9 most frequently asked questions about intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting as a way to lose weight effectively and healthily is becoming increasingly popular. However, many people still question this method.

Because: it's incredibly unhealthy, isn't it? And dangerous? No.

That is why we have listed the most frequently asked questions about intermittent fasting that everyone has. This way you can choose whether you want to do intermittent fasting or not.

What is intermittent fasting?

Just a short explanation about what intermittent fasting is exactly. Intermittent fasting is a method in which you reduce the time in which you eat - the so-called "eating window" or "eating window".

A commonly used schedule of intermittent fasting is the 16:8 method. You eat two or three meals within an eight-hour period. Then, after dinner, you start fasting for about 16 hours, until lunchtime.

There are also other methods, which we have listed for you in this article about intermittent fasting . We understand that you have many more questions. That is why you can now read the most frequently asked questions about intermittent fasting.

1. Is intermittent fasting a healthy method to lose weight?

Understandable question. We are all familiar with the term “crash diet”. But know: that is definitely not intermittent fasting. The beauty of intermittent fasting is that you can keep your muscles. And these are ultimately your body's main combustion engines.

Of course, intermittent fasting is not a magic bullet. If you do intermittent fasting for a longer period of time and then pick up your old lifestyle that led to weight gain, you have a good chance that this will happen again. However, you can do intermittent fasting 2 to 3 times a year so that your weight remains within limits.

2. Isn't intermittent fasting really bad for my metabolism?

No that's a myth. You really don't have to eat something every 2 to 3 hours to keep your metabolism going. Your metabolism is busy 24 hours a day to keep you alive, you don't have to pay extra attention to that. Fasting therefore has no negative impact on your metabolism.

3. Can I really not eat anything during the fasting period?

Intermittent fasting means that you eat meals in a short period of time and do not eat for a longer period of time. Of course it's up to you when you want to eat something or not.

For example, some choose to drink a vegetable juice or have a small snack during the fasting period. But do know that if you eat something that contains a lot of calories, you are officially no longer fasting.

4. But isn't breakfast the most important start to the day?

That is what is generally claimed. But the English word “breakfast” stands for “breaking the fast”. This means that you can think of the first meal of the day as your breakfast. Which doesn't necessarily have to be in the morning.

However, breakfast cereal manufacturers like to perpetuate the myth in order to sell their products. For example, you often hear that “research has shown” that if you eat breakfast every day, you become slimmer and healthier than people who don't. However, it is not mentioned that these are people who generally already lead a healthier lifestyle than people who lead an unhealthy lifestyle and skip breakfast.

5. Can you drink coffee and tea during your fasting period?

Fortunately! Without a cup of green matcha tea we will not get through the fasting period. If you are in your fasting period during your intermittent fasting, you can drink both coffee and tea.

The general rule of thumb is that drinking anything with less than 50 calories will keep your body in a fasting state. So a cup of tea or coffee with a splash of milk or cream is fine.

6. How much can I eat during my eating window?

To know how much you can eat during your eating window, you need to know what your daily requirement is. Keep this as a daily intake and decide for yourself how many meals you want to divide this into.

So it may be that you used to eat three meals a day, but now divide the same amount over several other times in the time frame in which your eating window occurs.

7. Will I lose my muscle mass with intermittent fasting?

No, you need your muscle mass to ultimately burn fat. You get the same amount of protein as normal, just in a different time frame. Your already gained muscle mass is therefore simply retained.

8. Does intermittent fasting fit into the keto diet?

In addition to intermittent fasting, the keto diet is also becoming increasingly popular. With the ketogenic diet you ensure that fat becomes your primary fuel. The stores of sugar and carbohydrates in your body are converted into fuel in the form of glycogen and your body starts using your fat stores.

With the keto diet you mainly get fat and you get a full feeling faster. This way you avoid something that you will experience at the beginning of intermittent fasting: hunger. That is why intermittent fasting fits perfectly within the keto diet.

9. I can't lose weight, even though I do intermittent fasting. What am I doing wrong?

Intermittent fasting is one of the most effective ways to lose weight in a healthy way. If your weight does stagnate, this could be for various reasons. How much weight you lose depends, among other things, on the following factors:

• Age
• How much you move
• Whether you take medication
• How your bowel function was

And also think of the temperature, alcohol, the menstrual period, and the amount of salt and drinking fluid in food. These all affect the amount of body water, which also affects your weight.

A number of other practical tips that can help you lose weight with intermittent fasting:

• Move every day. Think of walking, swimming or a workout via YouTube
• Replace your bread for full-fat Greek yogurt with nuts
• Replace your lunch or dinner with a soup or salad
• Keep an eye on what you drink in addition to water, tea and coffee and limit these other drinks if necessary

Have you become a little wiser with these most frequently asked questions about intermittent fasting and are you interested in using this method? Then we wish you a lot of success!