How many times did you hear that breakfast is the most
important meal of the day? I heard this phrase many times since I was a child.
But what if things look quite different than most of us think? Have you ever
wondered what if the time you eat is more important than what you eat? Health
specialists keep telling us we need to eat constantly and five meals a day is
an optimal amount for our health despite the fact that many scientific studies
show that it’s exactly the opposite. Most people eat about 16 or at least 12
hours a day (including all snacks and bites). It means your body is always
digesting and it does not have sufficient rest periods for cleansing and
detoxification.
Nowadays we are struggling with the obesity epidemic. In the
US, almost 40% of adults are obese (source below). These numbers are alarming. One
of the possible solutions is intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is the
absence of food during a prescribed period of time. When you eat, insulin is
produced by the pancreas in order to help regulate blood sugar. Insulin has a
lot to do with other hormones being balanced in the body like progesterone and
estrogen. Oftentimes when insulin stays imbalanced, progesterone gets low and
estrogen gets high. It can lead to PCOS, that’s polycystic ovary syndrome,
severe PMS symptoms, and other hormonal diseases. On the other hand, when we
are fasting our insulin levels are low. Also, it helps regulate hormones like
leptin and ghrelin. Ghrelin is known as hunger hormone and leptin is released
by fat cells and it tells your body that you need to burn fat or to store
fat. Intermittent fasting is also quite
convenient because you need to prepare fewer meals. What is more, just skipping
breakfast can reduce daily calorie intake by twenty to forty percent. This
translates into significant weight loss. Concerning other benefits of
intermittent fasting, extended periods of food restriction can lower blood
pressure, improve cholesterol profile and even reduce the risk for developing
cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. It also promotes the human growth hormone. As
we age our human growth hormone declines. This is why we see a lot of men with
low testosterone or women with brittle bones and low energy levels.
Despite many health benefits, it’s not a silver bullet for everyone. It should not be applied by diabetics, children, pregnant women and people having chronic heart issues. If you are under a doctor’s care, before starting this way of eating make sure you discuss it with your treating physician.
Despite many health benefits, it’s not a silver bullet for everyone. It should not be applied by diabetics, children, pregnant women and people having chronic heart issues. If you are under a doctor’s care, before starting this way of eating make sure you discuss it with your treating physician.
Sources:
Questions:
1. Have you ever
tried this way of eating?
2. Do you think
that intermittent fasting can be good for you or you can’t stand so long period
without food?
3. Do you think that described benefits are possible to achieve just be simply narrowing an eating window or it’s too beautiful to be real?
3. Do you think that described benefits are possible to achieve just be simply narrowing an eating window or it’s too beautiful to be real?
From childhood, everyone told me that breakfast food is the most important thing. However, I never liked it. I have problems with going in the morning because I do not have a completely appetite then. I am a skinny person and whenever I feel I'm taking pounds and a lot more I dont feel well. Always large amounts of calories in my body are strongly felt. Anyone who doesnt know them often also tells me that he feels lighter but often seems tired. However, I think that all articles and research on not eating often have a lot of truth. of course, it also affects a lot of external coefficients.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of such a way of eating but it turns out that I'm quite close to that kind of diet. Usually I eat my last meal around 17 and my first around 6 in the morning. That's almost 16 hours ;) But I cannot live without breakfast. I just wake up too hungry. Taking that into account intermittent fasting looks like a very promising diet. But in my opinion it requires changing your whole way of living not only eating habbits. To benefit from such a way of eating it's really important to workout, eat healthy and low processed food, eat little sugar and have decent 8hrs of sleep every day and most importately have very regular day schedule with meals always at the same time etc. and it's only possible to achive when you are very disciplined person.
ReplyDeleteEating five meals a day doesn’t work in my life. Honestly while I was eating so often I was continuously hungry. Now I eat 3 or four meals, but bigger than before. I have never tried to give up breakfast, but I think it will make me no harm if my first meal would be at 10 or 11 o’clock (now it’s about 8 o’clock). Idea of intermittent fasting has scientific basis and may work in my life, but changing eating habits takes time. However narrowing eating window is not enough to be a beneficiary of “miracle”. Very important is what you eat. Pizza, cola and sweets eating only 8 hours a day instead of 16, wouldn’t change much.
