An ever-busy millennial wishes for a metabolic mantra that steers away excessive weight gain and chronic disorders like type-2 diabetes. Intermittent fasting (IF) is the elusive answer that he is looking for. Recently, these two simple words have caught the attention of dieticians, researchers and health-conscious individuals alike, and not without reason. 

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You ask what distinguishes intermittent fasting from the several diet plans, food fads and metabolism. The answer is simple. Intermittent fasting is simple, and it works. Intermittent fasting for weight loss and for managing other chronic conditions has been quite effective. So, let us jump right into what intermittent fasting is and how it works.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting, or IF, is what the same suggests. It involves fasting and eating at regular periods. There are several paradigms of intermittent fasting, and the paradigm that one chooses depends on several factors like the end goal of the person, their present health condition, their lifestyle etc. 

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work-The Metabolism Behind It

Fasting and metabolism are interlinked, and the rate of feeding, as well as the gap between meals, has an impact on metabolism. Before one appreciates the utility of intermittent fasting, one must understand the critical role that the hormone insulin plays in regulating blood glucose levels. So here is how fasting and blood sugar levels are related.

Secreted by the pancreas, insulin plays a critical role in controlling blood glucose levels. Now insulin resistance is a condition where the person cannot function with normal levels of insulin. Insulin sensitivity, on the other hand, is how well a person reacts to blood glucose levels. Simply put, a person who is insulin sensitive can metabolize glucose correctly with the normal levels of insulin. So, a person who is insulin resistant is less insulin sensitive.

Generally, increased adiposity or deposition of more fats in the body’s organs is seen as a proximate cause of type 2 diabetes. What intermittent fasting does is it initiates metabolic reprogramming by signaling the fat stored in the organs to produce glucose and hence reduce adiposity. Moreover, reduced calorie intake at regular intervals is known to promote healthy aging by activating AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase). 

Intermittent Fasting Vis-A-Vis Starvation

Starving is unregulated and prolonged nutrition deprivation, unlike intermittent fasting, which involves regulated rhythmic cycles of fasting and feeding.

An interesting fact worth noting is that intermittent fasting is neither the same as starving nor does it give similar metabolic results. On the contrary, fasting is harmful and may result in insulin resistance. 

Other Health Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting

Most people take up IF to gradually reduce weight or to keep their blood glucose levels in check if they have a predisposition for type 2 diabetes. However, there are other lesser-known health benefits of IF as well, and some of them are discussed below.

Impact On Longevity

A long life and healthy life is the end goal for the proponents of a healthy diet and IF contributes directly and indirectly (via type 2 diabetes control) towards that very goal. Studies have shown that calorie restriction paradigms have a positive effect on increasing the lifespan of subjects. Although IF is not the same as calorie restriction, it somewhat mimics that paradigm and is likely to have a positive impact on longevity.

Effect On Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is associated with disease especially of the heart and liver. Studies have shown that the IF paradigm helped in the reduction of inflammation markers. 

Types Of IF Paradigms: Intermittent Fasting Schedules

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IF involves a rhythmic feed-fast cycle, but the period for which one avoids food varies. Some of the most common time variations practiced in IF, that is, the different intermittent fasting schedules, are discussed here.

16/8 Fasting Method

In this case, the subjects eat in a time window of 8 hours and then fast for the next 16 hours in a day. Now, the time for which one eats can vary. Some people prefer eating from five in the morning to one at noon, whereas others prefer eating from five in the evening to twelve at night. Now, the period one chooses depends on several factors like the subject’s sleep-wake cycle, the climatic conditions that they live in, their lifestyle choices etc.

5:2 Diet

Another popular way of practicing IF is the 5:2 method, where the subject eats for five days and then fasts for two days.

One Day A Week

In this case, the subjects fast for one day in the week and consume a regular diet for the rest of six days.

Safe Implementation Of The Intermittent Fasting Paradigm

Choose The Right Paradigm

There is no good or bad IF paradigm. All of the paradigms listed above are effective and safe. Yet the effectiveness varies from one individual to another. So, pick the paradigm that fits well with your lifestyle.

Consult A Doctor Before Starting

When one wonders if intermittent fasting is safe for everyone, the answer is both yes and no. Intermittent fasting is quite safe for healthy adults yet there are certain exceptions. Young children and pregnant women should not try IF. Also, if someone is undergoing treatment for type- 2 diabetes (taking insulin), then they should avoid IF or consult a doctor before starting the paradigm.

Drink Lots of Water

Staying hydrated during the fasting period helps. Staying hydrated ensures that you do not feel hungry when you are fasting. Water is known to suppress appetite. Also, in some cases, when a person is thirty, the brain may be mistaken to feel hunger instead of thirst, and this may lead to unnecessary snacking. So, as a rule of thumb, always stay hydrated when fasting.

Eat A Balanced Diet When Not Fasting

In the periods when the subject is not fasting, he should consume a well-balanced diet that is rich in all the vitamins, minerals, fibers etc. 

Be Consistent in Your Efforts

Having a firm resolve is the only way by which you will be able to complete the IF regime.

Final Words

The purpose of this blog post is to describe what intermittent fasting is and how it works. The blog provides details on the science behind intermittent fasting and weight loss. It also furnishes details of the metabolic mechanisms that might be at work when a person practices intermittent fasting. Further, this blog discusses the popular schedules for intermittent fasting, including the 16/8 fasting method and the 5:2 Diet. Finally, it provides some simple tips to follow through the intermittent fasting plan.