Intermittent Fasting (IF) For Targeted Fat Loss
For those that are not familiar with the term, intermittent fasting is just going for intermittent periods of fasting with no food and working them into your lifestyle.
This can be either once a week or several times a week and usually lasts anywhere from 12–24 hours. This is an inexpensive way to drop weight (burn fat) over time without worrying about losing muscle tissue, or worrying about which fat burner or diet will work the best. Stored fat is like our survival pantry with cans of stored food, (they both supply us with calories when we are in need). So next time someone tries to convince you to spend money to lose weight, remember that it’s a little like paying someone to burn up the supply of food that you spent both time and money storing up in your pantry.
The way I do the intermittent fast (IF): after my last meal of the day, I simply go into the following day, extending the time of the first meal or snack. I do not break-the-fast (this is the meaning of breakfast) until either afternoon or early evening. This lowers the level of insulin produced which in turn will signal release of calories from stored fat, to take the place of the ones we’re not getting through our stomach.
A calorie deficit in our stomach will signal for the release of stored calories (fat). And since there are around 3500 calories in a pound of fat, by dropping about 18–24 hours of normal food intake, your deficit can really cut into a pound of fat! I like to do this once a week but depending on the amount of fat you’re wanting to lose, you could do it up to 3 separate times a week without worrying about muscle loss.
Approximate amount of fat burned in a day: on average, a person needs to add an extra zero to their bodyweight to get a minimum number of calories burned in a day’s time, at rest.
Example: a 160 lb. person would need 1600 calories base line, without figuring daily physical activity. So if a 160 lb. person skipped eating for 24 hours, they should burn at least a 1/2-pound of stored energy (fat).
The idea behind intermittent fasting: getting insulin levels low, (triggers the release of body fat as an energy source). When we take in sugar and starch filled foods and snacks foods, our body recognizes a fuel entering the system that can be dangerous if left in the blood, so it releases insulin to not only help the body safely remove it from the blood and into our cells, but to also turn off the fat burning process until its job is done. The presence of insulin in the blood simply shuts down the fat burning process.
Stretching out the fat burning effect: an intake of proteins and fats (from meats, eggs, nuts, beans) along with dark colored vegetables work really well if you want to extend the fat burning effect but avoid going into starvation mode.
Warning: if you go low calorie or complete calorie restriction for too long, your body will think it is starving and will accommodate the lower food intake by lowering your metabolism, (it does this by breaking down muscle for energy). Oft times when someone gets on appetite suppressants, they will stay low calorie for too long, causing the body to go into a catabolic state, (it does this to protect us during times of starvation). However, you can trick your body into continuing to burn fat, by having an in-between cheat meal and refueling the hungry muscle cells before once again diving back into a fat burning calorie deficit!
Always remember, whether intermittent fasting or low calorie, simply cycling your calorie intake up and down with high and low energy output days is a good way to control our weight. In other words, “don’t put racing fuel in a slow-moving vehicle!”
Drink plenty of water, as this is your only source of hydration during periods of fasting.
