More so than ever, people are opting for a healthier lifestyle. Influence from social media and media influencers, the obesity rate, in general, has been slowly declining over the years. Some exercise a lot while some go on follow various dietary patterns as a means of losing that extra weight. A gluten-free diet, vegetarian diet or ketogenic diet, people are doing all they can do get to their desired body goals. Awareness about leading a healthier lifestyle has never been more prominent. 
However, a lesser-known form of dietary lifestyle has been making the rounds lately. Intermittent fasting, the once widely popular dietary routine in ancient times has been making a comeback in recent times and it could not be more welcomed in today�s age.
Many people are not aware of the term intermittent fasting and some of those that do are often misinformed as to what intermittent fasting really is. When they hear the term �fasting�, immediately the mind starts picturing about it starving yourself in order to lose weight. This certainly is not what intermittent fasting is about.
What is intermittent fasting?
First of all, intermittent fasting is not a form of diet but a dietary plan that involves eating in specific periods of time. Simply put, intermittent fasting is not about what food goes inside your body but rather when you put it inside. Many people confuse intermittent fasting as starving yourself for long periods to lose unnecessary weight and remain healthy. While this is true to some extent, it can also be quite misleading into thinking that intermittent fasting is forcing the body to disregard food altogether.
It is important to note that fasting and starvation are two very different elements. Starving is the involuntary absence of food due to various external factors such as lack of products or inability to purchase them. Starvation can cause serious health complications and even result in death.
Fasting, on the other hand, is voluntary. For various reason like spirituality or health-related issues, people withhold food. Food is readily available while fasting but the individual refrains from eating food for a period of time. It can be for a few hours or up to a few days on end and in some cases under medical supervision, for weeks on end. Fasting usually begins at the individual�s convenience but starvation is in most cases out of your control.
Intermittent fasting is not something that drastically changes the kind of food you eat on a daily basis and perhaps it is the most different form of a diet or a dietary lifestyle that people follow around the world.
Why Should You Consider Intermittent Fasting?
People are always looking for ways to lead a healthier lifestyle, but that can be a tough ask if your life revolves around a very tight schedule. Many of us may not be able to get the adequate exercise required to maintain a healthy body. By doing as little as planning, the time of your meals can have significant impacts on your overall health.
Researches have shown that intermittent fasting has health benefits aplenty.Many followers of this lifestyle have reported significant improvements in their overall life and health.
Of all the benefits that intermittent fasting brings with itself, weight loss is perhaps the one which catches attention the most. The growing popularity of intermittent fasting can be directed to the fact that it helps you shed fat, specifically belly fat, at a very fast pace. Fasting regularly generally helps you lose weight if done right but fasting every day for 12-14 hours speeds up the process by quite a lot. Since summer is fast approaching, it would not come as a surprise if many people took up this method to get that summer body.
Other than weight loss, intermittent fasting can significantly reduce insulin resistance and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, a disease that has been more prevalent in recent times. It has shown to lower the blood sugar levels among people as well.
Researches have also shown that intermittent fasting has shown to improve numerous risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Apart from these, brain functions have also shown improvement. Intermittent fasters have shown to have better brain health and functioning. In many studied cases, patients have increased growth of new nerve cells.
While this may not be definitive, early researches have shown that fasting may help prevent cancer and also prolong the lifespan of an individual
How and When to Intermittent Fast?
Strictly following a routine everyone else is on is not a requirement for intermittent fasting. Choose a time that is the most flexible for you.With that said, any time that you are not eating, it is considered as a form of intermittent fasting. However, to follow it rigorously, it is common for intermittent fasters to avoid eating for a period of 12-14 hours. Before you go on a dietary plan, it is of utmost importance to consult with a nutritionist, dietitian or a medical professional. Consult with your doctor and devise a routine that is suitable for you.
There is nothing off limits when you are intermittent fasting. However, it�s advised that you do not eat junk food but rather proper nutritious home-cooked meals. Intermittent fasting does need to starve yourselves completely. If you feel the urge to eat during the fast, drink beverages like coffee and water to fight off the hunger.
Once on this dietary lifestyle, people need to be very careful about what they put inside their bodies. Eating nutritious meals during eating periods determine the overall success of this method. Even if you manage to shed a few pounds, eating junk food while in this process will make you gain more weight than lose.
The Downsides of Intermittent Fasting
As easy as intermittent fasting sounds, it is quite the opposite of it. The internet shows you all the positive results of intermittent fasting. However, not all is well with as it has many downsides too. Many documented cases have been recorded where intermittent fasters have complained about having health complications the longer they follow their daily fasting routine. It is quite controversial in its own right.
To make any changes to your dietary lifestyle is a significant shift in the way that your body functions. Adapting to these changes take a lot of time and painstaking keep it up. Over time the body slowly but surely adapts to these changes. But, what many do not realize is the bodily harm being inflicted on yourself to reach a certain time frame for intermittent fasting.
