Intermittent fasting also has another meaning which is intermittent energy restriction and is any of various meal timing schedules that cycle between voluntary fasting and non-fasting for a particular time. Intermittent fasting is an alternate method of eating and fasting habits. This strategy helps an individual in losing weight faster than any other diet plan. The best part of intermittent fasting is it helps lose weight without restricting calorie intake but the time window is to be followed very strictly. It is also called a very powerful weight loss tool that helps you eat fewer and burns more calories and also changes hormonal levels to help weight loss

Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular weight loss methods and fitness trends. Many studies have shown that it has powerful effects on your body and also brain, and it also helps a person to live healthy lifestyle. Intermittent fasting is not a diet but rather described as a strategy of eating patterns. It’s a method where you fast for a certain period during the day without eating but only but only water and black coffee are allowed during this time.

Five types of eating patterns in Intermittent fasting

Time-restricted eating- It usually involves fasting every day for twelve hours or longer and could be consumed in the remaining hours. For example, the popular method of the 16/8 window which means daily 16 hours of fasting, and the eating window is of 8 hours, Can consume anything only during this time. It helps a lot in losing weight.

Eat stop eat- This pattern involves 24 hours of fasting once or twice a week.

Alternate day fasting- The main goal in this pattern is to fast every alternative day.

The 5:2 diet- This pattern involves taking an intake for 5 days normally and the remaining two days restrict the calorie intake to 500 to 600.

The warrior diet- This pattern is considered to be the first popular diet to include intermittent fasting. This pattern says eating a very little amount of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and consuming one large meal during the night.

Advantages of Intermittent fasting

There are many researchers who have confirmed several health benefits of intermittent fasting such as

Helps weight loss- The major reason why people opt for intermittent fasting is to lose weight and have good metabolic health. Metabolic health shows how our body works on it and metabolizes energy. It is often measured by blood pressure, blood sugar, and fat levels in the blood. It naturally reduces the calorie intake, it helps to lose weight by regulating the appetite and suppresses the feeling of hunger and other improvements such as
-Controls blood pressure
-Controls the blood sugar
-Repairs damaged cells
– Protects brain health
– Improves heart health

Healthy lifestyle- Intermittent fasting might sound complicated but it is an easier and helpful process wherein we need to reduce the meal count to lose weight faster. It simply means having an early dinner followed by a late breakfast the next day. This process is a little harder for the people who get hungry in the morning and like to eat breakfast or for those who cannot eat until they finish their work the night due to their busy schedule but few people usually eat this way so for them it will be easy for them to adopt the process of intermittent fasting very quickly.

Consuming nutritious food- Intermittent fasting is generally focused more on when to eat rather than what you eat. So there is no need for people to be busy with special foods to start this process. If someone one looking for other methods to boost their energy and overall health, intermittent fasting is the best option to choose. It works even faster for people who want to have their resistance training program and a high-protein diet.

Disadvantages of Intermittent fasting

Though intermittent fasting is a process of weight loss, it usually takes some time for people to adjust in the beginning. As every coin has two sides, intermittent fasting also has disadvantages. So here are a few downsides everyone should understand before starting the process of intermittent fasting.

Might go against your intuitions- Intermittent fasting may go against your intuition if you don’t follow proper timings. Intermittent fasting mainly requires discipline, restraint, and planning. If you don’t follow the strict schedule one might find intermittent fasting a little frustrating.

Feels hungry- People who are not at all used to fasting will feel difficult even with an eight or twelve-hour fast. Many times you may sleep hungry thinking that the window is closed leads to an unpleasant and unhealthy lifestyle. Many people adjust soo quickly but for a few people, they feel hungry and sometimes frustrated.

Bad mood- When you start intermittent fasting it takes time for everyone to adjust to the timings. Because of the hunger at the initial times, the mood goes ups and downs which is understandable. Besides increasing the level of hunger, fasting can also have side effects such as headaches, constipation, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and many more. Skipping the meal because of the timings may lead to lower blood sugar levels, creating anxiety and emotional disturbance.

Conclusion
Intermittent fasting is a weight loss tool that works wonders. But it is not recommended for people who are going through health issues, pregnant, and breastfeeding moms and this is also not suitable for children. Maintaining proper disciplined timing is a key to having qualitied intermittent fasting. To make the most of intermittent fasting a person must make sure that they eat a variety of nutritious food and limit the ultra-processed food. Before adopting intermittent fasting we suggest people who have diabetes, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, or any other medical issues consult a doctor. Intermittent fasting must always be done under the supervision of a dietitian to live a healthy and happy life, if it is done incorrectly result may not be seen properly.