individual can have a healthier brain, also avoiding Alzheimer’s;
- Increase daily productivity;
- Helps in the anti-aging process.
7. How do you lose weight with intermittent fasting?
Weight loss through the practice of intermittent fasting happens due to the decrease in the caloric amount ingested by the individual, given that he will be reducing the time he spends eating and in the moments when food is allowed he will try to eat healthily and guided by an expert.
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Thus, if after the period of absolute fasting the individual decides to eat improperly, there is no point in having fasted, since he can often put on weight instead of losing weight.
8. What to eat after a period of fasting?
The ideal is to have a varied menu rich in carbohydrates , proteins , vitamins and minerals . However, a good part of people adept at intermittent fasting make use of what we call a low carb diet , a diet where the main energy source comes from proteins and fats and which aims to achieve weight loss and muscle strengthening through caloric reduction and decrease the use of food products composed mostly of carbohydrates.
- Also read: Flaxseed – your low carb ally in weight loss
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9. Can those who do intermittent fasting engage in physical activity?
It is not recommended to do physical activity while you are fasting, as there may be some incidents, such as having a sudden drop in blood pressure or hypoglycemia.
10. What are the disadvantages of intermittent fasting?
One of the main disadvantages of intermittent fasting is actually having to go without food, since we are used to eating every three hours, and so the process of adapting to this period of absolute fasting can be painful and, at times, bring some discomfort, such as:
- Headache;
- Nausea;
- Weakness.
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It is worth emphasizing that no information described in this article replaces a previous consultation with a specialist in the food field.
Remember that food is medicine. Reducing it too much or overusing it can lead to serious future health problems. So take care and never put your life at risk! No diet or fast will pay off if you have to put your life at risk.
