Intermittent fasting helps you to stay in a caloric deficit – the main contributor to weight loss.

In today’s climate, it’s very easy to feel lost and confused when you’re confronted with the various diet fads that are said to help you shed the kilos and contribute to additional benefits. Which one do you choose? And let’s not get started on how much money you’ve spent on
so-called miracle teas and other products that left you feeling more disappointed than anything else. Others starve themselves or force themselves to eat food that they utterly dislike just to see the slightest change. So where do we draw the line?

There is hope. One diet that has stood out above the rest over the last couple of years is intermittent fasting. Its benefits are seemingly ample and many people have made this diet part of their lifestyle to promote mental and physical health, as well as weight loss. Fasting comes in various forms, from overnight fasting to time-restricted fasting. One of the most popular types is the 5:2 diet.

Breaking It Down

One of the key benefits of intermittent fasting is that it helps you to stay in a caloric deficit – the main contributor to weight loss. This is, of course, if you don’t overindulge on days or hours that you’re breaking your fast and end up with more calories than you would’ve taken in on a normal day. Another major bonus of the fasting diet is the fact that it puts your body in a state of ketosis. Now, while this means you’ll be shedding weight, there are other benefits to consider as well.

If you manage to stick to your fasting regime, you’ll be sure to reap some other benefits, too. The state of ketosis allows the body to burn fat for fuel and plays a role in protecting you from the negative effects of ageing and diseases. Studies (such as those published in Nutrition and Healthy Aging and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) found that intermittent fasting further prevents and lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

The 5:2 Diet

The 5:2 diet offers the same benefits but allows a more flexible and doable way to perform the diet. 5:2 fasting requires you to eat as you normally would for five days of the week – during this time you won’t count your calorie intake. The other two days are dedicated to fasting and counting calories (500 calories for women and 600 calories for men are the recommended calories per day).

It’s easy to see why this form of intermittent fasting is such a hit. Not having to go through a seven-day period of fasting means you’re much more likely to stick to the diet, as a two-day streak is much easier than a week-long one.

A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of South Australia provided further evidence that the 5:2 diet has wonderful benefits, this time for pregnant women and mothers, too. According to the study, one in five women develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, which places them at risk for type 2 diabetes and, subsequently, other health risks. The 5:2 diet notably reduces this risk of gestational diabetes in pregnant women.

What’s the verdict? Research shows us that the 5:2 diet is a controllable and achievable form of intermittent fasting that holds more benefits than merely weight loss.

Tips & Drawbacks

• Avoid scheduling your workouts on fasting days.

• Fasting days may lead to low blood sugar.

• You may also experience mood changes.

• Non-fasting days should not be used as a time to overindulge.