ReplyDeleteBut in the past I did not eat breakfast, and instead, for example, I drank coffee. Then I felt good about it, but I would rather not go back to this way of functioning. Intermittent fasting? Rather, it's out of the question, this way the body can easily "stupid". He will be afraid that a new portion of energy will not be delivered on time. The body will use fat and other supplies, but during meals it will accumulate supplies "for later". This can have negative effects, such as obesity or various types of disorder. Can such benefits be achieved through intermittent fasting? It is doubtful to achieve such benefits in this way. I rather prefer to stay with any physical activity. I think it will be good for me :)
ReplyDeleteI have never tried this way of eating, but I try to eat my last meal at an early hour around 17:00 - 18:00. But it mostly depends on time I arrive home from work and my daily chores. I am able to believe that giving your body a longer break from eating can be beneficial, but sometimes I wake up at 5:00 AM and it's hard for me to wait with eating until noon. I am also used to regular meal times
ReplyDelete1. Have you ever tried this way of eating?
ReplyDelete2. Do you think that intermittent fasting can be good for you or you can’t stand so long period without food?
3. Do you think that described benefits are possible to achieve just be simply narrowing an eating window or it’s too beautiful to be real?
Yes, I tried a few diets already in my life but I wasn't so persistent to maintain it. There was a time when I wasn't eating even for a few days! It was dangerous and I shouldn't do that without a proper knowledge. Many people kill themselves because of various diets and it is really serious problem nowadays. Although if we do it with head on its proper place, it is really really good thing and brings us a lot of advantages. For sure it is hard to change own eating habits, especially on a start, but next steps are already much easier. I experienced it myself and I can tell good diet influences mood, physical and psychical feeling. I believe results you described are possible to achieve and explanations you posted seems reasonable to me. I think after your article I will pay more attention to my diet again, thanks! :)
I agree with the opinion of dieticians and I believe that fixed hours of food are important. We can compare it to work - regularity and regularity allow us to do a good job and let calmness enter it all. It is important that our body is not surprised by fasting or other changes. It's important to choose the right food, because different things give us different vitamins or supplements. Energy, healthy hair or stable bones. Nowadays, we are very sensitive and susceptible to diseases. We often hear about hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure or diabetes. We need to be very careful because with these diseases it is important to look after the right diet.
ReplyDeleteI ate very irregularly for a very long time. I've often eaten dinner after 10pm. Morning breakfasts were the worst for me. I never had time to prepare something in the morning before work. I always preferred to take extra minutes of sleep. A few months ago I went on a box diet. I think that this is the best way for me. I eat 5 balanced meals every day. Food comes to me every morning and I don’t have to waste time preparing it and shopping. I cannot imagine taking a long break in eating, I definitely prefer frequent, small meals.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried this way of eating but anyway I'm not used to eating breakfast. It is some kind of diet and as in every diet it requires regularity
ReplyDeleteand being systematic. It is hard because of some factors, especially if someone lives active.
I think that lack of food for a longer time than one day might be harmful especially if someone is living actively. Despite the fact usually, I don't eat breakfasts I believe they are important. They provide a lot of energy and because of them I feel hunger later through the day and as a result, I eat less. Because of hunger, I work less efficient and I can't focus.
I'm not sure about the range of benefits described in the article. I've heard it is good to make fast one some time to clean up the body and let it rest. I agree with such an approach, but the impact on cancer of Alzheimer disease is for me myth which we can find in a lot of other diets.
So far, I haven't heard about research confirming the pro-health effect of periodic fasting. I'm glad you wrote your article and I read it.
ReplyDeleteI did not eat breakfast for a while, but it did not have much in common with fasting. In the evenings I made up all the morning calories unheated.
Periodic fasting could be good for me, if I do not make up for it in the evening gluttony. I could stand a day without food, but my current medical recommendations were not really supportive of this way of feeding.
I believe that every organism functions a little differently, so everyone should find a suitable way of feeding that causes weight loss. For my part, I plan to try the method described in the article.
