Need a Timeout from Counting Calories or Living on a Diet?

As dieters' interest grow in intermittent fasting, so do the questions about how to get the most out of restricted eating as a weight-loss strategy. It is a sound argument that our ancestors went much longer without eating than we do today. Since they did not have convenient stores, refrigerators or fast food restaurants, humans evolved to not to eat until food was found. Drink plenty of water when you are fasting. Humans often think that they are hungry when they are really just thirsty. Consuming plain water, black coffee or tea, or select herbal teas may have appetite-suppressing effects.

• Fast-Mimicking Diet - Scientifically developed and clinically tested at the University of Southern California, the diet mimics fasting and requires you to eat healthy natural ingredients for five days in a way that your body does not recognize that you are eating.
• Extended Fasting - Extended fasting involves fasting for entire days at a time. For example, if you eat a dinner meal on Day 1, you would fast all of Day 2 and not eat again until the breakfast meal on Day 3 for a 36-Hour Fast.
• Spontaneous Meal Skipping - A more natural way to do intermittent fasting is to simple skip one or two meals whenever you're not hungry or don't have time to eat. But, make sure you eat healthy at the other meals.
• 24-Hour Fasts - An extreme fasting protocol, 24-hour fasts last for a day. Dietary intake is limited calorie-free or low-calorie fluids to force the body into full fasting mode instead of alternating between fasting and feeding.

Very low-calorie diets or prolonged periods with low caloric intake can cause physiological changes that can cause the body to adapt to the restriction and therefore prevent further weight loss (the camel effect). With intermittent fasting, you cycle between a low calorie levels and normal eating. Eliminating sugary drinks and consuming plenty of water is also very important when fast dieting. Moreover, a menu plan filled with lean proteins, healthy fats and fresh fruits and vegetables will always produce the best long-term results. if you are up for the challenge, fasting and eating restrictions are a way to shed weight and cleanse their body of toxins without having to live on a diet every day.

*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.