Intermittent fasting has been one of the most talked-about diet trends in recent years, and with good reason. It can help you shed weight much faster than dieting on you while improving your cholesterol levels and reducing your risk of heart disease. But how much weight can you lose by intermittent fasting? The answer may surprise you. Here’s how it works.
Fast on fewer calories than you burn
When intermittent fasting, you’re only supposed to eat what you need to reach your goals—not necessarily what you want. To avoid overeating, make sure your calorie count doesn’t exceed what you need in a day. For example, if you need 2,000 calories per day and fast for 16 hours a day (8 hours at night and 8 hours during your typical workday), you’re eating 1,000 calories on fasting days. Ensure those calories come from nutrient-dense foods like lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. If you don’t know how many calories you should be eating each day, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Eat your normal diet the rest of the time.
The intermittent fasting plan isn’t easy, but it’s sustainable. In essence, you eat whatever you want for five days of your week—however much food you want, whenever you want. Then, you cut out all calories for two days of your week (often called a fasting-mimicking diet, or FMD). However, within those two days of calorie-cutting, it is possible to go about your day as usual. For example, if someone eats dinner on Tuesday night and skips breakfast Wednesday morning before starting an intermittent fast until lunchtime on Thursday, they are technically fasting from Tuesday night until Thursday lunchtime. This schedule has been shown to have health benefits such as reducing risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease while improving cognitive function and mood.
Manage Cravings
Hunger pangs are one of the main reasons why people struggle to lose weight or can’t maintain their new healthy lifestyle. Implementing intermittent fasting will help get rid of them and make it easier to stick to a healthy diet long-term. Learn how IF can help you shed pounds safely by finding out what type is best for you!
There are several types of intermittent fasting diets, so choosing which one works best for your body isn’t difficult. It all comes down to trial and error—try each option and see which ones help curb your cravings and make it easier to achieve your desired results.
Track Your Weight Loss Progress
If you’re trying to lose weight fast, staying on top of how much weight you’ve lost can be a challenge. Since it often takes a few weeks or months for most people to see their results, tracking your weight loss progress helps keep yourself accountable and motivated throughout your journey. There are many ways to track your progress, from writing down numbers in a notebook or journal to using an app on your phone. And if you want some extra motivation, consider setting goals for yourself along the way—for example, maybe your goal is to fit into a certain size by a specific date. The more specific you get with your goals, the better!
Is Intermittent Fasting Effective for Weight Loss?
There is some evidence to suggest that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight. One could also say that there are mixed outcomes, with some people claiming they lost a few pounds in a week while others say they didn’t experience any weight loss after months of intermittent fasting.
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Karin
