Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 40

If you are in your 40’s or 50’s, these days it is very hard to lose weight. The older you get the fewer calories your body burns even when working out daily. The key to losing weight successfully in this age range is to know how many calories to eat per day and then how many meals or snacks you should eat throughout that time frame.

How Intermittent Fasting Works

It’s called Intermittent Fasting, here is a brief explanation of how it works: Instead of eating 6-7 times/day, one will cut back on the amount consumed so the stomach shrinks over time.

16/8

They may also stop snacking all together which causes hunger hormones Ghrelin & Leptin to be suppressed ( gives your body energy instead of food). The longest known & proven form of IF is the 16/8 method typically done by skipping breakfast.

When you eat all meals in an 8-hour time frame and fast for 16 hours, your body goes into “starvation mode” thus burning calories at an increased rate.

5:2 diet

The other method is called the 5:2 diet which people will still eat normal amounts of food but 1-2 days per week they will cut back to 500 or 600 calories. This also triggers the body’s internal systems to release more weight than it takes in.

Some studies show that calorie restriction can help increase lifespan up to 30%. Not only does this prevent aging issues like heart disease, dementia & cancer but helps with mental focus mood enhancement & physical performance.

Weight Loss Studies On Intermittent Fasting

A study conducted by the University of Illinois Medical Center showed that based on the two different types of IF’s mentioned above, both methods work to lose weight & fat mass. The 16/8 method was shown to be more effective at burning body fat due to elevated Ketone production which reduces visceral fat.

Increases Insulin Sensitivity

Another 2016 clinical trial observed 24 obese adults for 8 weeks. Due to increased ketone levels, they saw a decrease in body weight, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose & triglycerides. They also saw an increase in insulin sensitivity leading them to believe it may play a key role in preventing Type 2 Diabetes.

Skipping breakfast or not eating all day is difficult but can lead to better results. It forces you into ketosis which helps with suppressing hunger. The key is to eat less than your TDEE ( total daily energy expenditure ), it keeps you in the negative which makes you burn more calories.

This method is especially good for athletes who are trying to gain muscle without putting on body weight since it keeps their metabolism higher for longer periods.

If you have any questions about Intermittent Fasting do not hesitate to ask! If you are 40+, I highly suggest starting with skipping breakfast & having 2-3 meals/day until your comfort level increases. Remember that should not eat like a pig all day then fast because your body needs calories even if they’re from healthy sources to function properly.

Intermittent Fasting Helps You Stick To Healthy Habits

Intermittent Fasting helps you stick to healthy habits & creates new better habits that lead you into dietary success. Being in your 40’s is a great time to get on track with your diet & exercise routine for healthy aging.

Intermittent Fasting helps you age gracefully by reversing many of the symptoms associated with aging, it’s not only good for losing weight but also prevents diseases.

After starting your healthy lifestyle changes intermittent fasting will help you lose more weight & control hunger without snacking or overeating.

Doing this daily allows people to increase their muscle mass, even if they are in a caloric deficit. Some performance athletes have found that doing IF several times per week can increase their max lifts.

Studies have shown that ketone production helps young athletes improve their endurance & athleticism while burning fat at an increased rate. You may be interested in trying Intermittent Fasting after 40 because it will give you energy rather than food without feeling lethargic throughout the day!

The 5:2 Diet = 250-500 kcal

The 16/8 Method = 400-600 kcal

Control Hunger

One of the biggest reasons people over 40 starts doing intermittent fasting is because they can control hunger. Letting your body rest for 16 hours as it does in restful mode can help you stick to your diet for longer periods.

It also allows the body to properly digest foods & use fat as energy without overworking your digestive system & making you feel sluggish all day.

There’s no rule saying that you must do intermittent fasting, if it doesn’t work for you then stop. Starting out slowly makes it easier on the body but like every other healthy lifestyle change, will take time and patience before seeing results.