What is intermittent fasting?

intermittent fasting (for HP-CH)

When you ask people about their good intentions, most people answer: “I want to lose weight.” That's why many start dieting at the beginning of the year. However, it is more effective and healthier to take regular eating breaks: The trend is intermittent fasting. But how healthy is that? And how do you start?

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is about limiting eating to a specific period of time. So it is actually a form of fasting.

Even though the trend is still relatively new, humanity has been accustomed to phases without food since time immemorial. Our ancestors did not always have food available. They ate when hunting or gathering was successful and fasted when nothing was there. The body has methods to survive these periods of hunger because it can store energy reserves.

In doing so, it also reduces energy consumption. And when the hunger phase persists for several days, he begins to break down muscle protein.

Intermittent fasting has an advantage here — even over crash diets, which also shut down the metabolism. This is because fasting for a few hours does not lead to a loss of muscle mass, and the yo-yo effect, which is very feared when dieting, does not occur.

Intermittent fasting and autophagy

When the fasting phase lasts at least twelve hours, something special happens in the body: Autophagy sets in. This is a cleaning process in which damaged and aged cells are repaired, recycled or broken down. Autophagy plays an important role in fighting infections, reduces stress and helps prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer and Parkinson's disease.

Other benefits of intermittent fasting

The eating break ensures that sugar and fat metabolism improve. If you combine them with a healthy diet, you 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 in reduced calories for a few days a week, while others eat normally. Others rely on daily fasting for a few hours.

5:2 method: Here, you can eat as usual five days a week, and the intake is reduced to 500 to 800 (women) or 600 to 850 calories (men) on two days. 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 shouldn't be in a row. Choose what works best for you. And: On fasting days, it is recommended not to do high-intensity sports sessions. This form of fasting is easy to integrate into everyday life.

1:1 method: It is also known as alternating fasting. You always eat alternately on one day and fast the following day — you only drink water, broth, unsweetened tea or unsweetened coffee. It is important here that you eat a nutrient-rich and balanced diet so that there are no symptoms of deficiency. Problem: This form is not so easy to integrate into everyday life because you are actually not allowed to eat anything on fasting days.

16:8 method: It is the most well-known form of intermittent fasting. You can eat eight hours a day, abstain from food for 16 hours. That may sound difficult at first, but you simply skip breakfast or dinner. Example: If you don't eat anything after 5 PM, you can eat your next meal after 9 AM the next day.

Because it is difficult to get the same amount of calories during the eight-hour eating phase as in a day without limits, you automatically lose weight. However, you should prefer a healthy diet with complex carbohydrates, vegetables and fruit.

Is intermittent fasting suitable for everyone?

If you eat a whole diet during the eating phases, you do not risk any deficiency symptoms. In general, healthy adults can easily adopt this diet. Anyone suffering from diabetes or other illnesses should talk to their doctor in advance. Experts also advise very slim people against intermittent fasting because they would rather lose muscle mass than fat.

The nutritionists at Holmes Place will be happy to give you tips on which diet is particularly suitable for you. On request, they can also provide you with an individual diet plan and support in persevering.

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