Intermittent Fasting for Better Men’s Health

Intermittent fasting is an eating strategy where a person eats food during certain times of the day but deprives themselves of food during other parts of the day. A person on an intermittent fasting schedule will usually deprive themselves of food for long periods, typically 16 hours, and consume food for the other part of the day. There are many intermittent fasting strategies in use today. The most popular methods are the 16/8, the eat then no eat, and the 5:2 plan. Regardless of what way you use, the potential benefits of intermittent fasting on men’s health are considerable.

Fasting Methods

There are many fasting plans, programs, and methods in use today. The 16/8 way is the most popular method recommended by weight loss gurus. True to its description, the 16/8 method involves fasting for 16 hours and eating for the remaining 8 hours of the day.

Typically, the person using the 16/8 method will go to bed well feed and wake up in the morning without eating breakfast. The person will then eat during the 8-hour non-fasting period starting with small 200-300 calorie meals or shakes. After this, they will progress to larger calorie quantities until they have reached a total of 1,600 calories consumed.

24 Hour Fasting

Another fasting plan is where the person fasts for 24 hours a day once or twice a week. For example, the person will plan out the fast by not eating from dinner to lunch the next day. The next day they begin to eat dinner again. This method shocks and deprives the body of food as you will notice immediate results when you look in the mirror. Be sure to drink non-calorie green tea, water, or coffee during this period as you may hear your stomach growl.

The 5:2 diet method is when you consume 500 to 600 calories on two days of the week. This method allows you to eat normally the other 5 days of the week.

Improvements in Health

The improvement in men’s health can be impressive. Insulin levels will drop; in some instances, fasting could help reverse diabetes. Hormone levels skyrocket, which is beneficial for fat loss and muscle gain. The organ function will improve as the fat will fall off critical organs such as the liver.

Intermittent fasting helps heart health, reduces cholesterol, and helps prevent cancer from being a problem as you age. Intermittent fasting studies have even shown promising results towards the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

Recommended Fasting Plan

The 16/8 method for intermittent fasting is by far the best plan to implement for working adults. This plan allows you to live comfortably without having to shock your body with 24-hour fasts. Instead, you have a weekly routine that is easily achievable.

First, begin by going to bed at around 10 p.m. on Sunday. Get ready for work and skip breakfast. Eat lunch and dinner and go to bed again at 10 pm. Try to follow this schedule for the first week. This means you will be fasting for about 14 hours a day from Monday through Friday for week one.

If this is too difficult, try reducing the number of hours to 12 hours with one day to eat when you want on Wednesday. Gradually increase the number of fasting hours to 16 hours a day Monday through Friday.

Eat what you want on the weekends. As time goes by, try to fast for 24 hours one day a week. When you feel uncomfortable fasting, try to drink non-calorie green tea, water, or coffee during your fast to fill your stomach. Also, when you are breaking your fast, start with 200-300 calorie foods or shakes for the first hour, then gradually increase to a full-size meal until you reach 1,600 calories.

A Note from GR8NESS

While this post extols the potential benefits of several intermittent fasting methods, you should always err on the side of caution before undertaking something this drastic. We recommend you discuss the matter with a medical professional before incorporating any fasting into your weight management regimen.