Intermittent fasting: During your fasting period, consuming nothing else apart from water.
Highlights
- 12-hour intermittent fasting can regulate blood sugar in diabetics
- It can lead to fat loss, weight loss and inch loss
- Try to get an early meal for at least four to five days in a week
Intermittent fasting: When followed in the right pattern, intermittent fasting not only helps you with weight loss, but also helps in detoxifying your body, regulating your sleep cycle and even reversing type 2 diabetes. However, the same lifestyle pattern can affect your health in a negative way if you constantly change the fasting period. Talking about this is lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho on Facebook, where he discusses the importance of syncing your body's internal clock - the circadian rhythm - with intermittent fasting. In his live session, he says that circadian rhythm, or the time when we go to sleep or wake up is in line with nature. Everything from your hormonal balance to your immune system happens according to your biological clock.
Intermittent fasting and circadian rhythm: Why it is important to align the two
You can begin with fasting for a period of 12 hours and give your body the time to adapt to this fasting period. This way, you will not feel the need to change your fasting period again and again. A fast beginning at 7,8 or 9 pm can end at 7, 8 or 9 in morning. It is actually one of the ideal ways to sync intermittent fasting with circadian rhythm, and reap maximum benefits from this eating pattern.
Also read: Break Your Fast With These 5 Weight Loss-Friendly Foods In Intermittent Fasting
Follow these tips to make intermittent fasting work for you
1. You need to keep it simple and not be competitive with others following the same pattern. Everyone reacts differently to intermittent fasting, and everyone's level of physical and mental activity during the day is different.
2. Try to finish your last meal with sunset or little later than sunset. Try to get done with dinner by 6.30 or maximum 7.
3. During your fasting period, consuming nothing else apart from water.
Drink only water during fasting period of intermittent fasting
Photo Credit: iStock
4. Fast for 12 hours and break your fast with a fruit and water at sunrise. (This may seem to be a little difficult in the beginning but it is a great way to do intermittent fasting and get in line with your biological clock).
5. Try to get an early meal for at least four to five days in a week.
Also read: Intermittent Fasting: Is It A Healthy Way To Lose Weight? Find Out Here
6. It will rejuvenate your body and enable your digestive system to repair itself more effectively.
7. You can change or increase the duration of the fast just because you want to eat junk food one day or drink alcohol. Fasting is not going to show results along with a poor lifestyle.
8. 12-hour fasting from sunset to sunrise is beneficial for blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Make sure you do it under the supervision of an expert.
9. If you are not hungry after the completion of 12 hours, then you can extend your fasting period to 13, 14, 15 or 16 hours-according to what suits your body.
10. It is important to eat a balanced diet during the building or eating phase of intermittent fasting. Your cells starve for nutrition after long fasting and counting calories, restricting carbs and fats is not supposed to be done during the building phase. Just listen to your body and eat until you satisfy your appetite. Of course, this does not mean that you can overeat. Try to maintain a balance.
Do not restrict yourself during eating period in intermittent fasting and consume a balanced diet
Photo Credit: iStock
Also read: 5 Tips To Make Intermittent Fasting Work For You
Benefits of aligning intermittent fasting with circadian rhythm
- In his video, Luke informs that people have reported to get better and deeper sleep with this change in their lifestyle.
- Body pain, joint pain, swelling, etc tend to disappear after following this pattern of eating.
- People have also reported to wake up with less puffy face and nearly no water retention.
- Weight loss, fat loss and inch loss are automatically going to happen by following this pattern of eating.
- Your energy levels are going to improve.
- You will get a glowing and younger looking skin after following this lifestyle for a few days.
- There is also a reduction in sugar and caffeine cravings.
(Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach - Integrative Medicine)
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.