Contents:

• What is intermittent fasting?
• What are the most popular IF types?
• Healthy menu during the break Fasting is a guarantee of success
• What can we gain from intermittent fasting?
• Contraindications for intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting, abbreviated as IF, is an increasingly popular diet among people who want to maintain a slim figure, eat healthily, and at the same time not give up their favorite foods. Intermittent fasting can be practiced in several ways, and this type of diet does not require great sacrifices from us. However, as with any menu with which we want to lose unnecessary pounds, we should also exercise moderation and common sense, limiting or, ideally, eliminating unhealthy and highly processed products. So let's take a look at what intermittent fasting is, what types there are, what is best to eat and what to avoid when practicing it.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting involves fasting between meals, known as the eating window. The fasting period can last several hours a day or only on select days of the week. By eating only during the eating window, we naturally consume fewer calories, and during the fast, the body draws on fat and sugar reserves. As the fasting period becomes longer and the time allocated for eating shorter, the body begins to burn more fat tissue. The eating window is intended to create a negative calorie balance, and we should nourish our bodies with healthy, nutrient-rich foods during this time.

What are the most popular IF types?

Intermittent fasting methods vary depending on how much time we devote to fasting and how much time we devote to the eating window. For example, one method might be:

• 16/8 intermittent fasting – that is, 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours during which we can eat as much as we want, preferably healthy and nutritious meals rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, and healthy fats. This means that the eating window can last, for example, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This is a relatively easy diet to follow and doesn't require any major sacrifices on our part.
• 5/2 intermittent fasting – this model assumes a period of “normal” eating on 5 days a week and 2 selected days during which the amount of calories consumed should be limited to 20% of the daily requirement, i.e. 600 calories per day.
• Intermittent fasting 16:1 – means that we eat for 6 days and fast one day a week,
• With 20/4 intermittent fasting, you abstain from food for 20 hours, leaving a four-hour eating window. During this time, it's worth eating two nutritious meals, preferably warm ones. This method is the most difficult and not recommended for everyone.

Healthy menu during the break Fasting is a guarantee of success

The main principle of the IF diet allows you to eat as many meals as you like during the eating window. While both the quantity and quality of food may not seem to be the most important thing in this situation, it is actually important to choose healthy and filling foods. If we eat foods rich in trans fats, sugar, and glucose-fructose syrup during the eating window, we will not get the nutrients valuable to our health, and fasting will not bring the expected results. Intermittent fasting works well if we choose balanced meals during the eating window based on the principles of a healthy diet. They should be composed in such a way that they provide the body with adequate amounts of macronutrients, vitamins, and healthy fats.

Therefore, let's include fresh vegetables and fruits in our diet, sources of vitamins, microelements, and fiber—nutrients that support the proper functioning of the body, aid bowel function, and also provide a feeling of satiety. During intermittent fasting, it's worth including foods like broccoli, spinach , and sprouts in your diet. Avocados are definitely worth reaching for, as they're a valuable source of unsaturated fatty acids. Instead of sweets, choose berries, all kinds of raspberries, and blueberries. During IF, it's also worth switching from wheat bread to whole-grain bread. Don't forget about regular hydration; fasting doesn't exclude water and herbal teas, and during the eating window, you can drink your favorite coffee with milk.

What can we gain from intermittent fasting?

When used rationally and correctly, an IF diet can contribute to the loss of excess fat, lower cholesterol levels, and even improve sleep quality by avoiding overeating at night. Low physical activity, unhealthy diet, stress, and a constantly hectic lifestyle are problems that affect most adults. Regular and sensible use of intermittent fasting can help solve these problems. Regular fasting is relatively easy to integrate into our daily lives and, at the same time, requires minimal sacrifice. In summary, the benefits of intermittent fasting are:

• Reduction of fatty tissue,
• reduced risk of diabetes,
• Reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases,
• Body regeneration,
• better sleep quality.

Contraindications for intermittent fasting

The IF diet is not recommended for diabetics, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with hormonal problems, diseases of the digestive tract, kidneys, liver, eating disorders and people who do physical work.