Recently,
Intermittent Fasting has become a lot popular both
abroad and in our country. It is safe to say that it has been a rising trend
lately.
Although
there are various methods of intermittent fasting diet, one of the most preferred
one is the 5:2 diet. The basic principle of the 5: 2 diet is to take normal
amounts of nutrients 5 days a week and consume between 500 and 600 calories of
nutrients daily respectively for men and women for the other 2 days.
If you
follow the 5:2 diet, your body will not face constant dietary stress and thus
will not accumulate calories. The limited days when applying this diet are
recommended to be the third and fifth days of the week. When it is done
regularly in this way, it is expected that you lose between 1 to 2 kilograms
per week.
But in
order not to overeat when following this diet, it is also necessary to pay
attention to the usual meal days. It is recommended to give up cooked products,
fast food, and products with high sugar content. On the other hand, it is
considered much better to prefer low-fat foods.
What Are
the Benefits of an Intermittent Fasting Diet?
The
benefits of this diet include the absence of a strict diet list of intermittent
fasting, the freedom to choose the foods that one wishes to eat, and the
absence of a constant starving. Moreover, it is also an advantage of this diet
that it does not psychologically put dietary stress on you.
Intermittent
fasting has many positive effects on health. It helps to lower blood sugar besides
blood pressure and normalize cholesterol. This diet is also effective in
reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases.
Brain functions and concentration can also be improved with intermittent
fasting.
How to
Follow the Diet?
If you
plan your menu and mealtime beforehand when implementing this diet, you can be
more confident in yourself. This is because your body needs substances such as
minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and therefore, you need to prepare
your menu in a balanced way. For example, on fasting days, it is recommended to
consume low-fat meat and fish, egg white, low-sugar fruits, cheese, yogurt,
salads, steamed and boiled meat, cereals, vegetables, and fruits, not to forget
plenty of water.
Drinking plenty of water and eating healthier will make it possible to avoid dehydration, fatigue, and headaches. Also, herbal teas will help you get better results from the diet. In addition, determining an exercise routine will also let you lose weight more healthily while fasting.
If it is difficult for you to get only 500 to 600 calories on fasting days, you are allowed to increase this calorie intake up to 800. But in this case, it will be necessary to start a low-carbohydrate diet for those 5 normal days. Finally, it is recommended that you use applications to calculate how many calories you get on your fasting days and follow your diet under the supervision of a specialist.
