Intermittent fasting has been popular for years, and it’s easy to see why. Limiting the time you eat is much easier than completely changing your usual diet.
Intermittent fasting can help you lose weight while maintaining muscle mass, fight inflammation, and even activate the process of autophagy, which slows down the aging process and reduces the risk of cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
Sounds attractive, right? However, there are nuances that you should definitely be aware of before trying intermittent fasting.
There is no plan that fits everyone
There are different intermittent fasting plans, and none of them are universal. You must consider your goals and characteristics: perhaps the 20:4 option, which allows you to quickly burn a large amount of fat, will be too harsh for you, and it is better to stick to a “slow” but doable 12-hour fast.
You will have to find “your” IS through trial and error.
You may find that the plan you choose makes you irritable or doesn’t fit well with your workout schedule. This does not mean that intermittent fasting is not suitable for you – you can try other protocols and find one that is comfortable.
Stress can negate the effects of intermittent fasting
Our body does not like change – it will not be delighted that the nutrition schedule has become different. The response to “innovations” may be an increase in cortisol levels, which will prevent you from losing weight – which is why experts advise never starting with complex regimens like 20:4.
A week before menstruation, you should stop using strict IG regimens.
We become very vulnerable during this time, which is why experts recommend avoiding additional stress, including fasting. It is not necessary to give up IG completely, but it is better to change the 20:4 and 16:8 plans to a 12-hour food refusal.
Intermittent fasting does not give you the right to eat everything.
Some people think that intermittent fasting allows you to eat any food during the window, and this is a big mistake. It is very important to pay attention to what you eat – you need high-quality protein in sufficient quantities, fiber, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, and you should avoid ultra-processed foods.
