By Valentine Aseyo
Hi, I'm Valentine, Maker of Matador Meggings. Intermittent fasting is just an extended period during your day without having any food. In short, it's an eating technique that's safer, that’s effective, and that has many health benefits—the best-known one being fat loss.
Over the last few months, a new eating technique (notice that I said "eating technique," not "diet") called Intermittent Fasting has become increasingly popular, especially among those interested in losing excess body fat. This entire "technique" is based around splitting your day into two parts—eating and fasting.
For example, you eat normally during an 8-hour period (of course, you don't eat non-stop—this is simply the time of day when you can eat) and then fast for 16 hours. During the fast, you don't eat ANYTHING—you just drink water.
This seems totally opposite to what we're used to hearing about weight and fat loss, doesn't it? Because it is! It's brutally effective, and the amount of research and studies backing up Intermittent Fasting for weight loss is increasing really fast.
Intermittent Fasting is an eating technique, NOT A DIET!
This is probably the most common misconception about Intermittent Fasting—it's a way of eating. You eat for eight hours, then undergo a 16-hour fast, then eat again. It is NOT a diet.
Simply "being on Intermittent Fasting" will NOT make you lose fat and/or weight. Actually, you can easily gain weight while on Intermittent Fasting by maintaining a caloric surplus (eating more calories than your TDEE—Total Daily Energy Expenditure).
To lose weight on an Intermittent Fasting plan, you still need to follow the typical fat-loss rules—with the most important rule being a caloric deficit. You have to control your macros (protein/fat/carbs ratios) and at least try to eat healthily. (Yes, you can lose weight with junk food, but your health will be at a loss as well).
So, what's so great about this new "intermittent fasting for weight loss miracle"? There are two main reasons why people choose this eating model:
1. It makes it so much easier to stay on a caloric deficit.
Believe it or not, for most people, it's actually difficult to eat a lot during an 8-hour period. Of course, when your intermittent fasting time phase is about to end, you'll feel like you can eat anything in sight. But, once you eat your first meal, your hunger will disappear (even if the meal wasn't that big). After that, all you need to do is control your calorie intake for the next eight hours, which is a million times easier than controlling it for 16-18.
2. Various studies and research confirm that Intermittent Fasting does indeed boost fat loss.
Now we'll move ahead to explain more of Intermittent Fasting got weight loss to give you an idea of its working and healthy benefits.
Different stages of intermittent fasting
Like I said earlier, we can keep our bodies in two states—either the fed state or the fasting state. Having a sound familiarity with these stages is essential in understanding the concept of intermittent fasting and accomplishing your desired health goals.
1. Fed state:
The period of up to three hours since your last meal is your fed state. The digestive system is busy digesting the food, releasing energy from food, and replenishing the energy stores. The extra calories will also be deposited, which can lead to extra fats in your body.
2. Pre-Fasting state:
This state starts at three hours and lasts until twelve hours after your last meal. The body has no food in its digestive system, so it begins to use its stored energy. The glycogen stores of liver and muscle start to deplete, and depletion is done after about twelve hours of fasting.
3. Early Fasting state:
The real work starts in the early fasting state—i.e., the burning of fats. From 12-18 hours after the meal, all the glycogen stores get used up. After that, the body starts using fats. After about 18 hours of fasting time, a small part of your body fats is burned.
4. Intermittent Fasting state:
From 18-24 hours, the fat-burning gets to its maximum level, and the body uses fats as the sole source of energy to maintain basic vital functions.
5. Long Fasting state:
Fasting going beyond 24 hours is referred to as "long fasting." However, we don't recommend this method, due to its various harmful effects.
How does intermittent fasting for weight loss work?
If you've understood these different fasting states, then it won't be hard for you to get the concept of intermittent fasting. During the fed stage and the pre-fasting stage, the body is digesting the food and storing it in the form of glycogen and fat. Hence, the anabolic part of metabolism builds the body components and the body is not in a position to burn the fat.
It is after a period of about 12 hours of fasting time that the body starts looking for the stored energy reserves to use. Since we eat some food before fasting has started, our body does not really get the chance to consume its energy storage.
The key to burning fats is to let the body enter the fasting state. The beauty of intermittent fasting is that it's a natural process, and you don't have to alter your diet or your diet quantities. It is a dietary habit that does not require the strict rules of dieting, and it does very well without your having to decrease the food quantity.
There are different types of intermittent fasting plans that are almost equally effective. You can either choose a daily plan or a weekly one. The most famous plan in this regard is the 5:2 plan. The 5:2 plan means that you eat normally for five days of the week and then adapt the fasting strategy for the remaining two days.
Intermittent fasting for weight loss is like meggings—flexible! Give both a try.
An intermittent fasting plan is a great plan that can really help you to get rid of those few extra pounds. It's a natural technique that is flexible—like our meggings. You may need to update your closet when you lose weight, but you'll be able to continue wearing your favorite Matador Meggings without needing to size down.
When you set stretch goals for yourself, your stretchy clothing will have your back! These compression pants will wrap your body so well that they will motivate you to be in your best shape.
For further information about Matador Meggings or to check out our unique and stylish meggings, email us at hello@matadormeggings.com for further assistance.
