It is difficult to identify the disadvantages of smoothies. These blended drinks are not only simple to create but also portable, making them ideal for on-the-go meals and snacks. Plus, they are a great way to meet your daily fruit and vegetable requirements.

Though you may believe that creating a smoothie is as easy as pressing a button on your Nutribullet or Vitamix — and in many cases, it is – just putting ingredients into the blender does not ensure an appetizing result. There is, contrary to popular belief, both an art and a science to producing a superb smoothie.

Smoothie Primers

Smoothies are really a catch-all for a vast assortment of ingredients and tastes. However, anybody who has made a fruit and spinach smoothie that turned an unappetizing brown color is witness to the fact that certain combinations just do not work.

To guarantee that your smoothie is tasty, nutritious, and visually appealing, you’ll need to start with a few basic ingredients: a liquid, a protein source, fruits and/or vegetables, and healthy fats.

As you create the ideal smoothie, keep your own health objectives in mind. If you’re concerned about the quantity of sugar in your smoothie, attempt to strike a balance between fruits and veggies. If weight management is a problem, take Protetox and  watch your quantities of high-calorie items such as nut butter and whole milk dairy. And for general health, it’s preferable to limit added-sugar foods; thus, avoid using chocolate chips and caramel sauce on a daily basis.

The choice then becomes whether to ice or not to freeze. The usual guideline for a refreshingly frosty smoothie is a ratio of around half cold or frozen components to half non-frozen ones. When you don’t have any frozen fruit on hand, use ice cubes. (With frozen fruit, ice is not required unless you like a slushy-like beverage.) Remember that you should consume a smoothie with ice immediately to avoid it from getting overly watery.

Liquid

A liquid is the fundamental component of the optimum smoothie consistency. Too little, and you won’t be able to drink it via a straw. For a single smoothie serving, you should generally not exceed 1 cup of liquid. If you are unclear about how a liquid will thin down your specific component mixture, pour it in gradually, keeping in mind that you may always add more.

The water content of fruits and vegetables is an additional aspect in achieving the ideal liquid balance. For smoothies made with high-water-content fruits such as watermelon, strawberries, or pineapple, or with vegetables such as cucumber, you may not need any liquid at all.

Protein Source

Smoothies may be readily fortified with protein. While certain proteins, such as chicken, are plainly unsuitable for smoothies, many others have the proper consistency for mixing.

The quantity of protein you add to your smoothie is entirely up to you, but keep serving sizes in mind while you do so. A portion of yogurt may be up to 1 cup. However, a serving of protein powder is often just 1 tablespoon. Check food labels to establish suitable serving sizes, and consider how the protein in your smoothie will interact with the liquid. (Nuts, for instance, may absorb liquid, while yogurt may thin your smoothie.)

Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and vegetables, from apples to zucchini, provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your blended pleasure. Whenever feasible, it is better to add frozen fruit. They will thicken and cool your concoction for that familiarly pleasant ahh. Meanwhile, their sweetness helps mask vegetables’ more harsh flavors and smells. Additionally, frozen fruit is often cheaper than fresh fruit and may be stored for longer durations.

Again, remember to consider the water content of all frozen fruits. When utilizing high-water-content fruits such as berries or melons, start with less liquid.

Vegetables may affect smoothies’ color and texture, necessitating extra planning when adding them. If you don’t mind a little pulp in your smoothie, you may add crisp vegetables such as bell peppers or celery to your protein, fat, and liquid in a high-powered blender. Otherwise, stick to tenderer options such as spinach or cucumber.

Obtaining a beautiful hue with vegetables may also require experimenting. Blended beets, for instance, provide a beautiful pink, but spinach and kale might clash with berries to produce an unattractive mud hue.

Personalize Smoothie Packs

Smoothies are handy, but premade smoothie packs may further simplify hectic mornings or afternoons. Why not put together your own? In plastic or silicone bags with zip-top closures, insert the necessary number of frozen fruits, protein sources, and healthy fat. Place the bags flat in the freezer for storage convenience. Include a date on the labels!

So, you finally decided to step on your weight loss journey with 100% dedication. Got yourself a workout regime designed and you are sticking to it with utmost dedication and being consistent. But instead of seeing the numbers drop on the weight scale, you are saying that you are actually gaining weight. How can you gain weight when you’re actually working out? If Weight Loss is the journey you are on and even after so much effort if you see an increase in the skin, it can get very frustrating and demotivating.