Plenty of complaints arises especially from those that follow the diet without any form of professional advice but rather from internet research. This is not to say that even if a professional recommends you, you should not proceed with caution.
It is of utmost importance not to force yourself into fasting for long periods. Intermittent fasting should in no way cause any health-related problems and should be stopped if it causes discomfort to the individual.
We spoke with Dt. Praniti Singh, Clinical & Bariatric Nutritionist/Dietitian at Norvic International Hospital who shared some of her thoughts on the same.
[caption id="attachment_3219" align="alignright" width="280"]
Dt. Praniti Singh, Clinical & Bariatric Nutritionist/Dietitian
Norvic International Hospital[/caption] What is intermittent fasting? It is a cycle of periods of fasting and eating.
Would you recommend any of your patients� intermittent fasting? Any other alternatives that people can follow for a healthier lifestyle?
I believe in a lifestyle that is sustainable and can be followed every day where we get to enjoy food in its true essence. As sustainable diets are the only proven ways in which one, can lose the extra weight and also keep it off and live a healthy life. The FAD diets as we call them can be done only for a short period of time but they can never become our lifestyle, as we are a community that has been eating our �Dal Bhaat Tarkari� day and night with so much joy and happiness, which is also a sumptuous meal, a go-to meal for every Nepali.
If you do intermittent fast the right way by not focusing on the junk food rather sticking to wholesome nutritious food during the non-fasting period, these diets will no doubt help you to lose weight, as they all are a method of calorie restriction. However, once you get back to eating the way you have been eating all your life, all the weight comes crawling back and you are right back where you started. So, do not go looking for a short-term solution to your problem, as the solutions will also last for a short time.
Fasting for religious purposes is our own personal preference and can be done once or twice a week thus leading to intermittent fasting. Depending on the patient�s history and current medical condition, intermittent fasting can be recommended for weight loss under guidance so they do not end up gaining the weight back.
I suggest we stick to our roots and eat our staple diet; eat what is in season, what is in your region, eat when it is supposed to be had, on time and in moderation. Exercise at least 5 days a week (or get 150 minutes of exercise a week) and you will never have to starve yourself to lose that unwanted fat.
Intermittent fasting is not a quick fix to your extra fat. It is a sustained solution for the long haul and if you leave this diet after a short while, all the extra weight you lost during the process will eventually make its way back to you. Putting yourself on this routine requires hard work and extreme discipline. If your life revolves around a very tight schedule or is easily swayed by junk foods, you are better off looking for different alternatives.
However, a lesser-known form of dietary lifestyle has been making the rounds lately. Intermittent fasting, the once widely popular dietary routine in ancient times has been making a comeback in recent times and it could not be more welcomed in today�s age.
Many people are not aware of the term intermittent fasting and some of those that do are often misinformed as to what intermittent fasting really is. When they hear the term �fasting�, immediately the mind starts picturing about it starving yourself in order to lose weight. This certainly is not what intermittent fasting is about.
What is intermittent fasting?
First of all, intermittent fasting is not a form of diet but a dietary plan that involves eating in specific periods of time. Simply put, intermittent fasting is not about what food goes inside your body but rather when you put it inside. Many people confuse intermittent fasting as starving yourself for long periods to lose unnecessary weight and remain healthy. While this is true to some extent, it can also be quite misleading into thinking that intermittent fasting is forcing the body to disregard food altogether.
It is important to note that fasting and starvation are two very different elements. Starving is the involuntary absence of food due to various external factors such as lack of products or inability to purchase them. Starvation can cause serious health complications and even result in death.
Fasting, on the other hand, is voluntary. For various reason like spirituality or health-related issues, people withhold food. Food is readily available while fasting but the individual refrains from eating food for a period of time. It can be for a few hours or up to a few days on end and in some cases under medical supervision, for weeks on end. Fasting usually begins at the individual�s convenience but starvation is in most cases out of your control.
Intermittent fasting is not something that drastically changes the kind of food you eat on a daily basis and perhaps it is the most different form of a diet or a dietary lifestyle that people follow around the world.
Why Should You Consider Intermittent Fasting?
People are always looking for ways to lead a healthier lifestyle, but that can be a tough ask if your life revolves around a very tight schedule. Many of us may not be able to get the adequate exercise required to maintain a healthy body. By doing as little as planning, the time of your meals can have significant impacts on your overall health.
Researches have shown that intermittent fasting has health benefits aplenty.Many followers of this lifestyle have reported significant improvements in their overall life and health.
Of all the benefits that intermittent fasting brings with itself, weight loss is perhaps the one which catches attention the most. The growing popularity of intermittent fasting can be directed to the fact that it helps you shed fat, specifically belly fat, at a very fast pace. Fasting regularly generally helps you lose weight if done right but fasting every day for 12-14 hours speeds up the process by quite a lot. Since summer is fast approaching, it would not come as a surprise if many people took up this method to get that summer body.
