What to know about Intermittent Fasting and Hypothyroidism?
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent Fasting (also known as IF) is a way of eating that focuses on when you are eating in relation to when you are not eating (fasting) instead of WHAT you are eating.
Instead of following a specific diet plan, or focusing on which foods to eliminate or avoid, Intermittent Fasting gives you a ‘window’ of time for when to eat and not eat to optimize the way your body uses food. Many people like this way of eating as it allows you to have much more flexibility when trying to lose weight.
People may utilize intermittent fasting for many different reasons. Some use it to lose weight or maintain weight loss. Others use it to help prevent inflammation, improve brain function, promote insulin sensitivity, or increase their life span.
There are many benefits to using Intermittent Fasting as a weight loss tool that research has shown:
How do you do Intermittent Fasting?
There are many ways that you can go about Intermittent Fasting. The primary way focuses on boundaries that relate to time. This means that you eat during certain hours and fast during others. These boundaries can be hours, days or alternate between the two.
Here are some of the main ways that people practice IF:
The 16:8 method – This means that you fast for 16 hours and eat normally during an 8-hour window during a 24 hour period. You can fit in 1, 2 or 3 meals during this time and you can modify the hours to fit your needs, but the longer the fasting “window”, the greater the purported benefits. This plan typically works well for beginners. Additionally, you try starting for 12 or fewer hours and work your way up as you become more comfortable.
Example: Stop eating after you eat dinner (6pm) and do not eat again until lunch (12pm) the next day.
The 5:2 method: The numbers in this IF plan refer to days. So, for 5 days you eat normally and for 2 days per week you fast completely. These 2 days can be spread out during the week to make it easier.
Example: Eat normally Monday, Wednesday and Friday and fast on Tuesday and Thursday.
There are many other ways to practice fasting, so you can choose the one that works for you!
What can I eat while Intermittent Fasting?
The recommendations to maintain fasting state are to not eat or drink anything that may stop the fast and the benefits incurred. These include plain black coffee, herbal tea, water, and other non-caloric beverages.
How Does Intermittent Fasting Help with Weight Loss?
When the body does not have food (energy), it is forced to use the energy it has stored. Energy can be stored as both sugar (glucose in the blood and glycogen in muscles) and as fat. The body uses the sugar first, and then it begins burning fat.