Intermittent Fasting: for Fat Loss, Muscle Gain and Health

Most of us in the modern world sit down for three - or more - meals a day every day. We take regular meals for granted, and sometimes act as if missing a meal will lead to dire consequences. But did you ever stop to consider whether this is how humans are really meant to eat? Considering how many health problems many people have related to eating too much food - obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease to name a few - it may be time to re-think our dietary habits.

Humans lived for many thousands of years as hunter-gatherers. Their food supply fluctuated according to the availability of game and what plants were in season. They simply weren't able to eat three square meals a day every day. Yet, many hunter-gatherer societies were tall, with strong bones and teeth, and lived long, healthy lives if they weren't killed in accidents or natural disasters.

It may be that missing a meal once in a while is natural and good for us. Intermittent fasting is an eating style that tries to apply that idea for better health and longevity. Caloric restriction is the only scientifically proven way to extend life. Many people, however, find that reducing the size of their meals difficult. Most people discover that just skipping a meal or two altogether is actually easier, which is what intermittent fasting involves.

Here are a few of the health benefits of intermittent fasting that scientific studies have found:

• Reduces excess weight
• Lowers diabetes risk
• Decreases cardiovascular disease risk factors.
• Improves mental function
• Protects against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
• Cuts cancer risk

Intermittent fasting can be done many different ways since all it really means is skipping a meal or two occasionally, but here are three popular methods:

One method is to do a 24-hour fast once or twice a week. That does not mean not eating for a whole day. It means not eating until 24 hours after your last meal - in other words skipping breakfast and lunch the next day. For example, if you finished dinner at 7 pm, and the next day was a fasting day, you wouldn't eat again until 7 pm the next day. This method was popularized by Brad Pilon in his book Eat Stop Eat.

Another method is to cut back to two meals a day, usually by skipping breakfast. Many people do this anyway, either because they're not hungry, or they don't have time. Many people find that skipping breakast and then having two good meals later in the day allows them to restrict calories without feeling deprived. Mike O'Donnell recommends this method in the 2 Meal Solution.

The newest method is almost not a fast at all. A method called the 5:2 diet recommends just cutting your calories on two days out of the week. Users of this method gain most of the benefits of other types of intermittent fasting, including cutting their cancer risk, with this 5:2 method of calorie restriction.

In all of the above methods, you can eat normally on your non-fasting days. This is what makes intermittent fasting easier for most people than dieting. They don't feel constantly deprived because once the fasting day is over, they can eat what they want.

As healthful as intermittent fasting is for most people, it isn't for everyone. Children under 18 should not fast, nor should diabetics, nor pregnant or lactating women. If you have any doubts, of course, check with a doctor. With those exceptions, intermittent fasting is a health practice that seems to improve the health of just about everyone, not just those who need to lose weight.