But you need to know that this increase on the scale is not a blooper but it is backed by research as to why there might be a slight weight gain when you begin exercising. Weight gain includes several reasons such as water retention, muscle gain, supplement use, undigested food, or even inflammation caused because of post workout. In many cases, waiting because of post workout information is a temporary condition. Let us understand more about this. Read on.

Weight gain because of muscles

When you start working out, you are very likely to gain weight in your muscles. The amount of muscle that you gain highly depends on the type of workouts that you are doing and the diet that you’re following. Any slight increase in your physical activity will produce some improvements in your muscle mass and strength. If you have been doing workouts related to strength training and consuming a lot of protein, then there might be a drastic increase in your muscle mass. And of course, genetics also have a role to play in the amount of muscle looking when you’re on an exercise program. If you are gaining your muscles very easily, call yourself lucky! Because muscles are the ones that help to shape a healthy and strong body. And when you gain your muscles, the scheme is definitely going to increase.

If you are working out consistently, it is highly possible that you begin to lose inches before losing your weight. And a higher number on the weighing scale depicts that you are losing all the fat from your body while gaining muscle at the same time which is a very positive outcome if you are looking to go towards a stronger and leaner body.

Weight gain because of water retention

If there is any such thing called temporary weight gain, the other word for it is water retention. And this is very common with people who have high fluctuations in their hormones, for example, people who are in the their pre menopausal stage, those who suffer from hormonal onditions such as PCOS. Their body weight is prone to fluctuate a lot. With women it is very common, when women have periods a majority of them tend to suffer from some degree of bloating either during the period or just before that period. Exercise is the only way that can help reduce these premenstrual symptoms.

Sodium intake is another common cause for water retention leading to weight gain. When you consume foods that are high in salt, it increases your body weight. When people eat salty foods, they automatically go and try to drink a lot of water and this produces more urine. The extra fluid that is in our body generally adds up on the scale.

Weight gain caused because of post workout inflammation

A temporary weight gain can be caused as a result of your workout itself. This increase in your weight signals that you might be exercising dedicatedly in order to see healthy results. In other words, exercise tends to damage muscle tissue. And the repair process that a muscles undergo helps them to get stronger and grow more. And during this process, inflammation tends to occur in the muscle tissues. Exercise physiologists name this as EIMD, exercise induced muscle damage. It is considered to be a very temporary effect that occurs after performing a new exercise pattern or exceptionally performing your regular exercise pattern.

Weight gain caused by supplement use

Consuming supplements or post workout nutrition can also lead to a certain amount of weight gain after you workout. Exercise especially when it is prolonged like cycling or running-it tends to deplete a body of glycogen. And it is important to consume supplements post workout that contain carbs. Carbohydrates tend to restore the glycogen in our muscles. And for each gram of that like Cochin that is restored our body retains at least 3 g of water. And when there is an increase in the amount of water stored in a body, weight gain occurs.

This whole process is considered to be a very healthy recovery process and it is something that you must not avoid.

Weight gain caused by indigestion of fiber rich food

Which is very natural that you will be left feeling hungry after your workout. And if you choose to refuel by eating foods that are rich in fiber, this nutritious choice of food might lead to an increase in the weighing scale as it works its way within your body. Always remember that fiber leads to water retention in the colon area and this results in stools that are easier to excrete and less dry. If you are consuming Fiber that is insoluble then it could lead to an increase in your stool weight. In a particular research, it was found that each one of us produces at least 125 to 170 g of stool each day — or that’s equal to almost half a pound. However, there are certain other studies that claim that a daily stole Maid needs to be roughly around 106 g each day.

Ever since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the majority of the people in the world have begun to take health seriously. Earlier it was only fan tired and extra fancy jeans that were looked upon for being healthy. However, after the onset of coronavirus all over the world, people have started to take their weight, their overall BMI, and their healthy lifestyle a bit more seriously as it seems that the reality has struck the world with Covid.

