Most certified dieticians have found that aside from being a used as a tool to lose weight the program can produce another group of positive effects. Some of the secondary Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss diet are lowering diabetic problems by improving blood sugar levels, a longer life, and improved memory. These alone are reason enough to try this program even if you are not overweight.
Introduction
An intermittent fasting diet is a process of always eating for a certain period and then not eating for another.
The program trains your body to get of out the process of saving fat and instead teaches the body to use that stored fat for energy during the fasting process. What this means is when your body does not have food available it will go into the stored fat and use it instead. That is why the program has been so successful for weight loss.
Top 10 Reasons Why The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting May Be For You
One: Weight Loss
The body, when deprived of food, send signals to use fat, the ‘fat’ that the body naturally stores for a rainy day is then used now instead of later and this aids in weight loss. This gives you a constant steady weight loss program with the added benefits in the introduction above.
Since this is recognized as a change of your overall life plan instead of a diet or “crash diet” the results are a long-term with greater benefits to your health process. You will see an instant loss of weight due to loss of water but the body will after a short time learn to adjust and some of that will naturally return. Each day you fast will show from 1/4 to 1/2 lb of weight loss.
Two: Improved Glucose Tolerance
Diabetics can use the fasting process as a way to a more normal glucose level and even as a way for glucose variability to be improved. If you need an increase in insulin sensitivity you might consider an intermittent fast as a test. Always be careful of your levels during the test to see if this is an option for you.
Generally, insulin resistance occurs when it is being stored in cells and tissues that are not built to be a source of fat storage. When fasting your body will use up that storage allowing the stored fat to become lower and lower. The liver and muscles then get a better response to the insulin. To become less dependent on medications this is a great avenue for you to test.
Three: Metabolism Boost
When a person fasting restricts the intake of food for a time and then follow that with regular eating they receive a boost in metabolism. Over the long haul you will eventually see a decrease in metabolism but during the short term you should see up to a 14% increase based on current studies.
This works well for your body vs longer term diet restricting calories that can cause metabolic issues. Weight loss always results in a loss of muscle tissue as well as fat. Muscle tissues burn calories so a drop in muscle mass is sure to lead to a decreased ability to metabolize your food. Doing the dieting process intermittently will help keep your body running smoothly and result in more fat burn with less muscle loss.
Four: A Longer Life
Chicago University scientists tests show that intermittent fasting can delay many life threating diseases that can lead to death. This means regular fasters have the chance to enjoy a longer and more healthy life than those who follow regular diet programs for weight loss.
Researchers believe that intermittent fasting puts the body on constant notice of food loss thus increases the cellular defenses that are consistent with fighting disease. Fasting also stimulates the system to repair and to maintain tissues thus helping as an anti-aging defense. This keeps the entire body and its organs functioning at peak performance.
This routine is not without some getting used to. It can be difficult at first until you can develop a plan that takes work and personal schedule information into the account. Once in place, you will have a daily routine that will lead to a happier lifestyle and better health as well.
Five: Dealing With the Hunger Issues
Learn to listen to your bodies hunger signals. Intermittent fasting is a great way to learn to understand the messages your body is sending to you. The first sign of hunger from your body quite often is a psychological craving. For example, “It is 6 PM and I always eat at that time so I must be hungry” is a psychological signal. This is quite often confused with a true hunger signal from your body. Fasting gives you the true hunger feelings that are physical, not mental signals usually felt in your stomach.
Fasting can make you appreciate your food much much more. When you have your first meal after a real hunger pain from fasting you will remember how much you used to enjoy eating. Every bite will smell and taste better than before. You will be totally contented and will think “It was worth it, that was so so good.” 
Six: Establish Routines
Practice strict eating times followed by periods of fasting to develop a positive routine in your life. This will help you in 3 ways:
1. Recognition of the times you are truly hungry.
2. You will sleep better and wake up refreshed ready for a new day.
3. You will develop the routine required to give you a healthier and happier lifestyle.
If you are not following a diet to lower calorie intake, stick to a strict food consumption program that is then followed by fasting periods to aid your body in developing a good routine. Establishing that routine can be a bit difficult starting out. People with a family might find themselves on a much different schedule than the other members. You will have to try to schedule this in conjunction with your work schedule. Once you are into a routine you should find yourself loving life more and have a healthier outlook as well.