I haven't heard before about intermittent fasting but I can already declare my approval for it :) Quite frankly in some way this is how I eat everyday since leaving childhood home. I always hated eating breakfasts, they make me feel drowsy right of the bat after just waking up, so this makes no sense to me. Also I ten to eat twice a day and I feel that's quite enough for me.
ReplyDeleteOpinions about everything tend to change in time, apparently this also applies to eating habits. In my opinion one still render to be truth and that is that 'what you eat is what you are'. This is in my opinion the most important thing to be aware off and definitely it can help us with our health.
I try to eat five or six meals a day, healthy without fast food. I’m also counting calories right now, I assume to eat less than I should and I’m constantly hungry. I can’t imagine that you can eat your firs meal at 12 or later. And also I don’t believe, that this is healthy. As far as I know we are not burning fat at first, rather muscles and I will stick to that. Also hunger is such uncomfortable feeling, that not only me can’t be hungry for half a day. I think that we just should eat more vegetables, fruits, fishes instead of fried things and sweets. This is the way that we should choose, not to starve ourselves.
ReplyDelete1. Have you ever tried this way of eating?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I'm not a big fan of that kind of "brilliant ideas". For the whole life I had a problem to keep my right weight so as long as I would like to stay close-to-fit I had to be up to date. After several years of trying different technique I find out (which is btw scientific fact) that it doesn't matter how many times and what hour do you eat. Only things that matters is what and how much, which mostly depends on your personal restriction based on activity and gens. In most cases as long as it would be possible for you - even one meal with the whole-day-calorie request will be fine but probably you'll have problem to eat it at once and then you'll get hungry several hours later and finally you'll eat more than you actually need. That's one of the most significant 'why' it's so important to try eat in regular hours.
2. Do you think that intermittent fasting can be good for you or you can’t stand so long period without food?
As I wrote above- I was trying so many techniques and since then I find out that what suits me best is eating about an hour after wake up and at least 2 hours before sleep. Anything else is just depends on my mood. Sometimes I can eat 5 meals a day, other time 3. But as long as I'm trying to stay within my daily caloric demand it's fine.
3. Do you think that described benefits are possible to achieve just be simply narrowing an eating window or it’s too beautiful to be real?
I think it's too complex to just give a simple answer. Remember that there are people who can eat whatever they want and whenever they want and they're just staying fit. I think that everyone should try few methods and find your which of them will works best.
No, I have never tried this way of eating. If I would decide to try intermittent fasting, I’m sure, that I would manage not to eat for a specific period, but I simply don’t want to. If it comes to nutrition, I try to keep common sense. I try to eat healthy products and I eat meals when I'm hungry (of course I do not eat unhealthy amounts of food). These types of diets are temporarily on top, next year there will be another world-changing diet.
ReplyDeleteI have never actually tried this way of eating, but I have heard about it somewhere, read in some article or something. Nevertheless, I will not try it as I am currently eating whatever and whenever I want and it suits me pretty well. I have no idea if it does really impact your health somehow when you're on a fasting, but I do not practice that. I think that I couldn't survive without eating for even 1 day. I believe that its not possible to really benefit from that diet. Currently I am on 3000 calories diet each day and it is just out of my imagination to adapt this way of eating.
ReplyDelete1. Have you ever tried this way of eating?
ReplyDeleteI never tried this way of eating. I can't imagine this way of eating - I am working out a lot, sometimes after breakfast and I need all the energy I can get, and I can get it only from proper breakfast.
2. Do you think that intermittent fasting can be good for you or you can’t stand so long period without food?
I can't stand so long period without food. After working out I am getting extremely hungry.
3. Do you think that described benefits are possible to achieve just be simply narrowing an eating window or it’s too beautiful to be real?
The topic is definitely interesting. But from what I know - it's a kinda new idea. I think it's started getting popular in recent years. I think I would need to see more research done about the benefits. But the whole concept is looking good!
I have never tried this way of eating before, some friends tried to convince me, bu I've always kept my diet - 5 meals a day in same hours and got really good results with that. I was getting healthier and feeling much better. That's why I didn't feel need for that. I think that such benefits are real but You have to obey some rules to obtain them what is not easy, especially when You have very active living style. For such cases the best would be to find flexible solution due to differently spent days.
ReplyDelete1. Have you ever tried this way of eating?