We all know how parents were extremely cautious about nutrition and wellness when we were in the infants and toddlers stage. They ensure that the nearest a body with all the essential vitamins and minerals and also make sure that our body grows in a way that we have the best immunity to fight all kinds of diseases are there in the world. However, as we age, it is our responsibility to look after our health not just because it is in trend but we need to look at it with genuine sight so that our aging period is smooth and confined.

If we need to eat like red wine, it is a cognitive health problem that we need to lay focus on. If a cognitive head is rich, then the rest of the body parts function optimally automatically. Therefore as you wish, ensure that you are giving enough importance to cognitive health. There are several studies popping up these days that talk about weight management helping in maintaining cognitive health as one ages. Recent study that was published on dementia and Alzheimer’s talks about the ability of maintaining a stable weight as a significant factor for healthy brain health as one tends to get older. If there is stability in your BMI levels, then there will be a very slow rate of cognitive decline as you age and we are talking of not just specific cognitive functions but on a global cognition level as well.

Now who thought that just by maintaining weight, you can gain control over your brain’s health, right? Let’s read on to understand more about how weight management is connected to good cognitive health.

Understanding the study further

In this research, the researchers observed nearly 16,000 numbers of older adults who were made to undergo dementia screening every five years. The researchers found that those adults who had quite a lot of changes in their BMI levels represented nearly a 5% decrease or increase in their likelihood of decline in cognitive health. This result holds true regardless of the status of BMI at the start including those who had underweight or normal weight. One of the main reasons for stable DNI to protect cognitive health is that it helps maintain the equilibrium of the body with respect to other vital health markers such as cholesterol and BP. Certain research that was conducted before this one also indicates similar results saying that BMI stability is directly associated with less disability, frailty, and also early mortality. And there is clinical research that backs this result. And clinical values found in BMI are much easier to track as we age.

There is mixed evidence

Whether carrying excess weight is helpful or harmful for brain health while we age is still a topic that is up for debate. There are several doctors and researchers who have suffered from greater cognitive impairment and cases of dementia with greater BMI values in participants who are elderly in their previous studies. For example, a particular study came to a conclusion that circumference is directly correlated with poor cognitive health in older women who suffer from type two diabetes. Another study shows that nearly 45,000 people who are obese during a period of 12 years beginning from then midlife to ageing time found that there was an association between dementia and obesity for certain age groups. But the risk is known to diminish as one gets older. In old age, if you have a greater BMI, then it shows that you are at a much higher risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.

Consider movement more than weight loss

When we went through certain study results that were very recent in nature, we understood that it is highly possible to focus on certain weight changes for improved cognitive health and to lead a longer life. The emphasis is here to put as we age is to learn more words finding love in mobility and fitness. This holds true even for people who suffer from obesity. Recent research review of 2021 in the iscience journal states that there was a reduction in mortality risk as weight reduces compared to just doing physical activity. In this research, the researchers claim that people will benefit more from a neutral approach towards weight which focuses on health and not just weight management or weight loss. When a person becomes physically active, the body weight automatically decreases but this doesn’t hold true in most cases. And this might get very frustrating for the person who is trying to lose weight and keeping weight loss as their primary goal. Having an approach that is weight neutral will eliminate the weight loss from the result equation and focuses only on improving the overall health — for example, improved function, weight stability, and mobility. It also ensures that there is an improvement in certain health parameters like BP and blood sugar. There is data that shows just two minutes of walking at a speed of moderate to brisk every single hour helps improve blood sugar in the body.

Introduction 

The topic ‘weight loss’ can repeatedly be seen being pondered over, discussed, and researched upon for the benefit of one and all. Everyone wants to lose weight. Some opt for sustainable methods whilst some take refuge in crash diets and the likes. Various methods are being tried and tested to attain people’s desired goals. This article covers the role of weight loss cleanses in a person’s weight loss journey, what to expect from it and who should steer clear from it.

What Are Weight Loss Cleanses

Just as the name suggests, weight loss cleanses are yet another approach to attaining weight loss by cleansing or omitting certain types of food from your diet that may trigger weight gain. There is no hard and fast rule as to what needs to be included in a weight loss cleanse if one plans to go for it. Different types of cleanses are practiced by people to lose weight. The main factor which decides the formulation and opting of these cleanses are fat loss from specific body parts, weight loss and sometimes simply if the person is willing to rid the body of toxins or in other words detoxify the body of impurities. Weight loss cleanses give prompt results. However, happiness garnered thus is short-lived as it triggers rapid weight loss and the lost pounds may get right back into the body after a month or so.

