Intermittent Fasting: Healthy Weight Loss Without Diet

Intermittent fasting is trendy

Eating as you like - just not all day long. That is the successful principle of intermittent fasting. The beauty of it: you don't need to count calories and can adjust the method to your habits and eating behavior. That's why intermittent fasting is so popular.

Intermittent fasting is healthy

Intermittent fasting is said to have various health-promoting effects due to regular food deprivation. Intermittent fasting is believed to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. Furthermore, the results show that it can promote weight loss, especially by reducing the loss of lean body mass.

Intermittent fasting is in our nature

But why does this method work so well that currently so many people swear by it? Intermittent fasting, also known as interval fasting, is not a diet in the traditional sense. Essentially, this form of eating is our natural way of eating that has been ingrained in our genes for thousands of years. In ancient times, food had to be gathered and painstakingly prepared. Today, food is available at all times - constant eating and snacking on calorie-rich foods has led to obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

What methods are there for intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting means fasting within a specific time window or abstaining from food and caloric beverages. The following two variants are the most popular:

• 5:2 method: Normal eating occurs on 5 days of the week, while calorie intake is significantly reduced on two days.

• 16:8 method: There are 16 hours between the last meal of the previous day and the first meal of the day. Eating takes place in the remaining 8 hours.

Fasting according to the 5:2 method

Fasting according to the 5:2 method means: 5 days a week you can eat as usual without counting calories. On the remaining two days, calorie intake is reduced to 500 to 800 for women and 600 to 850 for men.

It is important to drink a lot of calorie-free beverages. Fast-digesting carbohydrates such as wheat bread, pasta, potatoes, and sugar should be avoided on fasting days. Instead, the focus should be on vegetables and whole grains such as brown rice or oatmeal, as well as protein-rich foods. The two fasting days should follow a fixed rhythm, for example on Mondays and Thursdays.

16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating

The simple principle of intermittent fasting: You eat three meals within an eight-hour window each day. For example, if you sleep from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., you already have an eight-hour fasting period. You can easily extend this fasting period by a few hours. For instance, if you have your last meal at 7 p.m. in the evening, you can eat again the next morning starting from 11 a.m.

The principle is simple, yet there are a few things you should consider if you want to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way.

1. Eating for 10 hours instead of 8 - is that possible too?

Even though the 16:8 method is popular, there is no scientific evidence that there must be exactly a 16-hour fasting period every day. Of course, the "risk" of overeating is always greater the more hours a day you can eat. However, you can still achieve great success in weight loss with a 15 or 14-hour fasting period. Feel free to start slowly at first - you can always increase later on.

2. How flexible is the time window in which I can eat?

Intermittent fasting adapts flexibly to your rhythm and even to changing daily routines. Are you very hungry in the morning and need a filling breakfast? Then set your eating window, for example, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If your preferred time to eat is in the evening, set your eating window, for example, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Any time window is possible and you should choose it according to your eating habits. Just keep in mind: there should be 16 hours (or if you prefer, 15 or 14 hours) between your last meal of the day and your first meal the next day. Have a birthday party or event coming up? If you have dinner plans, you can simply delay your first meal or breakfast the next day.

3. Snack less, lose weight

Intermittent fasting is not a traditional diet, but rather a way of eating. Our body effectively burns fat because fasting changes our metabolism. Our metabolism provides us with energy around the clock. Initially, it uses all available carbohydrates for this purpose. Only after about 12 hours of not eating does it start using our fat reserves. With a 16-hour break, our metabolism taps into our fat for about four hours. This is also why constant snacking leads to the growth of our fat stores. It's not necessarily about the quantity either. If we have even a small snack, fat burning stops immediately – as there is easily accessible energy again.

4. Losing weight without the yo-yo effect and counting calories

Typical crash diets mainly focus on eating less overall to save calories. If we go back to eating as usual after losing weight, the kilos quickly pile back on - the yo-yo effect strikes back. Our metabolism adjusts to the reduced amount of calories and lowers its consumption. In colloquial terms, it is said that the metabolism is "running on low flame".

Why doesn't this happen with intermittent fasting? During the eating window, we eat until we are full. We can and should eat sufficiently large meals that provide our body with all the nutrients it needs to keep the metabolism running. Instead of constantly eating too little, we eat nothing at all during the eating break. The metabolism does not slow down, but switches to fat burning - the best condition to effectively lose weight.

5. Eating everything without counting calories for real?

When intermittent fasting, you can eat until you are full at all meals. And there are basically no forbidden foods. You also don't have to avoid fats or carbohydrates.

Nevertheless, it is advantageous to place particular emphasis on fresh and balanced food that provides you with vitamins and trace elements all around. The positive effect on your weight and health will be even greater the more healthy foods you eat. There is no disputing that.

A balanced diet also includes enjoyment. Exceptions are allowed, as being too strict only leads to cravings. Basic rule: If you eat healthily 80 percent of the time, having fries, cake, or cream sauce occasionally won't harm you. During meal times, it's okay to have a glass of wine. However, keep in mind that alcohol strongly inhibits fat burning.

It is important: Listen to your body even during the eating phase. Are you really hungry? Or do you just feel like eating because you have the appetite and you are allowed to?

6. These drinks are allowed during the fasting period

Water and all kinds of tea, including green and black tea, are recommended. Can't imagine a morning without coffee for breakfast? You can enjoy black coffee, but during fasting, without sugar and milk. Any amount of milk in the coffee would interrupt fat burning due to the lactose it contains.

7. Pitfall for weight loss: Stress and lack of sleep

Have you not been successful in losing weight so far? Maybe it's due to your sleeping habits or you have too much stress. Because too little sleep and too little rest are bad conditions for losing weight. Being awake for a long time gives us a lot of time to eat. Additionally, when we don't get enough sleep, our body produces the hormone cortisol. This stress hormone promotes the growth of fat cells. Moreover, when we are under too much stress, cortisol is released as well.

8. Starting the day without breakfast

Often we only have breakfast out of habit. For those who have little appetite in the morning anyway, it can be a good time to fast. On the other hand, if you wake up hungry, drink a large glass of ginger water, tea, or coffee. This fills the stomach without any calories and suppresses hunger. Start with a fasting period of 13 or 14 hours and gradually extend the eating break. After about three to four weeks, our body will have adjusted. If not, enjoy breakfast around 7 or 8 a.m. and have your last meal between 3 or 4 p.m.

9. Sports: No compensation for unhealthy diet

The older we get, the more we benefit from sports because it counteracts the age-related loss of muscle mass. The higher our muscle mass in the body, the better our fat burning process works. Nevertheless, it is a misconception to think that you can compensate for an unhealthy diet with sports. If you want to lose weight permanently, it only works if you pay attention to a balanced and healthy diet.

Lacking the strength for sports? It doesn't always have to be a jogging session. Taking a walk or cycling in everyday life are also good ways to move more.

Whether you exercise during fasting or during the eating phase is up to you. Many are surprised by how capable they are even during fasting.

10. Take your time!

Every beginning is difficult. This is no different when it comes to changing your eating habits. Nevertheless, do not be discouraged right away. Our body needs a few weeks to get used to the new rhythm of intermittent fasting!

Intermittent fasting made easy: Do you want to try it out once?

Create your individual fasting planner in the free LaVita App. Here you can individually set your fasting windows and know exactly when you can indulge!