I've recently looked at some of the fasting methods, and realize that's actually what I've done in the past. For instance, sometimes on Monday I don't eat a full meal until supper, or some days I have breakfast and lunch, but not supper. There's a lot of research on the benefits of even brief fasting, such as 24 hour (not eating after 6 p.m. and nothing but liquids until the evening of the next day), or 2 days a week, like Monday and Thursday, or eating your total calories during an 8 hour period or 10 hour period.
A website about 5 methods of fasting lists occasional fasting as #2. I find this needs almost no self control--however, most of my beverages do have some calories, like watered down juice or coffee with cream. I just have to do it.
2. Eat Stop Eat
Started by: Brad Pilon
Best for: Healthy eaters looking for an extra boost.
It’s all about moderation: You can still eat whatever you want, but maybe not as much of it. A slice of birthday cake is OK, but the whole cake isn’t.How It Works: Fast for 24 hours once or twice per week. During the 24 hour fast, which creator Brad Pilon prefers to call a “24 break from eating,” no food is consumed, but you can drink calorie-free beverages. After the fast is over, you then go back to eating normally. “Act like you didn’t fast,” Pilon says. “Some people need to finish the fast at a normal mealtime with a big meal, while others are OK ending the fast with an afternoon snack. Time it however works best for you, and adjust your timing as your schedule changes,” he says.
The main rationale? Eating this way will reduce overall calorie intake without really limiting what you’re able to eat — just how often, according to Eat Stop Eat. It’s important to note that incorporating regular workouts, particularly resistance training, is key to succeeding on this plan if weight loss or improved body composition are goals.
Pros: While 24 hours may seem like a long time to go without food, the good news is that this program is flexible. You don’t have to go all-or-nothing at the beginning. Go as long as you can without food the first day and gradually increase fasting phase over time to help your body adjust. Pilon suggests starting the fast when you are busy, and on a day where you have no eating obligations (like a work lunch or happy hour).
Another perk? There are no “forbidden foods,” and no counting calories, weighing food or restricting your diet, which makes it a bit easier to follow. That said, this isn’t a free-for-all. “You still have to eat like a grown-up,” Pilon says. It’s all about moderation: You can still eat whatever you want, but maybe not as much of it. (A slice of birthday cake is OK, he says, but the whole cake isn’t.)
Cons: Going 24 hours without any calories may be too difficult for some — especially at first. Many people struggle with going extended periods of time with no food, citing annoying symptoms including headaches, fatigue, or feeling cranky or anxious (though these side effects can diminish over time). The long fasting period can also make it more tempting to binge after a fast. This can be easily fixed… but it takes a lot of self-control, which some people lack. http://dailyburn.com/life/health/intermittent-fasting-methods/http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/06/short-term-fasting-may-improve-health
"When you don’t eat for a while, several things happen in your body. For example, your body initiates important cellular repair processes and changes hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible. . . Studies show that intermittent fasting can improve numerous risk factors for heart disease such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglycerides and inflammatory markers. . . Increased autophagy [waste removal] may provide protection against several diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s disease "
https://authoritynutrition.com/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-of-fasting-that-will-surprise-you.html
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I am no doctor, but it seems to me that metabolisms become efficient (aka lazy) if we sink into habits. Our bodies learn how to process the same amount of calories "better" over time, which is why most of us end up saying we don't understand why we gain weight on the same amount of food that used to be fine, or even that we used to lose on! Then come the goofy theories about the "wrong" sugars and wheat and corn and bla bla bla. But the fasting idea taps into something I've always thought: vary your habits. Don't eat the same things at the same time every day, and definitely don't eat the same number of calories daily. Keep your metabolism alert and guessing.
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