Of the varieties of cleanses that people popularly opt for, one of the more sought-after forms is completely avoiding consumption of a particular type of food from your diet. Common food types that are avoided are:

• Processed food
• Junk or deep-fried food
• Sugary treats and drinks
• Soy
• Dairy and dairy products
• Alcohol
• Gluten
• Wheat

Other forms of cleanses include resorting to herbal cleanse supplements, adding specific types of teas to your diet, drinking herb infused-water, etc. Some people resort to specific exercise forms to attain this feat. Most weight loss cleanses are brief programs followed for short periods and often it does not facilitate long term weight loss or fat loss. However, before opting for a BioFit Probiotic weight loss cleanse program it would be wise to consult your nutritionist or garner more information from a health expert as to how much food needs to be omitted from your diet and for how long. Long-term and deliberate deprivation of specific nutrients from the body would do more harm than good so better to seek expert advice before opting for the same.

Benefits of Weight Loss Cleanses

A major requirement of weight loss cleansing programs that is worth mentioning is the fact that they promote healthy foods to be included in one’s diet and the omission of unhealthy foods that may trigger weight gain. Most cleansing programs encourage the consumption of whole foods inclusive of specific meals which are rich in nutrients, low in calories, and is good for the overall health of the person. Some studies have shown specific weight loss cleanses to reduce fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes whereas others have shown to promote a healthy heart. It is also a widely known fact that weight loss does improve a person’s overall health and weight loss cleanses do assist in this regard. They work as a motivating factor that encourages people to stick to a healthy weight.

Although it may seem a bit taxing initially to restrict certain types of food completely whilst the program lasts but once the person gets a gist of the general wellness that one feels owing to the program, sticking to the plan seems like a breeze. Slowly, not only do weight loss cleanses assist the person to achieve their weight loss goal but it also helps the person to get rid of frequent hunger pangs as well as reduce cravings and binge-eating habits. Weight loss cleanses also help to treat minor digestive issues like bloating, flatulence, acidity, etc that commonly arise due to unhealthy food habits

Common Types of Weight Loss Cleanses

Let us take a look at some popular cleanses that people tend to go for.

1. Juice cleanses – as the name suggests, this program requires the person to consume only specific types of vegetable and fruit juices and to completely avoid consumption of all other types of food from one’s diet. Normally this program lasts for up to 7 days.
2. Green Smoothie cleanse – this program lasts for 10 days and calls for the person to consume smoothies made out of fruits and vegetables and to completely restrict the diet from all other forms of food except vegetables rich in starch.
3. Lemonade diet – this cleanse is referred to as the master cleanse and lasts for a period of 10 days. The only food allowed during this time is water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
4. Whole 30 – this variety of weight loss cleanse calls for the person to strictly adhere to dietary modifications for 30 days. Lean proteins, fruits and vegetables can be consumed in abundance. However, during this period dairy, sugar, legumes, alcohol, etc should be completely avoided

Negative Effects of Weight Loss Cleanses

Although weight loss cleanses do garner positive results in terms of short-term weight loss, one must not overlook the negative impacts it may have on some people. It is important to remember that weight loss cleanses don’t have scientific backing so health experts don’t usually recommend this method for someone who is looking to lose weight healthily. Also, these cleanse promote rapid weight loss in very short periods so it may harm the body in ways more than one. Dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, and the formation of gallstones have been some of the most commonly reported adverse effects of weight loss cleanses. Also, in some people, it could give rise to eating disorders as they may take a liking to this method of rapid weight loss. Such disorders can disrupt a person’s emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Those with underlying health conditions and chronic health diseases should indulge in a thorough discussion with their doctor before they opt for any weight loss plan especially the likes of weight loss cleanses.

