9781119724094

Lose weight and belly fat, prevent disease, boost metabolism, and live longer!

So, you want to begin an intermittent fasting plan and embark on a leaner, healthier and longer life? You probably have already heard about this wildly popular health and fitness diet plan. Intermittent fasting continues to be one of the top Google trending diet searches of the year. The truth is that intermittent fasting programs are popular because they are much easier to maintain than traditional, highly restrictive, calorie-controlled diets. Scientific studies show that intermittent fasting can have extraordinary health benefits such as:

Promoting weight and body fat loss (especially stubborn belly fat)
Stabilizing blood sugar levels, reducing insulin resistance, and managing diabetes
Increasing resistance to stress and suppressing inflammation
Improving cardiovascular health including lowering resting heart rate, blood pressure and “bad” cholesterol levels
Supporting brain health and improving memory
Fighting premature aging
Fostering a healthier gut
Boosting psychological well-being

If you are ready to get on the intermittent fasting bandwagon, then here is the perfect step-by-step guide to following an intermittent fasting plan of your choice. Whether it’s the 16:8 method, the Warrior intermittent fasting plan; the Alternate Day intermittent fasting plan; the 5:2 method; or the Eat-Stop-Eat intermittent fasting plan. Too good to be true? No, but the trick―as with everything―is doing it in a safe and effective way and Intermittent Fasting For Dummies makes that easy, providing tried and true evidence-based advice and information about the five most popular methods and 40+ recipes that will suit any lifestyle or diet. Nutrition and fitness expert―and internationally recognized specialist in disease prevention―Janet Bond Brill shows you how to choose the method that suits you best, as well as guiding you through the science behind intermittent fasting, including how it ignites your fat-burning potential, promotes cellular repair, increases the production of growth hormone, and reduces insulin and blood sugar levels.

Choose the right plan and stick to it
Make more than 40 healthy and delicious nutritionist-approved meals
Lose weight and body fat and keep it off
Improve overall health and prevent disease

Wherever you are in your health journey―seeking weight loss, getting fitter, living a disease prevention lifestyle or building muscle―Intermittent Fasting For Dummies shows you how to make the science of "too good to be true" into a truly effective part of your regular, healthy routine.

Janet Bond Brill, PhD, RDN, FAND, LDN is an internationally recognized expert on fitness, nutrition, and health. She is a registered and licensed dietitian and nutritionist. She has published three books on the prevention of heart disease and numerous articles in reputable scientific journals.

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 3

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Getting Started with Intermittent Fasting 5

