Frequently Asked Questions about Intermittent Fasting (Q&A)

Q&A about intermittent fasting

Q: On which day of the week should I start intermittent fasting?

There is no strict requirement for the specific start time of intermittent fasting. Just choose a start time that suits your own lifestyle.

Most people generally choose to start on Monday, perhaps because they psychologically believe that Monday is the easiest time to do so, allowing them to get ready to start a new week right.

Saturdays and Sundays are usually the start times that fasters avoid. Otherwise, on their days off, when the family has lunch together or goes to dinner parties or gatherings, reducing calorie intake becomes a difficult task.

When looking for the right fasting times for yourself, don't be bound by universal rules. Everyone's lifestyle is different, so don't limit yourself with other people's routines.

Once you find a suitable fasting time, try to establish a fixed routine. In time, you will get used to the fasting schedule.

During fasting, you can adjust your fasting plan according to changes in your life and body, but do not easily cancel or change your fasting days.

Q: Does fasting have to be continuous for 24 hours?

The 24-hour period is simply the easiest way to plan a fast. There's nothing special about 24 hours in itself; it's just that this timeframe can save you trouble and help you carry out your fasting plan to the end.

At the same time, fasters should constantly remind themselves that nearly a third of the fasting days are actually spent sleeping.

Q: How long after starting intermittent fasting can I see weight loss?

It mainly depends on your metabolic rate, your individual constitution, your weight when you start fasting, your daily activity level, the efficiency of fasting, and whether you strictly adhere to the fasting regimen.

The weight loss in the first week is largely due to water loss.

According to the simple theory of thermodynamics (weight loss occurs when calorie intake is lower than calorie expenditure), if you consume insufficient calories each week, your weight will decrease after a period of time.

It is important to note that you should not lose weight too quickly, nor should you aim for rapid weight loss.

Q: What are the advantages of intermittent fasting compared to dieting?

Intermittent fasting is a healthy, reasonable, and effective method that advocates a low-salt, low-oil, low-calorie, and nutritionally balanced diet. By reducing calorie intake, it gives the body ample time and space to repair and detoxify, while emphasizing the supplementation of various nutrients. It does not mean not eating anything at all, but rather telling you how to eat correctly to avoid malnutrition.

Dieting requires people to eat only vegetables and fruits for a period of time, while abstaining from meat, grains, etc., which can easily lead to malnutrition and rebound weight gain.

Q: Can I eat whatever I want during the 5 days of fasting?

The answer is yes. Although it may seem counterintuitive, there are really no forbidden foods on non-fasting days; there are no restrictions whatsoever.

On five days a week when there are no calorie restrictions, we eat whatever we want, such as fish and chips, baked potatoes, cookies, and cakes.

Modern scientific research has indeed found that volunteers who ate pasta, pizza, and French fries on "Liberation Day" still lost weight.

Nevertheless, do not try to make up for a fasting day by overeating, like a contestant in a competitive eating contest.

Q: Which is more important, breakfast or dinner?

Breakfast and dinner are very important on fasting days.

Breakfast is crucial for energy levels in the morning and also affects how full you feel throughout the day. As the saying goes, "A full breakfast ensures a full day."

However, some fasting individuals find themselves needing to eat breakfast, while others prefer to eat later.

Please make your own decision. Whatever mode you choose, it may be adjusted in the future.

Modern nutrition advocates eating 30 kinds of food every day, and we should pay more attention to quality than quantity.

Therefore, intermittent fasting individuals should also pay attention to the quality of their dinners.

In terms of staple foods, a moderate amount of carbohydrates can have a calming and soothing effect, which is beneficial for sleep.

It is recommended that intermittent fasting individuals use oats or brown rice instead of white rice, and black bread instead of white bread.

For meat, it is recommended to supplement protein in moderation. Intermittent fasting participants are advised to choose fish, poultry, and soy products instead of meats with high fat content.

Although dinner should be light, it doesn't mean you can't eat meat.

You can also eat some seafood with short muscle fibers that are easy to digest, such as deep-sea fish and shrimp.

For fruits and vegetables, eat more of those containing soft, fine fiber, such as winter melon, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, and watermelon, and less of those containing coarse, hard fiber, such as celery and bamboo shoots.

Q: Is it better to eat vegetables raw or cooked?

There is no definitive answer as to whether vegetables are better eaten raw or cooked.

Cooking destroys the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in vegetables, but it also softens the fiber, making it easier for the body to absorb nutrients.

Cooking can also increase the absorption rate of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes.

Meanwhile, boiled or steamed vegetables such as carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, and green peppers absorb more antioxidants than raw vegetables.

The downside of cooking vegetables is that it destroys vitamin C.

Our advice is to eat more vegetables, combine raw and cooked foods, and choose ingredients based on their taste and your own needs.

Q: Can I drink alcohol on a fasting day?

On fasting days, it is essential to avoid alcohol consumption. Although alcoholic beverages taste sweet and delicious, they can provide you with more calories.

A glass of baijiu (Chinese liquor) contains about 120 calories, while 350 ml of beer contains 153 calories.

Fasting days are a great opportunity to reduce your weekly alcohol intake without feeling overwhelmed. Just think of it as two days of abstinence each week, and sticking to two days isn't difficult.

Q: If I have to work the night shift after a few days of intermittent fasting, should I continue fasting?

If you work the night shift, because your biological clock is disrupted, you need to make more plans and put in more effort than people who work regular hours, and you need to be more disciplined with yourself.

However, you can still detox through intermittent fasting. It is recommended that you eat intermittent fasting foods in the evening and have some breakfast after get off work.

In addition, you can spend a few minutes each day doing some simple exercises, such as walking or stretching. You can also find a few like-minded friends who are also fasting and share your detoxification experiences with them.

Q: Who is not suitable for intermittent fasting?

People with certain medical conditions, such as anemia, low blood pressure, or heart disease, are advised not to try intermittent fasting.

People who are frequently anemic may experience a worsening of their anemia if they engage in intermittent fasting due to insufficient energy supply. People with low blood pressure may experience dizziness or even fainting during the two days of intermittent fasting. Although intermittent fasting can reduce the risk of heart disease to some extent, heart disease patients should not try intermittent fasting to avoid serious consequences.

Pregnant women and breastfeeding women are not suitable for intermittent fasting; on the contrary, these groups should ensure a sufficient supply of various nutrients.

If you are in the recovery period after an illness, it is not advisable to do intermittent fasting. It is best to wait until your body has fully recovered before considering whether to do intermittent fasting based on your actual situation.

For manual laborers, such as porters and farmers, intermittent fasting means eating much less at each meal, which will definitely make it difficult to keep up with high-intensity activities and may cause dizziness.