Tag / Intermittentfasting

by Chantel Chansa

How does Intermittent Fasting work?

If you have read my previous blog “what is IF” then you have a small idea of what it is and how it is different from Deep Fasting (DF). This post I will go into details on how IF works, what changes I made to my diet, and what method I used most. I will also post App(s) that I used to help me keep track of my time. Links that I display, or Apps that I suggest, I do not get any type of incentives. Hopefully, down the road, I can make that possible.

Now, let’s move forward. Most Americans’ normal eating cycles differ greatly with IF, especially if they eat throughout their waking hours. In this nation, most people eat three meals a day, plus snacks. So, every time they eat, they are running on those calories and not burning the fat that is stored in the body. This is how weight is gained.

There are several different ways to customize IF to work for you, but they all are based on choosing a set time schedule to eat and fast. This is referred to as Time Restricted Fasting (TRF). The fasting timeframes start as low as 13 hours fasting and 11 hours eating. (The 13:11 window. This time frame is a great first step into introducing IF to your body and mind.) Next is the most commonly used timeframe, which is the 16:8. Others are 18:6, 20:4, and One Meal A Day (OMAD). Once you hit 24 hours of fasting, you will begin the process of getting into the Deep Fasting Stage (DFS). The longer you go, the more health benefits you will reap. It does sound crazy and unachievable, but it IS achievable. Many people have been able to do this, so it is not rare at all. I have a chart below that you can visually see the timeframes.

There is another method of fasting than just hours in a day, I call it, Ratio Fasting (RF) 5:2. This eating for five days and fasting for two. However, you can make your RF how you desire to fit your needs or goals. The charts below can give you a visual idea of how all this works.

When I started IF, I did start at a low timeframe and worked my way up to my goal. I, at times, did unintentionally exceed my goal, but I reaped the rewards of feeling so much better, especially the next day. The main timeframe that I use is the 16:8. Once I get myself back into the swing of fasting again, it’s much easier to maintain. I TRY not to stray away from fasting too long. When I implement my fasting, I normally do it about four or five days a week. In the beginning, I did just two days a week, and then worked my way up. I thought it would be hard, but it truly wasn’t. Implementing IF has done wonders for me and my overall health. I am certainly happy that I gave it a try. The App that I have been using to help track my time of fasting is Zero. It is free with both Apple and Android phones. However, there are other fasting apps you can choose from to use, but of course, use what benefits you most.

In conclusion, IF has been studied by many doctors who have tried and recommended it to their patients who have various health issues to serious health concerns. All patients who did participate in IF had extremely positive life changing results. However, there are many Healthcare professionals who are not aware of how incredible fasting is for one’s body, and how it can allow your body to naturally heal itself, just as it was designed to do. Now that you have an idea of how IF works, I hope this will help you on choosing a timeframe, or even customizing it to fit your daily routine. With IF you can start the journey of living a heathier life. My next post will be what foods are suggested while inside your eating window, plus what happens to our bodies when we fast.

***DISCLAIMERS***

  • I AM NOT A TRAINED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL OF ANY SORT.
  • ALL INFORMATION ABOVE IS FROM MY OWN PERSONAL RESEARCH AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
  • FASTING OF ANY KIND IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED FOR CHILDREN AND THOSE WITH EATING DISORDERS.
by Chantel Chansa

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittment Fasting (IF) is any various meal timing schedules that cycle between voluntary fasting, and non-fasting, over a given period. (Wikipedia definition) The methods of IF include: alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting, and daily time-restricted feedings. John Hopkins School of Medicine says research show that IF is a way to manage and prevent, or even reverse, some forms of disease. Many diets focus on what you eat, while IF focuses on when you eat. I do agree that it is very important to monitor what you eat, because it is a major factor in your daily health eating habits. It’s much harder today, than 50 years ago, to maintain a good healthy weight. Today, we are presented with larger food portions and processed foods. Let us not forget that we have all sort of 24/7 entertainment available, which contributes to many adults and children staying awake longer. Staying alert longer means more sitting and snacking, versus 50 years ago when the TV was off at 11pm and children played outside. Many people have made this transition slowly, without even realizing it. If you think about it, this transition was slowly made over decades. Now it is considered a normal part of life with how, and what, we eat. We also have a higher percentage of all kinds of diseases now than 50 years ago.

So, you’re probably asking what the difference is between Fasting and IF. Well, I did a little research and found some pretty good information on Simple Roots Wellness website (SRW) that I agreed with the most. SRW said that there is a HUGE difference between IF and Fasting, they label fasting as Prolonged fasting. Their approach to fasting and IF is, IF should be considered a normal way of life and not in itself fasting. Fasting is going three to five days without food, or with very little of it. There are pros to IF for everyday health, but the Prolonged (Deep) fasting is where the massive health benefits are found. https://simplerootswellness.com/intermittent-fasting-vs-prolonged-fasting/

Prior to my knowledge about IF, I always thought that fasting was not eating for three days or more, which is true, BUT, I did not know fasting could pretty much be customized to achieve the prolonged fasting, which I like to refer to as DEEP FASTING. I also thought that fasting was only for Biblical reasons, which is also true, but there are many reasons in Biblical fasting, as well. (Fasting and the Bible I will save for a special post at another time) I personally have not completed more than 26 hours of fasting, and that only happened once by accident.

Overall, either of these fasting methods are very beneficial in weight loss, or just trying to improve your health. Improving your health is not always about losing weight, though a majority of the time, that is a person’s goal. There are some people who want to get toxins out of their bodies quickly so, when they eat the correct foods, those foods can be absorbed to be beneficial to their health. In my personal experience, IF has been the best for my weight loss, and it boosted my overall health. In my next post, I will go into more detail about how IF works and what is the most used method.

****DISCLAIMER**** I am not a trained Healthcare professional of any sort. Please talk with your HCP when you want to make any changes in your diet. This post is just my research and personal experience.