Healthy habits
About intermittent fasting:
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular health and fitness trends. Instead of a diet, it is a meal pattern that alternates periods of fasting and eating. It does not specify what kind of food you should eat or avoid, but when you should eat.
Nowadays, we eat 3 or 4 times (or even more) a day and we are never hungry. To do this, our organs have to work hard all the time and they never stop digesting. Our eating habits can lead to obesity and health problems, such as diabetes.
By fasting, your body detoxifies, burns fat and regenerates itself. After a few weeks, you will feel healthier and more active.
Who is intermittent fasting for?
Intermittent fasting is a new lifestyle with healthy habits. But if you are under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding, have health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, are malnourished, or are unwell due to fasting.
Consider the risks involved in fasting and consult your doctor before undertaking it. Use of the Fast Tracker is at your own risk. If this is your first time fasting, we recommend that you start with the beginner plan and gradually let your body adjust to your new lifestyle.
Is intermittent fasting good for health?
Intermittent fasting is known to help with weight loss and detoxification. Studies show that intermittent fasting changes hormone levels, which increase the breakdown of body fat and facilitate its conversion into energy.
By fasting, the body initiates a metabolic pathway called autophagy, a process of detoxification, repair, and regeneration. This reduces inflammation and is beneficial against aging and the development of numerous diseases such as heart disease.
What can I eat and drink?
Fasting does not specify what food you should eat or avoid, but when you should eat. During the fasting interval, you can drink water, coffee and tea without milk or sugar. Coffee is good during fasting as it can reduce hunger.
During the interval of intake, you do not have to change the diet, although you should try to eat a healthy and balanced diet. There are no restrictions on the type of food or how you should eat it. Sure you can eat chocolate, but the fewer calories you eat, the more weight you will lose.
Help! I am so hungry!
When you fast, you will be hungry. The simplest, easiest and healthiest method to prevent hunger is to drink adequate water. You can also drink coffee and tea, as caffeine helps suppress hunger.
Coffee and caffeinated teas like green, black, and red teas make you feel full. Stay busy, work at something, take a walk or even pursue your hobbies to take your mind off hunger.
How can I break the fast?
After a period of restriction, it can be tempting to celebrate with a big meal. However, breaking the fast with a feast can cause problems such as nausea, bloating, and diarrhea. The best way to break your fast slowly and strategically is to return to your normal eating routine, which will not affect your digestive system or spoil the good effects achieved by fasting.
Lv.1 Blood sugar rises 0h - 2h.
During the first few hours of the fast, you will feel quite normal because your body will be undergoing the normal process of breaking down glycogen. It raises your blood sugar, the pancreas produces insulin to break down glucose for energy and stores the remaining glucose for later.
Lv.2 Blood sugar decreases 2h - 5h.
Due to the effects of insulin, your blood sugar drops to a near-normal level after a spike and normally doesn't rise any further, as insulin is immediately delivered to the circulatory system after eating.
Lv.3 Blood sugar returns to normal 5h - 8h.
In this phase, your blood sugar level returns to normal. Are you hungry? Your stomach reminds you that you haven't eaten in a while. However, you are not that hungry. To starve? Stay in the bones and lose muscle mass? Nothing like that is going to happen. In fact, your glycogen stores will start to drop and you may lose some body fat. Your body will continue to digest the last food intake. It will start using the stored glucose for energy and will continue to function as if you were going to eat soon.
Lv.4 Switch to fast mode 8h - 10h.
8 hours after the last meal, the liver will use the last glucose reserves. Your body will then enter a state called gluconeogenesis, which indicates that the body has gone into fasting mode. Studies show that gluconeogenesis, a metabolic pathway, causes glucose to be generated from body fat rather than carbohydrates. Increases calorie burning.
Lv.5 Glycogen low 10h - 12h.
Your glycogen stores are running out! Because of this, you may be more irritable or angry about the lack of food. Relax, it's just a sign that your body is burning fat! As you run low on glycogen, your fat cells (adipocytes) will release fat into your bloodstream. In addition, they will go directly to the liver and will be converted into energy for your body. In effect, you are tricking your body into burning fat in order to survive.
Lv.6 You are in the state of ketosis! 12h - 18h.
The time has come for fat to fuel your body. You are now in the metabolic state called ketosis. Glycogen is almost gone and your liver converts fat into ketone bodies, an alternative energy source for your body. Fat stores are released and consumed. For this reason, ketosis is often referred to as the body's "fat burning" mode. Ketosis produces fewer inflammatory byproducts, so it brings health benefits to your heart, metabolism, and brain.
Lv.7 Start Fat Burning Mode! 18h - 24h.
The more you fast, the greater the effect of ketosis. At 18 hours, your body will have entered fat burning mode. Research shows that after fasting for 12 to 24 hours, the supply of energy from fat increases by 60% and that this increase is more pronounced after 18 hours.
Now:
1. The level of ketone bodies increases.
2. Ketones act as signaling molecules to tell your body how to better regulate metabolism in a harsh environment.
3. Your body's anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating processes are ready to go to work.
Lv.8 Start Autophagy! 24h - 48h.
At this point, your body activates autophagy, which literally means "eating oneself." The cells begin to clean up their environment by removing unnecessary or dysfunctional components. This is a good thing, as it allows for an orderly degradation and recycling of cellular components. During autophagy, cells break down viruses, bacteria, and damaged components, and in the process you get the energy to create new cell parts. It is important for cell health, renewal, and survival. The main benefit of autophagy is known for turning the body back in time and creating younger cells.
Lv.9 Growth hormones increase 48h - 56h.
Your growth hormone level is much higher than it was before you started fasting, which benefits from the production of ketones and the release of hunger hormones during fasting. Growth hormones help increase lean muscle mass and improve cardiovascular health.
Lv.10 Insulin Sensitivity 56h - 72h.
Insulin is at the lowest level since fasting. This makes you sensitive to insulin, which is especially good if you're at high risk of developing diabetes. Lowering insulin levels has a number of short-term and long-term health benefits, such as the activation of autophagy and the reduction of inflammation.
Lv.11 Immune cells regenerate 72h.
"Survival of the fittest". Your body rejects cell survival pathways and recycles immune cells that are damaged by fighting viruses, bacteria, and germs. To replenish the "lack of protection," your body regenerates new immune cells at an accelerated rate. The regeneration of the immune system begins and the cells enter a state of self-renewal.
Your immune system becomes stronger and stronger. Scientists are still studying COVID 19, any medicine and treatment should be taken under the guidance of the doctor. If you feel uncomfortable, you should stop fasting immediately and consult your doctor. Fasting is a healthy lifestyle, it must be carried out in good physical condition.