A Fat-Burning Switch
Intermittent fasting (IF) typically involves a daily or weekly cycle of fasting and feeding. One of the underlying mechanisms thought to explain its benefits is ketosis, a metabolic state in which you burn fat and produce ketone bodies as brain fuel. Within 12 to 24 hours of no-calorie fasting, your body will deplete its liver glucose stores and start to use fat-derived ketone bodies and free fatty acids as energy sources.
Light Your Fire:
Alternate Day Fasting: Partial or complete calorie restriction every other day
The 5:2 Diet: Two fast days of fewer than 500 calories per day
Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF): Eating within a 6 to 12-hour window each day, ideally during daylight hours
Fasting to Burn Fat
Youâll typically lose as much weight practicing intermittent fasting as with a continuous calorie restriction diet that limits your energy intake to 80% of your daily needs. But healthier food choices and greater calorie restriction in conjunction with any IF schedule can help you accelerate weight loss.
Increaseyour fiber intake for gut health and satiety between meals
Increaseyour lean protein intake if needed to improve satiety and muscle mass.
Stickto your fast-day calorie goals
Eatearly in the day
Eatin a narrow window on calorie restriction days
Avoidenergy-dense meals and snacks on âfeastâ days
Eliminateadded sugars
Stoke the Fire
You can help your body accelerate and maintain weight and fat loss with lifestyle interventions that complement fasting.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Get 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity+Two days per week of muscle-strengthening activity
Maintain a balanced diet
Avoid sugar and other simple carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, etc.)
Practice mindful or intuitive eating
Weight Loss Storiesfrom LIFE Users
Before
After
Adnan Tanveer
started using the LIFE Fasting Tracker in March 2018, and has been using the app to practice intermittent fasting ever since. Adnan started his journey with intermittent fasting with the goal of losing weight.
“I was always overweight. Iâd been struggling with it for several years before I came across the LIFE app,â Adnan said.
Adnan has long exercised 4-6 times per week, but had found that exercise wasnât helping him lose the weight he wanted to, so he decided to try intermittent fasting. He found the first week of fasting to be difficult, but it become routine from there. He started originally with an 18:6 time-restricted eating schedule with a low carb diet. He later shifted to one meal a day (OMAD) with a high protein version of the ketogenic diet.
Adnan has lost nearly 150 pounds to date with intermittent fasting. He is now focusing on maintaining an ideal with while practicing weight lifting to build muscle.
âI still use the LIFE app every day to record my IF hours!â
Read more about Adnanâs intermittent fasting journey here.
Stephanie Carter
works full time and raises two children with her husband in California. She loves fitness and outdoor activities, but had struggled to reach her ideal weight until she found intermittent fasting.
âA friend recommended I try it and I haven’t looked back since!â Stephanie said.
âI started IF weighing 159 and I’m now down to 139. Even more amazing to me is being down 2.5% in body fat, over 13 inches and finally sitting in a healthy BMI range!â
When she first started IF, Stephanie struggled to achieve a 13-hour overnight fast. She slowly worked up to 16 and then to nearly 20 hours of fasting per day. She keeps her fasting hours flexible to enjoy social events with friends and has learned to really listen to her body and understand her hunger cues. Stephanie has lost over 25 pounds this year. Today she uses the LIFE Fasting Tracker app to fast with friends and keep on track with her daily fasts, with the goal of getting to her ideal weight of 135 pounds.
She says that she was able to accelerate her weight loss by combining IF with exercise 4-5 days per week, a balanced diet including lots of vegetables and at least 8 hours of sleep per night.
âI feel like these three small but super effective steps will add years to my life and keep me strong and healthy into my 90’s!â
Follow Stephanie on Instagram at @mylifeonfitness.
Stephanie
Stephanie, from October 2017 (left) to November 2018 (right)
Stephanie and her husband after a Cyclebar class
Learn more about fasting with LIFE
Have fasting, weight loss or other related questions? Let us know at learn@lifeomic.com.
