A Quick Guide to Intermittent Fasting

By Matthew Kendal

This step-by-step guide to intermittent fasting covers different methods of fasting, new and old scientific research behind it, the benefits for different body types and the effects it has on your metabolism, hormonal change, and much more. It also includes some example meal plans and recipes and touches on the history of fasting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Kendal
• Release date: Jul 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781393580850

Book preview

Chapter 1: Know Your Body Type

Knowing one's body type is not just knowing the shape of one's body, but what kind of nutrition and exercise your body requires. You can find your body type yourself by following the simple grid given below (RachelNgom, 2016).

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From the chart above, it should be easy to categorize yourself as to what type of body you have. The majority of the people can be classified under these categories. So, have you found your body type? Great. Now, let us learn about each body type in-depth and transform from one body type to another through intermittent fasting. Losing weight through effective fasting is a time-bound process like any other weight loss practice, so taking the prescribed time to see the transformation is essential.

Endomorph

Endomorph is the body type that quickly gains weight and has a slow metabolism (Huizen, 2019). The majority of people who want to lose their body weight fall under this category. People with endomorph body types tend to be the group to have the urge to embark on this weight loss journey more fervently. They also tend to have a sedentary lifestyle. Since the body shape of endomorphs is plump and round, their metabolism rate is slow (Endomorph diet: Eating, exercising, and muscle gain, n.d.).

As we discussed already, there are certain foods that endomorphs must avoid as a part of kickstarting their weight loss journey.

Foods to Avoid Initially:

●  White rice, pasta, bagels

●  Candies and chocolates

●  Soft drinks

●  Oatmeal, bran flakes, puffed rice

●  Cream, whipped cream

●  All red meats

●  Alcohol

●  Saturated oil

Endomorph bodies gain a lot of weight quickly because the bodies convert excess calories into fat. So they must change their diet structure in such a way that there are fewer carbohydrate-dense foods. Either that or those with an endomorph body can burn their excess calories through exercise.

●  Low-fat milk, yogurt

●  Cheeses

●  Eggs and egg whites

●  Fatty fishes

●  Chicken and turkey

Alternatively, people with endomorph type bodies can include the following in their diet.

●  Starch vegetables, like sweet potatoes, corn, carrots

●  Broccoli, cauliflower, and celery

●  Quinoa

●  Dried beans, kidney beans, and lentils

●  Fruits without melons or pineapple

One can include these foods in the diet plan of endomorph body type people, and as we proceed further to learn about the various fasting methods, we will learn how to incorporate these foods and how often one should take these foods.

Sugar Spike Risk

One of the significant problems of taking carbohydrate-rich foods in their diet is that carbohydrates release sugar into the bloodstream. This sugar settles as fat in the body rather than being burnt as energy.

Consequently, it shoots up or dips down the blood sugar level in the body, which brings in more health risks.

In a research conducted by Dr Jampolis, he concludes that When you carry weight in your belly, you're more than likely less responsive to insulin compared to someone who has a weight more diffusely through their body (Can you boost your metabolism? 2017). So toning down body mass is crucial in this case also.

Exercise for Endomorph Diet

Beginning with moderate cardio workouts, you can work your way up to High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). A study conducted by Sports Medicine in 2018 found that interval workouts reduce overall excess body weight and reduce belly fat much more effectively. In addition, it has shown tremendous results in obese adults (Maillard et al., 2017).

Ectomorph

The ectomorph body type is an opposite of the ectomorph body type. The body build is lean, and they also struggle to gain muscle. The metabolism rate of ectomorphs is prolonged. In some cases, the metabolism rate of your body is chosen genetically. If you think you have a weak stature, building your body will be a piece of cake with proper diet and fasting. P.S: Cake should be out of  your diet, though.

Foods to Avoid

Unlike endomorph body type people, an ectomorph body has a higher tolerance to carbohydrates. So this body type doesn't show any evident reaction to carbohydrate intake, and it might bring in ailments slowly. However, it is essential to pay more careful attention to carbohydrate intake. The following foods are a must not for