She Lost 30 Pounds In Just 5 Weeks By Doing This – And It Didn’t Cost Her A Single Penny!
Ishani has over 5 years of experience in writing articles related to beauty, lifestyle, health, and wellness. She loves to read, write, cook, and travel. A nerd at heart, she spends her free time learning new things on the internet and likes to paint.
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That fat. It just doesn’t want to go away. Like that clingy ex-boyfriend who just doesn’t want to give up – it sticks to you and grabs attention at every opportunity it gets. Jeans? I will spill out from the top. Shorts? Say hi to thunder thighs. T-shirts? Welcome, back rolls. Arrrgh…it’s infuriating! I know the frustration – been there, done that. But what if I told you that there is one way to get rid of that fat once and for all, and that too, without shelling out a single penny?
STOP! Before you brush off this article as an advertisement gimmick, give me 10 minutes of your time. It may change your life. What I am talking about is a diet trend that has taken over the internet like a storm – intermittent fasting. Did I just use the word ‘fasting’? And, did it freak you out? Are the words ‘Starvation Mode’ and ‘Slow Metabolism’ whirling around in your head? Your fears are baseless! There, I said it!
Now, I know what argument you would be putting forward. We need to eat six small meals a day to lose weight. No, we don’t. Weight loss is an insulin game. The more insulin your body secretes, the more the chances of you piling on the pounds. Each time you eat, your body secretes insulin. And if it is a sugary carb treat, God forbid. Your insulin levels go haywire, and those fat droplets lovingly embrace every part of your body. So, what do you do?
Fast. No food, no insulin hike. No insulin hike, your body will finally use the stored fats for energy. If you are constantly feeding your body, why would it even tap into your fat stores? Give your body a break!
Types Of Intermittent Fasting
1. The 16:8 Method
This is the easiest of them all. You fast daily for 16 hours, and eat what you want in the 8-hour window. Ideally, this should be done almost daily. Is the thought of doing a 16-hour fast freaking you out? Well, it includes the time you sleep. So, you either skip breakfast and fast till lunch, or have your food carnival in the morning and skip dinner. Totally your call, but great results.
2. The 20:4 Method
This method shows faster results than the 16:8 method. Here, you fast for 20 hours and eat within a 4-hour window. Yes, you get to eat more and are more satisfied than continual grazing.
3. The 24-Hour Fast Method
This is tougher to do, but trust me, uncountable women have benefited from this. You either fast from dinner to dinner, lunch to lunch or breakfast to breakfast. People generally do this two to three times a week, but if you are a healthy individual with no medical requirements, no harm in doing it several times a week.
4. The 36-Hour Fast Method
This method involves fasting for one entire day, and then some. For example, after you finish dinner on Day 1, you will have to skip all meals on Day 2 and eat breakfast on Day 3. Very, very effective. It can be done 2-3 times a week after you get used to fasting.
5. The 5:2 Fast Method
Popularized by British journalist and doctor Michael Mosley, this diet is relatively easy to follow. In this method, you eat regularly for five days and fast for two. However, you can eat up to 500 calories on the days you fast. If you want to wean into fasting, this would be a good way to start.
6. The Alternate Day Fasting Method
As the name suggests, this involves eating normally one day, then fasting for another, then eating again on the third day. This shows great results, but is quite tough to do, unless you have gotten used to fasting.
7. The Warrior Diet
Popularized by fitness expert Ori Hofmekler, this promotes eating very small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day, and eating one huge meal at night – whatever you want! This diet is based on the philosophy that our ancestors ate this way.
8. The Eat-Stop-Eat Method
This method was popularized by fitness expert Brad Pilon. It involves a 24-hour fast, either once or twice per week. You can drink water, coffee, and other non-caloric beverages during the fast, but abstain from eating solid food.
9. The Long Fast Method
This involves fasting for 42 hours and beyond. It’s best you seek your doctor’s approval before trying this. But for healthy individuals, it should not be a problem.
Some Other Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
- Regulates hormones
- Facilitates cell repair
- Reduces insulin resistance and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes
- Reduces inflammation and oxidative stress
- May help prevent cancer
- May help prevent Alzheimer’s disease
- May extend your lifespan
Who Shouldn’t Fast
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Sick and elderly
- Growing children
- Malnourished or underweight women
- Women with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia
Who Need To Exercise Caution
- If you are on any medication.
- Diabetic patients – it’s a must you do it under a doctor’s supervision. Fasting can help reverse diabetes, so take the effort and reach out to professionals supporting this cause if you feel you need a second opinion.
Tips To Make Fasting Easier
- Drink like a fish – water, that is.
- Opt for green tea or black coffee if you are too hungry. You can add ghee/butter/coconut oil to it, but it may slow your weight loss.
- Try to combine fasting with a Ketogenic or LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) diet to make the process easier.
Dr. Jason Fung, a Toronto-based nephrologist and well respected in the healthcare community says, “There are so many different ways that it’s (fasting) beneficial. You can add it to any diet. If you’re vegetarian, you can still fast. If you don’t eat nuts, if you have an allergy to meat, if you can’t cook, you can still fast. Any diet can be improved by fasting. It’s so powerful. You can continue fasting as long as you want until you get the benefits that you want. The world record is 382 days. You can go a long time powered on your own body fat.”
Here’s a video by Dr. Fung. Take a peek:
People have fasted since ages for religious purposes. It is OK to fast – it won’t kill you. It will only make you healthier and get rid of the unwanted pounds. Not to mention, there are several other benefits that fasting provides. So, give it a try, and thank me later. It might just change your life!
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