Want To Try Intermittent Fasting? This Is The Best Time To Start It

Illustration of intermittent fasting (Freepik)

JAKARTA - Want to lose weight, increase metabolism, or just improve your diet? Intermittent fasting (IF) or intermittent fasting can be a solution that you have to try. But if you're still a beginner, of course there are many questions. You must be confused about how to start it and how long to fast.

Don't worry, you're not alone. Many people start from scratch. The good news is, there is a light and suitable intermittent fasting schedule for beginners. Intermittent fasting is a diet that regulates eating and fasting times in a day or a week.

Unlike diets in general that limit food types, IF is more focused on when you eat. Some of the benefits that are often associated with IF include:

- Helping to lose weight

- Stabilizing blood sugar levels

- Increase insulin sensitivity

- Supports heart and brain health

However, this method is not recommended for everyone. Intermitent fasting is not suitable for pregnant women, advanced diabetes sufferers, or people with a history of eating disorders," says Dr. Krista Varady, a nutritionist from the University of Illinois.

Therefore, first consult a doctor if you have special conditions. For beginners, the most important thing is to start gradually. You don't have to fast 24 hours immediately.

The following is the most recommended schedule for beginners, as reported by the University of Michigan School of Public Health page.

1. Daily Fasting With Certain Time Window

You eat in a certain period of time every day, and fast for the remaining time. The length of time of fasting can be adjusted to the needs and comfort of each individual.

2. Selang-seling Fasting (Alternate-Day Fasting)

In this method, you eat as usual on non-fasting days. While on fasting days, calorie intake is limited to about 25% of the normal number. As an illustration, daily calorie needs usually range between 1,6002,400 calories for women and 2,0003,000 calories for men, depending on age and physical activity.

3. Pattern 5:2

Similar to persua-seling fasting, the 5:2 pattern allows you to eat normally for five days a week, then limit calorie intake to only about 500-600 calories on the other two days. Fasting day should not be done in a row.

4. Fast 24 hours a week

In this method, you eat as usual for six days, then do a full fast for 24 hours in one day. This style can be quite heavy, because you can only consume liquid for 24 hours.

Some of the methods above can be hard for beginners because they involve long fasting times or significant calorie restrictions. One of the more friendly approaches for beginners is daily fasting with a given time window. For example, starting with fasting for 12 hours per day most of the time can be spent sleeping. Once used to it, you can extend the duration gradually.

One of the popular patterns is fasting 16:8, where you have a 8-hour dining window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. An example of the schedule is to eat between 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., then fast until 12 p.m. the next day.

As has been mentioned, intermittent fasting is not suitable for everyone. If your health condition allows, choose the most realistic and easy-to-live method. Also remember that food quality remains very important. Maintain a balanced nutritious diet is as important as undergoing an intermittent fasting schedule.