Seven: Stimulates Brain Function
A 2015 study revealed that intermittent fasting can give individuals a huge boost in memory and cognitive use. Tests on people and animals show that fasting stimulated the brain in multiple ways. 3 of those ways found by the study were:
1. Fasting promoted the growth of Neurons
2. Stroke and brain injury cases showed improvement and
3. Memory was greatly enhanced in most cases.
Fasting participants of a recent study showed a decreased chance of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. There was also evidence that individuals already suffering from this type of disease had increased brain use and the quality of their lives was enhanced by fasting.
Eight: Boosted Immune Systems
USC scientists found that fasting helped immune system regeneration. Fasting boosted the white blood cell count and replaced older cells with newer stronger ones. These white blood cells are the bodies number 1 defense against infection.
The same scientists said that fasting had the power to regenerate a person complete immunity defenses. All this was accomplished by boosting the white blood cells giving them the power to help fight off infections.
When individuals practice intermittent fasting on a day to day or weekly basis the body purged older damaged and inefficient white blood cells. These older damaged and used up cells were replaced with new strong cells
Recent studies showed that people undergoing chemotherapy had fewer toxic effects when practicing 72-hour fasts in conjunction with the treatments. These treatments usually cause large amounts of damage to the immune system when done without fasting. Many researchers believe that fasting will be helpful for people that have poor or damaged immune systems and to elderly who are known to have decreased immune functions.
Nine: Skin Rejuvenation
People who suffer from acne have found a proper diet is the best method to avoid skin issues. They do that by eating unprocessed food and by keeping dairy consumption to a minimum. That being said you can see the benefits they obtain from fasting by the smooth clean skin they enjoy.
Food allergies can have various effects on acne sufferers. Skin inflammation and acne are just two of the issues. To aid in clearing your skin problems you can begin a period of fasting. Begin trying different foods or food combinations to determine what food or foods are contributing to your skin problems.
Fasting has also shown positive results with stronger, healthier, shinier hair and harder nails. This means fasting in addition to weight loss can make you look better as well.
Ten: Improved Well Being.
Fasting is practiced by almost every religion around the world ‘ it’s no surprise, then, that a lifestyle that includes intermittent fasting could lead to a deepened sense of spirituality. Regular practitioners have reported feeling at peace during their fasts, and studies have proven that fasting can help regulate mood by reducing levels of anxiety and stress. In fact, fasting is recommended as a natural treatment for a variety of emotional and sexual problems.
Whether or not you fast for religious reasons, the benefits of intermittent fasting will help you feel more connected to nature and the world around you, and you’ll benefit from having a clear mind and a positive outlook.
What Are The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
1. Reduced cholesterol, lower blood pressure and better control, oxidative stress and a lower risk of cancer.
2. Increased cell regeneration and replacement, increased fat burning and growth hormone release as well as a better metabolic rate.
3. Improved Appetite Control benefits including blood sugar control, improved cardiovascular and blood flow, higher chemotherapy effectiveness and a lower of neurotoxins in the bloodstream.
What Are The Drawbacks of Intermittent Fasting
These can be negative effects that can be caused by and Intermittent Fasting program. These issues are usually short-lived and occur at the start of the program. As individuals become accustomed to the process the symptoms will decrease and end with time if this program is meant for you.
Overeating Rebounds
Correct eating is the hardest thing to learn to control with an intermittent fasting diet. Fasting then overeating or binging is a usual problem as you begin the process. This leads you to actually having more caloric intake than you would have normally used.
Hi and Lo Moodswings
Certain people get angry and frustrated when hungry. They are more irritable, encounter mood swings and get irritable.
Poor Sleep Patterns
Going to bed hungry is not pleasant. Waking up in the middle of the night and not getting a good nights sleep can cause problems the next day as well.
Fatigue
Working can be harder for you if you are hungry. This fatigue can cause you to feel weak, have headaches and an overall feeling of tiredness.
Adrenal Stress
Lack of blood sugar level consistency can put stress on your adrenal glands.
No Diet Programs Recommended
An intermittent fasting program does not provide you with a list of preferred foods during the hours you are allowed to eat. With this approach, the food choices are left up to you completely. Choosing a diet of foods that are unhealthy such as processed flour vs whole wheat or processed fruit vs whole fruit can limit the effects you get with weight loss.