Things To Remember

Before deciding to go for any weight loss plan it is good to make some notes to prepare one’s mind and body for the same to garner best results. Listed below are some of those:

• Ask yourself if embarking on this journey is for health reasons or to simply look thin physically. If your answer is ‘yes’ for the former then you are on the right track.
• Make a list of diet programs that suits your lifestyle and pocket, and short-list what may best work for you and your bodily needs.
• Speak to your doctor or consult a nutritionist in order to play it safe.
• Make a list of ingredients you may need to stick to as part of the program and stock up on the pantry.
• Try to stick to a sensible weight loss plan so that it helps u in the long run.
• Make sure it does not interfere with your medication in case you have existing health issues.
• Focus on your goal.
• Measure your success with the plan only once you have completed the time needed to finish it.
• No matter which plans you opt for include daily exercises as part of your day’s routine

Conclusion

If someone is looking to lose weight sustainably and healthily then weight loss cleanses may not be the right choice for you. However, occasionally if you are desperate to lose some pounds to fit into your favorite clothes to wear to an occasion then it is alright to go for these cleanses so long as you don’t have any underlying health issues. Just make sure you don’t get used to this idea in the long run as it may harm your body as discussed above. Be it weight loss or fat loss, it is best to stick to a realistic approach to garner sensible results.

For several generations now, we have all been drilled with this one single and mundane notion of there is a very “right” way of eating if you want to achieve a body that is very healthy and attractive. And we are also told that having a body as such will help us lead a much more fulfilling and meaningful life. The reality of this however is of a completely different tone, isn’t it?

And in at least a decade or so the word “diet culture” has been in the spotlight forever, isn’t it? And what time of every year does it trend the most? It is certainly at the dawn of the New Year! This is when every other person around us including us want to take earnest pledges to tone, shrink, chisel, or in general, alter our bodies. And this previous year of 2020, owing to the breakout of the novel coronavirus, we saw an even more increase in the number of people taking to following a certain specific type of diet to up their immunity game. Some did achieve their body goals, but some simply couldn’t, and this led them to begin eating even more and puff their bodies with all things harmful and bad in the long run. So, all we’re trying to say by mentioning so much is that you need to just stop now and wait right there!

We truly think that you need to firstly, “Detox our bodies from all the bad choices that we made” This whole concept or the language simply implies that our body has been poisoned by latkes, cookies, eggnog, etc. and that there is an urgent need to administer an antidote! Most of us step on the bandwagon of diet only to cheat on it and say that “Oh! I’ll make up for the cheese board I’m sharing with friends now” or “I’ll burn off the calories I’ll be gaining on because of this” We think that diet culture is all of this—it is about following a diet, talking about cheating on it only to be left with a much more damaged health and body and this is so intricately woven into our culture that most of us just fail to be consciously aware of this! Let’s dig a little deeper into this “diet culture” that the world has been following and gain consciousness over the same as well.

So, What Exactly Is Diet Culture?

Diet culture has so many facets and definitions, but if you ask us in a nutshell as to what it would mean, then we’ll tell you to consider it as a set of beliefs that holds thinness as the God and then equates it with health and moral values. And this dear reader has become a very dominant culture in today’s time. It’s just that we fail to notice as it is almost like the water we swim in!

Diet culture is this lens through which we view health, beauty, and our bodies. It is a lens that colors out the way we need to look and feel through our bodies—it is highly intriguing! And in this world of diet culture, people are given this special status of their bodies are thinner, eat always the right things, they are considered to have the correct will power and the right attitude to lead a healthy life.

All this being said, did you know that the success rate of diet stories is just 2% and that the remaining 98% of the stories are all about failed attempts? Considering this, there is no way that you can say a body is healthy only if it has undergone any weight loss! And there is an anti-diet movement that has been formed whose aim is to urge the people out there to question, examine, and ultimately say “no” to diet culture. This is what has given rise to the “body positivity” movement which is trending on all social media forums right now! People have started boycotting the before and after transformation pictures that used to trend once upon a time on social media. The problem here isn’t about following a particular diet, it is about the various choices that diet culture pops in our lives which seem like the right choices we are taking towards a healthy lifestyle but in reality, they are nothing but the wrong choices!

Here Are Some Examples Of Diet Culture

Have you seen how every man and woman end up adoring the Barbie figure? And how most people think that when a woman’s thighs touch each other, they are not healthy or attractive? And oh wait, have you wondered why companies that sell shapewear never go on a loss? These are all nothing but different examples of diet culture. It is in the very essence of diet culture that seed into us the thought that when you feel hungry, instead of feeding the body with much-needed food, we need to push the hunger away by drinking a no-calorie glass of some liquid. We are asked to believe that our body isn’t really hungry and that it’s just a sign of thirst that our body is going through. Have we ever woken up, looked into the mirror told ourselves that we love our body, we love our skin? In fact, we feel horrid at the sight of ourselves in the mirror and say things like let me start a diet to feel better!

