Intermittent fasting for men:

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is the name used for a diet pattern in which a person alternates between eating and fasting. It is a form of diet which does not involve eating or avoiding certain foods from eating. IF has many different schedules. For long, Intermittent fasting has been discussed for women  but it also has many proven benefits for men such as weight loss, hormonal balance. In this article we will focus on learning what is intermittent fasting, how it works and the intermittent fasting for men.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is not a diet but rather a timing strategy that it involves fasting during some hours of the day and eating during the other hours alternatively. In this way you can limit your calorie intake when you fast and use stored fat of your body for energy. It can help your body in

• Losing weight
• Improving blood sugar and insulin sensitivity
• Reducing inflammation in body
• Enhancing brain function
• Increasing growth hormone and testosterone levels.

How intermittent fasting works:

Intermittent fasting works in an alternative way as it changes the body’s use of energy for work. Such as when we eat, the body breaks down carbohydrates which we take in from our food and breaks it down and use it as a fuel for body processes. But when we are fasting there is no carbohydrate intake for the body to utilize as energy. So, during fasting the body uses stored fat as an energy source and breaks fat to utilize them for fulfilling energy needs. This process is called ketosis and can help the body in losing weight.

Fasting intermittently also helps in hormone level boosting especially the hormones which are involved in digestion and metabolism. During fasting, the level of insulin hormone (which is involved in glucose metabolism) drops while glucagon (which is incolved in fat breakdown) levels rises which can help in losing fats and ultimately results in weight loss.

Best Intermittent fasting schedules for men:

There are many different and effective ways to do intermittent fasting  but each of them has different effectiveness value based on preference goals set by you. Some of the best Intermittent fasting schedules for men are:

16:8 or Leangains : This method involves fasting for 16 hours every day and then eating anything within 8 hours window. For example, you may skip breakfast and eat between noon and 8 pm. This is one of the easiest IF schedule you should follow, and it can also help in weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity.

16:8 intermittent fasting: Benefits, how-to, and tips (medicalnewstoday.com)

20:4 or Warrior diet: This method of IF focuses on 20 hours fasting period followed by 4 hours eating window. For example, you can eat only one large meal during a day. This is an advanced and hard version of the 16:8 strategy and helps in losing more fat and enhance autophagy.

5:2 or Fast diet: This method involves eating normally for 5 days and then reducing calorie intake for 2 days in a week. For example, you can fast on Mondays and Thursdays every week. It is actually a moderate approach to fasting as some people cannot fast every day.  It can help in weight loss and improve blood pressure.

Alternate Day fasting: This method involves eating normally for one day and then fasting the next day. For example, you can eat on Mondays and then fast on Tuesdays and then again eat on Wednesday and fast on Thursday and continue up to whole week. It can help lose weight quickly and also help in improving cholesterol level and lose weight quickly.

How to choose intermittent fasting schedule for you?

While choosing the schedule for yourself you have to keep in mind following factors that may affect the outcomes for you:

• Your goals:  Keep in mind what are your goals to start fasting, do you want to lose weight? do you want to improve health? Different schedules can have different outcomes for you.
• Your preferences: Do you want to eat more frequently or less frequently? such as can you skip breakfast? Do you prefer large or small meals? Select the schedule depending on your preferences and fits your lifestyle so that you don’t have to change your lifestyle much.
• Your lifestyle: Keep in mind your workout schedule. Do you work out in morning or evening? Do you go out or prefer to stay at home? Choose a IF schedule based on your daily life routine.

FAQs:

1.What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is an eating schedule to follow which focuses on eating and fasting period alternatively. It does not involve which food to eat.

2.How does intermittent fasting works?

Fasting intermittently works by creating a calorie deficit when you fast for some time and thus allowing body to use the stored fat for energy thus helping in weight loss.

3.Can I drink water during fasting period?

Yes, staying hydrated is very important for health and water does not have any calories so it does not affect your fasting.

4.Is intermittent fasting safe?

IF is generally considered safe for most of the people. However, it may not be suitable for some such as breast feeding or pregnant women or if you have certain underlying medical conditions.

5.How long will the intermittent fasting show results?
It depends on different people and different factors such as weight, adherence to fasting schedule etc. Some people can get the results early while some can take time to see the results.

Affan Lateef

Hi, I’m Affan lateef , a pharmacist by profession. I have a degree in pharmacy and over 5 years of experience helping people achieve their health goals. I write about various topics like health, artificial intelligence in health, mental health, diet and weight loss. Follow me here on these platforms given below.