Intermittent fasting as a diet plan
INTERMITTENT fasting is the use of fasting as a diet plan. This method sees people abstaining from certain foods at regular intervals for the purpose of shedding pounds. Nutritionist Donovan Grant told All Woman that the age-long practice is a good way to lose weight, but it must be done properly.
According to Grant, this method is very efficient because it works quickly and rids the body of toxins. He said food today is not the same as foods eons ago — today’s foods are now packed with toxins because of the chemical products used on them as preservatives, pesticides and fertilisers. This, along with toxins in the air, doubles what humans take into their bodies.
There are different types of fasting. You can reduce meals to twice per day, for example, or resort to a juice or water fast. Grant recommends that if you reduce to two meals then you should drink some liquid in-between.
“If you had breakfast and did not eat again until in the night, then you must drink liquids in-between to keep up your energy levels. The liquid fast is light, but it also provides the body with enough nutrients. That would be okay for the day.”
He suggested that if you are taking this route, that you slowly introduce the body to fasting, especially if there is an underlying condition.
“You have to prepare the body for fasting. If you want to do a juice fasting, you can start eating fruits and vegetables to start toning it down rather than just shocking the body suddenly,” he said.
The nutritionist warned that if you are lactating or diabetic, then fasting should not be the first option to lose weight. However, if chosen, it must be done in moderation and you should be monitored while you are doing it.
Below are some general benefits of intermittent fasting:
1. Helps you lose weight.
2. Detoxes the system.
3. Reduces calorie intake.
4. Develops your discipline. Individuals who fast regularly learn to control what they eat and the amount that they eat.
5. Weight loss happens quickly. You can see results the next day because of the lack of food in your system.
6. It curbs your food addictions.
7. You do not have to follow strict eating guidelines.
8. You eat less.
9. It reduces bloating.
10. It pushes you to drink more water.
