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Among the resolutions for the new year there is a classic that never goes out of style: committing ourselves to a diet to lose weight.
This year many are willing to try the famous "intermittent fasting".
And it is not surprising since celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Elsa Pataky and even her husband the great Thor have surrendered to her charms.
Who wouldn't sign up for Thor's diet if there was a chance of ending up looking a little like him?
Throughout this article we will answer the most frequently asked questions about intermittent fasting.
SPOILER:
In addition to intermittent fasting and the hammer, Thor needs something else to maintain that spectacular physique.
Is intermittent fasting a weight loss diet?
It is important to start by clarifying that intermittent fasting is not a weight loss diet.
This is an "alternative" eating style to the usual meal pattern that may be a good option for some people.
But in no case is it a strategy to use as a lifeline to get rid of the extra polvorones.
What exactly does it consist of?
In English they call it "fasting" because "fast" means fasting - in fact, "breakfast" would be "break the fast" -.
However, it is not about stopping eating and starving yourself as bad tongues misunderstand.
The idea is to
alternate periods of intake with periods of fasting
but always in a structured way.
Although it is not yet known precisely what happens inside us when following these guidelines, it is believed that it can cause a change in the metabolism and trigger something similar to the old adaptation to periods of famine.
Remember that our ancestors ate when they could (that is, when they hunted or gathered).
Our cells could obtain energy through their own mechanisms, something like a "self-fuel".
During prolonged fasting, the body uses these mechanisms based on the mobilization of its reserves (such as fatty acids from adipose tissue) and in return produce the famous ketone bodies.
What types of intermittent fasting are there?
There are different modalities but the main ones are:
- Alternate a day of fasting with one of ingestion.
- The
5: 2
pattern
(5 days of intake and two of fasting, with very few calories) or the 4: 3 pattern.
- The modalities by time slots such as
16: 8 or 20: 4
.
Among all the variants it is possible that the 16: 8 diet is the one that adds the most followers since in principle it is easier to follow.
She is the favorite of Nicole Kidman or Ben Affleck.
It consists in that the meals are concentrated during a period of 8 hours a day and the other 16 are fasted, continuously.
This in other countries is generally achieved by delaying breakfast at ten in the morning and having dinner at six in the afternoon.
In Spain, as with dinner at six, we take it regularly - rather it is our snack time - what he usually does to maintain the fast is not to eat breakfast (it is allowed to have a coffee or an infusion) and then hold out until lunchtime.
Why do people lose weight on intermittent fasting?
Although, as we clarified in the first question, intermittent fasting is not a weight loss diet, it is true that some people may experience some weight loss.
Why?
It is believed that with this type of eating pattern the total count of ingested kilocalories could also end up being lower, as if it were a
hypocaloric diet
.
In short: in addition to all the possible metabolic mechanisms that develop, you may end up eating less.
What are the benefits of intermittent fasting?
More research is needed, but according to some studies, intermittent fasting may improve diabetes and cholesterol, obesity, blood pressure and heart rate, fitness, memory, and learning ability.
What are the cons of intermittent fasting?
Bad breath,
irritability
, difficulty in concentration and sleep disorders, dehydration or nutritional deficiencies and, the latter is very important, eating disorders.
Nutritionists can offer guidelines to minimize these "cons" and learn to cope with the irritation or hunger that can appear between the first two weeks and a month.
In theory that is the time it takes for the brain to get used to the new habit.
After that time, fasting can have a positive side effect on hunger and satiety thanks to the regulation of some hormones.
What Does Science Say About Intermittent Fasting?
Just a year ago an article was published in
The New England Journal of Medicine
in which new evidence was offered that intermittent fasting could fulfill three of the great wishes of humanity: increase longevity, decrease the incidence of cancer and decrease obesity.
In short, live longer and slimmer.
Sounds almost as good as doing Thor's diet, right?
But the truth is that scientists are not entirely clear.
Most of the studies that have been done on intermittent fasting with positive results have been in a few people or in animals.
What does this mean?
That if you are reading this article and you are a mouse, congratulations!
Intermittent fasting can be your diet!
Mice do great!
But if you are not a mouse but a human, don't ring the bells just yet because, as we have seen, intermittent fasting has pros but also cons.
IMPORTANT!
If someone has a New Year's resolution to take the plunge into intermittent fasting, please ask a nutritionist for individual advice.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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