When Adopting an Intermittent Fasting Diet, What are the Tmportant Factors That One Should Bear in Mind?
Due to the rise in obesity rates, which have become a serious public health concern, there are numerous diet methods aimed at weight loss. Among the popular ones is the intermittent fasting method, which has gained traction. Anadolu Health Center’s Nutrition and Diet Specialist, Derya Eren, has provided insight into what should be kept in mind when following this type of diet.
According to Derya Eren, a Nutrition and Diet Specialist at Anadolu Health Center, there are various types of intermittent fasting. The most popular ones are as follows:
16:8 model (Time-restricted eating): The 16:8 model, also known as time-restricted eating, involves 16 hours of fasting followed by an 8-hour eating window. This means going without food from night until morning, resulting in a total of 16 hours of hunger.
5:2 model (Alternating Hunger): The 5:2 model, also known as Alternating Hunger, involves restricting energy intake to 500-600 kcal/day on two non-consecutive days of the week while eating normally on the remaining days.
Eat-stop-eat model: This is a different way of intermittent fasting where one eats normally for 5-6 days and then fasts for 24 hours on 1-2 days per week.
Intermittent fasting can reduce blood sugar and fasting insulin levels
According to Nutrition and Diet Specialist Derya Eren, intermittent fasting is a simple and time-saving method that can decrease blood sugar and fasting insulin levels. It can also lead to weight loss by restricting energy intake, and has the added benefit of reducing cholesterol and triglycerides. Additionally, after 16 hours of fasting, the body undergoes a process called autophagy, which eliminates damaged cells and promotes the growth of new, healthy cells.
Who should avoid intermittent fasting
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women
- Children and teenagers who are still developing
- Individuals with a BMI of 18.5 or lower (often referred to as being “underweight”)
- Athletes those who engage in intense physical activity
- People on regular medication
- People with eating disorders
- Individuals with type 1 diabetes
- Patients with high blood pressure