What Is So Harmful About Diet Culture?

The anti-diet followers claim that diet culture harms each one of us who are unhappy with our bodies, more so among those of us who have a larger body frame. Here’s a look into some key issues that diet culture poses to each one of us:

1. It Spreads Discrimination

A majority of us have some of the other childhood memory of being fat-shamed because of our weight, right? People are mocked and bullied because of their weight issues. And this discrimination concerning weight impacts accesses to some of the most important things in one’s life—right from finding a partner in life to getting a well-deserved job. It is extremely difficult for a person who is fat to live a happy and fruitful life in the diet-driven society of today!

2. It Fuels Businesses To Make Money By Cheating You Off

Americans spend thousands of dollars into attaining the results that diet culture promotes every single year. The weight loss market in America seems to be growing by several notches with every passing day, forget about a year.

3. It’s A Stage To Make You Feel Like A Complete Failure

If you try and understand a diet on scientific terms, then weight loss diets just don’t work out practically! There is a lack of research or let’s say no research at all that shows any particular diet style or product that promises weight loss 100%. Had there been an existence of any such thing, we all would have been notified about it by now, isn’t it? This is precisely why research claims that 98% of diets in the world today have recorded that many percentages of failure.

4. It Distracts Us From The Actual Societal Issues Around Us

The individual culture that we all belong to dictates that if we are not thin it is not just a fault in our body but it is a fault as a human as well. Diet culture preaches that we eat those pre-workouts and post-workout drinks and means to get out of the larger frame when it comes to our body first stop however, it does not pay attention to all those societies and communities in our world which lack basic amenities like simple fresh fruits first stop

5. It Normalizes The Norms Of Disorder Eating

You see, disordered eating is a medical condition. Disorder eating isn’t a condition in you just because you are fat or you have a larger body frame first stop disorder eating is in fact more related to a mental health condition. So, what diet culture says is that if you are someone who has extra weight and is meant to lose weight, then you fall under the category of people who have the disordered eating condition.

How Does One Resist Diet Culture?

Diet culture is nothing but fostering a way of toxic lifestyle amongst us first stop if you want to stay away from getting into diet culture, you will have to continue to pay heat to intuitive eating and also consider looking into health at every size of your body not just when you have gained weight or if you are fat. Never rain at the modifying structure of your body instead aim at transforming your body into a healthy body irrespective of its size and shape.  

Bygone are times when people spoke of diets and workouts for the sole purpose of losing weight alone to resemble magazine models. The current smarter generation, being equipped with the knowledge to match, is gripped with the need to become the best version of themselves where more than weight loss itself, healthy weight loss is prioritized upon, and in the process, they want to ensure their overall health improves. Various new-age methods have been adopted to suffice the same where intermittent fasting seems to have won the hearts of the majority of fitness enthusiasts. This article will cover in-depth why intermittent fasting is preferred over other weight loss plans and the various health benefits it has in store.

What Is Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting, as the name suggests, is a method of fasting where people are required to fast and eat; repeat the same and continue the process in a similar alternating manner. Extensive studies have been conducted to show the various health benefits that intermittent fasting provides. Apart from assisting in weight loss, intermittent fasting is said to enhance metabolism, provide the body the protection it needs to fight diseases, uplift mood, improve one’s energy level and increase longevity by following a disciplined lifestyle. Mainly based on when you are required to eat, intermittent fasting is easy to follow provided one is determined, dedicated and consistent. The interesting thing about intermittent fasting is that it does not impose any food restrictions as such. Health experts claim that people involuntarily anyway fast daily and this happens when they are asleep. All that intermittent fasting calls for is to fast slightly longer comparatively. There are various types of this fasting method that one can adopt depending on factors like health requirements, convenience, gender, etc. A point to bear in mind is to avoid eating completely whilst fasting and to load up on nutritious food when not fasting. Of the various types, 16/8 method is most preferred where you fast for a 16-hourly period and then eat for 8 straight hours. Other forms are 5:2 fasting, time-restricted fasting, eat-stop-eat, overnight fasting and others.