Other than weight loss, intermittent fasting can significantly reduce insulin resistance and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, a disease that has been more prevalent in recent times. It has shown to lower the blood sugar levels among people as well.
Researches have also shown that intermittent fasting has shown to improve numerous risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Apart from these, brain functions have also shown improvement. Intermittent fasters have shown to have better brain health and functioning. In many studied cases, patients have increased growth of new nerve cells.
While this may not be definitive, early researches have shown that fasting may help prevent cancer and also prolong the lifespan of an individual
How and When to Intermittent Fast?
Strictly following a routine everyone else is on is not a requirement for intermittent fasting. Choose a time that is the most flexible for you.With that said, any time that you are not eating, it is considered as a form of intermittent fasting. However, to follow it rigorously, it is common for intermittent fasters to avoid eating for a period of 12-14 hours. Before you go on a dietary plan, it is of utmost importance to consult with a nutritionist, dietitian or a medical professional. Consult with your doctor and devise a routine that is suitable for you.
There is nothing off limits when you are intermittent fasting. However, it�s advised that you do not eat junk food but rather proper nutritious home-cooked meals. Intermittent fasting does need to starve yourselves completely. If you feel the urge to eat during the fast, drink beverages like coffee and water to fight off the hunger.
Once on this dietary lifestyle, people need to be very careful about what they put inside their bodies. Eating nutritious meals during eating periods determine the overall success of this method. Even if you manage to shed a few pounds, eating junk food while in this process will make you gain more weight than lose.
The Downsides of Intermittent Fasting
As easy as intermittent fasting sounds, it is quite the opposite of it. The internet shows you all the positive results of intermittent fasting. However, not all is well with as it has many downsides too. Many documented cases have been recorded where intermittent fasters have complained about having health complications the longer they follow their daily fasting routine. It is quite controversial in its own right.
To make any changes to your dietary lifestyle is a significant shift in the way that your body functions. Adapting to these changes take a lot of time and painstaking keep it up. Over time the body slowly but surely adapts to these changes. But, what many do not realize is the bodily harm being inflicted on yourself to reach a certain time frame for intermittent fasting.
Plenty of complaints arises especially from those that follow the diet without any form of professional advice but rather from internet research. This is not to say that even if a professional recommends you, you should not proceed with caution.
It is of utmost importance not to force yourself into fasting for long periods. Intermittent fasting should in no way cause any health-related problems and should be stopped if it causes discomfort to the individual.
We spoke with Dt. Praniti Singh, Clinical & Bariatric Nutritionist/Dietitian at Norvic International Hospital who shared some of her thoughts on the same.
[caption id="attachment_3219" align="alignright" width="280"] Dt. Praniti Singh, Clinical & Bariatric Nutritionist/DietitianNorvic International Hospital[/caption] What is intermittent fasting? It is a cycle of periods of fasting and eating.
- 16/8 (eating for 8 hours & fasting for 16 hours. For example, 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm or 8:00 am to 3:00 pm)
- 5:2 (eat for 5 days and fast for 2 days where you consume less than maybe 500 calories)
- Alternate day fasting
Would you recommend any of your patients� intermittent fasting? Any other alternatives that people can follow for a healthier lifestyle?
I believe in a lifestyle that is sustainable and can be followed every day where we get to enjoy food in its true essence. As sustainable diets are the only proven ways in which one, can lose the extra weight and also keep it off and live a healthy life. The FAD diets as we call them can be done only for a short period of time but they can never become our lifestyle, as we are a community that has been eating our �Dal Bhaat Tarkari� day and night with so much joy and happiness, which is also a sumptuous meal, a go-to meal for every Nepali.
If you do intermittent fast the right way by not focusing on the junk food rather sticking to wholesome nutritious food during the non-fasting period, these diets will no doubt help you to lose weight, as they all are a method of calorie restriction. However, once you get back to eating the way you have been eating all your life, all the weight comes crawling back and you are right back where you started. So, do not go looking for a short-term solution to your problem, as the solutions will also last for a short time.
Fasting for religious purposes is our own personal preference and can be done once or twice a week thus leading to intermittent fasting. Depending on the patient�s history and current medical condition, intermittent fasting can be recommended for weight loss under guidance so they do not end up gaining the weight back.
I suggest we stick to our roots and eat our staple diet; eat what is in season, what is in your region, eat when it is supposed to be had, on time and in moderation. Exercise at least 5 days a week (or get 150 minutes of exercise a week) and you will never have to starve yourself to lose that unwanted fat.
Intermittent fasting is not a quick fix to your extra fat. It is a sustained solution for the long haul and if you leave this diet after a short while, all the extra weight you lost during the process will eventually make its way back to you. Putting yourself on this routine requires hard work and extreme discipline. If your life revolves around a very tight schedule or is easily swayed by junk foods, you are better off looking for different alternatives.
