Scheduled Fasting: How Does Intermittent Fasting Work and 4 Benefits of Fasting

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Key Takeaways

  • The effects of intermittent fasting for women and men may differ
  • Intermittent <a href=" https://www.bajajfinservhealth.in/articles/navratri-fasting-benefits">fasting benefits</a> your body by reducing inflammation
  • Plan your intermittent fasting schedule by talking to a doctor or dietician

Intermittent Fasting is also known as scheduled Fasting and involves partially or entirely abstaining from eating for a particular period of time. While it is a popular diet trend today, there are many health benefits of fasting periodically. These include weight loss of up to 5% in obese and overweight adults as well as other health markers such as blood pressure and cholesterol [1]. 

Creating an intermittent fasting schedule is not very difficult, but you should follow a routine that suits your body. In fact, studies show that intermittent Fasting for women may not be as effective as for men. This is because women’s bodies are more sensitive to reduced calories. For this reason, it is best to understand the science behind the intermittent fasting trend and see if you can benefit from it. 

Read on to learn about how to create an intermittent fasting plan for yourself and the health benefits of intermittent Fasting. 

Additional read: Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss: What is it and How to Go with it?scheduled fasting

How does intermittent fasting work

With our usual sedentary lifestyle, we consume more calories than we burn. Intermittent Fasting changes the game by forcing the body to burn fat once it has no other sugar stores to burn. These sugar stores come from food, and due to a lack of food during your fasting period, your body burns fat instead of the calories you consumed in your last meal. Simple, right?

Intermittent fasting schedule

  • Fast for 12-16 hours daily 

This method is comparatively easier and is a great way to start your scheduled fasting journey as a beginner. Here, you adhere to a fasting window each day, between 12 to 16 hours, where you don’t eat anything. Fasting for 10 to 16 hours can help your body turn stored fats into energy, which releases ketones into your bloodstream [2]. This encourages weight loss. The easiest way to do intermittent Fasting of this kind is to include your hours of sleep in the fasting window. 

  • Fast for any 24 hours in a week

Fasting for at least one whole day a week is considered a 24-hour fast. You can either fast from breakfast on day 1 to breakfast on day two or from lunch to lunch. While fasting, you can drink calorie-free liquids like water and other healthy drinks. Remember, a 24-hour fast can be challenging and may cause headaches, fatigue, or irritability if you haven’t done it before. So, start slow. Many people find the effects of Fasting become less extreme as your body adapts to this process.

food for Scheduled Fasting
  • Fast in alternate days

With its different variations, alternate day fasting is effective for heart health and weight loss. You can either try consuming liquids on fasting days, or you can eat up to 500 calories on these days. Note that alternate Fasting is on the extreme side of intermittent Fasting and may not be suitable for beginners. 

Intermittent fasting benefits

Helps with weight loss by boosting metabolism

Losing weight is one of the most common purposes of Intermittent Fasting. It actually helps to reduce your weight and calorie intake, unless you gobble up a large portion during the meals not skipped. Fasting for a short time also helps you burn extra calories [3] by boosting metabolism and the functions of hormones. 

scheduled fasting benefits

Reduces inflammation in your body

With the help of intermittent fasting, you can reduce inflammation in your body. It also aids in fighting oxidative damage. As a result, a decrease in the signs of aging and a reduction in the development of ailments and diseases become the additional benefits of intermittent Fasting.

Improves your heart health

Intermittent Fasting helps to keep various risk factors of cardiac illness at bay. With an intermittent fasting plan, you can keep a check on factors responsible for heart diseases like inflammatory markers, cholesterol levels, blood triglycerides, blood sugar, blood pressure, and more.

Boosts brain power

Intermittent Fasting helps reduce oxidative stress and inflammation and improves metabolic features, all of which improve the health of your brain. It may also help in the development of new neurons.

Additional read: 5 Important Roles a Nutritionist Plays in Your Daily Life

There are many ways in which intermittent Fasting can be done, and there is no single plan that works for everyone. You can get the best results when you try intermittent Fasting according to your body type, age, and health needs. When doing intermittent Fasting, listen to your body, as Fasting suddenly does not bode well if your body is unprepared. For the best and safest results, get medical supervision before trying any diet. Book a doctor consultation on Bajaj Finserv Health in seconds to get a personalized intermittent fasting plan from the comfort of home! 

Published on 25 Apr 2022Last updated on 6 Jun 2022
  1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/scheduled-fasting-may-help-with-weight-loss
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3680567/
  3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-36674-9

Please note that this article is solely meant for informational purposes and Bajaj Finserv Health Limited (“BFHL”) does not shoulder any responsibility of the views/advice/information expressed/given by the writer/reviewer/originator. This article should not be considered as a substitute for any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your trusted physician/qualified healthcare professional to evaluate your medical condition. The above article has been reviewed by a qualified doctor and BFHL is not responsible for any damages for any information or services provided by any third party.

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