Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss with viable, Long-Term Results
Everywhere people are looking for quick ways to lose weight and get healthy. Intermittent fasting can help lose weight, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and improve athletic performance and brain health. It may also help control or prevent diabetes and heart conditions over time. Intermittent fasting can quickly reduce belly fat.
What is Intermittent fasting, and how does it help lose weight?
The Carbs we eat are converted into glucose. It is then absorbed through the intestines into the blood and stored for energy. When there is excess glucose from overeating, it is stored in the Adipose tissue and liver for later use as fats and glycogen. So, when you fast for long periods in between meals, the liver makes glucose from the glycogen to use for energy. Exercise and staying active between six and eight hours usually burns up the glucose.
When glycogen depletes, the body then taps into the Adipose tissue for energy. The fats are broken down into free fatty acids, used as a source of energy, and fat loss begins. When the body remains in a fasted state long enough, it will burn fat and promote weight loss.
Intermittent fasting helps lower insulin levels, reducing diabetes risk, and lowering blood pressure. Additionally, it facilitates the brain in producing growth factors to support the growth of neurons. When done over time, this process could eventually help create BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, for a younger, healthier brain.
Can intermittent fasting help promote weight loss?
Yes. Various institutions, including the Harvard Medical School and the New England Journal of Medicine, have conducted numerous studies showing great results from intermittent fasting. If done correctly, intermittent fasting can reduce body fat and promote weight loss and many other health benefits over time. The key is to reduce insulin levels in blood sugar levels and have long periods between meals. 
There are hosts of other health benefits such as improving Blood pressure, reducing Cholesterol, controlling Diabetes, and improving arthritis conditions to improve insulin sensitivity, improve brain health, and reduce inflammation. This has been my personal experience. The key to great results is to set up a definitive plan and stick to it. The fastest results come from consistency and discipline.
What are the different types of intermittent fast?
There are many versions of intermittent fasting that you can use. If done correctly, intermittent fasting can quickly reduce belly fat. You should choose the right plan for you and your health condition. Seek advice from your doctor before starting.
- 16/8 – Eat two healthy meals within the 8-hour period and fast for 16 hours, drinking only water or plain tea or coffee. The benefits of this plan include low insulin levels, reduced blood pressure, fat burning, rising HGH levels, and better focus.
- 18/6 – Eat two meals within this 6-hour period and fast for 18 hours. The benefits of this plan are the same as 16/8 but improved, especially for higher HGH levers, lower insulin levels, and Autophagy begins (self-eating of the body’s bad cells).This is my current plan and has produced great results overtime.
- 20/4 – Same eating protocol as above, but with more significant benefits as Autophagy will be more active, thus removing more toxins thus renewing the body to a healthier state over time.
- One meal day- Eat one highly nutritious meal a day. The benefits can be life-changing over time.
- 5/2 – Eat regularly for five days, then water fast for two days. The benefits are experienced during the fasting period.
Remember:
- Breaking the fast is very important, as is eating easily digested nutritious foods like smoothies or homemade juices.
- No snacking. You are not starving.
Can intermittent fasting help with improving athletic ability.
Yes, Numerous athletes and health-conscious individuals have now incorporated some form of intermittent fasting in their daily lives for weight loss and other health benefits, including improved athletic performance. Results experienced from intermittent fasting can be miraculous.
Intermittent fasting is now part of my lifestyle, along with semi-annual intervals of dry fasting.
It takes discipline and commitment, but as you can see, the benefits far outweigh the discipline. There is improved athletic performance and faster recovery times, which is very important for competitive sports and those who want to improve their athletic ability.
Why shouldn’t you ?
How to do an intermittent fast for great results
If you haven’t done any fasting before, again, be sure to check with your medical professional for clearance. Get a detailed blood test and vital statics check done. You can use this later to compare the before and after results. Finally, decide which intermittent fasting protocol works best for you and fits into your lifestyle.
It takes discipline to change for the better. Most people will skip breakfast and start eating from 10 am or 12 noon, depending on the right fasting plan. They will eat between the 8, 6, or 4 hour period, mostly eating two highly nutritious meals. My protocol is eating breakfast and lunch and skip dinner. I prefer to sleep on an empty stomach as it makes my sleep better and wake up feeling more energized and refreshed. Promotes, increased HGH levels and Autophagy.
Here are some guidelines to follow:
- Drink one glass of warm water about a half-hour before eating, add a pinch of pink salt or slices of lemon or cucumber.
- Eat a healthy meal that is easy to digest like smoothies, homemade juices, raw nuts soaked overnight, fruits, etc.
- The second meal should be denser, with high protein (organic meat, fish, poultry, and eggs), vegetables should be the primary source of carbohydrates, and carbs should stay low.
- Use more healthy fats, like organic olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, and ghee.
- Consume Medicinal mushrooms for a health boost, I like Reishi, Chaga, Shiitake, Cordyceps Lion’s main and Turkey tail,
- Jump start Autophagy by using foods that promote this anti aging process. Such as Green tea, organic low acid black coffee, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, ginseng, garlic, bergamot, resveratrol, elderberries and MCT oils.
- Eliminate sugars, alcohol, fruit juices, and other flavored drinks with food coloring, flavors, chemical additives, etc.
- Stop the snacking. You are not starving. Eliminate junk food.
- Do not drink water with meals. Drink warm or room temp water 1 hour after each meal, then drink when thirsty.
- During the fasting period, stay hydrated and limit the use of plastics as the toxins will leach into the water.
- Get moving. Staying active burns through stored glycogen faster, reaching fat cells quicker.
- Exercise promotes fat burning faster.
Not everyone should do intermittent fasting
Listen to your body. Not everyone should do intermittent fasting. There are certain individuals with medical conditions that should refrain from Intermittent fasting.
- Children and teenagers.
- Pregnant women or nursing mothers
- Individuals with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia
- Frail, malnourished or underweight individuals
- Individuals who are sick and under medical care or recuperating for illness
- Type 1 and possible type 2 diabetics. Type 2 must get clearance from their doctor and be medically supervised.
Eat healthily and enjoy a healthier lifestyle
Many people have used intermittent fasting to reduce belly fat, including myself. I will never go back to eating three 
meals a day. The benefits of intermittent fasting have helped me to live healthier, vibrant lifestyle, and I would not give that up. I also incorporate dry fasting a few times a year, which can provide remarkable health benefits on a deeper level.
Yes, It does take discipline and commitment, but as you can see, the benefits far outweigh the discipline. There are improved athletic performance and faster recovery times for active people. Remember that our bodies are a miracle of science, backed by divine intelligence. Take care of it, and it will take care of you. Incorporate intermittent fasting for better health and well-being. Now let’s do this!