ReplyDeleteI heard about fasting as a method to detoxicate the body, but I've never tried it consciounsly. Sometimes I skip meals because I have lot to do at work or I'm occupied in other sense.
2. Do you think that intermittent fasting can be good for you or you can’t stand so long period without food?
I'll give it a chance, but I'm not obese. I'm more into going into the gym than fasting. But maybe it will be good for my health, I'll try it :)
3. Do you think that described benefits are possible to achieve just be simply narrowing an eating window or it’s too beautiful to be real?
As long as your arguments are right, then they are. You described it as a beneficial diet technique (let's call it like this), and arguments sound resonable.
I eat breakfast always but I eat dinners very early, which is also a periodic fast because I go to sleep around 12.00 p.m. I eat 3 meals a day sometimes 4 and dinner is at 5:00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m. I think that such a ordinary fast can have a positive effect on my body. I also used an ordinary fasting, i.e. a health hunger, 14 days I drank water - it was the longest one.
ReplyDeleteI will not give up breakfast, but as I mentioned earlier, the case is similar for eating 6 hours before bedtime. What we eat has a very big impact on our body. In my opinion, we have to find a balance and adapt everything to our own body. For some people, some things can harm for other people can help. Let's choose consciously and observe our body.
Personally I try diet only once in my life and it was a painful expirience. I had skin problems and I had to limit food prepared on deep oil as well as white bread, dairy, raw product and a lot of others. This restrictions were hard to maintain but after some time they become a healthy habit becouse I payed a lot of attention on my cuisine. Meals I ate where diversify and regular also I kept an eye on proper amount of water I drank during a day. To be honest I don't know how beneficial this method could be for me and I don't think I will try it on becouse I prefer to keep my current habit of eating.
ReplyDelete1. I have not because I haven’t have any overweight problems in my life. I try to stay fit and that helps me to be in a good shape.
ReplyDelete2. Like I said I don’t really need that diet to reduce my weight. But I couldn’t be on that intermittent fasting. I’d rather choose something else that starving so much time daily. I know that the hardest would be the beginning but I hate being hungry. It really makes me angry.
3. I’m not nutritionists but I know that stomach can adapt to a long times without food. Making some changes around pancreas may be great idea. I know that sugar is damaging health way more than fat.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is all about having the proper amount of physical activity. I am working out a lot and therefore eating constantly – I have to admit I eat not only healthy stuff, but lot’s of snacks and sweets, even after 6 pm (which is in general not advisable). I never resign from breakfast, I would really suffer from hunger without it. Interesingly enough, it is allowed to eat unhealthy stuff in the morning, (such as sweets) given that you will work out later on. Having said that, I believe that the obesity problem is mostly related to the lack of physical activlity, not only by the wrong diet.
I think that everybody’s body is different, and one should learn how to listen to it, rather than going with the status quo or being forced into a strict diet. However, I believe that intermittent fasting could be a good solution to try to be healthier, but I would be more likely to do it by eating an earlier dinner, e.g. around 6pm, rather than skipping breakfast. I believe that the body needs energy at the very start of the day and avoiding the first meal would be counter-productive, whereas sleeping on a full stomach is probably not great for the body, which would be busy digesting rather than focused on regenerating.
ReplyDelete1. Have you ever tried this way of eating?
ReplyDeleteYes I have. Not on purpose though. Sometimes I'm just too busy and forget to eat, so I can spend a half of a day or more without eating.
2. Do you think that intermittent fasting can be good for you or you can’t stand so long period without food?
I don't consider it neither good nor bad. In my opinion the problem is not in how often you eat but what you eat and how much. You can eat 10 times a day just control your portions and you will be fine.
3. Do you think that described benefits are possible to achieve just be simply narrowing an eating window or it’s too beautiful to be real?
The whole system is just pointless in my opinion. You can eat once a day but a huge portion which will be much more harmful than an ordinary eating pattern. As I said, just control yourself. And don't forget about physical activity.
Since I work a lot and I sit a lot - I started to gain weight. All my life, I had problem with too low weight. Not now.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is my work. Because I sit all day.
I eat good, healthy food.
I started to go to the gym recently. I Hope that it will solve my problem.