With fasting, you focus on when you eat, not what you eat. Fasting starts after your last meal and includes sleeping hours. During this time you refrain from eating.
Intermittent fasting is safe when practiced correctly. For most people, it is an effective way to improve health, lose weight and increase longevity.
Despite being beneficial, fasting is not for everyone. Do not try intermittent fasting if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding
- have diabetes, especially type 1
- are underweight – fasting may cause loss of muscle mass instead of fat mass if your calorie intake is too low
- take medication that needs to be taken with food.
If you have health issues or a medical condition, you must talk to your doctor before starting fasting.