Nutritionists Say Being Hungry Is Potentially a Healthy Feeling

Intermittent fasting is simply a period of eating followed by a period of not eating. Where most weight-loss techniques focus on what you should or should not be eating, fasting identifies when you should eat. If you don't eat anything, your body changes things to make stored fat more accessible for use as fuel. This is due to changes in the nervous system and a major change in production of specific hormones that affect metabolism. Nutritionists say that being a little hungry is the best thing that can happen to you, as it creates a true mind-body connection. In fact, participants in a recent college study were surprised to report that they felt more energetic working out in the gym on fasting days.

• Just Say No Diet - When you decide to say no to a meal, you shouldn’t drink anything with high caloric values. Instead, you should be drinking low calorie options such as black coffee, unsweet tea and water while fasting.
• Time-Restricted Eating - According to a recent study at the University of Alabama Birmingham, time-restricted feeding can help individuals control cravings better than those who consumed food as an all-day graze.
• 16:8 Fasting Method - The 16:8 diet requires men to fast for 16 hours each day and women fast for 14 hours. People usually finish an evening meal by 8 pm and then skip breakfast the next morning.
• 36-Hour Extended Fasts - If your goal is to shed lots of weight, extended fasting (up to 36 hours) may be the restricted eating technique that you were searching for online. However, eat healthy and don't binge once the fast is over.

Due to a difference in hormonal makeup, women have special considerations when fasting. Intermittent fasting is not a good idea for women under 18 years of age, those with a lean body profile, or those with medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism or a history of eating disorders. In human studies, intermittent fasting can stimulate the production of growth hormone and testosterone (especially in obese patients) to help retain muscle mass while shedding pounds — the more muscle the better the burn when the body is at rest. If your plan isn't working for you, it is always a good idea to seek the guidance of a doctor or dietitian that is trained in fasting methods.

*NOTE: Due to a difference in hormonal makeup, women have special considerations when fasting. Intermittent fasting is not a good idea for women under 18 years of age, those with a lean body profile, or those with medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism or a history of eating disorders. Ask your physician about an appropriate fasting protocol for you.