Fast Diet - An Efficient Weight Loss Method

What is Fast Diet?

Fast diet is a dieting method that helps you lose weight by fasting. It is an intermittent fasting technique in which a person eats normally for 5 days of the week and for rest two non-consecutive days, the calorie intake is cut by 25 percent. Conceptualized by Mosley and Spencer in the UK, this method promises weight loss and can also help in preventing certain diseases.

Fasting has been followed as a religious ritual since ages and Indian Mythology marks its benefits in maintaining overall health. This method of fasting in intervals does not let the body starve and does not reduce the regular nutrient intake. Eating whatever you wish to for 5 days and having a restricted diet for other two days could actually help in reducing weight to a great extent. Besides, it has also been claimed in some studies that it could reduce the risk of heart diseases and other chronic diseases.

How Does it Work?

Basically, fast diet is a diet that works on 5:2 method of fasting, slashes the calorie in-take greatly on the fasting days keeping it as low as 600 calories for men and 500 calories for women. This lowered calorie intake can reduce weight up to 1lb (0.5kg) in a week. During fasting days, it is suggested to eat ‘low carb-high protein foods’. There is, however, no limitation as to how many times to eat, but it is better to fast for as long as you can. Once the weight seems like it is lowering down, fasting could be reduced to one day in a week to maintain overall health.

Such a diet compels one to stop frequent snacking, thereby reducing the overall hidden calorie from these small but high-calorie snacks. It has been found that persons following fast diets are likely to reduce fat and carbohydrate intake even on non-fasting days. Occasional diet restrictions are easy to comply with, as compared to forced daily dieting or crash dieting.

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Benefits of Fast Diet

• Easy and fast way to lose weight: Fasting could actually help in losing weight faster. Cutting down on calories so much so that the weight loss is apparent in a week’s time if it is properly followed along with daily activity.
• Reduce the risk of heart diseases: Fast diet has been found to be associated with maintaining heart health. Low-calorie diet assures less consumption of fat and carbohydrate-rich foods that are mostly responsible for atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart problems.
• Maintain blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels: Fasting improves the blood sugar levels and controls cholesterol levels as when on a fast diet, it is advised to take more of fruits and vegetables and avoid high calorie foods. Thus, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and type2 diabetes.
• Defy aging: Fasting is said to lower the levels of growth hormone IGF-1 in the blood which is responsible for accelerated aging. This lowered IGF-1 levels also reduce the risk of growth of cancerous cells.
• It improves the cognitive functions of the body, which reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Fast diet improves body metabolism by resting the digestive system for two days.
• Intermittent fasting is an easy and convenient regime that one can follow for long-term goals of losing weight.
• Studies suggest that fast diet could increase life-span of a person.
• No restrictions on daily routine and eating habits make it a manageable and less costly method.

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What to Eat and What not to Eat

• On a non fasting day, the meal can be as normal as ever. There is no need to measure your calorie intake and the diets can be as you want it to be. On a fasting day, eating foods that are high in proteins and nutrients is good.
• Green leafy vegetables, fruits, skinless chicken, eggs, steamed fish and legumes are the best while on the fast.
• Plenty of liquids are advised, as it will keep the calories low and not make you feel exhausted. Less or no sugar fresh fruit juice, black. Avoid coffee (or just a splash of milk in it would also do), tea, green tea, lemon and honey water etc., are good for fasting diet.
• If you feel hungry in the middle of the day, a handful of nuts or a juice can help curb your hunger.
• Try new recipes out of raw vegetables or make a healthy fruit salad.

Avoid

• Drinking alcohol is strictly a No-No during fasting days.
• One must avoid any such diet that may consume half or more of accepted calorie intake. This will make you feel tired and weak at the end of the day and you may even eat more the next day.
• Fat and carbohydrate-rich food must be avoided.
• Do not snack much between meals.
• Although non-fasting days hold no restrictions, one should avoid eating junk food, as overeating or junking could demean the benefits of fast. One must manage the daily diet too, even when not on a fast.

A slice of cake is no loss, but eating the whole cake, certainly is!

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Fast Diet Recipe

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Calories per Serving: 159

Preparation Time: 10-15 min

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked and cooked
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 1 3/4 cups chopped red onion
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chopped baby spinach
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar/lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese/cottage cheese

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, except cheese
• Let it stand in the refrigerator for half an hour
• Add crumbled cheese and toss well
• Serve

Some Tips:

• Always keep yourself physically active by workout and exercise.
• Pregnant ladies and people having diabetes or any other chronic illness must consult a doctor before following any such diet.
• There are many fast diet plans available over the internet; you can consult a nutritionist to choose your best fast diet regime.