We understand your curiosity about intermittent fasting and fat loss. You may have heard people talking about how it has helped them offload huge amounts of fat without necessarily changing their diets.
Well, why would you dwell on hearsay when there is much to learn through proven results? For many years, you have been advised to consume small portions throughout the day in order to manage your blood sugar levels and appetite but you don’t seem to be sure.
Maybe frequently eating does not give you the pleasure you so badly need and therefore have decided to have it full. You may have also noticed that there are quite a variety of diet books that back the use of intermittent fasting in weight loss, but still you don’t understand which among the stories you hear are scientifically proven and which ones are mere myths. We have the answers here!.
Intermittent fasting – What is it?
Putting yourself on a strategic diet plan so that you can stay without eating for a short period, let’s say for 12 to 48 hours, then followed by an even shorter period of eating (8-24) is what is referred to as intermittent fasting. However, intermittent fasting comes in various forms but all of them focus on restricted caloric intake over a certain period of time followed by a “feeding window.”
There are a number of popular protocols that must be observed during intermittent fasting. Here are some examples:
- Alternate day fasting – This involves fasting for 36 hours followed by a 12-hour feeding window.
- LeanGains (Martin Berkhan) – Involves staying without food for 16 hours followed by an 8-hour feeding break. According to studies, Martin’s approach to intermittent fasting is based on science and skepticism as compared to other approaches. He doesn’t overlook the benefits of calories or other important macronutrients.
- 8 Hours of Dieting (David Zinczenko) – This is more or less similar to LeanGains’ 16/8-hour timing.
- Eat-Stop-Eat (Brad Pilon) – This involves fasting for 24 hours 2 times every week. Just like in Berkhan’s approach, Pilon appreciates the role calories play in fat loss.
- The Fast-5 Diet (Bert Herring) – Involves observing a 19-hour fasting and breaking it with a 5-hour feeding window.
- The 5:2 Diet (Kate Harrison) – This is where men and women eat 600 and 500 calories respectively two days/week followed by a normal feeding plan for the remaining days of the week. However, experts say this is almost similar to caloric restriction rather than intermittent fasting.
- The Warrior Diet (Ori Hofmekler) – Here, you will be required to fast for 24 hours and observe a 4-hour feeding break. Considering that in The Warrior Diet one is permitted to eat fruits and vegetables while fasting, it isn’t a complete intermittent fasting plan but somewhat closer to it.
Given that we now have a clear picture of what intermittent fasting is, we can now dig deep and see how this is supposed to assist in fat loss. There are three main reasons why intermittent fasting should help you lose weight. These include:
- It enables you to burn fat without going into a caloric deficit.
- Given the same amount of caloric deficit, intermittent fasting helps you lose large amounts of fat and less muscle.
- It is easier to maintain your caloric deficit, hence burning more fat in the process.
Can One Lose Weight Without Reducing Calorie Intake?
There is no proof that during intermittent fasting one can lose weight without experiencing a caloric deficit. Most studies on calorie restriction indicate the same weight loss results in all people.
According to controlled studies, there is no influence on the amount of energy used or weight loss even if you frequently alter your meals – eating more often or not. It is common for people to shed fat during intermittent fasting but also experience a caloric deficit. In this case, there is a close relationship between the amount of weight lost and the size of caloric deficit.
A certain study found that when you eat a single meal instead of 3 daily without reducing your calorie intake, your body burns 4.4 pounds of fat and gains about 2 pounds of lean muscle mass in a span of 8 weeks.
However, the study has some flaws that make the findings worthless. The most obvious shortcoming of the study is that the researchers analyzed the composition of the body using an impeded bioelectrical method, which is inaccurate especially on people who are fasting.
A study says that fasting, if done sensibly, can show positive results for reducing weight. Another study indicated that intermittent fasting does showcase promising results for weight management, however, the studies made until now have been on a limited sample size. Extensive research is required to highlight and delve deeper about its role in weight loss.
Can Pills help in reducing weight?
Yes and No. The answer would completely depend on your body type as there cannot be a one-size-fits all solution. Typically they aid in reducing appetite and boosting your fat burning capability.
Although it is no substitute for consumption of healthy diet and other fasting techniques, they can aid in overall weight management and help get quicker results. Thus, you may consider intake of top weight-loss supplements for managing your weight.
However, it is best to talk with your physician to avoid risks of overdose or any other side-effect. Studies say that a well-informed patient, a good brand, and a physician who has thorough knowledge of the herbs or ingredients would be the key for safe intake of weight loss supplements.
Oneshot Keto is an all-natural weight loss, energy boosting supplement that is said to work effectively after 30 days of use. It helps in enhancing your keto levels. The makers claim that it is 100% risk-free provided necessary precautions are taken.
Another popular weight loss pill is Skald Oxydynamic Fat Scorcher. As the name suggests, it is a fat-burner supplement and helps you with increased energy levels and enhanced metabolism for your workout regimes.
Toxiburn Reviews also state a lot about the effectiveness of this product. It helps boost the metabolism of the body naturally and remove toxins from the body and reduce stress on your liver.
Conclusion
An early study that carried out its survey using the DXA – dual X-ray absorptiometry, a more precise method, did not record any difference in body composition at the end of a 14-day alternate fasting and a constant calorie consumption.
However, at least three studies have confirmed the fact that after fasting for 36 to 72 hours a minor increase in resting energy spent occurs but it is unlikely to influence the weight loss results.
It is not also clear whether the changes can be sustained with repeated fasting or if they are subject to offsetting by other factors related to intermittent fasting. But the most important point to note here is that after looking at the theories and facts, there is enough proof that intermittent fasting can help you lose fat faster.
Study Links:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5545612/
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