Foods to Use for Intermittent Fasting Diet Programs
While any foods will work with an Intermittent Fasting program and you can practice IF without any change in your regular foods there are always going to be ones that are preferred. A raw or cooked vegetable, fruits, nuts and small portions of meats will enhance a weight loss program. Whole foods and never processed foods are always a key to any diet. This section is meant to give advice and not limit you to any certain diet. It is simply what we consider the best ingredients.
What A Real User Says About Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss
“I notice that when I am fasting my energy levels are much higher than when I am not. Some people report the opposite but I believe they have just not adjusted to a fasting lifestyle. Our body has to use energy for digestion when fasting that leaves extra energy for other endeavors.”
“When fasting I am more alert, my mind works at a faster pace. I concentrate better and get distracted less. This is all part of the increased energy I get from fasting.”
“Hunger is not an enemy of mine, it comes and then is gone almost as quickly as it arrived. Many people confuse thirst and being hungry thus consuming food when they should be consuming more water and liquids with electrolytes instead.”
“When I go without food during my fasting periods I find that I replace that food with water. That keeps me satisfied, and adds helps me combat hunger in an all natural way. Water is more important than food on a daily basis but many people drink very little pure water.”
“Fasting is a natural process of eating and plays into some of our most ancient histories. Food foraged which meant there was not a meal every day, no morning breakfast, just a hard day trying to get enough food to eat and live. As we have seen in nature these biological factors are not forgotten easily.”
“Food and I have gotten to be friends now. I no longer find myself competing with food. Me wanting to lose weight and be healthy while the excess food was making that impossible for me. I appreciate my good friend and now meals are a happy time for me, I enjoy meals again. With intermittent fasting, I really enjoy the way food smells and tastes more.”
“I would rather have a big meal than a snack. That helps in two ways, 1. Only having two big meals and no snacks gives me more time but it can be hard to get all of the food I need in just two meals a day. You really need to force that healthy snack in between the two meals.”
“I have finally beaten the junk, “junk food” that is. No more popcorn, cotton candy or hot dogs for me. They never really satisfied my hunger and were killers to the thought of ever having a healthy body. Being able to finally get rid of this problem has made it far more simple to stay focused on a plan for better health and fitness.”
“I am more aware of the needs of my body now. Fasting has taught me to be aware of my needs physically and those have transferred over to my mental needs as well. I learn more about myself every day and am a happier person because of it.”
“Fasting has given me freedom from food. I used to eat not because I was hungry but because I had been taught that I was supposed to. This has not only improved my diet but also my life in general. I simply feel both mentally and physically in charge now.”
Summing Up The Truth About The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
“Intermittent Fasting,” no this is not painful, unpleasant or dangerous just another more efficient way to burn fat and lose weight. Most people eat during a 12 hour period each day then fast for 12 hours while sleeping. Intermittent fasting is consuming food during a 6 hour period and then not eating for 18 hours which is the only difference between the two. Not a huge difference but a great deal of difference in the way your body burns excess fat. To start, skip breakfast then eat between noon and 6 p.m. That is all there is to an intermittent fasting diet. Other factors such as light exercise and healthy meal plan can accentuate and improve the weight loss process for you.
During earlier times the food was not available on a regular basis as it is now. Our bodies learned to support certain schedule that has changed in modern times. An example is the 6 hours required for normal meal digestion before fat usage begins. Eating less often pushes our body into fasting and fat burning mode. Eating raises insulin levels and that level determines what is burned for energy. Low insulin levels use fat stores and high level force us to burn carbohydrates. Less eating, therefore, causes greater fat to be used.
The Downsides
For Type 2 diabetics the most important thing is to achieve consistent healthy insulin levels and fasting is not your diet of choice. Individuals have also commented that fasting has caused them to experience a decrease in energy. This usually happens when the body is first beginning to change to a new routine. Fasting for more than one day can make your body begin to burn fats from muscle which is not the fat you want to burn. You want your body to use the bad fat stored in your waistline. Remember not to change your diet. Do not fast and binge or eat refined food at all if possible. Never consume more than 40% of your daily food allowance in one meal.
There are both positive and negative things to be said for intermittent fasting, but in the final analysis, it really comes down to individual preferences. There are a lot of “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” individuals who would not find intermittent fasting as their choice. The other side of the coin is evidence shows that a better way to eliminate fat and get healthy is to work out on an empty stomach.
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