Was ist Intervallfasten?
In the premium fitness clubs at Holmes Place, we don't just offer you countless ways to keep fit. You can also be accompanied by our nutritionists.
Intermittent fasting
When you ask people what their resolutions are, most people say, "I want to lose weight." That's why many start a diet at the beginning of the year. However, it is more effective and healthier to take regular breaks from eating: intermittent fasting is the trend. But how healthy is that? And how do you start?
In the premium fitness clubs at Holmes Place, we don't just offer you countless ways to keep fit. You can also be accompanied by our nutritionists.
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is all about limiting eating to a specific amount of time. So it is actually a form of fasting.
Even if the trend is still relatively new: Mankind has been used to phases without food since primeval times. Our ancestors did not always have food available. They ate when the hunt or gathering was successful and fasted when there was none. The body has methods of surviving these periods of hunger because it can store energy reserves.
It also reduces energy consumption. And if the starvation phase lasts for several days, he begins to break down the muscle protein.
Intermittent fasting has an advantage here - even compared to crash diets, in which the metabolism is also shut down. Because fasting for a few hours does not lead to a loss of muscle mass, and the feared yo-yo effect with diets does not occur.
Intermittent fasting and autophagy
If the fasting phase lasts at least twelve hours, something special happens in the body: autophagy begins. This is a cleansing process in which damaged and aged cells are repaired, recycled or broken down. Autophagy plays an important role in fighting infections, counteracts stress and helps prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer and Parkinson's.
Other benefits of intermittent fasting
The break in eating ensures that the sugar and fat metabolism improves. If you combine it with a healthy diet, you will burn more calories because the break makes it difficult to eat the same amount of food as before.
What forms are there?
Some intermittent fasting methods involve eating calorie-restricted for a few days of the week and eating normally on the others. Others rely on daily fasting for a few hours.
5:2 method: Here you can eat as usual five days a week, on two days the intake is reduced to 500 to 800 (women) or 600 to 850 calories (men). Simple carbohydrates such as pasta, potatoes, sugar and wheat products should be completely avoided on these days. It is important to drink a lot (calorie-free drinks). The days with fewer calories should not be consecutive. Choose what suits you best. And: On the fasting days, it is recommended not to do any high-intensity sports units. This form of fasting is easy to integrate into everyday life.
1:1 method: It is also known as alternating fasting. Always alternating between eating on one day and fasting on the following day – you then only drink water, broth, unsweetened tea or unsweetened coffee. It is important here that you eat a nutritious and balanced diet on the eating days so that there are no deficiency symptoms. Problem: This form is not so easy to integrate into everyday life because you are actually not allowed to eat anything on the fasting days.
16:8 method: It is the most well-known form of intermittent fasting. Eight hours a day you can eat, 16 hours without food. This may sound difficult at first, but you simply skip breakfast or dinner. Example: If you do not eat anything after 5 p.m. in the evening, you can eat the next meal from 9 a.m. the next day.
Because it's hard to get the same calorie count during the 8-hour eating phase as you would on an unrestricted day, you automatically lose weight. However, you should prefer a healthy diet with complex carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits.
Is intermittent fasting suitable for everyone?
If you eat a wholesome diet during the eating phases, you do not risk any deficiency symptoms. In general, healthy adults can adopt this diet without any problems. If you suffer from diabetes or other diseases, you should speak to your doctor beforehand. Experts also advise very lean people against intermittent fasting because they would rather lose muscle mass than fat.
The nutritionists at Holmes Place will be happy to give you advice on which form of nutrition is particularly beneficial for you. They can also provide you with an individual nutrition plan and support you with persevering if you wish.