Intermittent fasting has grown in popularity across all levels of the health and fitness industry. For instance, even competitive bodybuilders and those that must make weight in professional sports commit to intermittent fasting whenever they need to drop pounds and some serious fat. And if you know the professionals love it with all of their high paid trainers and doctors, then there must be something to it!
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is the act of refraining from food for anywhere from usually 12 hours a day to even 20 hours a day. This leaves you a short period of time to eat your one or two meals a day and have your healthy snacks. It is not a diet as it does not tell you which foods you should only eat and which foods you should avoid. But if you use common sense, it will yield much better results than most diets out there.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Whatever is currently ailing you at the moment, it seems that intermittent fasting can lend a hand in fixing it. For instance, fasting is well known for helping people drop some serious weight and fat. It will make inches disappear from your waist line seemingly overnight. But it does much more than just this.
Fasting can improve your cognitive functioning. The brain actually becomes more alert and cognitive abilities are increased when fasting is introduced[1].
In addition, it is great for the body and your overall physical fitness. Heart disease is the number one killer around the globe. Fasting has shown it can control blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and reduce inflammation[2].
What Drinks Break a Fast?
If the drink contains calories and sugar, then more than likely it will break your fast. There are only a few surefire beverages you can drink while in the middle of an active fast that allows you to stay in the zone. Those are water, water with lemon, black coffee (add a bit of cinnamon for flavoring), and teas such as green tea and black tea.
Do not think that diet soda will keep you in the fasting zone just because it is said to have zero calories. The artifical sweeteners can break your fast quickly.
Read the Labels
If you are wondering whether a certain drink will make you break your current fast too early, read the labels and do the research. As previously stated, just because it may say zero calories does not mean it is always good to fast with. Keep the calories low and the sugars even lower. When in doubt, keep to the basics. Black coffee and water have helped many people stay in their fasting zone over the years.
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References
- https://www.brainfacts.org/thinking-sensing-and-behaving/diet-and-lifestyle/2018/how-does-fasting-affect-the-brain-071318
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19793855/
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