Health Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting

Just as our mind and body need rest for self-rejuvenation, so does the metabolic system inside of our body. Many a time people tend to overeat which creates havoc within our bodies unseen to the eye. This is where practices like fasting can come in our favor in immeasurable ways. Intermittent fasting specifically holds significance in this regard. Not only does it assist in weight loss but it also provides the body with various other benefits. Let us take a look at some of those:

1. Blood sugar control – intermittent fasting helps to improve the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients. Many studies have been conducted on the subject to substantiate this claim. Upon calculating the calorie intake of some sugar patients, researchers made them eat for 6 hours straight, with fasting for the remaining hours, for 5 weeks, and found that there was no spike in the blood sugar levels of those people and instead the readings significantly improved.
2. Better blood pressure readings – for years studies have proved that those who fast for religious purposes have always had healthier hearts as compared to those who don’t fast at all. This automatically led to the belief that practicing intermittent fasting would garner similar results. In the majority of cases with people who followed intermittent fasting, the blood pressure readings garnered satisfactory results. However, it is best to avoid unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, etc for the best results.
3. Improved Metabolism – our bodies are naturally equipped with organs and internal parts that help us withstand extreme conditions of drought and food scarcity. So, fasting for a few good hours would do us no harm, provided during the non-fasting period we provide our body with nutritious meals as and when required. Fasting shifts our body’s natural metabolism sufficing the body to withstand the period lacking in food and water. During fasting, when the body lacks in carbohydrates, stored fatty acids and ketones within take their place giving rise to ketosis which in turn efficiently produces the energy the body requires to function. In this manner, fasting helps assist metabolism even in the absence of food.
4. Reduces inflammation – regular and continuous eating causes the body to function without a break leading to a spike in heart diseases and diabetes. Fasting, however, gives the body time to rest to self-repair the cells which reduce the risk of diabetes, improves heart health and thus results in a significant reduction of inflammation. Several studies have been conducted to back this claim.
5. Better cholesterol readings – fasting can reduce the bad cholesterol levels in our body also known as LDL. Spike in LDL levels can lead to various diseases so it is important to keep our cholesterol levels under control. In this regard, intermittent fasting can be beneficial to those suffering from high cholesterol issues.
6. Improved brain health – during fasting, when the body is in the state of ketosis, the protein responsible for the health and sustenance of neurons gets stimulated which in turn improves memory power. Neurons are in charge of transmitting nerve impulses so fasting helps enhance this process. Studies conducted on both animals and humans have substantiated this finding. Verbal memory, ability to think, better decision making are certain areas that showed improvement as a result of fasting.
7. Intermittent fasting has shown a multiplication in growth hormones for up to 5 times its normal count. This in turn promotes muscle gain and fat loss. It also increases the production of the fat-burning hormone called norepinephrine.

Who Should Refrain From Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is not designed for everyone to follow as a means for weight loss and to reap other health benefits. Some people who should refrain from this form of fasting are as follows:

• Those with eating disorders are better off refraining from intermittent fasting, especially those used to binge eating or have bulimia. This is because intermittent fasting calls for following a disciplined diet which may not be possible for the aforementioned set of people. And thus it may cause more harm than good.
• Those having type 1 diabetes and suffering from chronic health issues(like cancer) are better off refraining from intermittent fasting to avoid adverse health issues.
• Pregnant women are advised by health experts to not follow intermittent fasting as they need to continuously supply nutrients not only to the baby but to themselves as well. So, eating often is important and fasting during pregnancy is never a good idea.
• Sportspeople who are undergoing strenuous training sessions need to refrain from intermittent fasting as they need high levels of energy to perform well. Therefore, adequate nutrient intake is essential often in smaller portions, and hence fasting is not a wise choice for them to achieve goals.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting is a sure shot solution to get rid of those flabs and conquer your weight goals. The countless other health benefits that one can reap by following this healthy fasting method comes by as a boon no doubt. But before blindly following any weight loss routine, always make it a point to speak to your doctor to ensure the chosen method poses no other health risk. Especially those with underlying health conditions need to practice more caution than the rest. And once the doctor gives the green signal know that you are on the right track as long as consistency is made the key to unlocking the fitness goals of your dreams.