Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

I’m sure we’ve all heard of intermittent fasting at some point or another. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. The most popular method is the 16-8 method where you fast for 16 hours with an eight-hour eating window. For some of us, the concept may seem insane! Why would you starve yourself on purpose? You would be shocked to know the life-changing benefits of intermittent fasting!

Something that intermittent fasting has been proven to do is stimulate autophagy. This is a response that is present in all of our cells. Its job is to basically clean out and recycles This is one of the most essential anti-aging preventions we can take! Without autophagy, we become lethargic and begin to slow down.

Insulin resistance is defined as “an impaired response of the body to insulin, resulting in elevated levels of glucose in the blood.”
Most importantly, it makes it difficult to lose weight around the abdominal area and is linked with diabetes. Can't lose that stubborn belly fat even with diet and exercise? You could have insulin resistance! Intermittent fasting is a proven method for increasing insulin sensitivity. Not to mention it’s also a diet that has been prescribed for type II diabetics!

And this is one of the most popular reasons to start doing intermittent fasting! Because people are usually in a caloric deficit while intermittent fasting, you usually see rapid weight loss! And paired with diet and exercise? It’s easily one of the quickest and safest ways to lose weight!
So before you scoff at the idea of not eating, consider this first: Just by skipping a meal and not eating after a certain time, you could reap all of these benefits and more! Please consult with your doctor if you’re uncertain about any of this, and happy fasting!

- Sabreen Y.