Chapter 1: The Lowdown on Intermittent Fasting, Just the Basics 7

Defining Exactly What Intermittent Fasting is (and Isn’t) 8

Recognizing the nuts and bolts of intermittent fasting 9

Delving deeper into how intermittent fasting works 10

Considering Your Intermittent Fasting Options 12

Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions 15

Taking the First Steps of Change 16

Chapter 2: Assessing Your Goals 19

Understanding What a Healthy Weight Range is for You 20

Taking a self-inventory 20

Considering your reasons for weight loss 21

Setting your weekly SMART goals 22

Calculating Your Healthy Weight Range 25

Making friends with the scale 25

Guesstimating accurately 26

Using your Body Mass Index to see whether you’re overweight 27

Gauging your inches to link your weight and health 29

Determining what a healthy percentage of body fat is for you 31

Chapter 3: Verifying Calories As Your Last Resort 33

Examining How Your Intermittent Fasting Plan is Going 34

Explaining calorie surplus and deficit 34

Studying Calories 101 36

Balancing your equation 36

Calculating Your Ideal Calorie Range 37

Curbing your calories in 37

Expending your calories out 38

Following the 80:20 rule 42

Trying just one more time 43

Chapter 4: Understanding the Link Between Weight and Health 45

Discovering What the Scientists Know about Being Overweight 46

Enumerating the numerous health risks of being overweight 46

Seeing why where you store your fat matters 53

Beating the Odds of Inheriting the Fat Genes 55

Part 2: Grasping the Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting 57

Chapter 5: Navigating the Science of Intermittent Fasting 59

Discerning What The Scientists Know about Intermittent Fasting 60

How intermittent fasting affects your cells and hormones 61

Flipping your metabolic switch 62

Understanding Why Intermittent Fasting Works 63

Illuminating the three metabolic states 64

Examining the important role of ketones 65

Discovering the facts on fat 66

Revving up your metabolic rate 67

Circling the Circadian Rhythm Connection 67

Chapter 6: Identifying the Health Benefits to Intermittent Fasting 69

Comprehending Why Intermittent Fasting is a Powerful Weight-Loss Tool 70

Creating a sustainable calorie deficit 70

Losing the fat and gaining muscle 71

Seeing how intermittent fasting targets belly fat 73

Discovering the Numerous Health Benefits to the Body 74

Outlining the diseases/disorders affected 75

Considering the mechanics behind the results 78

Realizing the positive effects on the brain 79

Identifying the benefits for longevity 79

Renewing your body with autophagy 80

Chapter 7: Determining Whether Intermittent Fasting is Right for You 81

Getting Permission from Your Personal Doctor 82

Know your numbers 82

Give it time 83

Throwing a Big Red Flag — Warnings for Diabetics 84

Assessing type 1 and type 2 diabetes 85

Focusing on the risks 86

Recognizing Who Shouldn’t Intermittent Fast 87

Surveying the Eating Disorder Silent Epidemic 89

Restricting Children from Intermittent Fasting 90

Part 3: Evaluating the Most Popular Intermittent Fasting Plans 91

Chapter 8: Knowing What to Eat During Your Fasting and Feasting Times 93

Keeping Your Goals 93

Fasting goal — Deplete your glucose stores 94

Feasting goal — Consume healthful foods 94

What You Can Eat When You’re Fasting 94

Drinking your way through your intermittent fast 95

Loving black coffee 96

What You Can Eat When You’re Feasting 99

Knowing what to eat: Some quick tips 99

Why eating a plant-based diet is smart 99

Weighing Keto and Intermittent Fasting — Not a Healthy Combination 100

Understanding why the Keto Diet and intermittent fasting don’t mix 101

What’s wrong about keto: What you shouldn’t and should be eating 102

Chapter 9: Trying the 16:8 Time-Restricted Intermittent Fasting Plan 105

Clarifying What Time-Restricted Intermittent Fasting is 106

Trying the 16:8 time-restricted plan 106

Seeing why the 16:8 plan is easy 107

Losing the fat and keeping the muscle 108

Recognizing how much is too much 109

Visualizing a Time-Restricted Fasting Plan — A Sample 1-Week Calendar 110

Chapter 10: Enlisting the Warrior Intermittent Fasting Plan 111

Describing What The Warrior Intermittent Fasting Plan is 111

Eyeing the Pros and Cons to the Warrior Intermittent Fasting Plan 113

Exercising during Your Warrior Intermittent Fast 114

Visualizing a Warrior Intermittent Fast — A Sample 1-Week Calendar 115

Chapter 11: Attempting the Alternate Day Intermittent Fasting Plan 117

Explaining the Different Versions of Alternate Day Intermittent Fasting Plans 117

Understanding the Science of the Alternate Day Intermittent Fasting Plan 118

Benefiting from the Alternate Day Intermittent Fasting Plan 120

Exercising during Your Alternate Day Intermittent Fast 121

Eyeing an Alternate Day Intermittent Fast — A Sample 1-Week Calendar 122

Chapter 12: Applying the 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Plan 123

Shedding Light on the 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Plan 123

Examining the Science of the 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Plan 124

Exercising during Your 5:2 Intermittent Fast 125

Visualizing a 5:2 Intermittent Fast — A Sample 1-Week Calendar 126

Chapter 13: Starting the Eat-Stop-Eat Intermittent Fasting Plan 127

Perusing the Eat-Stop-Eat Intermittent Fasting Plan 127

Examining the pros and cons 128

Seeing what the research says 129

Visualizing an Eat-Stop-Eat Intermittent Fast— A Sample 1-Week Calendar 130

Part 4: Customizing Your Complete Intermittent Fasting Plan 131

Chapter 14: Combining Daily Exercise with Your Intermittent Fasting Plan 133

Capturing What You Need to Know about Intermittent Fasting and Exercise 134

Transforming Your Body with Cardiovascular Conditioning 136

Recognizing common cardio 136

Mapping out when and how 137

Paying attention to your body 138

Healing Your Body with Strength Training 139

Slowing down aging 139

Building muscle: No magic, just hard work 140

Planning when and how 141

Destressing with Mindful Exercise 143

Eyeing the many benefits of yoga 143

Recognizing the art of rhythmic breathing 144

Chapter 15: Paying Attention to Possible Speed Bumps When Intermittent Fasting 145

