Which model of nutrition is more helpful in reducing body fat - the one in which we will limit the number of calories or the one in which we will not eat for a certain period of time? Check what happens to your body while on a low-calorie diet and planned fasting.

As Socrates used to say, "Eating more than two meals a day is barbaric." Could this ancient philosopher adhere to the principle of planned fasting? It seems so.

Studies show that both a very low-calorie diet (commonly known as MŻ) and planned fasting (also known as IF or Intermittent Fasting) have a positive effect on he alth, not only in terms of reducing body fat, but also behavior mental performance. However, many people do not distinguish between these two eating patterns. It should be made clear in the beginning that a low calorie diet is not the same as fasting. A low-calorie diet is all about limiting the amount of calories you eat. Periodic fasting, on the other hand, consists in planning the frequency of meals, or more precisely - the length of breaks between meals. The word fast means a planned and conscious limitation in a certain period of fulfilling life needs, in this case food consumption. Naturally, a caloric deficit can also be used in intermittent fasting. This seems to be a more advantageous solution than a low-calorie diet with no fixed periods of non-eating. So let's compare what happens when you are on a low-calorie diet and planned fasting.

Very low-calorie diet and planned fasting versus appetite control

Low calorie diet

During a very low-calorie diet, you often feel hungry. This is due to several factors, including regular consumption of small amounts of food, not satisfying hunger, and not feeling full. The appetite does not go away with time. On the contrary, episodes of "wolf appetite" attacks may appear over time. This condition is due to:

  • psychological - tiredness of constantly refusing food
  • physiological - lowering the satiety hormones (leptin) to very low levels (recovery may take months)
  • wrongbalanced nutrients - after depleting the reserves of proteins, fats, vitamins and microelements, the body will strive to supplement them at all costs

Deficient diet favors the yo-yo effect. Therefore, when planning a low-calorie diet, make sure that it is of adequate nutritional density. This will prevent shortages. Sometimes you need to take care of the proper supplementation of vitamins, minerals, as well as proteins and fats - especially omega 3.

Planned post

In turn, when fasting is planned, the feeling of hunger appears in the first stage of fasting. Some of the hormones responsible for the feeling of hunger are released at fixed times when the current meals are consumed, e.g. at lunchtime (ghrelin). After the body adapts to the new nutrition model, the feeling of hunger decreases significantly. The portions eaten between the "windows" of fasting are greater than distributed over five meals during the day. You can eat more in less time. It gives you a feeling of fullness and satisfaction.

This condition is due to:

  • psychological - fasting time is planned in advance and there is awareness of the decision made, so it is much easier to control the desire to snack
  • physiological - during fasting, the hormones responsible for the feeling of hunger are suppressed, while during the nutritional "window" the hormones of the feeling of satiety gain high levels
  • balance of nutrients - it is important to compose meals during the consumption "window" so that a variety of valuable food products appear: whole grain cereal products, vegetables and fruits as well as sources of protein and fats

Imagine 1800 kcal divided into 2 meals. These are really large and filling portions (if we use unprocessed natural food, because in fast food restaurants it is not unusual to eat that amount of calories in one meal).

Very low-calorie diet, planned fasting and the hormonal economy

Insulin is an extremely important metabolic hormone that supplies the muscles and liver with energy needed for the current work. In a he althy body, it takes about 3-4 hours for insulin levels to drop to baseline after a meal.

Low calorie diet

During a low-calorie diet, insulin - being an anabolic hormone that causes the accumulation of energy - regularly stimulated with small amounts of food, slows down the effective reduction of body fat. In addition, fluctuations in blood glucose content (which is determined by e.g. insulin) increase the desire to have a snack in the period from 1.5 to 2 hours aftera meal when its level starts to drop.

Planned post

In turn, insulin levels drop during fasting. This allows for more effective use of energy reserves located in adipose tissue (the so-called "burning" of adipose tissue). Research confirms a greater decrease in body fat in people using the planned fasting model, even consuming the same amount of calories as before.

Ghrelin is the hunger hormone. Its secretion depends on several factors. One of them is the regularity of meals.

Low calorie diet

During a low-calorie diet, an organism that is used to eating 5 times a day every 3 hours will require another portion of food even after a large meal that meets the daily caloric requirement.

Planned post

In turn, thanks to the normalization of ghrelin levels in the periods of fasting and the increase in its concentration during the nutritional "window", one does not feel physiological hunger during non-eating. Research has shown that levels of both ghrelin and insulin gradually decline over the course of intermittent fasting for extended periods of time. As a result, you get better control over the amount of food you eat. It also allows for long-term maintenance of the developed effects.

Worth knowing

Scientists from Lioma Linda University in Kaliformi, USA have come to extremely interesting conclusions. Working with colleagues from the Czech Republic, they surveyed over 50,000 people. The subjects were observed for 7-8 years on average. 1 Regardless of the nutritional pattern, the increase in weight of the subjects was increasing year by year. This happened until the age of 60. However, some people gained weight at a much slower pace than others, and in some their body weight did not change over the years. There were also those whose weight decreased. The researchers analyzed the data collected from all participants and selected four factors that contributed to weight loss. It was:

  • eating one or two meals a day
  • eating your biggest meal in the first part of the day
  • avoiding snacks (which were counted as a separate meal) and dinner
  • fasting 18 hours a day (e.g. lunch 2 p.m. - breakfast 8 a.m.)

Very low-calorie diet or planned fasting?

According to the current knowledge, with the same calorific value, you can achieve better results using planned fasting. It stimulates the hormonal balance, while limiting the breakdown of muscle tissue and increasing the reduction of spare fat.

There is a feeling during a planned fasthunger, but only periodically and it is really slight.

Low-calorie diet - without limiting the number and time of meals - with weight loss, it will "burn" both adipose tissue and muscle tissue. And this will worsen the proportions of the figure.

Fasting may be a bad thing, but it's known in every religion and culture. There are far more reasons to practice fasting than to avoid it. These are just some of them:

  • he alth improvement
  • improved immunity
  • preventing heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases
  • maintaining clarity of thinking, mental youth
  • life extension
Worth knowing

How do I start fasting?

In practice, it is enough to start with a 12-hour fasting period. Dinner is eaten at 7.00 p.m. and breakfast at 7.00 a.m., for example. It seems so obvious, but it is worth emphasizing that it is already a 12-hour fast.

During a planned fast, various types of temptation may stand in the way, e.g. snacks, sweet drinks. However, it is not worth succumbing to them and persevere in fasting. You can do it. Fasting is used regularly in many world religions. Sometimes every year, sometimes every month, sometimes every week for your whole life. Millions of people treat fasting as the normal course of things. So why can't you do that?

What will burn fat more? A very low-calorie diet or a planned fast?

Source: Youtube.com/GastroCoach

About the authorMikołaj Choroszyński, nutritionist and gastrocoach Master of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Psycho-dietician, Youtuber. Author of the first book on the Polish market about a diet counteracting neurodegenerative diseases "MIND Diet. A Way for a Long Life". He fulfills himself professionally, running his Bdieta diet clinic, because nutrition has always been his passion. She helps her patients by telling them what to eat to stay he althy and look good.

Source:

1. Hana Kahleova, Jan Irene Lloren, Andrew Mashchak, Martin Hill, Gary E Fraser. Meal Frequency and Timing Are Associated with Changes in Body Mass Index in Adventist He alth Study 2. The Journal of Nutrition, 2022

Category:

Slimming