Fasting can help fight obesity and give a boost to your metabolism
Highlights
- Fasting can provide your body with a much needed detox
- It can give your body a break from digestion
- Fasting can give a boost to your metabolism
The practice of abstaining from food is referred to as fasting. You can fast by abstaining from too much food, or you can fast by eating nothing at all. Many people fast for religious purposes. However, fasting has now evolved as a dietary practice. People now take up fasting for detox, weight loss or giving a boost to metabolism. Along with offering these benefits, studies have found that fasting can help fight ageing by giving a boost to metabolism, and it can also improve gut health and strengthen circadian rhythms. Now, a latest study has suggested that fasting can help fight obesity.
The kind of fasting, that has been found to fight obesity, is the one which is done during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting for Ramadan involves fasting for almost 15 hours, from dawn to sunset. Researches from Texas' Baylor College of Medicine found that fasting in this pattern, for a month, can help in raising insulin resistance. This can help in fighting effects of diets rich in fats and sugar.
Thus, people who are trying to lose weight or maintain good health can gain some benefits by fasting. Intermittent fasting is also a healthy of including some fasting in your routine.
Also read: How Fasting Can Improve Your Overall Health
Intermittent fasting for weight loss and good health
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern which involves fasting for 12, 14 or 16 hours, as it suits your body. You can opt for fasting through the day or for fasting through the night. Usually, it is recommended to do intermittent fasting by having early dinners - says around 7 or 8 pm. After this, your fasting period starts. During your fasting period, you are only supposed to drink water, that too in controlled amounts.
Intermittent fasting is a fasting practice that can show promising effects on weight loss and good health
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Your fast continues for 12, 14 or 16 hours, as it suits your body. Lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho, who supports intermittent fasting as one of the healthiest diet practices for good health and weight loss, says that there is no strict rule regarding the duration of fasting period. It totally depends on how you feel. You can break the fast before 12, 14 or 16 hours if you feel dizzy or hungry.
Also read: Skin Detox: Dermatologist Tells How Skin Fasting Can Heal Your Skin
When you break your fast, drink water and some fruit. You can then have your meal after half an hour. In the building phase (which starts when you break your fast), make sure that you don't restrict yourself, even if you want to lose weight. Restricting yourself during intermittent fasting can lead to production of more cortisol and nutritional deficiencies. The building phase is meant for your body to rebuild, rejuvenate and recover from the fasting phase. It will also prepare you for the next fasting phase. Make sure you consume a healthy, wholesome and nutritious diet during your building phase, recommends Luke Coutinho in his live video on Facebook.
Also read: Not Just Weight Loss But Intermittent Fasting Can Also Reverse Type 2 Diabetes: Here's The Right Way To Follow It
(Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach - Integrative Medicine)
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