In my research to find an Intermittent Fasting Plan for Women that I could follow, I discovered so much about fasting and how it works. I heard that when you couple Keto with Intermittent Fasting that you can get great results. I also heard that your fat loss goes on steroids when you combine the two programs and I wanted to find out if this was true.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
According to Wikipedia, Intermittent Fasting also known as IF is the process of cycling between eating and non-eating. The concept goes all the way back to the beginning of time when people went long periods of time without eating. However, this particular type of fasting is not just about skipping meals, it is a bit more structured.
According to Healthline.com there are various types of Intermittent Fasts and some of them are:
- The 16:8 IF. This usually is a fast that lasts for 16 hours and is followed by an 8-hour window of eating. For example, if you stop eating from 8pm to 8 AM that’s 12 hours and if you add 4 hours that brings you to 12 noon. You would fast during this period and you will eat from 12-8pm
- Then there is the 5:2 IF, which is where you will eat normal for 5 days and for 2 days you will restrict your calories to only 500 for those two days.
- There is also the Eat-Stop-Eat which is where you will eat for a 24-hour period and then fast for the next 24-hour period.
- There is also the Fast and Feast where you fast all day and feast a night.
Which Intermittent Fasting Plan for Women is Best?
There are a few different names for intermittent fasting plans for women. It’s not easy to find a good one. I discovered that the best plans are the ones that call for fasting on alternate days. Fasting for consecutive days can have damaging effects on women. According to Dr. Axe, it can cause hormonal imbalances.
I plan to follow my own version of the 5:2 plan. I found it the easiest one to follow. On Mondays and Tuesdays, I plan to cut my caloric intake to 500. I chose those two days because Mondays are good because I usually have a higher calorie intake over the weekend. The weekends are when I like to try new recipes and meal prep. Therefore, my caloric intake tends to be higher on these days.
Is an Intermittent Fasting Plan for Women Good for Us?
There was a study done by Utah’s Intermountain Healthcare System and they found the following benefits of Intermittent Fasting and Fasting in general:
- Weight loss: Especially stubborn belly fat.
- Insulin resistance: Following this program shows the it improves Type 2 diabetes.
- Inflammation: Decreases in inflammation has a result of following an IF plan.
- Heart health: It has been found that IF reduces the “bad” LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, which reduces risks factors for heart disease.
- Cancer: Studies on animals have shown that intermittent fasting may prevent breast cancer.
- Brain health: It has been shown that IF can also increase the brain hormone BDNF and may aid in the growth of new nerve cells.
- Anti-aging: Intermittent fasting also was shown to extend the lifespan in rats.
I am looking forward to incorporating it into my Keto Lifestyle program because of the benefits. I think it’s going to be an easy adjustment to make because when you follow the Keto Protocol it completely knocks out your hunger. And according to the e-book A-Z on Intermittent Fasting by Perfect Keto, when you combine IF with Keto it also causes a decrease in night time eating, which is a one of my biggest concerns.
More Research on Intermittent Fasting Plans for Women
There’s tons of studies that exist on IF and I would encourage anyone to do their research and find out as much information as they can. They can start by checking out these studies from reputable sources:
The Harvard Health Blog from Harvard Medical School: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
John Hopkins School of Medicine: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
The American Society for Nutrition: https://nutrition.org/intermittent-fasting-healthy-or-hype/
Your Guide to Intermittent Fasting by Groom+Style.com: https://groomandstyle.com/guide-intermittent-fasting/
It seems as if no one can find anything negative to say about IF. It is because of this that I am incorporating IF into my Keto Diet lifestyle.
Since I’ve been following the Keto Plan, my 1 1/2 week results show a weight loss of 4.0 lbs and counting. I appear to be losing some weight every day and I feel energetic and more clear. I am looking forward to even more positive results.
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Would you be willing to try Intermittent Fasting? And if yes, which IF plan would you follow?
Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.