On the list of Google’s search terms for diet-related items in 2019, “intermittent fasting” was at the top. But what is this craze, is it effective, and can it work for you? And is it as hard as it sounds?

Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has everything you need to know about intermittent fasting, and no, it’s not as hard as it sounds! 

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Popular diet trends in the latter half of the last decade included a lot of calorie counting and logging on apps. Dieticians believe that people were looking for a simpler, way, and that sparked the intermittent fasting craze.

Intermittent fasting gives your body more time to process the food that you eat, and in many instances, leads to a reduction in calories as a byproduct. 

Explaining the Different Methods

One popular method is to fast every other day. This way, you’re having your normal amount of food one day and then fasting the other. Research has found that every-other-day fasters eat around 10% more on their feast days and 75% less on fast days, giving them fewer calorie intake over time. 

Another method is to eat all three of your meals in an eight- or 10-hour span and fast for the rest of the day. For example, eat breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch and midday snacks as normal, and dinner at 6 p.m. Then you’re giving your body plenty of time to process what you ate, and perhaps most importantly, you’re cutting out late-night snacking.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Besides weight loss, experts have seen a reduction in blood pressure, glucose levels to reduce diabetes risk, and can even lower bad cholesterol levels.  

To learn more about Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://carthage-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org/.