Living a healthy lifestyle is important to everyone and because of this there is a lot of information out there about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. One trend in the world of “dieting” is intermittent fasting. There is a lot of information about intermittent fasting and it can become difficult to understand. If you are considering this type of change to your current eating habits, there are a few things that you should know and understand. One of the best ways to get started when it comes to understanding intermittent fasting is to know that there are several ways to go about it. Here are some of the types of intermittent fasting to consider.
No Calorie Restriction Intermittent Fasting
This type of intermittent fasting is a popular version because it is very easy to follow. It is also appealing because it allows for indulgence. The basic formula for this type of intermittent fasting is that on day one you do not eat and on day two you eat whatever you want. During a fasting day you will only drink water, black coffee, and herbal teas. On feast days, you are allowed to eat whatever you would like.
Calorie Restriction Intermittent Fasting
This variation of fasting will allow a person to feast every other day, but on the feast days the caloric intake is limited to 150 percent of typical food intake. On fasting days, only water, herbal teas, and black coffee is allowed. This variation is not as appealing to some because it requires you to monitor your intake of calories on the days that you are not fasting. In addition, there are some people who do not want any limitations for the days they are allowed to eat.
Time Restricted Eating
The time restricted eating form of intermittent fasting is popular as well. In this version a person will restrict the hours of the day that they are allowed to eat. For example, a person may eat for only 6 to 8 hours of the day and then completely fast the rest of the day. During the time that a person is allowed to eat, the types of food that they eat may also be restricted. Some people do not limit what they are allowed to eat during their eating window.
Periodic Fasting
Periodic fasting involves an eating pattern that involves fasting occasionally for parts of the week or the month. For example, one form of this is called alternate day fasting, which allows you to eat five days a week and fast for two. The two fasting days are not back to back and have an eating day in between.
Pros and Cons
There are pros and cons to all types of intermittent fasting. In the end it really comes down to personal preference. The main idea behind fasting is to provide the body with a time to rebalance and for your blood sugar and insulin levels to reset. This can help a person lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle when done correctly.