Will intermittent fasting help me lose weight? – Chox
Many people have found a benefit to intermittent fasting for weight control. As an alternative to continuous caloric restriction (dieting), intermittent fasting allows an individual to rotate between periods of fasting and non-fasting. While the overall effect may be an equal decrease in total energy consumption, intermittent fasting may have a stronger benefit toward health and longevity. Yet for weight loss, the results are about the same.
Those who are not successful at dieting’s “moderation,” mild restriction, or reduced portions may fare better with an on-off eating style temporarily. Of course making up for lost calories by over-consuming later won’t work! That’s a major reason why binge-purge cycles fail. Weight loss is only successful if regular healthy meals and beverages are consumed on non-fasting days. Behavior change is critical to long-term success.
*You should always contact your primary care physician before beginning any diet or exercise program to make sure that the changes to your diet and physical exertion are safe for you. If you have blood sugar problems, you should monitor your glucose closely and adjust your intake! Your doctor may need to modify your medication as well. Also to note: if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, have chronic stress or cortisol dysregulation then you are better off avoiding fasting.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
Check out some of our other articles right here at LIVING HEALTHY for more tips on reducing body fat percentage.
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