The holiday season is upon us and most people are longing for it. Especially after months of travel restrictions due to pandemics, many vacationers are now heading to the beach. But there is usually one catch:unnecessary extra pounds that have accumulated during the cold season and during the lockdown.
While thick clothing in winter hides bacon rolls well, summer fashion mercilessly emphasizes every pound in excess. But how do you get yourself fit again in time for the start of your holiday and above all healthy? Intermittent fasting is a weight loss method that is becoming increasingly popular. Here we explain what this is all about and how effective it is.
Intermittent fasting has many benefits
Intermittent fasting sets certain time windows in which people eat or go without food. This stimulates the body's self-cleaning process, known as autophagy, for cell cleansing, cell regeneration and cell building. The desired effect of intermittent fasting is usually long-term weight loss. This form of weight loss has many benefits. This improves blood pressure, blood lipids and insulin resistance and sleep. Intermittent fasting is therefore also suitable for people with a high fat content in the blood, cardiovascular diseases, obesity or type 2 diabetes mellitus.
How does intermittent fasting work?
There are different intervals that can be chosen for the fasting period. A common method is 16:8 intermittent fasting. Here you can eat within eight hours and then not eat at all for 16 hours. During Lent, energy-free drinks such as water or unsweetened tea can be drunk. A healthy and balanced diet is recommended with meals to lose weight and prevent diabetes. Legumes, vegetables, lettuce, nuts, poultry, fish, as well as dairy and whole grain products are good options. Sugar and white flour products should be avoided.
The 2-day diet allows you to eat normally five days a week, while the other two days you can eat a maximum of 500 to 600 calories. On these fasting days, for example, vegetables and fruit or vegetable soups can be eaten.
With dinner cancellation, fasting is done in the evening on several days. The meal break until breakfast should be at least 2 pm. This relieves insulin levels and encourages weight loss.
Another method is an alternate day fast. Alternatively, one eats within twelve hours of a day and then a day without food, up to 36 hours. This fasting method has several advantages, such as lowering belly fat, weight and inflammation parameters, lowering cholesterol levels as well as blood pressure and blood sugar levels and stimulating fat burning. There are no dietary restrictions on meal days.
Is intermittent fasting healthy?
During the fasting intervals, the body has time to regenerate and activate the self-cleansing process. If a fasting period of at least 14 to 17 hours is observed, cell renewal is possible. Exercise is also good and important for health and weight loss. However, intensive physical exertion and endurance training should be avoided on the fasting days. Otherwise, circulatory problems may arise because there is little glucose in the blood during fasting. Glycogen stores should be replenished after exercise. For example, isotonic drinks such as apple spritzer and protein-containing foods are suitable.
If you stick to the fasting intervals, eat well and exercise, you can lose weight permanently. Then nothing stands in the way of the long-awaited beach holiday.
