How To Choose A Diet?
People associate weight loss with an extreme diet and tons of cardio. Luckily for all of us, this is just a common misconception. There are many different weight loss approaches that range from good old calorie-restricting diets to fairly new weight loss trends on the block such as intermittent fasting. The latter restricts the time when you are allowed to consume food, rather than limiting the type or amount of food you can eat. So, if you don’t like counting calories, then looking into the 12-hour intermittent fasting diet might be just what you need.
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What Is 12-Hour Intermittent Fasting?
As may be clear from its name, a 12:12 intermittent fasting requires you to fast for 12 hours a day. This type of fasting is best suited for beginners, since the eating window is quite big, and you can sleep for most of your fasting time.
The goal of intermittent fasting is similar to that of a Keto diet. By sticking to any type of IF, you deprive your body of glucose, making it use your deposited fat as a primary energy source. This leads to weight loss and overall health improvement.
What Can 12:12 Intermittent Fasting Offer You?
Since 12:12 intermittent fasting is among the least restrictive types of IF, it bears minimum risks. But that is not the only benefit of this nutritional approach. Here is what 12-hour fasting has to offer:
- Improved longevity
- Reduced inflammation
- Body detox
- Improved longevity
- Better physical performance
These are only a few of the health benefits of 12:12 intermittent fasting. Here are some other pros of this weight loss tool:
- Easy to follow. This type of IF is very easy to follow, and you are unlikely to suffer from hunger pangs during your fasting period. You can have breakfast at 8 am and eat your dinner before 8 pm.
- Affordable. You choose which food you will eat yourself, so you can plan your menu in such a way that there would be no need in buying expensive products or supplements.
- Encourages healthy sleep. The more you sleep – the less time you have to fast. In such a way, 12:12 intermittent fasting encourages you to sleep a healthy 7-9 hours a day.
- Safe for health. This dietary approach is among the least restrictive weight loss methods. It offers you gradual and sustainable weight loss and encourages a healthy lifestyle.
Intermittent fasting and weight loss
It was already mentioned before that intermittent fasting is often used as a weight-loss tool because it makes your body use stored fat as its energy source instead of glucose. According to the New York Times, time-restricted fasting could help you consume around 550 calories less than usual, which is difficult to achieve with the help of a conventional calorie restriction. A review published by a WHO regional office also confirms that time-restricted feeding can improve your health and add to weight loss. 2014 reviews show that following IF rules led to a 3-8% reduction in body weight after 3-24 weeks.
Tips To Boost Your Results
Although you can technically eat whatever food you want and in whatever quantities, let’s be realistic, even IF won’t help you if all you eat is tons of junk food and sweets. If you want to successfully slim down with the help of this dietary approach, you need to lead an overall healthy lifestyle. Here some tips to improve your IF results:
Make sure your meals are balanced
A well-balanced diet is one of the staples of sound health and safe weight loss. You need to make sure that you get all the vital nutrients from your food. That is why your menu should include plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in fiber, water, and various micronutrients; lean meats, eggs, and dairy, which will provide you with protein, and numerous vitamins and minerals; fatty fish, rich in healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, proteins and other essential nutrients; beans and legumes, which are a great plant source of protein and fiber; whole grains which offer you a great plethora of various nutrients, including complex carbs; nuts and seeds which are rich in healthy fats, and others.
Avoid unhealthy foods
Even eating a balanced diet won’t help you if you also eat up on unhealthy foods. If your goal is to not only slim down but also improve your health, keep away from such unhealthy foods and components as refined carbs, added sugars, trans and saturated fats, alcohol, and others.
Exercise more
Weight loss is all about burning more calories than you consume. Regular workouts can increase your daily energy expenditure. You will not only burn calories during your workouts but will also spend more energy even at rest, since exercising increases your muscle mass and thus boosts your metabolism.
Stay hydrated
More than half of the human body consists of water. It is essential for the proper functioning of your body and can also add to your weight loss. Make sure to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water when you work out.
Reduce stress levels
Fighting your stress can boost your weight loss by reducing food cravings and emotional eating. It can also positively affect your mood and overall wellness. Reduce your stress levels with the help of meditation, yoga, and other relaxation methods.
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DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
