Intermittent fasting is an extraordinarily healthy lifestyle, scientifically proven to promote numerous benefits for your body and brain. In fact, it’s the key that unlocks everything from sustainable weight and fat loss (especially that stubborn belly fat) to increased mental clarity and a serious boost in energy.

With intermittent fasting you are when you eat and what you eat. You may notice that all of the foods on this superfood list are plants. Hot off the presses is a new mega-study published in the British Medical Journal showing that eating mostly plant protein reduces your risk of death. Diets high in plant protein, such as legumes (peas, beans, and lentils), whole grains, and nuts, reduce risks of developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Like many other diet trends, intermittent fasting has taken on an identity of its own. The media has exploded with information about the unlimited benefits of intermittent fasting. But are the claims true? © viarunia / Shutterstock.com Myth: Intermittent fasting puts your body into starvation mode Intermittent fasting isn’t starving but an occasional planned break in food intake for relatively short time periods, done voluntarily for health and wellness purposes.

The 5:2 intermittent fasting plan, also known as The Fast Diet, is one of the most well-liked forms of intermittent fasting. Perhaps it’s even the most famous of the intermittent fasting regimens. Read on to see if this intermittent fast is best tailored to your personality type and needs.The 5:2 intermittent fasting plan involves eating how you normally would on five days of the week and eating only 500 to 600 calories on the other two days.

Intermittent fasting is an increasingly popular dietary approach used for both weight loss and overall health. The most popular form (and easiest) intermittent fast is called the time-restricted plan. I like to think of this form of fasting as the eating-window diet. You decide when and for how long you open your window of eating.

The alternate day intermittent fasting, also referred to as the 4:3 plan, has the most scientific data supporting its efficacy and safety of all the plans. Read on and see if perhaps the alternate day intermittent fasting plan is right for you. The different versions of alternate day intermittent fasting plans Strict alternate day intermittent fasting is one of the most extreme dietary interventions because you avoid all food for 36-hour periods.

The study of the effects of different intermittent fasting protocols on the human body is still in its infancy. Although much of the research has been in animals, promising well-designed human trials are emerging. In fact, a growing body of research specifically is investigating some of the more popular versions of intermittent fasting that is shedding light on the inner workings of intermittent fasting in humans.

Intermittent fasting differs from traditional fasting. Fasting is refraining from consuming food or drinks, except for water, for a set period. Traditional fasting diets, for lengthy periods of time, aren't a healthy means of weight loss and can be extremely dangerous. In fact, long-term fasting starves the body of essential nutrients, causes the body to shut down (metabolism slows dramatically), and can be life threatening.

Intermittent fasting focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat, so you choose the type of diet to accompany your intermittent fasting plan. Avoid choosing the keto diet as your combo eating plan of choice, which may be confusing for you because a lot of chatter on the Internet touts the purported dream combination of keto and fasting.