Handling Hunger Fears 146

Curbing Those Cravings 146

Igniting Your Energy 148

Heading Off Headaches 149

Dealing With Scheduling Issues 150

Finding Your Stress Relievers 151

Chapter 16: Changing Your Connection with Food 155

Assessing Your Relationship with Food 155

Determining what kind of eater you are 156

Taking control of emotional eating behaviors 157

Breaking Your Behavior Chain 158

Rearranging your food environment 159

Changing unhealthy eating behaviors 160

Getting a handle on your hunger 161

Diving into Mindful Eating 162

Practicing mindful eating techniques 162

Reviewing the habits of healthy eaters 163

Part 5: Intermittent Fasting Made Easy: Eating, Shopping, and Cooking 165

Chapter 17: Adding the Mediterranean Diet to Your Intermittent Fasting Plan 167

Incorporating the Mediterranean Diet into Your Intermittent Fasting Plan 168

Grasping the Laws on Lean Protein 170

Eat more plant and fish protein 171

For vegans and vegetarians: Focus on plant protein 172

Add healthy fish protein 172

Making Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) Your Main Fat 173

Keeping Those Grains Whole 174

Powering Up with Plants 178

Chapter 18: Going Grocery Shopping, Healthfully 181

Finding Your Way around the Supermarket 182

Shopping with a plan 182

Analyzing where everything is located in the supermarket 183

Organizing your shopping cart 184

Favoring farmers’ markets 185

Knowing How to Read Labels 186

Sizing up the ingredient list 189

Searching for sugar 189

Slashing the sodium 191

Rating the frozen meals 192

Going organic 193

Chapter 19: Stocking Your Fridge, Freezer, and Pantry with Nutrition 195

Organizing a Healthy Refrigerator 196

Putting things in place 196

Establishing a well-stocked freezer 197

Arranging a Healthy Pantry 198

Capitalizing on categories 199

Knowing what and where to store food 200

Chapter 20: Making Cooking at Home a Delicious Habit 203

Simplifying Your Cooking and Your Life 204

Cookware 204

Utensils 205

Tools and gadgets 206

Boning Up on the Healthiest Cooking Techniques 208

Microwave cooking 209

Roasting and baking 209

Boiling 209

Grilling 209

Sautéing and stir-frying 210

Steaming 210

Utilizing Additional Tips And Tricks to Maximize Nutrient Retention 211

Chapter 21: Starting Your Healthy Recipe Collection 213

Serving Up Appetizers for Intermittent Fasting 214

Savoring Salads, Soups, and Sandwiches 219

Planning Plant-Based Entrees for Intermittent Fasting 229

Fishing for Seafood Entrees 235

Making Mediterranean Side Dishes for Intermittent Fasting 239

Diving into Desserts and Snacks for Intermittent Fasting 245

Chapter 22: Creating Your 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Recipes 253

Making 500-Calorie Meals for Women 254

Creating 600-Calorie Meals for Men 260

Part 6: Using Tools for Success 267

Chapter 23: Tracking Your Intermittent Fasting Progress 269

Journaling for Success 270

Graphing Your Progress 271

Monitoring your SMART goals 273

Chapter 24: Getting Support during Your Intermittent Fast 277

Getting Help from a Professional 277

Enlisting Friends and Family 279

Dealing with Setbacks 280

Part 7: The Part of Tens 283

Chapter 25: Ten Myths about Intermittent Fasting Debunked 285

Intermittent Fasting Puts Your Body Into Starvation Mode 285

Skipping Breakfast Makes You Fat 286

Intermittent Fasting Slows Metabolism and Frequent Meals Boost It 286

Eating Three Meals a Day is Better for Your Health 287

You Need to Eat Protein Every Three Hours to Gain Muscle 287

Intermittent Fasting Makes You Lose Muscle 287

Intermittent Fasting Triggers Excessive Hunger and Makes You Overeat 288

Intermittent Fasting is Harmful to the Brain 289

Intermittent Fasting Causes Dangerous Drops in Blood Sugar 289

Intermittent Fasting is Too Hard 290

Chapter 26: Ten Healthiest Superfoods to Include When Intermittent Fasting 291

Black Coffee 292

Spinach 292

Quinoa 293

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) 293

Black Beans 293

Beets 294

Nuts and Seeds 294

Broccoli 295

Blackberries 295

Lentils 296

Index 297

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Intermittent Fasting For Dummies

Intermittent Fasting For Dummies

1119724090

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

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